* * *

As Doyoung basked in his bittersweet reminiscence, the guild leader, Beom Sinje, had already calmed the chaos.

Teams were being restructured, and discussions with government hunters about entering the dungeon were underway.

“Proceed with reconnaissance immediately. Our priority is to assess how the monsters’ ecology has changed.”

“Understood. We’ve informed the higher-ups and will begin as soon as we receive approval.”

“We’ll send additional members from our guild as backup.”

“Got it.”

The process seemed efficient, but things stalled due to bureaucratic delays.

The official responsible for granting re-entry permissions was dragging his feet, leaving everyone waiting in frustration.

“What’s the holdup?!”

The short-tempered Yeo Giwon, usually calm-looking but prone to fiery outbursts, couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Apologies. We’ve sent another request. Please wait a moment—”

“Damn it! If this overflows, will you take responsibility? How many requests do we have to submit?!”

Giwon’s colorful language left the government official pale and questioning his life choices.

‘Poor guy. It’s not even his fault.’

Doyoung glanced at the official briefly before shifting his gaze to Beom Sinje, who, despite the tension, remained composed and methodical.

‘This is why a protagonist always stays calm, cool, and collected.’

Adding to his air of charisma, Beom Sinje carried on his back the greatsword Doyoung had given him, embodying the epitome of South Korea’s elite hunters.

But there was no time for admiration. Slipping away to a quiet spot, Doyoung made a call.

[It’s because Chief Park keeps delaying it.]

Hearing the response, his eyes narrowed sharply.

“This bastard thinks he’s funny.”

It was obvious.

This was a ploy to inconvenience Chunho Guild.

But how could someone play games like this with an S-rank dungeon?

‘I expected trouble, but this?’

His neck stiffened with tension, and his fingers pressed hard against it.

His glare turned icy.

‘If that’s how you want to play, I have my ways too.’

With a sly smile, Doyoung’s fingers danced across his phone screen.

◇◆◇◆◇

“Approval granted! We’re starting reconnaissance immediately!”

The government hunter, who looked like he had aged ten years thanks to Giwon, finally delivered the news.

Without wasting a second, a team deployed reconnaissance robots into the dungeon.

As they waited for the results, more good news came.

“ATE Pharmaceuticals sent recovery potions and enhancement boosters.”

The guild members cheered as the supplies arrived, brought in by the additional team members.

“This is amazing!”

“ATE’s support is on another level.”

Excitement surged among the guild members, eager to dive back into the dungeon.

Not long after, the reconnaissance concluded.

“The terrain remains unchanged, and the monsters’ distribution is consistent.

However, their stats appear significantly enhanced.”

The government hunter reported directly to Beom Sinje, bypassing his higher-ups, since the guild would handle the strategy anyway.

“What about the boss monster?”

“Unlocated. It’s either hiding or hasn’t appeared yet.”

“Troublesome.”

Listening to the exchange, Giwon clicked his tongue in frustration.

“If it’s a condition-clear dungeon, we might have to kill every monster to finish it.”

Despite the daunting possibility, the guild members’ eyes burned with determination.

“Whatever it takes, let’s go, Guild Master!”

“Exactly!”

Their enthusiasm was infectious, and Beom Sinje nodded firmly.

“We’re moving in!”

As the guild members charged into the dungeon, Doyoung couldn’t help but shake his head.

‘They look like kids on a field trip.’

His gaze accidentally met Beom Sinje’s mid-motion, and he could practically hear what the leader was thinking.

‘What?’

Beom Sinje’s sharp glance seemed to chastise him, but Doyoung only tilted his head defiantly.

“You should head back, Secretary. We won’t clear this by today anyway.”

Beom Sinje’s words were polite but firm.

“I’ll handle it, Guild Master.”

Doyoung’s tone was far less deferential.

The hunters stationed at the dungeon entrance tactfully ignored their exchange, while the government officials exchanged awkward glances.

In the end, as always, Doyoung relented.

“Fine. I’ll watch you all head in and then leave.”

Satisfied, Beom Sinje disappeared into the gaping maw of the dungeon.

Sigh.

“Why does he act like he’s my dad, scolding me like a rebellious kid?”

Grumbling, Doyoung couldn’t help but feel that his defiance only made things worse.

“Excuse me.”

As Doyoung grumbled internally and began searching for a nearby hotel, a voice calling out to him interrupted his thoughts.

Turning around, he spotted a young hunter who barely looked twenty, standing hesitantly.

“Are you talking to me?”

Doyoung, with an expression that practically screamed ‘what is this now’, stopped the approaching Chunho Guild member and asked.

“Yes, uh… I heard from one of the seniors that you handed out Power Energy Drinks from ATE Pharmaceuticals earlier. Could I, um, have a bottle too…?”

Doyoung took a moment to observe the young hunter who had spoken to him.

With a buzz cut, hesitant lips, and nervous eyes, he looked every bit like a rookie who had just awakened.

Still, considering how he had been part of the earlier exploration, he must be a skilled hunter.

‘So he approached me just for this?’

Doyoung’s gaze shifted to the other government-affiliated hunters nearby.

Some of them immediately avoided his eyes, pretending not to have noticed.

“Ah, sure. But I’ve already handed out everything I had on me. The rest is in the car. Would you mind waiting a moment? I’ll grab one for you.”

“Really? Thank you!”

The rookie hunter’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“Just one bottle, right?”

When Doyoung tested the waters with the question, the shoulders of the government-affiliated hunters subtly stiffened.

“Oh, are there more?”

Doyoung couldn’t help but chuckle at the rookie’s naive expression.

It reminded him of the first time he met Yeo Giwon.

‘That kid had the exact same look on his face when I went to pick him up.’

He could vividly recall Yeo Giwon’s hopeful, unquestioning gaze as he asked if Doyoung had really come for him.

In contrast, Beom Shinjae, who had been the same age, had treated him with an almost unsettling level of maturity.

“How many do you need?”

“Uh…”

When asked to specify a number, the rookie hunter’s gaze naturally shifted toward his seniors.

Doyoung followed his gaze back to them.

If they had sharp enough hearing, they’d have caught the entire conversation.

‘Well, they’ll probably speak up now.’

And sure enough, one of the government-affiliated hunters who had been part of the exploration with the rookie raised four fingers subtly.

“They’re in the car. Follow me.”

* * *