Episode 25

“……”

I held my breath quietly. After the Gwangan-ri incident at dawn, hunters were scattered everywhere. The word “Light Society” was clearly written on the shoulder epaulettes.

“Light Society…”

A clan based in Busan. The twin brothers lead it, and it was the representative clan responsible for the Gyeongsangdo region.

“It’s probably the sewer incident.”

Hong Yuri must have informed Light Society. Not only Light Society but also other hunters were roaming around Busan, as if watching over the area. Even the sewer lids were covered with hunters…

“The response is quick.”

It was only natural, considering that chimera experiments had taken place in the city. They probably saw the grave I had buried…

[Light Society is reported to have urgently gathered clans from the Gyeongsangdo region. Afterward, hunters from Light Society were seen patrolling the city. Despite many questions, Light Society and other clans have not yet revealed their official stance.]

A signal sound came from somewhere. A normal person wouldn’t have heard it, but my Weak Hearing captured even the faintest signals.

[Additionally, they have blocked the sewer entrance and requested assistance from the Ministry of Environment. This morning, they are investigating whether Hong Yuri, the hunter from Dawn, is related to the incident that devastated Gwangan-ri Beach…]

“This is troublesome…”

Now that hunters were everywhere, it was difficult to act recklessly. I couldn’t tell where a hunter might be hiding, so even if I used Stealth, there was no guarantee I wouldn’t be discovered. Stopping the disaster was good, but as a result, Light Society, the clan she belonged to, had become very active.

“I should have changed the order.”

I should have killed her first, then stopped the disaster. It was a mistake I hadn’t thought through. No, I hadn’t even considered that the sewer disaster would be discovered…

“How unlucky.”

As I tried to turn around.

[Breaking News: The Gyeongsan Cobalt Mine has turned into a dungeon. It is a complex of caves and labyrinths, and the local clan has announced that they will leave the incident to other clans.]

“The Cobalt Mine turned into a dungeon?”

It was an unexpected piece of news. Gyeongsan Cobalt Mine… I wasn’t sure, but I vaguely remembered hearing about an incident where civilians were massacred. And now that place had turned into a dungeon?

“Was this kind of scenario in the novel?”

As far as I remember, it had never been mentioned. But since it was two years ago, it seemed possible. I was planning to head to Daegu anyway, so if the labyrinth had been activated…

“I have no reason not to go.”

I need to level up anyway. Killing animals wouldn’t increase my level much. I could convert EXP with Gluttony, but leveling up that way wasn’t very efficient.

“I need to get stronger.”

The goal was Gyeongsan for now.

“Hello! I’m Lee Eunha, and I’m back in Search Team 3 from the administrative department!”

Eunha couldn’t lift her head under the cold stares directed at her. At least, that’s how it felt to Eunha.

“I have to apologize…”

She had to apologize. Eunha wiped her chest and tried to recall the words she had prepared.

“I, I! A few days ago. No, a few, a few days ago. In Jirisan…”

Stumbling over her words, she kept repeating to herself, “I have to speak. I have to say it.” But her mind went blank, and the words wouldn’t come.

“What was I going to say? What was it…”

She had prepared some words in advance, but they didn’t come to mind. Her mind had gone completely blank, and she shut her eyes tightly. Her mouth was moving, but her mind was empty. She felt as if someone was watching her from behind, as if she was observing herself stumble over her words.

Before she knew it, Eunha realized she had bowed her head. When did I bend? Had I said everything I wanted to say? She wasn’t sure. It was a mess. Then, suddenly, the sound of applause reached her ears.

Clap.

The sound of a single clap. The applause grew louder, overwhelming her ears as if it had gained momentum.

Clap, clap clap, clap clap, clap!

“……!”

Only then could Eunha straighten her bent waist.

“Th-Thank you! I’ll do my best!”

“It’s alright… People make mistakes, don’t they?”

“She’s still young. She tripped and broke her own nose. It’s fine. It’s fine.”

“Yeah. Just do well from now on. Let’s do our best.”

The encouragement made Eunha’s heart heavy.

“Anyway, this is how it happened. Eunha is back in Team 3. Although there were some unpleasant events, she herself has apologized.”

The team leader nodded as if wrapping up the situation.

“Well, the reason she can be forgiven is that Eunha has been doing well all along, right?”

“That’s true. Eunha has always been good.”

“Huh? What’s going on? What is everyone doing here?”

Who could burst into the meeting room like this? After thinking about it, there was only one person. And beyond the wide-open door, a red head was visible.

“De-Deputy Team Leader?”

“What’s going on? Why is everyone gathered here?”

“…Eunha is back in Team 3.”

“Eunha? Eh? Why? Was she somewhere else?”

“It’s been a while since she was moved to the administrative department.”

“I don’t know. I’ve been in Busan for several months, you brat.”

“Hong Yuri.”

“What?”

The team leader sighed as he watched Hong Yuri answer so shamelessly.

