* * *
“….”
Cha Taeyang didn’t answer my question. He only scanned the surroundings with a serious expression.
“Mr. Cha Taeyang.”
“Wait.”
He raised a hand, as if to say, quiet, wait.
He must have his own thoughts about the situation.
But time was pressing.
I was growing more desperate.
‘What do I do…’
I’d been acting like I knew what I was doing this whole time—being stubborn, pretending I had answers—but in truth, there was very little I could accomplish alone.
Even Cha Taeyang, a veteran Hunter, had flatly said he couldn’t take that monster down by himself.
My chances of defeating it alone were slim to none.
And saving people while fighting it?
Hopeless.
I could only pray that if I drew its attention, the others would run.
But some had been so paralyzed by fear that they couldn’t even try to flee—they just died.
And if something else went wrong… I couldn’t do this on my own.
I needed someone to take charge.
I needed Cha Taeyang’s help.
Unable to hold back, I called to him again.
“Mr. Cha Taeyang, I’ll draw its attention. Please lead the others to safety.”
Cha Taeyang finally looked at me.
“Why would you draw its attention? If anyone does it, I will.”
So he was willing to help.
That eased my mind a little.
And there was life in his eyes again.
For someone who asked me if I had a death wish, he didn’t seem the type to just run away.
His eyes burned with a Hunter’s resolve—a clear refusal to lose to that thing.
Even in this terrifying situation, he was so reliable that I almost smiled. I covered my mouth and spoke.
“This is more efficient. Someone like me—with no license—won’t be taken seriously if I tell them to move.”
It might only make them more suspicious.
They could think I had some hidden agenda.
I wasn’t good at talking to people, either—I couldn’t convince anyone to trust me.
But if Cha Taeyang told them, they’d follow, even if they didn’t want to.
That’d be safer.
Plus, unlike Cha Taeyang who was a close-combat specialist, I could use my abilities from a distance.
I was better suited to drawing its attention from afar—and if I could land a big hit, even better.
I thought it was a pretty rational plan.
But even after I explained it, Cha Taeyang still looked reluctant.
“Even so… how can I let you do something so dangerous…”
“I’ll be fine. Will you cooperate?”
“…Tch. Fine. I will.”
“Then right now.”
Just as I was about to move toward the monster and said, ‘Let’s go,’ Cha Taeyang grabbed my wrist and yanked me back.
“Jehee. Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Strategy time. That thing’s not the type you can charge in at. Even a rough plan’s better than none.”
“But—”
“We can waste time arguing about when to move, or we can come up with a plan now. If we mess up our movements, you, me, and everyone here dies.”
I bit my lip hard.
Even now, the creature was slamming its tail down, sticking its head out, toying with its prey.
I was nervous—my heart felt like it might explode—but that’s exactly why I had to listen.
Rationally, everything he was saying was right.
“I’ll follow this corridor straight ahead, pick up the closest survivors, and lead them out. You…”
Back when we were just chatting, Cha Taeyang had seemed temperamental, selfish, and unreliable.
But now, in this crisis, I saw him differently—as a true Hunter.
I finally understood why, back at the gate with the old man, the ‘Taeyang’ guild members had sought his advice before entering, even after exiting the gate.
He had already mapped the entire area in his head, knew how he would move, how I should lure the creature, which direction to go, and even how to best utilize my ability in combat.
He laid it all out quickly and precisely.
The sheer amount of information he poured out in that short moment made my head spin—but I tried not to miss a single word.
Our lives were on the line—mine, Cha Taeyang’s, and the others’.
“That’s the plan. The rest is up to us.”
“Yes. I’ll do my best.”
Just as I felt I couldn’t absorb any more, thankfully, he wrapped up the briefing.
I took a moment to calmly sort everything out in my head, but then noticed Cha Taeyang watching me quietly.
“But you know… I’d say our odds of winning this fight are under 10%. Honestly, hiding in here gives us a much better chance of surviving.”
“If that’s what you’re bringing up—then we’re done talking. Strategy time is over. Let’s go.”
“…Hah. You really are something. Freaking rookie…”
A rough voice burst out, and for a moment I wondered if I’d made a mistake out of impatience—but instead, Cha Taeyang’s expression was bright.
He looked at me like I was a praiseworthy younger brother.
His large hand gently brushed aside my disheveled bangs.
“Alright, let’s go. Hang in there. I’ll finish as fast as I can and come help you.”
“Yes. I’m counting on you.”
