66 - 74

Chapter 66

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Though it was a hot summer, there was something enticing about the soft, fluffy chunks of tofu doused in piping hot broth. Arriving at the restaurant known for its soondubu soup, Ho Sung said,

"We're here, SIR."

"I don't like your tone."

"My tone?"

Min Sung pulled Bowl out of his pocket, tossed it at Ho Sung and said, "Bite."

At which point, Bowl opened its mouth agape and bit Ho Sung's thigh.

"Aaaaaagh!" Ho Sung let out in excruciating pain. However, paying no attention to it, Min Sung got out of the car, walked over to the driver's seat, and tapped on the window. When Ho Sung, who was on the verge of crying from the pain, rolled the window down, Bowl leapt out of the window and into its master's pocket.

"Ho Sung Lee," Min Sung said.

"Sir," Ho Sung replied, his face pale from enduring the pain.

"I need you to look into the demons."

"You mean now?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"… Right away, sir," Ho Sung said, lowering his gaze while rubbing his thigh.

"Off you go," Min Sung said, patting the front hood of the car. At that point, Ho Sung, mouthing curse words like a monk citing a prayer, drove away. Then, Min Sung looked at the restaurant's sign.

[Nak Won Soondubu Soup]

The restaurant's exterior was far from luxurious. In fact, it was run down to the point of looking almost too dirty. However, the shabby appearance of the restaurant made the champion' expectations shoot up through the roof. A run-down restaurant that specialized in a dish eaten by the common people often meant tradition, and soondubu soup was just one of those dishes.

Opening the door, Min Sung stepped into the restaurant. Much like its exterior, the interior of the restaurant was just as run down. Despite it being early morning, the restaurant was filled with customers, who were mostly elderly. After taking his shoes off, Min Sung sat at a table in the corner. Soon, a middle-aged server wearing a bandana brought him some water and a wet towel.

"What would you like?" the server asked, and Min Sung looked at the menu, which was rather small.

[Soondubu combo]

[Soybean paste stew combo]

[Stir-fried octopus]

Next to it, were the various options available to customers when ordering and the origin of the ingredients used by the restaurant.

[Stir-fried octopus does not include rice.]

[We take to-go orders!]

[Our rice and kimchi are made using 100% Korean produce!]

Underneath that, was a disclaimer written in tiny, barely visible point that read: We use imported octopus.

Since Min Sung had come to the restaurant knowing what he was going to get, he placed his order without delay, "One soondubu combo."

Without saying anything in return, the server took the menu from the champion and walked away. Then, while Min Sung was pouring himself a cup of water, the door opened, and a beautiful woman came into the restaurant. At that point, all the men fixed their gazes on her. While everyone in the restaurant remained frozen in place, staring at the woman in a daze, the woman took her shoes off, sat at Min Sung's table, across from him, and threw her hand into the air and said, "One soondubu combo, please."

Drinking his water, Min Sung stared intently at her.

"Hi!" Ji Yoo said with a friendly smile. However, paying no attention to her, Min Sung wiped his hands with the wet towel.

"Well, good morning to you too," she said.

At that point, a man sitting at the next table interjected, "Why, your girlfriend is beautiful! You're a lucky man. She puts celebrities to shame!"

"Thank you," Ji Yoo replied with a smile as beautiful as a blooming flower. Seeing that, the man blushed, cleared his throat, and resumed his meal.

"You're starting to get a little too familiar," Min Sung said coldly, and the men in the restaurant stared at the champion with widened eyes as if they couldn't make sense of the cold manner with which he was treating her.

"How about we

grab coffee afterward?" Ji Yoo asked.

"Already did."

"Then, how about dessert?"

"No, thanks."

At that point, everyone in the restaurant, including the servers and the kitchen staff, stared at the champion, shocked by his cold, dismissive attitude. Ji Yoo, resting her chin on her hand, pouted her lips.

"Do you have to be that heartless? If I were you, I wouldn't leave her for a second! Say, are you two not together? Are you trying to win him over? Is that what's happenin' here?" the man sitting at the next table said.

"Nope," Ji Yoo replied, shaking her head.

"Hehe. Good times, good times," the man said, laughing heartily. At that moment, one of the servers turned the TV on. The nostalgic analog TV showed the news, which was covering someone with whom both Min Sung and Ji Yoo were familiar: Ho Sung.

[Next up, the Head of the Diamond Clan, Ho Sung Lee, who is widely known as the hunter who saved Seoul from utter destruction, has declined the Central Institute's offer to bring him on board. At the time of the offer, Lee claimed that he was already serving a master. Since the official statement was made public, the citizens' support toward Lee has been growing exponentially.]

Watching the news, the man sitting at the next table smiled proudly, tapped the floor next to the champion's table and said, "THAT is a real hunter, don't you think? Boy, that Ho Sung Lee! He's the real deal! Seriously, what's the Institute doing anyway? They're always busy looking out for themselves, looking down at the commoners who are vulnerable and powerless. Frankly, it's hunters like him who are actually protecting this country!"

At the man's statement, Ji Yoo's expression grew darker and darker. While Min Sung chuckled, the server brought out the food on an aluminum tray. Looking down, Min Sung studied the simple side dishes on the table: seasoned fish cakes, cold cucumber soup, and kimchi.

First, Min Sung started with a bowl of steamed rice. Scooping a spoonful of it, he brought it up to his mouth. Right off the bat, he was able to tell that it was perfectly cooked. Because it had been freshly steamed, the rice was incredibly soft, and it felt as though it was practically melting in his mouth.

Chewing the rice by the mouthful, Min Sung looked down at the bowl of soondubu soup garnished with thinly sliced green onions. Scooping up a spoonful of the red, steaming hot broth, which was mixed with chili oil and soft, fluffy chunks of tofu, the champion sucked it into his mouth.

'Slurp!'

The soft tofu scattered in his mouth before he even chewed. It was the very definition of soft. Not only that, the soup was perfectly seasoned. Bland, watery soondubu soup was a common find among restaurants. However, this restaurant in particular seemed to have mastered its recipe down to a fine art. The depth in flavor was unfathomable, and it made sense why it was one of the restaurants Ho Sung had recommended.

Scooping up another spoonful of the soup, which had maintained every bit of its natural aroma, Min Sung mixed it into the rice and brought the mixture up to his mouth. The flavor was completely different from when eating the rice and the soup separately.

The mixture of the soft, fluffy tofu, the red, spicy, savory broth combined with the perfectly cooked rice was mesmerizing. Before he knew it, over half a bowl of rice had disappeared.

'I could eat this all day!' Min Sung thought. Then, while Min Sung picked up a piece of seasoned fish cakes, Ji Yoo, wide eyed, drew her face close to his and said, "This place is really good!"

Looking at Ji Yoo, who seemed moved to her core, Min Sung pushed her face away with his finger. However, she paid no attention to him and resumed her meal as if she had been starving for days.

"I'm starting to see why you're such a foodie now. I don't know if it's because I've gotten sick of eating unnecessarily expensive things, but this! Mm! Amazing!" she said, shaking. Ignoring her, Min Sung focused on his meal. With a heaping spoonful of rice in his mouth, he scooped up yet another spoonful of soup and brought it up to his mouth. A beautiful concoction of flavors filled his mouth. Then, he picked up a piece of kimchi and put that in his mouth. Neither too fermented nor too fresh, the kimchi was unbelievably refreshing.

Finally, taking the last bit of rice, Min Sung mixed that into what was left of the soup and slurped away. Because the bowl was made of stone, the contents within it remained hot.

After eating every bit of what was in the bowl, Min Sung felt a pleasant heat spread from his stomach to the rest of his body. It felt as though he had just gotten out of a sauna. After pouring himself a glass of ice water, he drank it in a single gulp, and a cold, refreshing sensation followed. Wiping his mouth with a tissue, the champion let out a satisfied sigh and asked, "Remind me of why you're here?"

Having just finished her bowl of soup, she put the bowl down, closed her eyes and said, "Wow… That was magical… This place is unbelievable!"

"Answer the question."

"Why, I had something to talk to you about," she replied. Although she was smiling, it wasn't a lighthearted statement by any means. In fact, there was charisma and dignity in her eyes as the ruler of the Central Institute.

"Which was?"

"Demons," she said. At that point, Min Sung's gaze became sharp and heavy, and the air sank into silence.

"We better go elsewhere," he said, rising from his seat.

"Oh, I got this…"

"No need."

"Huh?! Are you buying??"

"No. You pay for your own food."

Ignoring Ji Yoo's flabbergasted look, Min Sung paid for his meal and left the restaurant. Looking in his direction, Ji Yoo shook her fist at him and said, "Nghhh! Ya jerk!"

"Haha! Why, what a beautiful young lady! Come eat more often! Feels like the whole place lights up when you're here!" the owner said.

"Oh! Thank you! It was so good!"

"You have a good day now."

With that and after paying for her food, Ji Yoo left the restaurant, and the men in the restaurant resumed their meals, smacking their lips with lingering attachment to her presence.

Chapter 67

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Min Sung and Ji Yoo arrived at a famous coffee shop chain. While Min Sung was lost in thought, trying to decide on what to get, Ji Yoo took her card out and said, "I think I'm having an Americano today. How about you?"

Making up his mind, Min Sung nodded and replied, "Shaved ice with red beans."

"Don't most people just go with the flow in situations like this and get coffee?" Ji Yoo asked with an awkward expression on her face.

"Your point?"

"… OK. Whatever," she muttered, adding, "Jerk," in a whisper.

"I can hear you. Also, I believe 'honest' is the word you're looking for. At least I'm not rude or shameless," Min Sung replied, putting his hand in his pocket.

"What are you saying, huh!?"

"You barged into my house and refused to leave. I think I proved my point."

While Ji Yoo glared piercingly at the champion, the clerk's eyes darted back and forth awkwardly between them. At which point, Min Sung took his debit card out and said, "Why don't we go Dutch?"

"You are KILLING me right now. Can we please just put it on my card and get this over with!?"

"Suit yourself," Min Sung said, putting his card back in his wallet.

"Here you go," Ji Yoo said, handing the clerk her card. After taking the card, the clerk swiped it through the card reader.

