1

"Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt!"

Mind still bleary with sleep, you clumsily grab the source of the noise and tap repeatedly on the snooze button, tumbling back into bed with a relieved sigh when the sound suddenly stops. Yawning, you curl back into yourself, cuddling your warm blanket closer to your body, feeling awareness slowly return back to you.

Knowing you didn't have long before the insufferable alarm sounded again, you kick off your blanket and head to your kitchen, oddly well maintained and spacious for one in your apartment complex.

In retrospect, there was no reason for you to pick an old, rundown apartment on the outskirts of Seoul. It wasn't that you were poor or anything… you just preferred the quiet here, or at least that's what you told yourself.

"...after the third attempt to retake Jeju island has failed, leading to the death of S ranked hunter: Eun Suk, the Korean government has stated it currently has no plans of -"

"Nothing interesting today huh…" You groan, shutting off the television and pulling up your phone to scan for any newly appeared dungeons. Ignoring the long list of C and D ranked gates you were sure other guilds would have no trouble clearing, your eyes eventually fall upon a well placed advertisement for a sale taking place at your local supermarket.

"I suppose this will have to do."

»»————-

"E-ranked hunter" Sung Jinwoo.

He was not a hunter because he enjoyed the job; his constitution was only barely stronger than a normal unawakened person, and his hunting career was riddled with injuries and accidents, any of them potentially being the one to end his life.

He was not a hunter motivated by profit either; an E-ranked hunter could barely make enough money to justify the potential loss of life he faced each day he braved the dungeons.

No. If it wasn't for the Hunters Association that paid millions of won each month to support his hospitalized mother, Jinwoo would not have participated in dungeon raids in the first place.

But no matter how hard he tried to improve, he was still an E-ranked hunter, limited by his stats and abilities.

In fact, he was so prone to injuries that he was famous within the tightly knit group of the hunters association, known as "Sung Jinwoo: Humanity's Weakest Hunter."

»»————-

A long relieved sigh left your lips as the train approached the platform, ready to take you deeper into the city. It was a calm and serene afternoon, and you close your eyes as the approaching breeze brushes against your face chillingly.

The train doors slid open and a wave of people began to sweep toward you. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot someone familiar exiting off the train. Even though they had a hood up, you would recognize that person anywhere.

"Jinwoo!" You call out, smiling when you spot the familiar form of your friend, no doubt on his way to another low ranked gate that had appeared in the capital.

They stilled, like a deer caught staring into headlights upon hearing your voice, before quickly averting their eyes, suddenly finding the floor extremely interesting.

The hunter rubbed at his arm subconsciously, thinking about how he would get away from this clingy person when oddly enough, there was the sensation of something soft pressing against his back.

Jinwoo whipped his head around to stare at you with surprise as you crashed into him, slamming both arms over his shoulder and pulling him in for a rough hug.

"Vice-chairman, you shouldn't…" He blinked at you in surprise as he found you pressed tightly against him, feeling his skin heat up for more than one reason. Your chest was…!

"So, what are we up against today?" You tutted, peering at the flushed E-ranked hunter as steam practically radiated from his face.

"It's another D-rank dungeon." He responded, voice muffled.

"Hm. Sounds easy enough".

"For you maybe, but it's still quite a risk for me to take." He sighed as you finally let him escape from your embrace.

Didn't you have work at the association?

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you return home aliv - Oh!" Your sentence was abruptly cut off as if you suddenly remembered something important. "The sale ends at noon today!"

He smiled. It was endearing to see someone as strong as a national level hunter still worried about missing a sale.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to bring something back for you!" You cheerfully call out, running for the train that would take you towards your destination.

"See you later..." He muttered, glancing towards your slowly receding figure.

»»————-

You walked down the corridor with some groceries in hand, quietly munching on some honey butter chips as you walked down the long hallway of the apartment complex Jinwoo lived in.

After your small shopping spree and work at the Hunters Association, the setting sun had long since painted the sky orange.

A knock on the front door was all it took. A young girl opened the door with great vehemence, angrily glaring at the figure that waited outside her doorway.

"Oppa, I told you not to come home late again! If you get hurt, I'll give up my studies and start work-... huh? Oh Vice-chairman, it's you again." Jinwoo's sister narrowed her eyes at you suspiciously.

