* * *

“Wow, this is absurd.”

As soon as he arrived at the scene, Yeo Giwon let out a scoff of disbelief.

His gaze fixed on the dungeon entrance, which floated eerily midair.

The guild members who had arrived earlier as part of the vanguard also shared their thoughts.

“They’re practically advertising that there are flying monsters inside.”

“A floating dungeon… I’ve never seen one since becoming a hunter.”

“This is extraordinary, even from the start. But are we sure this is an A-rank dungeon?”

“Well, officially, yes. Song Jihee, Lee Jihoon, make sure to analyze everything carefully again this time. Also, check that the recording equipment is working perfectly. Last time, the research lab complained so much about the lack of usable data that my ears are still ringing from Hunter Jang Jihye’s whining.”

Yeo Giwon reminded the specialized hunters who had shone during the last mutated dungeon raid.

“Yes, sir. We’ll be careful, team leader.”

“Leave it to us.”

Then, Yeo Giwon turned his attention to Doyoung.

“Hyung, once we’re inside, stay at the command post over there. If you hang around too close, you might get hurt if a monster suddenly jumps out.”

He added a playful wink to his words.

Doyoung, unfazed by Yeo Giwon’s lighthearted demeanor, casually waved him off.

“Alright. Just focus on clearing the dungeon.”

“Of course. If we find any rare items, you get first pick.”

After clearing out the monsters, dungeons often left behind various spoils.

In such cases, the designated guild was granted priority rights, and Chunho Guild allowed contributing members to claim first dibs.

Yeo Giwon was offering that opportunity to Doyoung.

“Sounds good.”

Nodding in agreement, Doyoung’s mind wandered elsewhere.

‘I should’ve handed that sword in the armory to Beom Sinje…’

He had wanted to deliver it personally, but the timing hadn’t worked out.

On top of that, this dungeon was an S-rank with flying monsters, making it particularly tricky.

A special sword capable of unleashing flames would have been incredibly helpful here.

‘I’ll need to find a chance to bring it up in my report later.’

“Enter now!”

A crane had been used to set up a pathway into the dungeon.

Since there were barely any hunters capable of flying up to the entrance, this makeshift solution had been devised.

Doyoung glanced down at his feet.

Once upon a time, he would have flown effortlessly.

‘Not yet.’

Since succeeding at moving a towel the other day, he had been training diligently, now able to control small to medium-sized objects with ease.

Soon, he planned to test whether he could handle larger objects again.

In his prime, Doyoung’s abilities had allowed him to move massive buildings or several passenger planes with minimal effort.

After that, he intended to assess his condition further and revisit the hidden skills he hadn’t dared attempt in a long time.

“Let’s go.”

Yeo Giwon led the raid team into the dungeon.

Doyoung waited until they had fully entered before slowly scanning his surroundings.

He noticed government hunters and officials, some of whom quickly averted their gazes while others looked at him with open curiosity.

They were not of interest to Doyoung.

‘Not yet.’

Or perhaps their approach would come from a different direction.

In the original story, it had only been briefly mentioned that suspicious individuals were sighted, with their identities remaining vague.

To uncover the truth, Doyoung needed to act.

Just as he was about to take his first step, a commotion erupted nearby.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, uh, apparently some group barged in all of a sudden…”

“What group?”

“No idea. They’re claiming to be a dungeon ecology research organization.”

Hearing the murmurs from the situation room, Doyoung’s expression shifted.

‘They’ve arrived.’

A group of people emerged from the shadows of a lamplit alley.

Doyoung’s lips curled into a wry smile as he recognized their attire.

‘Dungeon ecology researchers, my foot. They’re just terrorists.’

Indeed, the group masquerading as a non-profit research organization was none other than the perpetrators of a notorious act of terror during the “Hunters’ Night.”

Doyoung had first encountered them during an expedition to the Ushuaia Dungeon in Argentina at the government’s request.

Back then, they had approached under the guise of a global guild, requesting permission to research the dungeon post-clearance.

‘They certainly played their roles well.’

Initially, they posed as enthusiastic researchers, engaging his subordinates with curious questions.

They even let slip that they were delegates from Korea.

Doyoung remembered the glint in their eyes at that moment.

Shortly after, news of their arrival in Korea reached him.

‘And then they started sniffing around Antithesis.’

Doyoung immediately ordered an investigation, and soon enough, the truth came to light.

The so-called dungeon research institute was a terrorist organization that consumed other criminal groups to expand its influence—a pack of hyenas.

‘The most frustrating part is that they use the power they’ve amassed to destabilize other nations.’

Several regions had already fallen victim to them.

Allowing them free rein in Korea was out of the question.

That’s why he had set up a plan to use them for his benefit and then force their retreat.

‘Persistent bastards. They’ve followed me all the way here.’

Perhaps he should have crushed them outright when the opportunity arose.

Leaving them be had been a mistake.

‘If left alone, they’ll likely attempt to enter the dungeon recklessly. That can’t happen.’

Especially since the dungeon’s rank was likely to be upgraded soon.

Letting such chaos-seekers tamper with it was unthinkable.

Moreover, Doyoung knew exactly how these people would act from this point onward.

In this world, he might be the only one with such foreknowledge.

‘The most infuriating thing is their tendency to exploit my subordinates like a pot of broth.’

This incident wasn’t even supposed to happen yet.

In the original timeline, it was meant to occur after Beom Sinje acquired the greatsword Levatein.

‘The timing is slightly off.’

It was likely a side effect of his interference in this world, altering the original narrative.

One of the biggest changes was how Antithesis had evolved from a mere villain group seeking vengeance on the world to a faction actively opposing corrupt governments and solidifying hunters’ positions globally.

‘And, of course, my very existence deviates from the original.’

Who knew how many variables would emerge or how different the story would become?

Doyoung decided it was time to actively intervene in the events surrounding Beom Sinje.

Moreover, it wouldn’t hurt to start moving for the sake of clearing his former subordinates’ names.

“Well, we don’t have time to deal with you right now. Come back with proper authorization.”

An official spoke curtly to the intruders, visibly irritated by their pushiness.

However, the group seemed unwilling to back down, continuing their arguments.

The official’s expression soured, and the atmosphere grew tense.

Government-affiliated hunters began to keep a close eye on the situation, ready to protect the official if necessary.

“Secretary!”

As Doyoung observed the scene with interest, a voice called out to him from the dungeon entrance.

Emerging from within was Song Jihee, one of the specialized hunters.

“Hunter Song Jihee. Did you discover something unusual?”

“You guessed it.”

That much was obvious, but Doyoung waited silently for her to elaborate.

“You’re right. It’s suspected to be the same type as the dungeon from Haengbok-ri. If we clear all the current monsters, there’s a 100% chance of an advanced mutation.”

“Do you think flying monsters will dominate the scene?”

“Really? That’s correct, too. Wow, Secretary, you really know your stuff! What were you doing before this to know so much?”

How would he know? He’s seen it before, of course.

* * *