Dungeon Clear

The next morning at 9 AM.

I stood at the entrance to the D-class dungeon in Capital Zone 4, Silence of the Abandoned Mine.

My shoulders were weighed down by the usual 40kg backpack, and my vision was still filled with the blue window buzzing with nearly ten thousand viewers.

"Alright, is everyone here? Let's tackle this D-class dungeon safely today."

The leader of this party was a B-class warrior. A B-class leading a D-class dungeon? Pretty solid party composition.

But for some reason, the party members' faces were flushed with excitement. And their eyes kept darting toward me.

"Um... you're Kang Minsu, right?"

One of the party members, a C-class mage, approached me cautiously.

"Ah, yes. I'm Kang Minsu, the porter. Please take care of me."

I hunched over as pitifully and pathetically as possible. Standing out means death.

That's my survival rule. But the mage bowed 90 degrees in response, as if deeply honored.

"No, no! It's an honor to have you in our party! Please make yourself comfortable!"

"......Pardon?"

I stumbled back in confusion.

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What kind of reaction is this?

A C-class hunter bowing to a porter?

"Ahem, Kim the mage. Don't make Minsu uncomfortable."

The B-class warrior leader approached and patted the mage's back.

Then he flashed me a friendly smile.

"Minsu, we've heard the rumors. They forced you into porter duty for this dungeon, huh? The Management Bureau handles things so poorly..."

"Ah... yeah... well..."

"Don't worry. We'll take care of everything."

"Just follow along casually from the back like it's a stroll."

"If things get dire for us... we'd be grateful if you lent a hand then."

The leader winked meaningfully. His eyes were full of certainty.

'We know you're a transcendent being hiding your power.'

Exactly that kind of look.

"No, I'm really just F-class and can't do anything..."

I made a miserable face and tried to explain.

"Haha! As expected, hiding it to the end, just like the rumors."

"Got it. We'll handle it ourselves, so just watch comfortably."

They weren't even listening. Frustrated, I clutched my chest.

What if a real fight breaks out and I have to step in?

I'm a porter who can't even swing a sword properly!

But my pleas just echoed into the void.

The chat was loving this situation.

These crazies would never believe I'm actually weak and trembling.

I sighed in resignation, adjusted my backpack, and followed the party from behind.

Silence of the Abandoned Mine was exactly as named—a dungeon shaped like an abandoned mine. Dark, narrow tunnels.

The musty smell of dirt and rusted iron stung my nose. The path, lit only by gas lanterns, was downright eerie.

"Eyes forward! Goblin pack!"

The leader drew his sword and shouted.

From the tunnel ahead, green-skinned D-class goblin miners charged with pickaxes and hoes.

There had to be at least twenty of them.

"Hold formation! Mage, start casting!"

The battle began.

The party moved in perfect sync, clashing with the goblins.

Of course, I stayed at the very back, huddled right behind their backs.

"Please don't come near me..."

I crouched down and squeezed my eyes shut.

My hands gripped the backpack straps, ready to bolt anytime.

But then.

"Kikik!"

"Kieek!"

The goblins' screams up front were weird.

Not the pain of being hit by weapons.

More like terror from being chased by something.

I cracked my eyes open and peeked ahead.

The goblins had stopped fighting the party mid-battle. They were hurling their pickaxes and fleeing backward.

No—desperately running in the opposite direction from where I was hiding.

"Huh? Why are they doing that?"

"They're suddenly bolting?"

The party halted their attacks in confusion.

Twenty goblins reverse-charging down the narrow tunnel.

Like a herd of prey fleeing a predator.

Then it hit me.

The ten thousand gazes had turned into heavy pressure crushing the dungeon.

The goblins feared me, trembling in the back, more than the B-class hunter right in front of them.

"What... is going on?"

The leader turned around with a baffled look.

His gaze landed on me, crouched down.

"Ah..."

A sigh escaped the leader's lips.

He looked like he'd just had a profound realization.

"Did Minsu... lighten our load?"

"Pardon? Me? I didn't do anything!"

I jumped up and waved my hands frantically.

I really just hid!

"Hahaha! As expected..."

The leader took my denial as affirmation.

He nodded to the party.

"Everyone, relax. Minsu has released his aura. No monsters in this dungeon will come near us."

"Whoa... insane."

"Thank you, Minsu!"

The party members thumbs-upped me.

I was going insane.

The rest of the dungeon run was literally a stroll. Monsters scattered in panic wherever we went, clearing the path.

Poison spider packs hid in ceiling corners; mutant bat swarms flattened on the ground, playing dead.

We reached the boss room without swinging a sword or sipping a single mana potion.

"Never cleared a dungeon like this before."

The leader said in an awed voice.

Before even opening the boss room door, grunts came from inside.

The D-class boss, Giant Cave Bear.

The leader kicked the door open.

"Grroo... huff... huff..."

The sight inside was ridiculous.

The house-sized bear huddled in the corner, front paws over its head, shaking.

It wouldn't even lift its head as we entered.

Invisible pressure had invaded the boss room, completely breaking its wild spirit.

"This... is basically euthanasia."

The mage raised his staff with a wry expression.

He lightly severed the cowering bear's breath with magic.

Zero resistance. Zero damage clear.

"I really didn't do anything..."

I muttered hollowly.

But the leader grabbed both my hands tightly.

"Thanks to you today, the whole party returns without a single scratch."

Tears welled in the leader's eyes. I had no energy to reply and just nodded.

Yeah, think whatever you want. That donation alert in chat is probably just game points.

If it were real money, the platform would contact me. I'm just here for porter pay anyway.

We exited through the gate.

A typical D-class clear takes half a day. We did it in one hour.

Management Bureau staff greeted us with shocked faces.

"Already cleared? Any injuries?"

"None. All safe. Didn't even use a potion."

The leader answered proudly.

The staff's gazes naturally turned to me.

The party acted like they knew my secret.

'That's the F-class who crushed the hidden boss...'

'Cleared a D-class without major injuries, huh?'

Whispers buzzed in my ears.

I tossed my backpack to the staff like a hot potato and slipped away.

On the way home.

The blue window in my vision was still lively.

"Not going. Gonna rest for a bit."

I muttered softly, leaning my head against the bus window.

I was exhausted.

My body felt fine, but my mind was shredded.

The moment I got home, I flopped toward bed, but my smartphone buzzed.

Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"......Yes? Special Management Team?"

I bolted upright.

The Bureau never calls me. Is my disguised employment—technically forced assignment—finally busted? Punishment?

"Rank re-measurement?"

I swallowed hard. Re-measurement?

It's only a matter of time before my tiny mana pool is exposed. Machines don't lie.

That I'm not SSS-class, but a pure 100% pathetic F-class, will be laid bare for all.

"Ah, I'm... kinda busy for a while."

I hung up hastily.

Then I lay in bed, staring blankly at the chat window.

What if these over ten thousand people learn I'm truly pathetic? Mockery, disdain, hate comments.

I know the terror of the internet better than anyone. Once an idol crumbles, the bottom is brutally cruel.

"Gotta run."

I had to choose: keep surviving in this vicious misunderstanding, or fade quietly.

And my choice was always the latter.

'Just live quietly. Please, quietly.'

I pulled the covers over and closed my eyes.

Tomorrow, gotta hustle at the convenience store part-time.