Chapter 15: A Deadly Party
The morning sun filtered through the dusty window of their small apartment. Mon stretched his arms and glanced at Bert, who was still sprawled on his bed, snoring lightly. It had been days since they returned from the Double Dungeon incident, and while Bert seemed content to rest, Mon was eager to level up and earn more money.
Mon sighed, shaking his head. "You're not coming?"
Bert grumbled and pulled a pillow over his head. "Not today. Too much work. I'll level up later."
Mon chuckled. "Fine, enjoy your sleep." He grabbed his gear, strapped his dual handguns to his waist, and left the apartment.
---
A New Party
The Hunter Association Philippines (HAP) headquarters was buzzing with activity. Hunters of different ranks gathered around job boards, discussing upcoming dungeon runs. Mon scanned the board for an opportunity to join a D-Rank dungeon party.
"Looking for one more! D-Rank dungeon, easy run, fast money!"
Mon turned to see a tall man with short dark hair, a confident smirk on his face. He looked like a seasoned hunter, but something about his casual attitude felt off.
"You looking for a party?" the man asked. "Name's Raul. We've got a solid team, just need one more."
Mon hesitated. He usually fought with Bert, and joining an unfamiliar group was risky. But he needed the experience and the mana stones.
"Alright, I'm in."
Raul smirked. "Good choice, newbie. Let's move."
---
A Strange Atmosphere
The dungeon entrance was a massive stone gate embedded in the side of a cliff, covered in faint glowing runes. As they stepped inside, a cold chill ran through Mon's spine. The place was eerily silent.
Their group consisted of five hunters:
Raul, the leader, armed with a longsword.
Jansen, a muscular man wielding a battle axe.
Dino, a slim, shifty-looking guy with throwing knives.
Mark, a nervous younger hunter with a spear.
And Mon, who kept his dual handguns ready.
They moved through the dungeon, encountering low-level goblins and skeleton warriors. Mon noticed something strange—Raul and his men barely fought, letting him and Mark handle most of the enemies.
"They're testing me," Mon thought. "Or saving their strength for something else."
---
The Betrayal
After an hour of exploration, they reached a large stone chamber. Flickering torches illuminated the walls, and in the center stood a treasure chest.
"Nice," Raul grinned. "Let's split the loot."
As Mark stepped forward, Raul's expression darkened. Without warning, Jansen swung his battle axe, slicing through Mark's side.
Mark gasped, eyes wide in shock. "W-Why…?"
He collapsed.
Mon's mind raced. It was a setup. These hunters weren't here to clear the dungeon—they were here to kill their own party members and take their loot.
Dino smirked. "Too bad, kid. Nothing personal."
Mon stepped back slowly, his fingers twitching toward his guns.
Raul pointed his sword at him. "Don't bother fighting. We've done this before. Just leave your gear, and we'll let you walk away."
Mon's eyes narrowed. He wasn't stupid enough to believe them.
"Guess I don't have a choice," he muttered.
In an instant, he whipped out his handguns and fired at Raul. But the leader dodged, his movements unnaturally fast.
"Tch. He's quick," Mon thought.
Before he could react, Jansen and Dino shoved him backward—right into the Dungeon Boss chamber.
The stone doors slammed shut.
---
Trapped with the Boss
Mon quickly rolled to his feet, scanning the chamber. The air was thick with dust, and the torches flickered wildly.
A deep growl rumbled through the room.
From the shadows, a massive figure emerged—a D-Rank Ogre, standing nearly three meters tall, its muscles bulging like tree trunks. Its yellow eyes glowed, locking onto Mon with pure rage.
"…Great," Mon muttered.
The Ogre roared, charging toward him with earth-shaking steps.
Mon dodged to the side just in time as a massive club smashed into the ground where he stood, sending shards of stone flying.
"Too strong for a head-on fight," Mon analyzed, gritting his teeth.
His Dimensional Storage trick wouldn't work here—the Ogre was too fast, and the low visibility made it impossible to aim precisely.
He had to think fast.
---
A Tactical Battle
The Ogre swung again, forcing Mon to dive behind a broken pillar.
His mind raced. "I can't outpower it… but I can outsmart it."
Mon fired his handguns, aiming for its knees. The bullets struck, causing the Ogre to stumble slightly—but it only made it angrier.
The beast charged, slamming into the pillar—Mon barely escaped, rolling to the side.
"Alright, new plan," Mon thought.
He noticed the weak points—the Ogre's eyes and its left knee, which he had already injured.
As the Ogre swung its club, Mon vaulted over it, landing on the beast's shoulder.
With a quick motion, he pressed his gun against its temple and fired.
A direct hit. The Ogre staggered, disoriented.
Mon jumped back, landing a few meters away. The beast was still alive, but dazed.
"This is my chance."
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Mon emptied his remaining rounds into its injured knee, causing the beast to collapse onto one leg.
Now vulnerable, the Ogre tried to swing its club—but it was too slow.
Mon dashed forward, pressed his gun under the beast's jaw, and fired the final shot.
The Ogre let out a deafening roar before falling lifelessly to the ground.
---
Victory and Escape
A notification appeared in Mon's vision.
[Dungeon Boss Defeated!]
- Reward: EXP + Status Points + 1 Random Box
Mon sighed in relief. He was exhausted, but he had survived.
Turning toward the locked doors, he examined them closely. With the boss dead, the dungeon's structure was weakened.
Mon retrieved a small explosive device from his Dimensional Storage—a tool he had taken from a previous raid.
After planting it on the door, he stepped back and detonated it.
BOOM!
The stone doors shattered, revealing the shocked faces of Raul and his men.
Mon smirked, stepping out of the chamber, guns raised.
"You guys left me to die," he said coolly.
Raul's face paled. "H-How…?"
Mon cracked his knuckles. "Now… it's your turn."