Chapter 5 - 1-Star Epic Dungeon (2)

　　[Clear Condition]

　　☆ Defeat the ‘Wolf King’ located somewhere in the Gloomy Forest.

　　▷ This is an Epic-grade dungeon. Penalties will be applied.

　　1. Monsters’ level and health are increased.

　　2. One week after dungeon entry, the ‘Wolf King’ will enter ‘Frenzy’ mode if the intruder has not been eliminated.

　　That was the clear condition—the key to his exit. Before Buja could even process the details, he was met with the howl of a dungeon monster.

　　"KRAWR!"

　　A lone wolf charged from a distance, closing the gap in an instant before it leaped.

　　“Since when do wolves roar like that?” Buja grumbled, his eyes tracking every micro-movement. It was fast, but he rolled aside with practiced ease. A heavy thud echoed behind him. He’d dodged. His base stats were no better than an ordinary person’s, but the boost from his beginner’s armor set gave him just enough control to move as he intended. It was a massive help.

　　He glanced back to see the wolf, growling in frustration as it prepared to lunge again. Its massive frame and razor-sharp teeth were intimidating. Though it had missed its pounce, it was now close, confident of victory. If he was going to dodge, it had to be now.

　　But he didn’t.

　　“You missed your attack,” Buja sneered. “Now it’s my turn, you bastard.”

　　He had already coiled his body to spring forward the moment he completed his roll, making him naturally faster than the wolf’s follow-up. He kicked off the ground, and the wild scent of the beast and the sight of its exposed neck filled his senses. He could feel the heat radiating from the wolf’s panic as it belatedly tried to pull back, but he didn’t hesitate. Buja had never killed a living thing in his life, but he felt no revulsion. It wasn’t just because of the games. Any player, gamer or not, would feel the same.

　　This was the line between life and death. Kill or be killed.

　　In a dungeon, where the rules of modern society were void, humans moved on pure instinct. Thrust! And behind that instinct lay the experiences of thousands, even tens of thousands, of kills from his gaming career.

　　"Krrawr!"

　　“Yeah, that’s a more appropriate sound for you,” Buja muttered. His reverse-gripped dagger sank deep into the wolf’s nape, followed immediately by his second. The creature’s violent thrashing jolted through his whole body from the hand that held the dagger, but he refused to release it. After a long, desperate struggle, the wolf finally went still.

　　[You have acquired 1 gold.]

　　The notification confirmed his first kill. Only then did he let go of his weapons.

　　“That was tough,” he breathed. The profound fatigue from striking down a single wolf was a stark reminder that this was reality, not a game. A grin spread across his face as he wiped the sweat from his brow. It was exhausting and hot, but it was also exhilarating. Wasn’t this the very thing he’d always craved? Buja himself, not some in-game avatar, hunting and growing through his own effort.

　　“One gold per monster?” he wondered aloud, a thrill running through him. He couldn’t help but be pleased by the small reward. He now had three gold. Since he didn’t gain experience points, that was all he got, but he felt more alive than he ever had raiding a boss for an item worth millions.

　　“Let’s go!” Tearing open an energy bar from his pack, Buja began his hunt.

* * *

　　Most of the people waiting outside the Epic dungeon were either reporters or scouts from various guilds. A few were brokers hoping to purchase high-end items, but the majority were there for the player named Buja. As such, their conversations revolved around one topic: his Class.

　　“A solo clear? Must be an attack-type Unique. Maybe Special?”

　　“Could be a defense type. For a one-star, you can clear up to Unique pretty easily if your defense is solid.”

　　“That’s only if you’re decked out with defense over 20. With that much armor, even a Normal class could survive a Unique dungeon.”

　　“True, but this is a solo clear, and his armor looked flimsy. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

　　Seora was thinking along the same lines, only she had access to more professional intelligence than the gossiping crowd.

　　“He was running a gaming channel until just two days ago,” one of her staff reported. “His character name was Buja. It seems his real name is the same.”

　　“Buja?” Seora repeated, a flicker of recognition in her eyes.

　　“Yes.”

　　The familiar name, mentioned in the report about the player who had just entered the dungeon, made her press further. “By any chance, was he a player of The Real World about five years ago?”

　　The name was etched deep in her memory. The staff member tapped on a tablet, quickly confirming her suspicion. “Yes, there’s a record of him playing The Real World five years ago. He started his video channel after becoming the first person to clear the Balrog raid. Something even the top rankers at the time couldn’t manage.”

　　“It’s really that Kim Buja?” Seora exclaimed, a shocked laugh escaping her. She pulled out her phone, scrolling through her few bookmarked channels. She hadn’t checked his channel in ages, preoccupied with dungeon training and guild matters. Now, she saw a few new videos and a final community post.

　　For real?

　　The anticipation in her eyes intensified fivefold. She was one of Buja’s last remaining fans. Five years ago, she had been a gamer herself. She had watched in awe as he confidently defeated the man who had been her idol, then proceeded to solo the supposedly unconquerable Balrog. Even after her own awakening, she had continued to follow his career.

　　“I absolutely have to bring him to our guild,” she declared, her voice firm. After muttering “I have to” three times under her breath, she spread a mat on the ground and sat. The playful demeanor she’d shown with her father was gone and was replaced by a steely resolve. It was this determination that had allowed her to pluck a true pearl from a sea of competitors and build her small, elite guild into one of the top three in South Korea.

　　“Get me a list of all the one-star and two-star Epic or higher dungeons we own,” she commanded.