Shortly after, with a cup of coffee and a bowl of shaved ice in her hands, Ji Yoo walked toward the champion, who was sitting at the table by the windows. It was then that all the men in the coffee shop stared intently at her, some even being punished by their significant others for their indiscretions. Paying no attention to them, as if she was used to it all, Ji Yoo stood across from the champion and put the coffee and the shaved ice on the table, still feeling the piercing gazes from all the men in the coffee shop on her.

"Isn't it a guys' job to bring the stuff?"

"I don't see how the responsibility always has to fall on the guy," Min Sung replied.

"Well, it's not ALWAYS on the guy I suppose… But, I'm talking about the ladies-first mentality, you know? Like a gentleman?"

"I took you for a feminist, especially considering your position."

"You just gotta have the last word on everything, huh?" Ji Yoo said, shaking her head. Ignoring her, Min Sung picked up a spoon and looked down at the shaved ice. Garnished with sweet red beans on a bed of snow-like flakes of ice, there was nothing visually striking about it. Yet, that was precisely the reason why Min Sung was fond of the dessert.

'Gotta eat it while it's still frozen,' Min Sung thought, taking a spoonful of the ice and bringing it up to his mouth. Smooth in texture, the ice melted away as soon as it touched the champion's tongue. Not only that, the ice had been made of milk, giving it a pleasant sweetness that danced on his tongue. The flavor of the ice alone was impressive.

Staring with intrigue at the champion savoring his shaved ice, Ji Yoo said, "You know, I've never met anyone like you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Min Sung replied, looking up.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that you can focus that intensely on a bowl of shaved ice when there's a beautiful lady sitting in front of you? Or the fact that you'd even order shaved ice at a time like this."

"Have you considered getting professional help? A therapist, perhaps?"

"Oh, c'mon! Couldn't you play along even once?"

"Get to the point," Min Sung said, mixing a small dollop of sweet red bean into the spoonful of ice and bringing it up to his mouth. The delightful sweetness of the red bean combined with the refreshing, milky shaved ice made for a charming, joyful experience. Despite having already eaten, Min Sung thought the shaved ice was as delectable as ever.

"We've received some intel from the Shadow Guild. I was told that Ace told you that…" Ji Yoo said, dragging on as her face grew serious. She continued, "Soon, all hell will break loose, and there will be nothing you can do to stop it. You too will be swallowed by the great chaos. The day the 'Tower of Demons' opens up, this world will turn into hell."

Putting his spoon down, Min Sung leaned back against his chair, crossed his legs, and stared at her with a clear look of displeasure.

"So, that was the catch. More information."

"I bought you the shaved ice, didn't I?" Ji Yoo said with a friendly smile.

While Min Sung rubbed his temple and let out a heavy sigh, Ji Yoo said as the smile faded away from her face, "Mr. Kang, take me as you will, but this is a serious matter. The fate of this country depends on it, and I have to do something about it, even if it costs me everything."

Staring intently at her, Min Sung clicked his tongue and said, "Give me a moment." With that, he picked up his spoon and pulled the bowl of shaved ice toward himself.

—

It wasn't until the champion had eaten every bit of the shaved ice that he realized just how much he had eaten. Thankfully, it was still morning, which meant plenty of time for digestion. After that, Ji Yoo resumed the conversation without delay.

"All done?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. Pushing the empty bowl aside, Min Sung leaned back in his chair once again and looked into Ji Yoo's eyes as a gesture for her to speak. Catching her breath, Ji Yoo looked toward Min Sung and said, "Before we start, I have another favor to ask."

"What favor?"

"As you know, Ace took countless innocent lives, including those of hunters from the Central Institute and from ordinary clans. Not only that, we're extremely shorthanded, and there are new dungeons appearing across the country out of thin air as we speak. At this rate, it won't be long before panic strikes the citizenry."

"And?" Min Sung asked. Looking at him, Ji Yoo let out a small sigh and replied, "The regional branches are no better. There are not enough hunters to go around, and they're struggling to keep the dungeons under control in their current states. All in all, the regional branches don't have enough manpower to spare to send to Seoul."

"So, you're asking for my help?"

"It would be greatly appreciated. Even if it's for a short time," Ji Yoo said, looking at the champion with desperation in her eyes.

"Sounds like a hassle, if you ask me."

"OK. How about this? You've heard the news that warp gates are in the process of being commercialized, right?" Ji Yoo asked, and Min Sung responded with a quick nod.

"Once one becomes available Korea, the fee will be at least a hundred and twenty million won per trip. If you agree to help us, we'll grant you unlimited access to the warp gate."

With that enticing offer, the champion immersed himself in thought. Then, clicking his tongue, he asked, "What do you need me to do?"

"Is that a yes!?" Ji Yoo shouted, her face lighting up.

"Nothing kills my appetite like a monster roaming about the streets."

"… Oh! Right. So, it had nothing to do with warp gate," Ji Yoo said, slightly flabbergasted.

"You do the math. I can make billions just by clearing one labyrinth. Why would I even bother myself with your problems just for unlimited access to a warp gate?"

"It's for the country. You might have your reasons, but I must say, Mr. Kang, you're doing the right thing," Ji Yoo said, her eyes sparkling. She was smiling at the champion.

"Only for a time," the champion said, and Ji Yoo nodded without delay, saying, "Just until the Institute stabilizes."

"So, what do you need me to do?"

"We need you to focus on the newly-formed labyrinths and clear them. It might be dangerous, but I have confidence that you have what it takes to get the job done."

"How fast are they forming?" Min Sung asked.

"On average, there's been one new labyrinth appearing biweekly. Normally, we would be able to detect new dungeons, but it's been getting increasingly difficult to predict the pattern in which those dungeons are appearing. For that reason, I will contact you personally as soon as we detect a new labyrinth."

"What about the ordinary dungeons?"

"As I said, we are rather short-handed at the moment, so I will also be raiding dungeons personally. That should help make up for our lack of manpower somewhat," Ji Yoo said. The influence of a miscellaneous type was apparent in her words. A single miscellaneous type was far more powerful than dozens, or even hundreds of ordinary hunters combined. For that reason, they were often regarded as the primary authorities of their countries.

"I was told that there haven't been any new miscellaneous types in a while…" Min Sung asked.

"That's right. I'm the only remaining miscellaneous type in the entire country," Ji Yoo said, looking down at her coffee sadly.

"What would that mean in the distant future, when you're not around anymore?" Min Sung asked. However, Ji Yoo couldn't answer that question as readily. Fiddling with her coffee mug, she put on a forced smile and said, "We're working on figuring that out ourselves."

The air sank into a heavy silence. Yet, paying no attention to it, Min Sung looked out the window. For a change of pace, Ji Yoo placed her arms on the table and drew her face close to his. Her dazzling beauty filled the champion's eyes. Despite that, Min Sung furrowed his brow and asked annoyedly, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I think I've done enough talking. Now, tell me about the demons and the Tower of Demons."

"Did the Shadow Guild not know anything about those things?" Min Sung asked, and Ji Yoo shook her head.

"No. Nothing."

After a brief silence, Min Sung opened his mouth and said, "The Demonic Realm."

"The Demonic Realm?!"

"Seems like a new path has opened up for the demons."

"Demons as in… with horns and tridents?" Ji Yoo asked.

"Not exactly. They're no more than filthy beasts," Min Sung said, his face scrunched up with disgust.

"And how do you know so much about this?"

"That's not important. One thing is certain, and that is that they will all die by my hands. Every single one of them."

At the champion's remark, Ji Yoo straightened her back, startled by the ominous, suffocating presence emanating from the champion. At that point, caught off guard, she looked around the coffee shop. Thankfully, none of the civilians seemed to be affected by the champion's demeanor. Fixing his ice-cold gaze on Ji Yoo, the champion said, "If you find out anything, and I mean ANYTHING about those things, you come straight to me. This is a burden far beyond what you can carry."

"What about the Tower of Demons? What is that exactly?" Ji Yoo asked nervously.

"I'm sure it's a tower built by those creatures."

"And how powerful are those creatures?"

"It'll depend on their numbers, but a flock of ten would easily wipe this country out within half an hour," Min Sung said nonchalantly. However, Ji Yoo simply couldn't grasp the words that had come out of the champion's mouth. Shocked, she remained at a loss for words for a moment.

"… Mr. Kang," she said.

"…?"

"Who are you exactly? As far as we know, you're Korean, but frankly, you appeared out of nowhere and you have enough power to take on the entire world. And you clearly have an extensive knowledge of the Demonic Realm and the demons within it…"

"I've said enough," Min Sung said, rising from his seat and looking down at Ji Yoo with emotionless eyes, and added, "If you learn anything about the demons or the Demonic Realm, you come talk to me. And from now on, do NOT bother me. This will be the first and the only time I'll be helping you."

With that, the champion left the coffee shop, and Ji Yoo let out a frustrated sigh while staring in his direction.

Chapter 68

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Pulling his hair out in frustration, Ho Sung, with his face twisted into a scowl, stared at the headquarters of the Shadow Guild. Initially, Ho Sung couldn't have been happier with the treatment he had received. Unlike when Kyung Tae Oh, his condescending, disdainful childhood friend, had been in charge, the Shadow Guild now treated Ho Sung with the utmost respect and privilege.

'So, this is what it's like to be a VIP!' Ho Sung had thought for the first time in his life. Not only had he been given one of the most luxurious rooms in the facility, but he had also been privileged with the most beautiful, voluptuous ladies bringing him tea and dessert. However, what impressed Ho Sung the most was, by far, the way in which the guild treated him. With it being in an environment where he was treated as a human being, Ho Sung felt as though he was in a-whole-nother world. However, upon meeting with a Shadow Guild official, Ho Sung was met with devastating news.

"We hate to disappoint you, Mr. Lee, but we have no information regarding demons or the Tower of Demons at the moment. Terribly sorry, sir."

The Shadow Guild was the largest intelligence organization in the country, which meant it was practically impossible to find something they didn't know about.

'Well, shit… What now!? I'm already on Min Sung's bad side as it is! If I come back empty-handed, he'll either put me on a twenty-four-hour standby, or, even worse, he might decide that I have no use other than recommending restaurants! I'll never be able to tag along on his dungeon raids!' Ho Sung thought, biting his nails anxiously. He had to do something. However, no matter how hard he tried to think of a solution, it simply didn't come to him. At that moment, he received a call from an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Ah, yes! Hello! Is this Mr. Ho Sung Lee?"

