Chapter 7

Chapter 7: This is Seriously Hopeless.

“I’ll speak on behalf of my team.”

A man stepped forward toward Kang Sunwook.

—Tap!

He touched the blue badge hanging on his waist.

“As you can see, I’m a B-rank hunter. Among the survivors here, I’m of the highest rank.”

At his words, the crowd fell silent.

Kang Sunwook and I, along with the survivors, naturally focused on him.

He let out a sigh of breath and began to speak. “This place... is hell. I’ve been a hunter for some time but never encountered such a strange dungeon.”

“A strange dungeon?”

“Yes, look. There’s no exit.”

“Hmm, that’s true.” Kang Sunwook, the Guide, nodded in agreement.

It was indeed bizarre, even from an expert’s perspective.

“From the starting point, no matter which direction you go, you end up in front of this ‘door.'”

Kang Sunwook furrowed his brow, but the man continued without concern.

“Then, we were tightly bound by this aura, unable to leave. The food and water we brought are long gone. Ultimately, all we can do here... is to challenge what’s beyond that ‘door.'”

Faced with starvation, the survivors chose to risk their lives on the challenge.

The survivors, looking grim, began to chime in.

“He’s right. We were really hungry. We wanted to live. If there were bats around, we would have eaten them raw.”

Starvation.

“To survive, we all had to go through that ‘door.’”

Survival instinct.

“But... the clear condition is insane. How can anyone defeat that thing?”

“Exactly. ‘An elderly man with white hair, filled with deep resentment,’ was it...? That guy is insane. It’s impossible to beat him. Whether you’re D-rank, C-rank, or even B-rank, we were like infants before that old man.”

Despair.

“Ah, thank you for coming.”

“A-rank hunter, thank you. You can get us out of this hell, right?”

And a faint glimmer of hope.

Desperation was engraved in the lifeless eyes of the survivors.

We seemed to have arrived when they’d nearly given up on themselves due to their harsh and grueling experience.

“...”

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. Is this the true face of dungeons, hidden behind the glamor of ‘rankers’?

But.

One question arose.

“Excuse me, but...” I asked immediately. “If the old man, no, the boss, was so strong, how are you all still alive?”

It was strange. What kind of dungeon boss would spare the challengers? They said they entered the door, so did the boss kindly throw them back out?

“Good question.” The B-rank hunter smiled slightly and nodded. “I understand. That was my first question when I arrived as a latecomer.” He explained, “Surprisingly, the old man doesn’t kill people. He simply accepts challengers. And he conducts a sort of test.”

“A test?”

“I don’t know the exact details. He just subdued us painfully, agonizingly, and then clicked his tongue, saying ‘this one’s not fit,’ and threw us back out.” The man grimaced, his body trembling.

Hmm, I guess just imagining it must be agonizing.

So, he doesn’t kill?

“...”

I couldn’t fully understand the B-rank man’s explanation. What kind of dungeon is this?

“It’s strange, right? Think about it. An old man is still a person. This is the first time a dungeon boss has been human since the world changed.”

“Yeah, it’s not like a dwarf or an elf, but definitely a human, right?”

“Yes, absolutely. Though he seemed a bit senile.”

“...”

An actual human as a boss? Is that even possible?

Kang Sunwook and I looked at the man in silence.

I closed my eyes.

Whatever it is...

In the end, we’re trapped here like them. We must open that ‘door’ and complete the mission to find an exit.

I don’t trust Kang Sunwook for this.

As his alias suggests, he’s a hunter specialized in guiding. Seeing him struggle against the pressure from the door, clearing this dungeon seemed unlikely.

So, what should I do?

As my brow furrowed deeply in contemplation,

“Mr. Kang?”

It’s a term usually used when a master seeks a disciple.

If so...

The old man’s ‘resentment.’ Could it be from not finding suitable talents?

“Anyway, give me the potion.”

“Alright... Be careful.”

I handed her the potion.

And thus began her extraordinary challenge.

An endless challenge.

* * *

Time passed.

“Huff, huff!”

As expected of a ranker. Gi Soyul’s tenacity was impressive.

The other A-rank hunters shook their heads and gave up.

“Wow, this is infuriating.”

But she pushed on, even as her clothes were torn to rags.

“Just what is his problem? What more does he want from me?”

“That cheeky old man. I thought he only mastered swordsmanship, but he’s good with a spear, too. Fine, let’s see who wins.”

Days passed, and her challenge continued without pause.

“Aaaah!”

“That old man! What is his deal? He can use magic, too! How can anyone clear this?”

Despite being a combat ranker, she was helpless.

“...”

I shook my head.

I take it back for saying it didn’t matter if she failed or not. This was a severe problem. Even if Giparang came to rescue her, the problem ensued.

I’d never seen him, but the gap between her and the old man seemed huge. I had a feeling that even five rankers might not defeat the old man.

So was this dungeon SS-rank?

“Alright. I admit it.” She nodded. “The old man is strong. Very strong. But as long as I’m alive, I’ll keep challenging him.”

Gi Soyul’s eyes still burned with determination.

“Wow...”

I was genuinely impressed. Is this the mindset of a ranker? Is this the dedication needed to be in the world’s top 1,000?

I was honestly envious. This was an endless training opportunity without the fear of death. Is this the fortune in dungeons Dark Lord spoke of?

But as more time passed, problems began to surface.

“Does time flow differently in this dungeon? The rescue team isn’t coming.”

“Mr. Kang, emergency food is running low. We’re consuming them sparingly, but it’s not enough.”

“It feels like it’s been over two weeks.”

“I’m exhausted. It’s so suffocating.”

Unable to clear the dungeon, the survivors started to struggle.

“We’re all doomed. We were destined to die here.”

One low-ranked hunter even lost his mind and cried.

Moreover...

I’m frustrated, too.

Even as a porter, I came here for growth. I trained the skeletons sporadically. I started to think that it might’ve been better to explore other dungeons during the time I wasted here.

And honestly, I was also scared. What if we were trapped in here for even longer without any food or rescue?

“That can’t happen.”

I clenched my fists then approached the resting Gi Soyul.

Come to think of it, all the hunters here had gone through the ‘door’ and came back.

Except me.

It was too unfair for me not to try. Opportunities should be equal. It wasn’t fair for her to monopolize the chance because she’s a ranker, especially after all this time without clearing it.

And, though unlikely...

What if I’m the talent the old man seeks?

“...?”

Gi Soyul looked puzzled as I approached as if to ask what business a porter would have with her. She clearly looked exhausted.

I bit my lip and said, “Ms. Soyul.”

“Yes, Mr. Porter?”

“I think I should try going in.”

“Pardon?”

A strange silence fell over the open area at my declaration.