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Chapter 49
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After the rogue party’s introduction concluded, Han-gyeol stepped forward to briefly introduce the members.
The Wings Guild consisted of two C-rank hunters and four D-rank hunters.
In addition, there was Si-hyun, who was also D-rank, and Areum, who joined for observational purposes.
The male rogues’ gazes naturally turned to the two beauties.
Han-gyeol cleared his throat a few times to redirect their attention back to himself.
“Ahem! Let’s divide the rewards by party unit. Any objections?”
“None at all.”
With the agreement reached, the two men shook hands lightly.
Then, Kang Do-jun, the leader of the rogue party, spoke up.
“I assume you’ve already heard some of the details. Still, I should explain the dungeon to you. Let me summarize.”
As Do-jun began his explanation, the group focused intently on his words.
The monsters that primarily appeared in the dungeon were undead, such as skeletons.
As a characteristic of skeletons, unless the boss controlling them was defeated, they would slowly resurrect.
It was a battle against time. Despite their strenuous efforts to clear it quickly, they failed to reach the boss room due to the dungeon’s large size.
Ultimately, everyone except their party, who managed to escape using rogue stealth skills, had perished.
“Though it’s tragic that we lost those people…, we did manage to map out a route. Since we’ve gathered early today, I’m sure we can clear it if we push through until evening.”
“I see…”
Everyone in the group, except for Si-hyun, adopted serious expressions.
They were now fully aware of the unique nature and dangers of the dungeon they were about to tackle.
A time attack.
If they failed to clear the dungeon quickly, the monsters from the path they already traversed would revive.
They needed to defeat the boss before being surrounded by monsters from both directions.
“Still, it’s fortunate we have the route mapped. Let’s give it our best!”
“Yes, let’s go!”
After exchanging information, the group finished their preparations for combat and entered the gate.
Areum let go of Si-hyun’s arm.
Instead, she stayed close by, following just behind her while trying to hide.
Si-hyun glanced briefly at Areum before beginning to follow the group.
“Stealth skills, huh…”
Something about it felt off.
Even though it was their second run, there was no sense of unease from the rogue party members.
Kang Do-jun being B-rank was understandable, but even the D-rank men seemed unusually calm.
Moreover, they kept glancing at this side instead of surveying the dungeon surroundings.
They were utterly devoid of tension.
“Areum.”
“Y-yes?”
Si-hyun called out to Areum in a quiet voice.
Unrelated to the unsettling vibe from the unfamiliar men,
She couldn’t let Areum’s time here be wasted after bringing her along.
“You’re scared, aren’t you?”
“Well…, yes…”
Her response came in a small, timid voice.
Si-hyun chuckled softly and said,
“What do you think fear comes from?”
“Um… that’s…”
“Listen carefully, okay? While trauma and other reasons vary…”
Si-hyun looked directly into Areum’s eyes.
Their gazes locked.
“I believe the greatest fear comes from the unknown.”
“Oh, definitely. Th-that sounds right.”
“You heard the explanation just now, didn’t you? About the unique characteristics of the undead dungeon.”
“Yes.”
As Areum nodded, Si-hyun smiled brightly and said,
“Time for a review. On the first lecture day, what were you supposed to do upon entering a dungeon?”
“Um… predict what kind of monsters might appear?”
“Correct! You’ve been paying attention.”
“Hehe…”
When Si-hyun praised her, Areum’s face lit up with a beaming smile.
Enjoying her cute reaction, Si-hyun continued the conversation.
“Then, there’s no need to be scared anymore, is there?”
“…?”
Areum gave a puzzled look, indicating she didn’t understand.
Si-hyun elaborated further.
“What’s in front of us are just simple skeletons. The boss controlling them? At most, it’s probably a skeleton mage.”
“That… sounds about right?”
“Then there’s nothing unknown left, is there? It’s all stuff we already know.”
“…Oh!”
Areum’s eyes widened in realization.
Covering her equally wide-open mouth with one hand, Areum thought to herself,
‘Now that Professor mentions it, there’s really nothing to be scared of!’
The dungeon, which had felt overwhelmingly daunting and terrifying, suddenly seemed much clearer, as if a fog had lifted.
Of course, it wasn’t like she could charge at monsters with her current abilities.
But at least the stifling, suffocating feeling had dissipated.
Areum gazed at the professor with eyes full of admiration.
Si-hyun smiled broadly, enjoying her gaze.
She felt quite satisfied with successfully enlightening her student.
At that moment.
The men ahead began engaging in battle.
Si-hyun gently tapped the top of Areum’s head and looked forward.
“The next lecture just happens to be about undead. Looks like you’re getting some early practice today, Areum.”
“That’s true! Hehe.”
“See? Skeletons aren’t so hard to figure out.”
Si-hyun pointed at the Wings Guild members fighting in groups.
“They all have their base forms, don’t they? Whether they’re humanoid or goblin-type.”
“Yes! That’s true!”
“So, which is scarier: an archer goblin or a goblin skeleton?”
“Both!”
Caught off guard by her answer, Si-hyun scratched her cheek and looked at Areum.
Her shy smile came into view.
‘Well, at least Areum seems much less tense now.’
Si-hyun chuckled softly and spoke.
