Chương 1: Chapter 1:- The Day It All Began

My breath fogged up the air as I stood at the entrance of the dungeon, the cold air wrapping around me like a damp blanket. Next to me, Sung Jin-Woo shifted nervously, his usual calm face betraying hints of worry.

We were both E-rank hunters, the weakest in the group, and yet here we were, standing in front of a D-rank dungeon. The higher-ranking hunters in the group barely paid attention to us, chatting amongst themselves, their armor and weapons gleaming with confidence.

"Hey," I whispered to Jin-Woo. "Are you sure about this?"

He gave me a weak smile, his eyes reflecting the dim light from the dungeon's opening. "We don't have much choice, do we? Rent's not going to pay itself and I don't want Jin-Ah to quit her studies."

I sighed, nodding. We were in this together, two of the lowest-ranked hunters in South Korea, friends who had bonded over being the weakest in every raid. Well we knew each other even before these dungeons as we lived practically in the same neighbourhood.

Jin-Woo had been through a lot of dungeons like this, and though I had a bit more hesitation, I couldn't leave him to face it alone. Ever since his father went missing and his mother contracted some unknown disease which put her in vegetative state.

I tried to help him a lot of times, well it was actually my mother who helped them. My mother and Jin Woo's mother were friends even before me or Jin woo were born, as she treated Jin Woo and Jin-Ah as if they were her own kids.

Occasionally inviting them for food, and the weekends we all had dinners together sometimes at our house some time at theirs, while my mom also would provide for the groceries from time to time, so that they don't have to stop studying and risk their lives unnecessarily

However, Jin-Woo didn't listen. He became a hunter anyway, not wanting to be a burden on us. Given that my mom is a single mother who had to raise me on her own after my dad passed, it made sense. But none of that matters right now. Since Jin-Woo made his choice, I decided to join him as a hunter, too.

But it wasn't because I was worried about him—no way. He's a man and can make his own decisions.

The real reason I became a hunter was because monsters were invading our world, and I couldn't take the chance of my mom being violated and breeded by monarchs like Kuroino. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to her just because I wasn't strong enough to protect her.

After my dad's death, I swore I wouldn't let anyone take advantage of my mom. She's stunning—an absolute 10/10 MILF—and I didn't want anyone hitting on her or worse banging her or doing stuff we read in milf Doujins and hentais, just because I was too weak to stop them or protect her.

Well we'll talk about the details later on. Let's focus on this dungeon for now. As we stepped through the barrier and into the dungeon, a sense of unease washed over me.

The tunnel leading inside was dark and damp, the air heavy with the scent of mold. The team leader, a tall man named Mr. Kim, barked orders from the front. "Stay close, and don't get cocky. This may be a D-rank dungeon, but that doesn't mean it's safe."

The more experienced hunters walked ahead confidently, their weapons ready. I glanced at Jin-Woo, who looked just as anxious as I felt. I gripped my basic dagger tightly, trying to steady my nerves.

This wasn't my first dungeon, but I never got used to the feeling of stepping into the unknown, knowing that death could be waiting around any corner.

As we ventured deeper, strange symbols started appearing on the stone walls around us. I couldn't understand them, but something about them felt… ancient. Dangerous. I noticed Jin-Woo staring at them too, his brow furrowed.

"Doesn't seem right, does it?" I muttered to him.

He shook his head. "No... something feels off."

The path finally opened into a large chamber. In the center stood a massive stone door, adorned with intricate carvings and symbols. Mr. Kim signaled for us to stop, studying the door carefully.

"Looks like a gate," one of the hunters said, stepping forward to examine it.

"A gate inside a dungeon?" another hunter scoffed. "I've never heard of such a thing."

Mr. Kim frowned, running his hand over the stone. "It's definitely unusual. But we've come this far. Let's open it and see what's inside. Stay alert, everyone."

A couple of the stronger hunters moved forward, pushing the door with all their strength. Slowly, with a deep groaning sound, it began to open. As the gap widened, I peered inside, my heart pounding in my chest.

It was another chamber, even larger than the one we were standing in, with high ceilings and rows of stone statues lining the walls. The statues were massive, each one holding a different weapon—swords, spears, shields. They looked ancient, their stone eyes staring down at us as if they were waiting.

