I opened my eyes.
"......!"
It was an enormous cavern.
The ceiling towered high above, perhaps as high as a ten-story building. Blue moss glowed faintly on the walls, and the sound of dripping water echoed from somewhere.
DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.
Cold air filled my lungs. The smell of earth. The smell of mold. And... something fishy.
'So this is a Dungeon...'
My heart raced.
"Mr. Lee Junhyeok?"
Someone beside me called my name.
I turned my head.
A woman who looked to be in her late twenties stood there. She had a sturdy build. In one hand, she held a shield as tall as a person; in the other, a short sword.
Her gaze was sharp. The eyes of someone who had seen plenty of real combat.
"I'm guide Hunter Park Jeongsu. I'll lead you safely today."
She extended a hand. We shook hands. Her hand was firm and callused.
VWOOM!
Just then, blue light flashed behind us. The portal rippled, and two more people burst out.
One was a woman with a bow slung across her back. She had sharp features and short hair. Her eyes were cool.
The other was a man holding a staff. He was thin and wore glasses. He looked younger than me. Early twenties, perhaps?
"Everyone's here."
The guide beckoned to us.
"Let's make some quick introductions. Just your class and name."
"Archer, Choi Yuna."
The woman spoke curtly. She seemed like the quiet type.
"M-Mage, Han Dongmin."
The man in glasses stammered. His nervousness was obvious.
It was my turn.
"I'm Lee Junhyeok, a Development-type."
"...Development-type?"
Choi Yuna raised an eyebrow. Han Dongmin's eyes widened too.
"Really? I've never seen a Development-type before. I heard they're incredibly rare..."
"Do you control creatures like summoned beasts?"
Both of them focused on me, their eyes full of curiosity.
"Yes, but..."
I paused for a moment.
"I can't summon them yet. I'm still raising them."
I answered honestly. Even if I lied, they would find out during combat.
"Oh..."
Han Dongmin looked slightly disappointed. Choi Yuna nodded and looked away as well.
'Well, it can't be helped.'
That was when it happened.
"It's all right."
Guide Hunter Park Jeongsu spoke with a smile.
"Development-types always struggle in the beginning because their summons are still weak. But you know what? Give them time, and they become absolute monsters. Once all your summons are fully raised, you'll sweep through Dungeons by yourself. I'm looking forward to it."
She was encouraging me, and her voice was sincere.
'Right. I know that too.'
I knew what would happen once the Primitive Humans advanced to the stage of civilization. I knew what kind of power they would possess once Awakened began emerging in droves.
"All right, let's head in."
The guide pointed deeper into the cave. Thick darkness lay ahead. A faint sound came from beyond it.
KREE. KREE.
It was the sound of monsters.
"Stay close behind me. Today is about observing how a Dungeon run works. If anything dangerous happens, I'll block it all, so you don't need to be too nervous."
The guide raised her shield in front of her and strode forward.
Choi Yuna followed with a hand on her bowstring. Han Dongmin gripped his staff tightly and followed behind her.
I started walking too, gripping the spear the center had issued me. It felt cold and solid.
We entered the Dungeon's interior.
DING!
[Dungeon Entry]
F-grade Dungeon: Goblin Cave
Time Limit: 6 hours
Objective: Defeat the Boss Monster
The darkness swallowed us.
Had we been walking for about 10 minutes?
I detected movement in the darkness.
KREE! KREE!
"Stop."
The guide raised a hand. Everyone stopped.
Three shadows sprang out from behind a rock ahead.
Goblins.
Green skin. Pointed ears. Scrawny bodies just over a meter tall. Rusty daggers in their hands. Drool running from the corners of their mouths.
"Eek!"
Han Dongmin backed away. The hand holding his staff trembled.
Choi Yuna flinched too. She raised her bow but could not draw the string. It was as though her fingers had frozen stiff.
The stench assaulted my nose. Rotten meat. Urine. It was revolting.
"SKREEEE!"
The Goblins charged.
HSSS.
The guide moved. She was so fast that only an afterimage remained.
SLASH!
The first. Its head flew off. Blood sprayed from the severed neck like a fountain. The head rolled across the ground, its eyes rolled back.
SLASH!
The second. It split open between the neck and shoulder. Its entrails spilled out.
SLASH!
The third. Its waist was cut in two. Its upper and lower halves fell separately.
It took 1 second.
Blood soaked the cavern floor. The fishy stench filled the air.
"Urgh..."
A groan erupted beside me.
Han Dongmin covered his mouth. His face had gone white. Choi Yuna was the same. Her lips had turned blue.
"Ugh...!"
Han Dongmin turned toward the wall. Retching. The sound of his stomach convulsing.
"Ugh... Huff..."
Choi Yuna sank to her knees too. Her shoulders heaved.
'...That's understandable.'
This was their first time seeing a life end before their eyes.
Me?
I had been drenched in a bear's blood. I had cut an Orc's throat. I had driven a spear into one with my own hands.
I had already grown accustomed to it.
"...You seem perfectly fine?"
The guide looked at me with wonder in her eyes.
"Most newcomers react exactly like that. But Junhyeok, is this really your first time?"
"Yes."
"Impressive. Were you born for this?"
I shrugged instead of answering.
"Whatever the reason, it's a good thing."
The guide spoke with a smile, then looked back at the two people who were still retching.
