You Will Be Blessed If You Do Good Deeds¿ - Chapter 18

“Wait, could it be mistaken?”

“Does a dungeon break happen this suddenly?”

“Are they pulling a surprise prank because there are newbies here?”

The naive hopes of the rookie Hunters were quickly crushed by the loud, overwhelming sound that reverberated through the building.

Boom!

Thud, thud!

The sound of something heavy moving echoed throughout the entire building. Anyone could tell it wasn’t a noise a regular human could make. At the same time, sporadic screams erupted from different parts of the building.

“Ahhh!”

“Close the door! Quickly!”

“Let me in! Let me in first, and then close—ahhh!”

It didn’t take long for the rookie Hunters in the office to realize the grim reality reflected in those agonizing screams. Fear spread across their young faces.

“This isn’t some prank; it’s a real monster! What do we do?!”

“I don’t even have a weapon! I haven’t trained for this!”

“I’m trying to call for help, but it’s not connecting!”

“…Sorry for grabbing you so suddenly.”

Only then did I manage to free myself from Yu Hanul’s grip. My cheek hurt from being pressed against the floor, but this wasn’t the time to be complaining about that. Rubbing my cheek, I used my free hand to grab Yu Hanul’s hand and pulled myself up. I glanced around—though the fluorescent lights were out, it was still late afternoon, so there was enough light for it not to be completely dark.

“We should assess the situation first…”

“You sure are unlucky, Da-on-ssi.”

That voice, far too casual for the situation, belonged to Han Jaeyeong.

“It hasn’t even been long since Jeong Da-on got caught up in a dungeon, and now this happens again.” They took a step toward me, their face drawing so close I could feel their breath. The proximity made me frown in discomfort. Han Jaeyeong’s sharp black-and-white eyes scanned me like a persistent Cheshire cat. “What do you think?” they asked.

What do I think?

This is so damn annoying.

My mind was filled with nothing but frustration and questions. Was someone targeting me again, causing this dungeon break? Just like last time, when someone’s life was shattered to pieces? It had only been two days since I was last dragged into a dungeon. I heard that the boss’s supermarket hasn’t even been cleaned up yet because of the man’s body being torn to shreds.

Who could be behind this, and for what purpose?

It wouldn’t be surprising if someone wanted to kill me. There were plenty of reasons for that. Maybe someone simply doesn’t like the idea of a person with potential S-rank abilities emerging. Or perhaps someone out there knows about my past life and my true identity.

Both seem possible. But what intrigued me the most was something else.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just kill me directly?

Whoever has the power and wealth to stage another incident like this in just two days… why are they targeting me through a dungeon break instead of coming for me directly? I’m still just a human, restrained by the system, with only latent abilities that have yet to manifest. If I’m the target, wouldn’t it be more efficient to go after my life directly, rather than causing two dungeon breaks?

Or maybe my unknown enemy has some reason they can’t come after me themselves?

“Hunter Han Jaeyeong.” While I was lost in thought, Yu Hanul gave a brief warning, “Remember, you’re dealing with a minor.”

“Haha, why are you getting so hung up on that? She’ll be an adult in a month anyway.”

“Han Jaeyeong.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Han Jaeyeong backed off with a disappointed look. Yu Hanul silently mouthed to ask if I was okay. He probably thought my silence meant I was overwhelmed by Han Jaeyeong.

That’s not the case. I was just lost in entirely different thoughts.

Han Jaeyeong, as if nothing had happened, gave me a bright smile. “Let’s deal with what’s in front of us first.”

I agree. Han Jaeyeong covered their mouth with their hand and exaggerated a cough. “Cough, a dungeon break in the heart of Seoul, huh? This is quite the predicament.”

“Uh, Hunter Han Jaeyeong.” 

One of the rookie Hunters from the 18th batch, caught in the chaos, raised their hand and spoke to Han Jaeyeong. It felt like a student asking a question in class. Considering their age, it wasn’t far from the truth.

“It’s a dungeon break, but there are two S-rank Hunters here, right? Can’t you both take care of it?”

“Y-yeah, that’s right!”

“Shouldn’t you be able to resolve this quickly?”

“That’s not realistic,” Han Jaeyeong replied coldly.

Their voice poured cold water over the already chaotic atmosphere, making it worse. That guy—if they deem something worthless by their standards, they’re merciless. They’re the kind of person a demon would admire.

“Everyone, make a habit of checking your system messages. It could save your life.”

It seemed the rookie Hunters weren’t yet used to checking system messages, which is why they hadn’t noticed the temporary drop in their overall level.

To be honest, even I was surprised by this.

— [Warning!] Your overall level is temporarily reduced.

This message had popped up just before Yu Hanul threw me to the ground. And as that message appeared…

— Jeong Da-on (Abnormal)

— Potential rating: S-rank

— Stamina: LV. 12 (No limit)

— Strength: LV. 8 (No limit)

— Magic: LV. 18 → 1 (No limit)

— Overall level: LV. 12 → 8

— Warning! For unknown reasons, your overall level has decreased. Proceed with caution when engaging the dungeon.

“What is this? My overall level has temporarily dropped?”

“Yes, it’s because of that smoke,” Han Jaeyeong said, gesturing to the smoke seeping from under the door. Where the smoke passed, a white powder-like substance was left behind. “It’s a newly developed invention designed to incapacitate Hunters by temporarily disabling their magic circuits.”

