“Wow... Did that hunter just clear the Golden Lake Dungeon alone?”
“Seems like it. No teammates followed him out.”
“I overheard the gatekeepers earlier—they said this was his tenth clear.”
“What? Even for a high-ranking hunter, how is that possible?”
In front of the Golden Lake Dungeon gate near Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a crowd gathered at the sight of a hunter emerging from the portal.
People had been recruiting party members for a dungeon run, but to their shock, one hunter came out alone.
And judging by the gatekeepers’ chatter, this wasn’t his first clear—it was his tenth.
Clearing a dungeon like the Golden Lake, known for its difficulty and strict entry requirements, was a feat in itself. Doing it solo ten times was beyond belief, even for the seasoned hunters waiting nearby.
The gatekeepers were just as incredulous.
“Wow... Truly impressive, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo! You’ve cleared the dungeon again, haven’t you?”
“Yes, wasn’t the portal glowing silver when I exited? That indicates a successful clear, doesn’t it?”
“Oh, absolutely. We knew you cleared it, but it’s just hard to believe. Ten solo clears... It’s extraordinary.”
“Thanks for the encouragement.”
Kang Hyunsoo, the hunter who had just cleared the dungeon solo, stood under the gaze of over a hundred pairs of curious eyes.
Although no one approached him directly, they stole glances, observing him carefully.
–The number of hunters watching us increases every time you clear the dungeon, Master.
‘I expected this. Clearing a high-level dungeon solo was bound to draw attention.’
Hyunsoo responded to Swallow’s telepathic comment while scanning his surroundings.
Ten consecutive clears of the Golden Lake Dungeon had naturally attracted a lot of attention.
It was a risk he couldn’t avoid.
In truth, Hyunsoo’s goal for coming to the Golden Lake had been achieved during his first attempt.
[Golden Trust Bracelet]
The item’s grade increased from Heroic to Legendary, with significant stat improvements. Defense went up by 10, magic resistance by 20, and the mana consumption for Trust Armor decreased by 90%.
Additionally, it gained a new skill, Golden Roar. This «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» was a skill Seo Jieun frequently used in his past life—a wave of golden energy that nullified enemy attacks while also protecting allies.
Even its appearance had changed, evolving from a simple platinum bracelet to one adorned with a square golden gem, exuding a luxurious aura.
Hyunsoo’s original plan to upgrade the Trust Bracelet had succeeded on his first attempt.
So why did he return to the dungeon nine more times?
[Swordsmanship Quest 20 Complete.]
Having already ventured into the Golden Lake, Hyunsoo decided to finish the Swordsmanship Quest 20, which he had left incomplete.
Initially, he hadn’t planned to run the dungeon ten times—two or three extra clears seemed sufficient.
Despite the large number of minor monsters in the dungeon, the Seahorse King took too much time to defeat.
But then everything changed when Swallow identified the Seahorse King’s weakness.
By exploiting the weak point and using Black Sun Explosion, Hyunsoo drastically reduced his raid time.
With the process streamlined, there was no reason to stop.
Even if the attention from other hunters was a downside, it was inevitable that he would gain notoriety as he moved on to A- and S-rank dungeons.
So Hyunsoo continued, completing his tenth raid and finally clearing Swordsmanship Quest 20.
Status Window
Because of the large level gap between him and the monsters, combined with solo experience gains and a sixfold multiplier from his title, Hyunsoo was leveling up roughly once per fifty monsters.
The result was explosive growth.
Though leveling slowed toward the end, this single grind session had condensed months of progress into a matter of days.
It was an undeniable success.
After sharing a moment of celebration with the gatekeepers, Hyunsoo handed one of them a rare-grade spear he’d obtained during the raid.
“This is for you.”
“W-What? Hunter, what is this?”
“It’s an item I picked up during the raid. Take it to the item exchange—you’ll get a fair price for it.”
“W-Wow! Why are you giving me something so valuable?”
The spear, while insignificant to Hyunsoo, was a life-changing treasure for the gatekeeper.
The reason for his generosity was simple.
Despite Hyunsoo’s altered appearance, the gatekeeper had genuinely supported him. Hyunsoo believed in repaying kindness with kindness.
“I appreciate the potion you gave me earlier. It helped me clear the dungeon. This is just a token of thanks.”
“Thank you so much, Hunter! This will cover my mother’s hospital bills. Thank you... Thank you so much!”
“Ah, is that so? I’m glad it’ll help. I hope your mother recovers soon.”
“Thank you! I’ll never forget this kindness!”
The gatekeeper bowed repeatedly, his gratitude overflowing.
