Chapter 146. A Similar Experience

A raid team walked nervously. They weren’t delving further into the dungeon but going back toward the entrance.

“Keep the item safe,” one of them reminded.

“Don’t worry,” another responded.

That morning, they had been making good progress in the dungeon. However, an unexpected discovery changed their course. They had stumbled upon the Kelbian Necklace, a Legendary-rank accessory.

With fewer than a hundred Legendary items worldwide, they immediately decided to return to Earth. No Hunter would be reckless enough to continue a raid while carrying such a treasure.

The group, once lively, grew silent as they hurried back. Everyone’s nerves were on edge.

This is where the real challenge begins

.

Finding treasure is easy compared to keeping it.

We’ll make it out, right?

Just two more days, and we’ll be out.

Having met in Shanghai just a week ago, they only had a fragile, temporary alliance. Even lifelong friends or lovers would be cautious in such a situation. Therefore, distrust was inevitable.

Still, although getting out was taking some time, they estimated that in two days, they would be free.

Then, the next morning came.

—

Aaaah!

“What’s happening?!” one shouted.

“What was that!” another cried, jolting awake.

The team members leaped up, their eyes locked on a horrific scene. One of their own had stabbed the raid leader, who carried the treasure.

“You bastard!”

“What the hell are you doing!”

“It’s not what it looks like!” the attacker stammered, waving his hands in panic.

However, it was too late. Tension exploded into murderous intent among the group. In the chaos, nobody noticed the strange shadow slipping out of the panicked attacker and coiling around another team member.

“

Huh?

What... what’s happening?”

The Hunter suddenly lunged not at the attacker but at the raid leader’s corpse, reaching for the Kelbian Necklace. He seemed confused, but his actions were precise, almost instinctive. To the others, he appeared to be acting on pure greed.

“Get him!”

“He’s trying to run with it!”

The scene descended into utter chaos. Yelling, cursing, and the clashing of weapons filled the air.

“

Argh!

You bastard!”

“You just tried to stab me! I’ll kill you!”

The bloodthirsty Hunters manically glared at each other. Some gave up and fled, while others fought to the bitter end—until only one remained. The lone survivor was covered in blood. With shaky hands, he gathered up the gear of the fallen Hunters, including the Kelbian Necklace.

“

Haha... haha...”

He laughed nervously as he staggered away, eyes bloodshot and heart pounding.

The sheer tension had overwhelmed him. In his panic, he didn’t realize that the Kelbian Necklace was gone.

“So easy, so damn easy.”

As the Hunter stumbled away, a man stood where the carnage had taken place: Gao Lin.

In his hand was the Kelbian Necklace, which had reappeared from the shadows.

However, the hand holding the small necklace wasn’t that of a human. It was a monstrous claw, covered in shimmering black scales and swirling shadows.

[Beastification Level 9]

[Your skill proficiency has significantly increased.]

[The Seed is pulsing with power.]

A grin spread across his face. He had known something was off the moment he first entered the dungeon. The dungeon felt surprisingly easy despite its S-rank classification, making it perfect for his plan.

During his first exploration, Gao Lin quickly located and subdued the dungeon boss. Then, he hid the boss in a place no one would ever find.

Afterward, he simply spread a rumor about the dungeon being far more dangerous than it really was. The government took his bait and made the dungeon public worldwide, allowing Hunters from all nations to enter freely, thinking it was a high-risk, high-reward challenge.

Everything had gone according to his plan. And now, the dungeon in Hwangseong Aktura

had become his personal hunting ground.

***

Standing in the hotel lobby, Daniel’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you saying you want to join our raid team?"

"Well, if you're not interested, I can always look for another team,” Kim Do-Joon replied despite having rejected Daniel's offer and already briefly crossing paths with him in the dungeon.

"No! That won’t be necessary!" Daniel exclaimed almost too quickly.

Daniel had witnessed Kim Do-Joon's terrifying power firsthand in the dungeon. There was no way he could refuse.

