Minho walked into the dungeon with a cold, calm precision that seemed way out of character for the person he was just yesterday. He still couldn't imagine how strong he'd become in just one day.
The mana density in the dungeon was far greater than what he expected. Since he became a hunter, he had only been to E, D and C-rank dungeons and there was no doubt that this was a B-rank dungeon. This felt different and he could tell it.
"So, I'm not allowed to use Crimson Fang. The dungeon feels weird though." He muttered. As if on cue, the dungeon gate pulsed and the edges started to turn a feint red, until the entire gate was blood red. With a final pulse it sealed shut, trapping him inside.
"Huh? A red gate?" Minho turned to the disappearing gate with half lided eyes and a strange calm. "Why... I don't feel scared or alarmed at all. I mean, even with the power, it's strange that I'm not frightened. Tch." He raised his palm and stared at them like they weren't his. "Hey, King. Or whoever you are, that gave me this power…what exactly are you turning me into?"
Just then an image flashed before him, making his eyes widen - an image of a great dragon about to breathe out fire, and behind it were more dragons that made this one look like it was the smallest. His hands trembled and the feeling he was looking for, came back - he was frightened. "Tch." He gritted his teeth. "So you're a King of dragons, huh? I am a monster after all."
Ahead, big orcs started to appear. Minho squated and jumped up to feet, stretching his hands. "Then wait for me, King. Cause..." In a blur, he moved. Reappearing right in the front of the lead orc, with his hand pulled back, he grinned. "I'll be taking your throne soon. So, keep feeding me this power." His hand connected with the orc's face, sending it crashing into the others.
Meanwhile...
White Tiger Guild.
Hunter Yung and Taeksoo stood outside the guild master's office. "So, how do we explain?" Taeksoo whispered to Yung.
"What do you mean 'how do we explain?'. We tell him what we know. We're not the ones that killed them, are we?" Yung replied with furrowed brows.
"Alright, alright, knock on the door." Taeksoo raised his hands.
Yung knocked on the door and after a second, a voice answered. "Come in."
Both A-ranks entered the office and bowed their heads. "We have returned, President Baek." Yung spoke up first.
Baek Yoonho, the guild master of the White Tiger Guild, a tall, muscular man with brown hair and a predatory gaze - sat on the chair, behind his sleek desk. One of Korea's great S-ranks. "Ah, that's good. So…what did you find? Are they back?"
"President Baek, they…" Yung trailed.
"They're dead, President Baek. Six C-ranks raided a D-rank dungeon and all died." Taeksoo continued without a beat.
Baek pushed off his chair and stood up. "What?!"
"We went to the location but didn't find a dungeon. We thought it was a mistake and were about to leave when a gate appeared. Inside, we found all C-rank hunters brutally killed." Yung spoke.
'A D-rank dungeon appeared, disappeared and appeared again, with six C-ranks brutally killed? This doesn't make sense at all.' Baek thought to himself. He then waved them off and sat down on the chair. "You can go. I'll speak with the Hunters Association chairman about this."
Yung nodded and was about to leave when Taeksoo spoke. "There was a survivor."
"Hm?!" Baek looked up.
"An E-rank hunter."
Back in the dungeon...
Minho stood in the middle of more than a dozen orc corpses, covered in blood that wasn't his. His blistered hands slowly healed themselves.
[Player is fully healed!]
"Hmm." Minho hummed as more orcs started approaching. "Isn't there an end to you guys? Tch." He spat on the floor. "I guess I'll use this to make things faster."
[Gaze Of a Monarch Activated!]
His irises gave of a crimson glow as he looked at the orcs. For a moment, nothing happened, but a sudden wave washed over the entire space, forcing the orcs to stop in their tracks, looking down. Their weapons were visibly shaking with trembling hands.
Minho smiled and walked right at them. He placed a hand on the shoulder of one, making it flinch and attack, but he side stepped and went behind it, snapping it's neck. The other orcs pointed their weapons but couldn't attack.
"Come on, what's wrong? A moment ago, you were looking at me with murderous intent." Minho mocked. "Now, now, let's settle this." He blitzed at them.
Minutes after he killed them and absorbed their cores, the waves seemed to stop and he decided to move deeper into the dungeon.
After a minute of walking, he reached a place that seemed like the orc palace. To his surprise, it was empty. But something felt off.
Minho put a hand on his chin. "Hmm, I still feel there is—"
BOOM!
Something crashed into him, sending him cratering into a wall and coughing out blood. He fell to his knees and slowly looked up, gritting his teeth.
Right in front of him, stood a giant dire wolf and what seemed to be the orc king on top of it. Minho's wounds started to heal as usual. Then the wolf howled. The system screen came up glitchy.
[Great Dire Wolf has used skill: Block Howl!]
[All Skills and Buffs are temporarily locked and cannot be used!]
[Player can only use attributes stat!]
His eyes widened, but before he could finished reading it, the wolf's claws came in and he dived away, just in time. But it raked his shoulder, allowing blood to flow freely, sending a sharp sting to Minho's body.
"You shall die here, human." The orc king spoke.
Minho's eyes widened. He could hear a monster speak like humans? He looked up at it. "So, you're the king of the orcs."
Much to his surprise, the same shock was plastered on the orc king's face. "Y-you understand our language?"
It all dawned on Minho. He was the one who was understanding monster language, not the other way round.
"That does not change your fate." The orc king added as the wolf crashed it's hands, to Minho's position, sending him into another desperate dive.
This was his first wall. He gritted as he pushed himself to his feet, blood dripping from his shoulder. And he started having doubts on whether or not he could climb it.