The reason I was certain that Kang Si-hoo would be in this dungeon was simple—this dungeon was the starting point of the original story.
Swept into the dungeon as an ordinary civilian, Kang Si-hoo lost my parents and awakened, later playing the pivotal role of saving Lee Myung-won.
After forming a connection with Hansung Group through that event, I was supposed to endure a series of trials—the protagonist, Kang Si-hoo.
I couldn’t manage my expression. Kang Si-hoo was wearing a mask and acting with such shameless ease, completely pretending to be someone else.
Was it a different person with the same name? Even trying to entertain that thought was futile—just looking at that brown hair and large build made it impossible. No matter how much I tried to hide it, that presence naturally drew the eye.
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Apollo.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Apollo!]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Can you feel it?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Feel what?]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Remember what you said about Baek Tae-beom—my contractor?]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: That just my existence gave you a sense of rejection.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: What about this guy? You don’t feel anything like that?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Huh? No, not at all?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: I don’t feel anything.]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: You’re the one who always gets hung up on weird stuff. How is that even related to destruction?]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Is Apollo this talkative because I’m single?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Hey! Where’d that attack come from all of a sudden?!]
Leaving Apollo chattering behind, I glared at Kang Si-hoo. Under the weight of my gaze, the man shrank further, grunting as I tried to conceal my massive build—which didn’t hide at all.
Seriously suspicious.
Why was Kang Si-hoo, who should have been inside calling for help, outside? Why was I dressed like that? And judging from my title history, I’d clearly been active in quite a few events—so why was I hiding all of it?
Where exactly did the original plot start going off-track?
“Is something the matter, Hunter Choi Ga-hyeon? Do you have a problem with one of our team?”
“I was just wondering what that guy’s name is.”
“What was it again… Kang something?”
“Kang, Kang… Kang Cheol-su.”
“Yeah, that’s what I said.”
Was that supposed to be a name? It was so half-assed.
I was about to call it out in disbelief, but Lee Myung-won intervened.
“Let’s focus on getting ready to go in first. You can talk afterward. There are civilians inside.”
Then, with Baek Tae-beom, Lee Myung-won called me over.
“What’s going on?”
“What do you mean?”
“You were glaring at that Hunter like you were about to kill me.”
I protested against Lee Myung-won’s accusation.
“I wasn’t that intense.”
“You were. Is there a problem?”
“I’m just… way too suspicious.”
“Who is?”
“That Hunter—Kang Si… I mean, the one claiming to be Kang Cheol-su.”
Lee Myung-won frowned as if someone had just told me a stray dog was walking on its front paws.
“Are you being serious?”
“Do you think I’d joke about this?”
“What exactly about that Hunter seems suspicious to you?”
Baek Tae-beom also chimed in, agreeing with Lee Myung-won.
“I don’t see the problem, hyung. Honestly, that bastard Kim Ki-won is more suspicious…”
Was it the mask? That had to be it. That was probably the reason.
Kang Si-hoo, true to my role as the protagonist, grew at a terrifying pace. Unlike Baek Tae-beom, I was born with talent, and no matter how dire the circumstances, I never crumbled—I’d always bounce back stronger. That’s why, in The Apocalypse Chronicles of Another World, even though Baek Tae-beom hated me, I also loved me.
So I’d thought—if Baek Tae-beom didn’t bring about the end of the world, and if this world was truly the world of the novel and was still on a path to destruction, maybe Kang Si-hoo had the strength to stop it. That’s why I’d wanted to try steering the plot in a new direction this time.
‘But it’s already gone off course?’
my mind raced. If that was true, the most likely cause was the First Monster Calamity.
‘Wait… could it be because of me?’
If Kang Si-hoo’s parents had been in danger far earlier than expected, and that had triggered my awakening, it would explain a lot. But then, without Lee Myung-won’s help, how had Kang Si-hoo grown this much? And more importantly—why the hell did I look like that?
‘Have my parents already died? Or did I come here to save them?’
I couldn’t tell. The fact that I was sitting there calculating all of this made me feel utterly disgusting.
[The Constellation ‘One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction’ is synchronizing with the Holy Vessel.]
I glared at the floating message window for no reason. No matter what I thought, now that I’d become a Constellation, my body wouldn’t so easily allow me to think in a ‘human’ way.
Lee Myung-won said I’d go check things out and headed over to investigate the suspicious figure, while Baek Tae-beom looked at me with concern. A moment later, Tae-beom reached into my inventory and pulled something out, then held it out toward me.
I didn’t even need to examine it closely—it was a staff. Embedded with a golden amber gem that gleamed like the sun, the staff was adorned with elegant white wings encasing the jewel. It was clearly a high-end item at a glance.