“…Something like that exists?”

“It was invented in the U.S. by Estella, the president of the Hunter Association.”

Estella. I’d heard that name on the news before. One of the strongest mages in the world, or so they said.

Yu Hanul nodded with a grave expression. “Due to the human respiratory system, even an S-rank Hunter can’t easily block inhalation. Unless they’re wearing a gas mask in advance, the smoke quickly circulates through the lungs and spreads throughout the body.”

“Why would the president of the Hunter Association create something like this? She’s a mage herself.”

“For the greater happiness of the general population.”

What the hell? That gave me chills. As a demon, it definitely did. I rubbed my arm, but Han Jaeyeong continued explaining, “For lower-ranked Hunters, if they can’t make a living, many turn to crime. Especially in countries like the U.S. where law enforcement is weak, it’s a bigger problem. This product was created to deal with criminals with supernatural abilities. It’s certainly necessary.”

“…I get the need for it, but should something like this be floating around? An item that can easily neutralize an S-rank Hunter?”

“Of course not. In the U.S., it’s as tightly controlled as firearms and very expensive. I’d heard it hadn’t made its way to Korea yet, though…”

“Since items can now be stored in inventory slots, customs checks have essentially become meaningless. It’d be nice if we had a Hunter like Layla here to help with enforcement, but still.” Han Jaeyeong collected some of the white powder on their fingertip, placed it in a small plastic bag, and tossed it into the air. It disappeared as it was stored in their inventory. “We’ll figure out how this item ended up here later. For now, we need to deal with the current situation.”

“Um, so… what happens to us…?” one of the rookie Hunters asked in a voice filled with despair.

“There’s no need to worry too much. For S-rank Hunters, the effects typically wear off within an hour,” Yu Hanul reassured them.

Han Jaeyeong grinned. “In other words, for the next hour, neither Yu Hanul nor I will be of much use.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, they spoke with an air of lightness. Yu Hanul looked around at the anxious faces and added, “You really don’t need to be too worried. This dungeon break isn’t a Type 1 but a Type 2, meaning it’s occurring in the real world, not pulling us into the dungeon. Does anyone know what that means?”

“Oh, I do!” 

It really was turning into a lesson. One of the rookie Hunters raised their hand, ready to answer like a student in class.  “A dimensional rift causes monsters to appear in the real world if their numbers are fewer than the people in the area.”

“Correct. Seems like you’ve been studying hard.”

“A-ah, yes…”

He’d make a great teacher. As a senior, Yu Hanul adeptly managed the anxious rookie Hunters.

“And in the case of a Type 2 dungeon break, the number of monsters doesn’t increase explosively. If dealt with early, it’s often just one or two. Plus, this building has plenty of barricade options, and since the dungeon break happened in the middle of Seoul, the rescue teams will arrive quickly. We just need to hold out a little longer.”

His explanation was simple and precise. It only took Yu Hanul three minutes to assess and summarize the situation. And it wasn’t just anyone speaking—Yu Hanul, even in his temporarily weakened state, still inspired immense trust in the people of South Korea. The rookie Hunters, who had been panicking and despairing, now had a glimmer of hope on their faces.

Crash!

Kiyeeeek!

Of course, that hope was short-lived as the sound of a monster’s shriek echoed from just beyond the glass door. Something slithered, and the outside world grew darker.

“Th-the glass door looks too dangerous. Shouldn’t we cover it to block the view?”

“It’s more dangerous to stay in the dark against those monsters.”

“Do you know what kind of monster that is?”

“From the sounds and the noise, I can make an educated guess.”

Yu Hanul nodded. “It’s probably a Shadow Wraith. The name sounds childish, but it’s quite a tricky monster. It feeds on people’s despair and manifests that despair in physical forms. However, it can’t appear in well-lit areas. That’s why the noise is coming from the emergency stairwell, where the sunlight doesn’t reach. That’s likely their nest.”

“How do you know it’s the stairwell?”

“Because the sound is echoing from there,” Yu Hanul responded sharply, earning impressed looks from several rookie Hunters.

“The problem is,” Han Jaeyeong said, tapping their cheek thoughtfully, “how many people in this building, in this situation, know the characteristics of that monster and how to deal with it?”

“This building is frequently visited by Hunters, so I’d assume most can handle it. The offices are mostly lined with windows, so as long as we keep the light coming in, we should be fine.”

“The problem is the people in the dark hallways, elevators, and lobby…”

Yu Hanul was gazing through the glass door with a serious expression when suddenly—

“No!” 

A sharp scream cut through the air. It was the staff member who had helped me with my paperwork earlier, standing on the other side of the glass.

“We have to get to the second floor, now!”

Crash!

In her panic, she knocked over a pile of files on the desk, causing a loud clatter. She nearly tripped over herself as she rushed toward the glass door. The rookie Hunters, who had been calmly listening to Yu Hanul’s instructions, were startled by her frantic behavior.

“Wh-what’s going on?”

“Why is that lady acting like that?”

“Wait a moment!” Yu Hanul called out, grabbing the panicking employee by the shoulder just as she was about to bolt out the door. “You can’t leave. Even in bright areas, the monsters can still penetrate places where there are shadows…”

“There’s a daycare on the second floor—my child is there!”