Lee Myung-won didn’t look pleased. And frankly, who could blame him? He’d been called out by a random passerby, got caught slacking on the job, and now had to march into a potentially lethal dungeon.
Still, considering the circumstances, Lee Myung-won behaved with surprising politeness.
“May I have your name?”
“Choi Ga-hyeon. And this is…”
“Baek Tae-beom.”
“Alright, both of you. Listen carefully from here on out.”
Shoving the gloves he’d just taken off into his pocket, Lee Myung-won spoke.
“When my superior shows up, you’ll need to tell them that I tried to follow protocol, but couldn’t just stand by while lives were at risk. That’s the only reason I went into the dungeon with you. I’m going to end up writing a report anyway, but it’ll sound better if you back me up.”
It was a pretty off-putting way to phrase things, but Baek Tae-beom just nodded along innocently. He was probably feeling desperate, anxious to save his younger brother.
Was he sympathizing with him as a fellow older brother?
I glanced at Baek Tae-beom’s face. His golden eyes were trembling.
‘Guess that’s a yes.’
So this is what happens when you go through life so naïvely—you end up getting burned. I clicked my tongue softly and turned my gaze back to Lee Myung-won.
“First off, this is a field-type dungeon.”
“Field-type?”
“Unlike scenario-type dungeons, where you’re forced to follow specific commands, a field-type allows entry and exit at will. Once the core monster is defeated, the dungeon collapses.”
“Then our first priority should be rescuing any survivors.”
Baek Tae-beom spoke matter-of-factly, and Lee Myung-won nodded.
“Also, since monsters can come out just as easily, we need to clear the entrance first.”
“Got it.”
“And don’t stray from my side.”
I had every intention of straying, but nodded anyway for appearances’ sake. I planned to leave the survivor rescue to those two and go search for something else.
Specifically, the Magic Conch Shell that Lee Myung-won had owned in the original story.
Its name might sound unimpressive, but the true power of the Magic Conch Shell lay in its ability to actually predict the future. Once a year, if you asked it a question with a clear right or wrong answer, it would respond with either “yes” or “no.” The prophecy would remain valid for a full year from the moment of the question.
I planned to use it to ask, once a year, whether Baek Tae-beom would destroy this world.
If the world ended, I would die too. So yes—this mattered to me.
“Alright, let’s go.”
As we stepped through the cave-like dungeon entrance, a chill swept past me.
[You have entered an opened dungeon.]
[Dungeon: <Oasis of Silence>]
[Survive the dark cave where only the sound of dripping water from the stalactites can be heard.
Reward: ???
A special item is hidden within.]
Just as I thought—the Magic Conch Shell was definitely somewhere in here.
Confident in that belief, I frowned as a new series of messages appeared.
[You have entered Channel #643nj5. Current number of viewers: 2]
[Since there are 2 or more viewers in the channel, you may now use the <Constellation Communication Net>.]
‘…Constellation Communication Net?’
What the hell kind of cheesy name was that?
This feature had never once been mentioned in the original. Then again, the story had never been told from a Constellation’s point of view.
Given that there were two viewers, it seemed like the Constellations of both me and Lee Myung-won had entered this space.
‘Is this like a chatroom or something?’
I decided to test it by sending a random message.
[CH.#643nj5/One Who Knows of Destruction: Is anyone there?]
No response came from the other side.
“Hyung, what are you doing?”
“Nothing, never mind.”
I shook my head and followed after Lee Myung-won. At the same time, I opened the shop.
‘There was something I bookmarked earlier…’
I couldn’t stay hiding behind Baek Tae-beom forever—I needed a weapon of my own.
[Thorned Staff of the One Who Bears Sin – E Rank]
[It is said that when the name of the one who bears sin is spoken, death returns once more.
Gain a new skill upon use. (Cannot be reused)]
[Price: 7,500 Coins
Would you like to purchase this item?
( Yes / No )]
Being both an Awakened and a Constellation, I could technically buy items meant for regular Awakened, but the one I selected came from the Constellation-exclusive shop—a so-called “toy.”
The reason they were called toys was simple. Constellations didn’t use such items themselves. Instead, they’d buy them just to toss at their Contractors like some sort of prank.
But I needed this particular toy.
The Thorned Staff of the One Who Bears Sin had been used by a minor character in the novel. Sure, calling it “used” was a stretch—the guy barely managed a few swings with it before dying. Still, the weapon’s capabilities were decent enough.
[You have purchased the Thorned Staff of the One Who Bears Sin – E Rank.]
[Remaining Coins: 400]
Why did Coins feel so much like a monthly paycheck?
No matter how little I thought I’d spent, it vanished in an instant—just like a salary slipping through my fingers.
The staff, adorned with a skull-shaped ornament crowned by laurel leaves, fit snugly in my hand. I gave it a few light swings, and a notification appeared.
[You have acquired a new skill.]
