5

ATTACK OF THE HIGH ORCS

Jinwoo sped toward Kihoon. He wasn’t that far from the tank, but he wasn’t particularly close, either. It took only a bit of force to launch himself off the ground and land right in front of the high orcs’ broad backs.

Tmp.

He was struck by a thought as soon as he stuck the landing.

I could take care of these orcs if I wanted to.

But that would defeat the purpose of hiding himself with the Stealth skill. Kihoon and the rest were the elite of the Hunters Guild, the number one guild in Korea. With the exception of that silly healer, the rest of the hunters would immediately suspect Stealth was involved if they saw high orcs being torn in two by an invisible force.

Being discovered wouldn’t be an issue, but……

Jinwoo didn’t want to cause any trouble the day before his reevaluation results were to come out. He’d considered waiting until the raid had failed completely before stepping in, but then the damage would’ve been too great on the healer’s side. Just look at the female healer—she’d narrowly avoided death.

Jinwoo’s eyes were sparkling.

I’ll do what I can without being noticed.

That was the course of action he decided on. His deliberation had lasted but a couple of seconds. He’d reflexively called Barca’s Dagger and Knight Killer into his hands before he could fully form the thought.

When did I summon these?

He couldn’t stop grinning. His pounding heart found its calm at the familiar grips in his hands. Thank goodness no one could see his face while Stealth was triggered. He didn’t want people to think he was crazy, laughing while humans and high orcs were locked in a murderous melee. Especially the leader of the strike squad—Jinwoo didn’t think Kihoon would take it well if he spotted Jinwoo grinning while he was busting his ass trying to fend off three orcs at once.

Let’s take care of these guys first.

Jinwoo got to work. He crouched down and severed the Achilles tendon of one of the orcs.

“Graaaahhh!” The high orc warrior roared at the intense pain.

Jinwoo was just getting started. He fluidly stabbed the side of the second orc with Barca’s Dagger and slashed the third in the back of the knee.

“Guuuh!”

“Aaaagh!”

The adrenaline from the battle wasn’t enough to dull their pain, and the high orcs’ muscles seized up from the unexpected attacks to their vulnerable areas.

That was enough. Like a tidal wave crashing over a dam, Kihoon slammed into the orcs with his own counterattack.

Shhhk!

“Grrraaah… Aaagh.”

“Huff, huff.” Kihoon raised his head. The sword in his hand had pierced the orc’s heart.

“Guuuh…” The high orc’s lips quivered, and its glaring gaze rolled up to reveal the whites of its eyes as its body slumped to the ground.

Whud!

Kihoon pumped his fist.

Yes! I’ve got this!

As Kihoon patted himself on the back and took down the other two orcs surrounding him, Jinwoo continued to run amok.

“Graaahhh!”

“Gaaahhh!”

Jinwoo moved about freely even as he perceived time to have slowed down for everyone else, going completely unnoticed as he tipped the scales.

Shhhk!

Wherever Jinwoo passed by, he left wounds both great and small on the orcs in his wake.

“Graaah!”

“Guh?”

As soon as the high orcs froze in surprise at an injury that appeared out of the blue, their fates were sealed. The elite hunters seized the opportunity to attack.

It’s…somehow gotten easier.

What the heck?

Are we really going to defeat this many high orcs without sustaining any damage?

The strike squad was both confused and thrilled. They’d been prepared to experience one or two casualties, but everyone was fighting much better than expected.

Splat!

A hunter wielding a mace shattered the head of a high orc. That was when Jinwoo received some welcome news.

Whoa.

It had been worth all that effort. His level had increased. It looked like he still received experience points even if he didn’t directly kill or deliver fatal damage to the enemies.

I only finished off two of them myself.

But he’d assisted with the kills of thirteen orcs. He hadn’t expected his experience gauge to rise at all, so to level up was exciting. Jinwoo’s enthusiasm made him go even faster.

Shiiing!

Shhhk!

“Graaaahhh!”

The battle was coming to an end with Jinwoo’s help.

Phew……

Jinwoo stopped some distance away, stored his daggers in his inventory, and surveyed his surroundings.

That should do it……

Everything was wrapping up, and he’d earned himself an extra level.

Jinwoo glanced down. Close to twenty high orc cadavers littered the area.

I could’ve gone up at least another level if I’d killed all of them, but alas…

Unfortunately, the Hunters had paid big bucks for the permit, so this was their hunting ground. This was about all he could take.

That’s fine.

Satisfied, Jinwoo lodged himself in a corner fitting for a luggage carrier in hiding.

“Graaah!”

The last remaining high orc screeched as it realized the tables had turned and that it was surrounded by hunters. The cries of the beast echoed loudly in the cave.

Jinwoo deactivated Stealth while he watched the high orc drop to the ground.

Vwoom.

The hunters were breathing heavily. No matter where they looked, not one orc remained.

“D-did we win?”

“Is it over?”

“Wait.” Before they could celebrate their victory, Kihoon checked to see if there were any injured. “Injuries! Did anyone get hurt?”

Wounded hunters were actually rare among strike squads with high-rank healers. As long as they were still breathing, they could be healed. So Kihoon wasn’t asking if anyone was hurt—he was asking if there were any casualties.

The female healer shook her head as his eyes met hers. There had been injuries but no fatalities, and the treatment for wounded hunters had just finished.

“Then……”

The strike squad cheered.

“We won!”

“We did it!”

“Yeaaah!”

Hunters happily embraced one another. Jinwoo watched the celebration with his arms crossed against his chest and a pleased look on his face.

Were the high orcs that powerful, though?

From his perspective, he didn’t think so… Having had no prior experience with high-rank dungeons, Jinwoo couldn’t really relate to their elation. Jinwoo also wasn’t aware of the fact that hunters who raided A- or B-rank dungeons also took the amount of mana present in the dungeon into consideration when choosing one.

High orcs were considered to be extremely powerful magic beasts even for A-rank dungeons. That they’d defeated not just regular high orcs but close to twenty high orc warriors was just short of a miracle. Jinwoo, the true miracle worker behind this feat, had no idea how astonishing this was as he silently congratulated the squad’s victory.

Hmm?

Among the revelers, the female healer was approaching Kihoon with a concerned look on her face. Her eyes made it clear she had something to tell him.

Jinwoo strained his ears.

“Um, Kihoon?”

“Yeah?”

“During the battle with the high orcs just now……” She slowly and carefully explained what she had witnessed. Her story was that a high orc floating in midair had torn off its own head and then attacked and killed another orc.

