Chapter 105
Chapter 105
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 105
Chapter Title: Double Dungeon - 1
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"Nice."
At that moment.
Kim Minjun, who was in the training room, grinned at the unexpected opportunity.
A message from the battalion commander asking if he wanted to join the double dungeon raid.
Of course, there was no reason to turn it down, so he immediately replied that he'd head over right away.
"What's up? Something good happen?"
"Sergeant Kim Minjun, you look happy."
Seeing his expression, Son Eunseo and Kim Seohyun approached.
There were only three people using the training room right now.
He'd called Kim Seohyun along at Son Eunseo's request for some personal coaching.
"Son Eunseo, why are you talking so casually to Sergeant Kim Minjun?"
"Corporal Son Eunseo, he said it's fine after duty hours. I was okay with it, but Sergeant Kim Minjun said it made him uncomfortable."
"Oh? Alright then."
Their relationship was a strange one.
They seemed friendly enough for a first meeting, but they'd bicker over the smallest things.
Just like that exchange.
"What? You two get close while I wasn't looking?"
Son Eunseo glanced at Kim Seohyun's face at his casual remark.
*Doesn't seem like it.*
They weren't friends.
But she was certain they could help each other improve.
Sparring with someone of similar skill was the most effective way to grow.
*Kim Seohyun, was it?*
She was impressed by Kim Seohyun's physical abilities, which exceeded her expectations.
A sergeant from Hunter NCO School, right?
*No combat experience? With skills like that?*
She could tell after a few clashes.
Kim Seohyun had abilities that belied her rank.
She'd figured the relative of a family friend would be strong, but this was beyond imagination.
*What kind of people are they?*
She herself had the skills to breeze into Hunter NCO School.
Her father, the division commander, had verified that much.
With her corporal experience and stats factored in, she was confident she wouldn't lose to most sergeants.
Yet this new sergeant gave her the feeling she'd lose in a real fight.
And all she'd done for training was that recent winter exercise.
"Haa... It's been a while since I felt this deprived..."
"What are you saying? You've got the division commander's top-tier genes and talent. I'm jealous."
"You gonna say that to me? Unbelievable..."
"Anyway, check this out."
Kim Minjun showed them the message he'd just received.
"Huh? Double dungeon raid... You're going too?"
"Yeah. And this one's unrated for difficulty, so the performance points will be huge."
Son Eunseo looked surprised.
What was a double dungeon?
Even in a unit famous for its intensity, they selected one experienced, elite officer per unit to raid it.
That said how insanely tough they were.
Of course, she knew Kim Minjun could crush most officers.
But...
*He has no experience.*
The gap between having cleared a double dungeon and not was impossible to ignore.
That's why they only picked officers with prior clears as a must.
*And this one's unratable?*
Shouldn't they pick someone even more experienced then?
*What's the battalion commander thinking? Does he trust this guy that much?*
Unlike Son Eunseo, lost in questions, Kim Seohyun nodded as if it were obvious.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun could clear it solo."
Her beaming smile radiated total trust.
Son Eunseo couldn't understand why hunters called her scary.
"Me? Well, I've powered up lately, so yeah, I could handle it solo if asked. I'm heading out first to prep for the raid, so you two keep at it."
In high spirits, Kim Minjun whistled as he left the training room.
"I'm heading out too. Got a pile of work."
"Ah, yes. Sir!"
Less than a minute after he left, Kim Seohyun followed without a backward glance.
The bright smile from moments ago vanished in an instant.
"...What? I was gonna ask for one more spar."
Suddenly alone, Son Eunseo grumbled and went off to find another partner.
**
Time passed, and the day of the double dungeon raid arrived.
Kim Minjun was now riding in a military vehicle to another base.
The target double dungeon was near Goseong in Gangwon Province.
"Sir!"
The hunters on guard at the gate checked the vehicle plates and saluted sharply.
"Yeah. Keep it up."
Kim Minjun gave the soldier a casual nod and got out near the base.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun, good work out there."
"Yeah."
A sergeant waiting in the back climbed into the front seat.
Regs required an officer in the front if a regular soldier drove a military vehicle.
Same rules for the Hunter Army.
*Feels kinda bad making NCOs shotgun just for that.*
Thinking how the army was full of quirks, he headed to the base's parade ground.
*Whoa. Lieutenants and captains everywhere.*
Officers like him, arriving early for the raid.
No second lieutenants.
Mostly lieutenants and captains.
"Sir!"
