Beom Seok adjusted the strap of the backpack he carried, trying to ignore the curious, skeptical looks from the four hunters waiting at the F-ranked dungeon gate.
His tropical shorts, white shirt, and flip flops made him look absurdly out of place amid the fully geared hunters. One of them, a tall man with a sharp gaze named Cha Yeol, stepped forward, raising an eyebrow.
"Are you… Beom Seok?" he asked cautiously.
"I am," Beom Seok replied with a calm smile, though inside, he wanted to groan. You think I wanted to wear this? he thought. The original Beom Seok only had clothes like this in his closet.
The hunters exchanged whispers, their uncertainty palpable. Beom Seok could hear fragments of their conversation: "He's F-rank… can he even survive this?""Do we really take him in?"
Cha Yeol stepped closer and held out their weapons. "You'll be carrying our extra gear. We need to make this quick, so keep up."
Beom Seok grinned and accepted the weapons, feeling the surprising weight of their combined arsenal. "Consider it done," he said, strapping the heavy luggage to his back.
Inside the dungeon, the four hunters moved with precision and confidence. Spider-like monsters skittered across the walls and ceiling, launching attacks at the party without hesitation. Beom Seok watched with a mix of awe and curiosity, studying their movements, their timing, and how they coordinated with one another.
A spider lunged at him from behind, catching him off guard. Reflexively, he jumped back and summoned the B-ranked dagger from his system inventory. The cold metal fit perfectly in his hand, and with a swift motion, he drove it through the spider's thorax. Its body crumpled to the ground, and Beom Seok couldn't help but compare it to the monsters of the Rain Monster Forest. These aren't even close in strength, he thought, noting the difference in level and aggression.
The group pressed onward, eventually reaching the dungeon boss's room. Beom Seok followed closely behind, the extra weapons pressing against his back as he watched the hunters prepare for the fight. The battle was intense, the air filled with the sounds of clashing blades and the screeching of the massive monster.
Despite the chaos, the hunters' teamwork was flawless. They moved like a single entity, exploiting every weakness, covering each other, and finally bringing the boss down after a grueling struggle. Beom Seok watched in awe as the hunters celebrated their hard-won victory. He wondered briefly why the fight had taken so long—shouldn't an F-rank boss be easier?—but he pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on carrying out his role.
Cha Yeol approached him, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. "Hey, you helped too. Consider it your victory as well."
Beom Seok smiled, feeling a surge of pride. He nodded, quietly slipping away to collect the dungeon cores, aware that even small contributions mattered in the grand scheme of things.
The party moved to the next dungeon, then the next, each fight becoming slightly easier as they adapted to the rhythm of battle. Beom Seok grew more confident in his ability to assist, dodging minor attacks and using the dagger efficiently when needed.
Hours passed, and the sun dipped below the horizon. By 7:00 pm, Beom Seok and the four hunters reached the final dungeon of the day. Spirits were high, a sense of relief mixing with excitement. They stepped through the gate, expecting a routine F-ranked challenge.
But almost immediately, something was wrong. The dungeon gate, which had been bathed in a calm, blue glow, flickered violently before turning an ominous red.
The sudden shift in color signaled a dungeon rank malfunction, and the change radiated an unsettling energy.
Outside, a guard froze, his eyes wide with horror. He barked to his companion, his voice trembling: "Call… call the Hunter Association! Now!"
Beom Seok froze in place, clutching the weapons behind him. His heart raced. Something far stronger than he expected was waiting on the other side—and this time, even F-rank might not be enough to survive.