The sensation of nausea passed briefly, and soon the feeling of solid ground transmitted through the soles of my feet.
At the same time, the spatial perception I had folded up was vibrating softly.
A change in space.
It was recognized instinctively. My hairs stood on end.
This place is Earth. It definitely belongs to Earth. It isn’t a fully formed separate space but merely an a-space that can only exist attached to Earth.
However, it is also a divided space. This place and the outside are areas of a different order of existence.
‘Ah.’
The gate was essentially just a bridge built within the same world.
A dungeon, a small a-space rooted in Earth. An unstable space that only exists because of Earth, yet still a separate area governed by different principles.
It was recognized automatically. Enlightenment dawned. Understanding came without any effort.
“…All members have entered. We will begin the operation now.”
Meanwhile, as soon as we stepped into the dungeon, the three of us formed a triangle centered around me and Elia, surveying the surroundings.
As discussed beforehand, the three combat majors guarded the two support minors as we entered.
“Hayul, please detect the surroundings.”
I nodded at Atilla’s sharp eyes scanning around.
How should I put it? I felt an exhilarating rush of enlightenment as I expanded my spatial perception wide open. A tidal wave of information surged into the dark world.
Outside the dungeon, I held back due to my earlier experiences at the gate, but now I felt absolutely certain that there would be no issues.
10m, 50m, 100m… 200m…
Around 300m or so. If measured in diameter, perhaps 600m.
Suddenly, the range had multiplied several times. It’s a few times increased in wording, but considering the increase in spherical volume, the actual amount of information surpassed dozens of times.
– Zzzzzt, zzzzzt…
My head snapped to attention, as if a jolt of electricity was buzzing around.
[No monsters within range]
“Thank you. Please inform me immediately if any anomalies are detected.”
[Understood]
In the dungeon clearing, my role was the exploration of monsters and herbs. I could handle the searching due to my spatial perception, but the problem lay in the transmission of information.
Being mute made it awkward to report what I found even if I did successfully scout.
This would be resolved later with the confession necklace, but it didn’t help my immediate dilemma.
So for now, I had written down the content I needed to report on a clipboard for quick retrieval.
After a thorough exploration of the surroundings, we gathered in one area.
Atilla, playing the role of the leader, cleared her throat to catch everyone’s attention.
– Thud
She slammed a massive shield onto the ground. A heavy vibration rumbled up through my legs—a palpable sensation of daunting weight.
“As discussed beforehand, we will prioritize reaching Point A first. We will eliminate any monsters encountered along the way, but we will delay venturing deeper.”
Everyone nodded at Atilla’s words.
Dungeons are timed tasks. Moreover, the conditions for task completion were announced along with group assignments.
[Ipchun Class, Group 11]
①: Reach Point A and discover markers, establish a temporary base (35)
②: Eliminate 80 Green Demons (40)
③: Gather 500g of Magic Grass (15)
The three tasks assigned to Group 11.
Reach Point A and establish a temporary base.
Arrive at the coordinates listed in the file and set up a base.
Eliminate 80 Green Demons.
Take down 80 Green Demons (Green Goblins) averaging Rank 8, with the higher tier being around Rank 7 and bring back proof. Typically involves chopping off ears or fingers as evidence.
Gather 500g of Magic Grass.
Collect 500g of weeds that thrive in the forest environment of the dungeon, feasting on magic. Magic grass might not be particularly valuable, but it is widely used in alchemy, resulting in high supply and demand.
Once our formation was set, we set off toward the coordinates for Point A. Thankfully, my smartwatch had a coordinate pinpoint function for easy navigation.
We traversed a land overgrown with trees and grass.
Green grass grew about thigh-high. The grass bent gradually halfway up; if it had grown straight, it would have surpassed my height.
The trees were massive too; easily over 15m high and incredibly thick. I could hardly wrap around one even splitting into four or five parts.
Judging by the broad leaves, they might be broadleaf trees.
The air felt damp. As I inhaled, moist air rushed into my lungs. Water droplets clung to the leaves and blades of grass everywhere.
“It’s a relief that there’s a path cleared.”
“Right? If we had to scout and create a path from the start… haha.”
Fortunately, we didn’t have to clear a wall of grass individually.
Due to our periodic hunts along the way, a path had already been formed. While the vitality of the dungeon flora was overwhelmingly strong, some tidying up was necessary, but we weren’t plunging into the wilderness unprepared.
Atilla and Nam Yeon-jung were using their short swords strapped to their waists to slice through some overgrown grass as we walked.
The only thing needing special caution was the somewhat squishy ground.
[NW, 75m, 2 monsters]
“Got it. Keep sending signals.”
In the meantime, I was carrying out the detection role. Thanks to the expanded and refined spatial perception, scouting was going smoothly.
I had passed by a few Green Demons. We hadn’t encountered them directly or in large numbers, so we passed by for now, citing the lack of a base.
I had also detected plenty of Magic Grass. With the range of my spatial perception extending down to the ground, I could distinguish roots and grasses embedded in the earth.
Even the amount of Magic Grass I had seen so far was more than enough to fulfill the quota.
The score from gathering Magic Grass wasn’t very high, but I didn’t have to worry much.
While mentally noting the positions of the Magic Grass and Green Demons we had encountered so far, we walked on.
“Arrived at Point A… let’s conduct a surrounding search and begin establishing the base.”
About two hours after entering the dungeon, our group finally reached the vicinity of Point A.
“Hayul, can you find the marker?”
[I found it]
“First, let’s find the marker, and then… huh? Already?”
