[Welcome. You have been chosen as a Dungeon Master.]

When he opened his eyes, he was in another world. A game-like message hovered before him, and a crystal sphere floated in the air.

"Is this… a dream?" Sanghyeok muttered, rubbing his eyes again and again. But nothing changed. This was real. He briefly wondered if he'd been kidnapped, but as a shut-in who rarely left his house, he hadn't made any enemies.

[Dungeon Master Lee Sanghyeok's detailed information is now available. Please check the status window.]

Icons materialized before him. He felt a thrill of excitement, like a player starting a new game. Instead of fear, he felt a surge of anticipation. This was the world he had always dreamed of.

'This is it. The place I've always wanted,' he thought, his mind racing. 'I can't believe a world like this actually exists.'

Forgetting any fear of death, Sanghyeok embraced his new life as a Dungeon Master.

His assigned dungeon, Fatal, resembled an ancient Greek temple nestled inside a crystal cave at the base of a cliff, making it difficult for raiders to approach. During his one-month protection period, he diligently developed his dungeon with his supporter's guidance. Quests provided a steady stream of Zen for management, and without any interference, progress was smooth.

Besides, Sanghyeok had always excelled at dungeon defense games. He was confident he could outperform any other Dungeon Master.

When the protection period ended, Fatal was revealed to the continent. The first to challenge it was a party of four D-rank raiders. Using his Merman soldiers and a series of traps, Sanghyeok effortlessly repelled them. His natural talent for games made his first defense a resounding success.

"Amazing, Sir Sanghyeok," his butler-like supporter, Griwell, praised. Sanghyeok's confidence swelled at the praise.

From then on, he killed raiders without hesitation, reveling in it as if he were simply defeating enemies in a game. More raid parties came, but the outcome was always the same.

'This is boring. Are all raiders this pathetic?'

Their numbers grew, but their tactics remained painfully predictable. Just as true boredom began to set in, a C-rank raid party finally appeared.

[A C-rank raid party has appeared at the entrance of the Runda Crystal Cave.]

'C-rank!' Sanghyeok thought with a jolt of excitement. 'They have to be stronger than the others.'

They were a full tier higher than the D-rank fodder he'd grown used to. They would surely offer a more exhilarating challenge. His expectations soaring, he began positioning his soldiers.

Then, another red message flashed into existence.

[Soldiers from the C-rank Dungeon Balak have appeared at the entrance of the Runda Crystal Cave.]

'What the hell? Why are soldiers from another dungeon here?!'

It was the army of Dungeon Balak.

---

The first target, Fatal Dungeon, was located in a crystal cave at the bottom of a cliff. Taehyun had found it easily enough with Junhyun's intel, but the situation had become complicated.

His soldiers, arriving after a two-day march, were now in a standoff with a C-rank raid party. Watching through the monitor, Taehyun scowled. It was an unexpected variable, but not an insurmountable one.

Still, he was pissed off for one simple reason.

"Hey," Taehyun's voice was cold. "Are you trying to screw with me right from the start? Get lost."

"Hehehe," Junhyun's mocking laugh echoed back. "Now you're just pissing me off. I didn't come here looking for you. I told you when I gave you the intel that I'd be hitting a few places myself."

It was Junhyun, standing among the raiders with a new group of companions he'd apparently picked up.

"Shut up," Taehyun snapped. "I called dibs. Scram."

"Come on, Taehyun. We're both in a tough spot here. Don't be like that," Junhyun wheedled. "I came all this way. If you make me leave now, what will I look like to my new friends?"

"Friends, my ass," Taehyun shot back. "You're the type to toss them aside the second they're not useful. Don't try to pull a fast one on me."

"Hehehehe! You damn bastard. Fine. How about we split it fifty-fifty? Just shattering the Crystal Sphere gets you hundreds of thousands of Zen, right?"

It was a tempting offer. Destroying another dungeon's core always yielded a massive payout, regardless of rank. Handing the Dungeon Master over to the raiders wouldn't be a loss. But the very idea of monsters and raiders working together was absurd.

