One of the world's eight great labyrinths, the Seoul Great Labyrinth.
This colossal dungeon was estimated to have at least a hundred floors or more, with hundreds or even thousands of hunters from home and abroad entering and exiting every day.
Even the current top-tier SS-rank hunters had only reached up to the 70th floor—an otherworldly hellscape beyond human comprehension.
In the Forest Zone (floors 14 to 27) of this labyrinth, deep in the outskirts of the 18th floor, a group of people was taking a break in the woods.
It was a raid party led by D-rank hunter Park Kwang-yeol, consisting of three E-rank hunters and Yu Jun-young, a non-awakened porter.
This remote area was quite far from the usual hunting paths of other hunters, so the forest around them was eerily quiet.
"Jun-young, take it easy and come rest. Grab an energy bar or something."
"Yeah, Jun-young. Take your time. The monster corpses aren't going anywhere."
"Got it. I'll finish this up and head over."
At the voices of Park Kwang-yeol and raid member Lee Ha-na, Yu Jun-young set down the Silent Wolf corpse he was butchering.
Unlike other hunters who treated porters like slaves or bait, these two treated Yu Jun-young like a human being.
Park Kwang-yeol had a son about Yu Jun-young's age and looked after him warmly, while Lee Ha-na was innately kind and gentle.
For Yu Jun-young, who had been working as a porter for ten months now on the vague rumor—uncertain in origin—that one could awaken by entering and exiting labyrinths, these were the first hunters with warm hearts he'd met.
He'd joined this raid party just a month ago and already liked them a lot.
"We should just buy a good item bag, you know."
"Aigoo. Do you know how expensive an item bag big enough for all our monster loot would be? It's better to dismantle them properly even if it takes time."
"Exactly. Plus, we get breaks in between, and this way is much better."
"Tch…."
While Yu Jun-young stepped away to rest and tidy up, one of the raid members, Kim Jun-su, spoke up.
He glared at Yu Jun-young with a displeased expression, and Yu Jun-young quickly slipped behind Lee Ha-na.
Kim Jun-su's eyes grew even fiercer.
"More importantly, what about that thing from earlier? You gonna sell it?"
Suddenly, Shin Jae-jun, who had been quietly maintaining his gear on the side, spoke up.
His gaze flicked toward Yu Jun-young, drawing the others' attention there as well.
Yu Jun-young instantly knew what Shin Jae-jun meant and hurriedly opened the item bag at his waist.
It wasn't huge, but it was a decent size.
With careful hands, Yu Jun-young pulled out a round egg.
It was a large egg slightly bigger than his torso, green with bizarre patterns on its shell.
"What else? Of course we're selling it."
"You gonna sell it without even knowing what monster's egg it is? What if it's something amazing inside?"
"Tch. Amazing or not, we can't use it. Got anyone here with a taming skill?"
"Skills? We can buy a skillbook later."
Park Kwang-yeol clicked his tongue shortly at Kim Jun-su's grumbling.
He then stared at him with a pitiful look.
"Why, why are you looking at me like that?!"
"'Cause it's pathetic. Pathetic!"
Park Kwang-yeol raised his voice to match Kim Jun-su's outburst.
"You idiot, think about it! How much does a single skillbook cost?! And a taming skill? Even pricier!"
"Ugh…!"
"Besides, what amazing thing could be in there? The monsters around here are all the same! At best, maybe a goblin or something!"
"…Goblins don't lay eggs!"
"It was just an example! An example!"
The other raid members, including Yu Jun-young, gave bitter smiles at the two snarling at each other.
Lee Ha-na, who had watched for a bit, finally stepped between them.
"Okay, both of you, calm down."
"Ha-na, this guy's—!"
"Ha-na, this old man's—!"
"What?! Old man?! You little punk! You done talking?!"
"No! You are an old man! With that beer gut! You even said you have a son our age!"
"You punk?! Even if that's true, fact-bombing's a crime, you know that?!"
"I don't…! Ack?! Don't draw your weapon! That's the crime—pulling a sword!"
Ignoring Lee Ha-na's attempts to intervene, the two raised their voices again, even drawing weapons.
It looked serious, but since they bickered like this annually, Lee Ha-na—who was mediating—along with Yu Jun-young and Shin Jae-jun watching didn't pay it much mind.
"Ha-na. Come over here. They'll stop on their own."
"…Yeah. No helping it…."
Don't they ever get tired…?
Lee Ha-na muttered like a sigh and turned toward Yu Jun-young—just then.
The forest shook abruptly.
"Eek—?!"
"O-Old man?!"
With Kim Jun-su's scream-like shout, Yu Jun-young stared blankly at the scene before him.
Something long burst from the woods. A predator with black scales and bright yellow eyes.
