Chapter 23

“Oh, go ahead.”

“I’ll save you some snacks.”

“It’s fine if you eat it all.”

“Oh, really?”

Yeonsu Nam left the rest area, leaving the chattering behind. She headed straight for the judges. The judges recognized her and gave a slight bow.

“How was it?”

“They were all not bad. Their synergy was good too. The only flaw, if any, was that the tank tended to get a bit overexcited.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s not really a drawback, though. It feels like it would naturally resolve itself if there were a higher-ranked person. The tanking is stable, and the attack power is decent. No…”

She whispered quietly.

“Her attack power might be better than most C-Rank dealers.”

“That good?”

“For now, yes. Anyway, overall, it was fine except for not checking the dungeon timer. However…”

She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should mention this. That the C-Rank tank might not actually be C-Rank. As a healer paired with the tank, Yeonsu Nam could tell. But her hunter registration card clearly stated C-Rank. There couldn’t be a lie on that registration. Yeonsu Nam soon shook her head.

“No. That’s all.”

“This team also set a new record, and it seems most of them will pass. I’ll let you know after the internal meeting. Get some rest.”

“Thank you.”

***

Thirty minutes after Yeonsu Nam entered the rest area, the judges called out Team 1.

“Everyone has passed the second trial. Please check the notice for the date of the third trial.”

“Th-thank you!”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

Sighs of relief erupted from all directions. Cho-i tilted her head and slowly blinked as she looked at the notices they were distributing.

‘I guess I won’t be entering a dungeon for a while now.’

Cho-i unconsciously licked her lips. It had been satisfying for once, but it still wasn’t enough.

‘I want to do more.’

As Cho-i felt an emptiness in a corner of her heart and everyone was jumping for joy after receiving their notices, someone’s phone rang. A Guild Member of Paehyeok confirmed that the Entity was theirs and answered the call. And then…

“What!?”

He immediately shouted. All the overjoyed party members looked at the guild member. The Guild Member of Paehyeok gathered the other judges and urgently discussed something.

“Yeonsu! Come here!”

“Yes!”

At the familiar way Yeonsu Nam’s name was called, all the party members except Cho-i and Nara looked bewildered. However, the Guild Members of Paehyeok seemed to have no time to pay attention to such things and continued their conversation among themselves.

“We just received news that the B-Rank dungeon has been upgraded to A+ Rank. And there are participants inside right now.”

“What? What should we do then!”

“It’s too late for Paehyeok to call people in now. We have to go and rescue the applicants and calm the dungeon. They say there’s no tank or healer there right now. If you’re there, we’ll manage somehow.”

“Alright. But what about a tank?”

“Right now, that’s the problem. There are no tanks among the judges. So, for now, a dealer who can act as a sub-tank…”

Just then, Yeonsu Nam looked back.

“Senior, just a moment.”

“What is it?”

“Can we bring participant Cho-i Hyeon?”

“What? Are you crazy? How can we bring a C-Rank tank into an A+ Rank dungeon!”

“She… might not be C-Rank.”

“What?”

“Just a moment.”

Yeonsu Nam hurriedly approached Cho-i Hyeon. While the other party members looked bewildered, Yeonsu Nam asked with a serious expression.

“Participant Cho-i Hyeon.”

“Yes, secret examiner.”

At that, the rest of the party members’ jaws dropped, but there was no time to pay attention to them.

“Are you really C-Rank?”

Instead of answering, Cho-i immediately asked.

“Why?”

“We need a tank to enter an A+ Rank dungeon right now.”

“Then I can’t go in. I’m C-Rank.”

Cho-i smiled broadly and tilted her head. Her smile was full of the meaning, ‘What benefit do I get from confessing that here?’

“If you help us here, I’ll make sure you can continue the trial without getting caught for hiding your rank.”

“Do you even have the authority to do that?”

“Honestly, I’m confident. If two S-Ranks step forward, it’ll be smoothed over.”

“Ah, you’ve already talked to the two of them?”

“…That’s right.”

“Get the other judges to agree. Then I’ll go. Actually, I’m still feeling a bit restless.”

“…Alright.”

Yeonsu Nam returned to her guild members and explained the situation. Upon hearing the explanation, they expressed their discomfort but were relieved that there was a tank available to go in immediately.

“Anyway, Dongju and Yeonhan recommended this person, and I think the Guild Master will understand if we clear this dungeon.”

“Right?”

“One person go report to the Guild Master immediately, and we’ll go to the B-Rank testing ground.”

“Understood.”

“Whether we succeed or fail, it’s our responsibility. Emphasize that to participant Cho-i Hyeon. If she comes out safely, we’ll take responsibility and ensure she faces no disadvantages, but if she fails, she’ll have to accept the disadvantages that come with it.”

“What disadvantages?”

“The worst-case scenario is death.”

