Levelling Up In An Exclusive Dungeon

chapter 1

For years, a phenomenon started occurring in this continent where monsters began to disappear.

At first, it was thought that they were being obliterated, but upon investigation, it was discovered that this was not the case. The vanished monsters had all migrated to a different dimension. The ability to move between dimensions—that was an age-old wish for wizards like myself.

I didn’t know why this phenomenon was happening to the monsters, but it didn’t matter now since it had contributed to my research.

“The coordinate setting is complete… and the magic connection is perfect!”

Standing atop the magic circle I had painstakingly crafted over a long period, I stretched my arms towards the ceiling.

It was a stroke of luck to be able to use this dungeon known as the Great Maze. Using the magic here, crossing dimensions should be a piece of cake.

“Let’s go!”

I shouted with determination, initiating the magic circle, and the surroundings were engulfed in a blue light. This phenomenon resembled the sight of monsters just before they were whisked away to another dimension.

I closed my eyes tightly, confident that my research was correct, believing that when I opened them again, I would definitely be in a different dimension. However, time passed, and the atmosphere remained eerily silent.

Feeling a chill breeze brushing against my sleeve, I cautiously opened my eyes. What lay before me was not a dungeon, but a vast expanse of emptiness.

It didn’t take me long to understand what this meant.

“Could it be… that only the dungeon crossed dimensions?!”

At the same time, it wasn’t only the wizard who felt incredulous.

Hunter Kang Jin-hyuk, who had just returned home and opened the attic door, was equally at a loss for words, feeling more bewildered than the magic user who had failed to navigate dimensions.

“What the hell is this?”

A labyrinth that seemed to fit right out of a movie.

Anyone would be shocked to find such a thing in their attic.

* * *

The dawn air was cold.

Though early October felt too soon to be called winter, the daylight was gone, and the chilled air was cool enough to bring forth white breath.

Olympic Park, Gymnasium 1, in Songpa District of Seoul.

In front of it, a long line of people was waiting, undeterred by the chilly weather.

They were queuing up since the early hours solely for the chance to see their favorite celebrity.

Kang Jin-hyuk was nearby, helping to carry the necessary water containers for the sales booths.

As he approached in his truck, he was taken aback by the long line filling in front of the gym. He halted in his tracks, silently admiring the scene.

While he was merely leading a day-to-day life without any particular goals, he felt envious of those who could be so devoted to something.

Just then, someone patted him on the back.

Turning around, he found his part-time job senior.

“What are you staring at?”

“Just a moment…”

“You need to hurry. We’re not even halfway through.”

“Sure.”

As the senior climbed onto the truck carrying the water containers, Jin-hyuk settled in the passenger seat beside him.

Feeling bored during their drive, the senior glanced at Jin-hyuk.

As he wondered what to talk about, he noticed Jin-hyuk’s short sleeves.

“Aren’t you cold in this weather?”

“I’m a Hunter, remember? Hunters are good at tolerating heat and cold.”

“Does that apply to D-ranks too?”

“Fortunately, it does. Thanks to that, I’ve saved on heating costs.”

“Wow, I really envy that.”

The momentary silence that followed felt uncomfortable.

The senior couldn’t stand the awkwardness and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Why is a Hunter like you working part-time?”

“…Why? Because I have no money.”

The senior realized a moment too late that it was a somewhat inappropriate question.

His awkward laughter was futile against the already spilled milk.

Instead, the senior came up with something comforting to say.

“It would be nice if the guilds loosened their exclusivity.”

“Those bastards aren’t going to do that.”

Areas where monsters primarily appeared were monopolized by higher-ranking guilds.

They wouldn’t relent even to monsters that appeared elsewhere; the likelihood that they’d loosen their grip now was slim.

Powerless D-rank Hunters like Kang Jin-hyuk had no option but to seek other opportunities—thus part-time jobs became necessary.

Jin-hyuk sighed quietly.

“I can’t take this anymore with how bad it’s getting these days.”

“Why? Did something happen with the guilds?”

Seeing the senior’s curiosity, Jin-hyuk felt puzzled.

How could he not be aware of it?

“Didn’t you hear the news?”

“What news?”

“For the past month, some insane murderer has been targeting only Hunters from major guilds, going on a rampage.”

Upon hearing Jin-hyuk’s explanation, the senior chuckled as if it were absurd.

“Are those top-notch guys just whining because they can’t catch one murderer?”

“Yes, pretty much.”

They said it was to identify the perpetrator, but in reality, that was just an excuse to stomp on those who annoyed them.

They had no real intention of catching the killer, believing that the weak and foolish were only victims of the murderer’s whims.

“They’re completely out of their minds.”

“Exactly what I’m saying.”

If he had known that Hunter life came with such troubles, Jin-hyuk would have looked for a different job long ago.

He felt pathetic for dreaming of success as a Hunter for over three years while remaining stagnant.

Usually, after struggles like this, some fortuitous event would occur.

