Chapter 24
The reason Johan threw himself into the portal was simpler than expected.
For some reason, he felt it was partly his responsibility.
‘Was I too harsh?’
If Yusol hadn’t lost her mind, she would have followed Steve’s guidance and taken shelter.
“But where am I?”
It was his first time seeing this dungeon. The surroundings were like a tropical rainforest, covered in dense green foliage.
Even if people were nearby, finding them would be tough in such a place.
“It looks like I’ve landed far away. I can’t sense anything.”
Yusol was nowhere to be seen. She must have fallen to a different location.
“I heard that in an unstable dungeon during a rampage, even a 0.1-second difference can lead to falling in different places. It’s true.”
He recalled the giant hand that had grabbed Yusol. That monstrous red hand could probably tear her apart in an instant.
“I need to find her quickly. She might already be dead.”
He had to believe she was alive. In rescue missions like this, time is critical.
Even if she were dead, recovering her body was important. That’s the mindset a Tracer should have.
“Si-jong.”
He called Dazzy. Wiggling the bandage on its tail, Dazzy snuggled up to Johan, delighted to see him.
“Dazzy, let’s find a person.”
Johan showed Yusol’s smartphone to Dazzy.
Her scent would be strong on the smartphone, and Dazzy could use it to track her down.
Dazzy, nose to the ground, moved slowly forward. Right now, he had to trust Dazzy.
With Johan’s ability to extend his senses and Dazzy’s highly developed sense of smell, they could find Yusol.
Alex suppressed his urge to follow Johan immediately.
He and Steve were the only ones who could stop the rampage right now.
“Damn it. Why did he have to follow her in?”
Entering a rampaging dungeon was tantamount to suicide.
In an unstable portal, five people could end up in five different places.
If someone accidentally entered the portal, the modern protocol was to consider them as good as dead and focus on stopping the rampage.
“If he dies, I’ll confiscate all his money.”
Boom—
A massive foot struck the square.
A bipedal monster with white, horse-like manes flowing down its back.
Red-skinned bulls, known as Tau, roared menacingly. Their reddened eyes looked ready to devour people alive.
“Of all things, it had to be Tau. This is really messed up.”
D-rank top-tier, practically classified as C-rank, Tau were monsters that Johan couldn’t handle alone right now.
No matter how much he had improved recently, there were still limits.
“All civilians have been evacuated! We’ll stop the rampage now.”
Slash—
Steve drew a greatsword and cleaved the Tau in two with a single stroke.
His movements were natural and precise, revealing his combat expertise. Alex stepped back to give Steve room to move freely.
“Phew. All I can do is pray. Please be alive, Johan, you troublesome guy.”
In a rampage situation, extended worry was a luxury.
What’s done is done; now they had to rely on luck.
Fwoosh—
As if venting his frustration, a powerful aura emanated from Alex.
The rampaging Tau momentarily lost their nerve.
Alex kicked off the ground, jumping five meters in an instant.
Positioned vertically above the Tau’s head, he drew a bow from behind his back.
“Spring Rain.”
An arrow made of magic was nocked on the bowstring. Pulling it back with all his might, he aimed at the crown of the Tau’s head and released.
Whoosh—
The single arrow multiplied into two, then four.
Doubling every 0.1 seconds, the arrows became sixteen and embedded themselves into the Tau’s head.
The Tau’s head turned into a beehive, and it fell with a heavy thud, dead on the spot.
Landing softly, Alex held his head as he looked at the Tau running in all directions.
“Steve, request support from all nearby guilds. We’re going to wipe these guys out.”
The forest was vast. It reminded him of the Amazon rainforest, with humid air sticking uncomfortably to his skin.
“How far have I fallen? I haven’t seen a single monster.”
Johan sighed deeply as he walked down the endless path.
He had been walking for an hour, but not a single monster was in sight. He must have landed in a remote area by bad luck.
“The golden hour has passed. Should I just pray to find the body intact?”
He felt heavy-hearted. This kind of guilt never got easier, no matter how long he had been a Tracer.
At that moment, Dazzy tapped the ground as if sensing something.
“Did you find something?”
Dazzy nodded. He quickly dug into the ground and gestured for Johan to follow.
Johan followed and saw a large tunnel for the first time, his mouth agape at its size.
“The tunnel is much bigger than I thought…”
It was wide enough for him to bend slightly and move through comfortably. The underground was cooler and more pleasant than outside.
Thump, thump.
Footsteps were heard above. It seemed to be a monster.
“I didn’t know tunnels could be used this way. It’s quite useful.”
He didn’t need to encounter monsters right now. In such an unknown place, conserving energy was crucial.
After walking for about 30 minutes, Dazzy gradually slowed down.
The straight tunnel began to incline diagonally upward.
“Is this the place?”
Nod, nod.
Light was visible. Dazzy pointed upwards and circled in place.
The source of the scent seemed to be just above.
“Please, please be alive.”
Slowly, Johan headed outside. Squinting against the strong light, he quickly leaped onto the ground.
“Hup.”
Preparing for any potential danger, he drew the priest’s dagger but almost dropped it in surprise at what he saw.
“What is she doing?”
The person he had been so worried about was leisurely napping in the middle of the dungeon.
All his worries seemed pointless now.
“She’s the strangest person I’ve ever met. Napping in a dungeon. Is she crazy?”
If she looked like an advertisement even in such a situation, it was due to her exceptional talent.
“Hey, Miss Yusol.”
He shook her. She woke up, rubbing her eyes and stretching vigorously.
“Oh!”
