Chapter 12

“Anyway, once we’re inside, you need to look out for yourself, pal. There won’t be any time to look out for anyone else in there.”

A Hunter said, looking at Kang Yuseong.

Kang Yuseong nodded.

“Alright, alright, they say four more are coming, so let’s wait a bit.”

The Hunters already gathered seemed to know each other well.

From their conversation, the Hunter who had just told him to look out for himself appeared to be their leader.

His name was Baek Myeong-han.

He was a B-rank Hunter with about Level 4 experience.

He belonged to the Myth Guild, a fairly renowned guild.

Kang Yuseong nodded internally as he listened.

That was a good enough rank to lead a C-rank dungeon raid party.

“Hey, Myeong-hoon. Are you going to be in the same team as him?”

Baek Myeong-han asked Jwa Myeong-hoon, referring to Kang Yuseong.

“Y-yes, I suppose so.”

“What’s wrong with you? Did you eat something bad?”

“N-no, sir.”

How absurd must this situation be for Jwa Myeong-hoon?

Giving advice to an SS-rank Hunter.

Of course, having an SS-rank Hunter license didn’t guarantee actual hunting prowess.

However, the examiners for the Hunter license test were composed of the most distinguished individuals from each guild. They considered practical aspects like these when determining ranks.

In other words, they assigned ranks assuming that a Hunter would perform at that level in actual hunts.

The license Kang Yuseong currently held was white.

But once he accumulated hunting experience and leveled up, that color would rapidly change.

SS-rank Hunters progressed several times faster than others.

Knowing this, Jwa Myeong-hoon couldn’t relax.

He, a C-rank Hunter, paired with Kang Yuseong, an SS-rank.

He was already worried about making a mistake.

“Ah, here they come.”

The remaining four Hunters joined, forming a total raid party of fifteen.

Since each Hunter was accompanied by a Porter, twenty-nine people entered the dungeon.

“Whew… well then, Mr. Kang Yuseong. I look forward to working with you.”

Jwa Myeong-hoon extended his hand.

Kang Yuseong grinned and shook it.

“The pleasure is mine.”

“This is Han Do-seong, my friend. Please say hello. He’s in our team too.”

Jwa Myeong-hoon introduced Kang Yuseong to a man who was short but appeared very sturdy.

“Han Do-seong. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

Kang Yuseong felt considerable strength in Han Do-seong’s grip.

Kang Yuseong smiled inwardly.

‘He has a solid foundation.’

He was a man with excellent grip strength and fundamental physical abilities.

Such men, if nurtured properly, could become significant talents.

“Do you use a sword?”

Han Do-seong asked, looking at the sword hanging at Kang Yuseong’s waist.

Kang Yuseong nodded.

“Yes.”

Han Do-seong gave a dry smile.

“I’d like to learn a thing or two.”

He pointed to his back.

‘A serrated blade. Good.’

The sword visible on his back had sharp teeth, much like a saw.

Such a blade could not be wielded without considerable strength.

This was because its teeth would get stuck in a monster’s muscle.

The essence of a serrated blade was to tear it out with powerful force, inflicting tremendous wounds.

Being able to use a serrated blade was proof of immense strength.

Kang Yuseong recalled a captain among his subordinates in the past who was incredibly skilled with a serrated blade.

He was extremely loyal and highly capable.

Moon Kang-seok.

He was probably wandering the mountains across the country by now.

—Alright, we’ve been delayed a bit, so we’ll depart soon! Everyone, check your radio channels, weapons, and supplies.

Baek Myeong-han sent a radio message, also as a test.

—Check.

The Hunters adjusted their reception and reported on their radio’s functionality.

In the vastness of a dungeon, a radio was like a lifeline.

It would be problematic if it wasn’t checked frequently.

Kang Yuseong, having repeated this countless times until it was ingrained in his body, checked his radio with great proficiency.

—Entering.

The hunt began.

The Hunters and Porters headed into the dungeon with tense expressions.

* * * * *

A desert.

A scorching desert, with the sun beating down mercilessly, stretched before Kang Yuseong’s eyes.

‘This dungeon type is a desert. Not bad.’

Kang Yuseong’s eyes gleamed.

Desert dungeons held countless valuable resources.

Especially the Purple Berry Cactus and Sand Grave Corpse Flower, which bore fruits highly effective for cancer patients, and the Yellow Angler Grass, which produced a mucus that protected the body from burns.

The Purple Berry Cactus and Sand Grave Corpse Flower were not easy to find even in desert terrain.

Therefore, the concept of using their fruits to treat cancer had not yet emerged.

Discovering them and creating medicine meant making a fortune was only a matter of time.

Kang Yuseong’s plans already included this.

However, they were difficult to find, so Kang Yuseong had already let go of his expectations of finding their fruits here.

If they were there, he’d get them; otherwise, it was better to look for another opportunity.

“Whew, I’m roasting.”

Hunters all around sighed heavily.

They knew they were entering a desert environment, but this immense heat was not easy to endure.

—Commencing search. Search teams are Team 1 and Team 2. The rest will provide support based on the search results.

Team 1 and Team 2 were mainly comprised of experienced Hunters.

Since the ten Hunters who arrived earlier already knew each other, they had pre-arranged their teams.

Kang Yuseong was in Team 4.

He was in a team of three with Jwa Myeong-hoon and Han Do-seong.

