100.
Jian planned to join the attack team starting from the 45th floor. Cerberus was the strongest monster that had appeared so far. The novel recorded that there were casualties similar to the 5th floor.
Not only was the dungeon itself S-rank, but Cerberus’s abilities were so powerful that while the S-rank Hunters were occupied, A-rank Hunters were helplessly defeated by other monsters that appeared alongside it.
As the Tower climb extended, they had become familiar enough with each other to remember names, affiliations, and main abilities.
Jian was nearby when Jungsu’s leg was severed. At that time, he was already using his barrier and couldn’t protect Jungsu.
Although Sehun was his most precious person, it was still difficult to watch others get hurt or die.
In a way, it was selfish. He had decided to fight his best to avoid feeling painful himself.
“What are you thinking about?”
Sehun asked, brushing Jian’s bangs back from his forehead. His touch was persistent as he fidgeted with Jian’s soft earlobe.
“Cerberus will appear on the 45th floor.”
Jian turned his body sideways and grabbed Sehun’s hand. He could tell Sehun, if no one else.
“Is that from what you read in the novel?”
“Yes. Only the 5th and 45th floors were described in detail. The last content I read was the scene where you were seriously injured after being bitten by Cerberus.”
Jian whispered in a low voice so only Sehun could hear.
In the novel, Hyunsu had an even more righteous personality than now. He had a strong spirit of sacrifice, putting himself forward for others regardless of his own injuries.
When numerous Hunters were injured and some even died from Cerberus’s attacks, Hyunsu recklessly approached Cerberus.
Just as sharp fangs were about to pierce Hyunsu’s body, Sehun embraced Hyunsu and dodged. Perhaps because of the hasty movement, Sehun sustained a serious injury that exposed his spine.
It was the scene where Hyunsu became aware of his own feelings as he watched Sehun unhesitatingly throw himself in harm’s way for him.
When reading, Jian had focused on Hyunsu’s psychological description rather than Sehun’s, but now the scene of Sehun getting injured kept replaying in his mind.
“…I don’t know Cerberus’s weakness. It would be good if we knew the strategy in advance, like the Shadow Hunter.”
“Don’t you have any other information?”
At Sehun’s question, Jian recounted the information that came to mind.
“It has three heads, each breathing a different type of breath. Its hide is extremely tough, so even a small wound can’t be inflicted without an S-rank attack, and its regenerative ability is as excellent as a troll’s.”
“By Cerberus, you mean the dog from Greek mythology? The guardian of the entrance to the underworld.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Jian recalled the complete collection of “Greek and Roman Mythology” he had borrowed for Sehun’s education. At that time, he had sat Sehun on his lap and read it like a fairy tale.
“Then wouldn’t it have the same weaknesses as recorded in mythology?”
“You mean how Orpheus passed through the gates of hell by playing the lyre?”
“Yes. And I think it was also weak to food.”
It was quite plausible. Not only Cerberus but also the Kraken were monsters that appeared in mythology.
The dungeons featured creatures that people had only encountered in imagination until now.
The monsters might or might not have the same characteristics mentioned in mythology, but they had nothing to lose by trying.
From then on, Jian and Sehun put their heads together to devise effective ways to deal with Cerberus.
* * *
“Let’s have the S-rank Hunters enter first. The rest of the personnel will enter one group at a time after an hour.”
At Siyun’s words, Sehun, Jian, Hyunsu, and Yongho stepped forward. Hyunwoo swallowed as he watched Hyunsu’s back. Finally, the situation he had been worried about had arrived.
As Jihwan comforted Hyunwoo, who was distressed at having to send his younger brother into danger alone, the light of the portal brightened. The advance team, gathered closely together, disappeared in an instant.
“Barrier skill activated.”
Jian activated his barrier skill as soon as he passed through the portal. It was to prepare for any potential danger.
The 45th floor was still a raw dungeon where no safe zone had been established yet.
Everyone surveyed their surroundings at the suddenly changed scenery. Hyunsu muttered in a disgruntled voice as he watched the blood-colored liquid dripping onto the barrier.
