The dungeon didn't welcome them.
It swallowed them.
The moment Jin Tae-Hyuk stepped past the threshold, the air changed—thicker, heavier, damp with something that clung to the back of his throat. The smell came first.
Iron.
Rot.
Something faintly sweet underneath, like flesh left too long in the dark.
His boots pressed into the stone with a soft, wet sound. The floor wasn't just damp—it was slick, as if something had been dragged across it over and over again.
Behind him, the entrance flickered once…
then stabilized.
No turning back.
[Dungeon Environment Detected]
Rank: Low
Stability: Fluctuating
Warning: Irregular monster behavior likely
"...Yeah. I hate this already."
Do-Jin rolled his shoulder, gripping his sword tighter. His voice was casual, but his stance wasn't. He shifted his weight forward, knees slightly bent, ready.
Seo-Yun stepped in after them, her eyes adjusting quickly to the dim light.
"It's quieter than it should be," she said softly.
Her voice echoed.
Too much.
The sound didn't die naturally—it stretched, warped, and came back just a little off.
Tae-Hyuk noticed.
Of course he did.
He noticed everything.
—
His gaze drifted along the walls.
Scratches.
Not random.
Long. Repeated. Deep enough to carve into stone.
Claw marks.
Something had tried to get out.
Or something had been dragged in.
—
[Debt System Active]
Outstanding Debt: 5 Years Lifespan (Pending)
[Suggestion: Minimize direct cost exposure]
"…Yeah," Tae-Hyuk muttered under his breath.
"Obviously."
They moved.
Slowly at first.
Do-Jin took point, each step measured, sword angled slightly downward for a quick upward swing. Seo-Yun stayed close behind him, her hands faintly glowing—just enough to react instantly.
Tae-Hyuk walked last.
Unhurried.
Like none of this mattered.
—
The first monster didn't roar.
Didn't charge.
It simply… unfolded itself from the shadows.
—
Its limbs uncurled from behind a stone pillar, joints popping softly, like bones sliding back into place. Its head tilted at an unnatural angle, eyes sunken too deep into its skull.
Then it smiled.
Too wide.
Too slow.
—
Do-Jin moved first.
His sword cut cleanly through the air—
Shhk—
The blade sank into the creature's shoulder, biting deep.
It didn't scream.
It laughed.
A wet, choking sound, like something drowning.
—
"Not normal," Do-Jin muttered, ripping his blade free.
—
The creature lunged again.
Faster.
—
Tae-Hyuk stepped in.
Not rushing.
Not panicking.
Just… adjusting.
—
The monster's claws came straight for his face.
He didn't back away.
Didn't block.
He leaned slightly to the side—just enough.
Claws brushed past his cheek, grazing skin.
A thin line of blood appeared.
—
And in that same motion—
His dagger slid forward.
Clean.
Precise.
—
It entered just below the creature's jaw.
Then—
Up.
—
The blade split through soft flesh and bone.
The creature's head jerked back violently—
Then went still.
—
Tae-Hyuk twisted the dagger once before pulling it free.
The body dropped.
Heavy.
Wet.
—
[Combat Log Updated]
Enemy Eliminated
[Efficiency Rating: High]
"…You're not even reacting," Do-Jin said, breathing slightly heavier now.
Tae-Hyuk glanced at him.
"…To what?"
—
More movement.
—
Three.
No—five.
Shadows peeled off the walls, bodies forming from darkness itself. These ones were thinner, faster. Their limbs dragged along the floor as they circled, heads twitching rapidly.
Watching.
Waiting.
—
Seo-Yun took a small step back.
"They're not attacking…"
—
"They are," Tae-Hyuk said quietly.
—
The first one moved.
—
Not forward.
Sideways.
Fast.
—
It dashed past Do-Jin—not at him—
At Seo-Yun.
—
"—!"
She reacted instantly, throwing up a barrier of light.
The creature slammed into it, claws scraping against the glowing surface—
Screeching.
—
Do-Jin turned too late.
"Damn it—!"
—
Another one lunged.
This time at him.
—
Steel met flesh.
Claws met blade.
The impact echoed sharply through the corridor.
—
Tae-Hyuk didn't rush to help.
He watched.
—
[System Alert]
Monster Behavior: Coordinated
Target Priority: Support Units
[Recommendation: Disrupt Formation]
"…Got it."
—
He moved.
—
Not toward Seo-Yun.
Not toward Do-Jin.
—
Toward the center.
—
One of the creatures turned, sensing him.
Too slow.
—
Tae-Hyuk closed the distance in two steps.
His dagger flashed—
A horizontal slash—
The creature's torso split open mid-motion.
—
Before it hit the ground—
He was already moving again.
—
Another lunged from the left.
He dropped low—
Slid under it—
His blade dragged upward across its stomach, spilling dark, thick fluid onto the stone.
—
The smell intensified.
Rot.
Decay.
Something burned.
—
[Combat Log Updated]
Enemies Eliminated: 3
[Debt Efficiency Passive Applied]
The remaining two hesitated.
Just for a second.
—
Tae-Hyuk smiled.
—
"Too slow."
