Chapter 7

There’s really no hope.

“I’ll speak on behalf of everyone.”

Stepping forward towards Kang Sun-wook was a man.

Thud!

He touched the blue name tag hanging from his waist.

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

The crowd fell silent at the man’s words.

Me, Kang Sun-wook, and the survivors.

We naturally focused on his words.

“Hoo.”

He took a breath and paused before continuing.

“This place… is truly hell. I’ve been a Hunter for a decent amount of time, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a bizarre Dungeon.”

“Bizarre Dungeon?”

“Yes, look. There’s no exit.”

“Hmm, that’s true.”

The guide, Kang Sun-wook, nodded.

Even from an expert’s perspective, it was clearly strange.

“No matter which direction we went from the starting point, the result was the same. This damn cave always leads us back to this ‘door’.”

Kang Sun-wook frowned, but the man continued his explanation without concern.

“And then we can’t even get out because it’s sealed with energy. We’ve already run out of food and water. In the end, all we can do here is… yes, enter that ‘door’ and challenge it… that’s all.”

They chose a life-or-death challenge over starving to death.

The survivors began to chime in with grim expressions.

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

Starvation.

“We had no choice but to enter the ‘door’ together to survive.”

Survival instinct.

“But… the clear condition is ridiculous. How are we supposed to deal with that?”

“Exactly… Some deep, white-haired Old Man…? That guy is crazy. There’s no way to win. D-Rank, C-Rank, B-Rank… they’re all just babies in front of that Old Man.”

Despair.

“Ah, thank you for coming.”

“A-Rank Hunter. Thank you so much. You can get us out of this hell, right?”

And a glimmer of hope that barely bloomed.

The lifeless eyes of the survivors were filled with desperation.

It was as if their survival had been so arduous and difficult that we had arrived just as they were about to give up.

“…”

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth for no reason.

Is this the true face of a Dungeon hidden behind the glamorous ‘Ranker’?

‘But.’

One thing I was curious about.

“Excuse me, but.”

Therefore, I asked immediately.

“Old Man? No, how are you all still alive if the boss is that strong?”

It was strange.

What Dungeon boss in the world would let challengers live?

They clearly said they went inside the door.

Did he kindly kick them back out?

“Good question.”

It was then that the B-Rank Hunter smiled slightly and nodded.

“I understand. When I arrived as a later group, that was the first question I had.”

The man said.

“Surprisingly, the Old Man doesn’t kill people. He just accepts those who challenge him. And then he does some kind of test.”

“Test?”

“I don’t know exactly. He just painfully, more painfully than anything else, subdues them and then tsk-tsks, saying this one isn’t worth anything either, and throws them out the door.”

The man made a horrified expression.

His body even trembled slightly.

Hmm, is it that painful just imagining it?

But he still doesn’t kill them?

“…”

I couldn’t accept the B-Rank man’s explanation.

What kind of Dungeon is this?

“It’s a bit strange, right? Come to think of it, it is. An Old Man is just an old person after all. In the end, he’s still human, right? Actually, this is the first time the Dungeon boss has been a human since the world changed.”

“…Right. So, he wasn’t some kind of different race like a dwarf or an elf, but definitely a human, right?”

“Yes, definitely. He seems a bit senile, though.”

“…”

A real human is the boss?

Does that make sense?

Kang Sun-wook and I were silent for a moment, looking at the man.

I closed my eyes.

‘Whatever.’

In the end, we’re trapped here like them.

And to find the exit, we have to open that ‘door’ and complete the mission.

‘I somehow don’t trust Kang Sun-wook.’

True to his name, he’s a Hunter specialized in guiding.

Just looking at how he was struggling with the energy coming from the ‘door’, it seemed difficult for him to clear the Dungeon.

So, what should I do?

Just as the furrow between my brows deepened even more.

“Kang Sun-wook?”

There was no need to think about it for long.

From far away.

I sensed the presence of the Ranker, Gi So-yul.

“Hmm… good.”

Gi So-yul, who had heard a rough explanation from Kang Sun-wook, simply agreed.

“We can just go in right away. Judging by the energy, there’s no possibility that these survivors are doppelgangers or traps. The System also shows that there’s a mission. The energy is a bit strong, which is concerning… but we can’t just stand still, can we?”

Thinking about it for a long time won’t give us an answer.

If that’s the case, let’s just bump into it.

That was her thought.

And.

“Waaaah!”

“We’re saved! Three A-Ranks and one S-Rank!”

“S-Rank, is this real?”

“Sob sob sob, I’m so moved. Parang Guild? I’ll bow towards the Parang headquarters every morning for the rest of my life. Don’t stop me.”

The survivors cheered at her confident words.

It was a completely different atmosphere from when they saw Kang Sun-wook and me earlier.

‘Well.’

How could an A-Rank beat the presence of an S-Rank?

And not just any S-Rank, but a ‘Ranker’ who is in the top 1,000.

Even I felt a slight heat in my body at her presence.

“The porters and survivors will stay here. We’ll take care of it.”

Those were trustworthy words.

Leaving aside success, her spirit was admirable.

In fact, assuming the man’s words were true.

It didn’t matter if we failed, did it?

The boss only said that he doesn’t kill people.

And in time, the Parang’s first team and a rescue team made up of numerous elites would come.

She is the only younger sister of the Archery Master, Gi Parang.

There’s no way Gi Parang would overlook his sister’s disappearance.