"Yes, this is he."

"Hi, I'm calling from KBA, and we wanted to have you on one of our shows…"

Hearing that, Ho Sung hung up the call and blocked the number without hesitation. He had been getting flooded with interview requests from various media outlets and broadcasting stations as of late. Then, while he was furrowing his brow, a series of knocks came from the window. When Ho Sung rolled the window down, a young, mysterious man with a smile on his face came into view.

"Hi! I'm from KBA, and we talked on the phone earlier…"

At that moment, Ho Sung stuck a cigarette in his mouth, got out of the car and said, "All right, I've had it! Does it not mean anything to you people when somebody hangs up on you!?"

"Well… It's just that your fans are dying of curiosity, and they're anxious to meet you."

"What am I, a celebrity!? I'm a hunter! You know, someone who kills monsters!?"

"Haha! Why, of course! I'm aware of that! Thing is people have been taking a greater interest in hunters over celebrities. There's a good number of hunters shooting commercials these days."

"Well, I'm not some poser like those people, so…" Ho Sung dragged on as he was interrupted by people who recognized and surrounded him.

"Hey! It's Ho Sung Lee!"

"Oh, shoot! That is him!"

"Whoa!"

"Son of a bitch," Ho Sung let out. Getting back in the car, he drove off, and the fans stared in his direction longingly.

Taking the bridge after turning a corner, Ho Sung rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"Agh! I can't go back empty-handed."

Then, while he was massaging his temple, his eyes widened upon seeing something stuck to the rear bumper of the car in front of his. It was a skull sticker.

"Why didn't I think of that!? Ace is Bowl's minion!" he said, his face lighting up with hope. "Man, I worried over nothing!"

Then, he stomped on the gas pedal and passed that car.

—

"Sir? I'm back," Ho Sung said as he came into the living room, bowing to the champion politely.

"Well?" Min Sung asked, his gaze fixed on the TV, which was showing

the host of a home shopping channel selling a batch of fresh abalone.

"The Shadow Guild had no information on demons or the Tower of Demons. In fact, they were asking ME if I knew anything," Ho Sung said, and Min Sung, unfazed as if he had expected it, changed the channel.

"But uh… sir?"

"What?"

"So, I thought of an idea on my way here. What if we have Bowl summon Ace and have it ask him directly? Ace told us where the bomb was, so he might know something about the demons and the Tower of Demons," Ho Sung said confidently. After contemplating it briefly, Min Sung looked toward the room and said, "Bowl."

The door opened, and Bowl waddled out of the room with a rag in its hand.

"Yes, master?"

"Go to the backyard and get Ace."

At its master's command, Bowl folded up the rag, put it off to the side and ran to the backyard.

"Well?" Min Sung said, looking toward Ho Sung.

"Right away, sir!" Ho Sung replied, running after Bowl without further delay. Coming out to the backyard, which was connected to a terrace, Ho Sung stared intently at Bowl. While the doll was casting the dark magic spell, black smoke flowed out of its fingertips, and soon, it formed the shape of a person. It was Ace. The terrorist who had once wreaked havoc in Seoul was now the ghostly, zombie-like, undead minion of the Lich Doll. Groaning like a zombie, there was no focus in his eyes, and he responded to nothing except to its master's command. Nevertheless, because his memory of being beaten to near death by the terrorist was still vivid in his mind, Ho Sung couldn't help but tense up at the ghastly sight of the Lich Doll's new undead minion.

While keeping a safe distance from the undead minion, Ho Sung said to the doll, "Yo, Bowl! Ask him about the demons and the Tower of Demons!"

Hearing that, Bowl looked toward Min Sung, who was sitting on the couch in the living room. When Min Sung nodded affirmatively, the doll walked over to its undead minion and tapped him on the shin. At that point, Ace turned his head slowly and looked down at the doll.

"Tell me everything you know about the demons and the Tower of Demons," Bowl said. At that moment, black smoke flowed out of its eyes and coiled around the undead terrorist.

"Ngh! Eughhh! Guhhh!"

"…!?"

Black smoke started to billow from underneath Ace, and soon, the undead minion collapsed to his knees and onto the lawn. After turning into what looked like a wax figure, the undead minion scattered in a cloud of dust and disappeared into the wind.

As Bowl stared blankly in the direction where Ace had stood, Ho Sung's eyes darted back and forth between the doll and the champion, flabbergasted. At that moment, Min Sung, sighing as if he had expected as much, went into his room.

"Wait! Hold on! What happened?" Ho Sung asked, scratching his head in confusion.

"It's because of you!" Bowl said angrily.

"Me!? What did I d…"

Suddenly, the doll lept and bit Ho Sung's thigh like it had in the morning.

"Aaaaaagh!" Ho Sung let out, his long agonizing scream echoing in the backyard.

—

With a thunderous roar, a helicopter landed gently on the rooftop of a hotel. At that moment, the door to the rooftop opened, and the man in the black robe appeared, his robe fluttering violently from the propeller's wind. Soon, a muscular man sporting long, flowing hair came out of the helicopter and approached the man in the black robe. The helicopter took off slowly, and the man in the black robe stared intently at Jan Bred.

—

Stepping into the bar in the hotel lobby, the two men were greeted by the bartender as they sat at the counter. Since there was a reservation, the bartender brought out a specific drink without taking their order. Reaching for the bottle of Royal Salute with his massive hand, Jan Bred filled his glass to the brim. Then, looking at the man in the robe, he lifted the bottle as a way of asking if he wanted some. To which, the man in the black robe responded by shaking his head, so Jan raised his glass of whiskey without further ado and downed it in a single gulp. Astounded by the man guzzling down straight whiskey as if he was drinking water, the bartender stared at Jan with wide eyes. At which point, the man in the robe handed the bartender a check and signaled for him to leave. Taking the check, the bartender left the bar in a hurry.

Putting the empty glass down, Jan started off, "I heard Ace bit the dust. Came all the way here just to get killed by some local hunter, am I right?"

Seeing as the man in the robe remained silent, Jan scoffed and said, "Serves him right. That piece of trash."

Paying no attention to him, the man in the robe took a certain document out of his bag and handed it to Jan. Drinking his whiskey, Jan took a peek at the paper, which included a detailed profile of Min Sung as well as his schedule.

"So, is this the guy?" Jan asked, and the man in the robe nodded briefly and affirmatively.

"And the key?"

At that, the man in the robe took something out of his inventory and tossed it onto the bar top. It was a key to a labyrinth. After staring intently at it, Jan looked around all of a sudden and said, "We have some prowlers here."

"They're from an intelligence organization. There's nothing to worry about."

"Well, then. I trust that you'll keep your end of the deal?" Jan asked, and the man in the robe, while rising from his seat slowly, stopped in his tracks, stared intently at him and said, "Are you doubting me?"

"No way! It all felt too surreal is all," Jan said, fiddling with the glass, his eyes filled with excitement. After staring intently at him for a little while longer, the man in the robe left the bar, and Jan, glancing in his direction, scoffed and filled his glass with more whiskey, his dark, ominous presence quietly mixing with the serene piano music.

—

While applying ointment to the bite on his thigh, Ho Sung received a message. Assuming that it was from a media outlet or a broadcasting station, he checked the phone. However, upon checking the message from the unknown number, he clutched his phone inadvertently.

"Wh-who the hell is this!?" Ho Sung let out, looking down at the message with startled eyes. It read:

'Would you like to know more about the demons and the Tower of Demons?'

Chapter 69

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Calling the mysterious number at once, Ho Sung waited patiently for someone to answer.

"Who are you? What was that message about?" Ho Sung asked.

"It means exactly what it says. Meet me at the address I send you. You'll find what you're looking for."

With that, the call ended abruptly, and a message followed immediately after. It included an address, just like the man on the other end of the line had said. When Ho Sung called the number again, he wasn't able to get a hold of the man.

"The person you're trying to reach is unavailable."

Staring intently at his phone, Ho Sung rushed to Min Sung's room, knocked, opened the door, and called out to the champion, who was preoccupied with looking at the list of restaurants Ho Sung had put together.

"Sir!"

"What?"

"I got a message asking if I'm interested in knowing more about the demons and the Tower of Demons."

"From whom?"

"He didn't say. He just sent me an address and told me that I'd find what I'm looking for there."

Nodding, Min Sung turned his gaze to the list of restaurants again and said, "You better get going, then."

"… You mean by myself?" Ho Sung asked, a drop of cold sweat ran down his cheek. "What if it's an ambush or something? How will you know about the demons or Tower of Demons then?"

"You wouldn't have received a message if it was that simple to begin with," Min Sung said.

"I… guess that's true. Well, all right. I'll go. Are you going out to eat?"

"I'm debating between pasta and Korean food."

"Well, you've had Korean food recently, so pasta wouldn't be such a bad choice."

"I agree. Any recommendations?"

"Hm. I know a brunch place that makes some mean pasta, pizza, and gambas."

The thought of subtly sweet pasta and pizza made the champion's mouth water.

"What is gambas?" Min Sung asked.

"Well, it's technically called Gambas al Ajillo. It's a Spanish Mediterranean shrimp dish with an olive oil base and flavored with garlic. It's a popular bar food there from what I've heard."

'An olive-oil-base shrimp dish that's flavored with garlic…' Min Sung thought, puzzled by Ho Sung's description of the dish. He had no recollection of ever seeing or hearing about it until now. 'Well, I'll find out soon enough.'

—

After leaving the house for brunch, Min Sung arrived at an avenue. Savoring the beautiful scenery through the window of Ho Sung's car, the champion felt a new, unfamiliar emotion filling his heart.

The trees lined up along the road gave it a unique look and gave those traveling through it a unique experience. Upon getting out of the car, Min Sung understood almost immediately why the place was such a popular attraction. Among the gingko trees lined up along the road, were cafes and clothing stores, and just being around them made Min Sung feel as though a wave of the new generation's culture came flooding into his dry, drought-stricken soul.

"Here we are," Ho Sung said, pointing toward the restaurant with the sign that read: Antique Bistro. The wooden interior gave its customers a warm, welcoming feel.