"Don't do anything stupid," Taehyun warned. "The contract is still in effect."

"Of course," Junhyun purred. "Why would I do something like that?"

"What are you going to tell them, anyway?"

The other raiders were already trembling at the sight of a rival dungeon's army. The contract prevented Junhyun's party from attacking Taehyun's soldiers, but a plausible explanation would make things smoother.

Junhyun, however, had no intention of explaining anything.

"Ah, them?" he said with a dismissive wave. "I was going to kill them after today anyway. With your soldiers here, I can handle it myself."

"You crazy bastard," Taehyun muttered, though a grim smile touched his lips. "Fine by me. No rumors, no problems. They all look like C-rank raiders, so I'll just count them as a bonus."

"You're the crazier one here, you know," Junhyun cackled.

Ignoring the jibe, Taehyun ordered his soldiers to attack. The raiders scrambled to flee, but it was useless. Junhyun's scythe blurred through the air, cutting off their escape. A moment later, a volley of arrows from the Goblin Archers rained down as Orcs and Wild Dogs charged into the fray. Thrown into chaos by Junhyun's betrayal, the C-rank raiders were slaughtered.

---

[You have joined forces with a raider and formed a party.]

[You have achieved the Dungeon Master achievement: 'My Enemy, My Friend.']

[You are awarded a C-rank Random Reward Box.]

It had been a while since he'd gotten an achievement. A C-rank reward box just for teaming up with Junhyun.

"'My Enemy, My Friend.' What a joke," Taehyun scoffed.

Under normal circumstances, a Dungeon Master and a raider joining forces was impossible. One attacked, the other defended; betrayal was inevitable. An alliance built on trust was unthinkable without the binding power of a contract.

"Well, it is pretty funny," Junhyun's voice echoed through the cave. "Hehe. To think I'd see the day I'd be raiding alongside monsters. The world really is going berserk."

Junhyun and the soldiers of Balak proceeded together through the crystal cave. The soldiers eyed the Reaper's ominous aura with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. Taehyun issued his commands without concern. As long as the contract held, Junhyun couldn't betray him. The moment he tried, the contract's power would shatter his body.

"It is a strange sight," Taehyun admitted. "Anyway, shouldn't you use that radar?"

"I was just about to."

Stopping before the first room, Junhyun activated a Small Radar. The layout of the dungeon, up to the second room, appeared on both their maps.

The temple-like rooms were long and narrow. A heavy, steel-barred gate blocked the corridor to the next chamber, flanked by two suspicious-looking pillars.

Taehyun studied the entrance through his soldiers' eyes. "The moment we step inside, the entrance will seal behind us."

"And you think monsters will pop out from behind those pillars, don't you?" Junhyun chuckled. "Hehehehe."

An ordinary raid party might have fallen for it, but they were different. The very presence of the steel gate was a dead giveaway. The spaces behind the pillars practically screamed ambush.

"One," Taehyun counted.

"Two," Junhyun followed.

"Three."

In perfect sync, Balak's soldiers and Junhyun charged the pillars. The Merman soldiers hiding there scrambled to counterattack, their gurgling cries filling the air.

But the level difference was too vast. They were cut down in an instant. Just like that, the first room was cleared. The steel gate on the far side groaned open, revealing the path forward.

"Easy," Taehyun stated.

"Easy peasy," Junhyun echoed with a laugh.

It was no different from a beginner's tutorial. They swept through the rooms with contemptuous ease, making their way toward the Crystal Sphere's chamber.

---

[Sebastian and Balak's soldiers have entered the fifth room.]

They had already reached the fifth room. Fatal, a dungeon that had held its own against D-rank raiders, was being torn apart in minutes.

"How am I supposed to stop them?!" Sanghyeok shrieked, his voice cracking. "A raider and monsters working together… Does that even make sense?!"

"This is terrible, sir!" Griwell cried out. "They've seen through the trap in the fifth room!"

"Damn it all to hell!"

Just as his supporter said, the fifth room's trap was useless. Worse, the positions of his waiting soldiers had been discovered. The situation was catastrophic. This was a high-level player slaughtering a novice. Even Sanghyeok, with all his supposed talent, was helpless.

