1:13 PM. Ahn Yoonseung had said the estimated dungeon clear time was exactly 1:00 PM. But since hunters were dealing with living monsters, unexpected variables could easily arise.

A delay of about 13 minutes wasn't anything unusual. So I decided to wait patiently, giving myself some mental leeway, and turned up the ringtone volume on my phone by a few notches. After that, I slipped the Earth-made device back into my pocket.

***

A Blue Gate in Seoul. A group of Earthlings had gathered in front of the massive passageway, roughly five meters tall. Each of them wore a name tag on their chest bearing the words "NEO SISTERS." Then, at some point, all of their gazes sharply turned toward the north side of the area.

– Clack, clack, clack.

That’s because the sound of sharp shoe soles, like metal clashing with metal, could be heard through their semicircular canals.

“No, this is crazy!”

The person who appeared at the scene showed their face and, within seconds, uttered a phrase that didn’t quite match their attire. It was a word commonly used at the beginning of sentences by Koreans, followed by a mild swear word.

“What the heck is going on...”

“Hunter Kim Giryeo!”

He was about to mutter another curse to express his annoyance, but the process was briefly interrupted by a voice coming from the side.

“What happened to Ahn Yoonseung? He still hasn’t come out?”

But just because he stopped cursing didn’t mean his anger had subsided.

That’s right. This was none other than the front of the Blue Gate, where Neo Sisters’ regular team 3 had entered. And that blue-colored monster nest had already triggered a disaster that should never have been set in motion.

“Damn it!”

1:20 PM.

1:30 PM.

And by 1:45 PM, with no contact from Ahn Yoonseung, Kim Giryeo decided to cancel the restaurant reservation and immediately reached out to the Neo Sisters team. Through this, he received shocking news. It was reported that unusual mutation phenomena had been observed in the gate where Ahn Yoonseung’s team had entered.

“How could it be of all times!”

But this wasn’t just any low-level gate—an anomaly occurred in an A-rank dungeon. How could this be an ordinary thing? An unprecedented crisis had unfolded.

[Unidentified Gate]

[Description: No gate information available.]

[Rank: 5]

According to the Pixy’s analyzer, the current rating of the gate exceeded the standard A-rank range, reaching the highest difficulty level: 5-rank.

This was truly an unimaginable disaster.

“H, Hunter Ahn Yoonseung’s team... they’re still inside the dungeon...”

“When did this situation start? Get the person in charge to come out!”

“Uh, we checked at around 1:19 PM! This dungeon has a lot of strategy data for our Neo side. Pfft, the average strategy time was almost set...”

Tuk.

Kim Giryeo hurriedly walked and stopped in front of the problematic gate.

“Was it really this big from the beginning? Anyway, the magical power flowing out is no joke.”

At this moment, the monster’s den was buzzing with a depressing whistling sound. The members of Neo Sisters, drenched in cold sweat, were explaining the situation to the 5-rank hunter, who was a close acquaintance of Ahn Yoonseung. On this side as well, he was just as bewildered.

He knew it would make him sound like a cold-blooded person, but honestly, no matter what else died, he just couldn’t accept Ahn Yoonseung becoming the prey of Gisimche a bit...

“Oh my.”

Without that Earthling, who would sit down and eat with him now? And when malicious lies spread on the internet, who would collect the evidence for him?

“Damn it. This unlucky, cursed fate.”

The reason why the frail, blonde man had survived so far without harm was largely due to Ahn Yoonseung. The A-rank defensive Hunter had a noble character, never forgetting the favor he had received. He showed unwavering friendliness toward the 5-rank Hunter who had saved him. Moreover, this convenient tendency of his was unlikely to change, unless he faced an extraordinary negative event.

‘My Earthling acquaintance, whom I barely managed to make after all that struggle...!’

Giryeo thought as he looked at the enormous gate in front of him.

[Abnormal Mutation]. The phenomenon where a dungeon’s internal structure abruptly shifts and its difficulty level fluctuates was far from ordinary. The man, a former archmage, had long since prepared an explanation for such mutations. It wasn’t uncommon for mind creatures to meddle with the traps they had laid for their prey—such events had even occurred in Asphaur.

A rare occurrence. It almost always changed in the direction of increased difficulty. And judging from its various other characteristics, Earth’s abnormal mutations were likely caused by the same reason as the past disasters.

“Ugh...”

