NOVEL WEB Chapter 25
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“……”
I held my breath quietly. Ever since the Gwangalli incident at dawn, Hunters had spread out like a blanket all around.
The words “Gwangmyeonghoe” on the epaulet were glaringly clear.
‘Gwangmyeonghoe…’
A clan based in Busan. It was safe to say they were the leading clan responsible for the Gyeongsangdo region, led by two twin brothers.
‘It’s probably about the sewers.’
Hong Yu-ri must have tipped them off. Not just Gwangmyeonghoe, but other Hunters were wandering around Busan as if to keep watch. There were even Hunters crowding every sewer manhole…
‘They’re quick to respond.’
Given the Chimera experiments that had been conducted within the city, it was only natural that they would react promptly. They probably saw the grave I had buried too…
[Gwangmyeonghoe has reportedly summoned all clans in the Gyeongsangdo region for an emergency meeting. Following this, Gwangmyeonghoe’s Hunters have been seen patrolling the city. Despite numerous questions, Gwangmyeonghoe and the other clans have yet to reveal an official stance.]
Vague radio sounds were echoing from somewhere. If it had been a person, they might not have heard it, but my weak hearing picked up even the faintest signals.
[Additionally, they have confirmed blocking the sewer entrances and requested help from the Ministry of Environment. This morning, they are investigating whether the incident where Hunter Hong Yu-ri devastated Gwangalli Beach is related…]
‘This is troublesome…’
With so many Hunters around, it became difficult to act recklessly. No one could know where a Hunter might be hiding, so even using Stealth didn’t guarantee I wouldn’t be spotted. While it was good that I had prevented a disaster, the repercussions had led to Gwangmyeonghoe being so active.
‘…I should have changed my approach.’
I should have killed him first before stopping the disaster. It was a mistake I hadn’t anticipated. No, I hadn’t even considered that the sewer disaster would be found out in the first place…
‘What bad luck.’
Just as I was about to turn around.
[Breaking news. The Gyeongsan Cobalt Mine has reportedly turned into a Dungeon. The form is a combination of cave and maze, and the managing clan has announced that they will be leaving this matter to other clans.]
‘The Cobalt Mine turned into a Dungeon?’
This was unexpected news. The Gyeongsan Cobalt Mine… I didn’t know the details, but I thought I had heard of a massacre of civilians happening there. A place like that turned into a Dungeon?
‘Did this kind of scenario exist in a novel?’
As far as I remembered, it hadn’t been mentioned. But considering it was two years ago, I thought, ‘It could happen.’ I was planning to go to Daegu anyway, so if the maze had activated…
‘There’s no reason not to go, right?’
Anyway, I needed to level up. I didn’t think hunting animals would significantly raise my level. Sure, I could trade experience for food, but leveling up that way wasn’t very efficient.
‘I need to get stronger.’
For now, my goal was Gyeongsan.
***
“Hello! I’m Euna, and I’m returning to Search Team 3 from the administrative department!”
She couldn’t lift her head under the cold stares directed at her. At least, that’s how it felt to Euna.
‘I have to apologize…’
She needed to apologize. Euna took a deep breath and thought of what she had prepared to say.
“I, I! A little while ago. No, just a few days ago. At Jirisan…”
She fumbled her words, repeating to herself, ‘I have to say it. I have to speak up.’ But her mind went blank, and words failed her.
‘What was I going to say? What to say…’
She had even thought of what to say in advance, but nothing came to mind. Euna felt her mind go blank as she tightly closed her eyes. Her mouth was definitely saying something, but her mind was blank, and she couldn’t think of anything. It was as if she was watching herself ramble from a distance. It felt as if she was speaking while being a bystander.
Before she knew it, Euna discovered herself bent at the waist. When did she bow? Had she said everything she needed to? She didn’t know. It was a mess. Then all of a sudden, she heard applause and focused her ears on the sound.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
One sound of clapping. Like affected by it, the sound of applause grew louder around her and filled her ears.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!
“……!”
Only then could Euna stand up straight.
“Th-thank you! I’ll do my best!”
