Chapter 01

"Do you like ants that much?"

Korea University Art Museum.

Lim Dokyoon, an assistant professor in the Art Department, flashed a tired expression upon seeing Suho's painting.

The ant painting was tightly attached to the wall of the exhibition hall.

It includes all kinds of sketches made with oil and watercolors.

There were various kinds of ants with different forms as well.

Assistant Professor Lim attached the name tag he had brought under it.

[KOREA UNIVERSITY ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT EXHIBIT]

[3RD YEAR SUNG SUHO]

"There would be a truckload of drawings if we include all the ones you made since you were a freshman. Why not go to the Entomology Department instead?"

"I also considered that but there's no separate Ant Major."

"So you only like ants and not insects?"

"Yes, Sir. Strangely, I have liked ants since I was a kid. When I found a swarm of ants, I walked carefully so as not to accidentally step on them…"

"Since you were little? You have an unwavering taste then."

Assistant Professor Lim smiled and continued to look around Suho's painting.

Until something caught his attention.

"This ant looks different."

In front of him is a painting of a human-shaped ant with a black haze.

"Hmm. The strokes are dynamically great. You draw monsters, too?"

"Monster? No. I just draw what I dreamt of when I was little."

"Pft. You're really something. Just how much did you like ants that you even dreamed of them at a young age?"

"Before the Cataclysm."

Cataclysm.

It was a term used for the catastrophic event that suddenly came to Earth 2 years ago.

Unidentified gates appeared all over the world.

Terrifying monsters entered through those gates and invaded Earth.

Fortunately, very few humans happened to awaken their ability, and mankind managed to overcome the crisis.

That was only two years ago.

At that time, Suho was just 20 years old and was a freshman.

He started having consistent waves of 'ant dreams' when he was in middle and high school, or long before that.

"Anyway, you're also a weird one."

Assistant Professor Lim smiled and carefully looked at Suho's painting again.

"You drew it really well though. It feels like it would pop out of the picture and bite me. Ah, is that too much? I guess that's just how vivid your painting is."

Suho silently laughed at that.

'It has to be.'

It wasn't simply an art or depiction of his dream.

But, because it was a monster that would rush to kill him as it appeared in his dreams.

'…Looking back, it was a really terrible dream.'

Suho said as he recalled it.

[Your level increased!]

[Your level increased!]

In that dream, Suho had to fight for his life with the monsters without knowing why.

There were armored knights and ant legions that endlessly blocked his way, and a giant dragon appeared after.

Upon killing those monsters, he leveled up, just like in games.

Even if he dies, everything would instantly reset.

He had to go back to the beginning and restart everything from level 1.

The only way out of that dream was to somehow survive and reach the final boss' room.

After fighting non-stop like that, he managed to reach that room and to his surprise, the face of the final boss…

'Resembles my father.'

Smirk.

Suho smiled bitterly as he considered it only an absurd dream in his puberty.

However, from some point on, he never dreamed of it again.

'That's probably…around that time.'

Yes, to be exact, summer in the 10th grade.

Ever since his parents went missing.

…Suho's daily peaceful life collapsed.

* * *

Around that time.

Unusual things were happening in the corner of the museum building.

"You left them here?"

"Yes, Senior. The assistant professor told me to keep them here."

Squeak.

The Art Department students opened the door to collect the paintings.

Their eyes widened as they saw 'it'.

"Huh?"

Crackle! Crackle!

A black portal floating in the air.

"Ack! Isn't that a gate?!"

"Hurry and report it!"

The students panicked and backed away.

One took out his cell phone with trembling hands to report it right away, but the 4th Year senior urgently stopped him.

"Calm down! It's a closed gate!"

"Ah, that's right. The blue mist hasn't come out yet."

"Yeah. The dungeon break is still a long way off."

"Ha. That freaked me out."

They sighed in relief upon their late realization.

Dungeon Break is a term used to refer to the phenomenon of monsters pouring out of the gate.

The appearance of a gate does not immediately trigger a dungeon break.

Prior to that, a "blue mist" flows out of the gate and pollutes the surrounding area, so that the gate could open and monsters could come out.

"That means, we're still safe. Hehe."

"S-Senior. Why are you laughing like that? It's still dangerous. Shouldn't we report it immediately?"

"You idiots. Haven't you heard the rumor? You can be 'awakened' if you consume the blue mist."

"Ah!"

The senior's words made the juniors' ears perk up.

The composition of the blue mist has not yet been clarified.

However, such a rumor spread secretly on the Internet like an urban legend.

It said that the mist was actually vaporized magic, and it was rumored that even ordinary people could awaken their magic skills immediately by consuming it.

"Wasn't that just a baseless rumor?"

"It wasn't proven to be one."

"Well."

"Hehe. So, let's check it out this time. Who knows? There might be an S-class Hunter among us."

"…!"

The junior's eyes changed rapidly due to the senior's words.

The unimaginable amount earned by S-Class hunters came to their minds.

Since the corpses of the demons and the ores of the dungeon became popular as new materials, the job of a hunter who can sweep all the goods has become a symbol of wealth and glory.

However, it has been only two years since the cataclysm occurred.

It was not clear yet how to awaken one's magical power.

