Chapter 53 : Damn Raid 2

Raid.

Although many people attempt to solo-play in dungeons, there are instances where the dungeon is simply too massive or the monsters too exceptional for one or two hunters to handle.

Cases like the goblin guerrilla unit that Yeonhwa eradicated, where monsters tear through space to invade reality, are actually on the mild side.

There have been dungeons that devour reality, slowly expanding like predators, and others that cunningly hide from human eyes, only to rip through space and release monsters when guards are down.

And then there are raids.

As a noun, "raid" refers to a sudden attack or assault.

In the world of hunters, it refers to at least ten hunters being deployed with the sole purpose of defeating a dungeon boss.

During the first Great Rift, it was common for most dungeons to be tackled by large parties of over ten raid hunters.

By 2088, with the ecology and strategies for dungeons and monsters somewhat understood, fewer hunters rushed into dungeons all at once.

The more party members there are, the smaller your share becomes, after all.

Still, the term "raid" hasn't disappeared, even if it's less frequent.

A dungeon is an extraordinary world where the normal rules of reality no longer apply.

Usually, dungeons referred to as raids have a minimum rank of A or higher.

Some raid dungeons even receive a special rank, and if left unchecked, they may one day invade reality.

Thus, the Hunter Association prioritizes these raid dungeons for immediate handling.

Not all A-rank dungeons are the same, as shown by the one Shia recently visited in the Kurthala Mountain Range.

Raid dungeons are inherently brutal and merciless to intruders.

With mazelike, horrifying terrain and even ordinary monsters that would serve as dungeon bosses elsewhere appearing in enhanced or mutated forms, the threat level is intense.

Hunters' lives are constantly in danger, as monsters spawn endlessly until the dungeon boss is defeated and the dungeon is destroyed.

Some dungeons even have special gimmicks, where the boss cannot be found unless specific conditions are met.

Beyond monsters, hunters encounter poisonous plants, hallucination-inducing mist, and traps so complex they seem designed by a malicious god.

And today, Shia received her first invitation to a raid dungeon.

'It's probably just a more complicated version of a regular dungeon, right?'

Shia was currently on her way to the Hunter Association for a detailed briefing on the raid dungeon.

As she walked along the street, people threw glances her way but didn't approach.

It wasn't just her appearance that caused this; the gloomy yet divine aura she exuded as the Saintess of the Dead prevented even the most brazen men from speaking to her.

Of course, there are always a few people braver than most.

"Excuse me."

"…Yes? Are you talking to me?"

Shia looked up as a young man blocked her path, staring intently at her.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No, I don't."

"…To be honest, I just thought you were really pretty as I passed by. Could I get your number?"

He seemed quite sincere.

Shia had seen that kind of earnest gaze many times in her previous world.

When she attended imperial social gatherings out of boredom, young noblemen and counts would gaze at her with the same intensity.

Menelapie used to grit her teeth and say their eyes were full of lust and greed, but I didn't mind it that much.

Desires and greed are natural.

They are what bring humanity progress, ambition, and love.

How could anyone deny the desires and passions that have fueled humanity since its inception?

There's nothing inherently wrong with it.

Shia acknowledged that everyone has personal desires, and even if those desires were directed at her, she could accept them.

"I don't like you."

"…What?"

"I prefer men with bigger chests."

"…What?"

Just as people are entitled to their desires, I also have the right to reject what doesn't suit my taste, don't I?

Leaving the man frozen in disbelief behind her, Shia hurried toward the Hunter Association.

The place Shia arrived at looked like an auditorium, its walls covered in white.

Several hunters were already seated there, and while they weren't as striking as Yeonhwa, they all had their unique appearances, fitting for A-rank hunters.

The hunters seemed to know each other, exchanging casual nods or greetings, but when Shia entered, all eyes turned to her.

Since the world of A-rank hunters is relatively small, seeing an unfamiliar face sparked their curiosity.

Shia didn't shy away from their gazes, instead locking eyes with them and lifting the corners of her lips in a faint smile.

A smile is the best form of greeting.

'Rich young master, snobby lady, someone fully armored from head to toe, and a guy who looks like he's just here for a casual stroll. Wait, is that a child? Oh, no, just a short adult.'

Come to think of it, Yeonhwa's style was quite… unique, too, right?

She wore tight-fitting clothes that showed her chest and waistline.

Oh, and she didn't wear underwear.

When I asked her why she dressed that way, she blushed and mumbled, "It's because regular clothes freeze when I use my powers!"

But really, Yeonhwa comes from one of the wealthiest families in Korea…

'Well, I suppose it's just her preference. Menelapie didn't wear any either.'

Menelapie's underwear, no matter how expensive or sturdy, would end up in tatters after just one battle, unable to withstand her movements and physical prowess.

Eventually, she stopped wearing any.

Now that I think about it, why are there so many people around me who don't wear underwear?