"Jinah?" You gazed at the familiar face with surprise, blinking owlishly as you tried to glance deeper into the apartment.

"Stalking my brother again?" She commented rudely, before looking down at the bag you held in your hands. "Huh, free food?"

"I brought some takeout with me." You moved aside the bags of groceries to reveal the container of fried chicken you had picked up on your way home, as if hoping to appease her with it.

"Oh, can we have some now?"

"Of course - Is your brother home?" You ask, slipping out of your shoes and following after her down the hallway before placing the bags of food down on the living room table.

"He's probably in the dungeon right now." She answered with distracted eyes. You let her be, painfully aware of the dangerous job her brother had.

You knew Jinwoo took care of his sister by himself, relying entirely on his income to provide for the two of them. Despite the hunters association covering the entirety of his mothers hospital bill, you knew he was struggling financially and could barely make ends meet.

You almost felt guilty for forcing him into becoming a hunter… almost. But with war fast approaching, what choice did you have?

"You didn't eat yet?" You smile as she opens the container of fried chicken, hungrily digging in. "I could cook something… maybe when your brother gets home?"

"It shouldn't be much longer - he usually returns around this time." She answered, busy stuffing her face with the fried food.

He would come home soon… right?

In your long career as vice-chairman, you took pride in placing Jin Woo in only the most experienced hunting parties, where he would have almost no risk of death. This time was no different; he was tasked with clearing a relatively weak D ranked dungeon. With an experienced leader you trusted and even a B rank healer, there was virtually no chance anything could go wrong.

So why… why did you feel so uneasy?

»»————-

"This is it!" A commotion rose from the vanguard of the party. "It's the boss room!".

Jinwoo startled, shocked at the discovery. The party of hunters had cleared out the dungeon with no problem, but as they went deeper, they found a giant door was at the end of the dungeon's tunnel, which could mean only one thing: a double dungeon.

Double dungeons were famous for their valuable treasures, but the hunters had to be careful as well. Their lives were at risk, after all.

"Usually, we'd need to contact the association and await their orders… but that means our potential profits would massively decrease." Mr. Song, the leader of the group, paused. "But as it could be dangerous, why don't we have a vote?"

"I vote to fight!"

"Nah"

"Let's fight."

"Sorry… but I don't want to go."

The corridor filled with the voices of hunters deciding whether or not to head inside. The vote was set at an even 8 to 8. It would take the last person to decide everyone's decision.

Mr. Song turned to Jinwoo. "How about you?"

I don't have enough money… and soon I'll have to send my little sister to college… If I score big here, I can rest easy for a bit...

"I'm going!" Jinwoo's decision had sealed the group's fate.

"It's settled then." The 60 year old leader grinned, pushing open the massive stone door and hesitantly stepping inside.

One by one, the hunters followed him, walking past Jinwoo into the boss room. As the hunters crossed the doorway, numerous torches placed on the side of the room lit up, illuminating the massive open room filled with stone statues of knights, musicians, and warriors.

"Hey, there's something written here. Come take a look!"

One of the hunters gestured to a statue with wings that held a stone tablet. Looking at it closely, Jinwoo could see words inscribed on it. It was written in runic...

It was a language only found in dungeons, interpretable only by awakened mages. Luckily, one was the leader of their party.

"Commandments of the Cartenon Temple." Mr. Song read aloud.

Jinwoo listened attentively when suddenly, someone grabbed his arm.

Juhee, his friend, stared at him with fear stricken eyes. "Over… Over there." She pointed at the enormous statue sitting at the back of the room.

"H-his eyes… the statue's eyes just looked at me…"

What? A sense of dread washed over Jinwoo. In the background, Mr. Song's reading of the commandments continued.

"First, worship the lord… second, praise the lord… third, prove your faith." He paused, squinting towards the last line.

"Those that do not follow these commandments… will not leave alive."

BOOM-

At the sudden sound, the hunters shouted in surprise.

"What was that?"

"Look over there!" A hunter cried out. "The doors just closed!"

It was at this point that Juhee's words replayed in his mind.

"H-his eyes… the statue's eyes just looked at us…"

Jinwoo shuddered. He felt a sinister stare coming from the massive stone figure in the center of the room. Wait... i-it's eyes are glowing!

He turned, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Everybody get down!"

»»————-

Your mind felt like a blur as you played with the Intendo Switch Jinah had let you borrow. The device's owner was currently at her desk, studying for the steadily approaching college entrance examinations.

