Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Crisis is the Key
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Kang Han stroked Baek Young's chin while habitually checking his status window, as always.
Last night, he'd asked a favor of the director at a staffing agency he knew and rented a dungeon.
No matter how real the sub-space felt, he figured there might be some differences from an actual dungeon.
Other than catching a brief nap, he'd trained all night and come back, but there was no change in his status window.
The only thing was an intense fatigue weighing down on his body like a vice.
Kang Han wiped the sweat trickling down his jaw with a towel as he thought.
'There has to be a way.'
He clenched his fist, recalling the moment of his reawakening.
Innocent victim. And righteous fury.
The system had made it clear.
To reawaken once more, he needed a 'trigger'.
He planned to try everything he could do on his own.
'This isn't working.'
He needed to get stronger to rebuild the Justice Guild like before.
Stronger still.
To achieve that goal, Kang Han intended to push himself to the limit.
'Tonight, the dungeon again...'
That was when he was turning down Jang Su-ho's offer in his mind.
Snap.
A soft, warm hand grabbed his own before he could even react.
In that instant, all his thoughts vanished, and his mind went still.
"What did you do last night?"
Only Nayeo-ju's eyes, fixed straight on him, stood out clearly.
Her light brown irises were his entire world.
This guy!
With all his daily suffering, I'd definitely brought it down to the 40s!
"Tell me. Right now. What did you do last night?"
"Just... the dungeon for a bit..."
"Did you go to a dungeon and zap lightning all night?"
"......"
"Good lord."
There was a limit to how bullheaded a person could be!
If it were a skill that reactivated that easily, he would've reawakened it ages ago!
I let out a sigh before asking Kang Han.
"Getting impatient?"
Kang Han didn't answer.
But his hardened expression said it all.
"You know training alone like that won't cut it, right?"
"I can't just sit around hoping for a miracle."
"I get that to some extent."
Kang Han was the hardworking type.
So he'd feel anxious and restless if he wasn't doing something.
"Hold on. Let me heal you a bit."
It felt like Kang Han's fatigue was transferring to me—my vision swayed for a moment.
But it had the desired effect.
"Feeling better?"
"Thank you."
Kang Han nodded, rolling his shoulders in amazement.
I stood first and patted his shoulder to get him up.
Then I pointed to the simulation training ground.
"For now, let's polish what you've already got."
I fiddled with the simulation environment using my fingertips.
Cave-type C-grade dungeon.
The same setup where Kang Han had reawakened.
"Five in the US, five in China, two in neighboring Japan, and one in our country."
Kang Han silently watched me at my sudden words.
"The number of S-grade hunters who pull their weight with just one skill."
With that, I pushed on Kang Han's back.
"Let's go in and try it."
The massive Kang Han obediently entered the simulation training ground at my nudge.
As the door closed, he turned back, seemingly grasping my intent from the environment unfolding before him.
Not that anyone outside could see in now that it was fully dungeon-like.
I pressed the button to summon the same C-grade Wingbats as before.
Kieeeek-!
The Wingbats charged at Kang Han fearlessly, as programmed.
Up to here, it was the same as that time.
But then.
Bzzzt!
A yellow glow flickered in Kang Han's eyes, sparks dancing on his hand.
And as he swung his right hand lightly, like tossing a ball to a child.
Kaboom-!
A deafening roar accompanied a vicious bolt of lightning that struck the Wingbat.
I pressed the mic button quietly and spoke.
"How's that? Different from last time, right?"
Kang Han, standing alone in the dungeon, shook his head and replied curtly.
"Make it A-grade."
Greedy.
Not satisfied with this much, huh.
I clicked my tongue but did as he asked.
A monster mainly from cave-type S-grade dungeons. It looks like a dump truck-sized lizard but has eight legs—that's its signature.
"Eww, gross."
Because it mostly travels underground and bursts out suddenly to attack, it's tricky to handle without flight skills or ones that boost reaction speed instantly.
Kang Han was no exception.
Bam!
Thud!
Bzzzt—Boom!
He moved so fast my eyes could barely follow, attacking relentlessly, but the Dirt Dragon's rock-thick scales deflected them all.
"Your attacks are still too weak."
No wonder he felt frustrated.
He was hurling attacks like spears, but they were small and blunt, so of course.
"Can't just let him wander dungeons at night, though."
If he snapped inside one alone, that'd be a problem for me.
I thought for a moment, then headed over.
The simulation training ground door swung open, and it felt like teleporting into a battlefield dungeon.
Thump!
Rumble!
What had been just sounds outside now vibrated through my skull.
"Screw it."
It was all fake anyway.
I deliberately stomped loudly as I ran toward the center of the simulated dungeon.
"Grk?"
The Dirt Dragon switched targets in an instant.
Roooar!
A creepy vibration from the beast tunneling through solid bedrock headed straight for me, tingling up my soles.
"3, 2, 1."
Kaboom!
The ground split right where I'd stopped, two steps away, and the Dirt Dragon erupted.
"Kaaaaak!"
Its gaping maw loomed closer.
"Nayeo-ju!"
I heard Kang Han calling from afar, but the beast's hot breath was nearer.
Just as I thought those dozens of razor teeth would shred me.
Electricity condensed in Kang Han's grip.
Crackling, it instantly formed a harpoon-like spear and nailed the Dirt Dragon's open mouth.
Kaaaaaboom-!
A deafening blast rocked the dungeon.
The Dirt Dragon froze solid right at my nose.
Shhh-
With a sound like scattering sand, it oxidized away.
And beyond it, Kang Han approached, breathing heavily.
"You okay?"
His huge hands gripped my shoulders.
"Fine. Even if it bit me, it's all virtual anyway. So, how was it? Feelings on one-shotting an A-grade?"
"Hoo."
Kang Han swept back his damp bangs before answering.
"Now I get why Nayeo-ju-ssi pulled that stunt."
"Right? When the guild master has someone to protect, his skill power boosts..."
"Don't ever do that again."
His gaze looking down at me was deadly serious.
"Why? It worked. And it's all fake..."
"Even in simulation, monster attacks still hurt."
"Huh? For real?"
Wait, really?
Wasn't it just holograms in a sub-space?
"...You didn't know. Makes sense you'd try it then."
Kang Han put his hands on his hips and told me.
"You think it's a coincidence that whenever Ji-seong hyung trains attacks here, another guild member comes along?"
"Oh, I didn't know!"
If I had, I'd have called Jang Su-ho!
"If that hit you full-on, you'd have woken up in the Awakener Hospital again."
"Almost got another lecture from the doc."
"Nayeo-ju-ssi."
Kang Han called my name in a low voice.
"I said, never do that again."
But it worked!
Be happier about it!
I wanted to argue, but the mood said no.
"Okay."
"Haa."
Only then did Kang Han sigh deeply and stride out of the simulation training ground.
I hadn't known fake monsters could still hurt, but this confirmed one thing.
What was Kang Han missing right now?
"Crisis."
That last guerrilla gate must've been like a kids' soccer class for him.
C-grade monsters were too weak to trigger real instinctual threat—you could swat them with one hand.
In short.
"He needs a stronger, more dangerous dungeon."