Chapter 45

Siyoon accepted the commission and immediately began his preparations.

The objective this time was to clear a newly appeared dungeon.

As such, information about the dungeon was virtually nonexistent.

‘I need to prepare as thoroughly as possible for whatever awaits.’

Siyoon immediately invested his savings into purchasing new armor.

His old gear had also been damaged from previous battles.

With several months’ worth of savings stockpiled, outfitting himself was hardly a strain.

He had been setting money aside for exactly this kind of situation, after all.

+

【 Graphote Leather Coat +6 】

◇ Has a temperature regulation function.

― Body temperature adjusts to a comfortable level depending on the environment.

▶ Defense greatly increases.

▶ Inherent durability greatly increases.

▶ Upon being hit, absorbs a portion of incoming damage.

+

+

【 Portblaton Leather Walker +6 】

◇ Swift effect imbued.

― Overall body action speed increases.

▶ Movement fatigue decreases.

▶ Stamina recovery rate during rest slightly increases.

▶ Defense increases.

▶ Stamina slightly increases.

+

Among the many armor options available, Siyoon selected two.

Both were pieces he had been eyeing for some time.

The Graphote Leather Coat boasted high defense and the ability to absorb a portion of incoming damage—

It embodied the characteristics of Graphote, a mid-rank magic beast.

After enhancing it to +6, not only did the existing effects grow more powerful,

But it also gained a temperature regulation function.

The Portblaton Leather Walker was the same.

Crafted from the hide of the mid-rank magic beast Portblaton, the boots offered excellent elasticity and defense.

When Siyoon enhanced them, they gained fatigue reduction, recovery, and a swift effect.

For someone like Siyoon who spent long hours in constant motion, they were the perfect footwear.

Moreover, the newly added swift effect was remarkably potent.

[ ‘Swift’ effect is currently active. ]

[ Overall body action speed increases. ]

Swift was essentially a superior version of movement speed increase.

Not only did it boost attack and movement speed, but it also sharpened overall reactions and sensitivity to presence.

This was a tremendously advantageous option for Siyoon.

He could already enhance his body to produce instantaneous bursts of output.

With the swift effect layered on top, he gained increased output alongside the ability to execute rapid consecutive movements.

‘This will be incredibly useful in actual combat.’

This much was satisfactory.

But the Enhancement didn’t end here.

The real ones were still left.

[ ‘RTB-201 +7’ ]

[ ‘Wind of Horus +6’ ]

[ ‘Patience of Nature +6’ ]

Siyoon enhanced his sniper rifle and two other pieces of equipment.

It was important enough work to warrant his full dedication.

The Wind of Horus and Patience of Nature in particular were even more so.

As equipment that had been of great help when dealing with Haind, they were especially important to him.

+

【 Wind of Horus +6 】

◇ Deep wind attribute is imbued.

― Can freely manipulate the surrounding wind.

― The range of wind manipulation increases.

▶ Movement speed increases.

▶ Attack speed greatly increases.

▶ Vision and eyesight greatly increase.

▶ When equipped with ranged weapons, attack power further increases.

▶ The further the distance from the target, the more additional damage is applied.

+

+

【 Patience of Nature +6 】

◇ Clean power of nature is contained.

― Injury recovery speed significantly increases.

▶ Pain significantly decreases.

▶ Total stamina increases slightly more.

▶ The more exhausted the wearer becomes, the more stamina recovery speed increases.

+

To start with the conclusion, the enhancements were successful.

The Wind of Horus saw an increase in the distance over which he could manipulate wind.

Testing confirmed he could control it up to 4 meters without difficulty.

The Patience of Nature also saw its effects greatly increase.

No additional options appeared, but the existing effects were significantly enhanced.

The RTB-201 followed a similar pattern to the Patience of Nature.

No additional effects manifested; instead, the Enhancement took the form of improved existing performance.

However, the magnitude of improvement was substantial enough to raise expectations.

In particular, the recoil was completely controlled, and reload speed increased dramatically.

The accuracy correction rate was also considerable enough to allow rapid fire.

‘Solid.’

The results were quite satisfactory.

But he had no intention of being satisfied here.

With the dungeon’s internal environment completely unknown, he needed to prepare even more thoroughly.

* * *

Thus, five days passed.

Siyoon headed to the meeting point on the appointed date.

The location the company had specified was on the outskirts of Gyeonggi-do.

A sewer system beneath an abandoned new town.

Jabak.

Siyoon walked along a path overgrown with weeds.

Following the half-crumbled paved road for some distance, he came upon a damp drainage ditch.

It was clearly a place no human foot had reached in years.

‘Here it is.’

It matched the information he had gathered beforehand.

An abandoned drainage ditch where no human foot had reached in years.

Covered in moss and shielded from sunlight, the stench of rot hung heavy in the air.

It was a filthy place enough to make one gag.

Chalbak.

Siyoon stepped on the water pooled on the floor.

The deeper he went, the more the smell and darkness intensified.

But Siyoon’s mind was elsewhere.

‘I heard there would be a test and team formation, but they’re calling me straight to the dungeon.’

The client for this commission was Andor, a mid-sized corporation primarily dealing in hunter equipment.

They had prepared a test to assemble a team for this dungeon conquest.

The test would evaluate individual ability and teamwork—

how well their synergy matched when forming a team, and so forth.

Yet oddly enough, Siyoon hadn’t undergone any such test.

All he was given was the location and date of the dungeon where the commission would take place.

