The Devouring Mask

"Oh. Is that mask an artifact too?"

"If it's an artifact, we split it evenly. Anyone who doesn't want in can fuck off."

"Ah……."

Already, four out of the five had dollar signs in their eyes.

The one who seemed like the leader slowly approached the man.

"Hey. Buddy. Looks like you're a bit banged up. If you just hand over the artifact quietly……."

Before he could even finish his sentence.

Something shot out from the mask.

Crunch.

"…Huh?"

It wasn't the leader who said that. And why would it be? That something from the mask had chomped down on his entire head.

His comrades around him let out dumb groans, still not grasping what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had just happened.

"Y-you motherfucker! Attack him!"

Too late for yelling. Nothing changed.

They'd been ready to charge at any moment anyway. But they couldn't even react.

No way a shout alone would turn the tables.

Crunch! Crunch!

In an instant, that something from the mask devoured the remaining three as well.

Munch munch.

The mask, savoring the taste like it was licking its lips, still furrowed its brow as if it wasn't enough.

"H-heek!"

One man—the only one who'd claimed his conscience wouldn't let him attack another hunter—turned tail and ran.

"Still not enough?"

"Right."

Kwaaang!

"H-heek! Sp-spare……!"

Crunch!

The mask swallowed the last hunter whole.

"Still not enough?"

"Heh heh."

The man had devoured all these intruders in a flash, yet it still wasn't enough.

"Yeah. Still not quite."

As the man removed the mask, his hidden face came into view. The discarded mask scattered like dust and was sucked into Executive Ju Ho-ryeong's body.

What he'd worn wasn't some artifact.

It was simply the power of Executive Ju Ho-ryeong's Unique Ability, Goryeok Nanshin.

"To survive next month's board meeting, you know."

With the beep of the Sonaeho Dungeon's respawn alarm, Executive Ju turned back toward the dungeon.

* * *

"Ugh… Master. You really planning to go in there?"

"What else? Wanna hit up a nearby restaurant instead?"

"Whoa! That sounds good too!"

"You little punk."

I'd come all the way to Sonaeho, and here she was whining, so I flicked Ji-hyang right on the forehead.

"Ow!"

"Oops."

I'd hit her quick to dodge any flinch, and now a fist-sized lump swelled up on her forehead.

Seeing it made me feel bad for no reason.

"Ahem. Just trying to snap you out of it. Keep whining like that, and you'll never get stronger."

"Ugh……."

"Here. Have a sip of this."

Feeling guilty, I handed her one of the healing packs I'd brought from home.

Ji-hyang teared up as she downed it, and the lump subsided.

"Instead, if you snag something good today, we'll go for sogari spicy stew nearby."

Sonaeho was famous for its sogari spicy stew. Made with fish caught right from Sonaeho by the owner himself—damn tasty.

"……."

"…Ahem."

Ji-hyang showed zero reaction to the sogari stew mention.

If anything, she looked like she hated it.

'It's delicious, though. Sogari spicy stew.'

"Fine. If you don't like it, forget it. I'll just head home. Why bother with all this hassle?"

"N-no! It's just… there's been some bad rumors lately……."

"Rumors? What, that sogari stew's off-limits?"

"No, not that. About Sonaeho Dungeon."

"…Hm?"

Ji-hyang fiddled with her phone and showed me the stories circulating on the community forums.

Regular Sonaeho visitors suddenly vanishing a month ago, sneaky hunters spotted going in but never coming out. Stuff like that.

"See! Something really went down!"

"Nah. Not that."

"Huh?"

"This one says the sogari stew place is delicious."

"Ah."

"So let's swing by quick and grab some stew."

"Yes……."

Ji-hyang slumped as she gathered her wetsuit.

"……."

The sogari stew talk was half-joking. Something had definitely happened.

'That's why other hunters stopped coming.'

Which meant plenty of time for otherworld crops to grow.

'If it gets too dicey, we bail.'

"All set!"

"Oh. Quick changer."

While I spaced out, she'd already suited up in her wetsuit.

"Don't need one, Master?"

"Ahem. Think I'd be your master for nothing?"

"Whoa! Awesome!"

"Yup. Yup."

Prep done.

"Hup."

I checked the map app roughly and dove toward Sonaeho.

A quick swim underwater, and something caught my eye.

A massive iron gate, barnacles clustered thick, with a signpost beside it.

"……."

The sign was carved into a huge rock, somehow pristine even at this depth.

Blub blub.

Forgot I was underwater for a sec and nearly spoke, just spewing bubbles.

I signaled the door below with hand signs, and Ji-hyang nodded like she got it.

Flash.

"Pffft!"

Hand on the door, a bit of vertigo hit, and the scenery shifted.

What was the middle of a lake felt like a dream now; a dry spring breeze tickled my skin.

"Whoa."

Sonaeho Dungeon's type: Xianxia.

From what I'd looked up, it meant a dungeon oozing with Taoist vibes, full of yokai.

The surroundings looked like something straight out of an immortal’s paradise.

Samtaegi Dungeon was Xianxia too, but endless caves—no real feel.

Here, everything was wondrous from top to bottom.

Sky dyed warm pink, cherry blossoms drifting faintly.

Like a world from classical lit where immortals dwelled.

Especially the ground—cloud-like, yet solid underfoot.

A paradise hidden among the clouds, or something like that.

'And folks have been to realms like this.'

Made me feel cheated. I'd clawed out of demon hell.

"Phew."

Ji-hyang removed her oxygen mask next.

"Whoa! Master! This place is awesome!"