[Staff of Condemnation – A-Rank]
[I see your ending. That end shall repeat eternally. But if you have the will to break through, you may escape the cycle of fate. Grants a new skill upon use. (Cannot be used more than once.)]
“What is this? How much was this one?”
“It’s a secret.”
And now, even things like this passed without fanfare. Baek Tae-beom placed it into my hands as naturally as breathing, bowing my head slightly. my breath, closer than usual, lightly brushed against me.
“You have to stay right by my side, hyung.”
“…Alright.”
I already planned to. Not only had I confirmed that the original plot had veered off course, but now it was clear that something was seriously wrong with Kang Si-hoo. If I wanted to stay alive, I needed to stick close to Baek Tae-beom no matter what.
First, I needed to check my skills.
‘Skill window.’
A transparent screen appeared before my eyes, and I scrolled down through the list.
[Skill: Sponsorship
You can sponsor a designated Awakened. Minimum 1 Coin required.]
[Skill: Sanctuary of the Soul
Move to your personal space.]
[Skill: Thorn of Sin
Bind enemies with thorns burdened by sin. The impact effect varies based on the enemy’s type. (Can only be used with the proper weapon equipped.)]
Since I could no longer use Thorn of Sin, I completely removed it from my skill window.
[Skill: Hand of Sunlight
Borrow the power of the sun to fire an arrow. The intensity of the power varies according to the Constellation’s strength.]
[Skill: Eye of the Dead
Borrow the power of the dead to clearly see another’s condition. The strength of the insight varies based on the Constellation’s strength.]
Next, I checked my currently equipped gloves.
[Gloves of the Aquarius Star – A-Rank]
[Gloves for the guide of a new star. Increases defense and attack power. Grants a new skill upon use. (Cannot be used more than once.)]
Since the gloves already gave me a passive defense boost, I hoped I’d gain a defense skill upon use and activated the item.
[You have acquired a new skill.]
[Skill: Falling Stars
Summon a shower of stars to block an enemy’s attack. Cannot be used in rapid succession. (Can only be used with the proper armor equipped.)]
‘Nice.’
The armor gave me a far better skill than expected. It was A-Rank and blocked enemy attacks—I could probably shrug off most flame-based damage without much trouble.
I then planted the staff Baek Tae-beom gave me onto the ground. Long, yet fitting perfectly into my grip, the staff felt as though it had been crafted just for me.
‘A crafted weapon… Right, I need to recruit that person quickly too.’
With that thought lingering, I activated the item and checked the skill I gained.
[You have acquired a new skill.]
[Skill: Condemnation
Judge your enemies. (Can only be used with the proper weapon equipped.)]
‘That’s it?’
That was all the description it gave? I turned the staff over in my hand, eyeing it with suspicion. I didn’t think Baek Tae-beom would hand me something dangerous, but still…
“Tae-beom.”
“Yes, hyung?”
“Where did you get this?”
Baek Tae-beom blinked innocently. my expression was pure and guileless.
“Is something wrong with it?”
“It’s not that it’s wrong, it’s just…”
This was too unusual—and that was the problem.
Baek Tae-beom must’ve sensed the seriousness in my expression, because I finally confessed.
“It came out of a box… that Lee Myung-won gave me.”
“A box?”
“I said it was a useless gift from my Constellation, a box that gives out random items…”
‘Wait a second.’
“A really good one came out of it, so I thought I’d give it to you someday. I kept it in my inventory.”
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Hold on.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: Apollo?]
[The Constellation ‘One More Dazzling Than the Sun’ avoids answering and stares into the distance.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: You opened kits?]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: No—did you spam kit openings? Even made your contractor do it? How many did you use?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Well…]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Is that… really important?]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: You don’t know that’s all a marketing ploy?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: Even if people know something is a marketing ploy, sometimes they still fall for it. That’s human nature.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: You’re not even human. You’re a Constellation.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: You must have money pouring out your ears, huh? Spending like crazy? Must be nice. How about donating a little to your kid too?]
[CH. Private / One More Dazzling Than the Sun: I don’t have a kid.]
[CH. Private / One Who Guides the Dead: There are times.]
[CH. Private / One Who Guides the Dead: When one must walk the path laid before them.]
[CH. Private / One Who Seeks to Escape Destruction: And how many did you open?]
[The Constellation ‘One Who Guides the Dead’ is unresponsive. 404 Not Found.]
‘Stop sending weird messages.’
“Why? Is it a bad thing?”
“No, no, it’s not that. I just wondered where you got it.”
I quickly brushed it off with a sigh. Then I gave Baek Tae-beom a reassuring pat on the shoulder as the younger man continued watching me with concern. At that moment, Lee Myung-won gestured toward me with a nod.
“Preparations are complete. Let’s head in now.”