Honestly, I don't mind.

Actually, I kind of like it.

Who doesn't appreciate something both beautiful and provocative?

'This feels like freshman orientation at a university. Though I never really got to attend, since I got sucked into the Great Rift…'

Smiling at the nostalgic thought, Shia sat at the very front, her heart light with the excitement of a school trip.

Before coming here, Shia had anonymously asked the Hunter Gallery about raid dungeons.

People said that even though both were A-rank, raid dungeons should be considered AAA.

In other words, they're nothing like the dungeons she's explored so far.

After a short wait, a representative from the Hunter Association, dressed in a black suit, stepped onto the platform.

"I would like to thank all the hunters for responding to the summons. I am Agent Kim Hyun-il, and I will be conducting today's briefing and dungeon orientation."

With light applause, the briefing began.

"The area you'll be dispatched to is the gate dungeon located upstream of the Andong Dam in Andong City, North Gyeongsang Province."

"Wait, a gate? So nothing's come out of it yet?"

"That's correct."

A hunter who looked like a rich young master raised his head with a sneer at the agent's response.

"Then why are you forming a raid team before anything's even come out? Isn't that a waste of manpower? We're busy too, and we're called out for this?"

"Jinseong is right. If it's just a gate dungeon, there's no need to provoke it unnecessarily, is there?"

The woman standing beside the young master, called Jinseong, chimed in.

Though their tone was sarcastic, they weren't wrong.

Gate dungeons form when specific spatial coordinates warp, creating a dungeon in that area.

Since ordinary people can't even detect them, and no monsters escape, there's usually no reason to interfere unless absolutely necessary.

Of course, some guilds or hunters form parties to clear gate dungeons and claim the dungeon's resources for themselves.

However, until the dungeon boss is killed, the dungeon won't collapse, and you can't leave.

Thus, 90% of the rescue signals the Hunter Association receives are from hunters trapped in gate dungeons.

"As you said, if it were an ordinary gate dungeon, we wouldn't have attached a raid team or gathered 10 A-rank hunters for it."

"Then what's the deal?"

"Take a look at this."

The agent projected a holographic map.

It displayed the locations of dungeons across South Korea, as well as their danger levels and erosion rates, which determined their ranks.

Zooming in on Andong, the agent highlighted the distortion in space, marking the hidden gate dungeon.

"This is the risk level as of March 8th, at midnight."

"A-rank danger level, A-rank erosion level."

"Seems like an ordinary A-rank gate dungeon."

"I thought so too."

As the agent manipulated the map, the date changed.

"And this is the risk level from March 7th, midnight."

"No change."

"Yes, no change. Now, let's go back one more day."

When the date changed again, the hunters' expressions shifted.

"Danger level A-rank, erosion level C-rank…"

"Variable…? Wait, how did the rank increase so rapidly?"

"As of 0:00 on March 6th, this gate dungeon was classified as B-rank."

As the agent continued to flip through the dates, the hunters grew silent, sensing the gravity of the situation.

As of 12:00 a.m. on February 15th, danger level A-grade, erosion level C-grade.

As of 12:00 a.m. on February 1st, danger level B-grade, erosion level A-grade.

As of 12:00 a.m. on January 23rd, danger level B-grade, erosion level D-grade.

As of 12:00 a.m. on January 21st, danger level C-grade, erosion level A-grade.

As of 12:00 a.m. on January 14th, danger level D-grade, erosion level S-grade.

"The dungeon is growing?"

"What do you mean by that…?"

"Well, the danger level indicates the dungeon's risk, right? And the erosion level measures the density of mana the dungeon emits or affects its surroundings with. Every time a D-grade dungeon raised its erosion level, the danger level also increased. After it reached B-grade and the erosion level stayed at D-grade for a while, it seems like it entered a resting phase after growing, and then started growing again by raising the erosion level."

"…Are you saying the dungeon is growing like a living organism?"

"It's not impossible. Anything can happen in a dungeon."

The hunters realized from Shia's words.

That dungeon was growing at an unimaginable pace, almost as if it were a sentient being.

"Yes, the woman in the front… ah, Ms. Shia, correct? As Ms. Shia said, the dungeon is continuously growing. When the initial gate dungeon was discovered, it was classified as an F-grade threat, and the Hunter Association categorized it as not dangerous. As of 12:00 a.m. on March 8th, the erosion level of the dungeon has surpassed A-grade. This unprecedented growth is something we haven't fully understood yet."

"Ah, so you're throwing us in as the vanguard, huh?"

"It may seem that way, but the Association will spare no support for all of you…"

"Information is the most critical aspect of dealing with dungeons. Without that, any support might as well be nothing. What, are you booking us nice hotels in Andong so we can enjoy our last meal in style before we die?"

It was the hunter named Jinseong who spoke.

The other hunters also had similarly dangerous looks in their eyes.

