Chapter 32. What a Slowpoke

Dungeon achievements were important for the association’s ranking system because they represented one’s experience and career track. The more dungeons someone had cleared, the more experienced and skilled they were. At the very least, it’d be logical to think so.

However, that wasn’t the whole reason. To increase Compatibility, one had to relentlessly hunt monsters of equal rank or higher.

One of the many madmen in this wide world even experimented with it. In the past, a foreigner spent all his time exclusively clearing F-rank dungeons. After three years, his Compatibility didn’t even increase by 1%, so he eventually gave up.

After that, official organizations also conducted several experiments on this. Eventually, it was officially established that Hunters wouldn’t gain experience points from hunting even hundreds or thousands of monsters weaker than them.

The frequency and rank of the dungeons someone had cleared gave a good estimate of their level. That was why the association emphasized the importance of dungeon achievements.

How is Gwak Dong-Gyu only a D-rank despite his Compatibility?

It didn’t make any sense. Someone with a 48% Compatibility would be required to hunt in C-rank or even B-rank dungeons. Above all, the association would never classify someone capable of defeating B-rank monsters as a D-rank. Kim Do-Joon knew of only one other case where the Hunter’s rank and Compatibility didn’t match.

Me.

Even though Kim Do-Joon’s dungeon achievements weren’t noteworthy, his Compatibility was pretty high. After clearing the Collapsed Temple and gaining another 1% in the Orc Kingdom, his Compatibility had gone over 40%. Nevertheless, he was still ranked E.

This guy must’ve increased his Compatibility using another method besides dungeons.

Kim Do-Joon used the labyrinths to get to his level. He had no idea what method Gwak Dong-Gyu used, though.

Gwak Dong-Gyu clapped his hands, drawing the party's attention. "Alright, let's start the briefing."

Kim Do-Joon set aside his thoughts and listened.

"As you all know, this is a unique dungeon. Did everyone bring their Fire Resistance gears?" Gwak Dong-Gyu asked.

Gwak Dong-Gyu briefly checked everyone’s equipment. Most had about 20% Fire Resistance, which was the standard for basic resistance gear, except for Kim Do-Joon. Gwak Dong-Gyu looked at him as if asking why he didn’t bring any.

"I'll be fine," Kim Do-Joon said.

"That won’t do. You’re going to have a hard time in this dungeon without the right gear, especially since your rank is low.”

Gwak Dong-Gyu skeptically glanced at Kim Do-Joon, who just remained silent.

With a shrug, he said, "Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you later."

Gwak Dong-Gyu moved on. It seemed he wasn’t the type of leader to make a fuss.

"I hope you all brought Fire Resistance Potions. Wait, you again? Well, whatever. Let's move on."

Gwak Dong-Gyu disdainfully looked at Kim Do-Joon, making the other party members uncomfortable. At that moment, Hwang Hyun-Woo approached and snuck a Fire Resistance Potion into Kim Do-Joon's pocket.

"You can have one of mine. I brought plenty," Hwang Hyun-Woo said with a grin.

Kim Do-Joon accepted it, planning to return it later.

The briefing continued for a bit. Afterward, the party of seven entered the dungeon.

“

Ugh!

” one of them groaned.

The blistering heat enveloped them as soon as they entered. Hot air rose from the dark, black stone floor, creating shimmering heat waves. The entire atmosphere was stifling.

That wasn’t the worst part, though. They found themselves standing on a high rocky ledge, below which flowed a river of molten lava, glowing orange.

“I-isn’t this d-dangerous?” Hwang Hyun-Woo stuttered.

Gwak Dong-Gyu laughed. “

Haha!

As long as we don’t fall in, we’ll be fine!”

“Well, yes, but...”

“Don’t worry, it’s just a D-rank dungeon. Some places are naturally outright dangerous, with lava falls right at the entrance.”

“

Hyii!

” Hwang Hyun-Woo shuddered at the mere thought of it.

Gwak Dong-Gyu chuckled and then took the lead. The group followed closely behind, assuming the formation that they had discussed in the briefing. Kim Do-Joon and Hwang Hyun-Woo, the only E-ranks, brought up the rear.

“Man, it’s so hot.”

“I know, right?”

The deeper they were, the more everyone grumbled. The high temperature and mana-infused heat were tormenting them inside and out. 20% Fire Resistance naturally wasn’t enough to negate all of it.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon seemed unperturbed.

“Hyung, you seem fine,” Hwang Hyun-Woo told Kim Do-Joon.

While the air was indeed hot, the mana-infused heat didn’t affect Kim Do-Joon as much. He couldn’t help but be shocked when Hwang Hyun-Woo called him Hyung, though.

With Kim Do-Joon staring at him, Hwang Hyun-Woo nonchalantly asked, “Can’t I call you Hyung? We’ve met twice already.”

"Well... sure, go ahead," Kim Do-Joon replied.

"Feel free to be casual with me as well.”

"

Uh

, okay.”

From the beginning, Kim Do-Joon had noticed that Hwang Hyun-Woo was a sociable person.