Shielding her eyes from the sun, she saw Johan’s face up close and bumped her head on a tree in shock.
“Ouch! What are you doing here? That coffin is mine?”
“No, well, you left your phone behind.”
“Did you come to save me?”
“Because I’m a Tracer.”
“You have no sense of mood.”
How could she be so nonchalant?
Holding her smartphone, Yusol laughed at Johan’s expression, clutching her stomach as if it was the funniest thing ever.
“No, really, say something. Communicating with just facial expressions?”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Very. ‘Why was this crazy girl sleeping in a dungeon?’ Isn’t that what you were thinking?”
“Spot on. I have nothing to add.”
“Ha. That’s hilarious. Well, you don’t know what kind of person I am, so I get it.”
Finished stretching, she pulled out a wallet and handed a card to Johan.
Unconsciously accepting the card, Johan momentarily doubted his eyes upon reading it.
“Awakener’s ID…?”
It was indeed an Awakener’s ID. And it wasn’t F-rank but E-rank.
Seeing her puff out her chest, it was clear she wanted to boast a little.
“Wow, you’re better than me. Starting off as E-rank.”
“Heh, I’m somewhat of a rookie? Though this is my first time in a dungeon.”
“But I never heard you awakened?”
She was the top star in Korea.
Even Johan, who had no interest in the entertainment industry, knew her. If she had awakened, the news would have spread widely.
“Of course, you wouldn’t know. The president of my agency went to great lengths to keep it a secret.”
“Oh, I see.”
Johan, imagining the life of a top star for a moment, nodded in understanding.
Movies, dramas, songs, and even advertisements.
She must easily make over 10 billion won a year.
Her income, far surpassing that of an S-rank Hunter, was something the agency president could never let go of.
“He probably blocked it to break your spirit, right?”
“You’re like a ghost. Do you worship some deity?”
“I worship the god of the dead.”
“That’s hilarious. You could be a comedian.”
“It’s true, but let’s move. We’re not setting up camp here, are we?”
“Shall we?”
Standing up, Yusol fell in step behind Johan. Thankfully, she had some sense of the situation.
“The way is long. We’ll have to search around for the portal.”
“Understood. Let’s go!”
“Dazzy.”
Sniff, sniff.
Dazzy, who had been hiding underground, poked his head out in front of Johan’s feet, waving his bandaged tail and blue eyes.
Johan hoped Yusol would be startled by Dazzy. It would be a small reward for all the effort he put into getting here.
“Eek!”
Sure enough. For someone who had never been in a dungeon before, Dazzy would be too…
“Too cute!”
“Huh?”
…cute. Yusol casually petted Dazzy’s head.
“Oh, that’s no fun.”
“Are you a Summoner? How did you get such a cute mole?”
“Well, something like that.”
She was truly an incomprehensible person. Are all celebrities like this?
The two moved through the tunnel that Dazzy had dug.
The tunnel was surprisingly comfortable.
Thanks to it, they could search for the portal without encountering any monsters.
This was what Johan relied on.
“I might need to move like this more often. It’s better than expected.”
“Hey, Johan.”
“Yes?”
“I think I know where I’ve seen you. You’re famous, aren’t you?”
“There’s no need to strain your memory. It’s not something to boast about.”
“So, what’s the most interesting thing you’ve done as a Tracer? Any memorable experiences?”
She chattered away, asking about the life of an Awakener.
“There’s nothing special in the life of a low-rank Hunter. The corpses I see while on missions aren’t particularly pleasant,”
“But it must be rewarding. Seeing people happy.”
“They’re happy, sad, and everything in between. It’s quite demanding.”
As he spoke, he occasionally watched her expressions.
From her ever-changing expressions, Johan could tell.
She desired the life of a Hunter more than her current life.
She longed for the strong and free life it seemed to offer.
“Don’t idealize it too much. Being a top star is a hundred times better.”
“I don’t know about that. Being a free Awakener seems a million times better.”
Her face was pure. But that also meant she was easily susceptible to disappointment.
“It’s not as free as you think.”
Humans always long for what they cannot have.
The world of Awakeners, like the entertainment industry, was glamorous on the outside but often hollow inside.
“I know. I have many Awakener friends, and I’m not exactly a sheltered flower.”
“Then why on earth?”
“Risking my life. Risking my life for my work is so alluring. I’ve never done that before.”
“That’s not such a good thing.”
“Sometimes there are things more precious than life. Just like how there can be a life that doesn’t feel like living.”
Seeing her look beyond the horizon, Johan silently closed his mouth.
Sympathy couldn’t be forced, and it was best to remain silent on pains one couldn’t empathize with.
“It seems we’re almost there. I can feel the portal’s magic.”
After walking for about an hour, they could feel the fluctuating magic from a distance.
Thankfully, the portal was gradually stabilizing.
“Shall we head out? It seems Dazzy can’t dig any further from here.”
The path to the portal was composed of solid rock for the remaining distance.
Approximately 300 meters.
Running at full speed, they could reach it within a minute. Since she was an Awakener, she could keep up.
“The problem is the monsters.”
Peeking out, Johan confirmed the monsters around the portal.
About 20 of them.
“Tau?”
The monsters were the ferocious Tau. The owner of the red hand that had captured Yusol was also a Tau.
“How are you even alive? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone survive being captured by a Tau.”
Now that he thought about it, Yusol being alive and well didn’t make sense.
She should have been crushed to death. How was she perfectly fine?
Grinning broadly, Yusol laughed.
Beating her chest like a proud gorilla, she seemed to be showing off.
“It seems like my ability is needed. Shall I show you?”