It had been a couple of hours since you had arrived at Jinah's home, and her brother had still not returned. It was quite warm outside, causing you to change into more comfortable clothes. Your jacket was thrown on the couch haphazardly.

"Are you still hungry?" You asked in a light voice, looking over your shoulder at the diligently studying student.

"A little - can you order something?"

"How does black bean noodles sound?" You inquired, pulling out your phone to open the delivery app, browsing for any restaurants that might catch your eye.

You were about to place an order when your phone gave an innocent chime.

"Sorry, I have to take this." You mutter, looking at the caller ID. Hunters Association.

The Korean Hunters Association was a large government body that oversaw the activities and regulated the hunters throughout the country. The chairman, Go Gun-Hee, had easily once been the strongest hunter in Korea.

The source of his power did not come naturally, he was selected by one of the seven rulers to be a human vessel and house their strength. You remember your leader searching for a younger vessel to lend his powers to, but Gun-Hee was the only one human that could withstand his abilities...

However, as age slowly caught up to him, the title was passed down to you. With it, you had become the Vice-Chairman, and Korea relied on your power to keep it's hunters in line.

It was strange that the Association would contact you this late at night. The last time they called you was ages ago during an A-ranked dungeon break…

"Hello? What's the matter?"

"It's the D-rank dungeon… the gate is about to break, but the hunters you told me to watch still haven't come out…"

Your eyes widen. Oh my god. Wasn't that the dungeon Jinwoo was headed to earlier?

"Vice-chairman?" Jinah turns to you, scared at your silence. A chilling sensation spread throughout the apartment, eliciting gooseflesh down her arms.

Instead of the neutral expression she is so used to seeing, a terrifying grimace erupts from your lips.

"Vice-chairman! What's wrong?!"

Jinah looks at where you've been standing just moments ago, but you are already gone.

»»————-

You reappear outside the D-rank gates, your long hair so light and fine it seemed to make a halo around your head, drifting at the faintest whisper of a breeze.

All you had on you was a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. In your haste, your hoodie that you often used as a disguise was all but forgotten.

"Hey, isn't that..!"

"Kya! Look over there! That's the vice-chairman!"

"Wow, look at her legs… she's barefoot too..."

Voices shouted out in surprise as passersbys gathered outside the abandoned construction site, now being sealed off by military officers. In the distance the D-ranked gate stood, emanating a powerful magical presence.

"It now marks the seventh day since the gate first appeared." A reporter was speaking to the camera. "Those who live in the area must be prepared for a dungeon break at any moment..."

You pushed your way into the crowd of people, when suddenly you found a bunch of cameras shoved into your face.

"Excuse me! What is an S-ranked hunter doing at this dungeon?"

"Is it true that the Hunters Association has failed to accurately measure the magical energy of the dungeon?"

"There are rumours that you slept with Baek Yoonho, is that true?"

You carefully nudge their microphones aside, doing your best to squeeze through the sea of people. Normally you wouldn't be so rude, but there were human lives at stake!

"Please, get out of the way…"

Closing your eyes to avoid the exorbitant amount of flashes aimed at your face, you push past the reporters and dash straight into the dungeon, leaving their main question unanswered.

Why would the Hunters Association send a national level hunter to a D ranked gate?

»»————-

A ray of light shot out from the statue's eyes, passing through the spot where Jinwoo was standing just moments before.

If I was a fraction of a second too late… it would have been over.

Other hunters were not so lucky. Ones who were hit by the light disintegrated instantly, leaving only a trace of ash behind.

"Ahhhhh!"

The other hunters were in shock. In an instant, half of their party was killed. They had never seen an attack like this before.

With his body bowed, Jinwoo turned to stare toward the statue. It's eyes were glowing with energy, but it didn't continue the attack.

Is… is it done attacking? Perhaps... there are rules to this dungeon?

Memories of the tablet that Mr. Song had read aloud suddenly appeared in his mind.

Commandments of the Cartenon Temple.

It became obvious that nobody here had the ability to face the statue head on. If there was a way out, it had to be by following the rules written on that stone tablet.

First… praise the lord...

"Everyone!" Jinwoo shouted at the hunters. "Bow down towards the statue!"

