NOVEL WEB Chapter 16
Title: Wow, That Gate is Huge!
[ㅇㅇ]
Isn’t it rare for a high-ranking dungeon to pop up right in the middle of Seoul?
– And it’s an A-rank, they say.
– I saw it nearby, and it was super creepy.
└ Fr fr, that weird atmosphere? It’s real.
– Can you feel the mana there? I wanna awaken too.
└ As if lol.
—
Title: News Article Says Clearing It Will Take a While
[ㅇㅇ]
They say it’s a ridiculously strong dungeon, even if it’s not S-rank.
Looks like everyone will be waiting until the S-ranks on a business trip come back, huh?
– Weren’t dozens sucked in there?
└ Yup, it’s practically annihilation.
└ What the hell is the management agency doing?
– Can’t they just assemble an A-rank hunter party?
└ From what I see during our guild meetings, everyone’s avoiding that one-way dungeon lol.
—
Suddenly appearing, an A-rank special dungeon.
The Hunter Management Agency and guilds are in chaos.
High-ranking dungeons appear often enough.
But the problem is that the agency failed to observe it in advance.
And since it appeared right in the city center, dozens of citizens were sucked in.
Families who couldn’t contact their loved ones were wailing.
“Please save our families.”
“I don’t want to lose someone again.”
But the state had no way to respond immediately.
It’s not a C or B-rank dungeon, but an A-rank at that.
Moreover, it has the restriction of being one-way.
Hunters, valuing their own lives, are showing avoidance.
Finding a sufficient number of A-rank hunters to enter is as difficult as picking stars from the sky.
It’s just that there are few and precious A-rank hunters.
—
While officials near the gate were talking with tense expressions,
“There aren’t many A-rank hunters in Seoul right now, right?”
“Half of them are on business trips to provincial areas. It’s impossible without a big guild cooperation.”
As a man sighed, another one clapped his hands as if he had a thought.
“Uh, didn’t Hunter Kim Ji-a come to Seoul a few days ago? What about her?”
“She’s famous for wandering around dangerous dungeons, but we can’t reach her.”
“Really?”
One man looked surprised, while another frowned and replied.
“She might have been sucked in too.”
“Then, that means there could be survivors among the citizens?”
“Not a chance. Even if she’s A-rank, she’s alone.”
“…We might lose a valuable asset.”
“If she keeps running away, she might save herself.”
That might be better after all.
The official’s expression turned bitter.
—
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon…
After fending off several waves of monsters, Ji-a was resting.
Her body was covered in wounds, and blood still dripped from her.
Si-yoon, next to her, was anxiously watching Ji-a’s condition.
“Uh, unnie… are you okay…?”
“…Yeah, I stocked up on potions, so I can hold on a bit longer.”
It was a lie.
Ji-a had exhausted all her potions in the last fight.
The next battle would truly be one of flesh and bone.
Mental energy consumption was immense, but she gritted her teeth and endured.
“Si-yoon, it’s dangerous here. Stay with the others.”
“B-but…”
“Do you trust me? I’m one of the few A-rank hunters in Korea.”
“Uh-huh…”
Si-yoon knew it well.
She had come over because she was worried but realized she was actually a hindrance.
But she couldn’t just stay away.
She wanted to at least be emotionally supportive.
“Unnie! Once we get out, let’s grab a cold beer and drink it with Si-hyun unnie.”
“Hmm… should we?”
“Seeing you as such a scaredy-cat, I bet your alcohol tolerance has dropped too. Aren’t you curious?”
“Right, it does pique my curiosity.”
“It’s definitely going to be cute!”
Si-yoon chatted about various trivial things before returning to the spot where the citizens had gathered.
Ji-a looked at Si-yoon’s back while observing the two hunters and the citizens.
People quietly sobbing.
Those praying.
Others trembling in shock, glancing around.
Everyone was holding on, trusting Ji-a alone.
She engraved that scene in her mind.
It was the reason she couldn’t fall.
Ji-a looked straight ahead again.
Ready to start fighting at any moment if monsters appeared.
‘Si-hyun…’
Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t asked if Si-yoon activated the bracelet.
Ji-a felt a dual sense of emotions at once.
She hoped Si-hyun wouldn’t come because it would be dangerous alone.
At the same time, she wished someone would be there to support her.
“I can’t weaken…”
Why had she been fighting alone all this time?
Because she didn’t want to see anyone die.
Why had she often gone on business trips to clear dangerous dungeons?
To protect many people.
Ji-a rose to her feet.
Before she knew it, another group of monsters had discovered them and was approaching.
“Whoo…!”
Taking a deep breath, Ji-a stayed calm.
Several trolls were slowly advancing.
Trolls appeared starting from C-rank dungeons, but these were higher-level ones.