“There’s a vacancy here. And you, in Gwangan-ri this morning… we’ll talk about that later.”

“Uh-huh. Okay. But can I go in first? I have something to check before we depart.”

“Alright. I’ll call you later.”

“Okay~ Oh, and anyway, congratulations on returning to Team 3?”

“Ah. Yes! Thank you…?”

As the Deputy Team Leader came like the wind and disappeared like the wind, the team members whispered. Eunha was still in shock.

“Sigh. It’s going to be chaotic again.”

“It was better when Deputy Team Leader was sent out… It’s going to be chaos again.”

“Quiet down! Anyway, you’re dismissed. The people to be dispatched for Jirisan will depart at 1 p.m., so have lunch and meet back here. I trust you all know whether you’re going or not.”

“Yes!”

As the team leader left the room first, the team members sighed as if it had been prearranged.

“Did Deputy Team Leader finish the work in Busan already?”

“No. It’s not finished yet, but I heard they came quickly because of Alpha.”

“Ugh… Damn Alpha. When it’s over, will she go back?”

“Probably. Since Deputy Team Leader is here, I think the work will be finished quickly.”

“Wow. Wutaek is lucky, huh? He’ll be a little more at ease for now.”

“Haha…”

The person in question wore a sullen expression.

“You’ve been working in place of Deputy Team Leader, so it must’ve been tough. You’ve worked hard, Wutaek. Let’s see… are you going to eat now?”

“No, a little later. You go ahead and eat first.”

“Alright. Take care~”

“Hey~ Sir! Let’s go together.”

“What’s this, kid? Why are you coming along?”

“Oh? A newcomer to society, huh?”

“Ah~ This kid is really pushing it. Fine. Come on, let’s go!”

“…I should probably eat now.”

“…Senior!”

“What? What is it?”

“Thank you. You clapped for me earlier, right?”

“That wasn’t me. And you. You didn’t get assigned this time, but you’re still going to Jirisan alone…”

“Ah~ It’s fine. I’ll just stay quietly.”

“Yeah. Well, I doubt you’ll cause trouble again in the meantime.”

The meeting room door quietly opened, and soon, Eunha was left alone and muttered quietly.

“For some reason, I don’t think I’ll get caught this time.”

“―Grrr.”

It was easy to get to Yangsan, but the next part was the problem.

“Which direction should I go to get to Gyeongsan?”

I didn’t have a smartphone, and it wasn’t easy to find my way just by reading signs. I couldn’t ask people for directions either. I had been able to find my way by looking for train stations or highways, but the main roads were often filled with Light Society’s or other clan’s hunters, making it hard to travel freely.

“…It was easier when I was in the mountains.”

By the time I arrived at the Cobalt Mine, the sun had already set.

“Grroooar.”

Although it was under control, there weren’t many hunters. Perhaps it was because no clan had been assigned to handle the incident yet. I carefully hid and checked with my Espionage.

“Not bad.”

His status confirmed that he was a hunter, but he didn’t seem that strong.

Well, I guess that’s normal.

“It doesn’t seem like such a dangerous dungeon.”

The guards were two hunters… They seemed to be of similar levels. Well, people like Jeon Wutaek or Hong Yuri are probably exceptional among hunters.

“But they must have skills. I can’t underestimate them.”

It won’t be easy, but I don’t think it’s impossible.

To avoid causing trouble, I quietly used Stealth to hide. It was a disadvantage, but it was the same D-class Stealth that even Hong Yuri was briefly fooled by. There was no way I’d be discovered.

“Mm.”

As soon as I entered the Cobalt Mine, I heard a distant sound of “Korook. Korook!” All the monsters inside the mine had dog heads and human bodies. I was briefly puzzled, but quickly realized what kind of monsters they were.

“Ah. Could they be kobolds?”

“A dog head with a human body. The kobold I know is a small brown monster from a game, mining minerals in a mine as its hobby. That image is so strong in my mind.”

“Yep, it’s a kobold.”

This was confirmed by my Espionage. Agility 84. Health 76. It certainly wasn’t a threat to me.

Since I was planning to eat them anyway, I released my Stealth.

“―Kkek, kkeng!”

They instantly crouched… no, they were completely bowing down.

“What’s going on?”

“Kwa, kkiing.”

Four kobolds were lying flat, pressing their hands together in a praying gesture. It was unmistakably an offering. I quickly understood the situation.

“I’m a dog too…”

They’re dogs too. Maybe they want to worship me as their boss since I’m much stronger than them… The kobold nodded madly as if agreeing, but I had no intention of going along with it.

I charged at the first kobold using Charge. Its agility of 84 wasn’t just for show, and it reacted, but it was a beat too late, and I quickly bit its nape.

“Couldn’t you have been a bit faster?”

The remaining three kobolds flinched and then raised their spears.

“This is the first time I’ve seen a spear in real life.”

It felt a little strange thinking that real weapons were being pointed at me. It wasn’t scary or frightening, though.