“Well… everyone makes mistakes, right?”
“You’re still young. You fell and broke your nose all on your own. It’s okay. It’s okay.”
“Yeah. Just do well from now on.”
The encouraging voices made her heart swell.
“Anyway, that’s how it is. Euna has officially returned to Team 3. Although there was an unfortunate incident, she apologizes.”
The team leader nodded, as if to wrap things up.
“Well, the only reason we could forgive this is because Euna hasn’t done anything wrong in the past, right?”
“That’s true. Euna has done well on a regular basis.”
As the mood of approval settled in, the door swung open with a bang, like pouring cold water on it.
“Huh. What’s going on? What’s everyone doing here?”
Who could burst into the meeting room like that? No matter how I thought about it, there was only one person. And there was the unmistakable sight of red hair beyond the wide-open door.
“Vice Team Leader?”
“What? Why is everyone here?”
“…Euna has returned to Team 3.”
“Euna? Huh? Why? Wasn’t she somewhere else?”
“She transferred to the administrative department quite a while ago.”
“I don’t know. You were in Busan for a few months.”
“Hong Yu-ri.”
“What?”
Seeing Hong Yu-ri respond so brazenly made the team leader sigh.
“There’s a vacancy here. And you… we’ll talk about what happened at Gwangalli this morning later.”
“Okay. So can I go in first? I have something to check before we depart.”
“Sure. I’ll call you later.”
“Okay~ And by the way, congratulations on returning to Team 3?”
“Ah. Yes! Thank you…?”
The vice team leader, who came like the wind and left like the wind, made the team members whisper among themselves. Euna was still in shock, though.
“…Sigh. It’s going to be a disaster again.”
“I liked it better when the Vice Team Leader was assigned away… Looks like it’ll be chaotic again.”
“Quiet! Anyway, dismiss. The team being sent to Jirisan will depart at 1 PM, so please eat lunch and gather back here. I believe you all know whether you’re going or not.”
“Yes!”
As the team leader was the first to leave the room, the team members sighed in unison as if they had made an agreement.
“Has the Vice Team Leader’s task in Busan already been completed?”
“No. I heard it hasn’t finished yet, but he returned urgently because of Alpha.”
“Damn Alpha. Once it’s over, will he go back?”
“Probably, right? Anyway, since the Vice Team Leader is here, the work should wrap up quickly.”
“Wow, Woo-taek is lucky. He’s got a little breather now.”
“Haha…”
Though the subject was wearing a slightly sour expression.
“You’ve been struggling with the Vice Team Leader’s job in the meantime, right? Good work, Woo-taek. Let’s see… are you going to eat now?”
“No. A little later. You guys go ahead.”
“Okay. Take care~”
“Oh~ Uncle! Let’s go together.”
“What’s this kid? Why are you coming with me?”
“Oh ho. This social outcast is calling me uncle?”
“Ah~ this kid really is pushing it. Fine, let’s go! Go!”
“……I should probably eat now.”
“…Sunbae!”
“What? Why?”
“Thanks. You clapped first earlier, right?”
“That wasn’t me. And you, you weren’t even chosen for this assignment and went to Jirisan on your own…”
“Ah~ it’s okay. I’ll just stay out of the way.”
“Right. Well, don’t tell me you’ll cause any trouble in the meantime.”
The meeting room door quietly opened, and soon Euna was left alone mumbling quietly.
“Somehow, I feel like I won’t get caught this time.”
***
“—Grrr.”
Getting to Yangsan was easy, but the next part was the problem.
‘Which direction do I go to get to Gyeongsan?’
With no smartphone, and only signs to guide me, it wasn’t easy. It was impossible to ask people for directions. Until now, I had managed by finding train stations or highways, but there were often Hunters from Gwangmyeonghoe and other clans wandering around the major roads, making it hard to walk freely.
‘…It was easier when I was in the mountains.’
By the time I arrived at the Cobalt Mine, the sun was already setting.
“Grrr.”