Her expression was totally serious.

“……” Kihoon was speechless.

“It’s true, I swear!”

Jinwoo tried not to laugh at how red the healer’s face became as she insisted she was telling the truth.

The victory celebration didn’t last long. One by one, hunters gathered around Kihoon.

“Captain, are we going to continue?”

“Isn’t it too dangerous? For high orcs to spawn this close to the entrance…”

“Maybe we should retreat for now?”

Kihoon pursed his lips as he surveyed the other side of the cave.

It’s not an easy decision.

Jinwoo understood Kihoon’s dilemma. In a guild with two S-rank hunters, this might be both his first and last chance to lead his own strike squad. To retreat this early during a raid so monumental in his career…

Plenty of people in this situation would be tempted to clear the dungeon.

But a wise leader…

Kihoon made up his mind and opened his mouth. Jinwoo’s eyes narrowed. Fortunately, Kihoon wasn’t a foolish man.

“We’ll retreat for now.”

The leader’s decision was absolute in a dungeon. It was an unwritten rule that, as a member of a strike squad, one would follow the leader’s orders. Wasn’t there a wartime policy stating that disobeying a direct order was punishable by death? In some ways, a dungeon was even more dangerous than a war zone.

The type of leader a squad had could mean the difference between life and death, and Kihoon was one who didn’t disappoint his teammates. Every member in the squad was relieved.

“Whew.”

“I was really worried you’d want to go all the way, Kihoon.”

Kihoon patted the shoulder of the hunter and cracked a smile. “I’m not insane.”

“I know, but still, look at my hands! They’re shaking.”

“All right, quit exaggerating. Let’s go, everyone.”

Jinwoo heaved the pack back on, and the strike squad began mobilizing as per Kihoon’s order, but this time in the opposite direction.

Jinwoo’s smile was bittersweet.

I wanted to go farther inside, though.

But he was just a guest anyway, and as a guest, he wasn’t in a position to criticize the master of the house.

Regrettably, this was as far as they’d go for today.

“Hmph……” The female healer joined Jinwoo, seemingly put out that Kihoon hadn’t believed a word she’d said. “It’s true, though.”

She pouted then and looked up at Jinwoo with hope shining in her eyes. “You know, earlier, the high orc—”

“I didn’t see a thing.”

“Ugh……” Her hopes were dashed.

Jinwoo suppressed his laugh.

But they didn’t get very far when, suddenly, the front line halted abruptly.

Kihoon raised his right hand. “S-stop!” The panic in his voice was clear.

The weary hunters trudging along and Jinwoo, who had been closely monitoring things at the back of the group in case an orc tried to ambush them from behind, all froze in place.

The hunters’ murmurs grew louder.

“What’s going on here?”

“There’s something else?”

“Why is this passage blocked? It was fine earlier!”

Jinwoo pushed through the commotion and, upon reaching the front of the group, extended his hand.

He blinked in surprise.

It’s…blocked?

There was an invisible barrier barring the way. His first thought was of instance dungeons and the walls that separated them from the real world, but he quickly ruled that out.

No, it’s something else.

He sensed something artificial about this wall. Upon an assessment of the barrier, the mana making up its composition seemed to be from an intelligent magic beast.

But…why?

Why block the way out instead of in?

Just then…Jinwoo’s head whipped around.

……?

As if it had been waiting for its cue, an alarmingly powerful wave of mana came from the other side of the cave like a mighty tsunami.

No way……

Could that be the dungeon boss? The scale of this wave of magic power was completely different from the amount of mana he’d felt from outside the dungeon or when he’d first stepped foot inside.

Other hunters shivered as if they could also feel the waves of mana.

“Wh-what?”

“I suddenly have goose bumps.”

A thought struck Jinwoo as he watched the others’ faces grow pale.

Could there be a boss that can hide its presence……?

The wall hadn’t been there on the way in, and the boss had started baring its fangs after putting up the barrier.

Was… Was it a trap to lure in the hunters?

The thought sent chills up his spine.

And as he expected…

Thmp, thmp.

Thmp, thmp.

From the dark depths of the cave came the sound of countless footsteps, even more than before. As the noise grew louder, the hunters grew quieter. Jinwoo would have found the situation fascinating if it wasn’t so dire.

“Kihoon……”

“……”

They all fell totally silent.

Jinwoo’s ears twitched as he concentrated. He took advantage of the momentary silence in his immediate surroundings to count the number of enemies by the sound of the footsteps.

Thmp, thmp.

Thmp, thmp.

His heightened hearing and high perception stat allowed him to discern the sound of each footstep.

Forty-eight, forty-nine, fifty, fifty-one.

There were fifty-one distinct footfalls in total—and they sounded similar to the ones made by the high orc warriors earlier.

Jinwoo looked around.

……

Apprehension was clear on everyone’s faces. It looked as though they’d also managed to approximate the number of encroaching enemies. They’d barely defeated twenty-two high orc warriors. Now, fifty-one were coming. More than double.

……We don’t stand a chance.

At least, the strike squad didn’t. Jinwoo turned to look at his own shadow. It seemed to be wavering.

Whoooo!

He could almost hear his shadow soldiers screaming for blood. Jinwoo turned around.

BA-DUMP, BA-DUMP, BA-DUMP.

His heart was full-on racing by this point.

Wait for it……

It wasn’t yet time. Jinwoo talked himself down as he silently stared straight ahead.

Finally, the orcs emerged.

Tmp.

The high orcs came to a stop, leaving quite some space between themselves and the humans.

“Graaaawr.”

“Grrrr.”

They growled as if they could attack at any second. The aggression from the fifty-plus high orc warriors felt indescribable. This could end only one way.

“This is insane…”

“How the hell is this happening……?”

“Ngh……”

The hunters lamented. The overwhelming pressure forced them back, but they were also blocked from behind. What could they do?

They’d already readied themselves to fight, but now that it was time, no one was willing to make a move. Instead, they awaited a cue from Kihoon. He bit his lip.

Shit……

If only President Choi or Hunter Cha was here… He frowned. An S-rank hunter would have the power to turn the tide in a disadvantaged situation. If those two were here, the high orcs would’ve been dead on arrival.

Why did this have to happen now of all times……?

Why was this going down when they weren’t around? Kihoon was so used to fighting alongside them that, in this moment, he realized just how utterly powerless he was without them. It pained him that the group didn’t have an S rank, but he couldn’t continue the pity party. It was time to make a call.

Fighting here would be suicidal.

