A building on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
A base of the villain organization, the Black Knot.
On the surface, it was no different from an ordinary guild, but most of the jobs they handled were dirty and bloody.
“These fucking idiots……”
Kim Sangwook, the organization’s leader and the man who would later be called a traitor to humanity, was there.
He ground his teeth.
“What the fuck did you morons do for a dungeon we own to end up in someone else’s hands?!”
The enraged Kim Sangwook grabbed an ashtray and hurled it.
Crash!
A chair shattered outright.
One of his subordinates, cautiously watching his mood, answered with his head bowed.
“We’re looking into it right now as well. It seems one of our guys caused some kind of incident.”
“Fuck, so what the hell does one of our guys screwing up have to do with our dungeon ending up in the hands of some bastard we’ve never even heard of?”
Veins bulged across Kim Sangwook’s reddened forehead.
In truth, the person most terrified right now was Kim Sangwook himself.
'I’m fucked. Seriously.'
He had been receiving orders from a demon for quite some time.
The fact that he held a position within the Black Knot, and even the fact that he had managed to rise to the position of an A-rank hunter, were all thanks to that demon.
The most important order he had received from his master.
'Do not let anyone take possession of the dungeon where the source of demonic energy is hidden.'
The demon had said that he would retrieve it when the proper time came.
And yet that dungeon had ended up in someone else’s hands.
'Damn it, these stupid bastards.'
If he had known in advance, he could at least have taken measures, but an entire day had passed before he learned what had happened.
Just then, another subordinate rushed in from outside after hurriedly finishing a phone call.
“We confirmed the owner! It’s a guild called Ten Million Guild, owned by a hunter named Kim Cheolsu!”
In reality, it was a shell guild fabricated by the information broker Baekmuk, but there was no way Kim Sangwook could know that right now.
“So? What the hell am I supposed to do with that?”
“What?”
“What changes just because we know who owns it? You want me to go find Kim Cheolsu, smash my head into the ground, and beg him to give it back?”
Kim Sangwook spoke through clenched teeth.
The eyes of the subordinate who had brought the information shook violently.
Who owned it was not important.
What mattered was how to stop them.
'There’s no way they’ll clear it, right? Only D-rank hunters can enter that dungeon.'
A dungeon containing a source of demonic energy developed special properties.
Because of that, only D-rank hunters could enter this particular dungeon, and its difficulty was also abnormally high.
It would not be cleared easily.
But if, by some chance, the dungeon was cleared……
The dungeon would close, and the source of demonic energy would disappear with it.
'Then that bastard will kill me that very day.'
Not only all the wealth and prestige he had built up until now, but even his life would be in danger.
He had to stop it.
With that thought, Kim Sangwook raised his head.
“Did the guys we sent to the dungeon earlier arrive?”
“Yes. We picked some useful ones from among the D-ranks and sent them.”
The Black Knot was no ordinary guild.
Most of the guild members who made up the Black Knot were villains who had caused trouble in society and then disappeared underground.
They were perfect for resolving a situation like this.
Because they could act without being bound by the law.
No matter what happened, they were disposable pieces whose tails could simply be cut off.
“Fine. We can always get another dungeon. Tell them to recover the source of demonic energy inside no matter what.”
As long as he recovered that, he could somehow make things work.
The subordinate watching his expression cautiously asked,
“Um…… What if another guild is already clearing it?”
“What?”
Kim Sangwook looked at him as though wondering why he would even ask such a thing.
“Obviously, they deal with it quietly. But……”
There was always the possibility that something unexpected could happen.
A clash could break out, or someone could make an issue of them intruding into the dungeon.
The answer to that was simple.
The Black Knot was a villain organization.
And it was nothing more than a tool for his master.
The corners of Kim Sangwook’s mouth curled upward in a vile grin.
“Tell them to kill every bastard who gets in the way.”
Ten Million Guild?
He had never even heard of it.
It was probably some third-rate guild made up of nothing but D-rank hunters.
And a dungeon was the perfect place to bury people like that.
***
Two villains, one crazy bitch, and one normal person.
Naturally, that one normal person was me.
'Park Inseong, the Tyrant Hunter. Lee Yejun, the Lightning Villain. Jin Sea, the Thief of the Phantom World.'
Marveling at Baekmuk’s talent selection, I looked over the members of the party.
They did not look much different from how I remembered them.
Except Jin Sea, who was still a high-school student.
'He put together one hell of a party.'
Still, I had to admit that they were competent.
Clearing the dungeon itself might not be difficult.
As long as nobody stabbed me in the back.
“Then shall we head out?”
Park Inseong stepped forward with his shield on his back and a pleasant smile on his face.
I raised an arm briefly and stopped him.
There was something I absolutely had to do before we left.
“Just a moment. I need to make a quick call.”
“Come on, you should’ve done that beforehand.”
I moved to a place where my voice would be difficult to hear.
One of the party members might have a hearing-enhancement Skill.
I took out my smartphone and dialed a number.
'This dungeon probably wasn’t originally owned by Baekmuk. The future must have changed when I handed him the soul contract.'
Originally, this was a dungeon that the traitor to humanity, Kim Sangwook, should have continued to own.
