“Did we catch them all?”
“Yes. We apprehended every last one.”
The employees answered the Management Bureau Team Leader crisply.
Cameras and recorders lay piled high.
Jin Seo-yoon sighed as she looked at them.
“You compiled a list of everyone who handed these over, right?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll make sure it’s reflected in their evaluations.”
How dare they turn the Returnee Training Camp into fodder for a broadcast?
Besides, if this aired the wrong way, it could harm Hunter Lee Ji-hoon.
‘He’s my prey.’
What if he were attacked again, just as he had recently been attacked by the Orpheus Guild…?
Her brow furrowed.
“Why? Are they not cute?”
“The people filming illegally?”
“Yes. They are trying to do something, are they not? Those low-ranks ought to struggle like that, at least.”
Yoon Do-ha smirked.
Of course, he had no intention of paying them any attention, but he said their desperate struggling was entertaining to watch.
“In that regard, Hunter Ji-hoon is quite unusual.”
“Our Ji-hoon is popular. There’s Baek Kang-hyeon, Yoon Do-ha, and even me.”
“You must dislike popular men.”
“Hehe, as if.”
The conversation between the two S-rank Hunters watching the monitors in the control room sounded chilling.
***
Meanwhile, at the site where the first trial had opened,
“Doesn’t Group A have far too much of an advantage with Hunter Baek Kang-hyeon in it?”
a protest arose.
“That’s right. He can just destroy everything!”
“Right, right!”
“What’s our group supposed to do when we don’t have a single A-rank Hunter?!”
Complaints erupted from all around.
Baek Kang-hyeon said that they had already anticipated this concern.
“Do not worry. Even if Group A clears the trial, it will receive a penalty. My influence will be taken into consideration.”
If Baek Kang-hyeon handled everything, the other team members’ contributions would be zero.
“Honestly, even with a penalty, aren’t we still at a disadvantage?”
Kang Gi-tae spoke as though he had been waiting for the chance.
“They’ve got a bus driver, while we’re being told to run carrying sandbags and even a log!”
“Sandbags and a log….”
Even after everything they had said earlier,
it seemed he could not hide his true nature once the rules were revealed.
[That is right, Big Brother. This is you running alone with four sandbags strapped to you and a log on your back.]
[True. Just thinking about serving as the bus driver for those idiots already makes Choco’s chest feel tight.]
Poppy and Choco saw things in the exact opposite way.
But Ji-hoon partly agreed with them.
‘This is going to be exhausting.’
In the meantime, the other participants, including Kang Gi-tae, finally left only after the Management Bureau assured them that it would score Group A as harshly as possible.
“Things got noisy for a moment, but let us gather for now.”
There was nothing particularly unusual about their arrangement.
Kim Jin-woo, an A-rank Hunter, naturally assumed the role of leader.
Afterward, the groups entered the Portal in order, starting with Group A.
“Group C, enter!”
When the signal was given, the Hunters disappeared into the Portal in order of rank, with Kim Jin-woo leading them.
Kim Jin-woo, Lee Min-jae, Kang Gi-tae, and Kim Ji-eun.
Last of all, Ji-hoon stopped in front of the Portal.
“You remember what we discussed earlier, right? I’m counting on you two.”
[Do not worry, Big Brother! I will do as you commanded!]
[Choco understood perfectly too.]
Poppy answered boldly.
Choco also lifted his head from Ji-hoon’s arms and replied brightly.
With a resonant WHOOSH, Ji-hoon also arrived in an unfamiliar space.
All he could see was the unmistakable entrance to a gigantic maze, with gray walls rising endlessly high.
It felt as though he had been trapped in a deep underground prison.
There was not a single decoration or marker anywhere, making it look like a real Dungeon.
“Has everyone arrived?”
After confirming that all five were present, Kim Jin-woo spoke again.
“Let us begin by briefly exploring the area. If you notice anything suspicious, report it immediately. Ji-hoon and Ji-eun, make active use of your animals and Spirits in particular.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Understood.”
His calm command carried the weight of experience.
Moreover, he was trying to give meaning to Ji-hoon’s and Ji-eun’s roles.