Moreover, unlike the C-B rank dungeons, there were over a dozen appearing at once.
Ji-a couldn’t take a step back.
She couldn’t push the monsters back.
In this very space where she stood, she had to defeat them all.
“I’m coming—!”
Ji-a’s roar pierced through the dungeon’s ominous air.
She kicked the ground and charged forward.
First, she aimed her sharp spear at the nearest troll’s knee.
“Grah—!”
The troll screamed in pain, swinging its massive arm.
Ji-a remained calm and dodged the attack, maintaining her distance.
She stabbed the same spot again.
If it were one-on-one, that simple task could be repeated endlessly.
However, here, she was alone while the other side was multiple.
As she attacked, the approaching trolls swung their fists at her.
Ji-a barely twisted her body and dodged the first punch.
But another troll’s fist slammed towards her.
If she had been in good condition, Ji-a would have dodged effortlessly.
But right now, she was mentally and physically exhausted.
She narrowly avoided the punch.
However, her posture was disrupted.
She just managed to block another troll’s kick with her spear.
“Ugh…!”
Ji-a’s body was pushed back.
Having forcibly blocked the monster’s attack left her arms numbing.
But Ji-a didn’t back down.
Gritting her teeth, she moved forward again.
Engaging with the monsters once more.
Ji-a persistently attacked the troll she had struck earlier.
If she couldn’t wipe out multiple monsters at once,
Then taking them down one by one was the best option.
Thanks to Ji-a’s efficient judgment and determination,
Finally, one troll’s life ended, slumping to the ground.
But Ji-a wasn’t in good shape either.
“Aaah—!”
Caught by a troll’s punch that she couldn’t evade, her shoulder took the hit.
The size difference was incomparable.
Even with her body having become stronger as an Awakened, there were limits.
Ji-a’s body flew backward.
She rolled some distance away.
For a moment, her consciousness almost faded, but her indomitable will kept her alert.
“Cough, cough…”
Her left arm wouldn’t respond.
Ji-a broke out in a cold sweat.
However, relying on her spear, she struggled to rise.
“Good lord…”
“What are we going to do…?”
“Isn’t the hunter pushing her limits now?”
Nervous voices from the citizens behind her could be heard.
But Ji-a didn’t look back.
With her left arm hanging limp,
With only her right hand gripping the spear tightly,
She moved forward again.
“I won’t let them pass any further.”
Right now.
If she ran away now,
She might just survive.
One arm was incapacitated, but her legs were still fine.
If she ran with all her might, she could survive until help arrived.
But, that was impossible.
That’s just who Kim Ji-a was.
The firmly established identity of Hunter Kim Ji-a wouldn’t allow retreat.
Ji-a strongly believed.
That the reason she awakened and became a hunter.
The reason she could achieve A-rank faster than others.
Was born from the ambition to become stronger to protect others.
So, she wouldn’t back down.
“Grah!”
A troll’s neck was severed by Ji-a’s swinging spear, letting out a scream.
“Ugh…!”
Ji-a, weakened even after blocking the attack, was knocked back.
“…I’m coming.”
The battle continued again.
As time passed, the number of trolls reduced by half.
But Ji-a had no place on her body that was unscathed.
She felt that her limits had approached.
Yet she held on fiercely.
At the very least, she couldn’t fall until she took down the troll right in front of her.
Swaying, she advanced again.
Swish!
Boom!
Killing, getting attacked, repeating over and over.
Ji-a fought with only one eye open, struggling to see ahead.
There was only one troll left.
She had nearly taken down over a dozen trolls.
Victory was in sight.
But her body wouldn’t listen.
“Please… move…”
Grinding her teeth, Ji-a commanded her body.
But her body, reached its limit, rejected it.
That one remaining troll could wipe out the citizens.
Two hunters were practically useless now.
Just a little bit more, really just a tiny bit longer, and she would be able to hold out!
Even though another wave will come after this.
At least until then, she could secure a possibility of survival!
Ji-a focused on the last troll.
It approached her with a nasty smile, raising its hand to swing it down hard.
Once it swung, it would be a critical hit.
‘Damn it…’
Ji-a opened her eyes wide.
Since her body wouldn’t move, she focused on her mind instead.
Just as the troll braced itself to swing its fist with great force.
At that moment!
Whoosh—!
The troll’s massive body was neatly bisected at an angle.
Ji-a’s eyes widened.
As the troll’s corpse fell.
Behind it…
A figure in a black nun’s habit appeared.
The face was hidden by a veil, making it impossible to recognize who they were.
But Ji-a instinctively sensed it.
The saintess, Jeong Si-hyun, had come to save them.
The corners of Ji-a’s mouth lifted into a smile.