"Sure is."

Click. Click.

Ji-hyang got hyped, snapping selfies.

Hard to believe she'd been whining minutes ago.

"Plenty of otherworld crops here, bet."

Even these drifting cherry blossoms—who knew if real or otherworld fakes.

Weird part: no cherry trees, just petals snowing like flakes.

'Gonna pocket some on the way ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out.'

No clue what for, but something useful probably.

"Alright. Gear up quick."

"Yes!"

Ji-hyang stripped off the wetsuit.

Even if she was like a daughter, this was too much—I turned away, then paused.

She'd just layered it over leather armor.

Explained the speed.

"Ready!"

"Yeah."

Ji-hyang donned the gloves I'd given her and clasped her hands neatly.

Sonaeho Dungeon was quiet.

Fewer visitors meant no one else around.

Two routes: up the cloud path or down.

'Wonder what happens if you go off the end.'

Curious, I swiped at the cloud edge.

Felt like air at first, then hit a solid wall—hand stopped dead.

'What if I punch it?'

Just a passing thought. Break the dungeon, big headache.

Might trap us inside.

'Even here, getting stuck's a no-go.'

"Down we go."

"Yes!"

We picked the downward path. They looped at the end anyway.

Defied physics, like Ji-hyang said.

One step down the cloud path, and totems dotted the clouds.

Cheonha Daejanggun.

Jihae Yeojanggun.

Fierce-faced totems etched with bold hanja names.

Safer than they looked. Stay out of range, no attack.

'Well, they're totems.'

Whack-a-mole style popping up was funny.

"Master! What now?"

"What else? Pick one and smash."

"Ah! Got it!"

Ji-hyang stood before the nearest Daejanggun.

Grrrk…!

It twisted, glaring down at her from staring at the sky.

"Eek."

Ji-hyang shrank under its fierce gaze.

"Don't flinch. You're stronger."

"…Yes!"

Instantly, the Daejanggun's face twisted savagely.

Then it swung its whole body at her.

"Whoa!"

Ji-hyang ducked lithely, showing her training payoff.

Then straight-punched its sturdy waist.

Boom!

Crack!

Solid impact thudded. Not quite broken yet.

Whoosh!

Another swing, whipping up a gale to sweep the area.

Dodge it, done.

Ji-hyang evaded minimally, landing straight punches nonstop.

"Good."

Extra reason for picking Sonaeho: perfect monsters for training Ji-hyang.

Heavy hits, tanky, no swarm risk.

Ideal for a newbie like her.

…Kwajik!

After repeated straights, the waist snapped.

Thud!

"Got it! Took him down, Master!"

"Heh."

My pay-to-win disciple had grown this much.

The joy of raising, huh.

"Long way to go. No breaks till you clear the rest."

"…Yes!"

Ji-hyang headed to the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠next totem.

"…Huh?"

Something off.

Sonaeho monsters: Daejanggun, Yeojanggun—dark brown totems.

But ahead of Ji-hyang: something different.

A huge red-masked figure, human-like…….

Bang!

I rolled forward fast, yanking her back hard.

Kwah!

"Kyaa!"

The red thing barely missed, snapping at empty air.

Almost lost my hard-raised character pointlessly.

First, get Ji-hyang safe.

Pulled back, set her down.

"…What the?"

"Ho. Not bad."

The massive red thing shrank small, resizing to mask proportions.

A man in gray-purple robes wore it.

Bald, mostly shiny pate.

'Seen that somewhere.'

"…Executive Ju?"

Familiar silhouette through the mask gave it away.

Gleaming bald head, hefty build.

A bit slimmer than last time, maybe.

Didn't expect his name—guy flinched.

"…You know me?"

"Think so. You're Cheonma Group's executive, right?"

"…Then I really can't let you live."

"Hm."

Why was this guy here? Cheonma exec got free time?

And he was an awakener? News to me.

What's with the face mask? Artifact?

Sudden mess sparked questions, but one thing clear.

'Rumors around Sonaeho were 'cause of this asshole.'

"M-Master! What's that monster?"

Ji-hyang, barely alive, asked shakily.

"Doesn't seem like a monster. Human-ish. Possessed maybe?"

"Heh heh. Close, but not quite. My Unique Ability. Goryeok Nanshin."

"Nice of you. Explaining and all."

"You're dead anyway. Parting gift for the afterlife."

"Ho."

Goryeok Nanshin. First time hearing it.

Not even in the otherworld.

Unique to some other realm?

But his vibe was off. Bland?

'…Right. He doesn't know who I am.'

I teased to mess with him.

"Don't know me? Sujin's bro."

"…What?"

Ju squinted, then nodded like it clicked.

"Well, well. Meeting a client here."

"That all? I know what you did."

"…Hah. You knew too? Figures. Connected to Director Jin—not small fry."

"Director Jin? What're you on about."

"…Hmph. Playing dumb. You had Jin's people take out my security team, right? Think I wouldn't know?"

"Hmm……."

Misunderstanding.

But no time to clear it.

"You're confused. That was me."

"…What?"

"What happens when you bug someone's house."

"Wh-what……!"

Finally, veins bulged on Ju's forehead.

Time for the kicker.

"Gift arrive okay?"

"G-gift?"

"Yeah. Sent one to your office."

"……."

Ju shut up, sorting his thoughts.

"N-no way you did all……!"

Exec brains worked fast. Pieced it in seconds.

"You little shit……! I'll chew you to the bone!"

With his rage-filled roar, the mask engulfing his face swelled, covering his whole body.