The Gate
As everyone gathered at the gate, eagerly awaiting the start of the raid, Hee-Joon couldn't contain his curiosity. He turned to the leader, Kang Min-seo, and asked,
"Sir, why are we waiting? We already have everyone here, don't we?"
He scanned the surroundings, noticing that around 12 individuals were seated, some inspecting their tools and accessories, preparing for the upcoming expedition.
Kang Min-seo glanced in the direction Hee-Joon was looking and nodded. "Well, there's still one more raider who hasn't arrived,".
He then explained "In the raid post on the auction page, we received a registration from another independent raider. According to the rules, we need to have at least two B-rank awakened and the remaining 12 members can be C-rank awakened to form a raiding party for any C-rank dungeon."
Hee-Joon nodded, understanding the requirement. "So, we're waiting for the last B-rank raider to arrive before we can proceed?"
Kang Min-seo confirmed with a reassuring smile, "Exactly. Once they join us, we'll have the necessary composition to undertake this raid.
As Hee-Joon was engaged in conversation, one of the raiders abruptly approached him and forcefully pulled him away from the leader. Hee-Joon, taken aback, asked the raider in confusion, "What are you doing?"
The raider sighed and looked at Hee-Joon, seemingly exasperated. "Ayo, do you have any idea what you're doing?" he questioned, his tone filled with concern.
Perplexed, Hee-Joon shook his head, indicating that he was completely clueless about the situation. The raider let out a frustrated sigh and muttered,
"Aigoo, never mind. Just be careful and don't casually speak with our leader." then continued, "If you have any questions further, you can ask us" and departed from there.
With that, the raider swiftly departed, leaving Hee-Joon utterly bewildered by the sudden change in demeanor and cryptic warning. He couldn't help but wonder what he had done to elicit such a response.
Perplexed and seeking answers, Hee-Joon approached Hyun-Soo, his confusion evident. He couldn't comprehend the reason behind the sudden interaction with the raider. He asked, "Hyun-Soo, can you explain what just happened?"
Hyun-Soo looked at Hee-Joon, realizing that he hadn't recognized the leader's identity. He sighed and replied,
"You still haven't figured it out, have you?" Hee-Joon nodded, acknowledging his lack of understanding.
"No" Hee-Joon replied.
"Do you watch TV or news channel?" asked Hyun-Soo
"Yes, I do watch Cartoon though, but not news" replied Hee-Joon
"Seriously?" With a slightly amused expression
Hyun-Soo continued, "Well, that person you were speaking to is the son of the current leader of the Korean Hunter Association (KHA). He holds a significant position and carries a lot of influence within the hunting community."
"Oh now I get it" Hee-Joon then remarked, "Maybe others are scared of his identity"
Hyun-Soo couldn't believe his friend's cluelessness and slapped his forehead in exasperation. The raiders sitting nearby couldn't help but give them stern and embarrassing looks, their eyes filled with disbelief. Meanwhile, the leader, Kang Min-Seo, burst into laughter, his booming voice echoing through the air.
"Ha! You're quite the funny guy, aren't you?" Kang Min-seo chuckled, finding Hee-Joon's lack of awareness rather amusing. The other raiders joined in, snickering at the comical situation.
Hee-Joon, feeling a mix of embarrassment and amusement, scratched the back of his head sheepishly. He hadn't realized that his innocent conversation had become such a source of entertainment for everyone around.
As laughter filled the air, the sound of a roaring engine grew louder and closer. All eyes turned towards the approaching figure on a sleek, black motorcycle. Clad in formidable black gear and helmet, the raider exuded a powerful aura. What caught everyone's attention was the gleaming sword strapped to his back.
"Ke Ke Ke, seems like everyone has beaten me to the location," he chuckled, his voice laced with a hint of amusement. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of excitement and camaraderie as he surveyed the gathered raiders.
"Ke Ke Ke," he laughed again, his eyes glinting with mischief.
"Well, now that everyone has arrived, why don't we get this raid started?" With a swift motion, he removed his bike gear, revealing his prepared raiding attire underneath.
"I am Park Min-woo," he introduced himself with a confident smile. "And I am a B-Rank hunter, specialized in closed combat." His words hung in the air, creating a sense of anticipation among the gathered raiders.
As everyone gathered their accessories and started moving towards the gate, staff member Choi Eun-Ji wished good luck to both Hee-Joon and Hyun-Soo who were going inside the gate as a porter.
Hee-Joon and Hyun-Soo both collected their porter bags and started moving behind the raiders, as they vanished inside the gate.
Suddenly system notification popped up
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[System Notification]
Entering the dungeon
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As they stepped through the gate, it felt like being caught in an interdimensional whirlwind. The sudden transition left them disoriented as they found themselves inside the dungeon. The air was thick with potent mana, making it difficult to breathe properly.
"Heok!" Hee-Joon cried grasping to breathe properly, struggling to adjust to the intense energy surrounding him. He glanced over at Hyun-Soo, who appeared equally overwhelmed by the mana fluctuations.
Noticing their discomfort, the leader quickly intervened, shouting to two members of the team,
"Go protect them until they feel better" As soon the team leader finished his sentence, he saw two members coming towards him while holding their wands.
The other raiders backed off, understanding the need to allow Hee-Joon and Hyun-Soo some time to adjust.
One of them spoke, "Don't worry, it's normal to feel overwhelmed when entering a dungeon for the first time. Take slow, deep breaths and try to relax." Her words were comforting, and Hee-Joon and Hyun-Soo followed their advice, gradually finding their equilibrium
Suddenly notification popped in front of Hee-Joon,
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[System Notification]
Adjusting Host conditions as per the dungeon environment.
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As soon as he saw the notification disappears in front of his eyes, finally Hee-Joon grasped the air properly, and he got adjusted to the dungeon.
Seeing him suddenly get used to the dungeon, both of them got surprised, but Hyun-Soo was still taking some time to adjust.
As Hee-Joon noticed Hyun-Soo still struggling to catch his breath, he quickly extended a helping hand and took hold of his bag.
"Don't worry, I'll carry the bags for now," he assured his friend, understanding the difficulty he was facing.
Hyun-Soo, grateful for the support, nodded and gestured for the leader to move forward. "I'll be okay," he reassured them, determination shining in his eyes.