* * *

It was created in the place that used to be my home, and this dungeon, which I ended up attacking, was called the Fourth Dungeon because it was the fourth one to be created.

I couldn't help but think the name lacked creativity, but from a principle and efficiency standpoint, it wasn't a bad name.

According to the investigations of dungeon investigators so far, the Fourth Dungeon's field was a forest, the appearing monsters were of the mammalian type, and the final boss was still unknown due to the dungeon's quest nature, with no clear records yet.

[It's denser than I thought.]

That was my first thought upon seeing the dungeon beyond the gate, noticing how thick the forest was.

I closely examined the dense trees filling the field. The trees filling the forest had pointed leaves, indicating they were coniferous.

"Be prepared for a sudden attack. It's highly likely that something will jump out from between the trees or, conversely, drag you through the gaps."

Hunter Kim Seong, who was also examining the forest, cautiously opened his mouth.

Normally, the highest-ranked hunter would take the lead in such situations, but this time, Yoon Juyoung had asked Mr. Kim Seong to take on the party leading role. The reason was that, although he was of a higher rank, Mr. Kim Seong had more experience in dungeon raids.

Indeed, hunter Yoon Juyoung, originally a B-grade hunter, wasn't completely inexperienced in dungeon raids, but he was somewhat lacking compared to veteran A-grade hunters.

Hunter Kim Seong accepted the party leading role, describing hunter Yoon Juyoung's suggestion as [humility coming from good character]. Personally, it seemed like a well-matched combination from an observer's standpoint.

"Let's enter then."

"Yes. C-grade hunter Seohee will be in the center, I'll be at the very front, and the other members will cover the sides and back."

This is somewhat embarrassing. It feels like I'm a wealthy person being escorted by important people. In reality, it's more like they're just protecting a piece of luggage.

After confirming the arrangement, Hunter Kim Seong immediately entered the field as he had said.

Like most dungeons, despite the dense forest, there was a dirt path laid out in the central area, seemingly guiding us on our way.

I made sure to neither fall behind nor go too far ahead, following closely behind Hunter Kim Seong.

And then.

"An enemy is approaching!"

At the same time as Hunter Kim Seong urgently shouted, something shot out beside me, and something that had appeared between the dense trees instantly fell.

"Huh?"

"…?"

"Ah?"

I couldn't understand what had just happened and blankly stared in the direction where the black something had fallen.

It looked roughly like a coyote but had spikes protruding all over. Its name, as shown by the monster identification system available to all awakeners, was [Spiked Coyote]. The name was incredibly intuitive.

"What just happened…?"

Ms. Sonya was the first to break the odd silence. I turned my gaze from the Spiked Coyote to look at Ms. Sonya.

Ms. Sonya, having spoken, startled herself and shook her head before asking with a clearer voice.

"Did Yoon Juyoung do it?"

It was a logical guess. Indeed, among the party members, the only one capable of silently taking down a monster so swiftly was S-grade hunter Yoon Juyoung.

Yoon Juyoung, with a gentle smile, received Ms. Sonya's gaze and calmly replied.

"Yes. I prefer to handle things quickly."

"…hoouuu."

Hunter Sonya seemed to have a mix of relief and emptiness in her expression. While Hunter Sonya was reacting, Hunter Kim Seong, who had been awkwardly standing at the front, joined the conversation.

"Amazing. It seems you used a projectile to kill it instantly, am I right?"

"It seems you have a good eye, being an A-grade hunter. As you guessed, I used a projectile."

Hunter Yoon Juyoung said so and then reached into his coat pocket, pulling out something long.

It was a spike that seemed to reach from the middle finger to the very end of the palm when the hand was spread out... It seemed likely that this was the culprit that killed the coyote in one shot.

"Due to my lack of experience, I wasn't quite sure of the level an A-grade dungeon, so I threw it as a test... Fortunately, it doesn't seem too difficult."

Unfortunately, the expressions of hunters Kim Seong and Sonya were not at all the same. For a moment, they exchanged glances, sharing some profound emotion.

If one were to interpret the silent conversation that passed between them, it might have been something like [That's easy for you to say, being an S-grade.]

"From now on, I'll take care of the field monsters in this manner. It will make our progress smoother."

"Y-Yes, yes... Then, perhaps it would be best if hunter Yoon Juyoung took over the party leading role..."

"No, I'd still prefer Mr. Kim Seong to do it. After all... we have someone we need to protect."

For a brief moment, Yoon Juyoung's gaze shifted to me before moving away. Hunters Kim Seong and Sonya nodded in agreement to Yoon Juyoung's words without any further comment.

It was a natural reaction, considering that, although it might be easy for an S-grade hunter, being careless could lead to failing the quest conditions.

The dungeon raid that followed proceeded in a way that anyone could have predicted.

We walked steadily, and whenever a monster appeared, Yoon Juyoung would swiftly throw a black spike to kill it. If a monster didn't die from one hit, he threw another spike, and all of them fell on the spot without fail.

[Wow, being an S-grade hunter really is like having a cheat key.]

Honestly, despite having told the director of the orphanage that I have an S-rank hunter accompanying me, I myself was feeling a slight sense of unease separate from that.

After all, this was an A-grade dungeon. A level of difficulty that seemed out of reach for a C-grade like me for a lifetime. That's why I had mentioned the possibility of life-threatening danger to Yoon Juyoung that morning.