Why hadn’t a ray of hope appeared in his life yet?

When would the opportunity finally come?

Lost in such thoughts, Jin-hyuk suddenly heard screams.

Not just one, but multiple screams.

The senior also showed signs of agitation upon hearing it.

“Hey, isn’t the concert still a while away?”

“Is that even a question?”

Those screams definitely weren’t of pure joy.

They were the panicked cries of people begging for their lives.

Typically, such screams in a place like this either meant a terrorist attack or the appearance of monsters—one of the two.

Either way, it presented a significant opportunity for Jin-hyuk.

“Finally!”

This incident was happening right where he was working part-time.

It was happening at a time when others were so caught up in their sleep.

They said heroes are born in times of crisis.

Jin-hyuk felt it was finally his turn.

Quickly grabbing a battered aluminum bat from his shabby inventory, he prepared himself.

“Senior, you should run.”

“Are you serious? You’re going there alone?”

“Of course.”

“By yourself?”

“It’s actually easier to hunt alone if I’m looking to make money.”

The more Hunters joined, the more they just competed against each other.

So it was better to hunt solo.

“Should I help? I think I can handle myself lately since I’ve been working out.”

At the senior’s suggestion, Jin-hyuk let out a hollow laugh.

“You know you can’t catch monsters unless you’re a Hunter.”

It wasn’t about strength.

Monsters emitted special waves that rendered attacks from regular people, even conventional weapons, entirely ineffective.

Only Hunters endowed with stats could break through that wave.

“Stop being foolish and evacuate.”

Without hesitation, Jin-hyuk dashed toward the direction of the screams.

As expected, he saw monsters attacking people, and he couldn’t help but smile.

With this many, he could catch just a few small ones and live without worrying about money for a whole year.

“Alright!”

He stepped forward with enthusiasm, but just before reaching the monsters, an uncle stood in his way.

Realizing it was the boss of the company that had hired him, Jin-hyuk stopped in his tracks.

He couldn’t understand why the boss was blocking his path.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Can’t you see? I’m stopping you from going.”

“No, I mean, why?”

As Jin-hyuk pondered the reason, he assumed the boss was trying to prevent a regular person from going in.

So he pulled out his wallet and showed his Hunter certificate.

“I’m a Hunter, so I can deal with that. Move aside.”

“It’s because you’re a Hunter that I’m stopping you. This area already has a master.”

“A master?”

“Yeah, all the monsters that appear around here belong to ‘Titan’.”

Hearing that, Jin-hyuk was utterly dumbfounded.

He knew there were many companies that had contracts with major guilds.

He never imagined that influence would reach this far.

He realized just how severe the control of the major guilds was growing day by day.

“I’ve already contacted Titan. Just continue with your part-time work.”

“What kind of nonsense is that! I discovered this first and came here ahead of anyone else!”

“Stop being stubborn and leave. Have you forgotten what kind of guild Titan is? They’re among the top five in Korea.”

“So what?! Get out of my way!”

Jin-hyuk could not afford to stand idly by with his thumbs in his mouth.

He had been chosen as a Hunter, his stats had been generated.

He went to the Hunter Association and even earned his certification.

He was fully prepared and qualified to hunt monsters.

What was lacking that he had to retreat without having caught even a single one?

He shoved the boss out of his way.

Even though he was merely a D-rank, he could certainly overpower an average person.

“Ow!”

As the hindering figure stumbled back, Jin-hyuk tried to run toward the monsters.

But before he could take another step, someone behind him firmly grabbed his shoulder.

“Huh?”

The hand that grabbed his shoulder quickly pulled him back.

It felt like being hit by a powerful wave.

Jin-hyuk’s body could not resist at all and was yanked backwards.

He was then unceremoniously thrown onto the ground, rolling over.

“Gah!”

The person who pulled him shouted coldly at the fallen Jin-hyuk.

“Don’t even think about getting involved.”

When Jin-hyuk raised his head, he saw a group of Hunters who had gathered around him.

They were all wearing black jackets with the same emblem on their shoulders.

Jin-hyuk knew that this emblem represented one of the major guilds, ‘Titan’.

“You’re the ones trying to get a piece of the action! I was the first here!”

“Being first doesn’t mean anything. This is our territory.”

“Where’s that kind of law from?”

“Of course, it has no legal binding. But the same applies to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“The idea that the first one here is the master is just something you’re arbitrarily claiming, right? Has the association ever set such rules?”

What the person pulling Jin-hyuk said was straightforward.

If both opinions aren’t specified by law, then the one with strength prevails.

That was what Ando-yoon was getting at.

“What kind of absurd logic is that…!”

Jin-hyuk shot to his feet.

The sight of Titans’ Hunters hunting down monsters was more than he could bear.

“Enough already, you bastards!”

Caught up in his emotions, Jin-hyuk rushed at Ando-yoon, wielding his bat.

If he were to lose all the monsters, he wanted at least to hit that annoying face with one blow.