[You have been defeated in battle.]

[Sebastian and Balak's soldiers have entered the corridor leading to the sixth room.]

They were closing in. Only the final chamber remained. For the first time, a genuine, chilling fear of death seized Sanghyeok, and his body began to tremble.

"I-I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" he sobbed.

"Sir Sanghyeok, you must escape!" Griwell urged.

"Escape where?!" Sanghyeok screamed back. "They've blocked every exit!"

On the monitor, he could see that a few of the enemy soldiers had been left behind in each corridor, methodically sealing any chance of retreat. In a last, desperate gambit, he tried to open the System Shop.

[The shop function cannot be used while enemies are inside the dungeon.]

Even the System had abandoned him.

'This is a dream,' he told himself, his confidence shattering.

He had believed he could conquer this world just like a game. Back home, everyone had praised his talent. He had thought himself an extraordinary Dungeon Master, but now, he was on the verge of annihilation.

Grinding his teeth, Sanghyeok retreated to the Crystal Sphere's chamber with his remaining soldiers. Soon, the invaders breached the final room, and the two forces stood facing each other.

"H-Hey!" Sanghyeok called out, trying to keep his voice steady. "You two obviously teamed up for mutual benefit. How about you hear me out?"

Silence.

"It's not a difficult proposition," he pressed on, sweat beading on his forehead. "You've seen my dungeon. I have real talent as a Dungeon Master. If you join forces with me, you'll gain even greater profits down the line. What do you say?"

At his proposal, Junhyun and the soldiers glanced at each other. For a D-rank dungeon, Fatal was impressively well-run. If left to grow, it would surely become a formidable fortress. Junhyun pulled a communication device from his pocket.

"I knew it," Sanghyeok said, a sliver of hope returning.

Junhyun nodded, seemingly in conversation with someone. When he finished, he sheathed his massive scythe. Sanghyeok's face lit up. It was a desperate gamble, but the gesture suggested he was interested.

"Hey. You're the Fatal Dungeon Master, right?" Junhyun asked.

"Uh, yeah. That's me. So, what do you think of my offer?"

"It's all good," Junhyun said, his lips twisting into a cruel smile. "But…"

"...But?"

Junhyun's expression hardened. "If you're going to beg for your life, you should be on your knees, groveling. Who the hell do you think you are, making proposals?"

"What?!"

"And a certain Mr. Yoo has a message for you," Junhyun added, his voice dripping with mock politeness. "Learn some damn manners."

"Wh-What does that mean?!"

While Sanghyeok stammered in confusion, Balak's soldiers advanced, their killing intent a palpable wave. The Merman soldiers shrank back, trembling.

"D-Don't do this!" Sanghyeok pleaded, his desperation mounting. "I can become the strongest Dungeon Master! That's right! You might not know, but back in my world, I was a famous pro gamer called Huxley! A game like this is a piece of cake for me!"

He scrambled for anything that might save him. "Think about it! I have potential! You could always use another ally, right?!"

Junhyun just picked at his ear, looking bored. "Ah, Huxley. I remember. The rank two player from 'Dungeon Defense Online' who lost to me so pathetically."

"H-Huh?! How did you—Wait, you were a player too?!"

"Yup," Junhyun chirped. "But you know, I'm tired of listening. Just hurry up and die. Hehe."

With a final, mocking laugh, he gave the signal. Balak's soldiers fell upon the Mermen, tearing them to pieces. Sanghyeok, leaning against his Crystal Sphere, could only shake his head in disbelief.

"Don't do this! We're both from South Korea! If you played 'Dungeon Defense Online', you have to know! I'll be incredibly useful! I have talent!"

"So what?" Junhyun sneered. "You're still the guy who got his ass kicked by me. Hehehe."

"N-No!"

Soon, the last of the Merman soldiers fell. Surrounded by the monsters of Balak, Sanghyeok collapsed to the floor.

And just like that, the D-rank Dungeon Fatal was erased in a single day.

---

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