Chapter 38
Hong Man-gi held out Kang Jae-min's card.
"Our party attempting to enter this dungeon also includes B-rank Hunter Kang Jae-min. He's only running late because he's currently at the hospital. If we enter first, he'll join us soon. Since our party includes a B-rank Hunter, there shouldn't be a problem with the entry requirements, correct?"
The Association official looked flustered by Hong Man-gi's unexpected action.
He accepted the registration card and checked it.
Then he turned toward another official with an uncomfortable expression and whispered.
"Kang Jae-min, B-rank damage dealer. His record is here. What do we do?"
"We should probably report this to Team Leader Cha first...."
One official quickly took out a radio and contacted someone.
Hong Man-gi did not miss the movement.
Then he noticed the silhouette of Team Leader Cha Mu-jin watching them from a second-floor window of the management building in the distance.
There seemed to be a faint smile on his lips.
A short while later, the official finished the radio call and returned.
"Ahem... According to instructions from above, we'll allow the two of you to enter first under the condition that B-rank Hunter Kang Jae-min will join you. However, you will be fully responsible for everything that happens inside the dungeon. Please pay special attention to your safety."
"And don't make the rescue team suffer because of your recklessness."
The official's voice remained stiff, but there was also a trace of resignation.
It was obvious Cha Mu-jin had given some kind of instruction.
Hong Man-gi let out a relieved breath.
'I was right. Whether it's Cha Mu-jin or someone else, they really are continuing to watch me. There's a good chance they'll keep interfering too.'
Then he gave a short bow.
"Thank you."
Hong Man-gi took Kang Jae-min's card back.
The Association officials moved away.
The red energy field blocking the dungeon entrance slowly disappeared.
Now, only the dark and deep entrance of the dungeon remained before them.
Even though he knew Cha Mu-jin was watching from afar, Hong Man-gi did not hesitate.
He nodded toward Lee Yu-han and Han Young-mi's spirit.
"Let's go."
The three entered the BX-0 Dungeon together, stepping into a place filled with danger and secrets.
Meanwhile,
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin stood by the window and silently watched them disappear into the darkness.
A man who seemed to be his direct subordinate stood beside him.
The faint smile on Cha Mu-jin's lips became slightly deeper.
His subordinate asked,
"Is it really okay to let them enter?"
"We did what the higher-ups told us to do. We blocked the dungeon and tried to control entry, but Hong Man-gi came up with his own excuse and found a way around it. We followed our orders, so just leave him alone. Either he'll get himself killed in there, or he'll finish everything and come back out."
"Understood."
After muttering quietly, Cha Mu-jin slowly turned away.
* * *
"Let's go in."
"Yes!"
[Swoosh]
[Boom]
The entrance of the BX-0 Dungeon moved almost like a living creature as it swallowed Hong Man-gi, Lee Yu-han, and the invisible spirit of Han Young-mi.
The moment the entrance closed, even the faint light and sounds from the outside world were completely cut off.
Only deep, damp darkness and suffocating silence greeted them.
"Whew... whew... So this is... the BX-0 Dungeon."
Lee Yu-han swallowed nervously as he muttered.
His voice sounded unusually loud in the darkness.
The cold feeling of the weapon in his hand seemed to be his only comfort.
He looked around with a tense expression.
The overwhelming pressure here could not be compared to the lowest-rank dungeons he had entered before.
It felt like stepping into the belly of some enormous beast.
A terrible sense of danger pressed down on his entire body.
"Don't get too tense, Yu-han. I'm right here beside you."
Hong Man-gi lightly patted Lee Yu-han's shoulder.
"Whew...."
Lee Yu-han forced himself to nod, but his tension did not seem to disappear.
Han Young-mi's translucent form stood beside them.
She could not hide the complicated expression on her face after returning to the place where she had died.
At the same time, she looked around nervously, worried and guilty about Hong Man-gi and Lee Yu-han.
"Are you really sure about this? This place is extremely dangerous... I made a selfish request, and now the two of you...."
"It's all right, Ms. Han Young-mi. We came here knowing the risks. And this isn't only for you. It's also an important challenge for us."
Hong Man-gi spoke gently to reassure her.
There seemed to be no lie in his words.
This dangerous dungeon would also become another chance for him to grow.
The three carefully began moving through the dungeon.
A narrow, dark passage seemed to continue endlessly.
Moisture seeped from the walls.
Unknown slime-like substances covered parts of the floor.
Occasionally, strange monster cries echoed from far away, sending chills down their spines.
After walking for some time,
the passage widened into a small plaza-like area.
There, Hong Man-gi noticed something and stopped.
"There's something here."
A crushed piece of a shield lay on the ground.
It was blackened by burns and covered in clear marks that looked like bites from sharp teeth.
"What's that?"
Lee Yu-han also looked confused and picked up the broken shield fragment.
At that moment, Han Young-mi let out a low groan.
"Ah... that's part of my shield."
Her voice trembled.
A fragment of her own shield had been found not far from the entrance.
That meant she had already been fighting desperately from this point onward.
The terrible marks on the shield silently proved how many attacks she had endured alone.
Hong Man-gi quietly placed the shield fragment into his bag.
Lee Yu-han looked confused.
"Why are you taking that?"
At that moment,
[Ssssss... Kik... kikik....]
Something began moving in the surrounding darkness.
Small, slick monsters shaped like blobs of oil began emerging from every direction.
