Fortune's Dice and the Mountain God's Trial
‘How will this team turn out from now on?’
Rolling the Relic: Fortuna's Dropped Dice!
Two dice rolled across the table.
3 and 5.
Total: 8.
‘Eight means… luck. It foretells a good outcome, but one must not grow complacent. One more time.’
Rolling the Relic: Fortuna's Dropped Dice once more!
4 and 6.
Total: 10.
‘Promotion. Acceleration of fate, reward for effort. Nothing but favorable omens.’
Lee-hyun smiled in satisfaction.
He had spent the past while studying Fortuna's dice and had nearly finished cataloging the meaning of each number.
「Eh? Only good readings like this?」
「Katkatkat. The Goddess of Luck must be watching our apostle.」
The baby monkey and the young turtle stared intently at the dice.
「On the contrary, this makes me more suspicious.」
「If it is good, simply enjoy it. Why must you always think so crookedly?」
「No, I mean—」
「Do not worry. Should misfortune arise, this priest shall divert every curse toward our enemies with his curse incantations.」
「What did you just say!?」
Crash and clamor—today, too, the two animal brothers bickered without end.
Lee-hyun rolled the dice again.
‘What results will this mission bring?’
Clatter. Click.
5 and 6.
Total: 11.
‘Revelation. A hidden truth will come to light.’
This carried an entirely different meaning from before.
“A hidden truth… What could it be?”
「Katkat. A truly difficult number. If it concerns that Peng fellow, it means he has another accomplice besides me.」
「Do not lose yourself in this. Focus on what must be done first. Once we clear these three dungeons, we will begin hunting them in earnest, yes?」
Sa Oh-jeong and Sun Wukong ceased their quarrel and looked up at Lee-hyun.
Their gazes were deep and calm.
“Yes. We will. Originally I planned to keep my identity hidden as long as possible… but that is no longer possible.”
Lee-hyun had drastically revised his future plans after his conversation with Lee Gun-san.
By toppling the great houses, the identity of Gwi-roe had ceased to be a one-time tool.
Therefore, it was necessary to use it as a long-term piece on the board.
Furthermore, the previous clash and Director Jung’s reaction had confirmed that Chairman Peng was hiding something related to Sun Wukong.
He could no longer remain still.
Though it was earlier than Lee-hyun had initially anticipated, he intended to make full use of the fact that they had not yet fully grasped his identity.
‘If the Lieutenant General is right, the one who entered the country is most likely the Dragon Lord. In that case, they would have thoroughly investigated every member of Z-Team—including me. Their curiosity must be considerable.’
Lee-hyun’s eyes gleamed sharply.
‘Now then, how will you move, Dragon Lord?’
The Dragon Lord was known to be close to Seo Chang-woo as well.
That meant he was one of Lee-hyun’s primary targets that had to be eliminated first.
And…
“I am also thinking it is time to put this one to use.”
Lee-hyun gazed at the golden bracelet that remained motionless as ever.
「There is much to be done. This journey will change many things.」
Sun Wukong twisted his lips.
Lee-hyun nodded.
Katkat. Sa Oh-jeong burst into laughter beside him.
He, too, looked thoroughly excited.
A heated fervor swirled around the three of them.
Just as Lee-hyun thought the appointed time was drawing near and began packing his bag to leave the café—
「By the way.」
“……?”
「Ahem! On the way out, let us buy one slice of pumpkin cake from this café. The reviews online were excellent.」
“……You are using the internet now?”
「I happened to watch a mukbang or two while you were training.」
No wonder the phone battery had been draining faster than expected.
Lee-hyun let out a dry laugh and headed for the kiosk.
If he did not buy it, he would be nagged all day.
* * *
After finishing his personal maintenance time, Lee-hyun met Kim Min-jung and headed down to the item storage floor located underground.
“The team members were in an uproar, you know?”
“Why?”
“You did not check the group chat, did you?”
“Messages seemed to be coming in, so I just turned it off.”
He had not completely powered it off.
Sun Wukong had taken it, claiming he needed to watch mukbangs.