‘The information broker said they didn’t know anything about it either, so there’s nothing to be done.’

He was heading to the commission location for now, but Siyoon kept every nerve in his body on edge.

He kept watch over his surroundings with his body pre-enhanced.

If there was any sign of a trap, he planned to withdraw immediately.

However, even with his heightened senses scanning the area, there was no surveillance or anything unusual.

Which made it all the more frustrating.

“Halt!”

How far had he walked along the drainage ditch?

Two men standing at the entrance of a circular sewer blocked Siyoon’s path.

They appeared to be security posted by Andor.

“State your identity.”

“Lee Siyoon. I’m here to accept Andor’s commission.”

“Your Hunter license?”

Siyoon presented the hunter license he had kept separately.

After verifying it, the man who verified it nodded to the other man.

“Matches the roster exactly.”

“Sorry for putting you through such a cumbersome procedure. But this matter is quite significant within the company.”

This commission was certainly important.

From Andor’s perspective as a mid-sized corporation, they planned to clear and absorb the dungeon.

With the possibility of uninvited guests interfering in the process, they had no choice but to check thoroughly.

“Can I go in?”

“Ah, we’ll step aside.”

Siyoon passed the men and headed deeper inside.

The current time was 1:00 PM.

Though the sun was at its peak, the sewer interior was pitch-dark.

But this level of darkness was no hindrance to Siyoon.

[ Currently wearing ‘Lantern Bracelet +6’. ]

[ Vision is not impaired by darkness. ]

[ User can summon small spheres to illuminate surroundings when desired. ]

As the surroundings darkened, his vision shifted like looking at a black-and-white screen.

This was the effect of the Lantern Bracelet he had newly purchased.

Originally, it only allowed distinguishing shapes in darkness, but enhancing it to +6 had enhanced the effect.

It was essentially a superior version of the glasses he had previously worn.

“Hm.”

As he ventured deeper inside, he felt a peculiar current emanating from the rift.

So it was true that a rift had formed inside the sewer.

How far had he walked?

“You’re a bit late.”

When he turned right at the last fork, seven gazes pierced into him alongside the rift’s glow.

Siyoon surveyed them expressionlessly.

‘These must be the hunters gathered for this commission.’

Their weapons were remarkably varied.

Swords, a Zweihänder, a crossbow, dual daggers, a curved blade, a mace and shield, a short bow, and so on.

There were no overlapping weapons.

That alone made their distinct characteristics clear.

“I believe I arrived on time.”

The appointed time was actually 2:00 PM.

Taking that into consideration, Siyoon had actually arrived an hour early.

When he expressed his confusion, the man wielding the curved blade laughed heartily.

“That’s true. It’s not a late time by any means.”

“But it’s also true that we’ve been waiting for you.”

For a brief moment, they exchanged glances with each other.

From the man’s words, Siyoon caught on to the situation at hand.

‘Did something go wrong?’

All seven pairs of eyes were focused on him at once.

Most likely, they were probing to see how he would react.

But they wouldn’t have arrived early simply to observe his reaction.

“How many?”

“Hm?”

“The rift. I’m talking about the number of people who can enter the dungeon.”

At Siyoon’s words, one eyebrow of the man with the Zweihänder slung across his back rose sharply.

“Did you already hear information beforehand?”

The man asked with a slightly surprised tone.

Siyoon shook his head.

“No. I inferred it from your reactions.”

“I see. Your sharp eyes and deductive skills are quite impressive.”

The man flashed a grin.

“A rookie worthy of taking on a corporation single-handedly.”

“……”

“You didn’t think we wouldn’t know, did you?”

Haind’s downfall had been a fairly major issue.

That was only natural, as it was a mid-sized pharmaceutical company.

Especially since they had openly placed a bounty on Siyoon and caused a commotion trying to capture him.

It was only natural that even hunters who had no prior interest would hear Siyoon’s name.

“Anyway, we’ve confirmed you’re a useful talent, so that’s that. Andor gave a hunter a free pass even on the test, so I was curious, but this works out nicely.”

“……”

“At the very least, it means your skills aren’t a lie.”

This was the first time Siyoon had heard of this.

Siyoon had also assumed there would be a test and prepared himself fully.

But when no word about a test came by the day of the commission, he had found it strange—to think it was a free pass.

‘Was this already an approved matter within the company?’

Having the spotlight turned on him was rather unwelcome.

It increased the chances of his skill’s rarity being discovered.

But he didn’t show such feelings in this setting.

That would only diminish his own value.

Instead, he asked the man back in return.

“I’d like you to answer my question now.”

“Ah, that.”

At that moment, the look in the hunters’ eyes changed, including the man’s.

It was the gaze of predators stalking their prey.

“Based on what we investigated beforehand, the number of people who can enter the dungeon is four.”

“Four, huh…”

Siyoon scanned his surroundings and immediately understood what the problem was.

‘We have to split into two parties.’

That was likely the true nature of this underlying tension.

Hunters would want to avoid the first entry as much as possible.

A newly created dungeon. Information about it was completely nonexistent.

It meant a structure where the hunters who entered first had no choice but to bear the risk.

In other words, entering second was relatively safer.

Because it would be possible to obtain information about the dungeon from hunters who successfully survived.

“That’s why we waited for you to arrive. Since we have to divide the parties—”

“I’ll go in first as the first party.”

At Siyoon’s declaration, the man’s words stopped.

At the same time, the hunters’ gazes focused on him all at once.