Chapter 2: Awakening

At the entrance of a dungeon in Gangneung, a free dungeon that any hunter can enter.

Dungeons in the capital or major cities have long been reduced to the private property of guilds. There was no interest in the inconvenient and small-scale local dungeons. They were merely leftovers, like indigestion after a feast.

And hunters preparing for a raid would not be friendly to salespeople in such places.

"Mr. Naro, it's Obiwan."

"Bad luck, get lost."

When Obiwan handed over his business card, one of the hunters deliberately threw it on the ground.

"I'll offer you the highest purchase price in the industry! Please be careful as you enter!"

Nerves were on edge. Despite the poor reaction, Obiwan's smile, like a Guy Fawkes mask, did not waver.

Perhaps his efforts paid off, as someone spoke from behind him.

"Hello. Are you the Naro Corporation representative?"

"Yes! I'm Obiwan, a specialist in resource acquisition!"

Turning his head, unfortunately, it wasn't a hunter.

It was a man in a suit, a year or two younger than Obiwan.

"I'm Namhyuk Kim from Transcend Corporation. It's tough to do sales these days, right?"

"Yeah, it is. But not as bad as you... Are you okay?"

There was a clear handprint on his left cheek, suggesting he had been hit by a hunter.

"This is nothing. But does Naro Corporation also do dungeon sales? Big companies usually don't come to places like this."

"Wherever we can do business, we go. That's all."

"Still, Naro Corporation is a big company. It must be better than mine."

"Sales are the same everywhere."

What good is a company when dealing with crazy hunters?

The hunters disappeared into the dungeon, leaving the two of them to chat. They talked about the kind of things only salespeople would understand.

Compared to Naro Corporation, Transcend Corporation was like a small shop. Their main clients were hunters using free dungeons. As a result, being hit or ignored by hunters was a common occurrence.

As they became more comfortable, the younger Namhyuk smiled and even offered a can of coffee.

"Sir, where are you heading next?"

"Probably the Yellow Dungeon, it's close from here."

"Ah, there won't be much there. Hunters don't go there often."

"Why? Is the dungeon small?"

"Yes, it's small and there aren't many monsters. Only beginners go in there."

'Still, I have to go.'

— Take a picture inside the dungeon. And if you turn off your GPS, you're dead.

That was what Team Leader Kim said when he gave him the list.

From the day he started to now. It's always been a struggle, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt like cursing.

"See you next time."

"Good luck, sir. Oh, if Naro Corporation is hiring, could you text me?"

"You'll regret it. But I'll let you know."

'If I quit, maybe I'll take your place...'

Swallowing his words, Obiwan gave a bitter smile and said goodbye.

*

'Damn, I should have skipped this.'

In the scorching heat of July, wearing a suit and carrying a backpack, with a briefcase in his right hand, climbing the mountain felt like a death sentence.

Sweating profusely, he finally reached the dungeon entrance, a crevice between jagged rocks.

But there was no dungeon manager, not even an ant in sight. The wind-blown leaves only added to the eerie atmosphere.

'After all this effort, damn...'

Cursing, he approached the entrance.

Suddenly, two hunters burst out of the entrance.

Hunters around Obiwan's age, beginners with cheap gear.

"Damn, what a waste of time. There's a reason no one comes here. I should have stayed away."

"For God's sake, how many times do I have to say it? I didn't know it would be this bad. You choose the next place, got it, bastard!"

"Okay. But... what's that?"

"Suit and backpack. Is this the new dungeon fashion?"

The hunters tilted their heads when they saw Obiwan.

"Hello, I'm a sales representative from Naro Corporation. We offer the highest purchase price for dungeon resources in the industry."

"Another one. You came here to sell something?"

They spoke to him casually, but he was a hunter. Obiwan responded with a gentle smile.

"Yes. Wherever hunters are, I'll go, hehe..."

"Pointless. There's no one else here."

"Is that so? What about the monsters?"

"Monsters? We're looking for them too. If you see any, let us know."

They chuckled.

"Looks like you had a tough climb. Since you're here, why not check out the dungeon?"

"There won't be any monsters, but it's cool inside. Have you seen the boss room?"

"No, I haven't even been inside a dungeon yet."

"Good. Then take a look around."

With a casual wave, they walked away.

'God, this is so annoying.'

As Namhyuk had said, it was a wasted trip. He was tired, but he had to do what he had to do.

Obiwan took out his phone at the empty dungeon entrance and took a picture.

He sent it to Team Leader Kim and stared at the dungeon entrance.

A dungeon only hunters could enter.

The dark blue entrance seemed to beckon him.

'Should I go in?'

With no manager and no monsters, it shouldn't be dangerous. This was his chance to see a dungeon with his own eyes!

With a pounding heart, Obiwan stepped into the dungeon entrance.

*

After a squishy sensation, an alien landscape unfolded.

Despite being a cave without sunlight, it wasn't dark.

The walls were illuminated by glowing moss, just as he had heard.

The musty smell and cool temperature soothed his sweat. He touched the walls, marveling at his first dungeon.