‘He seems conscious of his role as the team leader, in his own way.’
Just as Ji-hoon had expected, Kim Jin-woo examined his teammates one by one.
‘Is it because he’s a Detection-Type Hunter, even though he’s A-rank?’
Ji-hoon slowly looked around.
There were paths blocked by walls and passages connecting them.
Those places seemed to be tangled together in a dizzying web.
At that moment, a faint light leaked from Kim Jin-woo’s hand in one corner.
Kang Gi-tae did not miss it and rushed over in a fuss.
“Big Brother, what did you just do? Was that an A-rank Skill?”
At some point, Kang Gi-tae had started calling Kim Jin-woo Big Brother.
Paying it no mind, Kim Jin-woo answered indifferently.
“Yes. I am a Detection-Type Hunter. For now, there does not seem to be anything within one hundred meters.”
“One hundred meters? That’s really far. Amazing!”
Kang Gi-tae then turned to Ji-hoon, who had been watching, and spoke as though offering expert advice.
“You said you’re a Tamer. Aren’t you going to put those things to work? Can’t you at least send them ahead to scout?”
[What is that bastard saying? Scout? Does he think I am some creature like those Cerberus bastards?]
“Poppy, quiet.”
Rather than asking Poppy and Choco, Ji-hoon activated his Skill himself.
Golden Guidepost.
It was an artificially created simulation, but he tried it anyway.
There was no response.
“They say there’s nothing yet.”
“Yet?”
At that very moment,
RUMBLE–
The structure of the maze began to change.
“Wh-what?!”
“The walls are changing!”
Kang Gi-tae and Lee Min-jae shouted in alarm. Kim Ji-eun was trying desperately to move despite her trembling hands, while Kim Jin-woo sharpened all his senses to assess the situation.
Only after the walls stopped moving did Ji-hoon speak.
“Now they say there’s something.”
Poppy actually flared his nostrils and turned his head in one direction.
[Big Brother, mana was moving in that direction. Once the wall blocked it, it disappeared from view again.]
“Thanks, Poppy. Can you fly up and take a look?”
The little Griffin took to the sky at once.
After sweeping his gaze around with a SWISH, Poppy descended again.
[It really is a maze. But there is something funny.]
“What is it?”
[Are mazes normally supposed to have no exits?]
[What? Were labyrinths and mazes the same thing?]
No.
A labyrinth and a maze were strictly different things.
It had been the same in the RPGs he had played before going to Hell.
A maze had an exit, while a labyrinth had none, forcing one to defeat the Boss instead.
“What are they saying? Are they saying there’s no exit?”
“Yes. That’s what they say.”
“Good grief. Maybe it’s because they belong to an F-rank master, but they’re spouting utter nonsense….”
“No… It’s true.”
Kim Jin-woo murmured as he used his Skill again.
“The exit that was there just moments ago… is gone.”
Or perhaps the maze had grown larger.
In other words, it might have expanded beyond a range of one hundred meters.
“This is crazy…!”
They could not simply ignore the words of an A-rank Hunter.
Kang Gi-tae activated Strength Enhancement and drove his fist into the wall.
“You damn bastards!”
CRASH—!
Only a tremendous roar rang out, and the wall did not have a single scratch.
“Fuck! Fuck!!”
BANG—! BANG—! BANG—!
Lee Min-jae, who had been watching from the side, helped him break down the wall.
BANG—! BANG-BANG-BANG—!
But the wall did not budge.
“Huff… Huff….”
“Whew… Are we not in serious trouble?”
They could not break down the walls.
They could find open paths, but the maze might change again.
That was when Kim Ji-eun stepped forward.
“I-I’ll help too!”
“How?”
“Th-that is….”
Kim Ji-eun answered in a small voice.
“For now, drink this. It’s only a substitute for a Potion, though.”
It was water she had created with her Water Spirit.
It resembled clear bottled water.
“This is….”
“It only heals a little, but it does heal. Fascinating.”
Kang Gi-tae and Lee Min-jae clenched and unclenched their fists.
Then they tried again.
BANG-BANG-BANG—!
Cracks slowly began to form in the wall.
At last,
CRASH-CRASH-CRASH—!!!
they succeeded in breaking down one wall.
