NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49
“…Was it too easy?”
Indeed, I’ve been acting sluggish lately.
While I had taken the initiative, maybe it was a mix of side effects affecting me.
Thinking about that made me feel inexplicably gloomy.
“…….”
Right now, my level is 29.
With only a little time left before hitting the 30s, running a C Rank Small Dungeon wouldn’t yield much experience.
It seemed like it was time to finally execute the plan I had been mulling over.
Ding!
[So, are you really planning to form a proper party?]
[You can’t just keep running small ones forever.]
[Last time, you ended up giving up, saying it wouldn’t work.]
That was indeed the case.
Forming a party of six back then was quite the ordeal for me.
But things were different now.
[No problem.]
Because now, I was a Challenger.
[What does that have to do with anything?]
Ignoring Song Ha Yeon’s words, I began brainstorming the party list.
[I’m going with six.]
[Do you have anyone who’s willing to join?]
Excluding Song Ha Yeon, Kwak Min Ji, and myself, I needed three more members.
As I had mentioned before, if I brought along the three people I had grown close to during the previous training, the numbers would fit perfectly.
However, there was a problem.
‘Kim Seung Min is a B Rank now, so calling him might be weird…’
It feels like just yesterday I was talking about him being level 17, and now he’s already climbed to quite the height.
While I was mulling over such thoughts, Song Ha Yeon spoke up.
[I’m also B Rank, so just bring me along. Since Master is with us, he definitely has the skill, right?]
Well, I had heard he still wasn’t in a guild.
I decided to take a chance and texted Kim Seung Min.
A little while later, a reply came.
[Are you seriously considering this?]
When I disclosed my intentions, Kim Seung Min pondered for a moment before setting a condition.
[I’ll join if you let me lead the party.]
I immediately accepted the proposal. After all, I didn’t intend to step into the limelight.
After a brief discussion with Kim Seung Min, we recruited Han So Eun and Choi Eun Sol, who were currently active as C Rank Hunters.
[Is Seung Min really coming? And the famous Song Ha Yeon as well?]
[I’m definitely in!]
Once they heard that Song Ha Yeon and Kim Seung Min were joining, the two immediately agreed.
Considering it was a chance to party with renowned newcomers, it was a pretty obvious choice.
[Well, we’re pulling this off somehow!]
Thus, the party was assembled quicker than expected.
Kwak Min Ji didn’t need convincing since she couldn’t disregard my orders.
After gathering everyone, Kim Seung Min had brought a lot of preparations and explained our future plans.
“Initially, I plan for us to clear a couple of C Rank mid-low tier dungeons to get in sync.”
“I’m worried we won’t have enough frontline. What’s the formation going to be?”
With two Necromancers, a Blizzard Mage, an Assassin, and a Hunter, aside from Kim Seung Min as the tank, the rest were all ranged.
Without the slightest hesitation, Kim Seung Min replied to Choi Eun Sol’s concern.
“I don’t think it’ll be a problem. We have Song Ha Yeon and Baek Eun Ha’s Undead with us.”
From various large-scale strategies tailored to the monster types we’d face to designing boss fights while considering everyone’s playstyles, I watched as Kim Seung Min handled everything seamlessly.
Song Ha Yeon, observing him, quietly asked me.
“…Why on earth is someone like him here?”
“I—I don’t know.”
After a couple more meetings and discussions, we promptly set out to raid a C Rank Medium Dungeon.
“The Gray Rat and Hook Wolf, both are agile and aggressive. I need high-durability Undead for this.”
“Ah. Got it.”
“The claws of the Hook Wolf are tough to dismantle with regular tools. I think you should use this instead.”
“…This is annoying. Tsk.”
“The boss is the Ratris. Given the surroundings, it’s highly likely it’s a poisonous creature. We’ll maintain our distance and focus on ranged attacks. So Eun, you need to keep slowing down its movements with Blizzard spells.”
“Got it! Leave it to me!”
Kim Seung Min repeated his instructions with the proficiency of someone who had been managing a party for ages, and we cleared the dungeon quite smoothly.
“This time it took 6 hours and 19 minutes. That’s much faster than last time.”
“It’s a medium dungeon, so the experience gained is also substantial. Anyone level up?”
