Boom! Crack!
“Haah... Haah... Damn it, is this ever going to end? How many days has it been?”
“I have no idea. Feels like it’s been over a week already... Damn it, here they come again. Get ready to fight!”
Under a stormy sky filled with thunder and dark clouds, Hayuri knelt on one knee, catching her breath. At her companion’s shout, she gripped her staff tightly and got to her feet.
It had been days.
They had fought cursed ancient statues, hell drakes, and a horde of other massive monsters, pushing through the raid with no end in sight.
She had known it wouldn’t be easy.
This wasn’t just any dungeon.
[Breaking News] SS-rank Open Portal Emerges Simultaneously in Major Cities: New York, Shanghai, Seoul.
[Urgent] Global SS-rank Open Portals Found to Be Linked to a Single Dungeon.
[Worldwide] US Hunter Union Fails Raid on SS-rank Dungeon—Only One Survivor.
[International] SS-rank Dungeon Break in Major Cities: Estimated Casualties in the Millions.
This dungeon was driving the world to the brink of destruction.
The chaos had only begun a short time after monsters first started appearing across the globe. Humanity threw everything it had into overcoming the upheaval.
While countless lives were lost, Awakened individuals gathered to slay the invading monsters and contain dungeon breaks.
Hayuri, who had awakened as a support-type talent, became a frontline Hunter.
Before the Great Cataclysm, she had been an ordinary college student. But after awakening during a near-death experience, she devoted herself to saving people through relentless raids. Her efforts propelled her to the top ranks of Hunters.
That was why she found herself in this SS-rank Open Dungeon, nicknamed the Infinite Dungeon.
The difficulty was overwhelming.
As the first SS-rank dungeon ever recorded, the Infinite Dungeon had defeated even the elite raiding teams from countries like the United States and China.
But avoiding the challenge was not an option.
The Infinite Dungeon had opened portals not just in global cities like New York, Shanghai, and Tokyo, but also in Seoul, flooding the streets with monsters.
Hayuri joined the 17th Joint Expedition, a team composed of the best Hunters from around the world, to face the dungeon head-on.
And she was met with its horrifying reality.
Days turned into weeks.
Over 300 Hunters had entered the dungeon, but their numbers dwindled as the endless waves of monsters overwhelmed them. They climbed mountains, crossed rivers, and traversed grasslands, yet found no sign of the dungeon’s boss or any useful clues.
With supplies running low and fewer than 100 Hunters remaining, the situation grew desperate.
“We can’t go on like this. Ignore the monsters—we’re making a break for the boss room.”
The leader of the expedition, clad in plate armor and a helmet, made the call. It was a risky decision, but continuing to fight the endless waves would only lead to their deaths.
“This is madness! You can’t ignore the monsters!”
“We’ll be swarmed—it’s a suicide mission!”
Most of the expedition members protested.
The monsters would relentlessly pursue them the moment they were spotted. Ignoring them would only cause their numbers to grow exponentially.
“If no one follows, I’ll go alone. I’ll relinquish command—do as you will.”
The leader stood firm, and eventually, five others decided to join, including Hayuri.
The six-person search team sprinted across the grasslands, moving as quickly as they could while being relentlessly pursued by monsters.
They pushed through deserts, swamps, and caves, dodging attacks from shadow kobold armies and zombie wyverns.
Despite Hayuri’s support keeping them alive, exhaustion began to take its toll.
“Huff... Huff... Damn it... Where’s the boss room?”
“Even if we find it... Can we even fight at this point?”
Their legs were heavy, and their breaths came in short, labored gasps. Behind them, hundreds of monsters closed in, the noise of their pursuit growing louder.
Hope seemed lost—until Hayuri spotted something in the distance.
“Wait... Is that a temple?”
At the edge of the grassland, she saw massive stones arranged like dolmens, surrounded by an aurora-like barrier.
“That has to be the boss room! Move!”
Under the leader’s command, the team pushed forward, finding an unprotected gap in the barrier and slipping inside.
The moment they entered, the monsters stopped their pursuit, turning back as if commanded.
“Wait... Why aren’t they following us?”
The team exchanged wary glances, the eerie silence unsettling them.
Then, a message appeared before their eyes:
[You have entered the Altar of Sealing.]
[Choose a Sin to complete the trial.]
“Altar of Sealing...?”
“Choose a Sin? What does that even mean?”
The team looked around, their gazes falling on the center of the dolmen circle.
There stood a towering stone pillar surrounded by seven pedestals, each holding a gemstone. The stones glimmered in various colors—red, white, black, purple, and more.
“What about the boss? Where is it?”
“It’s not here yet. Judging by the message, we have to pick one of those stones.”
[Choose a Sin.]
[Each individual may choose only one Sin. Only those who complete a Sin may challenge Divinity.]
[Choosing a Sin will partially end the dungeon’s trial.]
Sin. Divinity. Challenge.
The vague explanation offered little clarity, but one thing was certain: the only way to end the dungeon was to choose a Sin.
The clock was ticking. Though the monsters outside had stopped pursuing them, their respite wouldn’t last.
[Lv. 800. Cyclopean Guardian.]
Boom. Boom. BOOM.
“Raaaahhhh!!”
A massive creature wielding a tree trunk as a club appeared in the distance.
At level 800, it was an insurmountable enemy for the six Hunters.
“Damn it, pick one quickly!”
The leader sprinted to the pedestal and grabbed the blue gemstone.
“Whatever it is...”