Yet they had no choice with their escape route blocked.

That day he’d first decided to become a hunter, that first time he’d stepped inside a dungeon, and that time he’d ended up severely wounded and lost consciousness, he’d always known this day would come.

Yeah, that’s right.

Kihoon resolved to die here and raised his sword.

Shiiing.

When he looked over his shoulder, the hunters awaiting his orders nodded. He turned back, positioning his shield under his chin, and glared at the orcs, who showed no signs that they were going to make a move.

Looks like he finally made a decision.

Jinwoo also got ready. He hid his right hand behind his back and materialized Barca’s Dagger. Then he closed his eyes. His pounding heart actually calmed as the battle drew near.

Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dump.

He relaxed his muscles and regulated his breathing.

……Okay.

Jinwoo opened his shining eyes.

Gulp.

The hunters were so tense that they were having difficulty swallowing. Sweat dotted their foreheads. On the other hand, Jinwoo was having to tamp down his excitement.

How much experience will they give me?

There was a little smile dancing along his face.

That was when one of the high orcs moved forward. It pushed aside the others and glowered at the hunters with the eyes of a wild animal.

“Grrrrr…” It was much bigger than the others and had long fangs.

Is that the head of the pack?

Jinwoo’s eyes narrowed. Wouldn’t the battle be easier if he took it out right now? What should he do?

As Jinwoo debated his options while fiddling with the handle of Barca’s Dagger, the high orc opened its mouth.

“Krerak shina wigdu araknaka!” Its voice was forceful, and its eyes were fixed on Kihoon, who stood at the front of the strike squad. “Krerak shina wigdu araknaka!”

The hunters exchanged looks.

“What was that?”

“Is it trying to talk to us?”

“What’s it saying?”

At that moment, the orc’s facial muscles began to contort. When its face stopped moving, a totally different voice emerged from the beast’s mouth.

“Humans…” It was like someone else was talking through the creature’s mouth. “Listen up, humans…”

Looking closer, they could see the orc’s clear eyes from earlier had clouded like those of a rotting dead fish.

Gasp!

The hunters were gobsmacked. An orc was speaking the language of humans!

How can an orc speak our language?

Magic? Is this some kind of magic?

They couldn’t close their mouths from the shock of this unexpected development.

The high orc captain continued. “I am…Kargalgan. I…want to…meet…you…humans. Follow…this…one.”

A magic beast wanted to have a conversation with humans? Nothing like this had ever been reported before. Kihoon and the rest of the strike squad were incredibly confused by this turn of events.

“Kihoon, you don’t believe what a magic beast is saying, do you?”

“Ignore it.”

“It’s a trap! Whether we get smashed to a pulp or not, let’s end things right here, right now.”

“Still, if we can communicate with it, maybe—”

“Dude! You’ve been to how many dungeons? And you still don’t know how magic beasts think?”

The hunters’ opinions had already become divided in this short period of time.

Kihoon was quiet for a moment before addressing the orc. “Kargalgan, were you the one who blocked the way out?”

“That is right… I am…the head shaman…of the prideful…orcs… You…cannot…break…my magic…with…only…human power.”

“Is there any being stronger than you in this dungeon?”

“Who…would dare…fight…against…me?!”

The loud voice reverberated inside the hunters’ ears. Most of the other hunters either grimaced or covered their ears, but Kihoon coolly nodded.

His suspicions had been confirmed. Whoever was speaking through this high orc had to be the boss of the dungeon. The boss was luring the hunters to its location because it couldn’t leave the boss’s lair until the dungeon break.

I don’t know its reasoning, but……

The leader of the orcs raised its ax over its head at Kihoon’s lack of response.

“Choose… Either…you…die…by…my…soldiers’…hands…or…you follow…them.”

“We’ll go.”

Kihoon’s immediate response raised eyebrows.

“Hoon, are you serious?”

“Kihoon!”

Kihoon ignored the others’ protests and studied the orc’s reactions.

“Follow…human.”

With that, the high orc’s clouded eyes faded back to their original color. They were once again like those of a wild animal.

It grunted. “Ashi tu reka.”

And with that, the hostile high orc warriors really began to withdraw. The leader stayed behind and eventually gestured for Kihoon to follow.

“Let’s go.” Kihoon was the first to take a step, and the hesitant hunters trailed after him.

What is Kihoon thinking?

Jinwoo was puzzled. There were sure to be more high orcs, including the boss, inside the lair. Their chances of winning this battle had diminished even more. Jinwoo couldn’t figure out the reasoning behind Kihoon’s decision.

Is he thinking of negotiating with the boss? In order to get back alive?

The odds of that happening seemed low, though…

No. This might be good for Jinwoo. He’d initially thought this raid would end with him killing a few low-rank magic beasts, but he now had a chance to meet the boss.

Jinwoo sent his dagger back to the inventory and slowly tailed the group.

How long had they been walking? Kihoon gradually slowed his pace until he ended up next to Jinwoo.

He addressed him in a low voice. “Hunter Sung.”

“Yes,” Jinwoo responded while keeping his eyes straight ahead.

Kihoon fixed his gaze on the high orc as he continued. “As soon as we meet the boss…we’re going to launch a surprise attack. It won’t be able to keep up the barrier blocking the exit with magic regardless of whether the attack is successful.”

He had a point. With the exception of curses, spell casters had to focus on a spell in order to maintain it. The higher the level of magic, the higher the level of concentration required.

But then what? Even if they succeeded in killing the boss or disrupting the spell, they would still be surrounded by high orc warriors and trapped inside the boss’s lair. It wouldn’t change the fact that it’d be next to impossible for the strike squad to get out alive.

Kihoon answered his unspoken doubts with a resolute look. “While they’re focusing on us, you get out. Please contact the main strike squad as soon as you escape the dungeon.”

By the time the strike squad with the S-rank hunters arrived, it would all be over. Kihoon intended to lay down his life.

“Are you planning to go down with the boss?”

Jinwoo glanced at Kihoon. The squad leader’s face was stoic, but his eyes never wavered.

“Our job is to close the gate, not to get out of the dungeon alive. That’s why they pay us the big bucks.” Kihoon spoke firmly. “This is what we’re trained to do. But that’s not the case for you. There’s no need for you to die here. Please get out alive.”

Jinwoo felt the conviction in Kihoon’s voice. His words reflected his steely determination.

Nothing Jinwoo could say would assuage Kihoon in this moment, so he simply nodded in reply.

Haein arrived at the gate. She’d pulled her cap down low so barely anyone recognized her. She walked around in search of the excavation team.

