According to Kim Cheolsu, there wasn’t anything particularly dangerous inside—just some unidentified creature about the size of a small lizard. But since Kim Cheolsu and the others had managed to come back alive, it couldn’t be that threatening.
He’d said it could use magic, hadn’t he?
Besides, it was only one. If it was just one, Kang Cheon was confident he could deal with it quickly and head back.
And if it turned out to be a baby dragon like he suspected, he’d capture it and bring it back.
An Esper who captured a dragon… that would be legendary.
They said it could use magic, but Kang Cheon was certain he wouldn’t lose even there.
After all, the fire he created was the strongest on earth…!
'…So where the hell are Kim Wooju and that lizard hiding?'
He’d planned on dragging Kim Wooju to the upcoming S-rank Dungeon Gate, but the brat suddenly went missing—what a headache.
Kim Wooju might be considered the shame of the S-ranks, but he was still useful. Throw him in front when things got dangerous and it was like having an extra life on hand. Kang Cheon often used him that way.
Sometimes, just for fun, he’d toss him into danger, only to watch him crawl back alive anyway. Sometimes he wondered if Wooju was actually a zombie, his life force was that tenacious.
That was why he had to take him into this S-rank Dungeon.
Clearing it safely would make Kang Cheon’s name even more famous.
And since the government wanted to test their newly developed ability-enhancing drug’s side effects on Kim Wooju, he had to find him fast.
'Ah, what a pain….'
Once he found him, he planned to beat him half to death, lock him away so he couldn’t run off, then only drag him out when it was time for the Dungeon.
Just like he’d always done.
He was perfect for stress relief.
Kang Cheon smirked darkly as he walked forward.
***
“Kurrrh?”
'You okay?'
Back at our hideout, Kim Wooju was clutching me tightly, trembling as he warily scanned every direction.
His eyes were brimming with fear. I let out a long sigh.
So it looked like Wooju’s natural enemy had stepped into my Dungeon.
He hadn’t even flinched when the guy who stabbed him in the stomach came in—so who could terrify him this much?
Kim Wooju, the villain himself, afraid of someone….
Even trying to recall the webtoon, I couldn’t think of anyone.
I hadn’t seen the intruder’s face yet, so I couldn’t be sure. And with the sheer number of characters in that story, most of them centered on the protagonist rather than the villain, it was even harder to guess.
Well, since he’d walked into my Dungeon, seeing his face was only a matter of time.
'…Let’s see how long he lasts.'
The thought of how much Wooju must’ve suffered to end up like this made anger boil up inside me.
Normally I would’ve thrown a fit demanding he let me go, but this time I stayed still in his arms and waited for him to calm down.
The sky was growing dark.
Even after all that time, Kim Wooju was still holding me tightly, staring outside.
The trembling had eased, but the fear in his eyes only deepened.
I wanted to reassure him—not to worry, that one blast of my magic could erase that bastard. But he clearly had no intention of letting me go.
Seeing those dull, sunken eyes, I figured we’d be awake all night at this rate. Finally, I opened my mouth.
“Kurrh, kurrrh, kurrrhh. Kuuuhr kruhhhr, kruhh.”
'Are you okay? It’s okay. Calm down. Humans could never get this far. This is my sanctuary, my territory. You’re safe here.'
I spoke at length, trying to soothe him, but what came out of my mouth was incomprehensible alien growls.
Sure enough, Wooju only stared at me with a strange look, not understanding a thing.
I frowned, thinking I’d need a stick again to write things out.
But then—chhk.
A low laugh slipped from him.
When I glanced up, he was smiling, eyes curved slyly, as if finally a little relieved.
'…Damn, he really is beautiful.'
That dazzling smile nearly knocked the breath from me.
And his eyes looked calmer now, as if he understood I was trying to comfort him.
“…Aru.”
“Kurhh.”
'What?'
“…I should go back.”
“Kurrh? Kurhh? Kurrrhh?”
What? Why? You wouldn’t leave when I told you to, and now because of that guy?
“…I should go back. I forgot, just for a moment, that I’m not supposed to be happy. If I stay here, you’ll be in danger too.”
What the hell kind of bullshit is that?
I scowled at him.
With that sunken gaze of his, Wooju murmured blankly:
“That man earlier. He’s truly terrifying. If you see him, you have to run immediately. If he catches you, it’ll be bad. No, better if you hide until he’s gone. His target is me. If I go, it’s fine. If I go… you’ll be safe.”
Ha….
I was too dumbfounded to speak.
Who was trying to protect who here?
A human protecting me, a dragon?
Did he really see me as just some lizard with a knack for magic?
Unbelievable.
In the webtoon, the only reason I lost to the protagonist was one: because I went Corrupted.
It wasn’t because the dragon was weak—never. Even in that setting, dragons were the strongest.
But when the Corrupted Dragon loses his reason, he also loses access to Mana.
All he’s left with is a powerful body.
And even with just that body, it took the protagonist and nearly every powerful Esper in that world to bring me down.
Almost everyone except the protagonist died in that massive battle.
The episode where they hunted me was the longest in the whole webtoon.
And yet this human Esper thought he could defeat me? Even if I couldn’t Polymorph, I could wield every ability of this dragon freely.
If I wanted, I could crush that bastard with a flick of my finger.
'Cute. Really cute….'
Watching him try so hard to protect me was both ridiculous and oddly endearing.
He’d been so reluctant to leave, and now he was mustering courage to guard me—it was almost admirable.
In the webtoon, Kim Wooju the villain seemed cold, without blood or tears. Maybe, thankfully, he hadn’t gotten there yet.
Honestly, if he went back quietly, it would be better for me. But when I saw the faint tremor in his fingers, no matter how hard he tried to act normal, my thoughts shifted.
I’d send him back, yes. But not alongside the bastard who tormented him.
“I’m fine… I’ll be fine….”
So Kim Wooju muttered, eyes wide open through the night.
And I stayed by his side, pondering how best to deal with that man.
***
The sun was warm and dazzling.
I rolled on the soft grass, feeling good under the gentle sunlight.
As I lazily basked, a sudden thought jolted me upright.
Wait—the grass? Why was I lying on grass? I’d been in Kim Wooju’s arms, hadn’t I?
Alarmed, I looked around. No Wooju. I was alone on the bedding.
'…Where did he go?'
Sleep fled from me in an instant.
With no trace of Wooju, I ground my teeth.
A bad feeling struck me.
I rushed out of my sanctuary cave and soared into the sky.
That damned bastard! Did he really leave me behind?
This was a development I hadn’t expected.
I climbed higher, scanning desperately for Wooju’s presence.
Not here, not there….
Why the hell is this Dungeon so pointlessly huge!
Don’t tell me… he’s already gone?