"Well, enjoy your brunch, sir," Ho Sung said. Getting out of the car, Min Sung headed for the restaurant across the street without a delay. Upon opening the door, a cute jingle sounded from the bell attached to the door. A bulletin board and the wooden interior came into his view, and from the looks of it, the rooftop also seemed to be made of wood.

'The weather's nice out, so it might not be a bad idea to eat at the rooftop.'

"Hello! How many?" a cute, petite waitress rushed toward the champion and asked.

"One," Min Sung replied. To which, she nodded with a friendly smile and said, "OK. Please feel free to sit wherever you'd like after placing your order!"

So, Min Sung ordered one pasta, one pizza, and the gambas, just like Ho Sung had recommended.

"One bacon carbonara, one margherita pizza, and one gambas."

"OK! So, a combo meal then! We have a half and a full combo. Which one would you like?"

"I'm guessing

half combo is for one person?"

"That's right."

"I'll take a half combo, then."

"All right! Coming right up! Oh! So, our combo meals come with a drink. What would you like?"

"I'll take a grapefruit ade."

"Sure thing. Go ahead and take a seat, and I'll bring the food out!"

Nodding affirmatively, Min Sung made his way to the rooftop. The open view of the avenue made for an elegant atmosphere. Sitting on an aluminum chair at a table made of the same material, Min Sung savored the view of the avenue and the pleasant, refreshing breeze. Then, the waitress came up to the rooftop with his pasta and gambas.

"Your pizza will be right out," she said. When Min Sung nodded affirmatively, she gave him a friendly smile and made her way downstairs. Once she left, Min Sung picked up a fork with his right hand and a spoon with his left.

Adapted for Korean palates, the bacon carbonara was a cream-based pasta dish made using bacon, cheese, and eggs. The subtle yellow tinge of the noodles doused in the creamy sauce had a glow comparable to that of gold. Despite having been away for an entire century, there were still remnants of the subtle sweetness of the carbonara in the champion's memory.

'I had this with my grandmother before,' he thought. Mixing the noodles, the cream sauce and pieces of bacon within it with his fork and twirling them against the spoon, Min Sung brought the mouthful of pasta up his mouth.

Followed by a pleasant sweetness, the rich aroma of the cheese followed and tickled his nose.

'Tasty…!'

The rich, creamy sauce filled the gaps between the noodles, and the intense yet tender pieces of bacon made the dish even more satisfying. Swallowing the food, Min Sung looked down at the gambas, or Gambas al Ajillo in full. It was a Spanish appetizer made using shrimp, garlic, and olive oil.

The shrimp covered in olive oil flavored with garlic glistened enticingly in the Sun. Picking up a piece of it with his fork, Min Sung dipped the shrimp in the olive oil sauce and brought it up to his mouth. Fitting to the amount of oil used in it, the dish had a rich, oily flavor. On the other hand, it was not overbearing by any means. In fact, it was much cleaner-tasting than Min Sung had expected. Having tasted the shrimp, Min Sung looked at one of the slices of baguette soaking in the bed of olive oil. With a satisfying crunch, the soft, tender inside of the bread filled his mouth.

"Wow…!" Min Sung let out inadvertently, genuinely caught off guard. Should he have decided to not try the bread, the champion would've gone his entire life without knowing its delectable flavor when doused in garlic-infused olive oil.

'Seems like the dish was supposed to be eaten with bread,' Min Sung thought, seeming like a detective who had discovered the criminal behind a mysterious case. Without further ado, he placed a piece of shrimp and garlic on another piece of bread and munched away.

Though crunchy on the outside, the inside of the bread, which had been soaking in olive oil, was unbelievably smooth.

'I'm liking this!' Min Sung thought, looking down at the dish, impressed. At that moment, the pizza made its way to the table.

"Your pizza's here!"

There was a candle underneath the pan in which the pizza was set, keeping it hot and fresh. Looking down at the pie, a smile spread across the champion's face. When he picked up a slice of it, flour covered his fingertips. Feeling the warmth of the slice of freshly baked pizza, Min Sung opened his mouth agape and bit into it, narrowing his mouth in order to eat every bit of the cheese stretching endlessly. Min Sung took a sip of the ice-cold grapefruit ade. The simple flavors of warm tomato and cheese were striking an impressive balance without overpowering one another. In addition, the picturesque scenery also contributed to the experience of the meal. The calm, serene rooftop offered the perfect atmosphere for the brunch.

Smiling subtly, Min Sung savored his pasta, gambas, and pizza unhurriedly, thinking to himself, 'Once the warp gate becomes commercialized, I better make the most of it and try out different cuisines overseas. Korea might be a culinary melting pot, but things will never taste the same as they do in their native countries.'

Taking his phone out, Min Sung looked up 'warp gate' on a search engine and found an article that had just come out on the internet.

'Warp Gate Commercialization Confirmed! D-15.'

The commercialization process was happening sooner than the champion had expected.

'Just over two weeks, huh? That's much sooner than I thought.'

The fee was consistent with the amount Ji Yoo had told him: 120 million won per trip. Appropriate for its exorbitant fee, the warp gate users were granted enormous VIP benefits.

'Holy! A hundred and twenty million?? That's insane…'

'I wonder what kind of person would actually pay that kind of money?'

'Either hunters, successful businessmen, or politicians. Lol.'

'I'd love to try it someday!'

'So… It's only for filthy, ungodly rich people.'

'Seems like it. No commoners can afford that.'

'Maybe it's because it's new? Who knows? The price might drop significantly in the future.'

'I still don't think it would be affordable though…'

'This is mind-boggling.'

'Who would waste their money on stuff like this?'

'I feel like even the rich wouldn't bother with this technology unless they had a really, really important matter to attend.'

After reading through the comments, Min Sung tapped the address of the official warp gate website at the bottom of the screen. Reading the detailed information on the technology and the VIP benefits that came with it, Min Sung drank his grapefruit ade casually.

—

Arriving at the address he had received, Ho Sung got out of the car and looked around, finding himself in a factory complex, where countless factories were lined up back to back. First, Ho Sung went around in search of the building labeled B-97. Should he have come at night, the process would have been much more difficult.

There was not a single living thing around, further adding to Ho Sung's wariness. Soon, a plaque that read B-97 came into view.

"This must be it."

After looking back and forth between his phone and the factory, he swallowed nervously and opened the door to the empty, nearly six-hundred-and-sixty-square-meter factory. In the middle of it, was a laptop set on an old, worn-out chair.

Chapter 70

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Breathing nervously, Ho Sung stared intently at the laptop.

"Is that what I think it is?"

After looking around to make sure that he was safe, Ho Sung, scratching his chin, walked toward the laptop and opened it. At that point, a green background appeared, and a wave of undecipherable code and numbers filled the screen. Although startled initially, Ho Sung narrowed his eyes and looked closely at it. Soon, the code and numbers disappeared and were followed by a crackling screen and a video.

Although the video was too dark to make anything out of it, there was a noticeable but strange audio coming out of it. The sound resembled long, shallow breathing, and it was more than enough to make Ho Sung's hair stand on end.

"What the hell?!"

Still unable to make out what was on the screen, Ho Sung walked closer to the laptop. At that moment, the screen changed all of a sudden and showed a picture of a footprint, which seemed to be about four hundred millimeters long and didn't exactly look like it had been made by a human. After that, the screen changed once again and showed what appeared to be a cave within a dungeon. There were nail marks across the walls, along with what appeared to be hieroglyphs, which Ho Sung could only infer as being extraterrestrial.

Then, the screen changed yet again. That time, the screen showed an image of land. It was black, as if it had been scorched, and on it, was an enormous black tower of soaring height. With that, the screen crackled with static once again and went dark. At that moment, the sound of metal doors opening echoed throughout the factory.

Startled, Ho Sung turned toward it sharply. A man in a black robe was there, and his face was completely covered by the fabric. Seeing him, Ho Sung's heart started to thump.

"Who are you?" Ho Sung asked nervously, his eyes widened. After a brief silence, the man in the black robe replied in a low voice, "You'll learn more about demons and the Tower of Demons in the labyrinth."

Pointing toward the laptop, Ho Sung asked, "Are you telling me that what I saw in the laptop were traces left by demons?"

"That's right."

"What the hell are demons anyway? And the tower?"

"All I can tell you is that you'll find all the answers in the labyrinth, and soon, the Tower of Demons will open up," the man in the robe said. With that, he turned around and left the factory. As the metal door closed and the factory fell silent, Ho Sung breathed a sigh of relief and muttered, "Holy shit, that guy scared the crap outta me! What is this, a horror movie!? And why did he have to be so damn cryptic? Son of a bitch…"

Then, upon remembering something, he tilted his head. Ho Sung didn't recall seeing the man's name or level.

'Wait… Does that mean he's a miscellaneous type? No, that's not possible. The only miscellaneous type left in the country is Ji Yoo Kim from the Central Institute. Maybe he's just a civilian, and I'm getting scared for nothing.'

Shaking his thoughts away, Ho Sung walked closer to the laptop. No matter what he did, he simply couldn't get the laptop to function. Then, just as he was starting to think that it was out of battery, the laptop suddenly exploded.

"Agh!" Ho Sung let out, backing away and falling on his butt. Staring at the scorched remnants of the laptop, Ho Sung blinked rapidly.

"Son of a bitch! What the hell was that!?" Ho Sung let out, putting his hand on his chest while looking in the direction the man in the robe had gone.

—

"That's all you got?" Min Sung asked, and Ho Sung nodded affirmatively.

"Yes, sir. But it seemed like that man knew more than he let on," Ho Sung said, looking as if thinking back to that moment. Giving him a look of disapproval, Min Sung asked, "And you just let him go?"

"… Uh… He was kinda creepy. The place gave me the heebie-jeebies too…" Ho Sung said, dropping his head

in shame.

"All right, then. Go on," the champion said, his eyes fixed on the TV while he waved Ho Sung away.

"Aren't you gonna eat dinner?" Ho Sung asked.

"Of course."

"Seems like you already know what you're having."

"That's right."

"Where are you going? I'll give you a ride."

"It's close by. I can go by myself."

"Of course! Well, enjoy the rest of your evening, sir," Ho Sung replied, rushing out of the house before Min Sung changed his mind. After watching TV for a little while, Min Sung checked the time.

