Chương 10: F-rank Dungeon

Mr. Choi Minho leaned back in his chair, the hesitation clear in his eyes as he sighed, "I... uhm, don't have a problem with that." His voice was strained, as if contemplating something deeper, but he quickly masked it with a polite nod.

Both men returned to their seats, though an unspoken tension still lingered.

Seung's attention soon shifted to the contract form handed to him. As he scanned through the details, his eyes narrowed when he reached the section discussing his personal earnings for every hunt. The numbers seemed promising, but Seung couldn't help but pause as questions brewed in his mind. Before he could voice them, Mr. Choi, noticing where Seung had stopped, began to speak with the ease of someone who had done this a hundred times.

"Due to your current class," Mr. Choi said, folding his hands, "you can only safely hunt in F-rank dungeons. The cores from monsters there are of lower quality, meaning…"

"…they don't sell for a high price," Seung finished, his voice calm but carrying a subtle edge of understanding as he crossed his arms.

"Yes, exactly," Mr. Choi continued with a slight nod. "The highest price the cores can fetch is around six million won, which includes the Maintenance Team's pay. So your maximum percentage comes to 70%, roughly four million two hundred thousand won per hunt."

Seung's mind raced. 'That's a lot of money!'

It was exactly half of how much he made from working at Woosung Industry thrice! He made that much with his clone...but this, this was entirely different and mind-blowing.

A smile tugged at his lips as excitement bubbled inside him. 'I could afford a better apartment in no time!' For a moment, he considered how accurate his initial judgment of Mr. Choi had been. The man seemed trustworthy, down-to-earth even.

Seung stood up, extending his hand for a firm handshake. The confidence in his grin was unmistakable. "It's nice working with you!" he said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm.

Mr. Choi returned the handshake with a practiced smile, the slight curve of his lips barely hiding a note of satisfaction. "Likewise. When would you like to start your first hunt?"

"Tomorrow, by 3:00 PM," Seung replied without hesitation.

---

The next day, the afternoon sun cast long shadows as Mr. Choi pulled up outside the gym in a gleaming red Range Rover. Seung and his clone climbed into the back seat. The clone sat silently, eyes forward as if already mentally preparing for the hunt. Seung, on the other hand, couldn't shake an unsettling thought. As the car rumbled down the road, he leaned forward.

"Mr. Choi," Seung began, eyeing the empty seats beside him, "where are the weapons we'll be using?"

A soft chuckle escaped Mr. Choi's lips as he glanced at Seung in the rearview mirror. "You'll see soon enough," he replied cryptically, offering nothing more as the car weaved through the city streets.

Eventually, they arrived at an isolated area. Tall trees loomed overhead, casting dappled shadows across the dirt path. The air felt colder here, almost unnaturally so. Mr. Choi parked under a large tree, and the three of them stepped out. There was a stillness in the air, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

"Let's give it our all today, little guy," Seung said to his clone with a reassuring smile, patting its shoulder.

"Okay, master!" The clone's enthusiasm was palpable, almost childlike in its eagerness to prove itself.

Mr. Choi motioned for them to follow him to the back of the Range Rover. He lifted the trunk, revealing two gleaming weapons neatly laid out. Seung's eyes widened as they landed on the dagger. The golden handle, adorned with a small crystal at its center, sparkled under the muted light.

"What a marvelous dagger!" Seung marveled, picking it up with a reverent grip. The blade felt perfect in his hand—balanced and sharp. His clone eagerly snatched up the sword beside it, giving it an experimental swing.

After a short trek, they arrived at the dungeon's entrance. The air grew thick with the stench of decay, and an oppressive darkness seemed to seep out from within the dungeon's gaping maw. Seung could feel the unease prickling at his skin. It took every ounce of willpower to keep his grip steady on the dagger.

'This is it,' Seung thought as he peered into the inky blackness. The sound of distant growls echoed from within, sending a shiver down his spine. 'No turning back now.' His heart raced, but he squared his shoulders.

The darkness closed in as they ventured deeper into the dungeon, the silence only broken by the crunch of gravel underfoot. Mr. Choi switched on his phone's flashlight, casting an eerie glow on the stone walls. Every shadow seemed to move, like something lurking just out of sight.

"This is as far as I'll go," Mr. Choi said, his voice carrying a hint of reluctance. "I'll be outside making a call to the maintenance team."