At the time of the scenario gate’s occurrence, an alien scholar had likened it to the tyranny of the ‘overseer’. In the same context, if we interpret this phenomenon, the abnormal mutation could actually be seen as a result of the Gisimche’s tendency to ‘overfeed.’

To put it simply, it’s a matter of hunger.

“Hey, you gluttonous Gisimche b*stards!”

Even people, when it’s time for lunch, might decide they’d only eat this much, serving themselves a small portion, but as they eat, they realize it’s not enough and end up opening the rice cooker again.

‘I, I originally just wanted to feast on some pain and screams, but now that it’s unfolded, my stomach’s not satisfied. I’ll need to forcefully alter the box and kill them after all.’

The Gisimche would often modify the structure of the prey box in this way. They didn’t enjoy mindlessly increasing the strength of an F-rank monster, like a white rabbit, to an A-rank level. This was why the dungeon’s rank would change, causing the structure and the appearance of monsters to shift on a large scale.

Perhaps this is why the probability of abnormal mutations has been so low on Earth.

But, no matter what the circumstances, probability is essentially 100% if it happens to you, right? Right now, with the upgrade mutation of the A-rank gate, not only Ahn Yoonseung’s team but the entire South Korea is in danger.

‘Who would have thought that Korea’s first 5-rank dungeon would appear in such a way?’

First of all, he already contacted the association, so experts will be gathering soon to solve the problem.

Ssk.

The higher-up from Neo Sisters, Lee Cheongryong, seemed as if he wanted to deny reality, holding the analyzer and once again reaching his arm into the gate. In response, Giryeo also extended his arm into the passage. Although the human hand was less sensitive compared to the tentacles from his past life, now that his lungs had been restored, he was still able to perceive a variety of things.

“Haa...”

The alien archmage rubbed his dry fingertips together, focusing on the atmosphere of the dungeon. Gradually, a certain result began to flow into his nerves.

“Huh?”

It was at that moment. The blonde man suddenly shouted loudly and pushed Lee Cheongryong, who was standing beside him, backwards.

“Wait! Get away from the gate right now!”

“Heuk!”

“There’s a monster at the entrance...!”

But he couldn’t finish the sentence he was about to say.

Whoosh.

Immediately after, from the inside of the glowing blue passage, unpleasant reddish organs that resembled ropes woven from the flesh of beasts poured out in a rush.

“Aaack!”

“Hunter Kim!”

“Tentacles! Aren’t those tentacles!?”

“Ack!”

The mysterious lines that seemed to be squeezing Kim Giryeo’s eyes soon began to pull hard at the enemy they had caught.

Its monstrous strength was threatening enough to swallow a grown man weighing over 70 kilograms into the nest in an instant.

***

“F*ck!”

I tried to avoid using low-quality expressions as much as possible, but it seems like the world just isn’t helping me out.

Swish!

By the time I felt something touch my eyelids, my entire body had already been swallowed into the dungeon. However, I didn’t lose my composure and immediately began a second earlier, I needed to deactivate these traps first. That’s why I managed to avoid the worst possible outcome by quickly raising my arm to block the pressure on my carotid artery, minimizing the damage.

‘To think this is what they call a tentacle...!’

Seung-!

With my right arm, I pushed the red strand wrapped around my neck as far outward as I could. And with my remaining hand, I pulled [Hydra] from the item box and struck down hard on the creature’s body. A strength enhancement technique completed in 2 to 3 seconds. At the same time, lightning-like internal magical powers flowed toward [Hydra].

Push!

The enemy with bright red skin staggered back.

“Hunter Kim Giryeo!”

“Hey, hey! Grab it! Quickly!”

If I had been alone, I would have resorted to a filthy and prolonged battle relying on venom next.

Fortunately, there were a few high-rank awakened from Neo Sisters standing outside the gate, so there was no need to wait, and the situation was soon brought under control.

“A, are you okay?”

Of course. It’s fine. If it hadn’t been for the sacred tree, the skull of an F-rank hunter would have shattered into pieces like glitter in a snow globe by now, but anyway.

“Whoo.”

I adjusted my grip on the sword, making sure the tip of the Hydra’s blade didn’t point toward the hunters who had entered, and I began to think.

At first, it happened so suddenly that I didn’t notice, but looking at it again...

“It’s an A-rank monster.”

“Yes?”

“This tentacle monster has an A-rank magic power level.”