But it was him who ended up getting hit instead.

Before he even realized he was struck, a fist hit his left cheek, sending him crashing down to the ground once again.

The familiar sensation of asphalt scraped mercilessly against Jin-hyuk’s skin.

“What a load of trash.”

Ando-yoon clicked his tongue in disdain and commanded one of the Hunters beside him.

“If he tries to come at us again, beat him up and kick him out.”

“Understood.”

Hearing everything while lying on the ground, Jin-hyuk clenched his fists.

He understood in his mind.

Titan was a guild that only B-rank Hunters and above could join.

It was common sense that a D-rank Hunter could not stand against members of such a guild.

Realizing that truth firsthand was a first for Jin-hyuk.

Understanding it in his body, he no longer had any thoughts of attempting to fight.

The boss, having watched everything unfold, helped Jin-hyuk back to his feet.

“I told you to just leave, didn’t I, In-seok?”

The boss brushed off the dust from Jin-hyuk’s clothes and offered a few words of consolation.

However, no words resonated with Jin-hyuk at that moment.

He initially thought this was a chance.

He had suffered through hardships, waiting for this moment.

But what he faced was the wall of reality.

Even among fellow Hunters, some would capture monsters and earn achievements, while others pushed carts for a meager paycheck.

Feeling everything he hoped for and dreamed of crumble, Jin-hyuk moved like a machine.

He didn’t even respond to the senior’s inquiry about what had happened.

His focus remained solely on what he was permitted to do at that moment.

“Damn…”

For this moment, he wanted to cheer on the murderer who targeted only major guilds.

Though he knew it was a wrong thought, for a D-rank Hunter, twisted curses were the only way to alleviate his unjust feelings.

* * *

After a certain amount of time passed,

The monsters were swiftly subdued due to Titan’s experienced response.

It was outstanding news for those preparing for the concert.

Thanks to that, Jin-hyuk was able to receive his pay safely.

But Jin-hyuk felt no joy whatsoever.

The fee that entered his account was barely a few ten thousand won.

If he had caught just a single monster, that amount would have been pocket change.

Jin-hyuk felt pathetic being a Hunter yet having to settle for a part-time job while being so close to monsters.

But there was nothing he could do about it.

Today had clearly shown him.

This was the reality of a D-rank Hunter.

If he felt wronged, he had no choice but to bow his head and join a major guild.

But even that required a bribe of at least thirty million won—a daunting hurdle.

Jin-hyuk’s savings were nothing but the pay he had just received.

Living paycheck to paycheck made it impossible to scrape together over thirty million won, even with loan sharks involved.

“I’m going home first.”

Ignoring his senior’s suggestion to drink together, Jin-hyuk headed straight home.

Though he longed to drink heavily, circumstances didn’t allow it.

In two hours, he had another part-time job to attend to.

There was absolutely no time to spare for drunkenness.

Moreover, he was in a mood to be alone.

“Damn…”

As soon as he returned home, an expletive almost akin to a sigh escaped.

Dragging himself in, Jin-hyuk laid flat on the floor.

He surveyed the shabby twelve-pyeong house, and sighed once again.

This place was too spacious for someone living alone.

With a life sustained by part-time jobs, he struggled to cover the rent.

Despite that, Jin-hyuk continued to live in this house, hoping that success might one day come to him.

But that hope, too, was extinguished today.

As a D-rank Hunter without backing or capital, success was an absolute impossibility.

“Maybe it would be better to just move out this month.”

He thought it was best to go to a place that suited his status.

It seemed more realistic to give up being a Hunter and slowly begin saving money while searching for a job.

“Huh…”

Though Jin-hyuk reached that conclusion, it wasn’t what he truly desired, further darkening his mood.

As feelings of frustration crept ever deeper, suddenly, Jin-hyuk heard a loud crash from the attic.

“What? What was that?”

Had something he stacked fallen?

In a hurry, he got up and opened the attic door.

“Whoa…?”

Jin-hyuk was left speechless at the sight in the attic.

Stone walls that looked as if they belonged in a game or movie twisted and turned like a maze.

He had no idea why such a thing had appeared in his attic.

As he leaned closer to see better, he was startled by a goblin that suddenly appeared.

“Ah!”

He was so surprised that he stumbled backward, causing the things piled up in the attic to crash down with a clatter.

Nevertheless, the goblin didn’t redirect its gaze toward Jin-hyuk.

Instead, it simply continued on its way.

A horde of goblins followed suit, not a single one looking his way.

“Could it be… they can’t see me?”

It seemed that while one could see inside the maze from the outside, the opposite was true inside the maze itself.

When Jin-hyuk cautiously reached out a hand towards the maze, his hand naturally slipped into it.

There was no resistance whatsoever.

Pulling his hand back out, he let out a hollow laugh.

A maze and the monsters within it.

Jin-hyuk understood what that meant.

“A dungeon… has appeared in my attic?”