The instant dungeon (3)

[User successfully transferred.]

[System compatibility mode activated.]

[Current body: Hyeon-U, Hero of the Celestial Bow.]

[Temporary status effects applied.]

[Initiating final stage of the Instant Dungeon.]

[Objective: eliminate two of the individuals responsible for the Kwang-Oh Massacre.]

[Time limit: none.]

[Note: failure will result in permanent death.]

After that... silence.

The System went quiet again. And it stayed that way.

I stopped rubbing my forehead.

It would have been unfair to myself to just get up instantly and go do things.

In fact, it would have been impossible for me to have done so.

I'd been on my feet for nearly an hour now.

The office I stood in was absurdly luxurious—dark, polished wood, high ceilings, shelves stacked with perfectly organized documents, and a wide window overlooking the center of the rural city.

The kind of place I could never afford. Not even in an optimistic dream.

But that... that didn't matter now.

I looked to the side.

At the center of the desk, a crystal nameplate proudly displayed:

[Liam Han — Director of Operations]

Not Hyeon-U.

Liam Han.

So... the scenario had been rewritten.

The System didn't just want me to witness this.

It wanted me to live it. As the main character.

I rose slowly from the chair.

My knees ached. The body felt heavy—not from weakness, though. I was tall again.

Back to near full size.

And there was... mana.

A lot of mana.

It was like my body had been plugged straight into a generator.

Luckily, beside all that chaos, another message from the System had popped up earlier, right after I'd stopped shaking:

[Temporary skill acquired: Advanced Bow Mastery (Lv. 15)]

Thank God.

Because if I had to save my ass with a bow using only what I'd learned from one half-assed Association seminar...

And considering I hadn't managed to secure a proper spear due to this city's trash resources...

Well, this would've been a much shorter story.

To the right of the room, on a pedestal carved from white marble, rested the Celestial Bow.

Black. Sleek. Laced with faintly glowing blue runes that pulsed in time with my heartbeat.

It looked light to the touch, but there was a subtle weight to it. I could feel it—strong magic locked inside.

I took the bow and drew a deep breath.

Then, I left the office.

________

In the lobby, a few heroes were gathered.

Simple clothes, but well kept. Basic gear, but in good condition.

The sound of their conversation stopped the moment they saw me.

"Captain," one of them greeted with a brief nod. "Heading out on patrol?"

I wasn't an actor, so I just decided to act normal.

Normal to a certain extent of the word, actually.

There were still things to be said.

"Yeah," I replied. "And I want everyone on high alert."

"Have we received any direct threats?"

"Nothing concrete. But stay sharp for anything unusual. Suspicious people, strange behavior. And if someone shows up... out of nowhere, don't hesitate. Restrain first. Ask questions later."

An uncomfortable silence spread between them.

Glances exchanged. Confusion behind the lines.

"With all due respect, sir... the city's been quiet. No incidents in the last 72 hours."

"I know." I crossed my arms. "That's why I'm worried. Got it?"

There was a pause.

Then, one by one, they nodded.

"Understood."

Ten people, including me.

Felt like a lot.

But I already knew it wasn't enough.

I turned my head and pointed.

"You there. Doyun. With me."

The guy raised his eyebrows.

Same messy hair and sleepy look I knew too well.

"Seriously? Me?"

"Yes. I need you to take me to the nearest school near the center. I want to check the perimeter personally."

"Alright, alright…" He walked over, still kind of slow. "But... can I say something?"

"Go ahead."

"Ever since that report about the president… you've been weird. Acting different. Like you've seen a ghost."

"Maybe I have."

"Ah. Deep." He muttered.

I smiled. Just a bit.

"Better paranoid and alive than calm and dead."

We walked in silence through Kwang-Oh's streets—too clean, too quiet.

The sun lit up the sidewalks like it was trying to paint the city in normalcy. But I knew what was coming.

The calm before the storm had a smell.

And I could feel it.

We walked a few more blocks before I took a risk:

"Answer me something," I said, testing the setting. "Do you remember the name of Jin Seyeon's cousin on her father's side?"

Doyun laughed. "Seriously? A question about your daughter? Of course I remember. It's—"

He froze. Mouth open. Eyes blank.

No sound.

No answer.

Just silence—dead and hollow.

Doyun's expression didn't change, but something behind his gaze cracked.

Like a frame misaligned. Like reality skipped a beat and didn't bother to catch up.

I stopped walking.

He stopped too, a step ahead, still facing forward. Still stuck.

"...Doyun?"

He blinked. Slowly. Mechanically.

Then turned back toward me, the usual laziness in his eyes replaced by something colder. Emptier.

"Sorry. What was the question again?"

[Warning: Cognitive dissonance detected in simulation.]

[Stability of environment is decreasing.]

So it was like that, huh?

The scenario was complete. But it was still a simulation.

I sighed.

But then, out of the corner of my eye—I saw her.

The woman.

She was still drawing her sword.

She hadn't even had time to start the massacre.

"EVACUATE THE AREA!" I shouted, raising the bow.

Civilians turned. Screamed.

And I… fired.

The string pulled back easily.

It was like the bow was alive.

Or maybe… like it already knew what to do, even if I didn't.

The arrow formed the moment I drew—pure energy shaped into a sharp point of crystalized mana, blue and electric.

It tore through the air with a sharp, hissing whistle.

Straight toward the assassin.

The impact sent her flying back like a puppet with its strings cut, tumbling across the stone road. Dust rose, people screamed.

"Dead center…" I muttered.

But not enough to take her down.

She got up a second later, wild-eyed, hair messy, half her face covered.

The light armor she wore under her clothes had cracked, but held.

"You…" she growled, slamming a fist against her chest. "That hurt, you little shit."

"That was the idea."

She rushed again—with erratic steps. A barely-contained predator.

Beside me, Doyun moved.

He drew his sword, positioning himself between her and the fleeing civilians darting into the alleys.

"Handle her. I'll hold the perimeter," he said, eyes locked on the woman. His voice steadier than I expected.

"She's dangerous," I warned. "Way more than she looks. Stay sharp. Don't hesitate."

Doyun nodded.

The steel sang.

The woman charged again—but now she had two problems to deal with.

The bow in my hands glowed once more, channeling mana for the next shot.

This time, I aimed for the leg. The knee.

I released it.

The arrow exploded against her left thigh, making her body falter to the side. A snarled grunt escaped her lips.

And that's when Doyun struck.

His blade slashed upward in a rising arc, slicing across her torso.

She screamed—but the sound was swallowed by the impact of my third arrow—straight to the chest.

CRACK.

The sound of bone breaking. Flesh tearing. Skin giving way.

Blood burst forward like a jet.

"A-aagh…"

The assassin staggered back two steps, wavering.

A third step.

And then—

THUD.

Her body collapsed. Heavy. Still.

We stayed silent.

Only the sound of my heart pounding in my ears remained…

And Doyun's ragged breathing, almost as tight as mine.

But before either of us could say a word—

[One target eliminated.]

[Mission progress: 1/2]

[Remaining enemies: ???]