“Then keep it turned off. I told everyone I did not know where you were when they asked.”
“Good work. Shall I pat your head as a reward?”
“If you want your hand cut off, go ahead.”
Flash.
Seeing Kim Min-jung’s eyes widen like an axe, Lee-hyun let out a light laugh.
She had been the same even during their cadet days—a junior who was genuinely fun to tease.
“……No matter how much time passes, you never change.”
Kim Min-jung seemed to feel it too and pressed her index finger firmly against her temple.
But soon she laughed along with him.
The fact that the two of them were gradually returning to the way they had been in their youth meant their hearts were drawing closer.
Kim Min-jung could see the ‘leisure’ that had once vanished from Lee-hyun.
‘I wish he could stay like this… but that would be difficult, would it not?’
Kim Min-jung knew all too well the old grudges Lee-hyun carried.
She also knew that such leisure was only fleeting.
That was why she felt pity.
For Lee-hyun, who always bore a yoke and painfully climbed the hill.
‘And starting tonight, he will accelerate the pace once more for that very reason.’
Lee-hyun had informed the team members that he would begin a new dungeon raid at midnight.
Only three people: Kim Min-jung, Seo Ae-ri, and Eom Gi-seon.
The message read:
-I plan to be away for about two weeks. Prepare thoroughly and join the raid.
He had not explained where they were going.
But if it was a place that someone who had cleared a dungeon in a single day intended to attempt over a long period, the difficulty must be immense.
Though the notice had been sudden, neither Seo Ae-ri nor Eom Gi-seon raised any objections.
On the contrary, they seemed pleased.
After all, it meant they would be able to research more and fight more.
And…
Lee-hyun—
‘He will grow that much more as well. Every time he clears a dungeon, he achieves remarkable growth.’
Kim Min-jung had a feeling that once this expedition ended, Lee-hyun would recover to a level close to his Z-Team days, if not exactly the same.
Ranker.
The S-rank that every hunter dreamed of reaching—achieved in only one or two months.
It was an insane rate of growth.
‘Well, when has he ever done anything that made sense?’
Just then, the two of them arrived at the counter.
The place that lent out important items owned by the guild according to missions or applications.
Sometimes it also sealed cursed items.
“I have come to receive an item.”
“Please show your authorization document.”
Lee-hyun presented the documents he had received separately when accepting the mission.
“Confirmed. Please wait a moment.”
The counter staff went inside and soon returned with a wooden box tightly wrapped in talismans and chains.
“The rental period lasts until a separate mission completion order is issued. The precautions are: always keep it by your side, and never draw it from its sheath in crowded areas.”
Lee-hyun nodded.
“This is because the curse contained within this item affects not only the user but every living being within a certain radius. Do you have any additional questions?”
“None.”
“Then please sign here after receiving it.”
Lee-hyun signed and left the storage floor carrying the wooden box.
“……It has been a while since I saw something sealed this thoroughly. And yet, even at this distance, I still feel a chill. How is that possible?”
Kim Min-jung deliberately kept her distance from the box.
She mainly used liquid and flesh curses herself, but this was on a different level.
A contamination-type curse that, when near similar curses, would instead mutate them in a similar manner.
There was a risk that her own legacy might break.
“It means it is that dangerous an item.”
“Director Jung must not be in his right mind. How can he tell someone to carry something like this around? And with the seal completely released, no less?”
Lee-hyun smiled silently.
In truth, unlike her, he was completely unaffected by the curse.
[Curse Immunity (SS) has activated, nullifying all curses.]
「Katkat! I am truly curious what kind of fellow it will be! I hope it is a very interesting one.」
Sa Oh-jeong was actually drooling.
‘It seems far more violent than the description suggested. Ordinary hunters would not even dare to approach it.’
「He even gave you the Phoenix’s Heart. It seems that Director Jung fellow was not an enemy, but rather a benefactor to our apostle! Katkatkat!」
‘It appears so. However—’
「Hmm? Is there more?」
‘While it was Director Jung who ordered this item to be given to me, I believe someone else guided him to do so beforehand.’