I felt a chill run down my spine. I could sense Jin-Woo tensing beside me as we both instinctively stepped back.

"This doesn't feel right," Jin-Woo muttered. "We should get out of here."

"I agree," I whispered back, my grip tightening on my dagger. "This place is giving me the creeps."

But Mr. Kim and the others seemed oblivious to the danger. They were already moving into the chamber, thinking this is just a d rank dungeon, however we felt something really off here, but they didn't seem bothered as their footsteps echoing eerily. Jin-Woo and I exchanged a glance but followed anyway. We didn't really have a choice after coming this far.

As we walked further in, the temperature seemed to drop, and a heavy silence filled the air. It was as if the very room was watching us, waiting for something. Then, as if on cue, a deep rumbling sound echoed through the chamber. The door behind us slammed shut with a loud thud, trapping us inside.

Panic surged through the group.

"What the hell?!" someone yelled.

"Stay calm!" Mr. Kim shouted, though his voice betrayed his own fear. "We just need to figure out how to get out."

Suddenly, one of the hunters pointed at the statues. "Look! The statues… they're moving!"

I turned and saw it too. The statues, which had been so still just moments before, were slowly coming to life, their stone limbs creaking as they shifted and turned toward us.

The first to move was the largest statue at the far end of the room, a colossal figure holding a massive sword. Its stone face was emotionless, but there was something terrifying about the way it moved, deliberate and slow, like a predator stalking its prey.

Panic swept through the group. Some hunters screamed, others ran for the door, pounding on it in vain. But there was no escape. The statues were closing in.

"We need to fight!" Mr. Kim shouted, raising his weapon. "It's our only chance!"

Jin-Woo and I stood frozen as chaos erupted around us. The higher-ranking hunters attacked the statues, their weapons bouncing off the stone with little effect. One by one, the statues retaliated, their attacks brutal and precise. A spear impaled one of the hunters, pinning him to the ground, his scream cut short.

"Jin-Woo, we need to move!" I grabbed his arm, pulling him back as one of the statues swung its sword in our direction. We barely dodged it, the blade slamming into the ground where we'd just been standing.

Jin-Woo was panting heavily, his eyes wide with fear. "We can't fight these things! They're too strong!"

I nodded, feeling my own fear clawing at my chest. There was no way we could win this. But then, amidst the chaos, something strange happened. A large stone tablet appeared in the center of the room, glowing with an eerie light. Words started to form on its surface, written in the same ancient script we'd seen on the walls.

It was a command.

"Kneel... before the King."

I stared at it in disbelief. "What... what does that mean?"

One of the hunters, too panicked to read it, ignored the command and charged at the statues. A second later, a massive stone axe cut him down where he stood.

"They're killing anyone who doesn't follow the command!" Jin-Woo realized, his voice trembling.

Without thinking, I grabbed his hand and pulled him to the ground with me. We knelt, our heads bowed, hoping—praying—that it would be enough to stop the statues. Around us, others followed suit, dropping to their knees in desperation.

But not everyone.

The statues continued their slaughter, cutting down anyone who didn't kneel fast enough. Blood pooled on the floor, the scent of death filling the chamber.

I kept my eyes closed, my heart hammering in my chest. I couldn't believe this was happening. Was this really the end for us? I don't want to leave my milf mother defenseless.

Then, suddenly, the room fell silent. I hesitantly opened my eyes. The statues had stopped moving. They were still once again, as if nothing had happened.

I glanced at Jin-Woo, who was breathing heavily beside me, his face pale with fear. "We survived..." he whispered.

But I knew it wasn't over. Something worse was coming. Something much worse.

We both stood slowly, the survivors in the room looking around in shock. The large door on the opposite side of the chamber was opening now, revealing a dark corridor beyond.

And I had a sinking feeling that whatever waited on the other side would be far more dangerous than the statues.

"Let's get out of here," I muttered to Jin-Woo, and he nodded. We followed the others, but deep down, I knew this dungeon had only just begun to reveal its horrors.

[A/N:- This is still a new fic, my priority still is MHA fic, which I wish to finish quickly, so I'm letting you know, the updates of this fic will be slow in comparison to mha fic, if you wish you can join my Patreon, where I'll be posting 6 chapters a week, 3 of MHA and 3 of this fic.

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