'Five till six.'

It was time for him to get ready to go out.

—

When Min Sung left the house, it was raining heavily outside.

'I didn't know it was going to rain today,' Min Sung thought, caught off guard by it. Looking down at the raindrops falling on the ground, Min Sung picked up a large umbrella. Although having planned on a simple bibimbap dinner initially, Min Sung decided that was no longer a fitting choice for the weather.

'What else is there?' Min Sung thought, staring out into the rain. Taking his phone out, he called Ho Sung, who answered almost immediately.

"Yes, sir."

"It's raining."

"Sir?"

"I said it's raining."

"… Yes, I believe that's what I heard the first time."

"I'm getting something else. Something better suited for the weather," Min Sung said.

"Hm… One moment." A few seconds later, Ho Sung said, "How does spicy seafood noodle soup sound?"

At Ho Sung's recommendation, a subtle smile appeared on the champion's face.

"Where?" Min Sung asked.

"Tell you what, I'll pick you up."

"No need. I wanna be alone tonight."

"Not a problem, sir. One moment," Ho Sung said. After a brief pause, he added, "OK. I sent you the address to the restaurant. The place is pretty well known, so if you tell the cab driver that you wanna go to the Chinese restaurant next to the Sem Sem Building, they'll know what you're talking about. Otherwise, you can always give them the address."

—

Following Ho Sung's instruction, Min Sung described the location of the restaurant to the driver, who agreed with the champion's choice emphatically and said, "Ah, yes! Perfect weather for a bowl of spicy seafood noodle soup!"

Looking out the window at the rainy view of the city, Min Sung waited patiently for the cab to arrive at the destination. After about fifteen minutes later, the cab stopped at the restaurant. When the champion got out of the cab after paying the driver, the restaurant's sign came into view.

[Shin Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup]

Judging from the name, the restaurant didn't appear to be just an ordinary Chinese restaurant, but one that specialized in spicy seafood noodle soup. Not only did the frankness of the restaurant's name give the champion confidence, but it also gave the champion an idea of just how spicy its seafood noodle soup was going to be.

'Come to think of it, I haven't really had anything that spicy.'

Anticipating a fiery, spicy experience, Min Sung walked into the restaurant, which was already booming with customers. Thankfully, there was an empty seat available in the middle of the restaurant. Taking a seat, Min Sung rang the bell and placed an order, "One Shin spicy seafood noodle soup."

As soon as Min Sung finished placing an order, a wave of customers came flooding into the restaurant. Should he have arrived just a few minutes later, he would have had to wait in a seemingly endless line.

'Seems like I got here just in the nick of time.'

Fitting to its popularity, the restaurant was bustling with dinner customers waiting in line for their numbers to be called.

Then, two men who had been standing in front of the line walked toward Min Sung's table. Since there were no other seats available, Min Sung had no choice but to share the table with the strangers. Although it wasn't preferable to do so, the champion had to embrace the way the restaurant ran. Without looking in the two men's direction, Min Sung poured himself a cup of water and drank it as he waited for his food patiently. Soon, his bowl of noodle soup arrived at the table.

"Here you go, sir," the server said, setting the bowl of spicy seafood noodle soup along with small bowls of pickled radish, fresh onion, and black soybean sauce in front of the champion.

Looking down at the fiery red soup topped with an assortment of fresh seafood and vegetables, including green onions and fresh chili, Min Sung smiled subtly, thinking, 'A bowl of spicy seafood noodle soup on a rainy day,' and mixing the noodles with the steamy broth. Feeling the warm steam on his face, Min Sung picked up some noodles with his chopsticks and slurped away.

The thick yet tender noodles filled his mouth, and as soon as his teeth sank into them, an explosion of spicy flavors filled his mouth yet again. It felt as though the heat was spreading all the way up to the top of his head. On the other hand, the spiciness wasn't to the point of being painful or overbearing.

Though rather spicy, the heat was still quite enjoyable, warming up the champion's body. After chewing the noodles, Min Sung picked up the bowl and drank from it. Right off the bat, the rich seafood aroma wafted toward him from the broth.

With steam coming out of his mouth, Min Sung ate the small octopus in the broth, which had a satisfying chew to it. After that, while his mouth was still on fire, he moved on to the pieces of squid. Though similar to the octopus, the squid had a texture distinct from it.

While chewing the pieces of the squid, Min Sung's mouth sucked the noodles like a vacuum. The noodles seemed to have been made using less flour than most restaurants used, filling the champion's stomach with a comforting sensation. The saturated flavors of the broth absorbed by the noodles engrossed the champion, making him eat faster and faster.

The spiciness in the broth doubled when followed after the noodles. Then, taking the meat off of the mussels, which were still in their shells, Min Sung ate two pieces of them at a time. Unhindered, he moved on to even more noodles, and then on to the vegetables steeping in the spicy, seafood broth. A refreshing crunch filled his mouth, cutting through the grease and the spiciness.

Leaving only the broth, the champion looked down at the bowl of spicy seafood noodle soup.

"Whew!"

Downing the spicy broth felt like the perfect finale to the meal.

'Let's do this.'

Then, just as he was about to finish off the broth…

"What the!?"

"What's that!?"

"Ahhhh!"

… a commotion broke out in the restaurant.

Chapter 71

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Putting the bowl down, Min Sung looked around with a furrowed brow. The restaurant was in a state of panic. At that moment, hellhounds, monsters resembling hunting dogs, rushed into the restaurant, shattering the window. With his eyes filled with annoyance, Min Sung put the chopsticks down audibly and rose from his seat. Meanwhile, the hellhounds ripped their helpless prey into shreds, making ghastly, terrifying sounds while doing so, tearing into their necks and biting their limbs off. Blood splattered all over.

With his face twisted into a scowl, Min Sung picked up the chopsticks in front of him by the bunch and chucked them at the hellhounds. Then, the seemingly ordinary wooden chopsticks started to glow blue and spread all across the restaurant, piercing through the hellhounds.

Whimpering, the hounds fell to the ground and writhed in pain. However, the worst was yet to come. Looking at yet another endless wave of hellhounds rushing into the restaurant, the champion took his Orichalcon Dagger out of his inventory. Then, with a loud crackle that echoed throughout the restaurant, the hellhounds that were attacking the customers became sluggish, their movements noticeably slower.

After that, the champion swung his dagger, and streaks of lightning flashed out of it, stretching across the restaurant and toward the hellhounds, ripping them apart. Then, he swung his dagger yet again at the next wave of hellhounds charging at him. Streaks of lightning shot out of the dagger like a spider web, reducing over twenty hellhounds to moths flying into a fire in a matter of seconds.

Standing still in a restaurant that now lay in ruins, Min Sung looked around. With only a third of the customers alive after the attack, the casualties were rather substantial. Curled up into balls against the wall, the survivors shook and sobbed with terror, staring at the champion with fear. Staring back at them for a brief moment, Min Sung redirected his gaze to what was left of his spicy seafood noodle soup. Picking up the bowl with the spicy broth, Min Sung downed what was left in it in a single gulp. Although cold by that point, it was still deliciously spicy.

Putting the bowl down audibly, he took out his wallet and walked toward the counter, where the employees were frozen in fear, their faces covered in tears. Looking at a waitress, Min Sung took out a ten thousand won bill, placed it on the counter, and walked away, leaving the sobbing behind.

When the champion came out to the dark, rainy street, he saw a pack of hellhounds running about, slobbering as if they were rabid. Seeing that, Min Sung's eyes grew ice-cold, and he vanished into thin air like smoke. Shortly after, lights started to flash through the pack of hellhounds, and the hounds fell to their demise one by one. About a minute later, the sound of hellhounds that had once filled the streets was no longer, leaving only the stench of dog blood behind.

After wiping his dagger on the clothes of one of the corpses around, Min Sung tossed it into his inventory and made his way home through the rain. In the place where the champion had once stood, only the sound of raindrops hitting the ground remained.

—

After tossing his bloodstained clothes into the trash can, Min Sung took a shower in order to wash the blood and its stench off of his body. After that, having changed into comfortable indoor clothing, he sat on the couch and turned on the TV. Just as he had expected, the news was covering the recent reports of citizens being attacked by monsters that had escaped from the dungeons.

Countless hunters had fallen at the hands of the terrorist known as Paul Ace, leading to a shortage of hunters. Citizens were at greater peril than ever, and the packs of hellhounds running around the streets in a frenzy only served as a reminder that the country was in a severe state of vulnerability.

Now, the citizens had no choice but to start relying more on hunters for protection, regardless of their previous views on those same hunters.

After watching the news for a little while,

Min Sung turned the TV off and went into his room. After setting an alarm, he sent Ho Sung a message and closed his eyes in the dark.

—

While Ho Sung was eating a baguette and looking through a bundle of pages of a document on labyrinths, he received a message.

[We leave for the labyrinth first thing in the morning.]

Upon reading it, Ho Sung's jaw dropped open, and the piece of baguette in his mouth fell out.

'We're going to a labyrinth. WE'RE GOING TO A LABYRINTH!'

Chucking the document on the ground, Ho Sung danced for joy. However, the celebration was short-lived as the reality started to set in. Labyrinths were not places to be taken lightly. In fact, death was at every corner within the dungeon, making them dangerous places for even the most seasoned of hunters.

'All right, Ho Sung. Stay calm,' Ho Sung thought as the situation became more real. His heart started to race with apprehension, making his blood curdle. Catching his breath, Ho Sung picked up the pages of the document on the ground. Although his level was now in the 300s, labyrinths still remained just as intimidating as before.

Standing straight, Ho Sung read through the information on the document carefully, fighting through the apprehension.

"Whew…"

The time kept ticking, and for some unknown reason, it felt faster than usual.

—

The next morning, Min Sung left the house in comfortable attire. There was a car in front of the mansion, and Ho Sung was leaning against the hood while smoking a cigarette.

"Oh! Good morning, sir," he said, putting the cigarette out in a hurry and bowing. Getting in the backseat of the car, the champion said, "We head for the labyrinth after breakfast."

While putting the seat belt on after getting in the driver's seat, Ho Sung looked back at Min Sung and asked, "Uh, sir? May I ask why you're going to a labyrinth? Don't get me wrong. You're free to do as you wish with the time you have, but it does feel kind of sudden…"

"Monsters have been attacking civilians more and more because there aren't enough hunters around."