Hunter casualties had been rising rapidly. Everyone in the field could feel it, even if the Chinese government hadn't yet acknowledged the issue or released any official statistics. The air inside the dungeon, thick with the stench of blood, was becoming more oppressive.

Even S-rank Hunters were found dead...

Rumors were already circulating about a Russian S-rank Hunter found slain in a dungeon. The story had caused widespread alarm among Hunters, yet not many had left Shanghai. After all, most were thinking the same thing.

Even if the dungeon is dangerous, I can take care of myself. Others might fall, but not me. If I’m lucky, I may even walk away with a treasure worth a fortune.

Daniel, however, was more cautious. He had been seriously considering whether to stay or leave. That was why he was outside the dungeon, debating about it with Tyler.

Things are getting too dangerous, but if Kim Do-Joon joins us...

Daniel had seen Kim Do-Joon’s army. The Orcs he commanded were unlike any ordinary summons. Even an S-rank Hunter like Daniel would have difficulty fighting them.

However, Kim Do-Joon seemed to have dozens—maybe more—of such powerful soldiers. With that kind of strength, they could easily become one of the strongest raiding groups in the dungeon, which meant leaving might not be necessary after all.

Having made up his mind, Daniel extended his hand to Kim Do-Joon.

“Welcome. We’re glad to have you on our team.”

The two men shook hands firmly.

***

The next day, after sorting out the necessary paperwork for distribution, Kim Do-Joon and Jecheon Seong officially joined Daniel’s team. Together, they re-entered the dungeon.

The raid team moved quickly through the dungeon’s winding passages. Kim Do-Joon was surprisingly only using his spear to fight. Still, his spear mastery took Daniel by surprise. Wasn’t Kim Do-Joon supposed to be a summoner?

Curiosity getting the better of him, Daniel finally asked, “So... about those soldiers we saw before...”

Kim Do-Joon tilted his head, confused. "Soldiers?"

How does he know about them?

Then it hit him. On his first day in the dungeon, he had sensed people hiding nearby.

Was that Daniel’s group?

It made sense. They had entered the dungeon at around the same time and from the same entrance. A brief encounter wouldn’t have been all that strange.

Meanwhile, Daniel tensed up.

Oh, shoot! Hunter Do-Joon doesn’t know I saw them that day.

Daniel thought he had stayed hidden, undetected by the powerful Hunter.

"Ah, I mean, I’ve heard rumors," Daniel said quickly, trying to cover his tracks. "They say you used your summons to take down a demon."

"Is that so?" Kim Do-Joon replied nonchalantly, barely paying attention.

Daniel was sweating buckets, remembering how he had planned to attack Kim Do-Joon at that time.

Tyler, who was standing beside him, couldn’t hold back his laughter. Daniel glared at him.

"Don’t worry," Kim Do-Joon reassured him. "I haven’t summoned them because I don’t think we need them. If things get dangerous, I will."

"Oh, of course.” Daniel nodded, convinced that Kim Do-Joon was simply conserving his energy. "I’ll leave it to you."

After all, summoning large armies must consume a tremendous amount of mana. However, the real reason Kim Do-Joon had not summoned his soldiers was far more calculating.

It’s easier to lure the attacker this way.

Whoever the enemy was, they seemed to target large raid teams, leaving behind traces of brutal infighting. Kim Do-Joon had joined Daniel’s group for that exact reason. If it were just him and Jecheon Seong, it would be difficult for the attacker to make a move.

If Kim Do-Joon started summoning his army and parading them around, the attacker would avoid them entirely. After all, even the most dangerous Hunters preferred easy targets.

[You have defeated a monster. You have gained Experience Points(EXP).]

Plus, by not using the Ring of Dominance, Kim Do-Joon could keep all the experience points to himself.

***

Several days passed, and the monsters at the dungeon’s entrance had thinned out, allowing the raid team to advance smoothly with minimal danger. However, Kim Do-Joon and Jecheon Seong remained vigilant. The fact that the two strongest members of the raid were on high alert kept the rest of the group on edge as well.

