Chapter 8

Chapter 8

A quiet mountain slope on the outskirts of Seoul. A spot where hikers would normally tread, it was now under strict lockdown. Beyond the yellow access restriction line, a massive Gate in the shape of a swirling vortex rippled.

Before it stood hunters armed with modern equipment and a row of black vehicles bearing the crisp logo of 'White Tiger.'

"I am Park Cheoljin, Vice Team Leader of the White Tiger Guild's Team 1. I will be overseeing today's test."

The man who appeared, removing his sunglasses, exuded the aura of a seasoned veteran at a single glance. He folded his arms as if to flaunt the muscles bulging beneath his tight combat suit, looking Kang Jina over. More precisely, he was staring with displeasure at Somyeong beside her, shouldering a huge bag and stifling a yawn.

"I've heard from the Association data that your magical energy readings have risen dramatically, but real combat is a different dimension from number games. This place in particular is the Blue Mist Cave, one of the most difficult among B-rank dungeons."

Jina nodded without a trace of tension. Just yesterday, this kind of pressure would have made her shrink, but now a power clearer and stronger than ever coursed through her veins.

"I'm ready."

"Confidence is good. But what is that porter about? This isn't even an official run—it's a simple test, and you bring a porter along. Our guild despises anything cumbersome."

Park Cheoljin's sharp gaze pinned Somyeong. Somyeong merely put on an agreeable smile and shrugged.

"Oh, well, I can't even get a meal without my little sister around. I'll just stick to her like a shadow, so please pay me no mind."

"Hmph. If you die in the dungeon, I take no responsibility. The moment things get dangerous, that porter is the first one we leave behind—understand that. Hunter Kang Jina, follow me."

Park Cheoljin turned his back coldly and walked into the Gate. Jina glanced at Somyeong for his reaction, but he simply jerked his chin toward the entrance, signaling her to go in.

'Does none of this really bother Oppa?'

Jina set off, doubt still lingering. Passing through the Gate, cool, damp air brushed against their skin. True to its name, a bluish mist lay thick inside the cave, severely limiting visibility.

As though trying to break Jina's spirit, Park Cheoljin veered off the standard safe route and toward the most treacherous deep-layer path.

"Let's keep this test short and intense. This route has a high monster density. It's the optimal place to find out whether that magical energy of yours is real or just froth."

Before his words could even settle, dozens of red eyes flashed in the mist. The scraping of sharp claws against the floor and grotesque howls filled the cave.

They were Shadow Wolves, the lower predators of a B-rank dungeon. An ordinary C-rank hunter would need a full team to handle them, and even a B-rank would struggle alone against such formidable foes.

"Let's see what you've got, shall we?"

Park Cheoljin stepped back and folded his arms, clearly with no intention of offering support. In his eyes lurked the arrogance of a man waiting to confirm a rookie's limits so he could play the senior when she called for rescue.

But Jina's response completely defied his expectations.

Jina did not draw the sword at her hip. Instead, she simply took a light step forward. Blue magical energy erupted from her entire body like an explosion. The energy from the elixir Somyeong had given her responded to her will, becoming sharp blades that swept outward.

'So light. My body feels like a feather.'

Jina's figure vanished into the mist. No—she was simply too fast for Park Cheoljin's eyes to follow.

SHHHK—!

In a single leap, Jina had plunged into the heart of the wolf pack and swung her sword. A sword aura charged with magical energy fanned out in an arc, cleaving the air.

A single strike. The three wolves at the front had their throats severed cleanly, and the rest of the pack stumbled backward, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure. Jina did not stop. Her movements flowed as naturally as water, and the arcs her sword traced were nothing short of artistic.

"Wh-what in the......"

Park Cheoljin's eyes flooded with shock. This was different from mere high numbers. The sophistication with which she wielded her power, and the boldness to sever an enemy's lifeline with precision. A level of polish utterly unbelievable for a newly awakened rookie.

Somyeong was watching the scene contentedly from the rear.

'My eye for talent was right after all. Worth every bit of the training.'

