CHAPTER 6
Chapter 6
The air was tense as the Korean Hunter Association staff finished calibrating their instruments. The moment they received the final readings, the air grew even heavier with disbelief. One of the staff members, his face pale and drenched in cold sweat, muttered in shock.
"What the hell...?! This gate... this is almost an S-Class dungeon!"
A collective gasp spread among the gathered personnel. The weight of the realization hit them like a hammer. An almost S-Class gate appearing in the middle of a public road? The danger this posed was immeasurable. It would take an entire raid team of elite hunters to properly clear this.
And yet, inside the dungeon, was only one man—Choi Jong-In.
The media personnel present at the scene wasted no time. Reports spread like wildfire, headlines flashing across every news channel and website:
"S-Class Mage Choi Jong-In Enters Near S-Class Dungeon Alone!"
"Magic Swordsman Faces Impossible Odds!"
"Will Choi Jong-In Survive?!"
Meanwhile, outside the dungeon, the association had already started mobilizing hunters as backup. A platoon of A-Class hunters was stationed around the gate, weapons ready, prepared to defend the area at a moment's notice should Choi Jong-In fail.
Inside the dungeon, Choi Jong-In moved like a storm through the monsters that stood in his way. His blade cut effortlessly through the creatures that swarmed him—orc-like warriors wielding massive weapons, grotesque beasts with razor-sharp claws, and other abominations unique to this dungeon. The ground was already soaked in the blood of his enemies, bodies piling up like a mountain.
As he fought, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "If this gate had been tackled by A-Class hunters without an S-Class leading them, they would have been wiped out in minutes."
His movements were precise, a blend of both magic and martial prowess. Whenever he saw an opening, his sword struck true. Whenever he felt overwhelmed, a burst of flames erupted from his hands, burning his enemies to cinders. He had truly mastered his double-class ability, combining his original Mage Class with the newly acquired Fighter Class to devastating effect.
After what felt like hours of non-stop battle, he arrived at a massive door, towering high like the entrance to a castle. The atmosphere shifted, thick with an overwhelming presence of mana—hot, cold, and turbulent all at once.
Placing a hand in front of him to feel the mana surging from the room beyond, he exhaled a puff of smoke from his third cigarette and smirked. "Wow... what a warm welcome."
With one swift motion, he pushed open the massive doors, revealing the monstrosity within.
A dragon. No, not just any dragon—a three-headed behemoth, each head emanating a different elemental force. One head spewed flames hotter than the core of a volcano, another exhaled a freezing mist that could turn anything to ice in seconds, and the last unleashed gusts of wind sharp enough to cut through steel.
The beast roared, its voice shaking the very foundation of the dungeon. The sheer force of the mana it radiated caused the walls to crack and the air to distort.
Choi Jong-In merely smiled, dropping his cigarette and crushing it under his foot. "This will be the first time I'll be having a hard time, I guess."
Without hesitation, he unsheathed his sword. The blade gleamed under the chaotic lights of the dungeon, its edge thirsting for the battle ahead.
The dragon moved first. The fire-breathing head let out a stream of hellish flames, the ice head followed with a blast of sub-zero frost, and the wind head howled, sending razor-sharp gales toward Choi.
He moved instantly, his sword glowing with mana as he deflected the wind blades with precise strikes, dodged the flames with inhuman agility, and countered the ice blast with his own fire magic.
"Tsk." He clicked his tongue. "So it can attack simultaneously, huh? This is gonna be hard."
Without wasting time, he dashed toward the dragon, his sword infused with mana, slicing through the air with deadly intent. The dragon retaliated, lunging at him with its enormous claws. He sidestepped the attack, using his speed to get behind the beast, delivering a deep cut to its thick hide. However, the dragon's scales were incredibly durable—the cut was shallow.
"Figures... it's not gonna be that easy."
The dragon roared in fury, swinging its massive tail. He barely managed to jump over it, flipping mid-air and launching a barrage of fire-enhanced slashes at its exposed back.
The fire head growled in response, inhaling deeply before unleashing a concentrated blast of flames straight at him.
"Not happening!" Choi raised his free hand and conjured a barrier of compressed fire magic, neutralizing the flames before they could reach him. But the dragon was relentless. The ice head followed up with a blast of frost, freezing the ground beneath him and locking his feet in place.
"Shit!" He cursed, struggling to break free.
The wind head took advantage of his momentary vulnerability and sent a powerful cyclone crashing into him, sending him flying backward into a stone pillar.
He groaned as he stood up, dusting off his coat. "Alright, I admit... that actually hurt."
The dragon didn't give him time to recover. It lunged at him again, aiming to crush him with its massive claws. But this time, Choi Jong-In was readyready. Boosting his physical strength. His movements became faster, sharper. In an instant, he parried the dragon's attack and retaliated with a powerful slash infused with fire magic.
The impact sent shockwaves through the dungeon. The dragon howled in pain as the combined magic finally broke through its defenses, leaving a massive gash across its chest.
"Not so tough now, are you?" Choi smirked, spinning his sword.
The battle raged on, both combatants refusing to back down. Choi Jong-In had never faced a monster of this caliber alone before, but he knew one thing for sure—he was going to win.
Outside the dungeon, the hunters and association staff waited anxiously. Hours had passed since Choi Jong-In entered. The media continued to broadcast updates, and tension filled the air.