　　“Yes, ma’am.”

　　Originally, she had come just to get a look at him and make a reasonable offer if he succeeded. Considering players’ levels was important, but the right party composition of Unique-class players or higher could often have a far greater impact on combat power. But the moment she realized it was the Buja she knew, everything changed.

　　“I don’t care if he’s a Normal class,” she said, her voice low and resolute. “I’m not leaving until I get his thumbprint on a contract.” She tied back her shimmering hair and, with a decisive tug, undid a button on her blouse, which seemed strained against her chest. “When do you think he’ll be out?”

　　“Assuming he can handle the boss, a minimum of three days,” her subordinate replied. “I can assign staff to wait, so you can go rest.”

　　“No. I have to be here myself. And it could be faster than that. Request a camper van. And a blank contract.”

　　“Right away.”

　　An indefinite wait began. A beautiful smile graced Seora’s lips as she imagined meeting him again, here in a dungeon, after five long years.

* * *

　　3.

　　Three days. That was the average time calculated by the strategy analysis teams, assuming a player possessed sufficient power to clear a one-star Epic dungeon. The calculation included time to clear the mobs surrounding the boss, a brief window for recovery, and the final battle itself. Of course, this was based on an ideal scenario with ample power. The actual clear time was almost always longer. It was absurd to even apply the standards of an average player to a solo Epic attempt, and if asked whether that time could be shortened, any analyst would have shaken their head.

　　This very debate had raged in player forums for years: the optimal route and strategy for any given dungeon.

　　—Wouldn’t it be faster to just find the boss and kill it immediately?

　　This wasn’t just idle theory. It was a constant effort by players to find safer, faster ways to clear the dungeons they had to face. But true innovation, the kind that redefined the trends, was rare.

　　—By that logic, you could just waltz in, never get hit, and complete the clear condition. Easy. Lol. You could probably clear a Legendary dungeon that way.

　　There was an insurmountable wall between optimization and reality. There was a reason countless players had tried and failed for five years.

　　—If you got lucky and ran into a lone boss right at the entrance, and killed it before it could summon help, maybe you could clear it in a day. But a player that strong would be so over-geared for the dungeon that it’s not even a fair comparison.

　　And sometimes, that wall is shattered with absurd ease.

* * *

　　Thrust—

　　"Grrrroar!"

　　“What is this?” Buja muttered to himself. He’d just been wandering aimlessly. He had no desire for a speed run. His plan was to pick off lone wolves to farm gold before tackling the boss. If given the chance to face the Wolf King now, he would have been the one to refuse. “Killing this thing won’t suddenly kick me out, will it?”

　　For him, this Epic dungeon was both his grand debut and a prime gold-farming spot. Of course, that didn’t mean he would take the boss fight lightly or try to avoid it.

　　"Grrrowl!"

　　He’s definitely fast. Buja was always one to give his all, just as he had in his battles against the Demon King. Pshnk!

　　It was impossible to kill it in one shot like the first wolf. The Wolf King, its level and health boosted by the Epic dungeon penalty, was a true boss monster. His daggers, which had sunk into the regular wolves’ hides like jelly, now only managed to leave shallow scratches on its toughened skin. Its movements were so agile he almost lost track of it, and the force of its blows sent a jarring shock up his arm.

　　A boss was a boss. It forced him to go all out. And when you go all out, you have to abandon any thought of self-preservation. Even with only one life to lose.

　　"Rrrawr!"

　　He watched the enraged Wolf King’s final charge, waiting until the last possible second. He took the full force of its pounce on his shoulder, using the impact to drive his dagger deep into its nape, the vital spot he had relentlessly targeted. Shnk!

　　"Kegh."

　　The Wolf King was twice the size of a normal wolf. There was no way Buja’s body, with only a few extra stat points, could absorb that kind of momentum. He was sent tumbling across the ground, locked together with the beast. Even as they rolled, he refused to let go of his dagger.

　　“Die, you bastard!” he roared.

　　Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, but in the end, Buja was the victor.

　　[You have acquired 10 gold.]

　　[You have completed the Achievement: First Experience! (E).]

　　[The Achievement system is now unsealed.]

　　[You have completed the Achievement: An Achievement for an Achievement!]

　　[You have acquired 10 gold.]

　　[You have acquired 5 gold.]

　　[☆ Clear Condition has been fulfilled.]

　　[The dungeon will be cleared.]

　　[You have completed the Achievement: Plucking a Star.]

　　[You have acquired 3 gold.]

　　[You have acquired ★(E).]

　　[The ‘Constellation’ system is currently sealed.]

　　The messages were his guarantee that the Wolf King was dead. Buja collapsed beside its massive corpse. "Haah…"

　　He fumbled in his pack for an energy bar and water, waving a dismissive hand at the floating holograms. All he wanted right now was to rest.

　　“I just need… three hours,” he panted, his voice filled with an unwavering will that defied the situation.

　　[In 3 hours, all monsters inside the dungeon will disappear.]

　　[In 24 hours, the dungeon will be permanently closed.]

　　The final system messages materialized before his eyes.

　　“Damn it.”

　　Shoving the rest of the energy bar into his mouth, Buja gripped his daggers and staggered back to his feet.

　　"Awooooooo!"

　　"Awoooo!"

　　An echo of mournful cries answered from deep within the forest as the pack sensed the death of its leader.

　　"Awooo! Give me more time! My gold!” Buja’s groan joined their chorus of cries.

* * *