Hyeon-su raised his guard once more as he found himself facing a space unlike anything he had encountered so far.
In the center of the circular cavern stood an altar made of stone.
"Design Mode."
Before entering the cavern, he examined its structure to prepare for any unexpected situations.
'So this is right in the middle of the maze.'
He checked several other areas, but there was nothing particularly unusual.
'It's only an E-Grade Dungeon, but I still shouldn't let my guard down.'
After waiting for his cooldown to finish, Hyeon-su stepped into the cavern.
'It's obvious the boss monster is going to appear from that altar.'
After waiting a short while.
RUMBLE, RUMBLE, RUMBLE.
The stone altar began moving on its own, its sections shifting like pieces of a puzzle as they started forming an enormous figure.
GRRRRRR.
CLUNK! CLUNK!
'So the altar itself was a monster.......'
This Dungeon was remarkably consistent. The walls were monsters, and even the altar was a monster.
Eventually, the pieces assembled into a massive figure. Arms and legs took shape, while the head and torso moved into their proper positions.
It transformed all on its own, just like the transforming robot cartoons he had watched as a child, until a familiar-looking monster appeared.
'A Golem.'
FLASH!
Two red lights flashed in its head as its eyes opened.
'Hmm.'
Its enormous size gave off an overwhelming sense of intimidation, but Hyeon-su wasn't as frightened as he had expected.
'I've already shown enough courtesy by waiting this long for it to transform.'
"Design Mode."
HUMMM.
Everything froze, and an enormous hologram of the Golem appeared before his eyes.
Just as he had expected, a round core was visible in the Golem's chest.
Although far more monsters lacked such weaknesses, there were occasionally monsters with these kinds of critical weak points.
Like the Slime he had encountered in his very first Dungeon.
Of course, knowing about such an Achilles' heel didn't necessarily make a monster easy to defeat.
But Hyeon-su was different.
Because he possessed a special skill.
[Cut]
"Deactivate Design Mode."
The air trembled as though time had begun flowing again.
CRUMBLE!
CRASH—!
THUD! THUD!
The stone Golem collapsed into a heap of rubble.
-Boss monster defeated.
-You have gained 8 EXP.
-You have gained 8 EXP.
-First Dungeon clear achieved!
-Luck takes effect!
-First-clear reward granted.
-You have acquired a Recovery Elixir (S-Grade).
-A Dungeon Gate will appear in 10 seconds.
'S-S-Grade?'
Hyeon-su's eyes widened like saucers as he read the messages.
'An S-Grade item.......!'
He immediately opened his Inventory to check.
"Inventory!"
A grid appeared before his eyes, and an item glittering with golden light immediately caught his attention.
<Recovery Elixir>
-Grade: S
-The ultimate recovery item, combining the mysterious essence of nature with ancient healing magic.
-Can instantly heal all types of wounds.
-Can remove all types of poison and curses.
-Can instantly and completely restore Life Force and Stamina.
-Grants immunity to fatigue and increases Stamina for 30 minutes.
Tremble. Tremble.
Hyeon-su's hands shook.
'An item like this actually exists.......?'
He had only ever heard rumors about legendary items like this. Almost none had ever been publicly revealed.
There was no guarantee that every first Dungeon clear would yield an S-Grade item, but if it were true, the Hunters who achieved those first clears would have monopolized the rewards and kept the information secret.
'Well, I wouldn't go around telling everyone either.'
A considerable amount of time had passed since Dungeons first appeared, so there probably weren't many uncleared Dungeons left. Still, if he managed to achieve another first clear, he might obtain another S-Grade item.
'I should start looking for Dungeons that haven't been cleared yet.'
The first Dungeon that came to mind was the Underground Tower Dungeon.
Ordinary Tower Dungeons were climbed upward, from the first floor to the second and beyond. However, there was exactly one Dungeon in South Korea where Hunters descended instead.
That Dungeon was also an uncleared E-Grade Dungeon, and since it had a maze-like structure, Hyeon-su couldn't help feeling a surge of anticipation.
'If things go well in the Underground Tower Dungeon too.......'
Just thinking about another S-Grade item made the corners of Hyeon-su's mouth curl upward.
