EFME 91

After the meal finished in a warm atmosphere, Sunyul set up his tent and prepared to sleep.

However, he spotted Lee Namhee sitting a short distance away. Thinking it was a good opportunity, Sunyul approached her.

“Hunter Lee Namhee.”

“Gwaaak! Wh—why?!”

Sunyul felt somewhat awkward as Namhee jumped up, looking excessively startled.

“I’m sorry. Did I scare you?”

“A little… why did you call me?”

“I had some things I was curious about regarding being a free hunter.”

He had been quite negative about it when Muyoung first brought it up, but now that he was actually trying it, it didn’t seem so bad. So he became genuinely curious about what life was like as a free hunter.

Sunyul asked Namhee various things. Though she stammered a bit, she answered him sincerely.

“Wow. You really know your stuff. You seem like a real pro.”

Sunyul’s eyes sparkled in admiration of Namhee’s knowledge. A free hunter has to handle everything from A to Z alone, and Namhee, who managed all of that, seemed like an incredible professional.

At Sunyul’s praise, Namhee’s face turned bright red as she shook her head.

“Th—this is nothing. Compared to you, Sunyul-nim…”

“You can just call me Hunter Lim Sunyul, you know.”

“H—how could I do that!”

“It’s really okay though…”

Namhee shook her head vigorously. Then, with a red face, she blurted out, “P—please excuse me!” and ran away.

It wasn’t easy to become friends. Sunyul returned to his tent feeling a bit sulky.

⊹₊｡ꕤ˚₊⊹

The boss monster died without even letting out a squeak after being hit by hundreds of mana bullets created by Sunyul’s [Magic Marksman] skill all at once. Everyone cheered at that simple end.

“Great work, everyone!”

“Wow, good job!”

“Seriously amazing… the boss just fluttered away.”

You have successfully cleared a B-class dungeon.

You have broken the record for the shortest dungeon clear time.

Rewards will be issued based on contribution.

Sunyul exited the dungeon along with the cheering members of the Jooseung Guild.

Since the Jooseung Guild also happened to be located in Seoul, Sunyul and Namhee decided to return with everyone in their chartered vehicle. Just as they were heading toward the car, Namhee checked her smartphone, asked for understanding, and stepped away for a moment.

However, the complexion of Namhee, who returned after taking the call, wasn’t very good.

“You guys go on ahead. I think I have to wait here.”

“Huh? Wait for what? There’s nothing out here.”

“A guild I know is raiding a dungeon, and they suddenly lost two members, so they asked me to take a spot…”

Sunyul looked at Namhee with concern. Even if she had preserved her strength thanks to Sunyul, she had just finished a B-class dungeon. He worried that entering another dungeon immediately might be overdoing it.

“Won’t you be tired?”

“I am tired, but it’s okay. As a free agent, I have to earn when I can.”

Watching Namhee speak with such grim determination, Sunyul made up his mind.

“Then I’ll stay too.”

“What? You too, Sunyul-nim?”

“I’d like to gain some experience too.”

More than that, he mostly just wanted to help Namhee. As Sunyul readily volunteered, Namhee’s face brightened significantly.

“Then should I tell them I found one more person?”

“Yes, please do.”

“Th—thank you.”

Namhee immediately started sending messages. Sunyul saw off the members of the Jooseung Guild, who were sad to see him go. Left alone with Namhee, he waited for the car that guild was supposedly sending.

Soon, the car arrived. The hunter who stepped out was a middle-aged man with a kind impression.

“My goodness, Hunter Lim Sunyul! It’s a pleasure to meet you. It’s truly an honor.”

“Ah, hello.”

He was slowly getting used to these intense reactions. The hunter gave a friendly smile and gestured toward the car.

“Please, get in.”

“What kind of dungeon is it?”

“It’s Enhancement Dungeon A—127. It’s what they call an A+ class… but with Hunter Lim Sunyul here, it should be very easy.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

If it was A+ class, he’d have to be more alert than the dungeon he just cleared. Of course, the raid party he’d be with would be stronger than before too… Sunyul told himself not to let his guard down.

“By the way, are you active as a free hunter? Not as an ability agent?”

“I’m just… thinking about my career path.”

“If you said you were joining a guild, everyone would prepare astronomical signing bonuses. It’s a waste.”

Money wasn’t important to Sunyul. The important thing was Muyoung. But that “important” Muyoung had gone and told him to just be a free hunter… Thinking about it again, it was really spiteful.

Eventually, the hunter told him to rest and focused on driving. Sunyul rested with his eyes closed. After the car drove for quite a while, they finally arrived at the dungeon.

Twenty-one people were gathered in front of the dungeon. There were quite a lot of participants, and everyone’s aura was formidable.

Sunyul got out of the car and stood beside the raid party. The raid party simply looked at Sunyul with curious eyes but didn’t show the same reaction as those before.

“Now, attention. I am Jang Sieun, the leader of this raid party. It’s a pleasure to work with you.”

At Sieun’s words, everyone clapped.