“…Kkiing. Kkiing!”

The kobolds couldn’t move but merely aimed their spears. However, when the kobold beneath my feet began to vanish due to the contact-based consumption effect of Gluttony, one of the shocked kobolds jabbed its spear.

“Oh~ Brotherhood.”

I accidentally bit the spear, and my mouth was pricked.

“Ah. A mistake.”

It didn’t hurt, but it was a mistake. Then, something surprising happened.

“Grroar?”

“Kkekekek?!”

“…Is this for real?”

I consumed the spear… If the message hadn’t appeared, I would’ve thought it was a mistake, but with the message, there’s no doubt.

“…Now that I think about it.”

The description of Gluttony came to my mind. I originally thought it meant avoiding picky eating… but there was no subject. No, it wasn’t necessary.

“So this is what it meant?”

“Anything” can be eaten without discrimination. Stones, wood, minerals, even the spear the kobold stabbed me with. The kobold struggled to pull the spear out, but it had no blade. It wasn’t pulled out, it was consumed by me. As I opened my mouth, the kobolds became agitated.

“Kkwik. Kkiging!”

Their eyes looked at me as if I was a true monster.

I didn’t feel like chasing after the panicked kobolds. Actually…

“Grroar―”

I tried eating a stone lying on the ground. The message didn’t pop up saying I consumed a stone, but instinctively, I knew I had digested it.

“…This is ridiculous.”

So, this means I can level up just by eating dirt or rocks? Of course, the efficiency isn’t great, but if I had known earlier, I would’ve been using it all along.

“I thought it was useless, but it’s not bad at all.”

It wasn’t just okay; it was a jackpot. Considering the efficiency, it might be disappointing, but for someone like me who doesn’t need sleep 24/7, it was the ultimate skill.

“Forget the level. I could even level up Gluttony’s skill level.”

Not only that, but the Hunger skill level would rise too. I shoveled dirt into my mouth. I was really glad I didn’t have a sense of taste.

“Should I start again?”

I didn’t get far before I had to stop.

[It’s a combination of a cave and a labyrinth…]

The words I had heard in the news. As expected from a labyrinth, the paths split in many directions. I tried to follow the closest trail based on my senses, but I kept running into dead ends. So, I marked the paths I had already been down with my claws.

“There’s no image of a mine at all.”

There weren’t any mine carts, and there were no ores. It was just called the Cobalt Mine, but it felt more like a cave with a labyrinth inside.

“Hm-hm. Hm?”

Suddenly, I caught the smell of blood.

“It seems that my sense of smell is more useful in the labyrinth.”

The smell didn’t pass through walls, so following it naturally led me down a path. At least in the labyrinth, my sense of smell was more useful.

“Grrroooar!”

Clear language. It was a voice.

“The local clan said they would leave it to other clans, but they’ve already entered?”

One warrior. Two archers. Three hunters in total were facing off against a pig-like human.

Just like the kobolds, I was momentarily thrown off by the image of an orc from a game. I expected a green-skinned warrior, but the actual orc had the head of a pig and a body like a massive, muscular giant. Its weight was 200kg, and it felt more robust than fat.

“317 strength?”

Two orcs would probably give the monster wolf a good fight. Orcs are probably low-level mobs too, but they’re on a different level from the kobolds I just fought. Still, the hunters pressed the orcs skillfully. They’ve probably done this a few times before.

“Group up! Scatter again!”

“Arrows ready!”

However, it was different from the typical raid-like battles we think of in games.

“Well, fighting an orc head-on would be impossible.”

Maybe Jeon Wutaek could handle it, but even Hong Yuri would struggle against the orcs purely with strength.

There was a warrior in the team who used a shield, but instead of clashing head-on, he was avoiding whenever possible. The orc wasn’t stupid, so when the warrior stepped back, the orc charged at the rear. The line was broken in an instant, but by then, the rear had scattered and moved far away. The orc chased the rear, but its steps were blocked by the warrior again. Rather than a warrior, it seemed like a tenacious, annoying hunting dog. Still, the technique that didn’t allow an attack was impressive.

“Rooooar!”

The orc wasn’t dumb. It deflected the incoming arrows with its shoulder armor. As the orc raised its arm, the warrior seized the opportunity and attacked, but never recklessly. The goal was to wear down the orc’s strength, not to end it in one strike.

“Calm.”

It was a fight like the detailed chariot battles described in novels.

“If I were that orc, what would I do?”

There’s no real method. I’d have to rely on my fists, but I’m too slow. Even if I fought, the outcome wouldn’t change. I’d probably take advantage of narrow alleys to take on one at a time. But if I did that, I’d be a sitting target for arrows. Ultimately, the hunters would claim victory without any surprises.

I carefully used Stealth to hide my body so that I wouldn’t be discovered by them. Then, out of curiosity, I used Espionage and couldn’t help but be surprised.

“Why are you here?”

One of the members of their group was one of the people I had decided to kill.