Chapter 17
Lee Domin used
By then, the watches they had brought into the dungeon were no longer functioning, so the only reference for time was the message displayed by the Gaia system upon entering the dungeon.
[You have entered the Dungeon. Current Terrain 1/4 | Number of Hunters: 851 | Time Until Explosion: 1,100 Hours]
Ordinarily, a dungeon consisted of a single terrain type, but the Great Dungeon was unusual in that it had four distinct terrains. Thankfully, the entry message indicated the current terrain, which helped them gauge their progress.
They encountered the boss monsters of the first terrain when there were 1,100 hours remaining until the explosion. Without
When they defeated the bosses, the group expected to leave the lava zone. Up until then, each terrain in the dungeons they had explored contained a single boss monster. However, the lava zone continued, and they encountered two more bosses afterward. In the Great Dungeon, each terrain contained three bosses.
The Revengers fought with all their might, and after defeating all three bosses, 30 more hours had passed, and the number of survivors had decreased to 811.
After finally escaping the lava zone, they found land, but it was a swamp shrouded in toxic mist. The swamp was 3 meters deep, teeming with monsters that emitted poison, and every breath brought harmful substances into their bodies, causing their organs to decay. Every step they took sank into the swamp, making it impossible to rest properly. However, it was still better than the lava zone. By using purification skills, they could forage edible plants and find drinkable water. The Revengers regrouped there and held a strategy meeting.
"From here on, we should divide into teams as planned before entering. Team 1 will head north, Team 2 south, Team 3 west, and Team 4 east. We'll communicate twice a day. Domin, how much cooldown time is left on
"Ten hours."
"Alright. Domin, you'll go with Chaeyoon."
"Hyung, can't we let Chaeyoon and Domin rest here if possible?"
"How do you expect us to fight without Chaeyoon? I hate pushing the kid so hard, but we don't have a choice. And Domin has to survive, so it's best if Chaeyoon stays by his side."
Shortly after reaching the swamp, during a battle with monsters, Yoon Seo's mask—something he always wore—was broken. By then, Yoon Seo had already formed bonds of camaraderie with the survivors, so he moved around with his face exposed after that. He didn't reveal his real name, though.
Those who saw Seo Chaeyoon's real face were struck by how young he looked, realizing even more that he was only nineteen years old. They felt guilty about relying so much on Yoon Seo and Lee Domin but had no other choice.
"We're really fine, so don't worry about us."
"We just feel bad for you two."
"What can we do? We're the strongest ones here. With great power comes great responsibility—that's a famous saying, isn't it?"
"Thanks, but honestly, that's kind of annoying."
Yoon Seo didn't see it as overwork. His mana recovery rate was far superior to others, and he had developed some resistance to mana exhaustion, making it manageable for him. However, the same didn't apply to Lee Domin.
"Yoon Seo, don't use your skill to the point of passing out. Do it moderately… just moderately."
"What are you saying? If I hold back, everyone will die."
"Then you'll die. That's not justice; it's self-abuse."
"Don't worry. I'm managing it just fine."
In the lava zone, Lee Domin had also exhausted his mana to the point of losing consciousness like Yoon Seo. However, upon entering the swamp, he began conserving his mana.
"I hate being in a state of mana exhaustion. What goes through my head during those times… it scares me."
That's what Lee Domin said.
When the mana falls below 20% of its total capacity, it enters a 'Low Mana' state, and when it drops below 10%, it becomes a 'Mana Exhaustion' state.
[Your mana has reached 10%. Entering Mana Exhaustion state.]
[Status Abnormality: Mana Exhaustion]
This was a message that always seemed to be displayed on Yoon Seo and Lee Domin's system windows at the time.
During a low mana state, it was possible to endure to some extent with sheer willpower, even if the body and mind felt fatigued. However, once in a mana exhaustion state, it completely drained the spirit. Hallucinations appeared, auditory delusions followed, negative thoughts swirled, and self-harm impulses arose—making it, in a sense, more dangerous than physical injuries. Because of this, Revengers always made sure someone stayed by the side of anyone experiencing mana exhaustion to prevent them from harming themselves.
Lee Domin managed to hold on in the Lava Zone but found it increasingly difficult as time went on.
