Although they missed one or two monsters occasionally, the other two people would notice them like ghosts and finish them off.
In other words, I did nothing but literally run.
Despite this, my stamina was the only one plummeting, making me wonder what the problem was.
Swish.
Woo Jaehyun, who burrowed into the swarm of ants without hesitation, forged ahead regardless of whether the ants rushed at him or not.
Every time he passed, the monsters around turned into dust and scattered everywhere.
Usually, at this level, monsters should frequently be seen getting scared and leaving their positions.
They would instinctively run away, sensing the overwhelming difference in power even when trying to attack.
But these guys only rushed in blindly without any such hesitation.
Perhaps it was due to the characteristic of ants living in colonies.
Thanks to this, we were filling the number faster than ever, but for some reason, Woo Jaehyun’s speed suddenly began to drop.
He eventually stopped dead in his tracks, forcing us who were following to slam on the brakes urgently.
When I looked to see what was wrong, he was staring intently at the monsters being ground down.
It seemed he noticed something unusual.
“Something is different.”
Just like in the movie, Woo Jaehyun was the first person to feel doubt.
Looking around, Woo Jaehyun abruptly snatched a monster that rushed at him.
He examined it from all sides, then tossed it against the wall.
“It’s a low-level E-rank.”
The monster burst with a crackle, but he didn’t even glance at it and lifted his head.
He seemed lost in thought for a moment, looking at the number [132/700] floating on the ceiling.
In fact, to an S-rank, F-rank and E-rank were hardly different, so the mere fact that he could distinguish them was surprising.
“Does the grade increase every 10 floors?”
As expected, he accurately grasped the unfolding situation.
As someone who had seen the movie, I almost gasped in admiration for a moment but managed my expression and opened my mouth.
“10 floors?”
“This is the 11th floor. But the first E-rank monster appeared, so isn’t it likely a structure where the grade increases every 10 floors?”
“Ah…”
“If my guess is right, there will probably be up to 70 floors. Or more.”
‘What is this guy’s true identity?’
The question I felt while watching the movie surfaced in my mind again.
I thought I had a decent grasp of Woo Jaehyun, but maybe that was just my delusion.
Woo Jaehyun, who had paused after analyzing the gate, resumed clearing the path and dealing with the monsters.
After about three hours, as a result of running through the cave without rest, we arrived at a dead end.
There were no more monsters rushing at us, and only an emerald-lit lake filled the space.
The number on the ceiling had been stuck at [600/700] for a while.
“Damn it, is it a dead end?”
Cha Rui quietly cursed.
The two people behind him also didn’t look happy.
Naturally, there had been a few dungeons with complex structures, but this was the first time there was absolutely no path.
We had already run for several hours, and turning back now was something I didn’t even want to imagine.
“Did we take the wrong turn somewhere in the middle?”
“There were no other passages.”
If I didn’t know anything, I would surely have panicked.
While everyone else was walking around nearby searching for a way, I tried hard to recall the scene.
It had been several months since I watched the movie, so remembering such fine details wasn’t easy.
‘It was around this spot, I think.’
It was as I walked along the lakeside, relying on that hazy memory.
I saw a familiar-looking rock, squatted beside it, and quietly peered into the water.
Fortunately, my memory was correct, as I was able to find the spot that matched the scene in the movie.
“Everyone, come over here.”
At my urgent call, the three people, who had been scattered, quickly approached.
I pointed towards the deep part of the lake as if I had discovered it by chance, and everyone’s gaze focused on that spot.
In the transparent water, where the bottom was clearly visible, there was a narrow hole just big enough for two people to pass through.
And that hole was the only way out of here.
“That’s the path?”
Woo Jaehyun, who narrowed his brows in disbelief, carefully examined the inside of the lake.
Although he would know once he checked it himself, no matter where he looked, the only passage-like spot was that hole below the surface of the water.
He stared at the lake with his mouth tightly shut, then suddenly turned his head toward me, as if something occurred to him.
“But Hyung, you can’t swim.”
As he said, I couldn’t swim.
Although the passage wasn’t very long, since it was impossible for me to move in the water in the first place, moving alone was out of the question.
If so, there was only one way.
“You’ll have to help me.”
After running for several hours and mulling it over, I decided it was better to ask Woo Jaehyun.