I continued my explanation.

“Well, just like during the [Mimic City] incident, the results from the analyzer shouldn’t be blindly trusted.”

“Ah!”

“It seems that, like other dungeons, various grades of monsters are mixed together here. I guess it’s a relief that not all of them are 5-rank!”

Hearing this, one of the guild members of Neo Sisters spoke with an optimistic tone, but...

“W, what if the dungeon has a high magic power density and doesn’t actually have 5-class? There are dungeons like that often!”

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to that extent.

“I wish that were the case, but based on the detection skill I have, there is definitely an 5-rank monster 100% present...”

By the time the Neo Sisters’ awakened members wore expressions of despair again, I briefly pondered as I ran my hand along the dungeon’s walls.

‘A box opened by someone with a gluttonous tendency... if that’s the case, the probability of a watcher being attached here too is...’

Originally, I had planned to prepare myself mentally for much longer before entering. But now that things have turned out this way, there is nothing I can do.

It’s actually a good thing. If I had entered this place the usual way, I would’ve had to report to someone first according to the knight’s oath procedure. But considering recent events, entering an 5-rank gate like this probably wouldn’t have been easily accepted.

‘It’s a shame I can’t use Kang Changho’s strength, but there is no time for such a fight right now.’

I made my decision and spoke to the Awakener.

“Everyone, go outside and relay the message. I’ll be inside the dungeon, setting up traps until reinforcements arrive. I immediately summon all the 5-ranks available.”

“Yes?”

“T, traps? Are there traps in this mutant dungeon?”

“Based on the feeling, there are probably quite a few.”

As I answered with a nod, one of the guild members of Neo Sisters spoke up in a voice full of concern.

“You’re going to clear the path ahead all by yourself? That sounds way too dangerous...”

That’s true, though.

“I know. But rescue missions like this are usually a race against time. Besides, once an 5-rank Hunter enters a dungeon, it’s generally better not to come back out. Rather than just standing idly at the entrance...”

Just as I was straightening the sleeve that had gotten disheveled in the chaos of entering, the Neo Sisters members showed a momentary look of confusion. What did I mean by saying it’s better not to leave once you’ve entered a dungeon?

But when I gave them a further explanation, their eyes widened in surprise.

“You don’t get why I said I’d stay behind? This dungeon is an extremely high-risk state of exploding right now.”

“Heuk!”

“Ah!”

When a strange mutation occurs, the number of monsters in the dungeon also changes randomly. But what if the monster density determined by this luck time is ‘already over the explosion condition’?

‘The moment Ahn Yoonseung’s team is wiped out, it’ll be an immediate break.’

By saying this much, they should have understood. I said so, they were frozen with pale faces. If you do not make sure you can survive against an 5-rank monster, leave now, because we don’t know when another monster will regenerate while we’re standing here. Of course, I’ll try my best to avoid combat and keep myself alive. Anyway, bring more people from the outside quickly.

“Y, yes!”

“I... I understand.”

At that, the Earthlings who had entered the dungeon all turned back and headed toward the entrance. I watched their figures for a while, and only when the magic of the awakener had completely faded did I turn my back.

“Haa...”

For now, half of what I just said was a lie, but I’m really glad the Earthlings left so easily.

‘Because this mutated dungeon, fortunately, has a relatively low number of creatures set by chance.’

I rolled my eyes as I thought of a sentence.

When I followed Director Lee Cheongryong earlier and put my arm into the dungeon, I realized that, fortunately, the monsters in this dungeon were sparsely arranged. Even an F-rank could easily avoid combat and advance if they stayed alert enough.

‘Maybe they were short on resources or something.’

However, there were various threatening traps lurking inside as trying to fill that gap. In order to reach the middle to late zones where the survivors were located even a second earlier, I needed to deactivate these traps first. That’s why I just drove all the primitive wizards away. From now on, I plan to live high-level magic without hesitation.

And by this point, anyone could probably guess—the current survival status of Ahn Yoonseung’s team is...

I thought as I looked back at the magic power of the creatures caught in the edge of my senses.

‘Yoonseung should honestly be grateful he’s only getting ripped off by me right now.’

Seriously, where else in the world would you find a swindler this considerate? I’m even personally making sure my cash cow doesn’t go and die on me.

Author's Thoughts: Hi, from now on, I will update this novel 3 chapters/week. Thank you for all your support so far:)