With a delighted expression, he approached the remains of the boss Golem and placed his hand on them.
"Collect."
-You have acquired 2 Stone Debris.
-You have acquired 1 Golem Fragment.
-You have acquired 1 Golem Core.
-You have acquired 1 Lowest-Grade Magic Stone.
-You have acquired 1 Pebble......
"Okay. Doesn't look like there's anything else."
Just then.
A message appeared before his eyes.
-Congratulations!
-E4385 Dungeon has been cleared for the first time!
Hyeon-su stared blankly at the message.
'Ah...... I overlooked this.'
Whenever a Dungeon was cleared for the first time, every Hunter in South Korea received a notification simultaneously.
'At least it doesn't say who cleared it.'
Of course, even if he had known, he would still have cleared the Dungeon.
After all, he already knew that Hunters who achieved the first clear of a Dungeon received substantial rewards.
'Though I didn't know it'd be an S-Grade item.'
Ordinary people might not know, but the Korean Hunter Association, which managed Hunters' entry into Dungeons, would find out.
They would know that he was the one who had cleared this Dungeon for the first time.
'Phew. I'll probably get a call from Department Head Hong Seok-jin.'
From this point onward, he would have to act according to the situation.
'I need to delay that information getting out for as long as possible.'
No matter how powerful a Hunter was, outside a Dungeon, they were nothing more than an ordinary person.
After all, they couldn't use their skills in the real world.
Of course, Hunters were highly respected because of their profession, so few people dared to mess with them. But compared to government authorities or major guilds, they were insignificant.
That was why he needed to increase his strength as a Hunter as quickly as possible.
'Let's get out of here first.'
Hyeon-su activated Design Mode once more and examined his surroundings.
'I should at least check whether there's a Hidden Dungeon somewhere.'
After confirming that there was nothing else, he stepped outside.
By then, the clouds were sparkling with golden and pink hues beneath the light of the setting sun.
'Huh?'
Just then, he heard the voices of the bastards he had encountered inside the Dungeon as they came out.
'Oh, for crying out loud. Now I'm getting pissed off again. I didn't even want to save them.'
Ordinarily, when a Dungeon was cleared, a Dungeon Gate appeared near the Hunter inside.
Since party members were generally gathered together at the final location, only one Dungeon Gate would usually appear nearby. However, if Hunters were separated by a considerable distance, another gate could appear depending on how far apart they were.
When Hyeon-su defeated the boss and cleared the Dungeon, those bastards must have received the Dungeon-clear message as well.
'And they probably came out through the Dungeon Gate that appeared right in front of them.'
Although the gates that appeared inside could be different, there was only one entrance outside, so they were bound to run into one another after leaving the Dungeon.
Hyeon-su looked at the men and raised an index finger to his lips.
'Shh.'
Nod. Nod.
He had already warned them to keep their mouths shut, so word about his skill probably wouldn't spread.
Not unless they genuinely wanted to die.
After giving them one final warning with his eyes, Hyeon-su headed home.
'Still, I'm glad I don't have to deal with any restoration or cleanup work in this Dungeon.'
He hadn't made any major alterations to the Dungeon's structures. Since the walls he had destroyed were monsters, they would reset on their own.
The moment Hyeon-su emerged from the Dungeon, he checked the Hunter community.
-Title: Breaking News!!!
E4385 Dungeon is the Maze Dungeon, right?
Guess it's not an uncleared Dungeon anymore~
-Who cleared it? There's nothing in any of the guild announcements.
-Wow, but how did they clear it? There's no walkthrough for that place.
-Luck, obviously. It's a maze, isn't it? Even mazes have an end, right?
-I'm seriously dying to know how they cleared it.
-No idea who did it, but please post a walkthrough~
-Would you post it if you were them? Hahaha.
Hyeon-su browsed the community, gauging public opinion.
Judging by the situation, nobody seemed to know who he was.
'Well, I only became a Hunter the day before yesterday. There's no way anyone would know me.'
As Hyeon-su read through the comments, he picked up a useful hint.
"Oh~ Luck, huh....... I like that."
Just then.
BZZZZZZ!
His phone began vibrating.
[Hunter Association Department Head Hong Seok-jin]
'As expected.'