"We're going to keep moving. Are you both okay?"
Han Dongmin and Choi Yuna nodded quietly. Their faces were still pale, but they did not refuse.
Both of them looked at me as if wondering how I could possibly be fine.
"You'll be all right once you get used to it."
When I spoke, the two gave uncertain nods.
The guide led the way, and we followed.
***
Had it been about 30 minutes?
SKREEE!
Another group of Goblins sprang out. There were five this time.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The guide's sword flashed like lightning. Blood flew and heads rolled. They all went down in less than 5 seconds.
"Ugh..."
Han Dongmin covered his mouth again, but this time he did not vomit. Choi Yuna looked away, but she did not sink to her knees. They seemed to be adapting little by little.
THUMP. THUMP.
My heart began to race. Not because I felt like vomiting. Because I wanted to jump into the fight.
'I want to fight too.'
I remembered fighting the Orcs on the Primitive Planet. The sensation of my spear piercing flesh, the moment blood sprayed, and that feeling of being alive that had spread through my entire body.
But I held myself back. Today was for learning.
***
At last, we arrived before an enormous stone door.
"This is the boss room."
The guide spoke as she turned around.
"I'll handle the boss too. This is everyone's first time, so focus on getting accustomed to it by watching."
Han Dongmin and Choi Yuna nodded, looking relieved.
I silently touched the spear strapped to my back. It was the basic weapon an employee had issued me before I entered the Dungeon. It was cheap, but the edge was fairly sharp.
'Won't I get a chance to step in?'
A hint of disappointment passed through me.
"We're going in."
The guide pushed the stone door.
RUMBLE...
The door opened with a heavy sound, and the stench hit us first. The smells of rotten meat, blood, and urine mingled until they almost numbed my nose.
The cavern ceiling stretched high overhead, and torches burned along the walls.
And in the center.
An enormous Goblin sat there.
It looked two or three times larger than an ordinary Goblin. Its body stood over 2 meters tall, and knotted muscles writhed beneath its green skin.
A Goblin Chief.
The creature was fast asleep, eyes closed and snores rumbling from its throat.
I saw the guide inspect our surroundings. She scanned the left, the right, and even the ceiling before nodding. It seemed there were no other monsters.
"Come in."
We cautiously stepped inside.
THUD!
The door suddenly closed on its own. I looked behind me. Our way back was gone.
"Grrrr..."
I turned back around. The Chief's eyelids trembled, then slowly opened, revealing blood-red eyes.
It turned its head toward us.
[Boss Encounter]
The Goblin Chief is awakening.
The Dungeon is assessing the enemies' level.......
That was the exact moment it happened.
[Warning!]
The enemies' level is at least average!
A Dungeon mutation is occurring.
The Boss Monster is being enhanced.
"...What?"
I read the message before me again. A Dungeon mutation? Now? Why?
A Dungeon mutation was a rare phenomenon that occurred when explorers entered a Dungeon far below their level.
But there was no way it should happen with one guide and three beginners!
―THUMP.
'......Is it because of me?'
No, counting all 100 tribespeople as part of my combat power made no sense!
"Damn it."
The guide's brow furrowed deeply. Tension had replaced the ease in her face, but she did not panic. She raised her shield and lowered her stance.
"Everyone, move back. Right now."
Her voice was low and steady. The voice of a professional.
Before she had even finished speaking.
BOOOOM!
The entire cavern shook. Stone dust showered from the ceiling. I braced a hand against the wall to keep my balance.
"GRRRAAAAAH!"
The Chief roared. I covered my ears, but it did no good. The reverberation burrowed all the way into my bones.
Then green light erupted from its body.
I instinctively shielded my face with an arm, but the light penetrated even through my eyelids.
CRACK.
The sound of bones growing.
CRACK. CRACK.
The sound of muscles expanding. The sound of hide tearing. The sound of something growing larger.
The light gradually faded.
And when I opened my eyes.
"......!"
I stopped breathing without realizing it.
Its 2-meter body had grown beyond 3 meters. Its muscles had doubled in size, stretching its skin taut as though it would burst. Two black horns jutted toward the sky.
Its eyes had changed. No longer blood-red, but gold. Eyes that held intelligence.
DING!
[Goblin Great Chief]
Grade: E+
'E-grade...'
A boss was considered two grades, no, slightly more than two grades above the ordinary monsters in the same Dungeon.
That meant an E-grade boss was even stronger than an ordinary C-grade monster.
"Get back!"
The guide shouted. Her expression was tense, but she did not waver. If anything, her gaze grew sharper.
"I'll hold it off, so move toward the exit!"
The guide was a D-grade Hunter, but the standard for D-grade Hunters was that five or more of them together could clear a D-grade Dungeon.
The Goblin Great Chief, stronger than even an ordinary C-grade monster, was not an easy opponent for her either.
"Eek!"
Han Dongmin screamed and backed away. Choi Yuna retreated too, her face white.
But I did not move.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
My heart pounded wildly. It was not fear. A thrill spread through my entire body. Excitement.
I remembered fighting the Orcs on the Primitive Planet. The moment I thought I would die, yet survived. The exhilaration of that moment returned.
I pulled the spear from my back. I felt the wooden shaft against my palm. A familiar weight.
'It's here.'
My time to step in.