A few hunters glanced her way as she passed by and, assuming she was one of the guild administrators, didn’t pay her any further attention.

Haein spotted Yoonsuk in the distance. The excavation team was huddled around him.

Ba-dump, ba-dump.

Her heart began to race. Keeping her distance, she scanned their faces.

Where is he……?

She couldn’t find Jinwoo, and disappointment crashed over her.

Did he quit the team?

She decided to give it another minute. He could have just left the area for a bit.

Three more minutes.

No, five.

Just like that, Haein ended up waiting for fifteen minutes, but there were no signs of Jinwoo.

“Haah…” She turned to go with a long sigh. After taking a couple of steps, though, she found herself walking back. She took off her cap and, with a deep breath, walked toward Yoonsuk.

The excavation team’s eyes were on her. Luckily, the stench from them was tolerable because their ranks were on the lower end.

“Oh?” Yoonsuk recognized Haein and quickly ran up to her. “Hunter Cha, isn’t it your day off?”

“Hello.” Haein briefly greeted Yoonsuk and, checking to make sure she wouldn’t be heard, carefully asked, “Um, is…Hunter Jinwoo Sung here?”

“Sung?” Yoonsuk blinked in surprise at the name. “Sung went inside the dungeon to stand in for an absent luggage carrier…”

“A luggage carrier?” Haein was taken aback. “Are you saying he went inside the gate?”

The foreman furiously nodded as if he couldn’t believe it, either. “That’s right.”

An E-rank hunter had volunteered as a luggage carrier and gone inside an A-rank dungeon? It wasn’t like he had multiple lives.

What was he thinking?

Haein then recalled him standing in the boss’s lair yesterday with a weapon in hand. So it wasn’t just her imagination. And that wasn’t the only suspicious thing. She hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, but when she considered it long and hard, it was definitely strange for someone who’d been a hunter for four years to lose his way in a dungeon.

I need to get to the bottom of this.

Haein needed to find out for herself what Jinwoo was doing in the Hunters Guild, and in order to do that, she had no choice but to go inside the dungeon herself. She was the guild’s vice president and an active S-rank hunter. No one would stop her if she wanted to enter the dungeon in the middle of a raid.

Haein bit the nail on her thumb as she internally debated with herself before making a final decision. “I’ll have to go inside the gate.”

Yoonsuk’s eyes widened. “Oh dear… Was there an accident? Should I call the guild for backup?”

“No, this is a personal matter. I have some business with him, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Oh…I see.”

Haein turned to face the gate, but something felt like it was missing from her side.

Oh… My weapon……

Haein patted her hips and belatedly realized she’d left her sword at home. It was her day off, so who could’ve predicted that she would be entering a dungeon today?

She gave a slight frown.

I believe Kihoon and the squad members are all skilled, but……

It wouldn’t be wise to set foot inside a dungeon without a weapon.

Haein turned to Yoonsuk.

“Is there anything else…?” Yoonsuk blinked innocently.

“Do you perhaps have a weapon I could borrow, sir?”

“Pardon?” Yoonsuk thought for a second before calling out to a passing hunter.

“Hey, Seok! Could you bring me one of our tools?”

“Yessir.”

Seok speedily brought them one of the pickaxes used by the excavation team.

“……” Haein stared at it. “Do… Do you have anything else?”

“Anything else like…?”

“Like a sword or a spear.”

“Sorry……”

“……” She gave a small sigh. “Understood.”

Haein politely rejected the offered pickax and headed toward the gate.

Yoonsuk worriedly called out after her. “Hunter Cha, are you sure it’s okay to go in without a weapon?”

Haein paused, thought about it for a moment, then hastily walked back to take the pickax.

He laughed heartily. “Good thinking. It’s never a smart idea to go in there empty-handed.”

“Well then……”

As Haein retreated, Yoonsuk didn’t notice that her ears had turned bright red.

The members of the strike squad looked to be steadfast. As they walked quietly toward their fate in total silence, the female healer approached Jinwoo and started rummaging through the gear on his back.

Jinwoo turned his head to the side. “What’re you doing?”

“Just a second.” She pulled out a cute little purse. “I’ve always gotten strangely anxious when I’m separated from this for too long.” She explained without anyone prompting her.

She then took out a notebook and pen from the purse and started to scribble something down. Her head bumped into Jinwoo’s shoulder a few times because she wasn’t looking where she was going.

Scritch.

She soon closed her notebook. She took her purse, which she’d slung over her shoulder while writing, and shoved it back in the gear pack, but she held on to the notebook. She thrust it at Jinwoo, who’d been eyeing her warily.

“……?”

The female healer choked back tears as Jinwoo stared at the notebook in his hand. “I’ve written a message for my family. Please give this to them when you get out.”

If he laughed here, she would probably feel hurt, right?

“I’ll hang on to this, but I doubt I’ll get the chance to deliver it to your family.”

“That’s okay.” She nodded sympathetically.

With these orc warriors watching us so intensely, it’ll be hard for him to escape.

Plus, the luggage carrier was but an E rank.

She didn’t yet understand what Jinwoo was getting at.

Soon, they arrived at the lair. The other hunters’ trepidation was palpable, and Jinwoo could feel it on his skin. They were all in this together.

……

Jinwoo surveyed the area. It was a wide cavern, bigger than the giant’s lair from yesterday, but it didn’t feel bigger because of all the high orcs filling the room. There were over twice as many of them here as the force that had been sent to escort them.

There’s about a hundred… No, maybe a little more?

No wonder there hadn’t been magic beasts elsewhere in the dungeon—they were all here.

Kihoon looked at the rows of orcs, and the blood drained from his face.

If this many high orcs ever escaped the gate……

There were enough of them to destroy a small city before the strongest hunters could arrive.

Kihoon’s back broke out in a cold sweat.

We need to get rid of the boss at least.

He swallowed hard and dug down on his resolve.

High orcs cleared the way so the hunters could pass.

“Ah shak.” The high orc leader waved them through. The squad followed their escort to an altar in a corner of the lair.

“Look!” One of the hunters pointed to the top of the altar.

There stood a high orc shaman decked out in all manner of accessories, including a mask, bone necklace, and bone earrings.

That’s the boss……

Kihoon stiffened. He could tell that most of the massive amounts of mana filling the dungeon originated from this magic beast. The four lugs guarding it with shrew gazes also didn’t seem to be the typical high orc.

This isn’t good.

Would they be able get past those guards to take down the boss once and for all? Each of the hunters had similar concerns.