The source of demonic energy stored in this dungeon was also supposed to pass into the demons’ hands without difficulty.
'The dungeon suddenly ended up in Baekmuk’s hands. Which means Kim Sangwook is going to try something too.'
He was probably running a villain organization, so he would definitely send his subordinates.
I brought the connected phone to my ear.
“This is the Hero Association, right? I’d like to report something.”
The Hero Association was different from the Hunter Association.
Commonly known simply as the Hero Association, it was a group of awakened people specializing in dealing with villains.
They were the kind of heroes commonly seen in superhero movies.
I briefly explained what I needed, then ended the call.
This was a kind of insurance.
'This should be enough.'
If things went well, I might get everything done without lifting a finger.
I returned to where the party members were gathered.
“I’m done.”
“Oh, if it was that urgent, you could’ve just said so. Bodily functions can’t be helped, after all.”
“……That wasn’t it.”
“Ha ha ha, you went so far away that I assumed.”
Park Inseong slapped me on the back and burst out laughing.
And he called that a joke……
“Then now that everyone’s here, let’s go in.”
The entrance was made of stones stacked in layers.
The interior was too dark to see, but it was unmistakably a dungeon.
With Park Inseong leading the way, we entered.
In an instant, the mountain scenery turned yellow.
『 Entering a Special Dungeon. 』
『 All party members satisfy the dungeon’s Special Restriction (D-rank or below entry requirement). 』
I was Level 40, but still D-rank.
Normally, the moment I reached Level 40, I would become C-rank.
Thanks to Talent Adjustment, my Rank advancement had been delayed.
Being able to enter the dungeon with the maximum possible stats was an advantage.
“Whoa. Hard to believe this is a D-rank dungeon. It’s enormous.”
Park Inseong looked around in surprise.
A scorching desert.
Endless sand dunes stretched beneath a deep blue sky.
Beyond the wavering heat in the distance, two pyramids were visible.
Between them was a forest resembling an oasis.
'This is unusual even among Special Dungeons.'
Most lower-rank dungeons were enclosed environments such as caves rather than open fields like this.
It was probably safe to assume that the source of demonic energy was responsible.
“Ugh, the sun is so hot.”
“I feel like I’m going to die……”
The desert heat and the blazing direct sunlight were brutal.
Jin Sea and Lee Yejun’s faces turned bright red.
I was just as hot.
“Just a moment. I’ll hand out the ice kits.”
Park Inseong was the leader of this party.
He took the ice kits Baekmuk had provided in advance from his inventory and distributed them.
They were patches that attached to the arm.
『 Ice Kit used. Body temperature will remain stable. 』
'Whew.'
The effect was definite.
Coolness spread through my entire body, cooling down the heat that had made me feel as if I were burning alive.
Baekmuk’s attention to detail was impressive if he had even prepared things like this.
“Then let’s keep moving while watching our surroundings.”
The desert field was wide open in every direction, making it easy to keep an eye on our surroundings.
'The scenery is nice, at least. When else would I ever get to visit a desert?'
Come to think of it, I wondered where this place actually was.
This was not Egypt, yet there were enormous pyramids.
Maybe another world had places similar to Earth.
I continued forward, looking around for any traces the source of demonic energy might have left behind.
『 The effect of Skill ‘Perception Lv.10’ is activated. 』
『 Experience for this Skill increases. 』
I saw the sand trembling faintly not far ahead.
I stopped the party.
“Wait.”
“What is it?”
Park Inseong asked with a frown.
I pointed ahead.
“There’s a monster over there.”
“I don’t see anything.”
Park Inseong craned his neck forward as though taking a look, then grinned.
“It doesn’t matter even if a monster appears. I’ll block it safely for everyone. I’m the leader, so don’t worry and just follow me. Understood?”
Apparently, he desperately wanted to show off his abilities.
Still, he had not completely ignored my warning.
He took out his shield, gripped it, and moved forward.
And after he had gone a little farther—
Fwoosh!
The trembling sand erupted into the air, and scorpions burst out.
They were enormous scorpions that looked nearly two meters long.
There were seven of them.
The problem was that we had already walked into the middle of them.
The monsters had surrounded us.
“Oh, you were right. You’ve got sharp eyes. Still, everyone, there’s no need to worry. You have me.”
Park Inseong spoke as though he had been waiting for an opportunity like this.
He took a deep breath, then hammered the axe in his other hand against his enormous shield.
Bang! Bang!
The scorpions approaching the party instantly turned their heads toward Park Inseong.
'A Taunt Skill?'
Park Inseong had pulled aggro across a wide area and focused the monsters’ attention entirely on himself.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The seven scorpions reached him and repeatedly stabbed at him with their tails, but Park Inseong raised his shield and blocked every attack.
“……Move away. Casting lightning magic.”
Lee Yejun, who had been preparing his magic since the scorpions appeared, muttered quietly.
Park Inseong probably could not even hear him.
“He said move!”
Jin Sea, who had drawn her dagger, shouted in his place.
At her words, Park Inseong leaped backward.
At the same moment, a streak of blue lightning shot from Lee Yejun’s hand.