But having experienced it firsthand, I could clearly see that an A-grade dungeon posed no threat to an S-grade hunter.

Honestly, judging by Yoon Juyoung's demeanor up until now, anyone could believe he was just out for a casual stroll in the neighborhood.

As we continued to navigate the dungeon without any obstacles, hunter Yoon Juyoung suddenly dealt with a black bear that appeared, and the narrow path we were on began to widen right before our eyes.

[This is it.]

Situations where the path suddenly widens or the field changes occur in only two scenarios. The first is the appearance of a mid-boss, and the second is the appearance of the final boss.

And in the current situation, it was clear. It was the mid-boss.

"Shall we enter right away?"

"If everyone is ready, let's proceed."

Hunter Kim Seong asked, and Yoon Juyoung answered.

Hunter Kim Seong, showing no signs of fear, strode confidently into the field area of the mid-boss. It was an action that showed complete trust in the prowess Yoon Juyoung had demonstrated so far.

Ms. Sonya was no different, and although she glanced at Kim Seong hunter with a somewhat curious look, she immediately followed him into the field without delay.

Naturally, I entered the field as well. Up until that moment, hunter Yoon Juyoung, who had been standing just outside the field area, looked around as if surveying the surroundings, then quickly followed me into the field.

As the last party member entered the designated area, the surrounding landscape began to change instantly.

Having lived as a C-grade hunter, I had never experienced this firsthand, but I knew that this was the environment being [eroded] as we entered the territory of a boss monster.

First, the vibrant green conifers that boasted lively vitality instantly faded in color, and white snow fell as if covering them. White snow also settled on the ground where originally green grass or brown dirt paths were located.

I exhaled a breath clouded with steam, feeling the coldness that instantly enveloped my body.

[It's an ice attribute enemy.]

Truly, the change was unmistakably intuitive.

Soon after the surroundings had completely changed, the growling of a beast could be heard from afar. It was a very low and majestic howl.

Upon hearing the monster's howl, Mr. Kim Seong reflexively raised his shield in front of us all, and Ms. Sonya immediately stood by my side, drawing her rapier.

However, Yoon Juyoung, without any particular preparation, quietly came next to me and silently stared in the direction of the sound.

For a brief moment, silence settled quietly over the frozen white ground.

And then...

"Prepare yourselves!"

Simultaneously with hunter Kim Seong's urgent shout, the sound of the ground rumbling and trees breaking and collapsing could be heard from afar. It was the sound that something gigantic, using its four legs to kick off the ground, would make as it charged.

Hoping that it wouldn't cause any harm, I fidgeted with the ring on my right ring finger.

The flow of breaking and collapsing trees from afar soon crashed right in front of where we stood.

Part of the circular line made of trees surrounding the circular field collapsed instantly, and a huge, white beast appeared before us.

Auuuuuuuuuuuuu―

With a long and loud howling that seemed to reach the ends of the earth, it flashed its blue eyes reminiscent of the glaciers of the snowy fields and bared its teeth.

The feeling given by the mid-level boss monster I saw for the first time was unmistakably clear. The pressure and fear that seemed to choke my breath entirely, and... awe.

[That's...]

That was the mid-boss monster of an A-grade dungeon. That destructive being, which had nonchalantly knocked down the forest's trees as it approached. If that was merely a mid-level boss monster, then...

There was no time for further thought. After its long howling, the creature immediately charged at us and swung its huge front paw.

Without a moment to react, hunter Kim Seong, who was at the front, stepped forward and swung his large shield.

"Everyone, stay alert!"

The sound of something heavy colliding with something heavy echoed through the air. It was then that I hastily regained my senses and stepped back.

Seeing it up close, I was certain of one thing. I had nothing I could do in this fight. No, I shouldn't even have thought to try. Staying out of the range of the fight and doing nothing was all I could do at the moment.

[It seems like even getting caught in the aftermath, let alone the range of the attack, would cause a disaster.]

Just the wind stirred up by the wolf's strike was evidence enough. As hunter Kim Seong blocked the wolf's strike, hunter Sonya, who had ended up diagonally in front of me due to my step back, drew her rapier and headed towards Kim Seong.

"I'll support you!"

Simultaneously with her shout, a clear green light sparkled on her rapier.

"Blessing of the Earth!"

Simultaneously with hunter Sonya's shout, the shield that had been pushed back in blocking the wolf's strike moved a bit further forward.

Although I didn't know the details, it seemed like the skill used by hunter Sonya had somehow mitigated the impact on hunter Kim Seong.

While they each showed their skilled hunter abilities, Yoon Juyoung was nowhere to be seen.

I immediately realized the reason. There was only one skill he would be using in this situation. Stealth.

Indeed, as I had predicted, in the brief moment between Kim Seong blocking and Sonya supporting, something black flickered. Before I could think in detail about what it was, something appeared above the wolf's head.

[Juyoung─]

Once again, something black flickered. hunter Yoon Juyoung, having stepped on that which appeared in mid-air, plummeted down as if jumping.

The fall, imbued with the power of an S-grade hunter, was sharp and intense. Something long and sharp that hunter Yoon Juyoung was holding pierced through the creature's head with a powerful sound as if to shatter it.

Red burst forth. It was only after smelling the strong iron scent that I realized it was blood.

─Auuuuuuu!!

The wolf, emitting a howl that could not be expressed by human vocal cords, shook its body trying to shake off the weapon embedded in its head and the human holding onto the weapon.