Somyeong flicked his finger where Jina would not notice. A lurking wolf that had been targeting her blind spot collapsed silently to the floor. The minute burst of energy he had sent had ruptured its heart. Jina, merely thinking her own senses had sharpened, pushed her momentum even higher.

In less than five minutes, the flat ground near the cave entrance was littered with wolf carcasses. Jina looked at Park Cheoljin, flicking the blood from her sword, without so much as a heavy breath.

"Shall we keep going?"

Park Cheoljin's face twisted into something ugly for an instant. Admiration quickly curdled into jealousy and inferiority. A realm he had spent years to barely reach was being effortlessly trampled by some girl who had barely turned twenty. The fear that his own standing within the guild—he who was called a genius—might crumble if this continued crept over him.

'She just got lucky running into enemies she counters. She won't be this relaxed deeper in.'

Park Cheoljin bit his lip and pushed forward even more recklessly. He tried to get ahead of Jina, desperate to display his own power.

"Watch carefully. This is what a real veteran's combat looks like!"

Park Cheoljin swung his massive axe and smashed through the rock monsters blocking their path. But his reckless ambition proved to be the catalyst for disaster. The area-of-effect skill he had launched to show off struck not only the cave ceiling but also a magical energy crystal where the dungeon's energy was concentrated.

***

RRRRMMMM—!

The entire cave began to vibrate as though screaming. The flow of magical energy running along the walls tangled and emitted an ominous red glow.

"Wh-what? An earthquake?"

Park Cheoljin scanned his surroundings in a panic. But this was no earthquake. It was the precursor to an overload triggered by stimulation of the dungeon's core power source—a dungeon break.

GRAAAAAAGH—!

From deep within the cave, from a hole thick with darkness, a killing intent on an entirely different level came pouring out. Accompanied by heavy footsteps that shook the ground, what emerged was a massive demonic beast covered head to toe in steel-like scales—the Crocodile of the Abyss.

An anomaly that could reign as a boss even in an A-rank dungeon. The true master this dungeon had been hiding had awakened.

"No...... this can't be. Why is something like this here......"

Park Cheoljin's legs trembled pathetically. The bravado from moments ago was nowhere to be found. Before the aura of an overwhelmingly superior predator, his magical energy froze, and the axe in his hand felt as light as paper.

The crocodile swept its enormous tail. A mere casual motion, yet its force was like a storm. The cave wall shattered outward, and massive stone fragments rained down.

"Move!"

Jina screamed and threw herself aside, but Park Cheoljin, paralyzed with terror, collapsed where he stood. A boulder the size of a house plummeted toward his head. Jina was far too distant to reach him in that split second.

That was when it happened.

A pair of worn sneakers entered Park Cheoljin's vision.

So swiftly that no one could tell when he had moved, Somyeong—cargo bag still on his shoulders—stood blocking Park Cheoljin's front.

"Well now, what kind of interviewer gets scared before the interviewee?"

Somyeong's voice was calm. A languid tone, as if he had stepped out for a stroll around the neighborhood.

He casually extended a hand toward the massive boulder falling above.

CRASH—!

With a thunderous boom, the boulder shattered to pieces. As though it had struck an enormous invisible wall, the fragments scattered away from Somyeong. Not a speck of dust touched his clothes.

"Oppa......?"

Jina's eyes went wide. She saw it. The energy flowing from the hand that had struck the boulder—darker and colder than shadow itself. It was fundamentally different from the blue magical energy she possessed. An absolute crystallization of martial force that overwhelmed all things.

Somyeong adjusted his cargo bag and slowly raised his head. The Crocodile of the Abyss let out a threatening roar and charged toward him. The ground tore up and the air screamed.

"Shut up."

Somyeong's eyes flashed crimson.

He took a single step forward, and in that instant, the killing intent of the demonic beast that had filled the cave was erased. No—the beast itself had stopped in its tracks, consumed by terror.

Somyeong murmured in a voice that sank low.

"It's my sister's job interview today. Read the room, will you?"

Black energy began to condense at his fingertips.

"Now then, let's begin the second period of the practical exam."