「Oh? There is someone else?」
「…….」
While Sa Oh-jeong’s eyes widened into circles,
Sun Wukong narrowed his eyes silently, as if he had sensed something.
“Let us open it here.”
Lee-hyun and Kim Min-jung arrived at a private training room prepared on the first basement floor.
A spacious room specially treated so that even considerable skills would not leave a single scratch.
“Are you really going to follow me in? It will be dangerous.”
“How can I send you in alone to unseal something this dangerous? It is an SS-rank cursed item. Just in case, I should be there too.”
“As expected of Kim Min-jung. Your loyalty is overflowing.”
“Even if you flatter me that much, nothing will come out, you know?”
Kim Min-jung snorted as she spoke.
“More importantly, be careful. If you open it carelessly, the curse will immediately…!”
“It is fine.”
Kim Min-jung swallowed dryly and put as much distance as possible between herself and Lee-hyun. At the same time, her hand moved toward her holster.
Lee-hyun inserted the key into the lock on the chains.
Click!
“On the contrary, the more vigorous it is, the more welcome it will be.”
The moment he turned the key with force—
Clang-clang-clang!
The iron chains shattered one after another from the strong repulsive force,
Thud!
The lid was flung backward and broke, tearing all the talismans that had been stuck to it.
And what was revealed was a curved dagger.
Whooooosh!
A tremendous wave of cursed energy swirled.
Brutus's Dagger reveals the bloodlust it has accumulated!
“Senior!”
“It is fine. It is dangerous, so stay there.”
Brutus's Dagger trembled violently.
As if it intended to quench the thirst it had built up no matter what.
Even Lee-hyun, who did not so much as blink at most curses, felt goosebumps rise on his skin from the sheer intensity of this curse.
“It is quite angry.”
「Katkatkatkat! This! It is definitely a far greater item than we expected!」
Sa Oh-jeong burst into loud laughter while peering inside the wooden box.
A mad laugh tinged with insanity.
Even delight seemed to linger at the corners of his eyes.
「The item itself is impressive, but someone has already laid hands on it beforehand.」
At Sun Wukong’s added words, Lee-hyun nodded.
‘Yes. As expected, this item… seems to have been touched by the Mountain God.’
Additional Effect: Hwanma Mama (Tiger Menace) — Mental/Fear-type curse granted by unknown means.
Lee-hyun opened his Hwaan Geumjeong wide.
A green radiance surrounding the dagger.
It felt familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.
Whoosh!
Analyzing the curse bound to the item with Hwaan Geumjeong…
The curse has been identified as Hwanma Mama.
Hwanma Mama
The greatest curse possessed by those who inherit the Mountain Lord myth.
Since ancient times in East Asia, tigers descending from mountains to carry people away were feared as much as plagues.
Most attempts to resist ended in failure, ultimately afflicting and killing the opponent.
Type: Mental, Fear-type curse.
Origin: Folk tale ‘Tiger Menace’
‘As expected.’
From the moment he received the wooden box, Lee-hyun had realized this was a test from Mo Jeong-gyeon.
The conversation they had during their private meeting earlier.
-You are willing to become a blade?
-Use me as you see fit. It was the same even in the military.
-What if our directions differ?
-I will leave of my own accord.
-How can I trust you?
Since he had offered to become a blade, she was telling him to show its sharpness.
If he failed this test, the blade would break.
But if he passed…
‘It could become even sharper. Sharp enough to cut through anything.’
Hwanma Mama was closer to a sharp aura than a mere curse.
That meant—
‘This is also a teaching. A lesson the Mountain God is imparting to me.’
Lee-hyun could see how to pass this test.
Therefore, without hesitation, he reached out and grasped the dagger.
[Brutus's Dagger’s curse intensifies! Hwanma Mama strengthens its curse to contaminate you!]
[Curse Immunity (SS) nullifies all of it.]
[Curse and immunity clash evenly.]
Tremble, tremble……!
Holding the violently resisting dagger in a reverse grip,
“Wait, Senior!”
Lee-hyun plunged it straight into his own heart.