“Yes! With me here, everything works out!”
Just as Kang Gi-tae shouted confidently and looked at the opening in the wall,
RUMBLE–
the maze began to change again.
“Fuck this!”
The group cursed at the maze walls as they moved wildly.
Ji-hoon watched the situation.
He raised his head toward whoever might be watching from somewhere.
‘Having fun?’
He muttered to himself and clicked his tongue—TSK.
***
“What?”
Jin Seo-yoon muttered as she watched the monitor.
“Did he just look here?”
Yoon Do-ha asked her in return.
“Look here?”
“Yes. Hunter Lee Ji-hoon just….”
Immediately afterward, Ji-hoon looked away again.
‘Am I imagining it? That Dimensional Detection Relay cannot be detected unless someone possesses extraordinary mana.’
Jin Seo-yoon narrowed her eyes.
After checking the camera feeds for a moment, Yoon Do-ha spoke to Jin Seo-yoon again.
“How about watching some of the groups besides Group C?”
“People other than Lee Ji-hoon?”
Jin Seo-yoon smiled cynically.
No fewer than two S-rank Gates had appeared over the past week.
How extraordinary was that number?
‘Over ten years, the S-rank Gates in the Republic of Korea could barely be counted on ten fingers.’
That meant there was clearly a variable at work now.
And the only variable Korea had experienced in the meantime was the steady return of Returnees.
Then there was F-rank Lee Ji-hoon, who had been present at both S-rank Gates and returned without a single wound.
“Then you watch the other Hunters, Guild Master Yoon Do-ha.”
“Have you fallen in love? Hahaha.”
Jin Seo-yoon waved off Yoon Do-ha’s joke and adjusted her posture in her chair.
“We’ll have to see whether he’s worth it from now on.”
***
RUMBLE–
The maze changed again.
“This is crazy! Again?!”
Every time they barely managed to break down one or two walls, the maze changed again.
Kim Ji-eun’s stored water was also running dry.
“Gasp… Gasp….”
“Whew… Let us rest for a bit.”
Kang Gi-tae and Lee Min-jae were also reaching the limits of their stamina.
“Tch. Detection still is not picking up anything.”
Kim Jin-woo ground his teeth—GRIND.
He had no idea how many hours had already passed.
Sweat poured down like rain, and Kim Ji-eun lowered her head, saying that she could no longer connect with her Spirit.
Everyone was utterly exhausted.
‘Hmm….’
Poppy, who had been trotting ahead, also turned his head and barked at Ji-hoon.
[There is simply nothing here. It is a completely empty space. I suspect a faction trying to sabotage you may be making us kick at empty air, Big Brother….]
There were no traps, and no monsters appeared.
Then what exactly was this maze demanding of them?
Why was it causing such meaningless fatigue?
[Big Brother, should I simply destroy all of it? I think one flap of my wings would be enough.]
Poppy made the suggestion.
But Ji-hoon shook his head.
Then,
“Excuse me.”
he called everyone to a stop.
“What is it?”
“Did those little runts find something?”
“Ji-hoon, is there something?”
His teammates were already suffering from extreme exhaustion.
Ji-hoon smiled at them and said that an idea had occurred to him.
“Let’s play.”
At his next words,
“…Pardon?”
Kim Ji-eun was the first to blink.
“Play…?”
Kang Gi-tae let out an incredulous, hollow laugh.
Just as Kim Jin-woo and Lee Min-jae were about to snap at Ji-hoon and ask what in the world he meant,
“Aren’t you all hungry?”
he sat down on the floor.
Beside him, he laid out the cheese and jerky he had brought from home.
“The maze changes anyway, there’s no answer even if we spend a hundred days breaking walls, and even A-rank Detection can’t find anything.”
MUNCH, MUNCH–
“It’s better to hold out until the support team arrives. Or we can wait for the maze to change again.”
Ji-hoon was far too relaxed for the situation.
Among those watching him,
“BWAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Yoon Do-ha burst into laughter in the situation room.
“Does he know anything besides food? Good grief.”
Jin Seo-yoon shook her head as if the kidnapping incident had come back to her.