A massive snake had swallowed Park Kwang-yeol's head whole.
"…Venom Viper?!"
"A C-rank monster at least—why here…?!"
Panicked voices echoed through the once-quiet forest.
Before anyone could react to the sudden attack, the assailant from the shadows struck again.
Crack—
A sickening sound rang out, and Park Kwang-yeol's headless body crumpled limply.
A fountain of crimson blood sprayed from his fallen form.
"…Kyaa, kyaack! O-Old man!"
"Damn it! Run!"
Shin Jae-jun yelled in place of the panicking Lee Ha-na and dazed Kim Jun-su.
He grabbed the screaming Lee Ha-na's arm and bolted.
Kim Jun-su and Yu Jun-young snapped to and chased after them.
-Shaaaa────!!!
A shrill cry pierced the forest. Low-rank monsters fled the enraged superior predator's roar.
"Run faster!"
"Fuck, fuck, fuuuck…!"
"Old man…! Oooold maaan…!!"
"Huff…! Haa—!"
They ran until their legs nearly gave out, but non-awakened Yu Jun-young inevitably fell behind.
Swallowing his burning breath, he desperately glanced back.
A pair of bright yellow eyes stared at him.
"W-Wait, come with me!"
Meeting the ferocious predator's gaze, Yu Jun-young shouted reflexively.
His desperate plea for help turned toward the three running ahead.
"...."
Shin Jae-jun, in the lead, glanced back.
His eyes met Yu Jun-young's, then shifted to the snake beyond.
His brow furrowed naturally.
"Damn… it'll catch up soon…."
He muttered lowly, eyes turning back to Yu Jun-young.
After a brief but not short deliberation, Shin Jae-jun's gaze hardened coldly.
Sensing something from that icy look, Yu Jun-young cried out desperately.
"W-Wait! No! Please…! T-Take me with you!"
Though Yu Jun-young screamed, Shin Jae-jun remained silent.
He glanced indifferently behind, then quietly approached Yu Jun-young.
"…Sorry."
Thud—
With a short impact, Yu Jun-young's body rolled across the ground.
Shin Jae-jun had gone easy, so the hunter's strike left no serious injury on the non-awakened Yu Jun-young.
Of course, that didn't make Yu Jun-young grateful.
-Shaaaaaaaaa!
The shrill cry echoed through the forest again.
Yu Jun-young, who had rolled once, lifted his head quickly—but Shin Jae-jun was already far ahead.
"Fuck! Fuck…! You goddamn bastards!"
Staring at their retreating backs, Yu Jun-young screamed in rage.
He tried to stand, but something—maybe from the collision—prevented him.
More curses spilled from his lips.
"You bastards…! You fucking sons of bitches…!"
Yu Jun-young fumbled for his item bag.
He sought the shotgun made for labyrinth hunting.
A weapon that even a non-awakened like him could use against low-rank monsters like goblins.
Of course, useless against a C-rank+ assailant.
"Fuck! Where is it?! Where?!"
Items spilled from the bag: monster parts, herbs, emergency potions.
Normally, he'd find it easily—but terror of looming death made his hands shake uncontrollably.
As he dug, he even pulled out the mystery monster egg.
Finally, he found it.
"Found…!"
-Shiii───
A low hiss rang in his ears. Yu Jun-young slowly raised his head.
Bright yellow eyes stared at him. A forked tongue flicked lightly. A head larger than his body.
Facing the predator he'd desperately fled, strength drained from Yu Jun-young's body.
His mind went blank; the shotgun he'd sought rolled limply away.
-Shiii….
The inscrutable yellow eyes quietly scanned him.
They lingered on the scattered items, then settled on the large egg.
-Shiii───
A thin cry chilled his ear.
Then Yu Jun-young realized.
Why the predator had chased them.
"…Fuck, is this your egg?"
No answer to his murmur, naturally.
The snake, staring at him briefly, crack— gaped its maw.
Staring into the 180-degree-open mouth and its pitch-black depths, Yu Jun-young couldn't even think to dodge.
He just gazed at the slowly approaching jaws and muttered a quiet curse.
"Fuck."
Snap— Darkness engulfed him, and Yu Jun-young's thoughts ended.
Thus, he couldn't hear the voice in his ear.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
Congratulations.
You have awakened.
You can check your current stats and skills via the status window.
Your body is not in a normal state.
If no action is taken, you will die soon.
Due to the emergency, skill Soul Separation SS activates automatically.
Searching for a new body to replace the unusable one.
Your base stats are too low to select a suitable target.
Expanding search range.
Found. Confirmed the most suitable body in current state.
Target: 'Elite Venom Viper Egg'
Harmonizing soul with target.
Success.