3.

One day before entering the Special Dungeon, Buja chose not to rest. Instead, he set his sights on clearing another dungeon.

"Right now?" Seora's voice was sharp with concern over the phone.

"Yes. I'll just pop in and out quickly."

It was 1 a.m. While he wasn't technically pressed for time, most players would spend the day before a major run resting and recovering. Her worry was understandable. If he had requested a Normal or Rare dungeon, she might have assumed he was just warming up. But he had asked for an Epic dungeon.

"Wouldn't it be better to rest?" she pressed. Despite her faith in him, the question carried genuine care.

"Don't worry. I'll be out before our meeting tomorrow."

"I know that. I'm just worried you'll wreck your condition," she said, her tone slipping into that of a manager.

She was right, and he couldn't argue. A quick run might end in half a day, but there was no telling what could happen inside. It was entirely possible he'd only crawl out just in time for their scheduled meeting. Still, he couldn't back down.

[Today's Mission!: Clear Dungeon]

▶ Grade: Epic

▶ Details: Clear an Epic Dungeon

▶ Reward: 'Random Pet Summon Ticket (1)'

An Epic mission had suddenly appeared from a skill that normally only produced Normal or Rare quests. The description hinted that generated missions were influenced by his Gold Power. For an Epic mission to show up at only two Gold Power meant this was a rare chance he couldn't pass up. More importantly, the reward was something he couldn't obtain anywhere else right now. In some ways, this was even more valuable than the Special Dungeon itself.

"Alright," Seora sighed, relenting. "I'll prepare the easiest Epic dungeon for you—but clear it fast and get out."

"Thanks."

Fortunately, she didn't push further. After the call, Buja gathered his gear and scooped up Hwangdo, who was rolling lazily on the bed.

"Kyu!"

"You're coming with me today." He hadn't taken the pet into a dungeon before, but with a Special clear looming, the circumstances were different. "You'll have to earn your keep."

This was a pet that had cost him a staggering 200 gold. In the unpredictable depths of a Special Dungeon, it needed to at least be capable of saving his life in a crisis.

"Tweeet!" Hwangdo squawked, flailing in annoyance.

With that, the two of them set off on their first dungeon outing together.

* * *

Buja's opinion of Hwangdo was simple.

"Don't cause trouble," he ordered, setting the creature on his shoulder. "Just stay put. With your build, the best you could do is take down one pitiful monster."

'A completely useless pet in a dungeon.'

It was a logical assumption. Sure, Hwangdo's base stats outstripped his own, but what could a newborn gold dragon from a gacha pull really do? It was like giving a real sword to a child—you'd be lucky if they didn't cut themselves.

That was what Buja thought… until an orc, drawn by the scent of a human, lumbered into view.

"That's an orc," he said with a patronizing glance at Hwangdo. "When you're grown, it'll be nothing more than a snack. But right now? You'd suffocate just from its belly fat."

"Tweeet!"

As if to deny the insult, Hwangdo flapped his tiny wings furiously and dove straight at the orc.

"Hey, you stupid lizard!"

Caught off guard, Buja yanked out his dagger and sprinted after him. With those stats, Hwangdo might survive a hit, but a fist-sized body couldn't possibly put that strength to use. Useless or not, this was his only Legendary pet. He couldn't let it die.

But he was too slow. His stamina was solid—over twenty—but his agility was still a miserable nine. He could only watch as Hwangdo and the orc barreled toward each other, both bracing for impact.

He clicked his tongue. "Cheap bastard. Body-slamming a sparrow."

It was like a dump truck plowing into a compact car. He steeled himself to catch Hwangdo after the inevitable crash.

'THWACK!'

"...Huh?"

Buja blinked. He had to take a moment to process what he'd just witnessed. The dump truck had smashed into the compact car—only to be sent flying instead.

'So this is a dungeon.'

A fist-sized gold dragon had just annihilated an orc in its first-ever fight, purely on the strength of its stats. It was a brutal reminder of the law of the jungle that governed this place, a sight he would have to get used to.

"Guess you're not completely useless after all."

In that instant, he tossed aside his assumption that Hwangdo was just a feathered freeloader until he could sink gold into him.

[☆ Condition fulfilled.]

[The dungeon will now be cleared.]

[You have completed 'Today's Mission!: Dungeon Clear'.]

[You have acquired 'Random Pet Summon Ticket (1)'.]

Around noon, after half a day inside, Buja emerged from the dungeon wearing a bright expression. Seora was waiting, worry written all over her face.

"Did you get what you wanted?" she asked.

He nodded without hesitation. "And more. All preparations are done. As long as no weirdos show up in the Special Dungeon, we'll be fine."

[You have acquired 'Goblin (N)'.]

['Pet Codex' has been activated.]

Normally, pulling a worthless Normal pet from an Epic reward would've made him curse his luck. But the system message that followed wiped away any complaint.

"I'm heading straight to the hospital."

