H-D1 was our team's designation. I nodded, and Heejong broke into a friendly smile.

"Hey, great to meet you! Just a second." He turned to his crew. "Swap out modules seven, nine, and sixteen."

"Understood."

The technicians began connecting tubes to his suit. With a sharp hiss, a component detached. Once the inspection was complete, Heejong strode over and offered his hand.

"Yang Heejong, rank-5 licensed hunter from Garam Management."

"Kim Yusin."

"Ms. Shin told me about you. Graduated from the academy early, I hear? Hey, I'm your senior, so it's cool if I speak casually, right?"

"Of course."

He gave my shoulder a few friendly pats. "Let's see, an early academy graduate… that's the classic elite track, isn't it? Man, I came up through the provisional system, so I always get a little jealous. But then again, academy kids tend to freeze up in the field. Not you, of course, I just mean in general. You know what I mean? There's always one who starts screaming for their professor when a monster shows up."

"It happens," I said, forcing a smile.

'Is he a male version of Nara? The guy never stops talking.'

"Welcome."

A new person joined us. She was a woman in her late twenties, dressed in a form-fitting black suit, her long, wavy hair cascading over her shoulders. She had the sharp, meticulous air of a career woman.

"Jo Yoonji, rank-5 licensed hunter."

I shook her hand as well. "A pleasure. I'm Kim Yusin."

"You came alone? I was told you had another team member."

"Yes, she should be here any—"

"Hello!"

As if on cue, Bora came sprinting into the parking lot, breathless. She immediately bowed a full ninety degrees to all of us.

"I'm Jin Bora, a player from the academy! I look forward to working with you!"

"The academy?" Yoonji repeated, letting out a nearly imperceptible scoff.

'What's her problem? This was all arranged beforehand.'

"Yang Heejong, rank-5 licensed hunter," the man said with a slick smile, his eyes raking over Bora's outfit. "My, my. Such a young student hunting monsters? I'm so worried. What are we going to do?"

"Thank you for your concern! I'll do my best not to be a burden!" Bora replied, her smile unwavering despite his slimy gaze.

I stepped back in. "The two of us are the core members. As we notified you, we also have two guests."

Guests. Non-regular party members. Usually, this meant novice players seeking experience or scavengers hired to carry gear and process corpses.

And the guests I had brought were none other than…

"A pleasure to meet you," said Seojin.

"Hello!" chirped Eunsol.

It was Seojin and Eunsol. The moment the two rank-5 hunters saw them, their faces hardened.

"…What is the meaning of this?" Yoonji demanded, her voice cold as she glared at me. "Is this some kind of field trip? I know they're guests, but this party composition is a joke!"

"Whoa, whoa, Ms. Yoonji, the little one can hear you. You shouldn't raise your voice in front of a child," Heejong said, holding up his hands, though his own expression had grown stiff.

"I'm just curious," I said with a nonchalant shrug. "They're only guest members. Is there a problem? I was under the impression this was all settled with the CEO."

Before the party was formed, I had laid out my conditions to Nara: Bora and I would be the core members, and we would be bringing two guests. Nara had accepted those terms and found people willing to agree. Somehow, two rank-5 licensed hunters had signed on. I'd wondered why such skilled hunters would accept, but a message from Nara had cleared it up.

—Nara: Don't feel any pressure about being in a party with rank-5s! They both understand the situation. In return, they've been promised merits and bonuses on future dungeon assignments.

In short, it was the management's way of nurturing a rookie. These two knew exactly what they were getting into, and they were being compensated for it. Yet here they were, throwing their weight around.

Besides, it didn't matter who we brought as guests. Scavengers and porters didn't need to be skilled players. They had no looting rights and received no rewards. The rank 5s weren't losing a thing. My guess was they were either trying to establish a pecking order or angling for some other advantage.

Just as the tension was about to boil over, Heejong raised his arms.

"Alright, that's enough, Ms. Yoonji. I'll handle this. Yusin, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure."

I followed him behind the trailer.

"Yusin, you're new to this scene, so you might not get it, but the hunter world has its own customs. You know what I mean? I get it. I was like that at first, too."

He launched into a long-winded speech. It was so predictable, I let it go in one ear and out the other. It was all about tradition.

"It's not just us. You know what I mean? It's not about being uncomfortable or feeling bad, it's just how things are done." Heejong continued, "Even if guests don't get a reward, it becomes a sensitive issue inside a dungeon. You have to look after them, protect them from monsters… it's twice the work. You know what I'm saying, right?"

He droned on, but it was all just noise. I listened quietly before cutting in.

"So you want to split the mana stone income 1-to-1-to-1, instead of 1-to-1-to-2?"

'What a shameless thief. He was using this flimsy excuse to take Bora's share, too.'

"Hey now, I'm not forcing you. You know? It's just how it's always done."

'This guy is the type to get under your skin while acting all smooth and friendly.'

I sighed lightly. "Fine. Let's do it that way."

"I knew you'd understand!"