"When i run out of mana, it feels like I'm trapped in total darkness. A massive darkness that even light can't escape consumes my head, leaving me unable to think of anything… yet at the same time, I think about everything. Why do I have to endure this suffering? What am I bearing this pain for? Yoon Seo, what about you? Are you really okay?"
Whenever it was just the two of them, Lee Domin would always ask such questions. At those moments, his trembling eyes betrayed the immense anxiety and pain within, and Yoon Seo always gave him the same answer.
"I'm fine, so stop worrying about me and stay focused. Just concentrate on clearing the dungeon. Everything will be okay once we get out."
Yoon Seo worried about Lee Domin. Seeing his dependable friend in such a precarious and fragile state made him feel the need to keep himself composed, no matter how much he was struggling.
Fortunately, Lee Domin was aware of his mental instability and tried to overcome it. He was honest about his struggles, confiding in Lee Kangjin and the rest of the leadership group about his mental state. Lee Kangjin couldn't tell him to avoid using his skills, knowing how crucial they were, but he consoled Lee Domin by painting a hopeful picture of a peaceful and joyous life awaiting them once they cleared the dungeon.
Before entering the Great Dungeon, Lee Domin and Lee Kangjin had barely interacted, but by the time they reached the Swamp Zone, a sense of camaraderie had developed between them. Lee Domin leaned on Lee Kangjin significantly, and Yoon Seo was relieved by that.
***
The time spent in the Swamp Zone was seven days.
This "seven days" was according to the external perspective from the
[You have entered the Dungeon. Current Terrain 3/4 | Number of Hunters: 597 | Time Until Explosion: 901 Hours]
The third terrain was the Maze Zone.
The Maze Zone, a forest intertwined with caves, was, in a way, more horrifying than the Lava Zone. When they first entered, it seemed like an ordinary dense forest with rugged terrain. But after what felt like several days, everyone realized it was a maze.
Rocks that had been in one place suddenly appeared elsewhere after circling around, caves they planned to explore vanished, and hills rose in their place. Even while sharing a meal, the ground would split apart, separating team members.
They had been mapping their route up to the Swamp Zone, but in this terrain, map-making became pointless. While they could use flight skills to survey the mountains and find a way out, the real challenge was the caves where the boss monsters were presumed to reside.
Each cave entrance branched into five paths, with each path splitting into at least three more branches. Those branches led to even more divisions, and there were hundreds of such caves, with their layouts changing daily.
Revengers speculated that, just like in the Lava and Swamp Zones, there would be three boss monsters in the Maze Zone. However, they found only traces of the monsters and never encountered their actual forms, while time continued to pass.
By this point, more people were dying by their own hands than in combat with monsters. Retrieving the bodies of comrades who had hanged themselves in the forest became a daily routine.
On the 19th day within the Maze Zone, according to the system, Lee Kangjin made a bold decision. He proposed splitting into teams to attack. While many opposed dispersing their forces in such a dangerous maze, everyone agreed that time was critical. Teams were formed to maximize balance between offense and defense.
There were three teams in total, and this was the first time Yoon Seo and Lee Domin were separated. Yoon Seo was assigned to enter the caves where the boss monsters resided, while Lee Domin, equipped with the
"Yoon Seo, listen to the hyungs and noonas, don't get hurt, and come back safely."
"That's what I should be telling you. How much mana do you have left right now?"
"The healers used their mana recovery skills on me, so I still have plenty. …I'm really sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"For making you come here because of me. If I hadn't insisted, you would've stayed outside… It's because of me, a friend full of nothing but naive ideals about justice and all that nonsense."
"Wasn't it you who said not entering the Great Dungeon was cowardly? Have you changed your mind?"
Lee Domin would occasionally make pessimistic comments like, "This isn't justice," or "Why should I be the one to sacrifice myself?" whenever he was emotionally unstable. Wondering if he was in that state now, Yoon Seo asked, and Lee Domin let out a small chuckle.
"Well… I still think the same way. I just hope that one day you'll feel proud of yourself for not turning away from justice."
Hearing this statement, which seemed to reaffirm his pursuit of justice, Yoon Seo felt a sense of relief.
"Anyway, the only thing I'm sure of, Yoon Seo, is that the only crime you've committed is having the wrong friend. As for me, I lucked out with the best friend I could ever ask for."
"Stop talking nonsense and just go."
Yoon Seo, not used to such a soft, sentimental atmosphere, grumbled as he sent his friend off.
That was the last time.