"Besides, you guys know that Assistant Professor Lim awakened as an E-Class hunter, right?"

"Of course. He always complained that he couldn't make money because he was an E-class hunter. That's why he's working as an assistant professor for the semester."

"Tsk, tsk. You're really clueless. That's a lie, man. Do you know how much one earns just by entering the dungeon as a mining team?"

"How much?"

The senior spoke in a low voice as if revealing a huge secret, and immediately after that, the eyes of the juniors widened.

"What? They earn that much?"

"Even for E-Class hunters?"

"That's right, dude. You're lucky enough if you become a low-level hunter. Are you still going to blow this great opportunity? Huh?"

"Wow, being a hunter is really the best. I mean, why is Professor Lim still stuck in here if he's earning that much?"

"He probably wanted to make money in the dungeon and spend it on art. There's nothing better than being a professor in order to see a lot of artworks."

"That's really awesome."

E-class income became much more persuasive than S-class awakening, which was said to be much rarer than winning the lottery.

After the senior's continued persuasion, the juniors quietly put down their hands holding their cell phones.

"Well, hmmm. It's still safe for a while after the blue mist appears…"

"S-So, shall we wait for it? Just for a while?"

"You punks. Now we're talking. Besides, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. As soon as the mist comes out, take just one sip and report it. There won't be any danger."

After some time.

Finally, a blue mist began to seep out from the gate.

* * *

Rumble!

The building suddenly started to shake.

'Huh?'

Suho, who was in the exhibition hall, raised his head.

'What's that? Earthquake?'

Something is weird.

It feels like the entire space is shaking.

However, Suho was the only one who felt it. No one else in the exhibition hall noticed.

It was then.

Thud.

"Uhh."

A student was scurrying into the exhibition hall.

Assistant Professor Lim, who was near the entrance, approached him and talked to him.

"Youngchul, why did you come so late when I told you to go to the storage room and…"

"I-I…tried to stop him."

"…Youngchul?"

"S-Senior kept on…"

"Park Youngchul?"

"He kept on…"

Chills.

'Something's wrong.'

After checking Yeongchul's condition up close, Assistant Professor Lim's expression hardened.

His eyes are wandering and lost while he's trembling.

He keeps muttering nonsense.

"Park Youngchul? What's that in your mouth?"

After Professor Lim asked him, Youngchul finally came to his awareness.

Swoosh.

Before he knew it, blue smoke slowly seeped out of his mouth and nose.

"Ah, t-this shouldn't…be happening. Ack."

Youngchul was embarrassed and covered his mouth with his hand.

But, the more he did, the more smoke came out between his fingers.

Then.

Roar!

Along with the hot air, blue smoke engulfed Youngchul's body.

"Professor!"

Just in time, Suho, who ran from behind, pulled Professor Lim's body away.

"Ack! It's hot…!"

"…!"

Professor Lim stepped back and opened his eyes wide.

Youngchul's body was engulfed in blue smoke and began to burn.

"Kyaaaah!"

"W-What is that?!"

Students nearby witnessed the terrible sight and screamed in horror.

It was then.

Wiiiiiiiing-!

The school alarm rang through the school speakers.

[This is an emergency!]

Students began panicking.

[A gate has appeared in our school!]

"…?!"

"G-Gate?"

[The current identified location of the gate is at the museum building…!]

"Fuck! It's in this place!"

"Aaack!"

"Kyaaaah!"

Panic arose.

Students started to run for their lives.

Seeing a person burn to death right in front of their eyes, the horror was indescribable.

However, there was one problem in getting out.

The place where Yeongchul's body was burning was in the middle of the exhibition hall entrance.

They had to pass by the body to get out.

Roar!

One of the students running ahead was startled by the heat and flinched.

'Where are the other exits…?'

He hurriedly looked around, but there was nowhere to be found.

There's only one exit.

While the students are frightened and wandering around.

[Keeuuhhh…]

Something unbelievable happened.

"Huh?"

"T-That person…!"

Yeongchul's body, which had turned into a lump of charcoal, was getting up again.

As it was engulfed in blue smoke.

"W-Wait. Is that perhaps…?"

Professor Lim's eyes widened at the sight.

"A monster! Get out of there right now!"

Professor Lim shouted urgently.

[Keuhaaa!]

But, it was too late.

With the magic of blue mist, the demonic monster took Youngchul's body as a wick and swung its arms like a whip.

Blag-!

"Ack!"

The students' bodies rolled on the floor while vomiting blood.

As the blue smoke clung to their clothes, their bodies also began to burn hot.

"Ack! Fire! Fire!"

"Kyaaaah!"

Students scattered in panic.

There are desperate cries and screams everywhere.

"It's a monster. A Mist Burn…"

Professor Lim hurriedly took out his cell phone

Mist Burn is not something an E-Class hunter could handle alone.

Suho hurriedly asked Assistant Professor Lim, who sent a request for support.

"Mist Burn? What kind of monster is that?"

"Once we get hit by that creature…"

Professor Lim bit his lip.

"We'll turn into something like him."

[Grrrr!]

With that, the bodies of the students attacked by Mist Burn were on their feet again, surrounded by blue smoke.