The Association had failed to fully understand the dungeon's details, and the dungeon's sudden and rapid growth in less than two weeks, skyrocketing in rank, was essentially like asking them to charge into it blindly.

Naturally, resentment toward the Association was growing.

"The Hunter Association prioritizes the safe clearance of the dungeon and the lives of all hunters."

"Not us—you're more worried about the lives of regular people, aren't you? After all, you're not even an awakened one, are you? You're just using us as disposable pawns to gather information. If we make it back alive with the intel, great. If not, you can still recover the drones to extract data from the dungeon."

"Please don't misunderstand the intentions and founding principles of the Association. We deeply regret that our lack of preparation may put you at risk. However, we don't have many other options beyond you."

"Where the hell are all the big-shot S-rank hunters?"

"Many of the S-rank hunters are already performing their duties related to other dangerous dungeons."

Bullshit.

Jinseong cursed silently.

S-rank hunters had overwhelming power, but that came with equally overwhelming privileges.

Unless a state of emergency was declared, they had the right to refuse dungeon missions or calls.

In simple terms, if they felt like it, they'd go, and if not, they wouldn't.

Yeonseo had been an unusual case, staying awake around the clock to protect people and eliminate threats.

But S-rank hunters, being human, had their own desires to rest and indulge in laziness too.

Just yesterday, an S-rank returnee hunter named Yujin was casually streaming from home.

Duty, my ass…

"Of course, you can refuse. But if you do, someone else will be sent in your place."

"Hah, sure. Fine. It's that whole 'greater good' nonsense again, right? Whatever, let's just go."

"Hey, what are you going to do?"

"Jinseong, you know we can't really refuse. Who knows? Maybe this will be a lucrative dungeon for us. Plus, we can align ourselves with that so-called greater good by protecting people."

"Hah, dammit…"

"Scared?"

"What did you say? Hah! Fine. I'm going, alright?"

A small clash of words took place between the hunters and the agent, but in the end, it was the hunters who conceded first.

None of them had true animosity.

They were just frustrated that the Association had failed to gather proper information and had allowed a dangerous, growing dungeon to fester for months, only stepping in after the threat level exceeded A-rank.

All the A-rank hunters present, except for Shia, were veterans with their own hunter names.

Had it not been for the A-rank threat level, they would have easily dealt with the dungeon.

However, the fact that it was called a raid dungeon indicated that it was bound to be hellish.

"We apologize, and thank you. Again, the Hunter Association will provide full support to all nine of the A-rank hunters gathered here, as well as Ms. Shia, who holds a provisional hunter license, until the moment this raid dungeon is cleared."

"Wait, wait, wait! What did you say?"

"A provisional hunter license!?"

"Isn't everyone here supposed to be A-rank?"

At the mention of a provisional hunter license, the hunters exploded in outrage, all turning their gazes toward Shia, the white-haired woman sitting in the front.

"Are you seriously telling us to take a woman with a provisional hunter license into a growing raid dungeon, where even mixing in a few S-rank hunters could be dangerous!?"

"Is she a reporter?"

A-rank hunters…

Actually, not just A-rank hunters, but the vast majority of hunters don't trust provisional hunter licenses.

No, their distrust went beyond that—they saw it as something utterly repulsive.

A provisional hunter license was like a ticket for entering dungeons.

Journalists wanting to cover stories, scholars or researchers entering dungeons for research purposes.

Or celebrities and politicians looking to boost their popularity and reputation by putting on a show for the public.

There were even cases where schools issued provisional hunter licenses to take students on field trips to dungeons as if they were amusement parks.

What angered hunters the most was that they had to protect these people holding provisional licenses.

Dungeons were entirely different from reality, and rules that didn't exist in the real world held true inside dungeons.

Even an F-grade dungeon could result in severe casualties if a single safety rule was broken.

The most frustrating moments for hunters were when idiotic journalists insisted on getting closer to monsters for a good shot.

Every time one of those idiots broke the rules, the only reason they made it out alive was because the hunters protecting them went through hell.

And when they finally emerged, those same journalists would say, "Whew, that was close! But, just like I said, nothing happened, right?" causing hunters to fight the urge to rip out their throats.

After numerous such incidents, provisional hunter licenses became like a ticking time bomb for hunters.

To a hunter, a provisional license holder was just dead weight.

It was hard enough to protect themselves, but now they had an additional burden to protect.

Damn reporters.

Damn celebrities.

Damn politicians with their blue badges.

People who ignored safety protocols and warnings as if they'd heard them with their asses instead of their ears.

This was what a provisional hunter license meant to hunters.

"Hehe, I'm counting on you!"

Shia, however, smiled innocently at the hunters, completely unaware of any of this.

Seeing Shia's carefree smile, the A-rank hunters couldn't shake the feeling that this raid dungeon was going to be a nightmare.