They stopped in front of the shaman. The tension between the high orcs and humans as they regarded each other from a distance was absolutely electrifying.

“Heh-heh.” The shaman wasn’t bothered at all. It opened its hideous maw and cackled from beneath its creepy mask. “Welcome, humans.”

The strike squad members exchanged looks.

Once Kihoon gives the signal……

We all charge at the same time……

Aim directly for the shaman……

They were waiting for a good time to pounce.

But then…the air around them started growing colder. This squad consisted of the best of the best, so they all reacted immediately to the change in temperature.

The cause of this was the shaman. As it took off its mask, the sheer power of its magic burst out in full force.

Hwoooosh!

Terrifying waves of magic flared. The hunters all froze like a herd of deer that had come face-to-face with a tiger.

“Oh m-my God……”

“How could anyone have this much mana…?”

“Th-that’s who we have to fight?”

Frustration, lamentation, resentment, and regret—the shaman sneered as it took in the varying emotions on the hunters’ faces.

“Are you afraid of me, humans?”

Kihoon bit down hard on his lip and forced himself to take a step forward to ask, “Why did you bring us all the way here? You could’ve let your warriors kill us.”

The shaman gave a creepy, bone-chilling leer. “For entertainment.”

“What?” Kihoon didn’t know what to say. That’s why the beast had brought them here?

The shaman continued. “While we bide our time, I’m going to kill you people one by one for my minions’ amusement!”

Graaaaaah!

The high orc warriors cheered. The hunters crumbled under the pressure from the orcs and had difficulty breathing.

One hunter began to cry.

“However…” The shaman paused. Its gaze stopped on Jinwoo. “…There is something odd among you humans.”

At that, Kihoon’s eyes lit up.

It’s distracted, so this is our chance!

The veins in his neck strained. “Now!” Kihoon bellowed, pulling out his sword as he rushed forward.

But there was only silence behind him.

Huh……?

He looked back at his colleagues as he ran and saw them glued to their spots. They had lost the will to fight in the face of this overwhelming power.

His heart sank.

No……

But someone had to do this. He couldn’t stop here. He faced forward again. The shaman continued jeering at them, and its guards were just standing there. This could be their one and only chance. Whether it be by luck or by providence, as long as his sword could reach…

Tmp, tmp, tmp!

Kihoon charged with all his strength and raised his blade high.

“Yaaaaah!”

But he bounced off something well before he could strike.

Crash!

It was a magical force field.

“Uggghhh!” Kihoon was knocked to the ground and tumbled a few times, but he didn’t roll around for long.

“Here’s the first volunteer.”

With the shaman’s ridicule, Kihoon’s body shot into the air.

Hwoooom!

It was antigravity magic.

“……”

The shaman’s lips continuously moved as it magically hoisted Kihoon as high as a two-story building, then cast a different spell.

“……”

Gravity acceleration.

Wham!

Kihoon instantly slammed into the ground.

“Guh!”

Even before his mind could fully process the pain, his body was rising into the air again.

“Antigravity.”

Heh-heh-heh!

The shaman and other orcs were cackling so hard, their fangs were on full display.

Wham!

“Argh!”

Hwoooom!

Wham!

“Gah!”

The shaman toyed with Kihoon, raising and dropping him again and again. The fourth time the hunter hit the ground, blood splattered out of his mouth.

His comrades watched with their faces turning ashen. Yet none dared to help him.

“K-Kihoon……”

They could only stand there trembling as they watched him break.

Thud.

The female healer fell to the ground as she lost the strength in her legs.

The shaman eventually raised Kihoon’s body into the air for a fifth time. “This one’s lasting longer than I expected.”

“Nghhh……” A moan escaped from Kihoon. He’d kept his grip on his sword this entire time, as if there was still hope.

Hwoooom!

Wham!

Hwoooom!

Wham!

Hwoooom!

Kihoon’s blade finally dropped from his hand as he was driven into the ground multiple times.

Klang!

Just then…Kihoon’s falling body vanished.

“Huh?” The shaman blinked. Where could that bag of broken bones have gone? The boss scanned the lair for Kihoon’s presence.

That’s……?

It located Kihoon lying in a corner nearby. Beside him was another man—Jinwoo.

Jinwoo had laid Kihoon on the ground and was now glowering at the shaman.

“May I ask you something, Captain?”

“……?” Kihoon still hadn’t quite processed what had happened to him.

“Am I okay to kill all the magic beasts present?”

“What…are you talking about…?”

As the disgruntled shaman pointed with its chin, one of the guards dashed toward Jinwoo, swinging its machete.

With his eyes aglow, Jinwoo fixed his gaze on the approaching beast and extended his palm.

Ruler’s Hand.

The guard flew into the air as if he’d been snatched up by a giant hand.

“G-gaaah?” The beast flailed in vain.

How……?!

The shaman’s mouth dropped open.

When Jinwoo pointed his finger down…

Wham!

The guard hurtled to the ground. Cracks formed where it’d landed from the impact. But Jinwoo didn’t stop there. He raised the guard’s body back into the air again just as the shaman had done to Kihoon.

Wham!

Wham!

Wham!

The guard cried out as it ricocheted between the ceiling and the ground like a basketball being dribbled and eventually got its head stuck in the ceiling.

Wham!

Crumble.

Debris fell from above. High orcs and hunters alike were aghast at the sight of the guard’s dangling body.

Kihoon was shaking as he asked Jinwoo, “Just who…are you…?”

“I’ll ask again.”

This was the Hunters’ hunting ground, and there was only one person here who could speak for them.

“Am I okay…to kill all the magic beasts present?”

Kihoon had reached the point where the true identity of the luggage carrier didn’t matter to him anymore. He was vexed. He was mortified for getting played with like a toy by a damn magic beast. Tears fell from his eyes.

“Please…please go ahead.”

That was all Jinwoo needed.

As he got to his feet, the orcs started closing in. Behind them was the shaman, who smirked at Jinwoo.

“Interesting skills you have there, especially for a mere human.” With a wave of the shaman’s fingers, the orcs surrounded Jinwoo. “But I wonder how far your little party tricks will get you?”

Jinwoo’s gaze turned frosty. He’d never liked magic beasts, but for the first time, he had an intense desire to slay one. “I’m saving you for last.”

If the beast could be amused, it could also be frightened.

Jinwoo chanted, “My shadows…”

His daggers appeared in his grasp.

“Come forth.”

Skrrrrch.

