Desperate Stand Against the Lycanslope
Kim So-yeon, the mage and D-rank hunter from Daesung Guild, had been dispatched to the Gangneung C-rank Dungeon today as well, following the orders of her self-serving boss and guild master, Na Dae-seong. A C-rank dungeon lived up to its name—it was recommended only for hunters ranked C or higher. But Na Dae-seong dismissed sending any higher-ranked guild members all the way out there as a waste of manpower and instead shipped off four D-rankers like her.
Normally, entering a dungeon above your rank required accompaniment by a hunter of equal or higher rank to that dungeon. But Na Dae-seong had long ago struck a backroom deal with the dungeon's overseer, fudging paperwork to make it look like their D-rankers were escorted by C-rankers. It was all driven by his excessive greed to pad the guild's performance records, no matter the cost.
Kim So-yeon sighed over her misfortune, stuck in this rotten guild. "Sigh... I gotta rank up quick and jump ship to somewhere else..."
"Gasp! Sis, you're ditching us for another guild? We promised to stick together till the end!"
"What're you talking about? When did we ever promise that? You keep making shit up!"
Among the guild members dispatched with her to Gangneung, the youngest—Lee Jin-seong—who always treated Kim So-yeon like a big sister, reacted with horror. He flung his arms out in an L-shape, his face screaming How could you?
"Jin-seong, the ones who can survive gotta survive. You're young—put in the effort, and you can switch guilds easy."
The party's leader and eldest, Kwon Seung-cheol, dropped those heavy words. No one there could deny his skill. He was D-rank now, but promotion to C-rank was just around the corner.
Hearing that, Lee Jin-seong started whining like he was wronged. "If you and sis both leave, what about me and Myeong-jun hyung?!"
"Why lump me in with you? I'm bailing from the guild soon too."
Kim Myeong-jun, who had been walking silently beside Lee Jin-seong, spoke up, drawing every eye in the party.
"Wh-what?! Hyung, you're leaving? Did another guild scout you?!"
"Nah, just quitting hunting altogether and heading back to my hometown. No point sticking around when promotion's a pipe dream—might as well save my neck."
"Myeong-jun, you serious? You're not single anymore, y'know."
Kwon Seung-cheol's reaction was predictable. Kim Myeong-jun had knocked up his girlfriend right after starting his career. At a young age, he had a family to feed.
The silver lining? As an awakener, even a D-rank hunter's salary was enough to support them.
"Talked it over with my girl—er, wife already. Sigh... She kept begging me to quit 'cause she pities me coming home all banged up every time. What could I say when she asks what happens to her and the kid if I bite it?"
"...Yeah, smart choice. Listen to your wife—no downside."
"Hyung, that from experience?"
"This punk always crosses the line!!"
The divorced Kwon Seung-cheol snapped at Lee Jin-seong's tone-deaf comment and hammered a righteous knuckle on his head.
"Ow!!"
"Quit whining—I held back on using mana, so be grateful."
"Mana would've been murder!!!"
Kim So-yeon burst out laughing at Lee Jin-seong clutching his head in agony.
Krrrng—!
Her laughter cut off abruptly—not from her guildmates' teasing, but from a monster's howl.
Kwon Seung-cheol halted, signaling the others to silence before creeping forward. Amid the building rubble, a silhouette emerged: a massive bipedal wolf devouring the arm—bone and all—of their usual prey, the green goblin dwarf.
'Lycanslope?!'
Even C-rank hunters had to go all-out against this dangerous beast. It was the worst matchup imaginable for Kim So-yeon and her crew.
Her trembling snapped back at Kwon Seung-cheol's signal: right index finger raised and shaken, pointing back the way they'd come. The retreat signal from hunter training school.
Kim So-yeon and the others nodded, backing away cautiously.
Awoooooooo————!!!!
The Lycanslope's howl echoed through the entire dungeon. Spotting the intruders who interrupted its meal, it charged their position on all fours.
Kwon Seung-cheol whipped out his longsword from his belt and thrust forward his man-sized shield. "Fuck!! It spotted us!! Myeong-jun!! Front line, now!!"
Kim Myeong-jun rushed to his side, leveling his spear to brace for the charge.
Thud-thud—! Thud-thud—! Thump!
The Lycanslope kicked off its hind legs, launching into the air and swinging its spread arms to tear them apart.
Greeeech—!
Even this special anti-monster shield sparked yellow and gouged deep claw marks.
The veteran hunter blocked the lethal strike, but the brutal impact jolted straight through.
"Ngh...!! Jin-seong! Take So-yeon and fall back!!"
Lee Jin-seong nodded vigorously, guiding Kim So-yeon to a safe vantage for cover fire before rejoining Kwon Seung-cheol.
The moment he left, she pulled out the guild-issued rescue beacon and activated it.
By international hunter law, certified hunters from the Hunter Management Bureau—five or more—had to standby near dungeons for emergencies like this.
"Huh?"
Her mind went blank at the death sentence flashing on the device.