“This place is totally like hell…”
In the sky, upside-down mountains were burning bright red, and beneath the cracked ground, like drought-stricken land, lava flowed like a river, threatening to melt anyone who stepped wrong.
Monster-like eagles flying in the sky dropped blood-colored liquid like rain with each flap of their wings.
Dozens of monsters discovered the humans who had entered the dungeon and went berserk, making sharp screaming sounds.
“It’s an acidic substance. Everyone be careful.”
Yongho warned about the danger of the liquid as he watched a stone rapidly corrode when touched by the blood-colored liquid.
“Let’s install the safety stone first.”
Siyun took out a safety stone from his inventory, planted it in the ground, and infused it with mana. Meanwhile, Jian was looking for where Cerberus might be.
The dungeon, reminiscent of hell, was so vast that no end could be seen wherever one looked. In mythology, Cerberus stood guarding the gate to hell.
He kept moving his gaze, looking for something that resembled a gate. Then, at the edge of his vision, he caught sight of a jagged wooden structure.
When he discovered the enormous being crouched beside it, chills ran from the top of his head to the tips of his toes.
Even though it was too far away to see properly, an incredible sense of pressure could be felt.
“That beast is the strongest monster in here.”
Others had also discovered Cerberus. At Siyun’s words, everyone raised their tension. The frightened Hyunsu stuck close to Jian.
“The barrier will disappear in one minute.”
Jian looked around at his companions as he patted Hyunsu’s shoulder. Siyun, after checking the safety stone, nodded.
“That should be enough.”
By the time the barrier disappeared, the safe zone was complete. Yongho showed the mana meter he was holding to his companions. The number that appeared on the screen was on a completely different level from before.
“…It’s S-rank.”
The gloomy voice announced the desperate situation. Among those present, only Siyun had experienced an S-rank dungeon.
About two years ago, Siyun had entered an S-rank dungeon in Shanghai, China. At that time, five S-rank Hunters including Siyun, 200 A-rank Hunters, and 500 B-rank Hunters were deployed.
The government had recommended it to Siyun in case an S-rank dungeon might appear in Korea someday.
At that time, Siyun returned with a painful understanding of how dangerous S-rank dungeons were. Despite having five S-rank Hunters, many people were injured and died.
This was because they were already overwhelmed dealing with S-rank monsters and had no capacity to protect other Hunters.
“It’s as expected.”
Siyun raised an eyebrow as he looked at the mana meter. Everyone was tense, but they already knew an S-rank dungeon would appear soon.
After all, the mana reading of the dungeon on the floor just below was on the borderline between A-rank and S-rank.
“Don’t be too nervous, everyone. With five S-rank Hunters, clearing is certainly possible.”
Unlike in the past when there were only three, South Korea now had six S-rank Hunters including Siyun.
Although he couldn’t understand why Lee Jian had lived hiding his rank all this time. The only S-rank Hunter not present was the Minister of Defense, Keum Heonjung.
Moreover, although Han Sehun had only awakened recently, his combat skills and sense were remarkably excellent. Unlike Yoo Hyunsu who looked scared, he showed almost no emotional fluctuations, unlike typical twenty-year-olds.
“That beast over there seems to be the strongest in here.”
There were numerous monsters in the dungeon, but currently only one strongly stimulated Siyun’s sense.
Jian swallowed dryly as he watched the three-headed dog slowly rising. Thump-thump. His heartbeat echoed even in his ears.
The bright red eyes gleamed like burning flames even from a distance. A growling sound spread like an echo, reverberating in their ears.
“From now on, we’ll move directly to that gate. Only deal with the smaller monsters that charge at us. Any objections?”
No one objected to Siyun’s words. Hyunsu clenched his trembling hands into fists.
Until now, he had only supported from the rear or treated the injured. This was the first time he was stepping forward to fight directly.
“Hyunsu, absolutely do not go to the front, and stay close to me.”
“Okay…”
Even Sehun left Hyunsu alone as he clung to Jian’s side for now. He knew well that this was not the time to prioritize emotions.