Perhaps curious, Hwang Hyun-Woo asked, "Have you drank the potion already? Everyone else seems to be struggling, but you look fine."

Kim Do-Joon couldn’t reveal that he had maxed out his Fire Resistance. Hence, after some quick thinking, he answered, "It's because my mana element is ice."

He wasn’t lying. His ice-element mana did help keep him cool and contributed significantly to his Fire Resistance.

When Kim Do-Joon manifested the frigid mana in his palm, Hwang Hyun-Woo’s eyes widened.

"Is that why you didn’t bring any resistance gear? Wow, I'm envious!"

The other party members didn’t join in the conversation, but they were listening.

So he didn’t come unprepared.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

He’s not a burden after all.

Since his mana’s element is ice, he can be useful.

Their evaluations of Kim Do-Joon had improved. At first, they just thought of him as a clueless E-rank who didn’t bring any Fire Resistance gear into a fire dungeon. Some even blatantly looked at him in disdain along the way. Now, however, they saw him as someone reliable. After all, having an ice user in a fire dungeon gave them a significant advantage.

This resistance is impressive.

Meanwhile, Kim Do-Joon felt secretly satisfied with his resistance. Thanks to it, he could stay comfortable in this harsh environment. It also came with other benefits.

[Fire Salamander]

Compatibility

- 22%

"Monsters ahead!"

A group of five or six Fire Salamanders had appeared. Each the size of a large dog, the red-skinned monsters prowled around, spewing flames as if they had flamethrowers for mouths.

Gwak Dong-Gyu stood at the center and engaged them in battle. Usually, the team would maintain their formation, but Fire Salamanders tended to focus their attacks on one target at a time. Hence, once they had identified a target, the others could attack safely.

"Spread out and attack!" Gwak Dong-Gyu shouted.

As ordered, everyone scattered and charged toward the salamanders from different directions.

From the direction the monsters turned their heads, it was obvious who the target was.

However, the target himself didn’t know this.

"It's a breath attack! Go to the corner and hide yourselves!" Hwang Hyun-Woo screamed with a dreadful expression.

"Mr. Hyun-Woo!"

One of the party members shouted from afar. Only then did Hwang Hyun-Woo notice the flames heading toward him, making him turn pale.

Clicking his tongue softly, Kim Do-Joon dashed toward him.

"

Aaaah!

"

To use his skill, Hwang Hyun-Woo would have to touch the ground first. However, before he could even react, the flames were already upon him.

Dash!

Kim Do-Joon kicked the ground. He got to Hwang Hyun-Woo and pushed him aside just in time. However, the six salamanders’ breath attacks engulfed Kim Do-Joon instead."Hyung!"

Hwang Hyun-Woo could only watch in horror.

Moments later, the flames subsided.

"Ha...

"

His equipment was a bit charred, but Kim Do-Joon himself was unscathed.

"Hyung, how...?" Hwang Hyun-Woo looked confused.

"Ice mana," Kim Do-Joon replied curtly, rendering Hwang Hyun-Woo speechless.

Kim Do-Joon found his response satisfying. It was quite convenient and believable.

"Oh, I see! T-thanks! You saved my life," Hwang Hyun-Woo said.

"Save the gratitude for later. Focus on the fight," Kim Do-Joon replied.

"Yes, sir!"

Seeing their target still alive and kicking, the Fire Salamanders growled in frustration. They launched a second barrage of flames.

"I'll block it!"

Prepared this time, Hwang Hyun-Woo touched the ground, conjuring a thick wall of earth. The flames pushed against the wall but couldn’t melt or penetrate it. After all, it was made of volcanic ground.

"Charge!"

"Finish them before they launch another attack!"

While the Fire Salamanders were occupied with their failed attack, the Hunters closed in on them. Vulnerable to close-range attacks, the Fire Salamanders fell easily to their blades. Fortunately, the battle ended without any injuries.

"That was impressive, Mr. Do-Joon!"

"How did you run so fast?"

"You're amazing!"

Although Kim Do-Joon didn’t deal the final blows, the group's attention was still on him. His quick response to the danger and his ability to tank the hit himself had left such a huge impact on them.

Now, they all looked at Kim Do-Joon with a sense of respect.

"Are you alright? Did you already take a potion?" one of them asked,

Once again, Kim Do-Joon used his ice mana as an excuse. He claimed that he covered himself with it, preventing serious injuries. The others couldn’t help but believe him. After all, they could easily tell that he was unharmed.

Meanwhile, Gwak Dong-Gyu observed Kim Do-Joon with a suspicious look in his eyes.

***

After that encounter, the team met several more groups of Fire Salamanders, but they dealt with them easily. Since the Fire Salamanders didn’t consistently target Kim Do-Joon, he could take down a few himself.

With my Lightning Spear, I can defeat them in one go.

However, he didn’t see the need to resort to it. The Compatibility of the Fire Salamander was too low to give him any experience points. Moreover, now that he had roused Gwak Dong-Gyu’s suspicion, it wouldn’t be wise to reveal too many of his cards.

