Chapter 107

When I dream, the scene Saint Ajadun showed me sometimes appears.

An endless army of Monsters, a world turned into a sea of fire, and at the end of it all, the Seven Demon Kings.

I made a contract with the Elemental King, gained a new system called Level Up, and gave people the hope that they could become Awakeners.

Even now, as I steadily work to prevent the world’s destruction, that dream keeps appearing for some reason.

It must have been quite a shock.

That must be why.

Ever since I heard that Yeo Ju-kyung was coming here, my attention has been constantly drawn to the Dungeon.

I stared intently at the Dungeon.

To be precise, at the energy I felt from it.

At first, I wondered if it was just my imagination, but it wasn’t.

It’s certain.

It’s one of the beings Saint Ajadun showed me.

The 7th in rank among the Seven Demon Kings. In other words, the weakest among them.

It’s the energy of Entesto.

How do I know?

Information about them can be found in one of the legacies left by Ian, [Saint Dragorin Ian’s Compendium of Advanced Magic (Vol. 3)].

It even contains definite raid strategies for those from the 7th-ranked Entesto to the 4th-ranked Kaldrak.

If that being is inside…

Suddenly, I sensed a presence and turned my head.

“Words, once spoken, can’t be taken back.”

Executive Director Bae Hyeon-jo, who had been watching me, said playfully.

“But since it’s us, I’ll give you one chance.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You stay here. I’ll go in alone.”

“If you go in there, Executive Director, you won’t last ten minutes.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Even if I win the bet, I’ll probably just end up eating spicy beef soup.”

I lightened the mood with a joke.

In truth, he was misunderstanding my expression.

It was the complete opposite.

Not because I was afraid, but because I could finally fight one of them. I was steeling my resolve.

Just as I was about to tell him not to worry, it happened.

The space right next to where we were standing was torn open vertically.

Jjeojeojeojeok-

From within the space that had opened like a reptile’s eye, two people popped out.

It was Yeo Ju-kyung and Han Seung-hoon.

What a spectacular entrance. So much so that even Executive Director Bae Hyeon-jo, who never lost his poker face, was surprised.

Meanwhile, my mind was analyzing the Skill Yeo Ju-kyung had just used.

It was an ability that had developed as my Level slowly rose.

Just like the Ian from that other world. At some point, I began to understand the principles of things just by looking at them.

-Skill, Spatial Slash (SS) analysis complete.

-Spatial Slash (SS): A Swordsman who has mastered swordsmanship to the extreme can even cleave through space.

-Level is insufficient. Cannot be used. Requirement: Level 400.

-You can learn the lower-tier Skill, Spatial Slash (S). Would you like to learn it?

-You have learned Spatial Slash (S).

Looking at the message window that appeared, I bowed my head to Yeo Ju-kyung.

“You’re here.”

Yeo Ju-kyung, however, approached the shimmering Dungeon entrance without even pretending to see me.

She walked with a toddler-like waddle, but her appearance didn’t feel childish at all.

Rather, it was like looking at a single, well-honed sword.

I guess it’s only after reaching Level 399 that I can properly see just how strong Yeo Ju-kyung is.

In terms of Level, she’s Level 402.

And the problem is that a powerhouse of that caliber doesn’t have a very good impression of me right now.

A moment later, Yeo Ju-kyung whipped her head around.

Not at me, but toward Executive Director Bae Hyeon-jo.

“You were hiding something like this?”

“It just sort of happened.”

“It just sort of happened?”

Judging by Yeo Ju-kyung’s expression, she looked ready to flip Ilseong upside down a hundred times over.

The reason she was holding back was probably because of me.

This time, Han Seung-hoon looked at me and asked.

“The Gate Conversion hasn’t progressed?”

“No. It’s been quiet. Unexpectedly so. Does anything come to mind, Head of department?”

Han Seung-hoon’s ability activated in that way.

When he stared intently at something, he could read its future.

But Han Seung-hoon shook his head with a look of complete cluelessness.