“The key point is this. While it’s essential to apply methods specific to the undead, there’s no need to overthink it.”
“Yes, I understand!”
“Good! Now carefully observe how everyone is fighting. Use your skills if needed.”
“Yes!”
Areum focused intensely, carefully observing the men’s combat.
Meanwhile, Si-hyun turned her attention to the rogue party.
Kang Do-jun, the leader, showcased flashy moves, effortlessly sweeping through the skeletons.
As expected of a B-rank, his movements were faster and more refined than anyone else in the dungeon.
Kang Do-jun’s performance outshone all the male Wings Guild members combined.
Nearby, a C-rank rogue focused on evasion.
Meanwhile, the two D-rank rogues utilized stealth to exploit weaknesses and attack.
“They’re skilled at switching roles,” Si-hyun thought.
When the C-rank used stealth, the D-ranks naturally took over evasion.
As a fixed party, their combat was well-coordinated and seamless.
The first battle ultimately ended with Kang Do-jun’s dazzling performance.
After clearing their share of the monsters, the three rogues rested,
While Do-jun himself joined the Wings Guild to assist with their cleanup.
“Phew, great work, everyone.”
“The sheer numbers make it exhausting.”
After one round of battle,
The men wiped the sweat off their foreheads and exchanged light conversation.
Kang Do-jun allowed them a moment to catch their breath before speaking.
“Instead of delaying the monsters’ revival, why don’t we push forward quickly?”
“Hmm, since you’ve mapped out the route, does that mean you know the general location of the boss room?”
“Yes, we should be able to reach it without any issues.”
“Then let’s do that.”
The conversation flowed smoothly, and the group proceeded deeper into the dungeon.
As the situation became less tense, Areum asked Si-hyun a question that had been on her mind.
“Professor, Professor.”
“…Yes?”
“Well… what does delaying the revival mean?”
“Ah, it means smashing them to bits.”
“Smashing them?”
Si-hyun nodded.
“Do you remember how they said skeletons slowly resurrect unless the boss is defeated?”
“Yes.”
“They don’t resurrect all at once. The broken bones gather and slowly reassemble.”
“Oh…! Breaking them apart would slow down their resurrection, wouldn’t it?”
“Exactly.”
If the skeletons were smashed beyond repair, their revival would be significantly delayed.
However, this would require more time and could slow down their progress.
On the other hand, proceeding with only minimal attacks would speed up their progress but compromise safety.
Hunters chose the method that best suited their strategy.
“There are other ways too,” Si-hyun thought.
Someone with divine power or a skilled mage could, depending on their ability, sever the link between the monsters and their controller.
However, Si-hyun refrained from explaining further.
There had been no mention of divine power on Earth,
And teaching Areum such advanced magical knowledge was unnecessary at this stage.
The group silently followed the rogue party’s lead, advancing further into the dungeon.
Periodic battles broke out, followed by short rests.
“I’ll heal you!”
“Oh, thank you, student.”
“Hehe…”
Areum used her skill to heal a Wing Guild member’s arm, which had a minor scratch.
She giggled shyly after receiving his thanks.
For half a day, they pressed deeper into the dungeon.
The group took a break in an open area for lunch.
Everyone took out the packed meals they had prepared.
“Si-hyun, Areum, here you go.”
“Th-thank you!”
Si-hyun and Areum shared a meal provided by the Wings Guild.
At that moment, Kang Do-jun turned to Areum and spoke.
“So, you’re a student? You seem like a support-type. You have a promising future.”
“N-not really!”
“Oh, come on. It’s such a rare role. I bet lots of people will want to recruit you. Do you have a fixed party? If not—”
“…Do-jun.”
Si-hyun deliberately interrupted him.
Areum was clearly uncomfortable and unable to refuse directly.
Fidgeting with her lunchbox, Areum moved behind Si-hyun.
Adjusting her posture, Si-hyun said,
“Areum already has an affiliation.”
“Ah, I see. That’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.”
Feigning disappointment, Do-jun shrugged.
He didn’t look disappointed at all.
Though he was smiling, his eyes swept over the two women with a sharp gaze.
As Do-jun began chatting with his party members, Si-hyun let out a small sigh.
The rogue party’s men kept sneaking lecherous glances their way whenever they had the chance.
After the meal, the group resumed the dungeon exploration.
Do-jun frequently tried to engage Areum and Si-hyun in conversation.
During one such moment, as Si-hyun and Areum were chatting with Wings Guild members after a battle,
Do-jun and his party huddled a short distance away, speaking quietly.
“That white-haired bitch. She’s pretty, but she’s cold and has no manners.”
“Right, boss? All I did was look at her, and she glared at me like I was some kind of criminal.”
“Should we rough her up a bit and take what we can?”
“Won’t the Management Bureau suspect us if we do this back-to-back?”
When one of the men expressed concern, Do-jun smirked and replied.
“Heh, what can they do about an ‘accident’ that happens inside a dungeon?”
“That’s true! How would they even know if it was intentional or not?”
“I’ll handle the boss, so there’s no problem. Don’t tell me you don’t trust me?”
“Haha! When have we ever doubted you, boss?”
The rogue party quietly schemed among themselves.
For them, it was a routine occurrence.
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