“Senior, if you say that, who would ever go?”

Yeonsu Nam said that, but Cho-i, after hearing the explanation, answered nonchalantly.

“So, as long as I come back alive, there are no other disadvantages, right? Good.”

“Cho-i, you could die. You understood that correctly, right?”

“Huh? Of course.”

To Cho-i, the penalty of death was a very, very, very, and the lightest penalty. Because she wouldn’t die. Cho-i Hyeon greeted her party members with an indifferent expression.

“I’ll be back.”

“No, what’s going on right now?”

“I understand that Yeonsu Nam is a secret examiner, but what about Cho-i? She wasn’t C-Rank?”

“Hmm.”

Cho-i scratched her cheek, then pulled Nara Shim in front of her.

“She’ll explain from now on. Bye!”

“Hey!”

Whether Nara Shim called out from behind or not, Cho-i grabbed Yeonsu Nam’s hand and ran towards the Paehyeok Guild members. As always, take care of the aftermath, Nara Shim. After throwing Nara Shim to them, she got into a car with the Paehyeok Guild members and headed to the B-Rank testing ground.

***

As she got into the black van, some of the people who had been judges spoke to her.

“Wow, how did you even think of cheating during the Paehyeok trial?”

“Yeah, seriously. So, was it just the same rank that we couldn’t see your stats last time?”

Cho-i blinked at the attention, then shook her head.

“I really am wearing an item. You won’t see it unless an SS-Rank comes.”

“So, you’re saying we can’t see it unless the Guild Master comes.”

“You prepared thoroughly, didn’t you?”

“Actually, I didn’t put it on to prepare for this, but it just ended up that way.”

“Wow, how brazen.”

The guild member’s tone was more amused than negative. They must have found it entertaining. Even though it wasn’t an entertaining situation.

“My name is Suui Kim. I’m an A-Rank dealer.”

“I’m Namsu Kang. Also an A-Rank dealer. A gunner.”

“A gun?”

“Yes, don’t firearm items sometimes appear in dungeons? I use those.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“It’s probably because they’re guns used with magic, and they don’t appear much in low-level dungeons. I also used a bow at first before switching.”

“I see. A gun, huh.”

Heh, Cho-i looked at the gun hanging at her waist with curiosity. It didn’t look modern, but it was definitely shaped like a gun.

“Can I touch it?”

“No.”

“Aw.”

She sank deep into the seat. Then, Yeonsu Nam, who was sitting in front, turned around and said,

“Senior, pre-briefing.”

“Oh, right. I’ll tell you about the dungeon we’re going to now.”

“Yes.”

Suui Kim began to speak as Cho-i focused on her.

“They said the first team finished faster than expected, so the second team, which was on standby, entered as soon as the reset was over, but the dungeon’s rank changed immediately.”

“Does that happen?”

“We haven’t fully understood the existence of dungeons yet. If you look into it, it’s probably not unheard of.”

“I see.”

“Anyway. Originally, that’s a dungeon where wolf monsters appear. If the rank changed, it either just went up in rank, or in the worst case, it might have changed to a completely different dungeon.”

“The dungeon changed?”

Cho-i frowned. It was the first time she had heard that such a thing could happen.

“It’s not common, but there have been such cases in foreign countries. So we have to be as careful as possible when clearing it.”

“I understand for now.”

Cho-i nodded. To be honest, she was currently…

“Yawn.”

She wasn’t thinking anything. Truly. Thanks to her stats increasing in the dungeon, her rank was probably close to A-plus now. Of course, it was close, but not quite there. There’s a big difference between A-rank and A-plus. And anyway, she didn’t have to worry about dying. It would hurt like hell, though. If things went well here, she’d be able to join Paehyeok right away. Cho-i hummed a song and tapped her foot. The only looks she got in return were ones that said, ‘What kind of person is this?’

“So, when will we arrive?”

“Now!”

Yeonsu Nam said that and got out of the suddenly stopped car, opening the door. The two guild members also opened the van’s door and rushed out to tackle the higher-ranked dungeon. But Cho-i Hyeon remained in her seat, staring blankly out the door. Suui looked back at her, expressing her confusion.

“What, are you scared now?”

“Um…” Cho-i’s eyes widened. Her heart was pounding, thump, thump, thump. The scene revealed when the van door opened was the entrance to a huge dungeon, people running everywhere, and…

“Mantis…”

“What did you say?”

“Forest.”

“Can you speak clearly? What are you talking about?”

“I have to go.”

Cho-i burst out of the car. And immediately started running towards the dungeon. Her heart was pounding. Cho-i knew. This sensation, this feeling of her body reacting to what she had experienced.

“There’s a Mantis in there.”

“What is that!”

“Stop her!”

The surrounding guild members rushed at her. Only after one, two, and then three people rushed at her were they able to stop her.