Heejong tapped my shoulder a few times before walking away. I followed him back to the group, half-worried my team would be discouraged by the veterans' power play.

"Eunsol! Look, there are berries on that tree!" Bora exclaimed.

"I want some!"

"What are you waiting for? Iron Man is here to help you!"

They were playing around, completely unfazed. As I approached, Bora flashed a sweet smile and whispered, "Should I just kill them in the dungeon?"

…She had quite a temper.

"Don't do anything reckless. I'll handle it myself when the time is right."

"Okay, Yusin."

"Yusin," Eunsol said, trotting over to tug on my pant leg. "Did something happen?"

"No, no. Nothing at all." I stroked her hair. "Are you scared about going into a dungeon?"

She shook her head firmly. "I'm not scared!"

Eunsol showed no trace of nervousness. People always got it wrong, but of all the Magic Tower members, she was the one who had killed the most monsters. She'd spent years in a slum, single-handedly defending a town-sized area. That was something most licensed hunters couldn't do. In terms of sheer experience, she was the veteran of our group.

"We've got a notification!" Bora announced.

Everyone checked their phones. Heejong's voice cut through the air. "Everyone, in the vehicle. It's starting."

'Rumble!'

The sky, clear just moments before, began to darken. We all frowned at the ominous sight. The Calamity was about to begin.

* * *

We rode in a large van, the radio broadcasting a stream of news about the Labyrinth Dungeon.

"The Labyrinth Dungeon, the third Calamity to visit our country, has officially begun! Licensed hunters and provisional players are joining forces to suppress the threat! We now have an interview with rank-4 hunter, Choi Ahram…"

"All anomalies, including rifts and standard dungeons, will disappear for the duration of the Labyrinth Dungeon. We ask the public to remain calm and carry on with their daily lives."

"Economists predict that the massive influx of mana stones will cause a sharp drop in domestic prices. As a countermeasure, the government…"

I listened quietly, then looked out the window at the sky.

'What would you even call this?' The sky had cracked open. Fluorescent lightning, in colors I'd never seen, arced across the darkness, and strange, planet-like objects drifted through the void. It was a scene from a science fiction movie. Gates would soon open everywhere under this alien sky.

"Feels like the end of the world," Bora remarked.

"Alright, everyone! Briefing time!" Heejong clapped his hands for attention. "We'll arrive at our designated dungeon in five minutes. According to the Association authorities, it's a grade 4."

"About that," Yoonji interjected. "I'll be blunt. For a grade-4 dungeon, we think it's best if just the two of us go in."

"What?" Bora blurted.

So that was their angle. They could handle covering us in grade-2 or 3 dungeons, but navigating a grade-4 while protecting guests was too much to ask. Therefore, the two of them would go in as an elite team.

"Once we enter, we need you to wait near the entrance," Yoonji instructed.

"Of course," I said, nodding agreeably.

She seemed a little surprised by my lack of resistance.

"Haha! See, Ms. Yoonji? I told you! The kids these days are reasonable if you just talk to them!" Heejong said. "Don't take it the wrong way. This is for your own safety, you know? We'll definitely team up for the grade-2 or 3 dungeons, but this is a tough situation. We all know what dungeons are like. Leave this to the pros."

After his rapid-fire speech, he turned to me. "You want to come, Yusin? An early academy grad probably wouldn't be a burden."

"Thanks, but I have my own responsibilities," I said with a thin smile. "I'll stay at the entrance and protect the guests."

"You sure? Alright, if you say so."

He seemed to accept that, and we moved on. Soon, we arrived at the dungeon's location.

'Whoooooosh!'

A gaping black dungeon gate pulsed in the middle of the road. We parked nearby and approached on foot. The road was deserted. In the distance, I could see another gate where a different van was dropping off a team of players.

"Alright, let's go!"

Heejong led the way, and we followed him into the black pit.

'Swoooooooooosh!'

The world twisted, and our surroundings reformed. We were in a realm of ice. Glaciers towered over a frozen sea, and massive sheets of ice drifted through the frigid water.

"Well then, we'll clear this quickly and be back," Yoonji said, already walking away.

As he turned to follow her, Heejong added, "Feel free to hunt some of the nearby monsters. Just don't overdo it."

The moment the two of them were out of earshot, Bora's temper flared.

"Ugh, those arrogant bastards! It took everything I had not to smash their faces in!"

Seojin just yawned. "You'll find people pulling rank wherever you go."

"I hate it! I swear I'm going to sew their mouths shut."

"Bora, what's 'sew'?" Eunsol asked.

While they chattered, I was communicating with Ea back at the tower.

-Tower Master. I have found a matching dungeon.

'Okay. Project it onto a screen in front of me.'

A hologram, visible only to my Sage's Eye, materialized in the air. I studied it for a moment, then turned to my team.

"Everyone, get ready."

"What are you planning?" Bora asked.

"We're going after them."

They stared at me, confused. I rolled my stiff shoulders and continued.

"If we leave them alone, those two are going to get themselves killed."

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