"… Riiight," Ho Sung said with uncertainty. It wasn't until he received a frustrated look from the champion that he caught up to what Min Sung was referring.

"Ah… More monsters means more danger for the restaurants in the area, which would inevitably hinder your meal experience!"

"Got any breakfast recommendations?"

"Right. So, I've been thinking since last night…" Ho Sung dropped off while he started the ignition.

"And I figured we should eat as much as we can before the labyrinth," he added, showing a screen capture of a blog.

"Bean sprout soup?" Min Sung asked, tilting his head and saying, "Doesn't sound very filling to me."

At the champion's response, Ho Sung smiled and said, "Not if we each get a bowl to ourselves on top of seafood green onion pancakes and some makgeolli. That's the breakfast of champions if you ask me."

'Of course,' Min Sung thought, impressed, nodding heavily and affirmatively. Should Ho Sung have stopped at bean sprout soup, the champion planned on making Ho Sung a chew toy for Bowl.

Thankfully, the combination of seafood green onion pancakes and makgeolli added charm to an otherwise boring menu.

"Let's go," Min Sung said, leaning back as he looked away from Ho Sung's phone.

"Off we go."

Just like that, the car carried the champion away.

—

Contrary to the champion's concern, the restaurant was still open for business despite the rampant monster attacks.

"Uh, sir? Would you mind if I eat here?" Ho Sung asked cautiously.

"If you must. Just sit at a different table."

"Thank you, sir."

As the two stepped into the restaurant, they were greeted by a middle-aged waitress, who seemed to be in her fifties, wiping the tables, "Hello!"

The time was 7 a.m, perhaps slightly too early for most people to eat breakfast.

When the two sat at their respective tables, the waitress' eyes darted back and forth between the champion and Ho Sung, confused.

"Aren't you guys together?" she asked as she brought Ho Sung, who was sitting closer to the kitchen, some water and a cup.

"He prefers to sit alone," Ho Sung replied bashfully.

"All right. Whatever floats your boat. What would you like?"

"We'll take two orders of bean sprout soup, an order of seafood green onion pancakes. Oh, could you cut that in half, please? And we'll each have an order of makgeolli as well."

Then, realizing that Ho Sung was a hunter, the waitress removed the puzzled look from her face and quietly brought Min Sung some water. Sipping on the cup of water, Min Sung looked out of the window and realized just how used to life on Earth he had gotten. Drinking crystal-clear water no longer felt unnatural to him. If anything, his time in the Demonic Realm was the thing of the past.

Reminiscing to his distant past, the champion looked out the window and studied the weather. It was a bright, sunny day, and the heavy rain was no longer. At that moment, a bowl of boiling bean sprout soup and a bottle of makgeolli arrived at the champion's table, making the champion's stomach growl.

Taking a spoon out of the spoon stand, Min Sung uncovered the lid of the aluminum bowl.

'So, they use black rice here.'

Due to its iron content, black rice was known as an effective food for treating anemia and constipation. Because he had been spending most of his free time researching, the champion had been growing increasingly knowledgeable about food.

'I don't think I've ever had black rice since I've returned to Earth.'

Taking a spoonful of it, Min Sung brought it up to his mouth. Both chewy and soft, it was perfectly cooked. Then, he followed up with a spoonful of the broth of the bean sprout soup. Flavored with dried chili powder, the clear broth was refreshing and deep in flavor. It was the perfect food with which to start the day. With a piece of kimchi crunching in his mouth, Min Sung took some bean sprouts from the soup and placed them on the bed of rice. Then, after bringing the mixture up to his mouth, he followed it up with a spoonful of the savory, refreshing broth. The grains of black rice and the crunchy bean sprouts mingled with the deep flavors of the broth, creating a combination of flavors that was deeply satisfying and providing the champion with enough energy to wipe out every monster that came his way.

'Very nice.'

Taking the bowl of rice, Min Sung mixed the rest of it into the soup. Then, while he was still stirring, half a piece of seafood green onion pancake made its way to the table. When he looked at it, Min Sung remembered the bottle of makgeolli that had also arrived with the soup. At that moment, Ho Sung came rushing to his table with a bottle of makgeolli in his hand.

"Sir! Before you drink that makgeolli, remember to hold it tightly by the mouth of the bottle and tilt it at a forty-five-degree angle as you pour," he said, demonstrating it himself.

hapter 72

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

"Is it to prevent it from overflowing?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well."

With that, Ho Sung bowed to the champion politely and returned to his seat. Following Ho Sung's instructions, the champion held the bottle by its mouth tightly and opened the lid. Sure enough, no foam flowed out of the bottle. Nodding, he poured himself some makgeolli in a cup that looked like a segment of a bamboo shoot.

'How curious,' Min Sung thought to himself. Having never had makgeolli until now, his heart thumped with excitement. Taking the cup of the traditional Korean rice wine in his hand, Min Sung brought it up to his mouth.

'Gluck, gluck, gluck!'

Having drunk the entire cup in three gulps, the champion lowered his hand, deeply impressed.

'How can it be so sweet and yet have such rich flavors?'

The flavors were incredibly complex, and they were far beyond what the word 'sweet' could describe. There was something about the flavors that reminded the champion of a waterfall. Smacking his lips, he tore a piece of seafood green onion pancake, dipped it in soy sauce, and put it in his mouth. Followed by a melting sensation, the chewy chunks of squid introduced a new dimension of flavor to him, filling the champion's mouth with the aroma of the ocean. Although substantial in thickness, the pancake was incredibly soft.

'This is life-changing!' he thought. After that, he scooped up a spoonful of the bean sprout soup and black rice concoction, blew on it, and brought it up to his mouth. Despite being scalding hot, the flavors were still just as impressive.

'What is their secret?' the champion thought, examining the soup closely. Soon, the secret became apparent.

'The eggs! So, that's their secret!'

The perfectly-cooked eggs were the secret and the foundation behind the artful balance of flavors of the seemingly unimpressive dish. Scooping up another spoonful of the concoction, along with some bean sprouts that time, Min Sung blew on it once again and brought it up to his mouth. The combination of soup and rice filled his stomach with a pleasant warmth. No matter how many times he tasted it, the egg-based broth was still insanely delectable. The soft, fluffy texture of the egg combined with the deep flavors of the broth was, simply put, heavenly.

Taking a break from the soup, Min Sung, like he had done previously, poured himself another cup of makgeolli filled to the brim, drank it in three gulps, and followed that up with a piece of the seafood green onion pancake dipped in soy sauce. After the potent flavor of the green onion, the rich flavor of soy sauce rushed past his nose. It was truly a magical moment.

However, while the champion was reminded of Ho Sung's impeccable taste in food yet again, he couldn't help but feel like he had been somewhat excessive in his reliance on Ho Sung. Compared to Ho Sung, the champion's ability to go out and explore different restaurants was severely lacking.

'I better step it up. Getting recommendations from Ho Sung might be more convenient, but it's nowhere near as meaningful as discovering a restaurant of my liking on my own,' Min Sung thought. While the ambition of going on a food exploration was stirring in his heart, the champion ate his soup quietly.

—

Jan Bred stared up at the sky, blue and seemingly ordinary. Shortly after, he noticed parts of the sky starting to distort. Staring at the subtle yet noticeable distortions in the sky, Jan smiled. Then, he looked down at his wristwatch. Seeing as though it was getting closer to the predetermined time, he started to itch with anxiety. His right hand, which was wrapped in cloth, buzzed as if there was an electrical current running through it. The impulsive desire for destruction tickled the tips of his fingers. Closing his eyes, Jan drank quietly, reminding himself of the imminent reward.

—

"Who are those people?" Ho Sung murmured, puzzled by two mysterious men standing in front of the labyrinth's entrance. Due to the shortage of hunters, there had been increasing reports of monster attacks as of late. Needless to say, seeing people wandering around the labyrinth was a strange sight. At that moment, noticing Ho Sung and the champion arriving at the dungeon's entrance, the two mysterious

men walked away while making phone calls.

"Who the hell are those guys?" Ho Sung muttered, looking displeased. However, Min Sung, paying no attention to them or to Ho Sung's response to them, walked closer to the dungeon and stood in front of the gate. At which point, Ho Sung rushed after him.

'I sure hope I can get in this time! Please! Please!' Ho Sung thought, clasping his hands together, his eyes clenched tightly as if praying. Then, noticing that he was being lifted off the ground, Ho Sung smiled brightly.

'Yes! YES! It's happening!'

As usual, darkness engulfed them as the two got sucked into the dungeon. When the darkness dissipated, a mechanical voice echoed throughout the dungeon and a set of system messages appeared before their eyes.

[Welcome to the labyrinth.]

[You may not exit the labyrinth until you clear the dungeon.]

[Difficulty will remain unchanged.]

[Labyrinth Difficulty: Inferno]

[From this moment on, monsters will grow stronger at an exponential rate.]

[Tread lightly, and the best of luck to you, champion]

After reading the messages, Ho Sung swallowed nervously, particularly at the one about the monsters growing exponentially stronger. Although anxious to move up to a higher level, Ho Sung couldn't help but tense up when reminded of potentially deadly monsters.

Wiping the sweat off his forehead, Ho Sung opened his inventory and equipped himself with a shield. Being in a party with Min Sung rendered swords useless. Due to the ruthless difficulty, Ho Sung was nowhere near strong enough to inflict any significant damage, if at all, to the monsters. Knowing that, Ho Sung had spent most of his savings on healing potions and the shield. Surviving the labyrinth was his top priority, and having a decent shield would surely increase the likelihood of that happening. At that moment, Bowl jumped out of the champion's pocket. Upon landing, the doll cackled and followed after its master as if thrilled about what was to take place.

"… I guess I'm the only nervous one here," Ho Sung said, slapping himself and rushing to catch up with the champion and Bowl.

—

Sitting by the fountain like a plant in the Sun, Jan opened his eyes slowly as his phone went off. Picking it up, he put it next to his ear unhurriedly.

"Min Sung Kang has entered the labyrinth," the voice on the other end of the line said.

"And the location?" Jan asked, looking up at the sky with lazy eyes.