“I know. I should be seeing something by now. But I see nothing at all.”

That’s not bad.

It means there’s no future where he saw me die, or where the beings inside suddenly burst out.

I relayed the story about Son In-hyeok that I had heard from Executive Director Bae Hyeon-jo.

“What should we do, Association President? For now, no bad future is visible.”

“Why ask when you’ve already decided on the answer?”

Yeo Ju-kyung, looking at me, seemed to have a lot to say.

That expression… it felt like she was contemplating how to deal with a reckless fool who goes around causing trouble.

The signs of her forcibly holding back were strong.

I wanted to tell her not to hold back. That if she had pent-up feelings, we should just let them all out.

Like Hwang Mu-yeol and Hwang Hye-won.

Whether we fight, bicker, or whatever. You have to let it out to see what comes after.

If you live with only bottled-up emotions, those emotions are bound to grow larger.

That’s why.

I spoke firmly.

“I really want to go in.”

“So our savior is ordering me to go rescue Son In-hyeok. If you order it, I must obey.”

“Not alone. I’m going with you.”

“Can’t you see this? There’s an entry restriction…”

“If it’s about that, there’s no problem.”

I quickly spread my Mana.

Toward the Sealing Art placed on the outside of the Dungeon.

It wasn’t even difficult.

I just had to poke it a few times.

-Entry Limit: 1/1

-Entry Limit: 1/99

Yeo Ju-kyung stared at me with surprised eyes.

As if asking when I had grown so much. That expression was fleeting.

She immediately changed her expression.

“So I’m the only bad guy here.”

It was her way of giving permission.

At the same time, Executive Director Bae Hyeon-jo let out a sigh of relief.

He thanked me with his eyes.

As much as he’s thankful, I’m going to make full use of him when we get out of here.

“Let’s go in.”

Fwaah-

Only Yeo Ju-kyung and I entered the Dungeon.

Although Executive Director Bae Hyeon-jo had reached S-Rank, he would only be a burden inside this Dungeon.

Executive Director Bae knew that well, so he just saw us off with a face full of apology.

As soon as we entered the Dungeon, our surroundings were pitch black.

It was a cave.

An S-Rank Dungeon is an S-Rank Dungeon, after all.

The damp, musty air immediately pressed down on my body.

The water droplets dripping from the Distillation Stones were oxidizing and boring through the floor.

Instead of Mana, the surroundings were filled only with Demonic Energy.

This causes mental confusion. It makes you mistake your comrades for Monsters and kill them, and in the end, it makes you take your own life.

Of course, that’s the story for mediocre Awakeners below S-Rank.

As soon as I shook my body, the caked-on Demonic Energy fell away.

Then I looked at Yeo Ju-kyung.

She looked composed.

“Please be careful.”

Yeo Ju-kyung immediately made a dumbfounded expression.

“I’ve lived long enough to hear all sorts of things.”

“Even you can get hurt, Association President.”

“If I were to die, you would have died long before.”

“If that were the case, Head of department Han Seung-hoon would have seen such a future.”

“Then there would be no need for me to be careful.”

“Getting hurt and dying are different. You can still get hurt, can’t you, Association President?”

Yeo Ju-kyung looked at me once more.

Her feeling of bewilderment was even stronger.

A deep emotion was visible in her eyes.

It was the look of someone suppressing a boiling rage.

It couldn’t just be because of my insistence on entering the Dungeon.

Taking over Korea as I pleased, stealing the American database, and turning people into Awakeners without a second thought.

Perhaps it’s because of the butterfly effect of all that.

The age of ruin is approaching faster. Excessively fast.

From Yeo Ju-kyung’s perspective, I must seem like a reckless fool who just does things without thinking about the consequences.

Let it out, let it out, I chanted inwardly.

But Yeo Ju-kyung held it in until the very end.

“Do you remember when you saved me at the underpass?”

“You were just a rookie back then.”

“This time, I’ll protect you.”

