RG 21

After entering the dungeon through the portal entrance, almost at the end of the queue, I raised my gaze and looked around the interior—drenched walls and ceilings covered in dull gray, dampness dripping down, and softly burning torches. Among the dungeons with diverse environments, this was the most common type.

Dungeons of this kind had corridors connecting each room, and with their complex layout and darkness, it was easy to get lost if you didn’t stay alert. However, since it was indoors, the monsters would come from only one direction, and the number of appearances was significantly lower than in other dungeons, making the difficulty not too high.

As I prepared for battle, anticipating monsters that Hunters didn’t know when would appear, I took out a candy from my pocket and handed it to Cha Sahyeon. “Eat this.” 

It was a snack I had prepared separately in case Cha Sahyeon felt uneasy or scared in this damp and dim place. Eating candy might make him less anxious about his surroundings. I added, looking at the child who stared blankly at the candy I handed him, “There’s more, so if you want to eat, just tell me.”

If I could stabilize the child’s emotions with snacks, I could give him as many candies as he wanted

If he gets cavities from too many sweets, I could simply take him to the dentist for treatment. But once the progress of the planted seed increases, it can’t be reversed.

“…”

Cha Sahyeon blinked and stared at the candy for a while. I became puzzled by the child’s reluctance to eat. “Don’t you like candy? Want me to change it to chocolate?”

Since I didn’t know what the kid liked as a snack, I had prepared various options. It turned out to be a good decision.

I took out chocolate from my pocket along with the candy and handed them to Cha Sahyeon. He blushed at the tips of his ears and took both the candy and chocolate. “I like both.”

“All right. Instead of watching the adults fight, stick close to me and focus on eating your snacks.”

Cha Sahyeon, who had already unwrapped the chocolate and popped it into his mouth, nodded enthusiastically at my words. Kids will be kids, after all. Is sweet stuff really that great?

As someone who didn’t particularly enjoy sweet food, I couldn’t understand the response, but since he was a child, I let it slide. At that age, sweet, salty, and spicy seemed to be the best.

While Cha Sahyeon and I were exchanging snacks and having a good time at the back, the first monster appeared.

“First monster appearance! It’s a C-class Arachnid!”

As soon as one of the Yesung Guild members raised their voice for a briefing, strange noises echoed around.

Clang, clang, clang.

When I wondered what it was, a spider-like monster with six legs was pouring out directly in front of us.

Kiiik, Kik! The monsters spat out threatening cries while emitting black venom and swiftly rushed toward the Hunters, who had invaded their territory.

No matter how accustomed you are to dungeons and monsters, facing a creature that looks so much like a spider can instinctively send shivers down your spine. Moreover, it was even more horrifying because, being monsters, their size was larger than the average adult.

“Oh, damn!”

“Ugh!”

The DPS hunters who were already facing the monsters let out irritated screams.

You have to kill them, but every swing of the weapon sends severed spider legs flying, and sticky blood splatters everywhere, making the stress overwhelming.

‘Well, this is when it’s advantageous not to be a DPS but a support.’

I chuckled contentedly as I watched the Hunters screaming while killing the monsters.

Indeed, in this world, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. Thanks to being a support, essentially no different from an ordinary person’s body, I didn’t have to face those creepy bugs… no, monsters.

Of course, now that I had acquired hidden skills, I could jump in and swing my sword between them if I set my mind to it. But… I shook my head. I should definitely keep the fact that I can transform into an S-class hidden as much as possible.

“Kid, see that? There, see how those guys are struggling?” Taking advantage of the moment, I decided to let Cha Sahyeon know how harsh the reality could be. Holding the child in my arms, I subtly showed him the ongoing battle, emphasizing my advice. “Even if you like fighting, you’d have to kill those creepy monsters. So, wherever you go, never use any skills and pretend you don’t know anything. Got it?”

“…”

“I’ll protect you, anyway.”

I couldn’t stand creepy things either, but as long as I could prevent the progress of Cha Sahyeon’s seed, it didn’t matter what I faced.

Fortunately, it seemed my sincerity got through. The child, who had been gazing ahead absentmindedly, soon turned his face and buried his forehead into my shoulder. That’s right. It’s better if you cut off your interest like that.

