A desolate prairie that doesn’t have a single tree or a blade of grass.
In that place, a tower rose endlessly into the sky.
It was an exceptionally unique tower, so distinctive that one could immediately tell this world was utterly different from Earth.
The tip of the tower, sharp enough to pierce the skies, seemed intent on killing the heavens, and as I shifted my gaze to the top floor, there was a figure darting about.
An old man, with only frail bones remaining and barely clinging to a thin layer of flesh, revealed only the trembling remnants of his life.
Despite looking far older than his actual age, his eyes were clearer and more vibrant than a young man just entering adulthood.
“What shall I do with my sin…”
He had no intention of seeking an easy death. He thought it couldn’t be that way. However, he judged that what he was doing now was absolutely necessary, so he hesitated not at all.
It was a message from his struggling disciple that shook him from his deep thoughts.
Connecting dimensions to exchange communication—this absurd achievement was his creation.
“Oh… yes, Dnarr…”
[Master… I’m sorry. The dimension has become extremely unstable for reasons unknown—]
“It’s fine. I know everything… Your efforts will only grow greater…”
[You agreed not to say such things.]
“Haha—true. I’ve been rather forgetful these days.”
[……]
The man called Dnarr from beyond the dimensions began reporting the prepared data, suppressing the bitter feelings inside him.
The man on the top floor of the tower nodded quietly, simply repeating, ‘Yes, I see.’
“Haha… my ‘tooth’—so fleetingly… though it’s incomplete, I claimed it to be a masterpiece…”
[Many variables are arising.]
“… More importantly, the Orcs were deployed sooner than expected. Was that also to counter these variables?”
[That is correct. However, both the tooth and the Orcs have served their purpose…]
“If you say so, then it is as such.”
[Do not worry. Master. There are no issues with our plan. Rather, we should think positively as the timing has come sooner.]
“One must root firmly before they can bear fruit. Do not forget this.”
[I will keep that in mind.]
“Dnarr… as your master, I’m embarrassed to ask this, but the future of this continent lies in your hands, so please do your best to achieve your ambitions…”
[Is there any doubt? I will make sure your lifetime sacrifices do not go in vain…]
“Haha, I trust only you. That little kid has now grown up enough for me to rely on… And I’ve sent everything I requested last time to that place. Use it wisely.”
[Thank you, Master—please—]
Szzzzzzz—
“……”
The polite disciple couldn’t even complete his farewell as the dimension became unstable. If things had gone according to the original plan, Dnarr would have been at a more stable point to build his foundation now.
“If things had gone my way… the world would not be like this.”
He heavily stepped forward and gazed longingly at the outer world from the tower.
“That dead scenery will soon be filled with life… When that time comes…”
He quietly clenched his bony neck and remained transfixed outside for quite a while.
* * *
“Damn!!”
The man, whose connection with his master suddenly cut off, roughly unbuttoned his shirt as he shouted in frustration.
Dnarr Panijial, known as Elder Ak in this world, had been feeling more anxious lately.
Though he never thought this grand endeavor would complete overnight, it felt like every day passed while he hastily responded to the rapidly increasing variables.
If he could, he even felt the urge to sweep away this country called Korea.
But, since his master had repeatedly urged him that another key player in all this must proceed in this region, he patiently endured and quietly continued his tasks.
“If I could just deal with those guys…”
There was a troublesome organization messing up his plans lately. In reality, it wasn’t just messing things up; they were powerful enough to ruin everything.
Already, two of his bases had been destroyed.
How they found out and came to approach him was unclear; one place had just been established, yet those damned fools stormed in and killed all his followers before escaping.
“Should I prune them out once more…”
Unless those bastards could see into the future, there was definitely a mole on the inside.
Perhaps it was inevitable. No matter how many faithless people were lured in with mass-produced items like shadow cloaks, there was a limit to their faith.
In any case, to him, they were clearly the garbage of villains.
But since he couldn’t even identify their true identities, the frustration built day by day.
“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth… Should we see how this goes?”
It was obvious their goal was to delay the Orc’s invasion. The fact that they didn’t touch the expensive equipment and items but only destroyed gates made this clear.
If he stepped back now, a sense of crisis washed over him, as if everything he’d worked for until now would turn to dust. It felt like the déjà vu from patterns he had experienced several times before.
“After all, we have no way back. Are you ready to lose everything?”
The black eyes of Dnarr glowed a bright blue, and he began to laugh loudly.
It was a habit he had when he had been driven to the bottom. To laugh through the worst situations, a lesson his mother always taught him.
“Wake up.”
He said this as he unfolded the map of this world, marking a place with his finger amid dozens of dots, and nodded.