"Bow…"

"Have you lost your mind?" The hunters spoke up in disbelief. The statue had just killed half their friends, and he was asking them to bow to it?

Jinwoo bit his lips. There was nothing backing up his statements, only a gut feeling. It may have been too much for the hunters to risk their lives for just a guess.

Just when all hope was lost, someone spoke up.

"I'll do it."

It was the raid leader, Mr. Song. He turned around and met the hunter's eyes. "It might be the only way to leave here alive!"

'Just bow towards that thing?'

'We can get out of here?'

Slowly, the remaining hunters got on their knees and faced the statue, as if worshipping it.

When the last hunter bowed, Jinwoo felt a change in the room.

"It's eyes!" The yellow glow that adorned the statue's eyes was slowly dissipating.

"What? You mean this is really working?"

The glow in the statue's eyes was slowly fading away, until finally, it totally disappeared.

"We're alive!" The hunters rose and cheered, but the statue did not move from it's spot. Jinwoo sighed with relief. Just like he had guessed, the room had a set of rules the hunter's had to follow.

But if that was true… there were two other commandments left!

The room started shaking, tremoring as if an earthquake had struck it. The massive statue they were worshipping suddenly stood up, closing the distance towards the hunters with each step that shook the room.

"W-wait, it's not over?" Frozen in fear, the hunters could only watch as the massive statue slowly approached them.

It lifted it's foot right above one of the female hunters who was cowering in fear.

"Kiyaaah!". The female hunter stood in place and screamed as the foot slowly descended upon her.

Shit!

Jinwoo started running in her direction, but it was too late.

As if stepping on an insect, the statue slammed it's foot down on the young woman, crushing her body like a ripe melon, dying it's foot red with blood. Turning towards Jinwoo, it smiled a terrifying smile.

"We can't screw around! Hurry up and run!" Mr. Song yelled, snapping Jinwoo's attention from the gruesome scene.

He's right. Jinwoo began running, doing his best to avoid the statue that was crushing the hunters one by one beneath its feet.

Three words repeated inside his head like a mantra.

Praise the lord…

He had come to a conclusion. "Everyone! Head to the statue with the instruments!"

"Instruments?"

Hope returned to the hunters who were still alive. Mr. Song ran towards a statue who held a harp in its hands. As he got closer, it began playing a harmonious melody.

"He was right! Run to the instruments!"

The remaining hunters dashed towards the instruments. Each time an instrument began playing, the statue moved away, as if not interested in the hunter anymore.

Jinwoo stared at the statue behind him. He had grabbed Juhee and ran towards the statue of a dummer, but despite being so close, it remained silent.

Why, why is this one not playing? Is it because me and Juhee are here at the same time?

In the distance, the giant statue slowly made its way towards them.

"Stay here."

"Jinwoo…" Juhee cried. "Don't go! Please…"

"There's no choice. We'll both die if I stay." He gently told her.

He watched the statue slowly approach him, trying not to think how heavy it was, how it would crush him to a thin paste…

But there was no time to think. Instead, he simply cleared his mind, and dashed towards the opposite side of the room. Behind him, the statue of a drummer began to play.

Thank goodness…

With Juhee under the protection of the drummer, the giant statue now focused its efforts entirely on him. Hearing its footsteps quickly approach him, he ran towards a statue holding a harp with the last of his strength.

"No! Not that way!" Mr. Song shouted at him, causing Jinwoo to turn and glance more closely at the statue he was charging towards. The object it held in its hands was too wide and irregularly shaped to be a harp...

Wait, that's not an instrument!

Without mercy, the statue smashed it's shield down, the shockwave knocking Jinwoo over. He hit the ground hard, banging his head against the cold stone floor.

Behind him, the giant statue had caught up, raising up it's foot above him.

"Jinwoo!" Juhee screamed, but it was no use. There was no time to get up, let alone find another statue.

Looks like this is the end… Jinah…Juhee...I'm sorry…

At least his death would be quick.

He closed his eyes.

Boom!

The statue stomped down, but Jinwoo felt no pain. He was still alive. Did the statue somehow miss him at the last moment?

But it was strange. How could that statue miss a stationary target when it killed so many quickly moving hunters before him?

Though his eyes were unfocused, he could make out the familiar figure standing in front of him, their long hair dancing slowly in the currents of wind.

Is that… really her?

"It's okay." You said softly. "I'm here. You're safe."