CLANG!
The moment the armor shattered into pieces—
Taeya’s stream chat exploded into complete chaos.
-?????????
-What? What? What?
-Wow, that could break?
-This is insane!!
-That was the standard strategy?!
-Insane insane insane insane!!!
-Isn’t this the first reveal of a strategy?
-Whoa, that startled me awake.
The chat was scrolling in choppy bursts from the sheer flood of messages.
What Shin Jaeha had just shown them was that astounding.
He had solved Underground Prison, Floor 131—one of the places that had constantly tormented Players and was known as one of the ‘Demonic Realms.’
Until now, the strategy for this dungeon had been to cram damage in simultaneously, stack attacks, and offset that absurd defense.
Naturally, it was inefficient—a half-baked strategy that could not even be attempted unless the team composition was right.
-So that’s how you strip off its armor….
-Serves that damned cowheaded bastard right for getting its armor smashed!
-Woooooah!!
Now, a perfect strategy had emerged.
And it had been revealed by a single Level 6 Warrior whom no one had expected anything from.
-Who the hell is that Warrior?
-I believed in him from the beginning LOLLLLL.
-Believed, my ass. You were calling him a fucking troll.
-Isn’t he really a Player being groomed by some major team?
-He’s skilled, intelligent, and he even has guts LOL.
-Leader (Level 6). Achievement (Discovered an Underground Prison strategy).
-Taeya, you need to get that guy, all right?
The narrative was perfect.
A Level 6 who had looked like nothing but a troll proved his skill, then ultimately accomplished what no one else had managed.
It was a short-form drama with a perfectly structured beginning, development, twist, and conclusion.
‘This is insane… This is seriously insane!’
Taeya’s heart pounded wildly.
The scenario he had initially planned had fallen apart miserably, but something far more incredible was unfolding right before his eyes.
“Let’s begin. The bull hunt.”
When Shin Jaeha rested his club on his shoulder and gave the order, the team members moved on their own.
They had already heard the approximate patterns the Minotaur would use after its armor was destroyed.
-After its armor is destroyed, it will become even more ferocious. Keep your distance and draw out its attacks, then look for openings and gradually wear down its Health.
The formation Shin Jaeha had established was clearly etched in the minds of the four Players.
The Swordsman grinned and swung his Mana-covered sword.
“Kahahah! Now it finally feels satisfying to cut something!”
Taeya then seized the opportunity created by the Swordsman and slipped inside.
“I’ll help myself!”
Smacking his lips, he unleashed his signature “Slice-Slice.”
[Shadow Knife] (C)
He wrapped both daggers in shadow.
SWISH! SLICE!
Then he teleported behind the Minotaur and struck a vital point.
“RAAAH!”
Having been struck in the back of the neck, its weak point, the Minotaur staggered with a roar.
It clamped down on the gushing blood and prepared to counterattack.
“It's already over.”
From the moment it had handed over its armor—
the Minotaur’s defeat had been decided.
The reason was simple.
-Once the armor breaks, we immediately change strategies.
This team now had—
-From ‘Three Knight’…
—a Mage.
-To ‘One Mage.’
WHOOOOOSH!
While the two Warriors bought time and continuously dealt damage, the Mage completed her casting.
Her Mana was nearly dry, and cold sweat trickled down her face, but it did not matter.
This was the final room, after all.
[Small Bless] (D)
When the Supporter bestowed her Blessing, the Mana became even more intense.
“Now!”
At Shin Jaeha’s signal, the Mage widened her eyes and fired the prepared spell.
[Fire Boom: Explosion] (D+)
The strongest magic she could currently use.
The gathered Mana transformed into brilliant scarlet flames, then shot forward like a cannonball.
“Hyaaaah!”
With the Mage’s battle cry, it struck the Minotaur squarely.
KABOOM!
A grand explosion erupted amid brilliant light.
The blackened Minotaur lost its balance and let its upper body sag.
“Grrr…! Grrhk!”
But it had not yet fallen.
With eyes filled with obsession, it stared at the Mage who had attacked it.
“H-Hiiik!”
Her Mana was completely exhausted, leaving her unable to move.
Her legs gave out, and she fell onto her backside with a terrified expression.
“RAAAAH—!”
Burning through its last scraps of life, the Minotaur leaped at the Mage.
-Whoa whoa whoa!
-Hurry and block it!
-We’re so close to clearing…!
-Pleeease!