Seung nodded, his grip tightening on the dagger's hilt. "Alright, leave the rest to us."

As Mr. Choi retreated, the silence became deafening. Suddenly, a low growl rumbled through the tunnel. It reverberated off the walls, sending vibrations through the ground. Seung's heart jumped in his chest. He could feel the tension coiling in his muscles.

"Why can't these monsters keep it down?" Seung muttered under his breath, using the sarcasm to steady his nerves.

As they moved further in, the tunnel opened into a wider chamber. Without warning, a green-skinned goblin emerged from the shadows, snarling with bloodlust. Its yellow eyes locked onto Seung. Behind it, six more goblins appeared, each one more vicious than the last. Above their heads, holographic screens flickered with the words: LEVEL 1 GOBLIN.

"Little guy, take out the one in front. I'll handle the rest!" Seung ordered, keeping his voice calm despite the fear gnawing at him.

The clone darted forward, a blur of motion as it sliced clean through the first goblin's neck. The head rolled away before the body collapsed in a heap. Seung felt a surge of determination as he charged toward the remaining goblins.

But his confidence quickly shattered. As he aimed to stab one of the goblins, it swatted him aside like he was nothing. Seung crashed to the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of him. Pain radiated through his ribs as he gasped for breath.

"Ahh!" he groaned, trying to lift himself. Just as the goblin was about to strike him down, his clone intervened, slashing the creature in half.

Seung pushed himself to his feet, frustration boiling beneath the surface. 'Why am I so weak?' He watched helplessly as his clone dispatched the remaining goblins with ease. His mind was a swirling mess of self-doubt and anger. 'No matter how much I try, I'm always lagging behind. Everyone else gets stronger while I stay the same.' His fists clenched as bitter tears welled up in his eyes.

The snarls grew louder as more goblins poured into the chamber. The sight of them sent Seung spiraling further into his despair. 'I'm not even good enough to fight F-rank monsters. No matter what I do, I end up failing. Why can't I ever get better?'

He barely noticed the goblins closing in on him, their claws ready to tear him apart. But something snapped in Seung's mind. His anger and frustration surged into a burning resolve. "I'm not done thinking!" he roared, raising his fist as milky-blue energy swirled around it. "So shut the hell up!"

The energy crackled as Seung swung his fist, and with a powerful blow, he sent the goblins flying back. Their bodies disintegrated into mist as his punch connected. More goblins charged at him, but his body moved on instinct. He leaped into the air, landing near his dagger. Grabbing it, he whirled around, slashing through the goblins with lethal precision. Each swing was fueled by raw determination, and in moments, the chamber was cleared.

Panting heavily, Seung stood among the fallen creatures, blood dripping from the blade in his hand. His clone watched in awe, its eyes wide with admiration.

"I… I actually did it," Seung mumbled, still in disbelief.

Before he could fully process what had just happened, a group of men in red uniforms appeared. They swiftly gathered the monster cores, leaving no trace of the battle behind. The efficiency with which they worked was unsettling, but Seung couldn't focus on that. His thoughts were still swirling, a mixture of pride and confusion.

As they exited the dungeon, Mr. Choi's concerned voice cut through Seung's daze. "You look troubled, Mr. Lee. Is everything alright?"

Seung stared at the ground, his mind replaying the events of the battle. "I'm just… shocked. I didn't know I had that in me. It's… unbelievable."

Mr. Choi placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "In all my years of doing this, I've noticed something about promising Hunters. They're always surprised by their potential during their first hunt. Do you know why?"

Seung managed a small smile, though doubt still lingered. "Because they're capable of more than they think?"

"Exactly. You're sharper than you realize, Mr. Lee."

Seung's smile grew a bit more genuine as they returned to the Range Rover.

Back at his apartment, Seung couldn't wait to check his earnings. He fumbled with his phone, refreshing his balance over and over.

[Balance: 4,200,000 won]

(Approximately $3,172)

His eyes widened as the numbers sunk in. The reality of his situation hit him all at once. He could finally see a path forward—a way out of the struggle he'd faced for so long. Joy bubbled up inside him, and he couldn't contain himself.

"Yes! Being a Hunter is the best!" Seung shouted, pumping his fist in the air with unrestrained glee.