While they were in control, there weren’t many Hunters around. Maybe because the clan responsible for the incident hadn’t been assigned yet? I carefully concealed myself and checked from a distance.
[Oh Gu-hwan (Human)]
[Height 162.8 cm] [Weight 66.2 kg]
[Strength 151] [Agility 194] [Stamina 170] [Magic Power 185]
‘Looks manageable.’
The status indicated he was a Hunter, but he didn’t seem that strong. No, that would be the norm.
‘So this dungeon isn’t that dangerous, I guess?’
There were two Hunters on guard… both at a similar level. No, guys like Jeon Woo-taek and Hong Yu-ri must be outstanding among Hunters.
‘But they’ll have skills, so I can’t underestimate them.’
It might not be easy, but I thought I could take them on. To avoid creating unnecessary trouble, I quietly slipped into Stealth. It was a D-ranked stealth that had tricked Hong Yu-ri for a moment. There was no way I would be detected.
‘Hmm.’
As soon as I entered the Cobalt Mine, I heard some “Koruruk, koruruk!” noise. The monsters inside the mine were all monsters with dog heads and human bodies. I raised an eyebrow for a moment, but quickly figured out what they were.
‘Ah, must be Kobolds?’
Dog head with a human body. The image of Kobolds I remembered was that of little brown creatures from a game that enjoyed mining for minerals.
[Kobold]
[Height 144 cm] [Weight 31 kg]
[Strength 51] [Agility 84] [Stamina 76]
‘…It really is a Kobold.’
After inspecting from a distance, I saw that they had 84 agility and 76 stamina. They definitely didn’t pose a threat to me. I was planning to eat them all anyway, so I dropped my Stealth.
“—K-Kekek!”
All of them instantly prostrated themselves… no, they were bowing down completely.
‘What’s going on?’
“Kek! Kkeee!”
Four Kobolds lay flat on the ground, praying with their hands. Just like they were begging. I took a moment to understand the situation.
‘I’m also a dog…’
They are dogs too. Maybe because I was far stronger than them, they thought of me as their boss… at least, that’s what I deduced. The one in front nodded its head furiously as if agreeing, but that wasn’t my intention. I lunged at the leading Kobold. Although they had 84 agility, they reacted only a beat late and ended up getting bitten in the neck.
‘Couldn’t you have reacted just a bit quicker?’
The remaining three Kobolds flinched, pointing their spears at me.
‘It’s my first time seeing real spears.’
Just knowing that a real weapon was aimed at me felt a bit strange. I wasn’t scared or frightened, but…
“…Kiee! Kiee!”
They remained frozen, unable to move, but as the breath of the Kobold under my feet slowly faded due to contact consumption, one startled Kobold poked at me with its spear.
‘Oh~ Team spirit.’
Unknowingly, I bit back at the spear, and my mouth was pricked.
‘Ah. That was a mistake.’
It didn’t hurt, but it was a mistake. And then something amazing happened.
“Grrr?”
“Kekek?! “
[Satiation has reached its maximum. Satiation is being converted into experience points due to Devour (D) Lv.3.]
‘……Is this real?’
I had consumed the spear… If a message hadn’t appeared, I would’ve thought it was a hallucination, but since the message did appear, there was no room for doubt.
‘…Now that I think about it.’
[Devour: You can eat anything without discrimination.]
The description of Devour suddenly came to mind. Initially, I thought it meant not being picky… but that was kind of ambiguous. No, it wasn’t needed.
‘This was what it meant?’
‘Anything’ meant I could eat anything. Stones, wood, minerals, and even the spear that the Kobold had stabbed at me. The Kobold struggled to pull the spear out, but it had no blade left. It hadn’t been pulled out; it had been consumed by me. When I opened my mouth in a surprised manner, they began to get anxious.
“Kek! Keee!”
The look in their eyes was that of seeing a true monster. I didn’t feel like chasing after the ones that ran away. Rather…
“Grrr―”
I decided to try eating a rock that was lying on the ground. While I didn’t get a message that I had consumed it, I instinctively knew that I had digested the rock.
‘…This is ridiculous.’