“Most of you probably know, but since there are new people, I’ll explain from the beginning. This dungeon consists mostly of mudflats where there’s almost nowhere to step. Therefore, flight skills are essential. Those without flight skills should board Hunter Joo Kyung-hoon’s wooden boat skill.”

The hunter Sieun pointed to waved his hand.

“The gate inside the dungeon is generated in mid-air. Hunter Joo Kyung-hoon will enter first and use the boat skill, so those entering next should jump down toward the boat.”

Jang Sieun emphasized several times that they must jump onto the boat.

“If the mud gets on your body, various debuff penalties will occur, so caution is needed. I’m told that if your entire body is covered in mud, a penalty severe enough to drop your rank by one will occur. Please be careful.”

Sunyul, who thought he might get to experience the mudflats, was somewhat disappointed. This was because the mudflats he saw on variety shows looked really fun.

“High tide arrives 20 hours after entering the dungeon. Our goal is to find an island and rest there before the tide comes in. The ebb and flow of the tide repeats in 20-hour cycles. Islands are always safe zones, so resting on an island is at your discretion. However, if seven days pass, the raid is a failure, so the quest must be completed before then.”

Sieun’s explanation continued. It was certainly tricky. Sunyul poked the serious-looking Namhee.

“Are you very nervous?”

“Ah, a— no…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

“…Yes.”

Whether she was very worried or not, Namhee’s expression remained dark even though he said he would protect her.

The explanation ended, and they began to enter the dungeon in turn. Sunyul took a deep breath and stepped inside the gate. Just as it had been fine in the last dungeon, it might be fine this time too.

And then, a pitch-black darkness spread out before his eyes.

His stomach churned as if it were turning upside down. He was so dizzy he couldn’t tell up from down. Sunyul staggered, unable to stand up straight.

─Sunyul-ah.

It wasn’t just his imagination; a voice called out to him. Sunyul looked toward where the voice came from, but he couldn’t see anything.

─You can’t go.

─Let’s stay together…

[Trait ‘Lost Child of Dimensions’ is activated.]

[Due to the effect of the ‘Lost Child of Dimensions’ trait, you fall into a state of confusion. In exchange, all stats increase by one stage.]

“No… I don’t want to go back.”

Sunyul muttered desperately. He didn’t want to go back. If he went back…

─Really?

The voice asked innocently. Really? The voice asked the same question back multiple times. As he heard that voice repeatedly, Sunyul began to be persuaded bit by bit.

─We’re supposed to be together, aren’t we?

“That’s right, we have to be together…”

[‘Traveler of Eternal Night’ asks if there isn’t someone else you’re supposed to be with.]

He suddenly snapped to his senses.

The person Sunyul wanted to be with was someone else.

Kwon Muyoung.

Where he was was Sunyul’s reality.

Simultaneously with his realization, the darkness gradually lifted. The wandering Sunyul returned to the track.

─You’ll end up coming back.

The voice muttered as if resentful…

…Sunyul felt a strange sensation. Smooth, yet damp. At the same time, with a splat sound, he felt the sensation of his body being buried.

“What? So suddenly.”

“I don’t know, but either way, it worked out!”

His vision was entirely deep brown. Sunyul realized late that he was face-down in the mudflats.

It seemed that while he was seeing strange things, he had failed to maintain his balance in reality and fallen.

But, rather than just being stuck in the mud, something… the feeling was strange.

[Someone has used the ‘Overwhelm’ skill on you.]

Along with the message, his strength drained away and his body became heavy.

[‘Traveler of Eternal Night’ urges you to use Sanctum Declaration.]

The constellation urgently sent a message. Even if the constellation talked nonsense, he had never lost out by listening to these words.

[Using ‘Sanctum Declaration’ skill.]

“Ack!”

“Ugh!”

Screams were heard. It seemed someone had been thrown back by the barrier of [Sanctum Declaration] while approaching Sunyul.

If so, it meant an enemy was very close by.

Sunyul pushed his body up. Something poured down in front of him with a drip-drip.

It was bright red blood.

“H—he’s up!”

“It’s okay, he’s already injured!”

Those who were pushed back while approaching Sunyul were the raid party. In other words, the enemies judged by the skill were them. Likely, this blood Sunyul was shedding was also from a wound they had inflicted.

‘Why on earth is the raid party…?’

Sunyul blinked his eyes, which were hard to see through because of the blood. He was disoriented by the sudden situation, but the countermeasure was clear.

To not engage them.

You have entered an A-class dungeon.

Current participants: 24 (Capacity: 24)

The dungeon entrance will be closed in 7 minutes 12 seconds.

Fighting in a dungeon was disadvantageous in many ways. Assuming they were all in on it together, it was many against one; he couldn’t receive external support; and even if he won, he would have to stay with them until the raid was cleared.

Of course, they also seemed to be blocking the gate as if they intended to truly have it out with Sunyul and prevent him from leaving…

‘I’ve seen plenty of guys who block the gate and hold out while chasing a criminal.’

Sunyul had the thought unconsciously and then clutched his throbbing head. At any rate, they were making him recall useless memories.

Anyway, guys like this were nothing…

“Lim Sunyul.”

From somewhere, a voice he seemed to have heard before rang out.