A young man with brown hair and glasses, appearing to be in his mid-twenties, sprinted through the corridor and burst into the office of Park Woo, president of the Hunters Association. "Mr. President, we have a code red!" he exclaimed, his voice urgent and unsteady.
Park Woo, a broad-shouldered man in his sixties with a streak of distinguished gray hair and a crisp white suit, turned calmly. His eyes, sharp and unflinching, betrayed none of the panic surrounding him. As an SS-ranked hunter and the head of the association, he exuded authority. "Tell me the rank of the dungeon and the hunters inside," he instructed, his tone measured yet commanding.
The young man, Kang Chin, struggled to catch his breath as he relayed the details. "There was one C-ranked hunter, four D-ranked hunters, and one F-ranked hunter. We also confirmed that the dungeon's level malfunctioned… it has elevated to S-rank."
Park Woo's expression remained composed, but his mind raced. He knew exactly what a malfunction at this level could mean: the potential for a dungeon break. "Evacuate all civilians near the dungeon immediately," he ordered. "Gather every available hunter outside that S-ranked dungeon. We cannot afford mistakes."
Kang Chin nodded, saluted, and rushed out of the office to carry out the orders. Park Woo exhaled slowly, his thoughts heavy. How could they confront this? How many lives would be at stake if the dungeon broke?
Inside the dungeon, the four hunters and Beom Seok had just noticed the alarming change. The gate that had been calm and blue now burned a furious red. Cha Yeol approached, placing a hand on the glowing portal. His eyes widened, and he recoiled slightly. "It's a malfunction," he said gravely. "We won't be able to leave until we clear this dungeon."
Sun Hee, the group's healer, shivered. "A malfunction… doesn't that mean the dungeon's rank could increase? That… that could be disastrous!" Her voice trembled, betraying her fear.
The other hunters exchanged worried glances, but attempted to reassure her. Despite their own unease, they nodded in agreement, forcing courage into their expressions.
Cha Yeol took a deep breath, trying to steady the rising tension. "We don't know how much the rank increased," he said firmly, "but panicking won't help. We'll stay calm and survive this. I believe in our strength."
His words offered a fragile hope to the group, yet in private, Cha Yeol questioned whether even their combined skills would be enough.
Beom Seok stood slightly apart, surveying the surroundings with a trained eye. The familiar forest and dungeon corridors had given way to a vast, sun-blasted desert. Sand stretched endlessly, shimmering under the relentless heat. Shielding his eyes with one hand, he murmured to himself, "If the monsters don't kill us, the sun will."
He adjusted the strap of the heavy weapons pack he carried, muscles tense and ready. Every instinct screamed that this was no ordinary F-ranked dungeon, and survival would require wit, courage, and a willingness to fight beyond his limits.