“I did once.”
As capable party members joined by an excellent leader, everything ran even more smoothly than I’d imagined.
Since Kim Seung Min already knew all my traits, there were no discomforts.
“This is what a real party looks like. I’ve always wanted something like this, but my master always…”
“Sh—shut up.”
Starting from C4 Rank, moving to C2 Rank, and then finally tackling C1 Rank Medium Dungeons.
We steadily raised the level of difficulty in our dungeon raids and, thanks to our prior fame, we quickly made a name for ourselves among nearby parties.
Murmurs.
[Ah, that party is the one…]
[Wow, it’s Song Ha Yeon. I often watch her broadcasts.]
[So that’s Baek Eun Ha? She always bundles up, so I can barely see her.]
While I had just called Song Ha Yeon without much thought and ran through dungeons, Kim Seung Min had a plan for everything.
“It seems we’re starting to sync up. I think we can ramp up the pace a little more.”
Under Kim Seung Min’s systematic growth plan, we raised our levels at a pretty quick pace.
“Master, what level are you now?”
“…Level 31.”
“At this rate, you’ll rank up soon.”
Three weeks passed, and smiles were on all the party members’ faces.
Clearing dungeons was easy, earnings were good, making it essentially the ideal party life every hunter desired.
Initially full of complaints, even Kwak Min Ji was visibly grinning.
And after another three weeks, fatigue began to subtly shadow that smile.
The claim of raising our pace wasn’t a lie; it was evident we were gradually wearing out.
Finally, after another three weeks, the shadows on the faces of the group deepened.
“……”
Actually, the one suffering the most was likely Kim Seung Min, and so no one spoke up, but honestly, this was not normal.
It was no longer the time to worry about pride. We exchanged cautious glances, sending earnest looks toward the oldest member, Choi Eun Sol.
In the end, unable to withstand the pressure from our looks, Choi Eun Sol turned to Kim Seung Min and spoke.
“Seung Min? C—could we take a break this week?”
“Is there something going on?”
“No, not really. It’s just…”
The extreme schedule, pursuing maximum efficiency while adhering to the association’s regulations. That was the crux of the problem.
“If your health isn’t good, I can introduce you to a skilled recovery mage.”
Kim Seung Min was, by all standards, an incredibly hard worker.
Watching Kim Seung Min check Choi Eun Sol’s condition, Song Ha Yeon, who was nearby, whispered.
“…How can someone live like that?”
“Ugh, tell me about it.”
Kim Seung Min was truly a monster born from the dungeon society.
Despite being busier than the rest of us with multiple responsibilities as party leader, his expression showed not the slightest trace of fatigue.
There was a reason he was the fastest to rank up to B Rank among the hunters of this cycle.
After Choi Eun Sol’s earnest plea, Kim Seung Min surveyed our expressions.
Now his gaze felt akin to that of a factory manager checking on equipment condition.
“…I apologize. I hadn’t considered that. Then let’s make this week a rest week.”
Thus, freed from that hellish schedule, we restored our wearied minds, only to receive a request from the association.
“They are asking if we’d be willing to participate in a B4 Rank Large Dungeon raid.”
With the recent surge in large dungeon appearances, it seemed they were rather short on manpower.
The dungeon was set to be raided by the medium guild Hanul, but in addition, they were putting out support requests to parties of that rank with available schedules.
Having never experienced a large dungeon before, this felt like a pretty decent opportunity for me.
“I’m in! I’ve been wanting to try a dungeon with a bit more difficulty.”
“I agree. When else will we get a chance like this?”
Choi Eun Sol and Han So Eun immediately raised their hands in agreement, and Kim Seung Min shifted his gaze to me. At the same time, Song Ha Yeon asked with concern.
“Um… with that many people, do you think Master can handle it?”
“We’re likely to be formed into a scouting party, so the actual combatants won’t be many. The guild with the raid rights will take care of the boss room, so it shouldn’t be too burdensome for us.”
“Well, that does seem like it could work…”
As everyone’s gaze focused on me, I pondered for a moment and then stammered out my response.
“…I—I guess I’ll go.”
And so, we declared our participation in the raid of our first B Rank Large Dungeon.