Team 1 and Team 2 began their search, undeterred by the blazing sun, while the others slowly followed behind.

At that moment, Kang Yuseong meticulously scanned his surroundings.

A dungeon was a battlefield.

To survive in a dungeon, there were several crucial factors to consider, the most basic being weather and terrain.

These two significantly impacted the Hunters’ stamina.

And terrain played the most vital role in combat.

Defense and offense.

Experienced Hunters naturally managed both by observing the terrain.

Kang Yuseong was no different.

‘Hills, and slopes.’

Kang Yuseong continuously surveyed his surroundings, assessing the terrain.

Which areas were dangerous if attacked by monsters, and how to plan escape routes.

Everything was being recorded in his mind.

—Two hundred meters ahead, a pack of what appears to be Sand Alligators. Approximately twenty in number.

At that moment, the lead search team sent a radio message.

The Hunters nodded.

A mix of Level 2 and Level 3 Sand Alligators was manageable.

—Understood. We’ll provide support.

Upon discovering their first prey, the Hunters moved swiftly.

Thick beads of sweat poured down their cheeks like rain, but they paid no mind.

—Team 1, Team 2, and Team 3 attack from the right. Team 4 and Team 5 attack from the left.

Another message came from the search team.

Assessing the terrain and devising attack methods was also the search team’s mission.

The Hunters nodded.

They moved forward, parting the softly swirling sand.

—Form up!

The Hunters immediately spread out left and right like unfolding wings.

Kang Yuseong, being in Team 4, headed left.

Han Do-seong and Jwa Myeong-hoon also ran quickly, cutting through the sand.

Before long, Sand Alligators, the same color as the desert sand, became visible in the distance.

Normally, they would be buried in the sand, waiting for prey, but the search party had already provoked them, so they had emerged onto the ground in battle formation.

Sand Alligators were very ferocious.

They would charge, jaws agape, even with dozens of blades stuck in their bodies.

Fighting until death was their nature.

The Hunters had to be prepared.

They spread their wings, cautiously encircling the pack of Sand Alligators and tightening their encirclement.

The Porters remained behind, watching the scene.

“Kroooaaah!”

The Sand Alligators caught the scent of the Hunters and began to grow agitated.

“Puaaah!”

They spewed sand, expressing their fury.

Their eyes turned blood-red, clearly indicating they had entered a state of rage.

‘Quite fast.’

Kang Yuseong frowned slightly.

This was a bit different from typical Sand Alligators.

Even so, entering a rage state just from their approach was highly unusual.

‘Could it be…?’

Kang Yuseong scanned their surroundings.

He had a hunch.

Then, something caught his eye.

Eggs.

There were eggs behind the Sand Alligators.

He hadn’t noticed them because they were buried in the sand, but the eggs looked quite large.

‘Could that be…!’

Kang Yuseong’s expression stiffened at the sight of the eggs.

No.

It couldn’t be.

There couldn’t be something like that in a C-rank dungeon…

‘Is this a…!’

Kang Yuseong quickly surveyed the area.

It was classified as a C-rank dungeon, and the situation so far seemed C-rank, but there was something different.

Deserts were home to a vast number of monsters.

Even if it was just crawling insect-type monsters, deserts teemed with life.

Of course, they weren’t visible on the surface because they were hidden beneath the desert sand.

Even so, there should always be some trace of life.

But now… nothing was felt.

‘A Trap Dungeon!’

A chill suddenly ran down Kang Yuseong’s spine.

Trap Dungeon.

It referred to a dungeon whose rank suddenly jumped.

In truth, dungeon ranks were assigned by humans who discovered them; how a dungeon might actually change was unpredictable. It was a living world, after all.

While Trap Dungeons were rarely discovered in the early stages, dungeons that suddenly and drastically changed would emerge later on.

This included powerful monsters invading or the dungeon itself merging with another. People called such dungeons Trap Dungeons.

Kang Yuseong now felt a strong conviction.

This was a Trap Dungeon.

Other than these Sand Alligators, there was no trace of life felt anywhere nearby.

That could only mean one thing.

A predator.

And a very ferocious and powerful predator was nearby.

Kang Yuseong urgently sent a radio message.

—Fall back!

Rumble—

At that instant, the ground around the Hunters violently shook.

At the same time, the air ripped apart with a tearing sound, and something swept through the Hunters at an invisible speed.

Crash!

Slam!

Three Hunters, without understanding what was happening, were caught by a powerful force and slammed into the ground.

They were severely injured by a single blow and writhed on the spot.

—Wh-what was that!

The Hunters, who had been confidently moving to attack the Sand Alligators, faltered.

And the color slowly drained from their faces.

“Grrrrooo…”

An alligator.

A gigantic alligator, as large as a two-story building, burst through the sand and stood tall.

Its eyes, blazing with a blood-red light, froze the Hunters, rendering them unable to move.

“King Alligator…”

Kang Yuseong murmured softly.

The king of the Sand Alligators.

A powerful desert ruler, ranked Level 5.

A formidable predator capable of wiping out every human here.

Shing—

While all the Hunters were frozen, unable to move, only one person stirred.

Drawing his longsword, that person was none other than Kang Yuseong.

Whoosh—

He drew his longsword and charged straight forward.

The Hunters could only stare at his back with horrified expressions.

Towards Kang Yuseong, the Sand Alligators were rushing en masse.