Even the viewers watching in real time watched with sweaty palms.
As if he had been waiting for this, Shin Jaeha stepped forward.
“I knew it would have just enough Health left.”
After analyzing the team’s current attack power, he had calculated that the Minotaur would have enough Health remaining for them to see its ‘Ambush Pattern.’
Right before its death, it would leap at the Player who had attacked it last and try to die together with them.
It was a truly filthy pattern to the very end.
But Shin Jaeha had aimed for it.
Because only then—
FWOOSH!
—could he personally deliver the final blow.
Shin Jaeha soared into the air, grinned, and raised his club.
“Then, I’ll take the last hiiiiit!”
A violet force field spread around him.
[Gravity Field] (D)
His weight increased severalfold in an instant, and he plummeted toward the Minotaur like an asteroid.
He poured every last bit of Mana into his arms and club, delivering a strike with all his strength.
[Cannonball]
Shin Jaeha plunged straight down and smashed the Minotaur across the head.
KABOOOM!
The impact was as though an enormous boulder, rather than a human, had fallen.
The entire Boss Room shook violently.
“…Phew.”
When the thick dust settled, what remained was—
a Minotaur crushed beyond recognition.
And a Level 6 Leader holding the handle of a broken club.
Shin Jaeha.
[The Boss Battle has ended.]
[You have defeated ‘The Imprisoned One, Minotaur’!]
[Dungeon Clear!]
As the success messages flashed, color returned to the team members’ faces.
“Waaaaah! I did it! I did iiiit!”
“I-I cleared Underground Prison…! Aaaah!”
The Swordsman and Mage made a great commotion, shouting again and again.
They sure had plenty of energy.
‘Ah, they’re over Level 20.’
I acted as though I was fine, but in truth, my entire body was buzzing.
Every muscle in my body was screaming, ‘Help!!!! Heeelp!!!’
Well, it was only natural after clearing Underground Prison with Level 6 Attributes.
‘Still, my club broke.’
To think it broke after only three rounds.
I was reluctant to lose the 300 Credits, but I had gotten enough use out of it. I decided to let it go without regret.
It was about time for me to start getting proper equipment anyway.
“Good work, everyone.”
“Good work? Our Leader Jaeha worked the hardest!”
“Thank you so much! It was my dream to clear this place!”
My form of address had been promoted from ‘Level 6’ and ‘that bastard’ to ‘Leader.’
Well, this was an embarrassingly rapid promotion indeed.
As I humored them appropriately—
[You have achieved first place with an overwhelming score!]
[You have accomplished an incredible achievement!]
[Your performance will be reflected in the reward system.]
—I checked the reward I had been eagerly awaiting.
[You have cleared a dungeon.]
[You became the ‘Leader’ and led the team.]
[You operated the team almost perfectly.]
[You have discovered a new strategy for the first time.]
[You have cleared a dungeon far beyond your current Level and Attributes.]
[The reward level increases!]
[Your Level has increased.]
[Your Level has increased.]
[Your Level has increased.]
[Your Level has increased.]
[You have reached Level 10.]
[‘Ranked Match’ has been unlocked.]
[Challenge a higher battlefield!]
[Attribute Points +4]
[In celebration of your explosive Level-Up! You are granted 2 additional Attribute Points!]
[All Stats +3]
[You have acquired 『Box Containing the Minotaur’s Soul(A)』!]
[+50,000C]
“Waaaaah!”
The sudden avalanche of insane rewards made me cry out.
First, my Level had suddenly leaped to 10 all at once.
‘Honestly, I was expecting to reach around Level 8….’
I had not expected it to send me straight to Level 10.
And I had even received two additional Attribute Points.
‘A total of six!’
Attribute Points would eventually become more valuable than any treasure, so securing this many was undeniably excellent news.
Then came, of course—‘All Stats +3.’
That was naturally another absurd-level reward.
It would already be amazing for a single Attribute to increase by 3, but every Attribute had increased by 3?
If Players from top teams found out about this, they would roll their eyes back, grab me by the collar, shake me, and demand to know how I had done it.
‘With this, my Strength and Agility have both passed 10.’
At last, I could receive the Constitution Evolution Quest.
Excitement surged up from the depths of my body.
Enough to make the reward of 50,000 Credits seem trivial.
“And this is….”
I picked up the cube-shaped box that had been summoned before me.
What was this? I had never heard of a reward like this coming from Underground Prison.