"Yes! My Compatibility just increased!"

Hwang Hyun-Woo's combat skills involved creating spikes or walls from the ground—a type of transformation skill. Despite the cumbersome need to touch the ground each time, his power was remarkable.

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you!"

Hwang Hyun-Woo sincerely appreciated the compliment.

"You two are quite impressive. It's rare to see E-rankers fight this well," Gwak Dong-Gyu complimented.

"

Haha

, thank you."

With a smile, Hwang Hyun-Woo scratched the back of his head.

"Well, let's take a short break."

"Alright."

Following their leader's instructions, the party members sat down to rest. Although the battles weren’t particularly difficult, the environment was still an issue. Even with resistance potions, the heat was intense.

During the break, Gwak Dong-Gyu saw Kim Do-Joon standing alone and approached him.

He’s finally alone.

Gwak Dong-Gyu smirked inwardly. Hwang Hyun-Woo, who wouldn’t leave Kim Do-Joon’s side, was chatting with others.

"Who would have thought an E-rank would be such a game-changer! Honestly, I only brought you along to make up the numbers," said Gwak Dong-Gyu.

"Thank you," Kim Do-Joon replied.

Gwak Dong-Gyu stared at Kim Do-Joon but failed to read into his expression.

Well, it doesn’t matter. I just have to do my part.

Then, Gwak Dong-Gyu glanced at the ground below. They were on a narrow, precarious cliff. And yet, Kim Do-Joon stood calmly. Was he unaware? Gwak Dong-Gyu stifled a laugh, disguising it as a friendly smile.

"I should probably increase your share. I can't decide alone, but I don’t think others will object to it," Gwak Dong-Gyu said.

"..."

Talk of money always caught people’s attention. As the others turned their gaze toward Kim Do-Joon, Gwak Dong-Gyu quietly activated his skill.

[Beastification]

- Humans are the enemies of beasts.

Gwak Dong-Gyu’s arm, hidden in his wide sleeve, underwent a grotesque transformation, filling him with overwhelming power.

Hahaha! This is it!

Gwak Dong-Gyu grinned. The skill activation came with a rush that almost numbed his brain. This wasn’t the time for indulgence, though, so he only transformed his arm.

In the next moment, his eyes met Kim Do-Joon’s.

Gwak Dong-Gyu flinched inwardly like a thief caught red-handed. Still, priding himself on his professionalism, he quickly composed himself.

"No hard feelings, Mr. Do-Joon," Gwak Dong-Gyu said.

"No hard feelings?" Kim Do-Joon looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"I was on vacation, but duty called."

Gwak Dong-Gyu smiled warmly. He then fiercely swung his transformed arm at Kim Do-Joon.

It was the perfect surprise attack! Or so he thought. As if Kim Do-Joon had been waiting for this exact moment, he pulled out his axe and swung it.

Gwak Dong-Gyu's eyes widened.

Slash!

"

Urgh!

"

Kim Do-Joon cut through Gwak Dong-Gyu’s armor and clothes as if they were made of paper, leaving a long gash across his chest.

Despite the pain, Gwak Dong-Gyu kept swinging his arm to crush Kim Do-Joon. However, Kim Do-Joon found his attacks too slow.

What a slowpoke...

Kim Do-Joon caught Gwak Dong-Gyu’s arm and raised his axe into the air.

No way... Impossible!

Gwak Dong-Gyu’s eyes were filled with dread. How could an E-ranker be faster than him, who had a 48% Compatibility?

Unfortunately, it seemed his question would remain unanswered.

Kim Do-Joon swung his axe down on Gwak Dong-Gyu’s forearm. In response, Gwak Dong-Gyu immediately used Beastification on his shoulders to defend himself.

"

Aaaargh!

" Gwak Dong-Gyu shouted in pain.

The axe cut even the tough skin of his transformed body, nearly splitting his arm in half! If he hadn’t blocked it with his skill, he would have lost a limb!

“Damn it,” Kim Do-Joon muttered, frustrated that he couldn’t cleave through with a single strike.

Gwak Dong-Gyu looked at him in shock.

“What’s that sound?”

“Was that a scream?”

The other party members, who were behind them, seemed to have heard his scream. Anxiety gripped Gwak Dong-Gyu. At this rate, they’d end up discovering his Beastification, and it’d be over for him!

Suddenly, something caught Gwak Dong-Gyu’s eye. The ground, cracked from his initial attack, revealed familiar black roots. At that moment, he remembered his phone call with Director Jang.

— Hunter Gwak Dong-Gyu, the Lava Cave is a layered root dungeon. The young master said that how you use that is up to you.

This is it...!

Gwak Dong-Gyu smirked. Then, he beastified his legs and clawed at the roots with all his might.

Almost as if they were alive, the roots began to writhe as a result. They then rose like a beast whose sleep had been disturbed.

[Dungeon information has been updated.]

Soon, the ground—no, the entire dungeon began to shake as if struck by an earthquake.