“We just have to survive!”
The others rushed to claim a gemstone. Hayuri reached for a black one.
The moment her hand touched it, the gemstone’s weight surprised her—it felt heavier than expected.
Instead of lifting it, the stone dissolved into light and was absorbed into her body.
[Special Talent: Greed acquired.]
[Only those who complete a Sin may challenge Divinity.]
[To complete your Sin, escape the dungeon.]
Light erupted from the gemstones, spreading beyond the dolmens and illuminating the surrounding area.
That brilliant glow was the last thing Hayuri remembered of the dungeon.
***
“When I came to, I was outside the dungeon. All the Hunters who had been in the raid were ejected as well. The dungeon was cleared, and we learned a few things afterward. The gemstones we had taken were sins, and through them, we acquired unique talents like Greed, Sloth, and Pride. Completing these talents would grant the right to challenge for divinity,” Hayuri concluded, her story weaving through memories of the past.
Only the two of them were present in the reception room now.
Hayuri looked across at Kang Hyunsoo, who had listened intently to her story. After a moment of silence, he posed a question.
“So, each person acquired a unique talent from the SS-rank Open Dungeon. What about the other abilities?”
“They’re... varied. But I’m not sharing specifics,” she replied curtly.
“A secret, huh?”
“Of course. That’s the essence of it. Besides, I don’t know all of them myself. After realizing the rarity of these sins, most of us kept quiet and severed our alliances.”
“You broke off your alliance? Weren’t you comrades who survived life-and-death situations together?”
“We were, but not anymore. It’s complicated. Some of us, like me, have maintained our power, while others gave up on developing their talents and went into hiding. Some even had their powers stolen by other Hunters.”
“In other words, a dysfunctional alliance.”
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“Exactly. I can’t argue with that.”
“What about the Frontier? Who are they?”
The main question remained. Hyunsoo had pieced together the background of the sins and the origins of the talents, but the mysterious group mentioned in Ji Wonhoon’s memories—the Frontier—still puzzled him.
“Frontier...? I’ve never heard of them,” Hayuri replied, her brow furrowing slightly.
“You were involved from the beginning but don’t know them?”
“I don’t know everything. There are countless organizations scattered across the world. Besides, these sins... they create a relationship that’s both symbiotic and antagonistic.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“You’ve probably realized by now that the quests tied to these talents are unlike normal ones. They’re powerful but ultimately stepping stones toward divinity. The competition for a single divine seat means we’re all racing to complete our quests first.
“To hide the existence of the sins from other Hunters, we cooperated to keep them a secret. But we’re also rivals, each aiming to be the first to reach completion. That kind of relationship naturally leads to... questionable methods.”
“...Complicated doesn’t even begin to cover it,” Hyunsoo muttered.
The world was full of convoluted systems, but this one was particularly tangled.
Noticing Hyunsoo’s furrowed brow, Hayuri stretched her arms out dramatically.
“Anyway, I’ve shared everything I can. What will you do? Will you make a contract with me or not?”
“What’s the goal of this contract?”
“To complete the sin of Greed. You don’t need to finish Lust, do you?”
“You’re asking me to help you?”
“Exactly. It’s not an unreasonable request, is it? You started late—you’ll never catch up at this rate. This can only benefit you.”
“And if I refuse?”
“If you refuse, even after my generosity... then we’ll be enemies.”
The air in the room turned icy.
Hayuri’s gaze sharpened, and she crooked a finger.
Fwoosh! Zap! Wuuuum!
Magic circles lit up across the floor and walls of the reception room.
While recounting her tale, Hayuri had been discreetly linking her mana to prearranged traps.
Though she had hoped to avoid combat, if Hyunsoo remained uncooperative despite her transparency, she had no choice but to act.
Hyunsoo’s eyes swept over the room, taking in the ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ glowing sigils.
Then, with a calm voice, he replied, “So, we’re destined to be enemies? I guess I might as well finish this here and now.”
[Activation]
[Golden Roar (S)]
[Skill: Golden Roar (S) – Unleashes a burst of golden energy, nullifying all physical and magical attacks within a 100-meter radius. Mana cost: 500 per use.]
BOOOOM!
Hyunsoo launched his counterattack immediately, dispelling all of Hayuri’s traps with a radiant explosion of golden energy.
He had suspected her ploy from the beginning and had been ready for this moment.
As the magic dissipated, Hyunsoo activated another skill.
[Activation]
[Bloom (S)]
[For 30 seconds, your latent beauty reaches its maximum potential.]
[Appearance Power: 999]
[Appearance Power Effect: All stats +1,998.]
Fwoosh!
Hyunsoo’s transformation was instantaneous. As he sprang from his seat, his fully enhanced appearance dazzled the room.
Hayuri’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“......!!!”
His speed was astonishing, but what truly shocked her was his face.
‘W-What the hell?! He’s too handsome!’
Hyunsoo’s enhanced features were overwhelmingly striking—so much so that the concept of an ideal type became irrelevant. His presence alone felt like an irresistible force, capable of bending the will of anyone who beheld him.
For Hayuri, who had been consumed by vengeance and ambition, everything else seemed to fade away.
Her thoughts of revenge against Ji Wonhoon evaporated. Even her desire for divinity wavered.
“W-Wait...!”
She stumbled backward, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender.
“F-Fine! You win! I surrender!”
Hayuri, the wielder of Greed, had been utterly defeated—not by Hyunsoo’s strength, but by his beauty.