Into the Ghost Street
“Y-you're really going in?”
Choi Hyun-ji trembled behind Choi Hyun-seong's back as she asked. Watching her like this, it was hard to believe she'd survived as a porter all this time.
They were near Hongdae right now, standing in front of an E-rank dungeon she'd barely managed to reserve through the app.
Staring at the flickering red gate, Hyun-seong couldn't hold back any longer.
“We already reserved it.”
“W-we don't have any gear, and it's just the two of us!”
She was pleading for him to think it over again, but there was no need—Hyun-seong charged straight ahead.
“Tch, if you don't like it, don't come. But if I die, it's on you.”
His playful tone only made Hyun-ji want to scream and jump in frustration.
Still, she'd learned one thing in her three years as a porter: don't get cocky.
Most beginner hunters who got hurt or died in dungeons did so because of overconfidence.
Bro's strong and all, but that was just against goblins.
The dungeon Hyun-seong was approaching without hesitation was a different story altogether. That was why even the app, which usually filled up a day or two in advance, had same-day slots open.
E-rank dungeon 'Ghost Street'
Not all dungeons of the same rank were equal. Even among E-ranks, some were easy to clear, others weren't—and this one fell squarely into the latter category.
Regular attacks don't work on the monsters here.
Knowing that, Hyun-ji steeled herself.
Thud!
“Bro!”
“Huh?”
“I'm scared of ghosts.”
She tried pulling out her cutest voice. But...
“Quit your bullshit and follow me.”
She ended up cursing after all. Feeling awkward for a moment, Hyun-ji composed herself and trailed after Hyun-seong.
Hyun-seong informed the Hunter Association staff guarding the dungeon entrance about their reservation and prepared to go in. The staff tried to stop them upon seeing they were alone, but Hyun-seong wouldn't budge.
In the end, the staff sighed in resignation and let them pass. These things happened occasionally—cocky hunters lost in their own hype, oblivious to their limits, or ones ready to embrace death.
The staff just figured Hyun-seong and Hyun-ji fell into one of those categories.
Inside the E-rank dungeon Ghost Street, the two didn't rush into clearing it. They stopped right after passing through the gate.
Hyun-seong checked his mission the moment he entered.
Mission: Exterminate Ghosts
Content: Ghosts defeated 0/30
Reward: Escape, small amount of EXP
It was no different from the goblin dungeon. Simple, Hyun-seong thought as he looked around.
The dungeon interior resembled a street lined with stone walls on both sides. The notable features were the dilapidated state of the walls and the eerie, foggy atmosphere.
“See? Even you think it's scary, right? The ghosts here are incorporeal monsters that regular attacks can't touch. We don't have mana-infused weapons, and we just awakened—we're basically committing suicide!”
Seeing Hyun-seong frozen in fear (or so she thought), Hyun-ji clutched her head, convinced they were doomed. Her face was the picture of despair, on the verge of tears.
Hyun-seong considered letting her stew in it for fun, but something more important came to mind.
Hyun-ji's too weak.
Yesterday's incident would've ended her if he hadn't been there.
His plan was straightforward: Time to toughen her up a bit.
Awakening was one thing, but if she couldn't even use her abilities and just got pushed around, what was the point?
Caution was good, but without challenges, there was no growth. That was Hyun-seong's mindset.
“Hyun-ji, quit sniveling and tell me your class and level.”
“Huh?”
“What abilities did you awaken?”
Hyun-ji blinked in confusion. Asking about another hunter's specs was a major taboo.
What class they had, their level, their skills—hunters didn't even share that with family.
Yet here was Hyun-seong, demanding hers outright.
“Wh-why do you wanna know?”
“So I know what you can do for the clear.”
“Oh. Right.”
“Not even telling family? Kinda hurts.”
Hyun-seong knew the custom, of course. He was just teasing.
“Fine. Then just say if you're DPS, tank, or support.”
He pulled out his trump card: the three broad categories from the Hunter app.
It was surprising they boiled down countless classes to just three, but it was for convenience, not absolute.
DPS dealt lethal blows to monsters—melee or ranged.
Tanks took hits, managed aggro. Subtly essential for parties. Some melee DPS even grabbed shields to tank because aggro control was tricky but demand was high.
Supports controlled from the back—buffs, debuffs, heals, enhancements depending on skills. Not essential, but key for max power. Top supports were guilds' number-one recruitment targets.
That was my role in the other world.