[Skill: Thorn of Sin]
[Bind your enemy with thorns burdened by sin. The elemental impact varies depending on the target’s type. (Can only be used with the appropriate weapon equipped.)]
Just as I turned the corner, a monster jumped out.
“Back!”
Lee Myung-won shouted.
Baek Tae-beom placed a firm hand on my shoulder and pulled me behind him. As we widened the distance, a dazzling light enveloped Lee Myung-won’s hand. He took a stance like he was drawing a bow—despite having no actual bow—and pulled back a glowing arrow of light before letting it fly.
Arrows rained down in an instant, striking the monster squarely in its bat-like forehead.
The shriek it let out as it hit the ground sounded almost explosive.
“Whoa…”
I couldn’t help but let out an admiring breath.
‘Sure, he’s the protagonist’s sidekick, but isn’t that a little overkill?’
That was the <Hand of Sunlight> skill. A power bestowed directly by a Constellation. A skill someone like Baek Tae-beom—despite having a Constellation like me—couldn’t even dream of.
Feeling strangely guilty, I glanced at Baek Tae-beom.
His high-bridged nose, thick lashes, and sharp eyes were all fixed on Lee Myung-won in astonishment.
Lee Myung-won walked over to the fallen monster’s corpse. Once it disintegrated into dust, he picked up an item that had been left behind.
“Looks like this dungeon drops Mana Stones.”
“Mana Stones?”
Baek Tae-beom echoed instinctively, and Lee Myung-won slowly turned toward us.
“Items that can be used to enhance equipment or even your physical body.”
With that, he casually tossed the Mana Stone toward me. I caught the small orb with ease.
Baek Tae-beom stared at the stone with childlike curiosity. I grabbed his hand, pulled it toward me, and placed the Mana Stone in his palm.
“You said it can enhance things?”
“That hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but that’s what our team believes. We’ve been conducting tests.”
Tests? Did the Hansung Group actually do things like that? Don’t tell me they were running human experiments or something.
As if sensing my suspicion, Lee Myung-won calmly added,
“We’re conducting trials on Hunters, but we’re prioritizing safety above all. It’s not dangerous.”
Absolutely not, he emphasized again.
“How do you use a Mana Stone, anyway?”
“It’s simple. You can either swallow it directly or grind it into powder and sprinkle it on the item you want to enhance. But with a stone that small, you’ll barely get more than the effect of a single energy drink.”
He wasn’t wrong. If you wanted something that really packed a punch, the Mana Stone had to be at least the size of a fist.
That’s why, later on, guilds began monopolizing field-type dungeons that dropped Mana Stones. As a result, most regular Hunters struggled to acquire them, and fights became more frequent as tensions escalated.
Baek Tae-beom looked clearly disappointed. His puppy-like face and drooping eyes made him look absurdly adorable.
Seeing this, Lee Myung-won sighed.
“Anyway, that’s not our top priority right now. The focus is on rescuing survivors.”
“Ah, right.”
“Also, looks like the path splits here.”
The road ahead forked into two. Though calling it a fork was generous—on the left, there was only a narrow crawlspace, barely wide enough for someone my size to squeeze through. Neither Baek Tae-beom nor Lee Myung-won could possibly fit.
Which made the next step obvious.
I spoke calmly.
“I’ll go left alone. You two take the right.”
“Hyung.”
Baek Tae-beom immediately objected.
“You’re going alone?”
“You planning to cram yourself in here too?”
“If I fold my shoulders, I can make it.”
“What, you think your shoulders are origami or something?”
I stared at him, dumbfounded. But Baek Tae-beom remained firm.
“I’ll just hold my breath.”
“Why are you being so stubborn? We’re on a tight clock here.”
“What if you get hurt going alone?”
[Your Contractor is feeling anxious.]
Was it because of the time I got hurt before?
Lee Myung-won sighed as he watched the two of us.
“Weren’t you the one who said we should focus on rescuing survivors, Mr. Baek Tae-beom?”
At Lee Myung-won’s words, Baek Tae-beom clamped his mouth shut. After a moment, he lowered his head and muttered to me like a plea.
“If it gets dangerous, shout first.”
“Yeah, yeah—just go already.”
Even as he was practically dragged off by Lee Myung-won, he kept looking back at me. I gave a small wave with the hand holding the staff, then squeezed myself into the narrow passage.
Who would’ve thought that staying skinny, no matter how much I worked out, would come in handy like this.
Twisting my body, I edged through the cramped corridor sideways like a crab, careful with each step. In the process, I got covered in dust and rock fragments, but aside from a slight scrape on the back of my hand, I was fine.
Still…
What is this place? I’d planned on splitting up from the others eventually, but only after I’d figured out where the Magic Conch Shell was located. I looked around at the needle-like stalactites, the mineral-coated walls glowing faintly, and the massive lake spread out before me.
And then, as if it had been waiting for me to be alone, a message popped up.
[CH.#643nj5/One More Dazzling Than the Sun: You—what are you?]