He snapped a crisp salute with proper form and voice.
They were all from different units.
He had to avoid anything that could tarnish the Invincible Hunter Unit's rep.
Build a good image, max out those performance points.
"Damn... You're that Sergeant Kim Minjun from the 104th Division?"
"We heard you rocketed from private to corporal, but sergeant already?"
"You captured an ogre alive recently? Elite, total elite."
The officers crowded around, offering handshakes.
His rep had spread more than expected.
"Sergeant Kim Minjun! Thank you, sir!"
These officers were veterans at a glance, loaded with experience.
Operations officer, chemical officer, medical officer, engineer officer, and so on.
All holding key positions as hunters.
"Just got lucky."
Most were friendly, but one was prickly.
Starting with "Just lucky," then "Daddy's a general, so possible," or "Timing worked out."
Obvious excuses anyone could see through.
*Name's... Captain Ma Seokdu. Medical officer.*
Other officers silent at his nonsense?
Predictable.
Few military officers could join double dungeon raids, and he had the seniority.
*Medical officer means he's smart, so why the inferiority complex?*
Think a little.
Why would a sergeant like me join a raid only for skilled officers?
*Lately I've realized physiognomy is real science.*
Captain Kim Sangdeok from his unit, and this army doc.
Both looked like assholes on sight.
"Thanks for coming all this way."
"Sir!"
About ten minutes later, the base's battalion commander appeared.
"As you know, today's target is a double dungeon."
Brief intro, then straight into the dungeon briefing.
"Any questions?"
Time was tight; briefing wrapped in under five minutes.
The raid plan matched what he'd heard beforehand.
Soldiers handle the first layer; officers in a squad tackle the double dungeon.
"Battalion Commander, sir. A question."
"Speak."
Captain Ma Seokdu broke the silence.
Nothing major.
Just nitpicking why a sergeant like Kim Minjun could join a double dungeon raid.
"Double dungeons have strict selection for raiders compared to others. Yet..."
"Do I really need to explain?"
The battalion commander cut in before he finished.
Sharp, irritated tone.
"Pardon?"
"The 104th Division commander recommended you personally. Said your skills are beyond doubt. More importantly, you're asking pointless questions right before a double dungeon raid?"
"N-no, sir..."
Caught off-guard by the rebuke, Captain Ma Seokdu hung his head.
Seemed he knew he'd embarrassed himself.
*Ma Seokdu, huh? See you inside the double dungeon.*
Kim Minjun smirked mockingly at him.
*Let the first one slide, and he comes at me twice?*
He'd endured once for military courtesy, but this fool climbed over his head.
*You'll face discipline the moment this raid ends.*
Decided to give the arrogant prick a harsh lesson.
No other reason.
He'd pissed him off.
For someone like Captain Kim Sangdeok from his own unit, he'd cut more slack as a comrade.
But cross the line, and he'd pay.
"Double dungeon raid starts now! 3rd Company, 2nd and 3rd Platoons— you're only hitting the first layer, so do it by the book! Understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Got it!"
The double dungeon raid began.
First-layer monsters were mostly low-grade.
Soldiers formed up to protect the officers.
Preserve their stamina to reach the second layer.
That was the soldiers' mission.
"Man, this unit's well-trained."
"Yeah. Quick and sharp movements. Better than ours."
While officers chatted, soldiers cleared the first layer.
"Moving to the second layer now. I'll go first. Then Sergeant Kim Minjun. Then captains, lieutenants in order."
Before a rift shimmering with dark red energy.
Battalion Commander Colonel Lee Pildu designated entry order one by one.
"Yes, sir!"
"Understood!"
Entry limits on the dungeon.
So, excellent hunters prioritized after the overall commander.
*If this double dungeon's a pushover after all that, it'll suck.*
Squad-sized with a colonel only for one case.
Unratable double dungeons.
They geared up fully, entered, and sometimes only hounds appeared, sapping morale.
But that was hopeful thinking.
Worst case, high-grade monsters swarmed.
Colonels deployed as insurance.
"Entering now. Follow at one-minute intervals."
"Yes, sir!"
Colonel Lee Pildu led into the double dungeon.
"Heading in."
Next, Kim Minjun stepped through the rift.
*Man, hope it's a horde of high-grade monsters.*
His first double dungeon.
He wished it'd be record-breaking hard.
**
[You have entered the dungeon.]
*Oh?*
His wish came true easily.
They faced a dungeon form unknown even to Hunter HQ.