After the wave of memories faded, Jinwoo's breathing steadied. He raised his head, his eyes widening as he saw the rest of the raid party already gathering near the massive stone doors at the end of the hall.
His expression hardened.
He knew this scene too well. Once those double doors swung open… the massacre would begin.
Without hesitation, he broke into a sprint.
"Mr. Song! Please, wait a moment!" he shouted.
The group halted, turning back in surprise. At the front stood Song Chi-Yul, the party's oldest and most experienced hunter. His graying hair caught the flicker of the torchlight as his brows furrowed in confusion.
"Mr. Sung?" Mr. Song asked, tilting his head. "What is it?"
Jinwoo skidded to a halt, chest heaving as he fought the weakness of his E-rank body. "Mr. Song… we can't go in there. We need to turn back."
The hunters blinked. Then, a wave of cruel laughter rippled through the group.
"Turn back? Are you scared already, Jinwoo?" one sneered.
"What else do you expect from the world's weakest?" another snickered. "Maybe he wants to sit outside and guard the trash like last time!"
Their mocks echoed off the cold stone walls, each word dripped with condescension.
Mr. Song sighed, his expression sympathetic but resolute. "Jinwoo… I appreciate your caution, but we've made it this far. The gate's mana radiation is low—it's likely just an ordinary C-rank boss room."
Jinwoo clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. He wanted to scream at them, to grab them by their collars and tell them they were walking straight into a slaughterhouse. But he knew it was pointless. To them, he was just a cowardly E-rank losing his nerve.
Seeing their disdainful glares, he clamped his mouth shut. He had tried.
"I warned them," he thought grimly, lowering his eyes as Mr. Song turned back to the doors. "That's all I can do."
But then his gaze shifted—landing on Ju-Hee.
The young B-rank healer stood near the rear, clutching her wooden staff with trembling hands. Her soft brown eyes met his, filled with quiet worry. She was one of the few people in this cutthroat world who had ever treated him with genuine kindness.
'In the original timeline… she survived this dungeon, but the trauma broke her. She never hunted again.'
He couldn't let her carry that nightmare. Not this time.
"Miss Ju-Hee," he called out softly, stepping toward her.
She blinked, startled. "E-eh? Mr. Jinwoo?"
"Please," he said, lowering his voice so the others wouldn't hear. His dark eyes burned with an intense, unyielding gravity that made her breath catch. "Whatever you do, do not step through those doors. Turn around and leave the dungeon right now."
Ju-Hee bit her lip, her heart hammering. "W-what are you talking about? You're scaring me…"
"I'm serious. That room is a death trap," Jinwoo pressed, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If you go in there, you won't come back the same. Please. Go home."
She stared at him, completely thrown off. There was no fear in his eyes anymore—only a desperate, protective resolve.
"…Then come with me," Ju-Hee blurted out, her voice trembling. "If it's really that dangerous, why are you staying? If you leave, I'll leave too!"
A faint trace of warmth touched Jinwoo's heart—a lingering residual emotion from the original Jinwoo's feelings for her. He forced a small, sad smile and shook his head.
"I can't," he murmured quietly. "I need the money for my mother's hospital bills. But if… if anything happens to me in there… please, keep an eye on my mother and Ah-Jin."
Ju-Hee's eyes welled with tears. The weight of his words felt like a final farewell. Seeing that she couldn't sway him, she swallowed hard and gave a tight, reluctant nod. "…Okay. I'll go outside and wait for you. You'd better come back out alive, Jinwoo!"
As Ju-Hee turned and began walking back toward the dungeon exit, a heavy weight lifted off Jinwoo's shoulders. He let out a long, quiet sigh of relief.
'At least one life is saved.'
Heavy stone ground against stone as Mr. Song pushed the massive doors open. An eerie, ancient pressure bled out from the darkness ahead.
Jinwoo turned, his eyes narrowing as he stepped toward the threshold of the Cartenon Temple.