—
He stepped forward.
—
And the hesitation killed them.
—
One strike.
Then another.
—
Silence returned.
Only their breathing remained.
—
"…That was… weird," Do-Jin muttered, wiping blood from his blade.
"They were thinking."
—
"They were adapting," Tae-Hyuk corrected.
—
Seo-Yun didn't say anything.
But her eyes were on him again.
Studying.
—
"You didn't even flinch," she said quietly.
—
Tae-Hyuk shrugged slightly.
"…Should I have?"
—
Before she could answer—
The ceiling cracked.
—
A sound.
Heavy.
Wet.
—
Something dropped.
—
Fast.
—
Do-Jin barely had time to look up—
Before it hit him.
—
The impact slammed him into the ground.
A sickening crack echoed as claws tore through his side, ripping flesh open like paper.
—
"—Ghk—!"
—
Blood spread instantly beneath him.
Dark.
Too much.
—
"Tae-Hyuk!" Seo-Yun's voice broke as she rushed forward, dropping to her knees beside him.
"Stay with me—don't move!"
Her hands glowed brighter now, pressing against the wound—
Light sinking into torn flesh.
—
It wasn't enough.
—
The bleeding slowed.
But didn't stop.
—
"…Damn it…" Do-Jin coughed, blood spilling from his mouth now.
"That thing—"
—
The monster stood behind him.
Larger.
Heavier.
Its body hunched forward, muscles twitching beneath gray skin stretched too tightly. Its claws dripped with blood—fresh.
Warm.
—
It didn't rush again.
—
It watched.
—
[Critical Situation Detected]
[Borrow Power: High-Speed Regeneration]
Effect: Full Recovery + Physical Enhancement
Cost: Severe Internal Organ Damage
[Alternative Available: Transfer Cost]
Tae-Hyuk's eyes flicked to the screen.
Then—
To Do-Jin.
—
Still conscious.
Barely.
—
To Seo-Yun.
—
Focused.
Desperate.
Trusting him.
—
"…Tae… Hyuk…" Do-Jin forced out weakly.
"…help…"
—
A pause.
—
Just a second.
—
Tae-Hyuk exhaled slowly.
—
"…Yeah."
—
[Select Payment Method]
→ Transfer
[Target Selected: Park Do-Jin]
[Confirm?]
—
He didn't hesitate.
—
[Confirmed]
Something invisible shifted.
—
A faint blue thread flickered between them—
Then vanished.
—
Tae-Hyuk felt it instantly.
—
Clarity.
—
His body aligned.
Every movement sharper.
Every sense heightened.
—
And behind him—
Do-Jin screamed.
—
Not from the wound.
—
From something deeper.
"—AAAGH—!"
His body jerked violently, hands clawing at the ground.
His back arched—
Bones creaking under pressure.
—
Seo-Yun froze.
"…What—what's happening—?!"
—
Her healing faltered.
Because this—
Wasn't something she could fix.
—
Inside—
Something was breaking.
—
Tae-Hyuk stepped forward.
—
The monster moved.
—
Too late.
—
It lunged.
Claws aimed for his throat.
—
He didn't dodge.
—
He stepped in.
—
Inside its range.
—
His shoulder slammed into its chest—
Throwing off its balance—
—
His dagger drove upward—
Deep.
—
Through jaw.
Into skull.
—
The creature froze.
—
Then collapsed.
—
Silence.
—
Behind him—
Do-Jin's screams weakened.
—
"…stop… please…"
—
A wet cough.
—
Blood pooled from his mouth.
—
Seo-Yun shook her head, panic rising.
"No—no, this doesn't make sense—your wound was stabilizing—why is it getting worse?!"
—
Tae-Hyuk turned.
Slowly.
—
He watched.
—
Carefully.
—
Analyzing.
—
[Debt Collection in Progress]
Target: Park Do-Jin
Status: Critical Failure Imminent.
"…Internal collapse," Tae-Hyuk murmured.
—
Seo-Yun looked up at him.
Eyes wide.
—
"…What did you do?"
—
He didn't answer.
—
Do-Jin's body convulsed once more—
Then—
Stopped.
—
Just like that.
—
Silence.
—
Seo-Yun's hands trembled.
Still glowing.
Still trying.
—
But nothing responded.
—
"…You…"
Her voice shook.
"…you let him die…"
—
Tae-Hyuk met her gaze.
Calm.
Unmoved.
—
"No."
—
A beat.
—
"I chose who wouldn't."
—
The words landed heavy.
Ugly.
Final.
—
Seo-Yun's expression cracked.
Not just anger.
Not just grief.
—
Understanding.
—
"…You're insane."
—
"…Maybe."
—
He turned.
—
And walked.
—
The system flickered once more.
—
[Debt System Active]
Debt Successfully Transferred
[New Skill Unlocked: Debt Efficiency Lv.1]
—
Tae-Hyuk's lips curved slightly.
—
"So this is how it works…"
—
He didn't look back.
—
Because behind him—
A healer sat beside a man she couldn't save.
—
And ahead—
The dungeon was waiting.
—
And now—
He was ready.