"We sent someone. It takes about twenty minutes to get there, so they should arrive any minute now."

With that, the call came to an end, and at that same moment, a black sedan in the distance came toward Jan's direction, stopping at a place not too far from him. A man in a black suit came out of the car, bowed politely to Jan and handed him a watch.

"It's a digital watch that allows you to communicate through phone calls or messages. It also comes with a translation and interpretation feature. It's specially made so that it works even when within labyrinths."

Taking the shiny steel wristwatch that he had around his wrist, Jan tossed it toward the fountain and replaced it with the digital one.

'It's time,' he thought, rising to his feet slowly. Brushing his hair up, he walked toward the car with the man in the black suit.

—

As darkness faded and was replaced with light, Min Sung led the way. At the end of a short hallway, was an elevator. Although the dungeon looked nothing like all the previous dungeons he had been to, the champion remained unfazed and waited for the elevator to arrive. After getting into the elevator, he furrowed his brow and asked Ho Sung, who was looking around nervously, "What are you doing?"

"There's something about this elevator that makes me feel uneasy. You don't think it'll fall while we're still in it or anything, do you, sir?"

At that, Min Sung looked around the elevator. Aside from being slightly dirty and dusty, there was nothing in particular about it that indicated danger.

"Will you just hurry up and get in?" the champion said. At that point, Ho Sung, deathly pale, had no choice but to get into the elevator with Min Sung.

There were only two buttons on the control panel within the elevator: 1B and 1F. Without hesitation, Min Sung chose the latter and pressed the 1F button. After that, the door closed, making that distinct elevator sound. Although the elevator was moving up to the next floor, the ride lasted for quite a while. Then, after about a minute later, the bell went off and let the two know that they had arrived at their destination. However, when the door opened, they were met by a completely unexpected scenery.

While the champion got out of the elevator unfazed, Ho Sung followed after him with his jaw dropped open. They were in a green field under a bright Sun, and not too far from them, was a humongous gray wall. It seemed even taller than the 63 Building.

(TL's Note: 63 Building, or 63 SQUARE, is one of the most iconic landmarks in Seoul. It overlooks the Han River. Just as it's suggested in the name, the building is sixty-three stories high.)

"What's that?" Ho Sung asked.

"That's not a wall."

"What!? What do you mean that's not a wall? …Wait, does that mean…" Ho Sung dragged on, fixing his gaze on the champion, who added as he equipped his Orichalcon Dagger, "The labyrinth."

"… The labyrinth?"

"That's right."

Upon getting a second look, Ho Sung noticed that there were cracks in the wall. If the cracks were visible from their distance, it was very likely that the cracks were big enough for a person to fit through them. As if coming to grips with reality, Ho Sung let out a nervous sigh, his face frozen in fear.

"Stay sharp. You won't walk out of here in one piece the moment you let your guard down," Min Sung said, looking toward the labyrinth.

"Sir? You're scaring me," Ho Sung said as his face fell.

"If it's an ordinary labyrinth, we shouldn't have a problem. In any case, stay focused. Don't let your fear get to you."

"… Yes, sir," Ho Sung replied with a determined look on his face, nodding heavily. Gripping his dagger tightly, the champion walked on. Much like its appearance, the dungeon felt nothing like other dungeons he had previously been to, triggering his instinct to stay on guard.

As the difficulty of the labyrinth neared its end, the monsters would appear to be noticeably stronger. It was apparent in the air. However, having survived countless near-death experiences, the champion had grown numb to its threat. If anything, the fact that he was about to fight against stronger opponents put a smile on his face. The Demonic Realm had shaped his instincts like those of a predator.

Arriving at the entrance, Min Sung walked through it confidently, and Bowl waddled after its master. At that moment, Ho Sung grabbed his belly with a look of discomfort on his face. Noticing that, Min Sung gave him a puzzled look.

"Ugh… My stomach is kinda hurting. I must be really nervous, haha."

Contrary to Earth, where it was midsummer, a piercingly cold wind blew across the dungeon.

Chapter 73

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

The piercing cold made the labyrinth even more intimidating. At that moment, Bowl leapt and kicked Ho Sung from behind.

"Agh!" Ho Sung let out, falling on his face. "What the hell was that about!?"

Instead of giving an answer, the doll cackled as if it found the situation too funny.

"… Son of a bitch," Ho Sung muttered annoyedly, furrowing his brow. At that moment, a massive shadow was cast over them. As Ho Sung looked up, the champion did the same, and they saw the very first monster since entering the labyrinth.

[Death Knight]

Riding an undead, skeletal horse, the knight seemed to be at least five meters tall and was covered in silver armor. The black sword in the knight's hand surged with dark energy. Unlike Ho Sung, who was in a daze, the champion scoffed and said, "It looks just like Bowl, just bigger."

While Bowl cackled at its master's remark, Ho Sung swallowed nervously and asked in a shaky voice,

"W-why can't I see its level? Is that even possible with monsters?"

"Doesn't change anything though, does it?" Min Sung said, glaring at the Death Knight with merciless eyes and walking toward it.

—

Following its master, Bowl also prepared to attack the monster. Meanwhile, Ho Sung watched, pained by his helplessness. In an attempt to stop himself from wallowing in self-pity, he shook his head violently.

'If I wanna be stronger, I have to get outta here alive,' he thought, glaring at the monster intently while focusing on the situation at hand.

—

Seeing the champion walking toward it, the Death Knight came down from its horse unhurriedly, stretching its neck to the left and right. Then, without hesitation, it charged at Min Sung, its eyes burning with black flames like Bowl's. Shortly after, the knight's black sword and the champion's Orichalcon Dagger came into contact and exploded into massive sparks. A thunderous roar sounded off as the white streaks of lightning and the black aura of the Death's Knight's sword mingled. The ground shook as if there was an earthquake, making it nearly impossible for Ho Sung to stand still. In his eyes, the fight between the champion and the Death Knight was beyond what was possible on Earth, almost as if a god was fighting against the devil.

"Not bad, bonehead. Reminds me of the time when I fought against a young demon," Min Sung said tauntingly while his dagger grinded against the Death Knight's sword. At that moment, Bowl chanted a spell, and a sword went flying at the Death Knight. However, it was hardly effective as it couldn't even make a dent in the knight's armor.

Startled, Bowl looked toward the knight, who leapt away from the doll and swung its sword. A wave of energy shot out of the blade at the champion. Lowering his dagger, the champion swung it upward, reflecting and scattering the projectile into shards. The impact reached all the way to Ho Sung, who was standing behind the champion in the distance.

"Ugh!" he let out. Despite standing behind a shield, the sheer intensity of the impact cut Ho Sung's shoulder and thigh open. Even the inside of his mouth was cut. Bleeding from his mouth, Ho Sung backed away, appalled by the damage he had received, only to be backed up against the wall of the labyrinth. At that point, the vines that were spread across the wall started to squirm and coil around Ho Sung as if trying to eat him alive.

"What the!?" he let out, jerking away from the wall. At which point, the vines returned to their

place. Breathing sharply, Ho Sung looked toward the champion, who seemed to have the upper hand in the battle against the Death Knight.

—

'Tick. Tock.'

Standing in front of the labyrinth entrance, Jan looked down at his digital wristwatch and tapped on it with his index finger. Not only did the device support speech recognition, but it was also capable of providing the situation within the labyrinth to him in real-time.

Then, he wrapped a chain, his personal weapon of choice, around his right arm. Although lusterless, the chain was surging uncontrollably with a blue aura. Paying no attention to it, Jan closed his eyes and let out a long, apprehensive sigh. When he opened his eyes and looked up, he saw the subtle changes in the sky slowly revealing their identity.

—

After taking some time to study the monster's movements, the champion realized that the Death Knight, despite being an Inferno-grade monster, was still nowhere near as powerful as a young demon.

'Think I've seen enough,' Min Sung said to himself. Then, the champion's Orichalcon Dagger shattered the Death Knight's helmet and its skull within it. After which, the knight fell apart into a stack of bones. Shortly after, the remains of the knight exploded and dropped sets of three items.

[The Death Knight's Sword (Legendary)]

[High-Quality Enchanted Stone x5]

[Black Mithril x20]

Picking up the enchanted stones, Min Sung tossed them at Bowl, who caught every single one of them in midair with its mouth and munched away. Having consumed five enchanted stones in a matter of seconds, the doll started to glow gold, and its level reached well over 1,800.

Then, Min Sung looked toward Ho Sung, whose level had still been in the lower 300s. He had reached level 350 in the blink of an eye.

"Ho Sung Lee," Min Sung said, tossing the sword at him. After spinning in the air, the sword lodged itself into the ground. Standing in front of it, Ho Sung stared down at it in a daze for a moment and pulled it out with shaky hands.

[The Death Knight's Sword]

[Grade: Legendary]

[Damage (against small/large monsters respectively): 21 / 24]

[One-Handed]

[Additional Properties: Dexterity +18, Strength +8, Additional Damage +20]

[Material: Iron]

[Enhancement: There's a risk of destroying the item when upgrading beyond +0]

[Durability: Damaged]

[Tradeable with other players]

[Level Requirement: 500]

[Additional Property: Chance to cast 'Hellfire']

Still in a daze, Ho Sung stared blankly at the sword. Meanwhile, after putting the pieces of mithril in his inventory, Min Sung looked around.

—

Holding the Death Knight's Sword, Ho Sung felt his mind going blank.

"A-are you really giving this to me, sir?"

"What do you think I was doing?"

Looking down at the sword in his hand again, Ho Sung replied, "Sir, I can't take this. This sword is invaluable and worth a fortune in the market these days. I-I couldn't dare to even touch such a powerful weapon…"

"Well, I don't need it," the champion said, looking at Ho Sung with annoyance.

"T-thank you, sir," Ho Sung replied, staring at the sword in disbelief and putting it in his inventory while suppressing the emotions welling up from within him.

"Why aren't you using it?" Min Sung asked.

"My level isn't high enough yet."

"What's the level requirement for it?"

"It's 500 and above, sir."

"Shouldn't be much longer then."

"… Sir?"

Paying no attention to Ho Sung and his confusion, the champion walked on. On the other hand, Bowl glared fiercely at Ho Sung while following Min Sung. Shuddering, Ho Sung asked, "What's your problem?"