Atilla blinked. I nodded and pointed in one direction. The group moved along following my lead.
“It’s really here.”
A flag, standing as tall as a person, was wedged between thick intertwining roots. Its camouflage color of earthy brown and green made it a pain to find without detection ability.
Atilla expressed her admiration as she adjusted the flagpole.
“Your detection ability is astonishing, Hayul. My academy peers often lack that level of precision, leading to many difficulties.”
[Thank you]
‘If it were not good, I would have been miserable.’
It’s an ability that literally trades vision, nose, and mouth.
Sure, it almost killed me at first with its overwhelming capabilities, then later offered a crude spatial perception due to budget cuts… but right now, I couldn’t imagine living without it…
Having found the marker, we selected an appropriate location to set up our temporary base.
I briefly looked around for a spacious clearing but found none, so I simply cleared some trees to create a space.
It was just a temporary base where we would stay for a day, so it didn’t require too many special measures.
Just creating a spacious area and laying down some magical tools for security, protection, and survival would suffice.
If there had been a pure mage among us, they would set up the magic directly, but our team lacked a mage.
Elia could cast some buff spells, but that was about it, and I hadn’t even mastered the basics yet, so I was keeping quiet.
“Um… Hayul, you sure brought a lot?”
‘……’
While everyone gathered their things in the clearing we made by cutting down trees, all eyes were drawn to the things sticking out of my backpack.
[I packed a lot just in case]
Professor Atra had crammed it all in. When I asked if it was too heavy, she told me there was a weight reduction spell on the backpack.
“Then, let’s look for the Green Demon’s burrow.”
After establishing the base and marking the coordinates, we took a brief rest and got back on our feet.
The first condition—reaching Point A, discovering the marker, and constructing the temporary base—was complete.
Now we just needed to finish the second and third conditions of eliminating the Green Demons and gathering the Magic Grass.
“Let’s patrol starting from the vicinity where Hayul spotted the Green Demons.”
Green Demons tend to live in groups. The clusters we discovered while walking were likely stragglers out hunting.
They are characterized by their small size. They stand just at the height of an adult man’s waist, and their bodies are generally rather flimsy. By human aesthetic standards, they are quite ugly.
To put it simply, they are your typical goblin.
It didn’t take long to locate their burrow. Focusing on areas where Green Demons were often found, we quickly discovered the location of their settlement.
The burrow was situated in an advantageous spot, backed by a mountain and adjacent to a river. This is what they call being nestled against a mountain and by water. It’s unbelievable that monsters would set up camp in such a spot.
‘This is textbook.’
A wall made from sharpened tree stumps lined up in a row. Inside were primitive tents built with wooden frames and covered with leaves.
The burrow was swarming with Green Demons. There were roughly 135 of them. Far too many! I had doubted if we could find 80 in time, but we struck gold all at once.
“…Now I see why they want a detection specialist.”
As I relayed the situational details, architecture, traps, and population inside the walls, Atilla, hiding in the nearby forest overlooking the wooden walls, expressed a hesitant response. Nam Yeon-jung next to her nodded in agreement.
“There’s a hefty price tag on the specialists. The number of detection specialists is low to begin with, enhancing their value.”
70% of superhumans are front-line combatants. Most superhumans who haven’t awakened their unique abilities are focused on close combat using physical strength and prowess.
The modern population of awakened superhumans is low, and those with unique abilities are even scarcer.
Moreover, detection abilities are particularly lacking in numbers. That’s why there’s a demand for detection specialists even at uncertain ability levels.
In short, there’s a supply shortage.
There’s a nasty culture of branding non-unique powered superhumans as fakes. While I don’t advocate for it, the existence of such remarks implies a significant gap based on unique powers.
“Let’s see… One hundred thirty. Most of them are Rank 8, with about three being Rank 7…”
Atilla, playing the leader, pondered seriously.
“While there are a few too many, the majority are Rank 8, so we’ll engage them head-on.”
Let’s plunge in. It sounds reckless, but everyone except me nodded.
After all, the team members aside from me were all prominent candidates at their respective academies.
They’d probably take down Rank 8s blindfolded and handle Rank 7 with minimal issues.
Moreover, there was a safety measure in place. Right now, each team member wore a bracelet made of purple thread wound around their wrists.
This was a safety device distributed by the vice principal last Friday.
Through spatial perception, I could see a dizzyingly complex spell intricately woven into the magical device.
It was said that the protective magic would activate immediately if anyone received life-threatening injuries inside Shio-ram and would teleport them to the medical area.
Naturally, this wouldn’t respond to minor wounds. The condition is that the injuries must be fatal.
It’s an incredible effect. I nearly doubted its feasibility. The vice principal explained that it was made possible through the active backing of the headmaster and given that it was a dungeon managed by the cradle.
Since the vice principal took office, the bracelets have never once failed. Thanks to that, I could lighten my psychological burden a little.
“Let’s go.”
Atilla raised her shield, and we all grasped our weapons.
Nervously, I gripped my staff, swallowing hard.
If I were to let my guard down and get knocked out now, not only would I face a stern talking-to from Professor Atra, but I wouldn’t just fail to get a passing grade; I would end up with negative points.
Being discarded from Shio-ram left me without a safety net at all. That was an option I could never afford.
If I were to be expelled, it wouldn’t just be a short-term suspension; it would be like a death sentence. I absolutely couldn’t afford to be expelled.
Stepping carefully onto the uneven soil, I made my way toward the burrow.
The official start of the hunt had begun.
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