This meant that I could level up just by eating dirt or rocks, right? Of course, the efficiency wouldn’t be great, but for someone who didn’t need to sleep 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, this was the best skill ever.
‘Forget about leveling up; I could raise the skill level of Devour too.’
Not only that, but I’d also level up the skill related to hunger. I stuffed my mouth full of dirt. It was a relief I didn’t have a sense of taste.
‘Shall I get back on the road?’
Before long, I had to stop my feet.
[It’s a complex of cave and maze…]
The words I had heard in the news. True to the name of maze, there were multiple paths diverging. I tried to follow the closest presence to approach, only to encounter dead ends several times. So I marked the paths I had already walked on with scratches.
‘…There’s really no image of a mine.’
There were no mine carts, nor any ores around. It was like the place was just a cobalt mine, but instead created a maze inside a cave.
“Krrrk. Krr?”
Suddenly, I wafted a scent of blood.
‘In the maze, my sense of smell is sharper.’
[Weak Sense of Smell (E) has reached its maximum proficiency. Weak Sense of Smell (E) Lv.3 -> Weak Sense of Smell (E) Lv.4]
The scent wasn’t coming through the walls, so by following the smell, the path naturally emerged. At least in the maze, my sense of smell proved more useful.
“Guoooh!”
“Spread out!”
Clear words. Their voices were audible.
‘The leader clan said they would leave matters for other clans, yet they are already in here?’
One warrior. Two archers. A total of three Hunters were facing off against a pig-man.
[Orc]
[Height 195 cm] [Weight 216 kg]
[Strength 317] [Agility 176] [Stamina 295]
…The powerful image of the Orc from the game came rushing back to me, making me momentarily unrecognizable. I had expected a green-skinned warrior; instead, the actual Orc had a pig’s head and a massive body. Weighing nearly 200 kg, it didn’t feel chubby but rather sturdy.
‘Strength of 317?’
Two Orcs would likely be a match for a monstrous wolf. The Orcs were definitely low-tier mobs, but compared to the Kobolds I had just fought, they were on a different level. Yet the Hunters skillfully pressured the Orc. This must have been an everyday thing for them.
“Gather! Spread out again!”
“Arrows loaded!”
However, the battle was unlike your typical raid you’d see in a game.
‘Yeah, it wouldn’t make sense to try brute strength against Orcs.’
Perhaps if it was Jeon Woo-taek. Even Hong Yu-ri would struggle to face the Orc with pure strength.
There was a warrior using a shield in their team, but rather than counter-attacking, it seemed they were trying to evade whenever possible. The Orc wasn’t a fool either; whenever the warrior retreated, it charged towards the rear. They almost broke through the formation, but by that moment, the rear had already scattered and retreated. The Orc chased after the rear, but its steps were blocked again by the warrior. The warrior acted more like a relentless dog, persistently annoying the Orc while ensuring it couldn’t land any attacks.
“Guoooh!”
The Orc wasn’t foolish either. It deflected the incoming arrows with the shoulder plate. As the Orc raised its arm, the warrior seized the opportunity to attack. But they didn’t overreach. The goal was to drain the Orc’s strength, not to finish it all at once.
‘They are calm.’
It was a beautifully executed tactic resembling the detailed wheel warfare described in novels.
‘If I were that Orc, what would I do?’
There really would be no way out. With insufficient hands, they’d have to take the blows, and lacking agility, they’d have no choice but to charge. I don’t think the outcome would have been different had I fought. The best I could manage would be to occupy a narrow alley and fight them one at a time? No, in that case, I would have just been a sandbag for the arrows. Ultimately, the Hunters were victorious without any unforeseen incidents. To avoid detection, I cautiously used Stealth to conceal myself.
Then, out of curiosity, I activated my own detection, and I couldn’t help but be shocked.
[Koo Sang-seop (Human)]
[Height 176.8 cm] [Weight 82.5 kg]
[Strength 214] [Agility 162] [Stamina 151] [Magic Power 164]
‘What are you doing here?’
One of those present was among the people I had intended to kill.
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