A black car pulled over to the side of the road. Sunglasses and a black suit—the man who got out of the driver’s seat was Jinchul from the Hunter’s Association’s Surveillance Team. Three other men, all members of the Surveillance Team, also got out of the car.

“Manager Woo, weren’t we heading back to the association?”

“There’s something I need to do.” Jinchul turned his head toward the gate in the distance.

A-rank gates will never not be frightening.

He squinted. What if that gigantic gate opened and all the magic beasts burst out at once? Just thinking about it made his hair stand on end.

But why did he apply to be a miner at a horrible place like this?

And for not one but two whole days. Even if President Go hadn’t asked him personally to check out the situation, Jinchul would’ve come to scope things out of his own accord.

I can’t exactly…dig up information on him.

The other party was an S-rank awakened being. It’d be difficult for him, an A rank, to run an investigation on Jinwoo without getting caught. So he’d decided to boldly come greet him outright. His plan was to tell Jinwoo that he’d had some errands nearby and was dropping in to say hello, then ask him a few questions.

He wouldn’t think it was strange that I have a few questions, right?

Anyone would be curious to know why a confirmed S-rank hunter was subjecting himself to manual labor. Besides, Jinwoo had caught the attention of the Hunter’s Association. Even the president had taken a particular liking to him and was monitoring his every move.

No, not strange at all.

It was perfectly natural to be curious and completely normal to ask questions. Jinchul kept telling himself that as he searched for a staff member of the Hunters Guild.

“Excuse me, I’m looking for the excavation team.”

“May I ask who…?”

“We’re from the association.”

The staff checked Jinchul’s ID and pointed him toward the area where the mining team was waiting. “Right over there.”

“Thank you.”

Four members from the Surveillance Team were here to see the excavation team. The foreman seemed to have been told by someone as he rushed over to meet them. “Hello, hello, what brings the Association’s Surveillance Team here?”

The excavation team had been relaxing, but now they looked anxious. The words surveillance team weighed heavily on hunters. They were the judge, jury, and sometimes even executioner of awakened beings who other hunters couldn’t handle. Such was the authority of the Surveillance Team.

“What’s going on?”

“Surveillance Team hunters are here.”

“The Surveillance Team…?”

Something was going down. With their interests piqued, they slowly gathered around Yoonsuk.

Jinchul took off his sunglasses.

……

He looked around for Jinwoo to no avail, then finally asked the foreman, “Where can I find Hunter Jinwoo Sung?”

“I knew it!” One hunter suddenly leaped forward. It was Seonggu, who had purposely bumped into Jinwoo yesterday.

He spoke so animatedly that he was practically spitting everywhere. “That bastard turned and smiled at me with the eyes of a killer! Man, it scares the bejesus out of me just thinking about it.”

Jinchul frowned slightly.

The eyes of a killer?

What had happened between them?

Everyone started talking at once.

Jinchul ignored the commotion and focused on Seonggu. “What exactly happened?”

“Oh, um……” Seonggu stopped himself from answering when he realized that it wasn’t exactly a tale that painted him in the best light, so he waved away Jinchul’s question. “It wasn’t a big deal, but the point is, his eyes were scary!”

“……” Jinchul turned back to Yoonsuk. “Where is Hunter Jinwoo Sung now?”

“Sung is…inside the gate.”

Jinwoo went inside an active A-rank dungeon? Jinchul’s eyes widened. “Why?”

“Our luggage carrier was a no-show. No one else volunteered for the job, so Sung went in his place.”

“……”

“There is one thing…”

“What is it?”

“I’m sure it’s nothing, but…Hunter Cha, Hunter Haein Cha, was looking for Sung just now and followed him inside the dungeon. I thought that was quite odd…” The foreman’s confusion was clear on his face.

Jinchul’s thoughts were jumbled after hearing this news.

Haein Cha, the vice president of the Hunters Guild, was looking for Jinwoo? Not only that, she followed him into the dungeon?

What in the world? Jinchul had only come to check on Jinwoo, but he felt like he had stumbled onto something big.

First, I should examine the gate.

That seemed to be all he could do at this point.

“I’d like to take a look at the gate.”

“Certainly.”

The foreman chuckled and waved at him to go ahead.

Seonggu hurriedly stopped Jinchul as he was about to depart with his subordinates. “Oh, sir!” Seonggu had an expectant look on his face. “Did that jerk Jinwoo Sung cause some kind of trouble? Did he kill someone? He looked like he’d have no problem doing that.”

Jinchul’s eye twitched. Suddenly, he understood why Jinwoo had glared at Seonggu.

Jinwoo could probably send him flying with a snap of his fingers……

But there were too many eyes on him right now. As a hunter of the association, he couldn’t lose his cool at civilians. It was one of the downsides of working for the government.

Jinchul sighed deeply and responded as politely as he could. “Everything will be explained on the news tomorrow night.”

The answer satisfied Seonggu, and his reply was brash and assertive. “See! Didn’t I tell you he was suspicious?”

“He didn’t look it, though…”

“Yeah, he was a good worker, too.”

Seonggu ignored his colleagues’ lack of support and continued bragging about his ability to spot bad apples.

Tsk.

Jinchul was clearly unimpressed by Seonggu’s antics as he turned to the gate instead. But…Jinchul instinctively halted a few steps away from the entrance.

“Manager Woo?” His subordinates curiously looked at the stunned expression on his face.

That can’t… This doesn’t make sense.

Jinchul took out his phone and pulled up the association website. He navigated to the A-rank gate the Hunters Guild was supposed to be raiding today.

His eyes widened.

Why does it list such a low mana reading?

He couldn’t help but shake his head.

The measurement is wrong.

Not all A-rank hunters were built the same, and Jinchul was one of the elite among A ranks. His gut was telling him that the measurement of the gate’s mana level was off.

He quickly gave an order to one of his subordinates. “Mana meter.”

Seeing the grave look on Jinchul’s face, the subordinate quickly ran to fetch the meter from the car. The small mana meter used by the Surveillance Team was much more precise than those used by regular association employees. This particular mana meter rarely malfunctioned or gave false readings, as it utilized high-quality essence stones that cost over a billion won.

Beep!

The meter had finished its assessment.

Just as I suspected……

There was a major difference from the association’s measurement. This meant potentially huge problems if the guild had organized a strike squad based on the previous assessment.

They should be fine, since there are two S ranks, but……

As Jinchul picked the mana meter off the ground…

Hwoooom…

The gate began to vibrate. Jinchul’s body shook from the sudden burst of magic power, as did those of his three subordinates, despite their perception being not quite at his level.