He had anticipated receiving a call, so he was surprisingly calm.
BZZZZZZ.
As the phone continued vibrating, Hyeon-su pressed the answer button.
CLICK.
"Hello."
-Hello, Hunter. This is Hong Seok-jin, head of the Dungeon Management Department. We met the other day.
"Ah, yes. What can I do for you?"
Hyeon-su had a good idea of what Department Head Hong was going to say.
'It's probably about what just happened.'
-I was calling to ask whether you were the one who just achieved the first clear of the Maze Dungeon.
'Just as I thought.'
"I'm sorry, but it wasn't me. There were already other Hunters inside when I entered."
-Ah...... Is that so?
"Was that everything you called about?"
-......
A brief silence followed Hyeon-su's question.
"Then I'll hang up?"
Just as Hyeon-su was about to end the call, Department Head Hong's urgent voice rang out.
-H-Hunter! Please wait!
"Yes, I'm listening."
-Hunter, please do not misunderstand what I am about to say. We are quite familiar with the three Hunters you mentioned were inside the Maze Dungeon. However, they are not the kind of people who could clear that Dungeon. I am sorry to say this, but those fellows simply do not possess the ability. In fact, I just called them to confirm, and they said they were not responsible. That is why I am convinced you were the one who cleared the Maze Dungeon this time.
Department Head Hong continued speaking without pause.
-Please understand that I am not trying to interrogate you or cause you any trouble.
After taking a breath, Department Head Hong continued.
-And I understand perfectly well why you are going to such lengths to conceal this. I solemnly promise that I will protect your secret without fail. I will also do everything in my power to support you. So could you please trust me and tell me the truth now?
There had been a case in the past where a Hunter revealed early on that he possessed a Hidden Class.
A foreign country had subsequently attempted to kidnap him, and in the end, things had turned out badly for that Hunter.
Even now, there was a strong possibility that similar incidents were secretly occurring in various parts of the world.
Hidden Classes were that special, and there were plenty of countries capable of the worst atrocities.
Hunters were even occasionally exploited as political resources.
That was why Hyeon-su had tried to conceal his identity for as long as possible, until he gained enough strength to stand against government authority.
After all, once he reached S-Grade, he would be able to use his skills even in the real world.
'From that point on, I won't have to worry about anyone else's opinion.'
Hyeon-su calmly responded to Department Head Hong's request.
"Trust you, Department Head Hong? I'm really sorry, but you're just a civil servant. I understand what you want from me, but I have my doubts about whether you possess the power to keep that promise."
-If I do have that power, will you give me a chance?
"I'll decide after hearing what you have to say."
At Hyeon-su's uncompromising response, Department Head Hong let out a sigh before continuing.
-Very well. Although it has not been officially announced yet, I have been designated to become the next president of the Association starting next year. Therefore, I should have more than enough authority to protect you at the national level.
Hyeon-su couldn't hide his surprise at Department Head Hong's words.
Aside from his age, the position of president of the Hunter Association wasn't something just anyone could attain.
'Does he have political influence too?'
-Would this be enough to earn your trust, Hunter?
Department Head Hong asked once more, his voice serious.
'If he's willing to reveal something like that under these circumstances, he's practically certain, not merely suspicious.'
It was only natural for him to have such suspicions, considering that strange incidents had occurred in every Dungeon Hyeon-su had entered.
At this point, he wouldn't be able to keep his secret for much longer anyway.
'I suppose moving my plans forward a little wouldn't hurt.'
Ultimately, Hyeon-su decided that it would be better to operate with the full support of the government.
At last, he opened his mouth.
"You're almost completely convinced that I have a special Class, aren't you?"
-Yes, that is correct. Your actions speak for themselves. And the thought that your Class might be capable of saving our South Korea makes me all the more desperate.
"South Korea, huh....... I'm not someone who's that devoted to serving the country. I'd rather you didn't place those kinds of expectations on me in the first place."
-Ah...... Yes, I will keep that in mind. Then......
Hyeon-su took a deep breath before continuing.
"What you're expecting is correct. I have a Hidden Class."
And upon hearing Hyeon-su's answer, Department Head Hong's hands began to tremble.