Higher-difficulty dungeons demanded better beacons since interiors blocked all outside contact, requiring specialized gear. Those ran pricey—over 200 million won for C-rank models. Like insurance. But guild master Na Dae-seong cheaped out, handing them mismatched D-rank freebies from the Bureau.
Some protested, but as the saying went, fists beat law. Na Dae-seong wasn't above violence in hunter circles, and crossing the well-connected bastard meant the end of your career.
So they swallowed it, using the junk. And now, the guild master's greed was getting them killed.
Squeeze—
Kim So-yeon clenched her fists so hard her nails dug in, rage at his crimes boiling over.
Clang—! Clang—! Greeech—!
The Lycanslope's attacks intensified. She glanced at her guildmates holding the line.
Kwon Seung-cheol kept it at bay, but pure defense—no hits landed. While he tanked aggro, Kim Myeong-jun and Lee Jin-seong struck desperately from the flanks, scratching nothing.
Kim So-yeon whipped out her wand—the slim rod aiding mana control—aimed at the Lycanslope, gathered her mana, and fired a Mana Bullet.
Pew—!
Forty meters: her effective and safe spell range.
The Lycanslope twitched, then whipped its head toward the source of pain. Its slitted golden pupils locked with hers.
"Over here, you mangy fuck!!"
Kwon Seung-cheol bellowed to regain attention. The beast obliged, claws flashing his way again.
Her spine chilled, but Kim So-yeon kept firing till her mana ran dry.
She'd read studies of phones occasionally working in dungeons, so she clung to the beacon's faint hope, grinding her teeth till rescue arrived.
About ten minutes later, mana exhausted, she was drenched in sweat, barely standing. But the Lycanslope still mauled her comrades relentlessly.
Kwon Seung-cheol dodged lethals but flagged. The other two attacked furiously in his wake—to no avail.
As he tried pulling back, aggro shifted to Kim Myeong-jun, whose thigh it targeted.
Crunch—!
"Gahk...!"
Too late to fully block—the claws snapped his spear and shredded flesh.
"Myeong-jun!!!"
"M-Myeong-jun hyung!!"
Kwon Seung-cheol yanked focus back, but Kim Myeong-jun was down and dying.
Lee Jin-seong reeled in shock but shook it off, charging again despite his fear.
'At this rate, full wipe...!'
From afar, Kim So-yeon bit her lip, cursing her uselessness—when noise echoed from another passage.
She turned. A woman with light rose-pink hair cascading to her waist watched them. A skin-tight black dress hugged her curves, ruby-red eyes gleamed like gems. Even she—a woman—had to admit, absolute stunner.
Entry log was empty before they entered. Gangneung C-rank was fully cleared, unpopular for hunters. Who'd come? Low-rankers like them chasing quotas... or the standby rescue team!
Tears welled. She screamed to her guildmates. "Rescue team's here!! We're saved!!!"
The beacon worked. She'd used up a lifetime's luck. Miracles like this wouldn't repeat.
'?'
Relief washed over—then unease. The rescuer just stared blankly, soul adrift, ignoring the crisis.
Rude or not, urgency won; Kim So-yeon grabbed her arm. "Hey!!"
"Uh, huh?"
"When's the rest of your team coming?!"
"...Who... are you?"
Clunky Korean. Foreign features—probably an overseas hunter dispatched to Korea.
Desperation stripped courtesy. "The other rescuers!!"
"I'm... not rescue?"
"...Pardon?"
Her words clogged Kim So-yeon's throat. Chaos had buried it, but no gear. Ripped, filthy clothes unfit for dungeons—more clubwear, perfect for snagging guys. Textbook lost tourist.
Blood drained from her face.
'No, don't judge by looks.'
"Um, you from the Bureau? A hunter, right?"
"...No?"
"......"
Thud—
Her firm denial buckled Kim So-yeon's knees.
"...Haha..."
Only hollow laughter escaped. Their lives hung by a thread, now a castaway too? A hunter would've sparked hope. The woman's words blurred past; she stared at the floor, defeated.
"Should've listened to Dad and become a certified hunter..."
She recalled tuning out her father's nagging. At 24, she craved guild glamour over Bureau drone life—star status, envy from crowds.
But only if alive. Given a redo, she'd quit Daesung and apply to the Bureau on the spot.
Crack, pop—
The foreigner twisted her body in stretches. One crisis, total nonchalance.
"...What're you doing?"
"Hm? Oh, warm-up."
Warm-up... prepping to flee while guildmates tanked, she figured.
But no—the woman bent, snatched a nearby pebble, and posed to throw. Model cerulean at a ballpark.
Whoosh—!
Kim So-yeon mistook it for a jet roaring past—a sonic boom rocked her.
Yelp—!
"Tch, missed."
"Wh-wha?!?!"
The Lycanslope they'd battered fruitlessly for ten minutes bled, whimpering like a scared pup.
Kim So-yeon reeled most of all, but deep down, hope flickered anew.