Chapter 3
Chapter 3
The Adventurer Goes to the Dungeon
The carriage raced along the mountain road and eventually arrived at a massive cave.
This was the dungeon they would be clearing today, the Green-Eared Dungeon.
The entrance of the cave was tangled with bones and dead vines, creating a chilling atmosphere, but contrary to that image, the surroundings were surprisingly noisy.
“Th, this is the dungeon, right, sir?”
“Yes. Get off, Elain.”
Elain stepped down from the carriage with clear tension on her face.
Siwoo answered indifferently and, as if accustomed to it, walked toward the tent set up near the entrance.
“There are more people than I expected…”
“Dungeons are always crowded. But this place is even more so because it’s Green.”
“Green?”
…Right. She didn’t even know the basic terminology.
Well, she had been in a mercenary group, but it seemed this was her first time actually entering a dungeon.
“Dungeons are classified into three types: Red, Yellow, and Green. The one we’re entering is Green. In other words, it’s a certified safe dungeon.”
“Safe…”
“Red means unexplored dungeons. Usually, elite guilds handle those as advance teams. Yellow means it’s been cleared at least once, but still has a high difficulty and casualties occur often.”
“So Green means it’s already cleared and no one dies there?”
“That’s right. If the death rate stays below ten percent for half a year compared to visitors, it gets Green classification.”
“Then the dungeon we’re going into today is safe!”
Elain’s face brightened.
It wasn’t exactly wrong, but there was no need to spoil her mood, so Siwoo left it at that.
Inside the tent, a foul mix of sweat, dirt, and metallic blood stench filled the air.
It was not a pleasant smell.
“Ugh… I feel like I’m going to throw up, sir.”
“Control your expression, Elain. This is what a dungeon smells like. Did you think it would smell like flowers?”
“…Sorry.”
As they entered, all eyes inside the tent turned toward them.
A limping man and a blonde maid.
It would’ve been stranger if they weren’t stared at.
“We’re from the Siwoo Mercenary Group. We reserved entry for this morning.”
“Hmm, confirmed.”
Siwoo paid two gold coins to the man sitting at the desk.
The man handed him two small stones in return.
“Sir, why did you pay him money?”
“It’s the entry fee. Green dungeons are usually managed by a group, and this one is under the Carlos Mercenary Group’s territory.”
“Can we also own a dungeon like this someday?”
“If you do your part well, maybe.”
“I-I’ll work hard!”
Siwoo placed one of the small stones into Elain’s hand.
“This is a return stone. If you think you’re going to die, break it in half.”
“…Yes.”
“Let’s go.”
Elain gripped her hand axe so tightly her knuckles turned white.
The Green-Eared Dungeon was named after the monsters called Green-Ears—in other words, goblins.
Shick! Thud!
One goblin’s head flew off as Siwoo’s blade swung down.
Even after losing a comrade, the goblins shrieked and rushed forward, swinging rusty daggers and swords.
Goblins weren’t strong individually, but they reproduced quickly and had enough intelligence to use tools.
Their group behavior and basic intelligence made them extremely annoying opponents for hunters.
The proper way to handle goblins was well known in monster manuals.
The easiest method was dominance.
If you clearly showed you were stronger, goblins would quickly lose morale and flee.
But things weren’t going that smoothly now.
“Kieeek!”
“Damn it!”
A goblin threw a rusty dagger.
Siwoo could have dodged easily, but he couldn’t afford to.
“Sir, the monster is—”
“I know!”
“Sorry! My leg got caught!”
Siwoo barely deflected the incoming dagger with his limp leg.
He succeeded once, but wasn’t sure he could do it again.
Elain’s combat ability was far below expectations.
Her awkward movements while gripping the axe and shouting “What do I do!?” were completely unrefined.
Still, her mental strength was surprisingly stable.
Most first-timers would already be vomiting or panicking, but she was holding up better than expected.
Siwoo swung his sword again, severing another goblin’s head, but their momentum didn’t slow.
Goblins were clever in their own way.
They could easily sense weakness.
And they had realized it—he and Elain were not strong opponents.
“Sir, I-I’ll help too.”
“Elain! Don’t swing it like—!”