“M-Manager Woo?”

“What just happened?”

Jinchul looked at the youngest of his subordinates, whose face had turned pale. “Are you okay?”

“I-I’m fine.”

At his subordinate’s answer, Jinchul carefully inspected the back of his own hands. They were covered in tiny goose bumps.

Jinchul straightened up. “We’re going in.”

“Pardon?”

“You mean inside the dungeon?”

Jinchul was firm. “If you’re scared, you may stay behind.”

At this point, he was the only one who knew the reading was wrong. It was his sworn duty to inform the hunters inside. After all, the responsibilities of those in the Hunter’s Association included managing, monitoring, and aiding other hunters.

“N-no, sir.”

“We’re coming.”

Jinchul nodded. “And, you—stay behind and report the new reading to the association.”

“Wh-what?”

“Can you do that?”

When Jinchul squeezed the shoulder of the tense youngest subordinate, the man found it in himself to nod affirmatively.

“Yes, sir. I can.”

Jinchul turned to look at the gate. The immense power coming from the dungeon aside, there was yet another incredible source of mana emanating its power in waves.

What the hell is going on in there?

With Jinchul in the lead, the Surveillance Team threw themselves into the dungeon.

Meanwhile, Haein was tracking down the whereabouts of the strike squad within the dungeon.

Strange. Why aren’t there any traces of magic beasts?

In a regular dungeon, there would be a path of carcasses littering the ground from the entrance all the way to the boss’s lair. But no matter where she looked, Haein couldn’t find any. Were all the magic beasts gathered in one place?

Oh?

As she was pondering the possibilities, she finally came across some cadavers.

Tmp, tmp, tmp!

Haein, the S-rank brawler that she was, made her way to the battleground lightning quick.

How is that possible?!

Her eyes were round as she surveyed the field. All the dead bodies were high orc warriors, easily distinguishable from ordinary orcs by their red skin and long lower canines.

How did Kihoon’s squad defeat this many high orcs?

More surprisingly, she saw no signs of fallen hunters. Although, had there been any casualties, the strike squad likely would’ve retreated and saved her this trip.

Have I been underestimating A- and B-rank hunters?

It was possible. From what she could observe, the battle appeared to have been a decisive victory for the hunters. But…

What is this…?

Something caught Haein’s eye, and she crouched to inspect one of the corpses. What she saw surprised her. She quickly checked the other remains.

Here… And here, too…

Her suspicions were slowly being confirmed.

But how…?

How could this be? Almost all the high orc carcasses had wounds inflicted by a short, sharp weapon.

These attacks weren’t fatal, but……

They would be enough to immobilize the high orcs. It was as if the other hunters had merely contributed the finishing touches on a masterpiece for which someone else had done most of the work. It could be said that one hunter had massacred twenty high orcs.

Only two of the orcs had died differently. One had been forcefully decapitated while the other had received a fatal blow to the head.

Then, with the exception of these two, a single person took down the rest?

Was that even possible? Despite her confidence in her own speed, she doubted she could accomplish the same feat. Plus, as far as she knew, there weren’t any assassin-class hunters assigned to Kihoon’s squad who used a short sword or dagger.

A dagger?

That brought a certain image to mind. She was certain the man standing in front of the boss’s lair yesterday, Jinwoo, had been holding some kind of short weapon in each hand.

Is he responsible for all this?

As she was arriving at a conclusion, Haein suddenly whipped around to face the depths of the dungeon. Her face was grim. She’d felt a wave of magic so powerful that it seemed more akin to a vibration, the likes of which she’d never experienced before. The air itself had reverberated.

No!

She bit her lip. If this was the boss’s magic power, no one from Kihoon’s squad would survive. She sprinted toward the lair as fast as she could.

“Come forth.”

It all began with those words.

Fwiiiish…

His magic energy cast vibrations stronger than the shaman’s. But that wasn’t the only change. As he revealed his power, the shadow beneath Jinwoo’s feet began expanding as well. Like ink poured into water, the shadow spread out at a terrifying rate.

“Whoa!”

“Wh-what’s that?”

The strike squad hunters were astonished as they watched the shadow passing beneath their feet. How to process this? Even the most experienced hunters had never seen or heard of such a phenomenon. Fear started creeping into their hearts.

Kihoon could witness everything from where he lay helpless, trembling.

What…what is he trying to do?

He got his answer once the shadow covered the entire floor of the lair.

Shhhhhf…

The black surface rippled as shadows in black armor rose from the ground.

Jinwoo smiled lightly.

Excellent.

Monarch’s Domain was a job-exclusive skill he’d acquired after reaching level 70 in the Demon’s Castle. As the soldiers’ abilities increased even further, Jinwoo could sense their morale. Naturally, satisfaction was written all over his face.

The fifty summoned shadow soldiers surrounded Jinwoo like bodyguards.

“G-grrr!”

“Grahhh!”

The high orc warriors, despite being known for their bravery, retreated after becoming intimidated by Jinwoo and his soldiers.

“Th-the orcs are backing down!”

“What is happening……?”

Although the unbelievable circumstances had the hunters quaking in their boots, they began to have hope.

“Did you feel that, too?”

“Yeah.”

“Does any of this…make sense?”

The mage hunters who were sensitive to mana couldn’t stop their own hearts from racing in response. To think that the source of the unbelievably huge amount of magic was the E-rank hunter they’d brought as backup.

To start, is this even magic?

It’s more sinister than the shaman’s…!

The sheer force of the magic filling the boss’s lair was making it hard to breathe. The hunters were relieved that the one wielding this much power was on their side.

Conversely, the high orcs were very nervous. With the shadow soldiers’ appearance, the odds had gone from 1 hunter against 150 orcs to 50 soldiers against 150 orcs. Moreover, these weren’t just any 50 soldiers. They were much stronger than their number indicated.

As if out to prove this point, Jinwoo charged first.

When he did, the shaman yelled, “Why’re you all standing around?! Kill that human at once!”

Galvanized by the voice imbued with magic, the high orcs raised their weapons and roared. “Graaaaah!”

Sh-shiiiing, shhhk!

Monarch’s Domain affected only the shadow soldiers, but despite the lack of buffs, Jinwoo was already on another level.

“Aaargh!”

“Graaah, gaaaaah!”

The orcs screamed.

Both bodies and blood flew everywhere as Jinwoo swung his two daggers. At the speed he was moving, Jinwoo’s actions were a blur of afterimages, even in the eyes of the elite hunters.