Crackle!
The lightning struck the first scorpion and scattered sparks as it spread to the nearby scorpions.
The electrocuted scorpions all stiffened and convulsed at once.
Jin Sea plunged into that opening and began weaving freely between them.
The scorpions’ hard shells peeled away, and Jin Sea’s dagger dug into their vital points.
The battle ended in an instant.
'Baekmuk really did put together one hell of a party.'
Their attacks flowed naturally into one another even though they had never practiced together.
Considering they were only D-rank, it was impressive.
'But there’s nothing for me to do.'
Sure enough, the party members’ gazes gathered on me.
“……”
Jin Sea approached while twirling her dagger and said,
“Hey. Could you at least pretend to move?”
……
I wanted to hit her.
If one of the others had said it, I probably would have let it go, but hearing it from her somehow pissed me off.
Just as I was about to respond—
Rrrrrrrumble……
The sand-covered ground began to shake violently.
“W-What is that?”
“Something’s coming!”
Fwoosh!
Before we could react, sand erupted high into the sky.
At the same time, a gigantic centipede burst from the ground.
It seized Jin Sea by the back of the neck, then shot straight upward.
“Aaaaaagh!”
Jin Sea’s scream echoed through the air.
The centipede rose high as though proudly displaying the length of its body.
It looked to be at least fifteen meters tall.
Oh.
I took in the vivid sight.
For some reason, my chest felt refreshed.
It felt as though some of the resentment I had kept bottled up from the past was being washed away.
“W-What do we do?”
“Damn it, Taunt isn’t working!”
Lee Yejun and Park Inseong were panicking.
Still, compared to these villains, Jin Sea was a good-hearted hero.
Even if she was my enemy, I should probably save her.
It was also the perfect opportunity to test my new weapon.
I pulled the spear from my inventory.
“Park Inseong, shield!”
I kicked off the ground and charged toward him.
“Huh? Ah!”
He was quick on the uptake.
Park Inseong raised his shield toward me.
I jumped lightly and stepped onto it.
A beat later, Park Inseong shoved the shield upward with all his strength.
I timed myself with him and kicked off the shield.
Bang!
With Park Inseong’s Strength combined with the power of my legs, I shot upward in an instant, all the way above the centipede’s head.
'Never thought I’d be pulling off combination plays with a villain.'
I could see Jin Sea caught in the centipede’s mouth.
The tears gathered at the corners of her eyes glittered.
Apparently, she really was terrified.
I drew back the arm holding the spear.
Crunch!
『 The effect of Skill ‘Strength Lv.11’ is activated. 』
The muscles in the arm gripping the spear swelled unnaturally, thick veins rising across them.
My hand trembled like a bowstring pulled taut.
'A giant centipede’s weak point is its head.'
During the brief moment I had in midair, I calmly aimed at its head.
It was so enormous that avoiding Jin Sea while hitting it was not difficult.
『 The effect of Skill ‘Throwing Lv.11’ is activated. 』
All that remained was to throw the spear.
The strength I had gathered exploded outward at once, and the spear in my hand shot forward like a cannonball.
It tore through the air with a violent blast of pressure and hurtled toward the centipede’s head.
Before the centipede could even react, the spear struck the exact center of its head.
Thudududududu!
The spear drove into the centipede’s face and tore straight through the inside of its body.
The giant centipede, pierced through from head to body, began thrashing violently.
“Aaaaaagh!”
Because of that, Jin Sea was launched high into the air once again.
'Works well. Is it because it has the Penetration Skill?'
With a mild sense of admiration, I landed on the ground.
Sand scattered around me, creating a faint cloud.
『 You have defeated the Giant Centipede and acquired 92 points. 』
『 Soul Devourer absorbs the target’s soul. Current Soul Concentration: 23% 』
'So Soul Devourer can absorb a soul even when I kill something with the spear.'
I had learned something new as well.
Boom!
A moment later, the dead giant centipede collapsed onto the ground.
A huge cloud of sand scattered across the area.
Plop.
Finally, Jin Sea fell headfirst.
She was still a hunter, so she was sturdy.
Jin Sea buried herself straight into the sand.
“Ugh. Ptooey, ptooey. Ugh……”
Jin Sea struggled upright and spat out the sand in her mouth.
Her hair was a complete mess from all the sand stuck to it.
Only after confirming that the giant centipede was dead did Park Inseong and Lee Yejun approach.
“Ahem. So you were hiding this kind of strength.”
“Whoa……”
The looks the two future villains gave me had changed.
It was not like I had been standing around earlier because I wanted to.
Still, being praised by future villains did not exactly make me feel happy.
“Yeah, well.”
As I gave a vague response, the ground began trembling faintly again.
This time, the vibration was so slight that only I could feel it.
I turned my head toward Jin Sea.
But it was already too late.
Ssssss……
“Huh?”
The ground beneath Jin Sea’s feet was sinking.
A gigantic antlion pit directly beneath her began dragging her in without mercy.
“Aaagh! Why?! Why is it always me?!”
Jin Sea shouted indignantly.
Why do you think……?
Maybe it was karma.
Karma from the future.