With that, I ran. Pouring Mana into the soles of my feet.

Kwaang-!

The approaching creatures magnified. Four-legged lizards.

They were Lizards. And the next moment, I saw white hair.

It was Yeo Ju-kyung, who had started later than me but had caught up.

“These are tricky ones.”

That’s right. Lizards are tricky.

Orcs are strong, but that’s all they have.

Goblins use strategy, but their bodies are weak.

But these things are covered in hard carapaces and even spray poison.

And the Demon King at the very end of their line, Entesto, is strong enough to rival a Dragon.

Kwajik-

A Lizard was stomped and burst.

Not by me, but by Yeo Ju-kyung.

The purple blood that burst out splattered everywhere.

At the same time, we looked at each other.

That was the one I was aiming for, was the meaning behind my gaze.

However, it wasn’t a situation where we could continue our conversation.

[Ares’ Shield (S)]

No sooner had the Shield spread out than a downpour rained down.

It was the blood of the dead Lizard. As I said, their blood contains a strong poison.

A melting sound was heard as Ares’ Shield wavered precariously.

I immediately dashed toward the next Monster.

But, I ran into Yeo Ju-kyung again.

Unbelievable.

I never expected our coordination to be this bad.

Yeo Ju-kyung clicked her tongue with a fed-up look on her face. Then she waved her hand.

The next moment, dozens of approaching Lizards turned into particles and vanished all at once.

With that, the battle was over.

A week passed.

I talked to Yeo Ju-kyung whenever I had the chance.

Most of the time, Yeo Ju-kyung would answer perfunctorily or just close her eyes as if uninterested.

Like a machine.

Then occasionally, there were days like today when she would bite.

“When did you Awaken?”

“Long before you were born.”

“And when did you meet Han Seung-hoon?”

“20 years ago.”

“Have you been preparing for the apocalypse since then?”

“Yes. Though thanks to you, all our plans have been ruined.”

“I don’t want to die either, you know.”

“You can’t achieve a great cause with just that kind of mindset.”

“What is this great cause?”

“That’s enough.”

Yeo Ju-kyung waved her hand dismissively.

Just as an awkward atmosphere was about to settle in, I spoke.

“You’re afraid.”

“……?”

“That I might betray you, I mean. That I, whom you felt was your only hope, am running around like a reckless fool.”

“It’s different from fear. It’s uneasiness.”

No. That is fear.

Fear that I’ll betray her. Fear that I’ll say I want to quit.

Fear that the only remaining hope will be trampled.

“Why did you choose me?”

“Because you’re the only one.”

“Then you have to trust my decisions.”

“Of course, I should. I suppose coming into this dark Dungeon is also related to saving the world.”

“It is related. Isn’t this a chance to get on the good side of Ilseong’s President?”

“That man is in a position where he has to grovel at your every word. I made him that way.”

The last words had a strong, self-deprecating tone.

“I made a bet with that Han Seung-hoon fellow.”

“You did?”

“That if you catch up to me within half a year, I’ll agree to anything you say.”

“And if I can’t?”

“I’ll redesign things my way.”

“Just a moment ago, you were treating me like the only hope.”

“You are competent. More than just competent. Things like Hunting Grounds or Buff Stones, someone else wouldn’t have even dreamed of them.”

“……”

“So, just until you’ve matured enough not to lose your way. Until then, I will act in your stead.”

Her eyes were full of distrust.

It seems my to-do list inside this Dungeon has grown longer.

Earning Yeo Ju-kyung’s trust, that is.

“Why drag it out? If I can’t do it by the time we get out of this Dungeon, let’s just say I’ve lost.”

Yeo Ju-kyung didn’t show any surprise. Nor did she curse me for overdoing it.

She just silently took the lead.

It meant she understood.

As I followed, I checked how much was left until I could Level Up.

There isn’t actually an Experience Points bar in the Status Window.

I just visualize it with my senses.

-Until Level 400, 87.7%

I should take this opportunity to rack up some Experience Points.