“Hey……”

“Yeah, he’s like the vice president.”

Haein’s nickname was “the Dancer.” Even though she was usually so collected, when she was on the attack, her movements looked like she was dancing at a fast tempo, which was how she’d earned the nickname. It embarrassed Haein, so she’d forbidden people from using it, which meant the title wasn’t widely known. Still, it came up now and then.

The luggage carrier’s movements were at the same level as Haein’s or maybe even superior. If she was a graceful dancer, then Jinwoo was a typhoon. He crushed magic beasts from the eye of a storm.

Graaaaah!

The shadow soldiers also held their own. His soldiers—led by Tank, the previous head of the ice bears—charged at their enemies.

Iron held the front line. As his prebattle ritual, he puffed out his chest and bellowed.

Gwooooh!

Enraged that his skill didn’t work, Iron shrieked loudly and began smashing the orcs with his mighty iron hammer.

Whoosh!

Krak!

Crunch!

“Argh!”

“Gaaah!”

Some of the hunters actually felt pity for the orcs in Iron’s way.

In complete contrast to Iron, Igris efficiently but mercifully cut the enemies’ throats. The orcs that died at Igris’s hand didn’t even have time to scream.

Shhhk!

Each time Igris swung his sword, another orc lost its head. It wasn’t as easy for the regular shadow soldiers to deal with the high orcs, but they had endless strength and infinite regeneration on their side. While the infantry soldiers preoccupied the orcs, mage soldiers were able to rain down a torrent of fire.

Kaboom!

Fwoom!

The number of high orcs dwindled quickly. The shaman’s puffy cheeks quivered.

How dare this measly human…!

Its eyes were fixed on Jinwoo as its first target. The soldiers in black armor had been summoned by that human! Once the human was dead, his troops would disappear, too.

The shaman started casting a spell on Jinwoo. “……” Its lips moved rapidly.

The Song of Impediment, the Song of Blindness, the Song of High Fever, the Song of Extreme Pain, and the Song of Sleep—five powerful curses were completed in no time and aimed at the enemy.

“Done!” The shaman leered.

Jinwoo sensed the traces of mana traveling toward him as soon as the curses were completed.

Magic?

Jinwoo and the shaman made eye contact.

It sneered at him.

It’s too late, human.

Unlike ordinary magic, curses were inescapable. Once cast, that was the end. They’d turn him into a walking corpse primed to be slashed into pieces by the high orc warriors’ machetes. It would be the perfect end for a human who didn’t know his place.

But at that moment…

Jinwoo heard that familiar electric sound.

Ping!

Ping, ping, ping!

More alerts sounded in quick succession.

……

……

The five curses were eliminated before they could have any effect.

Heh.

Jinwoo was the one smiling now. This was the buff he’d received when he had first become a Player.

Thanks to this blessing, Jinwoo didn’t have to worry about magic that affected his physical condition, like curses.

“Wh-what?!” The shaman shuddered. As the boss of an A-rank dungeon, it immediately detected that its curses had been dispelled by some kind of force.

How could he block curses set by me?

It didn’t make sense. In order to neutralize someone’s curse, you needed purification magic or a blessing from a higher-level spell caster.

Does that mean one of these humans is a higher-level spell caster than I am?

Before it could ponder this any further, shooting pain from its foot caused it to screech in agony. “Aaaargh!” When it looked down, it saw that a dagger had pierced its foot. “Grrrr…”

It was Jinwoo’s dagger, Knight Killer.

The shaman looked up in a murderous rage. “How dare you…!”

Jinwoo slashed at another incoming orc, then silently mouthed a message to the shaman.

“Sit tight and wait your turn.”

In other words, don’t do anything rash.

The shaman’s glowering face was as red as a ripened tomato. “How dare a puny human…!” It still had the energy to get enraged.

Jinwoo’s expression grew cold. In truth, he could’ve disposed of the shaman as soon as the battle began but hadn’t because he’d wanted to instill some fear in the shaman just as it had to his fellow hunters. However, it looked like he hadn’t done enough to shake the beast. Its eyes were still animated.

Well, then…

All right. I’ll give you a show.

Time to put the power of a necromancer on full display. The Shadow Monarch regarded his surroundings as if a delicious feast had been spread out before him. Black eddies of smoke rose from the dead bodies of the high orcs like they’d been awaiting Jinwoo’s call.

And call them he did.

“Arise.”

Along with the system’s message came a horrible cry of death from out of nowhere.

Gaaaaah!

The shaman’s eyes popped out. “What is this…?!” It couldn’t even complete its sentence.

It was interrupted by the sight of black hands rising from the shadows of the high orc corpses.

Jinwoo smiled at the new recruits joining his shadow army.

My warriors have become undead…!

The shaman trembled. Fifty of its warriors had lost their lives. That was about the same number of new soldiers swathed in black armor.

That means all his soldiers were…?

The shaman realized that this mysterious human wasn’t commanding any ordinary army. It also realized just how disadvantaged they now were.

The battle of 50 soldiers versus 150 high orcs was now an even 100 versus 100. High orc warriors who’d fought bravely against enemies more powerful than them in the past had lost the will to fight upon seeing their fallen comrades reborn as shadow soldiers.

“G-grrrr…”

“Grawr…”

“Grrr…”

The usually fearless high orc warriors were visibly falling back. This was their greatest nightmare—becoming an undead minion of the enemy instead of dying gloriously in battle and going to a warrior’s heaven. Jinwoo’s show of power was having its intended effect.

It worked on the warriors, but what about the shaman?

He examined the look on its face.

Oh-ho.

Jinwoo brightened.

Finally. The terror was clear in its eyes.

The shaman trembled as it recalled the one with the ability to turn the dead into shadows. There couldn’t be two beings with the same power. That was him.

That’s him… Then how did we come to be here?

As soon as the shaman became aware of “itself” and “themselves,” its mind was wiped clean. The only emotion left was terror.

Jinwoo was satisfied.

That’s right. Stay just like that.

He was saving the shaman for last. His plan to instill some fear into the shaman had been successful. He turned, smiling, then blinked as a familiar face at the cave entrance caught his attention.

Who is that again?

She was vaguely familiar, yet not to him. It took him a moment to remember her name. Haein Cha, one of the S-rank hunters in the Hunters Guild.

But what is she doing here?

Yet Jinwoo’s surprise at seeing her didn’t hold a candle to Haein’s complete astonishment as she took in the sight of Jinwoo and his shadow soldiers.