Chapter 22 – Toward the Boss Room
After the intense battle, Ha-Joon stood still, gazing at the lifeless bodies of the monsters scattered on the dungeon floor. His expression was calm, but his thoughts were racing.
"Even in my base form, I already hold considerable power…" he thought to himself.
He turned his head to glance behind. Jin-Ah and Song-Yi were safe, approaching him cautiously now that the immediate danger had passed.
Song-Yi stepped forward, her voice trembling just slightly.
— "So… what now, Ha-Joon? What do we do?"
Ha-Joon looked at her and answered with quiet determination.
— "We keep going. We head to the boss room and defeat it as quickly as possible. That's the only way to close the gate and get everyone out safely. Let's move."
Without another word, he began walking toward the direction from which he had sensed that ominous surge of mana when they were first pulled into the dungeon. The air around them grew colder, denser, as they descended deeper.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the dungeon, Cha Hae-In had already entered the rift. The S-Rank hunter moved with elegant precision, her senses sharp and alert. She had been summoned quickly by the Guild after the dungeon suddenly manifested near her location. Her golden eyes scanned the shadows.
Before long, other guild members joined her, returning from their search with multiple civilians they had rescued.
People cried and hugged one another, grateful to be alive.
But something gnawed at Cha Hae-In's instincts.
"This doesn't add up," she thought. "A dungeon of this rank should've had more casualties. Most people should've been killed or seriously injured… something's off."
Turning to her team, she gave a brief order.
— "Get the civilians out of here. I'm going to investigate further."
Her team nodded, and she advanced alone into the depths of the dungeon.
As she made her way forward, she began to encounter bodies—monster corpses, each showing signs of battle. She crouched beside one, inspecting the wounds with her expert eyes.
Slash marks. Blunt force trauma. Magical burns.
Cha Hae-In narrowed her gaze.
— "I see. When this dungeon opened… there was a hunter already here."
It began to make sense. "He must've drawn the monsters' attention, fought them off. That's how those civilians survived. But where is he now…?"
She paused, thinking.
"He must be heading for the boss room. If he defeats the dungeon boss, the gate will close. I have to hurry and support him before it's too late."
With swift movements, she sprinted deeper into the dungeon, her sword ready.
Back on the other side, Ha-Joon arrived in front of a massive red door. It loomed before them, embedded with the skulls of defeated monsters. Thick mana leaked from the cracks, filling the air with pressure that made it difficult to breathe.
Ha-Joon stared at it with calm intensity.
— "This is it."
He turned to the girls.
— "I'm going to summon something for your safety."
He focused his energy and created two clones of Happy, his flying companion.
— "These clones will fly with you. If the situation becomes too dangerous, get out of here. Most of the monsters in this dungeon can't fly, so you'll be safer in the air."
Jin-Ah and Song-Yi looked at the winged creatures in awe. Happy's clones floated gently, wings buzzing with energy, waiting to carry them if needed.
Ha-Joon turned back to the gate. The air was heavier now, the mana almost whispering threats in his ear.
He clenched his fists and nodded to himself.
— "Let's do this."
He took a step forward—toward the boss room.
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