Hyun-seong finished his thoughts and waited for her answer.
“Uh, probably DPS? M-maybe tank-ish.”
That narrowed it down. Melee, at least. Ranged couldn't tank easily.
And... Aggro skills?
A few classes came to mind.
“Good enough. Have you tried your skills yet?”
She nodded cautiously.
“Then take point.”
“What?!”
“You said DPS or tank.”
“N-no weapons, no armor—how am I supposed to fight?!”
“Fists are enough for these monsters.”
Whatever her class, it didn't matter. She wasn't the one who'd really fight anyway.
Or... is she?
With that, he gave her back a shove. And at the same time...
Puppeteer Technique
He subtly applied his Puppeteer Technique, ready to control her at will if needed.
“Haa~ Fine. No idea why you're so chill, but you must have a reason.”
All Hyun-ji could do now was trust him.
“About time you figured it out.”
Satisfied, Hyun-seong followed behind her.
The dungeon interior was bigger than expected. No—a long street was more accurate. Now he understood why the average clear time on the app was three hours.
Killing 30 ghosts would've taken ten minutes, but the endless road was the issue.
“When do the monsters show?”
“You want them to? I'm terrified!”
“How else do we clear without monsters? Got a special way to call 'em?”
Hyun-seong stopped marching forward blindly and inspected a crumbling stone wall, then placed his hand on it.
Whoosh!
A pale something emerged from the wall, its face grotesquely twisted in a grin.
Kikiki!
“Whoa, got me.”
Thwack!
Hyun-seong instinctively punched it—infused with mana.
Realizing his mistake, he checked the mission.
Mission: Exterminate Ghosts
Content: Ghosts defeated 1/30
Reward: Escape, small amount of EXP
Ah, my bad.
He'd handed this dungeon to Hyun-ji for a clear reason: She needs the EXP.
EXP meant nothing to him anyway. Sure, he was level 1 and could level up for stats, but the required EXP would be absurd.
Even grinding steadily in the other world, late-game levels were brutal.
His numerous classes were the culprit. Sub-classes didn't just add skills and stats—they doubled EXP needs per one.
To level once, he needed over 100 times the normal EXP. And that scaled exponentially.
That's why I capped at 124 even after thousands of years.
The accumulated EXP was unimaginable.
From now on, monster kills went to Hyun-ji. He'd clear solo when needed, but with her, he'd yield all EXP.
One lost was a shame, but 29 remained.
“See? Told you fists work.”
“H-how?”
“I'll show you—your turn.”
His sky-high stats made it one-shot, but not for her. With Puppeteer Technique, though, E-rank fodder was easy.
Incorporeal? Just don't use normal attacks.
“You've got INT stats too. INT boosts mana. It's key for skills, but first, feel it fully.”
“H-how?”
“Try a skill. You'll feel something draining inside.”
Hyun-seong stressed sensing mana because... Skills aren't everything—mana opens more options.
Skills were blueprints: mana spent, effect executed. Precise, effective.
But humans could improvise without them, even if cruder.
First step: mana sensing—mana resonance.
Hyun-ji activated a no-cooldown skill to feel it.
Sizzle!
Pale smoke rose from her body, senses sharpening. Goosebumps visible.
Hyun-seong recognized it: Wandering Knight, huh.
Hit Sense—a Wandering Knight-exclusive knight skill forcing hyper-tension for maxed senses.
Knights valued chivalric conviction.
Suits Hyun-ji well.
He approached her.
“Feel it? That empty something inside?”
“Y-yeah, a bit. And it's... filling up too.”
She had good intuition—or Hit Sense helped.
“Next: Imagine wrapping mana around your fist.”
“Did it. Nothing happened?”
Obviously. If imagination alone worked, power would be effortless.
Key: imagination, then willpower, then action.
“Now treat that image like a skill.”
“Like?”
“Mana Fist, whatever. Name doesn't matter—connect it.”
She willed mana to coat her fist—a skill prototype.
Finally, action.
“Execute. Believe it works and swing.”
“H-how?!”
She panicked—vague instructions overwhelmed.
But Hyun-seong wouldn't let her stall.
Whoosh!
Hand to wall, summoning another ghost. He dodged the lunging one effortlessly.
Hyun-ji was right behind him.
“Eek!!”
“Swing!!”
No frail girl at the end of his shout.
Thwack!!
Her fist glowed blue.
“Th-this... works!”