“Then, we’ll go. Everyone, get ready.”

Gi So-yul tied her hair up.

She maintained her daggers and wore throwing stars on her waist.

The other A-Rank Hunters also loosened their bodies with determined expressions.

“The Old Man said he tests us, right? Let’s pass that test.”

“Ugh, it sounds tough just hearing it. I wonder what kind of reward we’ll get?”

They confidently opened the door and went inside.

However, not long after…

“Kkyaaaa!”

“It hurts! Damn it, it hurts!”

The A-Rank Hunters, covered in bruises, poured out-

“……?”

Kwaaang!

The Ranker, Gi So-yul, also bounced out in a bloody state and crashed into the cave wall.

And the brutal ‘door’ closed quietly as if nothing had happened.

‘Crazy?’

My jaw dropped open.

What is a Ranker?

The idol of all Hunters, and my ultimate goal!

For such a Ranker to be neutralized in less than 10 minutes…

She couldn’t have looked more pathetic compared to her previous confidence.

The survivors who had been expecting also watched the current situation with blank faces.

Gi So-yul was…

“…I’m not worth anything? No way.”

She muttered with a very frustrated expression.

Then she looked at me.

“Porter.”

“…Yes?”

“Hand me a high-grade potion from my bag. I’m going to challenge it again.”

No, is this lady crazy?

She’s going to go again after getting beaten up like that?

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, the survivors are right. The Old Man didn’t kill me. He just subdued me painfully.”

“Then?”

“I’m getting competitive. I’ll have to see. Whether I’m worth anything or not.”

Worth.

Is he seeing if she is a suitable talent?

That’s usually what reclusive masters say when they’re looking for disciples.

‘If that’s the case…’

Is the Old Man’s ‘regret’.

That he hasn’t found a talented person?

“Anyway, give it to me quickly.”

“Yes… be careful.”

First, I handed her the potion.

That’s how the bizarre journey began.

A bizarre journey of endless challenges.

Time passed.

“Hah, hah!”

As if she didn’t become a Ranker for nothing.

Gi So-yul’s tenacity was amazing.

Even though the other A-Rank Hunters shook their heads and gave up.

“Wow, I’m so pissed off?”

She was even more angry.

She didn’t care that her clothes were torn and ragged.

“What’s the problem? What’s not satisfying?”

“This cheap Old Man. I thought he was only good at swordsmanship, but he’s also good at spears? Let’s see about that.”

A day passed, two days passed, three days passed, four days passed.

Her challenge didn’t stop.

“Uwaaaa!”

“This Old Man! What is he? He even uses magic? How am I supposed to clear something like this!”

It was a Dungeon that was so powerless even though a Ranker, a combat-type Ranker, had challenged it.

“…”

I shook my head.

She said it didn’t matter if she failed?

No, let’s correct that.

This is a real problem.

Even if Gi Parang comes to rescue her himself, it’s a problem.

I’ve never seen him in person.

But the gap between the Old Man and her seemed that big.

I saw signs.

I had a feeling.

A feeling that even if two Rankers, no, five, ganged up on him, they wouldn’t be able to beat the Old Man.

Then is this Dungeon an SS-Rank?

“Okay. I’ll admit it.”

She nodded.

“The Old Man is strong. Really strong. But, as long as I’m alive, I’ll challenge him endlessly.”

The blue energy in Gi So-yul’s eyes hadn’t died yet.

“Wow…”

I was genuinely impressed.

Is this the mindset of a Ranker?

Do you have to show this much determination to get into the top 1,000 in the world?

Honestly, I was envious.

A Dungeon where you can train endlessly without worrying about your life.

Is this what the Dark Load was talking about when he said the opportunity in the Dungeon?

But, as more time passed.

Problems slowly began to emerge.

“…Is the flow of time in the Dungeon different from the outside? The rescue team isn’t coming?”

“Hey, Sun-wook? The emergency food is running out. We’re splitting it up and saving it, but it’s not enough.”

“It feels like… it’s already been over two weeks?”

“I’m tired. It’s so frustrating.”

As they continued to fail to clear it, the survivors began to struggle.

“We’re all dead. We were all destined to die in the end. Sob sob sob.”

One of the lower-ranked Hunters even lost his mind and started wailing.

Not only that.

‘I’m frustrated too.’

Even if I’m just a porter, I came to this Dungeon to improve.

I’ve been training the skeletons in my spare time.

Wouldn’t it have been better to go to other Dungeons during this time?

And honestly, I was scared too.

What if we really have to be trapped like this?

If we run out of food and starve to death without a rescue team?

“That can’t happen.”

I clenched my fist tightly.

Then I approached Gi So-yul, who was resting for a while.

Come to think of it, the Hunters here.

They’re all people who have gone in and out of the ‘door’.

‘Except for me.’

It was too unfair not to challenge it.

Opportunities should be equal.

It’s not fair for her to monopolize the opportunity just because she’s a Ranker.

Especially since she hasn’t cleared it even after a long time.

‘Also, although the probability is low.’

Maybe I’m the talent the Old Man is looking for?

“……?”

When I approached, Gi So-yul made a questioning expression.

An expression that said, what business does a porter have?

She definitely looked tired.

I bit my lip and said to her.

“Gi So-yul.”

“Yes, tell me. Porter.”

“I think I should go in once too.”

“Yes?”

At my declaration.

A strange silence flowed through the open space.