Just as expected...

They’re not letting their guard down, even in these easier areas.

This is why they are S-ranks.

The rest of the team had no complaints. After all, they knew full well that this caution would keep them alive.

Daniel felt a sense of satisfaction as he watched the others. Even though they’d only met recently, it felt as though they were starting to become a real team. He hoped they could all make it out alive. After all, they were good people.

However, that night, everything changed. Tyler attacked Daniel.

"What the hell are you doing, Tyler?!" Daniel shouted.

Tyler had aimed for his vitals. It couldn't just be a prank.

Just as panicked as Danile, Tyler screamed, "M-my body won’t listen to me!"

He was fast asleep when he suddenly and inexplicably rose to attack his friend. He was utterly baffled by what was happening.

Whoosh!

Tyler swung his sword at Daniel once more. Daniel barely managed to dodge—had he been any less skilled, the strike would have killed him.

"It’s not me! I can’t control my body!" Tyler shouted again.

"What the hell are you talking about? You're moving too well if you ask me!" Daniel yelled back in frustration.

Tyler lashed out repeatedly, cutting through the air with frightening precision. Despite Tyler’s claims, his movements were smoother and even stronger than usual.

"What is going on?!"

"What’s all this noise?"

Alarmed by the commotion, other team members rushed out of their tents only to find Daniel and Tyler locked in a deadly struggle, their faces twisted with confusion.

"Everyone! Help me subdue him! He’s not in his right mind!" Daniel shouted.

"I am in my right mind! It’s my body that’s not!" Tyler protested in desperation.

Despite the two shouting at the same time, none of the team members could step in. Tyler’s sword strikes were too fierce for them to intervene.

Fortunately, amid the chaos, Kim Do-Joon leaped into action.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

With swift, precise movements, Kim Do-Joon struck Tyler’s wrist, causing his sword to fall from his grasp. A quick kick sent the blade skidding far across the ground. Tyler, still thrashing uncontrollably, was then forced to the ground by Kim Do-Joon’s sheer strength.

Daniel’s eyes widened in disbelief. Even though Tyler was stronger than usual, he was subdued effortlessly—by a Summoner-class Hunter,

at that!

While Daniel marveled at Kim Do-Joon’s strength, the latter noticed something strange. A shadow was coiled around Tyler, winding itself tightly beneath his clothes.

Is this the cause?

Seemingly startled, the shadow suddenly recoiled and quickly retreated. However, instead of disappearing, it snaked toward Kim Do-Joon and wrapped around him instead.

Kim Do-Joon froze. His hands moved almost mechanically afterward, tightening around Tyler’s throat.

"H-Hunter Kim Do-Joon?" Daniel stammered, horrified.

Kim Do-Joon’s face twisted in concentration as his hands began to squeeze. With his Strength stat over a hundred, he managed to hold back, preventing the worst from happening. However, he couldn't fully free his hands from Tyler’s neck.

So this is what happened to Tyler.

The strength of the force controlling him made sense now. All Kim Do-Joon could do was resist, barely holding back the deadly force. The feeling of being controlled by someone else was unsettling; he had never experienced this before.

Wait...

A memory flashed in his mind.

I’ve felt this before.

He had experienced something very similar when Gwak Dong-Gyu had fallen victim to a shadow binding skill during a Lava Cave raid.

If this was the same kind of ability, then he already knew what to do.

Thorn of Searshader.

Long, dark thorns erupted from Kim Do-Joon’s shadow and stabbed him. The sight startled Daniel and the other team members, making them flinch back.

Even though it was harmless, the sensation was unnervingly real. He could feel something breaking, as if threads were being torn apart.

Snap. Snap.

The shadow that coiled around him unraveled and fell away, dissipating into nothingness.

—

Aargh!!

Kim Do-Joon quickly turned his head toward the scream. His number one suspect was standing just a short distance away from him.

Gao Lin glared at Kim Do-Joon in disbelief. "You... How dare you break my shadow!"