“Hup!”
Her attack missed wildly, exposing a huge opening.
A goblin immediately lunged at her with a dagger.
Siwoo grabbed her neck and yanked her back just in time.
“Elain. When you attack, focus. One strike. Kill in one hit.”
“O-one hit…”
She nodded awkwardly.
At least she hadn’t used her return stone yet. That was something.
But the number of goblins kept increasing.
They had picked up the scent of exhausted humans.
“Let’s fall back a bit.”
Siwoo grabbed her hand and ran.
Though “ran” was generous for a limping man.
Kieeek!
The weak are running.
Kill them.
Goblins hurled daggers wildly.
“Sir! It’s dangerous!”
“Damn it!”
Siwoo pulled Elain into his arms and rolled.
Thud! Slash!
Pain flared across his back and thigh.
It had been a while since he felt blade wounds like this.
“Damn it… seriously…”
This was exactly why he retired.
And yet here he was again.
Elain looked up at him with strangely sparkling eyes.
What are you looking at like that, you idiot… I want to smash your head in.
But he held back.
A 50-gold “investment” in a hidden skill holder was too valuable to waste.
“Elain. Take a smoke bomb from my pocket.”
“…Yes? O-okay!”
“No, not that one, idiot.”
“Oh—this one!”
“That’s it! Throw it!”
“W-where?”
“At the goblins!”
“R-right!”
She threw it.
The smoke bomb spun through the air and smashed directly into a goblin’s head.
“….”
“I-I did it, sir!”
It wasn’t even a smoke bomb anymore.
It hissed and exploded into thick smoke.
Then—
Swish!
A rusty axe flew out of the smoke.
Siwoo couldn’t move properly while holding Elain.
If he dodged, she would be hit.
“…This is going to hurt a bit.”
But before the axe landed—
“Not a chance!”
Crack!
Elain moved like a phantom and split the axe in two.
A red glow trailed through the air.
“…Let’s retreat for now.”
That was enough warming up.
The rest of the battle was no different.
They fought repeatedly through brutal skirmishes.
Elain wasn’t very useful in combat.
Her wild swings rarely connected.
“Focus. Don’t panic. Stay calm.”
“Yes…”
But she improved quickly.
There was hesitation, but she absorbed instructions well.
Eventually, they reached a safe zone after navigating the maze-like paths.
A place created from residual dungeon energy.
“Let’s rest. This place is safe.”
“I didn’t know there was somewhere like this inside the dungeon…”
Siwoo sat down heavily, exhaustion flooding out of him.
Elain hugged her knees in the corner.
“Sorry, sir…”
“It’s fine. It’s your first time.”
It wasn’t fine, but he said it anyway.
He handed her a calorie bar.
“Eat. You can’t fight without energy.”
“It tastes bad.”
“It’s designed that way. No smell either. Monsters track scent. This is survival food.”
Elain swallowed it quickly.
“I feel useless…”
She looked on the verge of crying.
“…Sir.”
“Yes?”
“I need to use the bathroom…”
“No.”
“W-what?”
“Hold it.”
“B-but…”
“Smell attracts monsters.”
It was harsh, but reality.
Elain trembled, holding it in.
After a while, Siwoo stood.
“Let’s move.”
“Already…?”
“Yes. We’re not here to picnic.”
As they prepared to leave, Elain asked quietly:
“Sir… why did you become an adventurer?”
Siwoo forced a smile.
“…So I wouldn’t lose anything important again.”
“….”
It was a lie wrapped in truth.
But it worked.
Somewhere deeper in the dungeon, something moved.
Fast.
Violent.
Unstoppable.
A flame of slaughter raced through corridors, cutting down goblins without hesitation.
It laughed.
A terrifying smile.
A girl wielding twin axes.
No technique. No magic.
Just pure violence.
And the goblins ran.
But there was no escape.
The flame consumed everything.
[‘Elain’ leveled up.]
[‘Elain’ leveled up.]
…
[‘Red-Eyed Berserker’ has ended.]
[100 goblins killed in a single battle.]
[Title earned: Goblin Hunter]
[Due to level-up and achievements, 300 dice have been obtained.]
“…That’s way too effective.”