Not because his swimming skills were superior to the other two, but because of my mindset.
I hadn’t yet replied to Do Soohyuk’s confession, and Cha Rui reminded me of the day my father collapsed.
Even if I tried not to think about it, it was hard to erase the image of myself laughing and chatting that day.
Ultimately, all this stemmed from my guilt.
It was so ridiculous that I hadn’t felt that way at all when I was chasing them to persuade them.
“Chirpy, stop that and come here.”
I awkwardly averted my gaze and beckoned toward the ceiling.
Chirpy, who had been brightly illuminating the lake, swiftly flew into my arms.
Worried that he might be swept away by the current, I secured his position well and turned around, but my expression instantly soured.
It was because Woo Jaehyun was smiling mischievously and holding his arms wide open, as if inviting me to piggyback.
“…Just turn around.”
At my firm reaction, he put down his arms with a look of regret and obediently turned his back.
However, when he knelt down, lowering his posture, I felt somewhat embarrassed.
It wasn’t like I was giving a child a piggyback ride.
Perhaps because Do Soohyuk and Cha Rui were watching, I felt quite awkward even as I climbed onto his back.
“Ha.”
At that moment, a faint sigh was heard from beside me.
I turned my head, wondering if I had misheard, only to see both of them throwing themselves into the lake.
‘No, so suddenly?’
Following them, Woo Jaehyun also stepped into the water, and I involuntarily hugged his neck tightly.
It was only a few meters, so I didn’t bring diving gear, thinking it was overkill, but regret washed over me belatedly.
“Take a deep breath, Hyung.”
But by now, regretting it was like spilled water.
As the two people who entered the passage first gave a signal, the icy cold water immediately rushed in, and I had to tightly shut my eyes.
With just a few movements, Woo Jaehyun descended straight to the bottom of the lake.
I suddenly felt my body flip, and in the blink of an eye, we reached the deep spot.
He then slipped into the narrow passage, freely navigating the water.
As I struggled to breathe and couldn’t properly open my eyes, I had no idea what was going on.
It was only a few seconds, but it felt endlessly long, like several minutes had already passed.
There was nothing I could do but tightly embrace Woo Jaehyun, lest I let go.
Finally, just as the oxygen was rapidly depleting due to the tension.
“Phew!”
Fortunately, we were able to exit to the other side just in time.
Before my breath reached its limit, Woo Jaehyun had sensed my condition and quickly found the exit.
As soon as I broke the surface, I desperately gasped for air, clinging to his broad shoulders.
Perhaps seeing how pitiful I looked, Woo Jaehyun pulled me forward into a hug while I panted heavily.
“Are you okay, Hyung? I tried to find the exit quickly…”
I felt a hand carefully pushing back my hair, replacing me since I couldn’t seem to regain my composure.
The worry in his eyes was palpable.
I couldn’t answer because I was out of breath, so I nodded to signal that I was okay.
Woo Jaehyun carried me in his arms and walked forward.
I would have asked him to put me down usually, but I didn’t even have the strength for that now.
I was so exhausted that I even stumbled when my feet touched the ground.
It was because the accumulated fatigue had completely drained my energy.
I thought I looked utterly unpresentable, but I accepted the support of Do Soohyuk and Cha Rui, who rushed over, and sank onto the floor.
“Chirp… is Chirpy okay?”
Even as I caught my breath heavily, I put my hand into my pocket to check on Chirpy.
Thanks to securing him well before entering the water, he was fortunately still attached to the spot and hadn’t been swept away anywhere.
Since he was biting my hand, he seemed conscious.
I felt his uniquely soft texture and checked if he was hurt, but Chirpy instantly turned into smoke and slipped out of my grasp.
He flew high up to the ceiling, shook his body, and emitted a bright light.
No one had prompted him, but he had a determined expression, as if this was his job.
The space we came out into was dark, but thanks to Chirpy, the surroundings immediately brightened up.
‘Hmm?’
However, I casually turned my head and my shoulder jumped in surprise.
I had made direct eye contact with Do Soohyuk, who had knelt down on one knee at some point and was checking on me.
He had a towel in his hand.
He seemed ready to dry me first, even though he was soaking wet himself.
‘Did he really carry a towel in his item pouch?’
Recalling the first time we entered the S-rank Dungeon, this was an astonishing change.
“Ah… Thank you.”