***

Starting from the appearance of C-class monsters, monsters continued to pour out every time we moved through a room.

Kwon Taehyeok, who led the way and dealt with monsters alongside other Hunters, narrowed his eyes.

‘What’s going on?’

Six blades swiftly flew around Kwon Taehyeok as he stood still, slicing the necks of monsters in a single stroke. Amidst the piling corpses and blood, he noticed a subtle difference from usual and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

‘It’s not an illusion. The number of appearing monsters has increased significantly compared to before.’

Entering a dungeon just before a break, he anticipated that the number of monsters would be high. However, no matter how you looked at it, this surpassed that expectation by a wide margin.

Was there a problem with the dungeon? Internally, there seemed to be no noticeable changes. Rather, it was the behavior of the monsters that was peculiar.

Monsters pouring out as if possessed by something. Even when attacking Hunters, their reactions were slightly delayed. Thanks to that, dealing with a large number of them wasn’t difficult, but it was clear that this wasn’t a normal situation.

‘I should take the time to investigate properly.’

Whether there was a problem with the monsters or the dungeon, he couldn’t just let it slide. Thinking that he should gather the responsible individuals who entered the dungeon together, Kwon Taehyeok stopped his skills.

Kying, the blades that were enthusiastically flying around, returned behind Kwon Taehyeok. Other Hunters, confirming that all the monsters were dealt with, took a breath and rested.

“Haah, I’m exhausted.”

“Doesn’t it feel like there are unusually many monsters today?”

The tired members of the Circle Guild were feeling the same way. Awkwardly smiling at the sight of guild members sitting on the ground and grumbling, Ryu Seonghyeon spoke, “Yeah. When we came last year, it didn’t seem to be this much.”

“Could it be that the number of monsters increased after a year… or something like that? It’s not possible, right?”

“No way. Such a phenomenon doesn’t even occur in S-class dungeons. Not to mention this is just a B.”

“Hmm, wouldn’t they have planned the raid sooner if that were the case?”

Ryu Seonghyeon, who gave a casual response, turned his gaze to Kwon Taehyeok, who was gathering with Yesung Guild members for a discussion.

‘It feels like even Guildmaster Kwon Taehyeok doesn’t know the cause.’

While it would be nice if it were nothing serious, the abnormality in the dungeon was directly linked to the danger of the world they lived in, so he couldn’t help but be worried.

Moreover, if the monster numbers continue to exceed expectations like this in the future, it will increase the burden on the DPSs. Although he and Kwon Taehyeok were S-classes, their guild members, who were of the type that consumed a lot of stamina, would need more frequent breaks.

‘I should later ask Guildmaster Kwon Taehyeok to extend the rest time a bit.’

While contemplating this, Ryu Seonghyeon spotted a familiar man—a black-haired man standing amidst the Hunters, holding a child in his arms. It didn’t take long for him to recall where he had seen the person.

He was one of the victims trapped in the illegal research facility that they had recently raided. At that time, he was undoubtedly carrying a child of similar size. Ryu Seonghyeon remembered helping him as Kwon Taehyeok was suspecting him.

“Bro, where are you going?”

“I see someone I know. I’ll be back in a moment.”

“Someone you know? Here…?”

Leaving the bewildered guild members behind, Ryu Seonghyeon walked towards the man.

Missing the opportunity to extend an invitation to the guild at that time was regrettable enough, so to unexpectedly meet him in a place like this was a pleasant surprise.

“Is the chocolate delicious? How about next time I buy some jelly? Nowadays, kids seem to like jelly too.”

The man, unaware that Ryu Seonghyeon was approaching, continued conversing with the child. It was the moment Ryu Seonghyeon opened his mouth to call the man.

“…!”

A shiver of eerie chills ran up his spine. Instinctively twitching his fingertips at the palpable aura, Ryu Seonghyeon turned his gaze from the man to the child in his arms.

Deep green eyes were staring directly at Ryu Seonghyeon. The expressionless, pale face emitted an ominous aura that seemed unreachable.

[Main Quest: Successfully conquer a dungeon of B-class or higher with the antagonist. (Remaining time: 4 days 1 hour 47 minutes)]