The cave was smaller than he expected. Following a winding path, he soon found himself in a dead-end room.

'This must be the boss room.'

The size of a swimming pool, the center of the room was marked with a large circle and intricate symbols and letters. At the center of the circle stood a chest-high altar.

'What is this...!'

As he stepped into the circle, the surroundings began to shake.

It was as if his vision was distorted, and he heard a voice.

— Prove yourself.

"?!"

Startled, he looked around. A whistling sound was followed by a burning sensation in his body. He saw the sharp tip of a spear protruding from his stomach.

"Damn... this is..."

Drops of blood fell, and the mysterious voice spoke again.

— Suitable

'What?'

Suddenly, the boss room disappeared, and a new landscape unfolded.

*

The spear that had pierced his stomach was gone.

He felt no pain. It seemed like a dream, but the hole in his shirt and the bloodstains were real.

Obiwan recalled the mysterious voice that started it all.

'Damn... prove yourself, huh...'

And as soon as he heard 'suitable,' he was transported to a completely new space.

Even though other hunters had entered before him, why did this strange event happen to him?

The only difference was that Obiwan was a novice and this was his first dungeon.

'But... where am I?'

Obiwan scanned his surroundings. It was nothing like the dungeon with the boss room.

A large hole in the cave ceiling let in light. The ceiling, as high as a ten-story apartment, was supported by numerous stone pillars. Standing alone in the vast cave, he felt a chill.

'I can't spend the rest of my life here...'

For his siblings, he had to get out.

Changing into fresh clothes from his backpack, Obiwan began to explore the dungeon.

The further he went, the dimmer the light from the hole became, and the glowing moss on the walls emitted a blue light.

After a short distance, he noticed a faint light slanted on a diagonal line. As he approached, the light reflecting off the blue moss became clearer.

"What's this in a dungeon?"

A wooden handle as thick as an arm. One of the blades was deeply embedded in the cave floor, and the wide, flat blade of a pickaxe protruded outward.

A pickaxe in a dungeon? If no one was using it, there was no reason for it to be here. He looked around but saw nothing unusual.

Half afraid, half curious, he reached for the pickaxe. It was deeply embedded, and no amount of force could budge it.

Just a pickaxe.

"It's not Excalibur or anything."

He kicked it and even sat on it, but it was futile.

After struggling with the pickaxe for a while, Obiwan decided to continue exploring the cave.

About 100 meters further, another strange object caught his eye.

A thin, tall pillar, as high as a person, with a fist-sized black sphere floating in the air above it.

In the air...?

'Why is this cave so weird?'

As he approached the sphere, his hair stood on end.

But it looked quite valuable. He had seen countless minerals brought by hunters, but this was the first time he saw something like this.

With a mix of fear and curiosity, he reached under the floating sphere. The sphere in his palm was unexpectedly warm.

Obiwan looked at his reflection in the black sphere. His nose and mouth were distorted, reminding him of playing with a convex mirror as a child.

'Back then, I didn't know my future would be this miserable.'

As he chuckled, the surface of the sphere began to ripple.

"What, what is this!"

The hard surface of the sphere became fluid, flowing like ink.

Then, an even more astonishing change occurred.

The liquid, which seemed about to overflow, seeped into his skin, forming tiny letters!

'Runes?'

They were definitely the runes found in dungeons, which he had seen on TV.

The smooth surface and perfect spherical shape. Overcome by fear and curiosity, he pushed his hand under the floating sphere. The sphere in his palm was unexpectedly warm.

Obiwan looked at his reflection in the black sphere. His distorted nose and mouth reminded him of playing with a convex mirror as a child.

'Back then, I didn't know my future would be this miserable.'

As he chuckled, the surface of the sphere began to ripple.

"What, what is this!"

The hard surface of the sphere became fluid, flowing like ink.

Then, an even more astonishing change occurred.

The liquid, which seemed about to overflow, seeped into his skin, forming tiny letters!

'Runes?'

They were definitely the runes found in dungeons, which he had seen on TV.

The runes spread from his wrist to his arm, shoulder, and chest, covering his entire body.

A sensation like being pricked by needles was followed by convulsions.

And.

Thud, thud.

His joints and bones twisted. His skin and muscles were torn, and hot blood flowed through his veins, an unbearable pain.

"Aaaah!"

He wished he could faint, but the damn consciousness was frustratingly clear. To forget the pain, he thought of his siblings, then Team Leader Kim and the company, and the looming deadlines.

'Damn!'

He gritted his teeth and endured for a long time.

And then, at some point.

The pain disappeared as if by magic. He felt refreshed and invigorated.

His body felt different. The wounds on his shoulders and hands had vanished, and his shoulders and back, which had been hunched, felt straighter.

What surprised Obiwan the most was the status window that appeared.

Moreover, he could read and understand the runes in the status window.

Runes he had never learned.

Then.

Thin lines began to spread from his fingertips. When he took off his shirt, the lines, like veins, spread across his body, emitting a blue light.

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