Chapter 25
"Hey. Is that guy really planning to go in alone?"
"Is he crazy? Even if it's a lower C-rank Gate, he's going without a party?"
"Probably some rookie who just got promoted and wants to show off. Leave him alone. If he dies in there, the recovery team can deal with his corpse."
The day after finishing his training, the blatant ridicule from the Hunters gathered around the Gate reached Chaeho's ears.
The noisy shouts of equipment merchants mixed with Hunters calling out for party members, making the entrance to the dungeon feel almost like a crowded marketplace.
But Chaeho didn't look back even once at the whispers coming from behind him.
His eyes remained fixed on the screen of the device in his hand.
Displayed there were detailed records from Hunters who had entered this Gate during the past month.
The types of monsters that commonly appeared.
The frequency of unexpected incidents.
And the average clear time.
Chaeho swiped across the screen and opened the dungeon's internal map.
His gaze lingered longest on the emergency escape point marked in red at the northern edge of the map.
Securing an escape route in case the worst happened was one of the basics of survival.
Charging inside without any preparation wasn't courage.
It was recklessness.
After finishing his cross-check, Chaeho slipped the device into his pocket.
Other people's opinions and judgments didn't matter.
He had thoroughly researched the dungeon beforehand and had personally determined that the risk was within a level he could handle.
His newly purchased C-rank equipment.
And the increased fifteen-second limit of his skill.
This dungeon was the perfect place to test both of them according to his own rhythm, rather than having to coordinate with a party.
Chaeho lightly rotated his ankles and loosened his body.
The C-rank lightweight protective gear fit closely against him without restricting his movements at all.
Even the weight of the sword hanging from his waist felt pleasantly reassuring.
Without saying anything, Chaeho walked forward and pushed himself through the shimmering blue barrier of the Gate.
Whoooosh.
The moment he passed through the Gate, damp air rushed over him and stung his nose.
His vision cleared, revealing a dark cavern.
The floor was uneven, covered in a mixture of mud and coarse gravel, while the musty smell of damp earth hung heavily in the air.
Chaeho slowly inhaled and rested one hand lightly on the hilt of his sword.
Kirik. Kiririk!
He hadn't walked very far when sharp metallic cries echoed from the darkness.
Gray-skinned monsters suddenly sprang out from behind stalactites hanging from the ceiling and gaps between the rocks on the ground.
They were Rake Monkeys with long, grotesque limbs.
Although they were only lower C-rank monsters, they were notorious for their agility and their ability to tear apart the formations of inexperienced Hunters.
Chaeho didn't rush.
Without activating [Time Slow], he lowered his body halfway and kicked off the ground.
Tap!
Thanks to the lightweight armor, his steps flowed smoothly.
His speed couldn't even be compared to the days when he had worked as a porter, carrying heavy supplies while struggling across muddy dungeon floors.
The first monster leaped toward him and swung its sharp claws through the air.
Chaeho slightly twisted his upper body, smoothly letting the attack pass beside him.
At the same time, the C-rank sword flashed from its sheath and drew a half-circle through the air.
Slash!
He barely even felt resistance from the monster's tough hide.
The sharpened blade cut through its neck as easily as slicing tofu.
"It really is different."
A faint smile appeared on Chaeho's lips as he lightly rotated the wrist holding the sword.
Its balance was excellent.
It moved like an extension of his own hand.
Exactly like the sensation he had repeatedly practiced in the training room while cutting through empty air.
Enraged by the death of their companion, the remaining two monsters screamed and charged from opposite directions.
One crawled low across the ground toward his ankle.
The other leaped through the air toward his face.
A predictable beast-like combination attack striking high and low at the same time.
Instead of retreating, Chaeho stepped forward.
He viciously kicked the jaw of the one rushing along the ground with his combat boot.
Then he raised his sword and pierced straight through the chest of the monster flying through the air.
Kyaaaak!
The creature struggled on the end of his sword, but Chaeho flicked his wrist and threw it toward the cave wall.
Before the last monster could even get back to its feet after rolling across the ground, Chaeho's sword came straight down and split its skull vertically.
The entire battle had lasted barely more than ten seconds.
Even using only his physical abilities and swordsmanship, he could deflect the attacks of lower C-rank monsters and strike their openings.
His dynamic vision and martial ability were combining with his C-rank equipment to produce even better results than expected.
Chaeho pulled out his dagger with practiced movements and cut open the monsters' chests.
It was looting work he had done countless times during his days as a porter.
With clean, efficient movements, he extracted three blood-covered mana stones.
Then he continued deeper into the cave.
The farther he went, the wider the paths became.
The damp dirt floor gradually changed into solid rock, while a strong fishy smell drifted through the air.
Chaeho had just stepped into a massive intersection where several paths met when—