At last, I could move again.
I pictured the route Cha Taeyang had described and took a deep breath.
The air, thick with stone dust and the dungeon’s signature unsettling energy, did nothing to clear my head—but at least my mind was ready.
- Thud!
Using the monster slamming its tail on the ground as a signal, both Taeyang and I launched ourselves into action.
I had stepped forward with confidence—bordering on arrogance—toward the monster, but my speed was painfully lacking.
- Boom, thud! Boom!
The constant quaking of the ground made it difficult to even take a step.
Keeping balance was a struggle.
I had to concentrate several times harder than just walking—no, dozens of times harder.
Still, I pushed forward toward the monster.
Then suddenly, a gust brushed past my cheek.
It was Cha Taeyang.
‘He’s fast…!’
He shot forward like he was flying.
With just a few strides, he was nearly out of the tunnel we had entered.
I couldn’t afford to hesitate anymore.
At this rate, Taeyang would draw the monster’s attention first.
I couldn’t ask him to slow down for me, either.
Every second mattered.
‘I can do this.’
I pulled my hand off the wall, tightened my legs, and dashed forward.
My rehab training had only gone as far as walking.
Running—especially at full speed—was something I wasn’t used to yet.
More often than not, I ended up falling rather than stopping properly.
Worse yet, the ground continued to tremble from the monster’s tail, and my legs were already worn out from all the activity earlier.
But maybe it was all just a matter of willpower.
I could run.
Not as fast or steady as Taeyang, but I reached the red line wrapping around the monster’s body just in time.
- THUD!
The moment Taeyang burst from the tunnel into the open area—the same spot where we had fallen—the monster reacted.
Almost as soon as his feet hit the ground, its tail slammed down.
The vibration was so intense it made my ears ring.
Even Taeyang, who had always seemed unshakable, was knocked to the ground.
I worried he might be hurt, but he immediately pushed himself up.
‘Now!’
For his effort to bear fruit, I had to act.
If we had to strike, now was the time—while the monster was distracted by Taeyang, I had to hit it and draw its attention toward me.
I reached for the red line coiled around its rightmost head.
Grabbing it with both hands, I pulled hard—at the same time, the air tore open.
- KIIIIEEK!
I wanted to rip it apart in one go and deal a fatal blow, but—I felt something catch.
Before I could fully tear the line, the monster twisted its body away.
The red line didn’t claim its life.
Though it was my strongest weapon, it only managed to strip a few of its scales.
The wound wasn’t even deep.
My fingertips trembled.
From reflexes to sheer physical durability, this thing was on another level compared to the monsters I’d faced in the hospital.
According to Han Jihye, those were all B-grade or higher—one even A-grade.
They were formidable. But this thing wasn’t in the same league.
Of course, I’d heard that boss-level monsters were dozens, even hundreds of times stronger than regular ones, but I hadn’t expected this kind of difference.
“Over here! Look at me!”
It was too powerful. We might not be able to win. I couldn’t beat it head-on by myself.
I was almost certain of that.
But that didn’t mean I could retreat now.
Taeyang’s plan had included me as an essential part.
The die had already been cast.
Six lives hung on this plan—there was no room for failure on my end.
All I could do was focus.
I had to keep its eyes and attention on me for as long as I could.
Thankfully, Taeyang, as he moved the others to safety, also brought the nearby lights up onto the ledge.
He even adjusted the angle, brightening the area significantly.
Just not feeling trapped in darkness lifted a huge burden from my mind.
My thoughts cleared. I could see the flaw in my approach.
‘I’m not strong enough.’
If the space I wanted to open was clear, the line would cut easily.
But if anything obstructed it, it turned into a contest of force.
The red lines had cracks, which helped a little—but there was a clear limit.
The monster’s hide was too tough.
I got caught every time, and that tiny delay let it dodge.
At this rate, I wouldn’t even be able to scratch it.
‘…I’m bleeding.’
On top of that, the strain from that tug-of-war had left my hands soaked in blood.
If this kept up, I’d fall apart before I could do any damage.
My mouth was dry with tension.
‘What should I do?’
How could I fight this thing?
The red line was my only weapon—but if it could be brushed aside this easily…
“Ah.”
I realized it mid-sprint, while trying to lure the monster away from Cha Taeyang.
I wasn’t unarmed.
I did have one more weapon.
Without stopping, I reached for my waist.
My hand quickly found something solid.
A sword.
The weapon Han Jihye had given me before we came here.
* * *