'The Pet Codex?' The name alone screamed potential. Later, soaking in a private recovery tub, he confirmed it wasn't just a hunch.

[Pet Codex]

▶ Normal

1. Goblin

▶ Rare

▶ Epic

▶ Unique

▶ Special

▶ Legendary

1. Gold Dragon

Tapping on his pet status revealed the new codex, which listed his owned pets and explained why it had activated upon acquiring a second one.

▷ Legendary Codex Effect (1) is now active.

1. All Stats +10

2. Attack Power +8

3. Defense Power +8

4. Gold Power +3

"Haaaaah…"

'What is life?' He let his body go limp, overwhelmed by a sudden sense of unreality.

"Legendary," he whispered, looking at the small creature splashing in the water beside him. "I'm sorry for underestimating you, Hwangdo."

"Kyuuu!"

Was it because he'd received a Legendary class from the start? Because he'd seen the word 'Legendary' on skills and items more often than 'Normal' or 'Rare'? He wondered if he'd simply become desensitized to its significance. That was why he hadn't expected much from Hwangdo—the main prize of VIP Level 2—and had neglected him for weeks.

In the end, it didn't really matter. The codex had only activated because he'd gotten a lucky pet ticket from a mission. Even if he'd known Hwangdo could fight, the pet wouldn't have been strong enough to be a deciding factor.

Still, he felt a pang of regret. He had to do better in the future.

"I will quietly trust that there is a deep meaning behind everything you give me," he vowed to the Gold Maker system. He was beginning to understand that the benefits of his class weren't like the manipulative cash grabs in the games he used to play. This was different.

He gently scooped up the shrieking creature. "Tweeeet!"

"You little lucky charm," he murmured, rubbing Hwangdo's soft feathers against his cheek.

Who could dare call him useless? Just by existing, Hwangdo raised all his stats by ten, his attack and defense by eight, and even his special Gold Power stat by three.

"The pet system is a revolution," he declared to the empty room. "Spending 200 gold to raise my VIP Level was one of the best choices I've ever made."

And so, he could now say with absolute confidence, "The preparations are complete."

He had never intended to clear the Special Dungeon with Sijun as a real party. The media might believe they were tackling it together, but Buja had no illusions about getting help from a guy who could barely handle a Unique dungeon. This was a reconnaissance mission, a practical training exercise to see if a solo clear was possible later.

In fact, this might be even harder than a solo clear. The condition was to kill 500 monsters in a dungeon designed for up to five people. In a Special dungeon, where even normal mobs were as strong as bosses from regular dungeons, that was a nightmarish prospect. It was why he'd been grinding for every last coin right up until the day before. Even so, he hadn't been certain.

▶ Enhancement Stage Level: 2

1. Weapon Level: 3 (Attack Power +15)

2. Hat Level: 2 (Strength +1)

3. Top Level: 3 (Defense Power +10)

4. Bottoms Level: 3 (Defense Power +10)

5. Gloves Level: 2 (Agility +1)

6. Shoes Level: 2 (Stamina +1)

He'd gotten lucky, succeeding on a 70% chance to get his weapon, top, and bottoms to level three without a single failure. But the word 'Special' still carried an immense pressure. He had needed one more significant boost to feel truly confident.

Now, the Pet Codex had filled that gap. No, it had more than filled it; his power was now overflowing.

"If I can't clear it with this much preparation," he said with a grim smile, "then the problem is my skill."

The only question that remained had nothing to do with clearing the dungeon.

"Now, shall we go see what you've prepared for me, Sijun?"

It was time to find out why he had been dragged into this charade.

* * *

A massive crowd had flocked to Paju, where the Special Dungeon gate shimmered. It included not just players and guild members, but ordinary people as well. While Special dungeons were notoriously difficult, this level of public interest was extraordinary, especially when Legendary dungeons were, on rare occasions, being cleared.

The reason was simple.

"Is our country finally producing a top ranker?"

"We have rankers. The problem is we don't have any 'top-tier' rankers."

"I heard Park Sijun has a Special attack-type class. Does that mean Kim Buja is also an attack type? He must be at least Special, right?"

"A lot of people are predicting he's Legendary."

"Nah, Buja is all about skill. His class might be something unexpected, like Unique or even Epic."

Korea, the gaming powerhouse. Its era of global domination had ended five years ago. On the list of top-tier rankers—a separate classification for the top 100 players in the world—there were only three Koreans. Not a single one was in the top ten.

Naturally, the nation watched with bated breath. In an age that transcended borders, there was still a deep-seated patriotism that swelled at the sight of a fellow countryman's name at the top of the rankings, admired by the world. Furthermore, it was common for players who showed immense potential in one-star dungeons to ascend to the highest ranks, which was why so many had come to witness this attempt in person.

Amid the focused attention of thousands, Buja walked toward the gate, his expression nonchalant, his steps even. He didn't say a word.

"He's walking in there like it's a Normal dungeon."

"Shouldn't he be leaving a will or something?"

And then, he went in.

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