‘Didn’t Minotaur equipment drop in Underground Prison?’
Equipment whose names began with ‘Minotaur’s….’
Their Grades were random, but equipping them together activated a set effect.
That was why I had agreed to receive the equipment gained from clearing the dungeon.
“Urgh… It’s a shame, but it can’t be helped. We wouldn’t have cleared it without you, Leader….”
“I’m fine with just the other rewards! Here!”
The Swordsman and Mage handed over the equipment they had received as rewards one after another.
[Minotaur’s Courage Pauldrons] (D)
[Minotaur’s Wrath Gauntlet] (C)
‘Oh, C-Grade.’
Considering that most equipment in the Level 20 range dropped at D-Grade or E-Grade, this was a gain.
It seemed the Mage had invested a fair amount into her Luck Attribute.
“Thank you.”
I accepted them while using superhuman restraint to keep the corners of my mouth from rising.
Then the Supporter approached quietly.
“Here.”
What she handed me was an ash-gray cloak with slightly frayed edges.
[Minotaur’s Wrath Cloak] (C)
Another C-Grade!
To think two C-Grades had dropped here.
Maybe I was the one with truly good luck?
“I’ll put it to good use.”
“…….”
Even after giving me the cloak, the Supporter continued staring at me.
She stared so intently that it felt as though she might bore a hole through the space between my eyebrows.
“…Is there something on my face?”
“You… who are you affiliated with?”
“Pardon?”
“I don’t think I’ve seen you in the League….”
It seemed she had thoroughly misunderstood something, so I quickly explained.
“I’m not on any team. I’ve never even competed in a League match.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes.”
What team would put a Level 6 Player into a match?
That was not something you would see even in the Third Division.
“I see.”
The Supporter gave a small nod.
A faint smirk tugged at her lips.
“Shin Jaeha… I’ll remember that.”
“Ah… Yes, well… do as you wish.”
She really was an unusual woman.
And her face seemed strangely familiar as well.
“Sir!”
The final remaining piece of equipment… no, teammate, vigorously waved a hand.
What Taeya held was—
[Minotaur’s Wrath Cuirass] (D)
D-Grade.
‘Tsk!’
Clicking my tongue inwardly, I accepted the cuirass.
“Huh?”
Something had been placed on top of it.
A white rectangular piece of paper with a name and number written on it… a business card?
“That’s my business card, okay? Please make sure you contact me, sir!”
Taeya’s eyes glittered as he grabbed my hand and shook it.
“Please appear on my stream again next time! I’ll pay you plenty for your trouble!”
His streamer-like behavior until the very end made a hollow laugh escape me.
“Leader! We have to meet again next time!”
“See you again, Jaeha!”
“Shin Jaeha….”
“Sir! Don’t throw away my business card! All right?!”
Unlike the hostile beginning, the atmosphere had become far livelier.
Watching that scene, I smiled contentedly and said—
“Ugh, you’re all so noisy.”
Why were their voices so loud?
I thought my eardrums were going to burst.
[The dungeon has ended.]
[Channel connection is terminating.]
.
.
.
FLASH!
In a room overlooking all of Gangnam—
someone who had disconnected from the Channel slowly opened her eyes.
“Good work, miss.”
“We will prepare your bath immediately.”
The servants waiting for her welcomed her respectfully.
Long, straight hair framed a slender jawline.
Her large eyes settled into calmness.
“Shin Jaeha… That was his name, wasn’t it?”
A secretive smile appeared on the woman’s face.
It was the smile of someone who had discovered a glittering jewel buried in mud.
She immediately picked up the phone on the table and called someone.
RING—CLICK!
The other party answered at once, as though waiting for her call.
-Oh! Yeonseo! You’re calling Grandpa first? That’s unusual!
“Yes, Grandpa.”
-So, after experiencing the Channel a few times, you find it exhausting after all, don’t you? All right! This old man will quickly get you some top-grade equipment and send it over—!
“That’s not it.”
The woman licked her lips and looked out the window.
“I just… found something interesting.”
Behind her, a massive emblem occupied an entire wall.
[K1]
One of the K.P.L.’s Three Great Elite Teams—and among them, the team with the most championship experience.
The undisputed best Player League team in Korea.
The granddaughter of Joo Yulcheon, the head of Hwarang Group, K1’s parent company.
“I’m sure you’ll like him too, Grandpa.”
Joo Yeonseo smiled with her eyes.