Bowl kicked the dirt toward Ho Sung and said, "Must be nice getting loot without having to work for it."

Ho Sung chuckled dumbfoundedly at that and replied, "Didn't you just hit level 1,800 after munching on five enchanted stones?"

"Hmph!" Bowl let out. At that moment, the environment started to shift, and Ho Sung and Bowl looked around in confusion.

—

With what sounded like boulders grinding against each other, the environment started to shift. The walls within the labyrinth started to move like cogwheels, sealing the open paths and opening the paths that hadn't been available before. Then, a wave of monsters came flooding out of the newly opened paths, including a half-woman, half-snake beast called Lamia, a Dark Golem, a Fire Cerberus, and a winged monster called Yarvis. Similar to the Death Knight, the monsters' levels weren't visible. At the intimidating sight, Ho Sung tensed up and prepared for battle.

The hellish beasts charged at the champion from all directions. While Ho Sung watched in a daze, a tremendous amount of electrical current started to flow out of the champion's dagger. Startled by the sight, Bowl stood close to Ho Sung.

Then, holding the dagger upside down, the champion drove it into the ground. A bright, white aura started to spread in all directions, its impact shattering the ground. The four monsters trembled as if they were being electrocuted, and soon, the monsters started to fall to the ground one by one. The Lamia met its demise as its arms and head exploded, while the Dark Golem's legs shattered from the impact of the aura. The flames surrounding the Fire Cerberus subsided as it vomited blood, and Yarvis went rolling across the ground with its wings torn off. Glaring fiercely at the three remaining monsters that were still alive, the champion charged toward them. At that moment, the walls started to shift yet again.

—

The ground started to shake as if there was an earthquake. Then while Ho Sung and Bowl struggled to maintain their balance, the walls started to move even faster, closing the path behind the champion, who was in the middle of slicing the Yarvis' throat. While Ho Sung and Bowl stared at the moving wall in a daze, the wall closed their field of view, separating them from the champion.

"… Oh, no. We've been separated," Ho Sung murmured in despair while a baffled look appeared on Bowl's face.

Chapter 74

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Unlike normal, Bowl was shaking due to fear. Its confidence had dwindled away without the champion by its side. Without Min Sung, surviving the Infernal Labyrinth at a mere level 1,800 was utterly impossible. Similarly, Ho Sung, at a loss, put his ice-cold hand on his hot forehead. At that moment, Bowl poked at his leg. After looking down, Ho Sung looked in the direction Bowl was looking. There were two Death Knights coming toward them like Grim Reapers.

Seeing the monsters, Bowl prepared to cast a spell, its eyes bursting with black flames. However, just as Bowl was about to start chanting a spell, Ho Sung picked the doll up, stuck it to his side and bolted in the opposite direction of the monsters, crying out for the champion's help desperately.

"Heeeeeeeeeeelp!!"

After leveling up, Ho Sung's skills had also been enhanced, including 'Wind Walk' and 'Haste,' both of which boosted his speed. While running, Ho Sung studied how the walls were shifting in order to figure out how to get away from the Death Knights. Closing in on Ho Sung and Bowl, one of the Death Knights raised its black sword above its head. At that moment, Bowl cast a spell, and smoke billowed from underneath the Death Knights, pinning both of their horses to the ground.

'Neeeeigh!'

The two undead horses writhed due to the discomfort, struggling to free themselves. Then, Bowl took the opportunity to look around and pointed at a forty-five-degree angle.

"There!"

When Ho Sung looked in the direction the doll was pointing, he saw two walls about to merge together, leaving just enough room for them to pass through. Of course, it didn't take long for Ho Sung to realize that that was their only way out.

Jerking toward the merging walls, Ho Sung bolted even faster. Then, while their horses were still pinned to the ground, the Death Knights swung their swords, shooting black, ominous projectiles out from their blades at Ho Sung and Bowl. While the projectiles closed in on them like death drawing near, Ho Sung ran with everything he had and shoved himself into the crack in the wall.

As Ho Sung and Bowl disappeared into the wall, the projectiles scattered away upon hitting the wall, and after staring at the disappearing pair with eagerness, the Death Knights shook the smoke pinning the horses to the ground off and turned away.

—

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

Having survived the Death Knights by the skin of his teeth, Ho Sung breathed heavily while carrying Bowl at his side.

'Holy hell! I thought I was gonna get crushed to death by those walls! That was too close. WAY too close! Huff! Huff!'

Bowl, who was still being carried by Ho Sung, tapped on his arm. At that point, Ho Sung's heart sank with apprehension. Sure enough, just as he caught his breath, yet another monster appeared before Ho Sung's eyes, and the shadow of death loomed over his face again.

An enormous dragon-like creature with brown fur was coming toward them, flying low to the ground. It was a drake.

"… For real!?" Ho Sung murmured with a blank look on his face. The only way out was forward, toward the Drake. At that point, a sense of despair washed over him. "Is this how I die? Damn it… I didn't even get to try out the Death Knight's sword."

At that moment, the drake opened its mouth wide open, revealing its frightening teeth and letting out an excruciatingly loud screech.

Lesser dragons, drakes were incapable of breathing fire or using any magic attacks. However, their indestructible teeth, which were capable

of cutting into just about anything, made up for their lack of magical abilities.

Staring into the gaping abyss that was the inside of the drake's mouth, Ho Sung's heart sank at the sight of his impending death. At that moment, just as the drake was about to swallow Ho Sung whole, the wall behind him and Bowl crumbled down, revealing the champion standing behind it. A projectile shot out of the Orichalcon Dagger in his hand and flew toward the drake. Upon hitting the drake, a streak of light appeared across its body, and the drake exploded into pieces of meat, its remains scattered all over.

With shaky eyes, Ho Sung stared at the champion from behind.

"This is just the beginning. Keep a safe distance, even if it's more dangerous to do so," Min Sung said in his usual, ice-cold voice.

Looking deathly pale, Ho Sung rose to his feet, his legs shaking uncontrollably. The Infernal Labyrinth was a frightening experience that made death seem like an appealing choice. When he saw Bowl run toward the champion and jump into his pocket, Ho Sung hoped that he could do the same. Then, Min Sung pointed quietly toward the items dropped by the drake.

"O-of course, sir," Ho Sung said and picked up the items while still looking pale. Although relieved to be reunited with the champion, the champion's remark that it was just the beginning brought about a sense of suffocating fear for him, making Ho Sung sick to his stomach.

—

Impressed, Jan stared at the screen of his digital watch. Min Sung was clearing the labyrinth at a frightening speed. At the rate he was going, the champion would surely clear the dungeon in just a few hours. Staring at the digital watch with excitement, Jan stroked the chain wrapped around his arm. The chain shook in his arm as if responding to its owner's touch. Then, taking the Labyrinth Key out of his inventory, Jan stood in front of the entrance. Because of the key, the labyrinth system asked if he would like to enter the dungeon instead of declining his entrance altogether. Unhurriedly, Jan tapped 'Accept,' and the key in his hand slowly shattered into specks of dust.

[Access granted.]

After that, the system lifted Jan off the ground and sucked him into the dungeon.

—

Fitting to the difficulty of the dungeon, the monsters within the Infernal Labyrinth had noticeably higher health and defense. However, they could hardly inflict any damage on the champion. Needless to say, killing them was barely a challenge for Min Sung. However, unlike for the champion, casually roaming about the labyrinth was a luxury that neither Ho Sung nor Bowl could afford.

"It got dark in here," Ho Sung said, looking up at the sky within the labyrinth. Just like he had said, it was now night, which meant that the monsters became even more fierce and aggressive. Of course, the dangers of that applied only to Ho Sung and Bowl, as Min Sung was capable of seeing in the dark. The only variables were the time and the way in which the labyrinth shifted, which seemed random and unpredictable. Killing the monster was hardly an issue for the champion. However, the fact that he couldn't get out of the labyrinth earlier was proving to be a major source of stress for him.

"Bowl. Over here."

At its master's beckoning, Bowl waddled toward Min Sung and looked up at him.

"Look for an exit."

"Me?"

Instead of giving the doll an answer, Min Sung grabbed Bowl and threw it up into the air as he would a baseball. Seeing Bowl soar up in the air, Ho Sung stared at the doll wide-eyed and with a dropped jaw. After reaching a frightening height, Bowl identified the direction of the exit and let gravity bring him back down. Snatching the doll from midair, Min Sung asked, "So?"

"… I did see one, but I can't say for certain, master."

Hearing that, Min Sung threw Bowl into the air once again. At which point, Bowl cackled as if it was on a ride at an amusement park and looked around in search of an exit.

"Anything?" Min Sung asked.

"Found it!"

Min Sung let go of Bowl, and the doll, upon landing, pointed in a certain direction and said, "That way, North."

Nodding briefly, the champion said, "Let's go."

"Uh… S-sir? I think we should figure out the pattern in which these walls are shifting. They're still changing as we speak," Ho Sung said, only to be ignored by the champion, who walked toward a wall and moved his dagger from his right hand to his left. Then, winding his right arm back like he would if he was drawing a bow, he threw a punch, and the wall came down with a loud, explosive sound.

"We'll make our path as we go," Min Sung said as he walked through the hole in the wall while Bowl and Ho Sung stared at him in a daze.

—

Getting out of the elevator, Jan cracked his neck. When he looked down at his watch, he saw that Min Sung was still clearing the labyrinth at the same frightening pace.

"… How is he so fast?"

Having been informed of the labyrinth by the man in the black robe prior to entering, escaping the labyrinth was hardly an issue for Jan. However, unlike Min Sung, most hunters would still be wandering around the early stages of the labyrinth by that point.

"Aren't you an interesting one," Jan murmured, smiling subtly as he walked toward the labyrinth.

—

With a loud explosive sound, the last wall of the labyrinth came down, and Min Sung, brushing the dust off of his knuckles, walked on. Upon coming out of the labyrinth, the champion, Ho Sung, and Bowl were met by an open field of ominous, desolate, lifeless land stretching into the horizon.

"Wow, I didn't think we would punch our way out of the labyrinth," Ho Sung murmured, shaking his head in disbelief as he walked out of the hole in the wall with Bowl.

"Eh? What's this? Where are we? I thought we were at the end?"

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