If he began preparations now, it would be possible within this year. He would summon something they couldn’t even stop and topple it all.
Having solidified his resolution, he shrugged his shoulders.
This country would suffer greatly from his actions, but he believed that his master would overlook this much. After all, this was all part of fulfilling a grand mission.
* * *
Woooooosh――
As a massive gate appeared at the site of the boss battle, the hunters who had been waiting inside the abandoned school jumped up startled from their seats. It was a natural progression for them to prepare for battle.
“Whoa! No waaaaaaay! Guys! A skeleton’s about to pop out, but it’s not a bad monster!”
“It won’t hurt you~ Everyone can comfortably stay in your places! Yes-yes-”
“Uh… It’s not a bad guy… ugh, don’t worry…”
Arin and Joo-ah actively appealed to the people, and though Yeon-hee’s face flushed red, she stammered as she shouted, the crowd returned to their original places.
It seemed the effect of Yeon-hee, who had recently gained fame by revealing her face after taking off her hood, was significant.
Clang-!
At just the right moment, the mysterious large gate emitting a gentle blue light opened.
And then, out of it stepped Il-wol, advancing one step at a time.
Looking around, he thought, ‘Oh—still came to the abandoned school?’
Though it was the expected outcome, he had also envisioned a scenario where he would be summoned straight from home, making him feel somewhat relieved.
However, seeing the state of the party members, a worry dawned on him that perhaps they were planning to skip the boss battle. The dark circles under their eyes and the drastically reduced mana reserves told a tale of exhaustion.
‘If they just hang in there, I can finish it myself.’
The ghost’s [Stagnation] was a decent skill, but the best ability one could gain in this dungeon was undoubtedly the wraith’s skill.
If considering potential growth, it was a skill he absolutely needed to secure and wanted to obtain today.
‘If today is too difficult, I might have to come back for another run… But why are they in such a bad state? What on earth happened?’
Surely, it wasn’t that their party had a hard time in this dungeon… no way another party of hunters dares to touch them?
There were some that targeted parties engaged in battles with monsters specifically to stab them in the back. Could it be that they fell victim to such foes?
Arin wanted to approach Yeon-hee, but then—
“Wa, water!! Il-wol! Give me some water!!”
Bae Joo-ah rushed over with bloodshot eyes, suddenly demanding water.
Behind her, Yeon-hee, unable to fully relish in their reunion, looked outraged, but Joo-ah, who was usually quick-witted, appeared too frantic to notice anything.
“Huh… Il-wol, you worked hard… Can you take the jug out first?”
“Clap, Clap, Clap!!”
Though they had only met a few hours ago, Yeon-hee’s somewhat worn face gave off a different allure.
‘Here.’
Bae Joo-ah swiftly caught the jug I tossed with both hands, raising it high into the air before hastily pouring the water into her mouth.
‘She seems exhausted, what in the world has been going on?’
Distracted from Joo-ah, I looked back at Yeon-hee and shrugged my shoulders as she quickly began to vent about her experiences while I was away.
What started as a normal dungeon exploration suddenly escalated in tempo; by the time two hours had passed, their balance had completely collapsed.
‘Hmm, since I was the one regulating the tempo…’
Managing the party’s mana state, health, mental fatigue, the number and arrangement of surrounding monsters, terrain, distance from other parties, and so many factors involved representing a tiresome task.
While serving as the guide and managing all this came naturally, it could have been difficult for them to adjust to the situation they were left in after I was gone.
And what followed was a disastrous plot twist. Whatever the reason, the number of monsters doubled, and just the thought of the moment they encountered the wraith was enough to send chills down my spine.
‘Crazy…?! Was it really that dangerous? Yeon-hee’s level dropped by 5?! I need to find a way to protect Yeon-hee when I’m not around… Should I learn golem arts? Ugh…’
Another task had piled onto my plate, but with so much already requiring my attention, the addition of one more wouldn’t change much.
In any case, Joo-ah was supposed to handle the interim coordination role but had ended up in the main attacker position in the dungeon, leading to this mess.
With only four members in the party, if even one faltered, it immediately devolved into chaos. The option of increasing our party to five needed consideration. Dying was worse than merely lowering profits.
“Haah—ah… this is… the best! Ugh…”
After repeatedly gulping down from the jug, Bae Joo-ah ended up sitting on the ground, her thighs tightly pressed together, cheeks profoundly flushed.
She had a blissful expression that I had often seen when giving massages to Yeon-hee.
Right now, she was experiencing a pleasure she hardly ever felt. Her broken mental state, body, and mana were all being restored at once, so it was difficult to imagine just how potent that stimulation was.
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