Hyunsoo had overheard the gatekeepers’ conversation during his fifth raid. The one who gave him the potion had mentioned struggling to pay for his mother’s medical expenses—a hefty burden for a non-Awakened individual.
With plenty of items in his inventory, Hyunsoo saw no reason not to lighten the gatekeeper’s burden.
While basking in this moment of shared joy, Hyunsoo received a message on his phone.
[Samcheon Guild – Han Sungbin: Brother! We’ve secured the B-rank Open Dungeon bid! You can enter tomorrow. Please contact me as soon as you’re out of the dungeon!]
The vibration signaled good news from Han Sungbin.
“I’ll be on my way now. I hope we meet again.”
“Thank you, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo! I’ll never forget your kindness!”
Leaving the grateful gatekeeper behind, Hyunsoo exited the Golden Lake gate.
Swallow, flying nearby, chirped cheerfully.
“Today’s been a great day, Master. You should buy a lottery ticket on the way home. If you win, don’t forget to share with me.”
“A lottery ticket? What would you even do with the money?”
“Buy wine, of course. I had some before, and it was delightful.”
“...What kind of bird drinks wine? Fine, I’ll get you some since you worked hard today.”
“Really? The sun must be rising in the west tomorrow. Why so generous all of a sudden?”
“Do you want it or not? I can always change my mind.”
“Of course, I want it! Your benevolence knows no bounds, Master.”
“What about snacks?”
“Your generosity is as vast as the universe, Master. Shine Muscats would pair wonderfully with the wine.”
“Shine Muscats now? What happened to simple caramel? Your tastes are getting expensive.”
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With everything falling into place, Hyunsoo couldn’t help but indulge in lighthearted banter as he made his way back to Seoul.
***
“Director, we successfully handed over the rights to the B-rank Open Dungeon to the Samcheon Guild.”
“Good. Everything’s falling into place.”
In the dimly lit grand hall of a sprawling mansion, illuminated only by moonlight, Ji Wonhoon leaned back in a chair at the dining table, a sly grin tugging at one corner of his mouth.
Since hearing that Han Sungbin of the Samcheon Guild was searching for a B-rank Open Dungeon, Ji Wonhoon had instructed Andy to deploy Babylon operatives to locate and compete for the dungeon rights.
Instead of tracking Han Sungbin’s movements, they would acquire the dungeon first and set a trap.
The plan was a success.
Babylon operatives discovered a B-rank Open Dungeon in Paju and sold the primary raid rights to Han Sungbin.
All that remained was to stake out the dungeon and identify who entered alongside Han Sungbin.
However, someone else had taken an interest in Ji Wonhoon’s operation.
“Oh my, are you heading out already? Should I join you?”
The sultry voice belonged to Hayuri.
The heir to the power of Greed, she lay sprawled lazily on a nearby sofa, her half-lidded eyes fixed on Ji Wonhoon.
Wearing nothing but Ji Wonhoon’s shirt, her suggestive appearance could easily make any man falter.
But Ji Wonhoon only frowned in response.
“No.”
“Why not? I’d be a great help.”
“I don’t need help. Besides, how can I trust you? What if Kang Hyunsoo shows up, and he has the power of Charm... Can you resist?”
“Oh my, are you worried I might steal his Charm power?”
“Exactly.”
Bringing Hayuri along would undoubtedly enhance his chances in combat.
However, Ji Wonhoon didn’t trust her.
Even if they managed to defeat Kang Hyunsoo with her help, if she were to claim his power of Charm, it would be akin to serving a feast to the dogs.
And most importantly—
“I can handle this alone. Don’t try to piggyback on my success.”
Losing to a rookie hunter below level 200 had been an embarrassment.
While he had underestimated his opponent back then, now that he possessed a new arm and had mastered the power of Greed, defeat was not an option.
Ji Wonhoon was consumed by his conviction.
“Hmm... Fine, do as you wish, follower of Charm,” Hayuri muttered, rolling onto her side to face the sofa’s backrest.
She had learned from her interactions with Ji Wonhoon.
His stubbornness was unshakable.
“Allow me to escort you, Director.”
Fwoosh!
Andy, who had been waiting by Ji Wonhoon’s side, sensed that the conversation was over. With a wave of his hand, he conjured a swirling purple portal in the center of the room.
The same type of portal Ji Wonhoon had used to flee after losing his arm.
Now, it would serve as his gateway to vengeance.
“Kang Hyunsoo... I’ll peel off that handsome face of yours and take my bloody revenge!”
Clenching his teeth, Ji Wonhoon stepped through the portal, leaving the mansion behind.