Chapter 15

Late Night, Dorm Room

I spent hours devouring the materials sent by Lee Rasol.

What I learned was heavy.

I rubbed my fatigue-soaked eyelids and sighed.

“Those cultist bastards…”

The ones who incited Berserkers like Demian around the world into uncontrollable frenzies were evil god worshippers.

They had been conducting extensive research and experiments with that data.

Their next target was Kang Han, and their upcoming act of terror would involve “Malice”—a drug synthesized from all the experiments and studies they’d conducted thus far.

Every detail was a shock, but one keyword stood out distinctly.

I pronounced it deliberately.

“Malice.”

Malice is a liquid containing bio-compatible magic particles, injectable via needle or open wounds.

Upon direct mixing with blood, it rapidly spreads through the body via the nervous and circulatory systems.

Within 1–3 seconds post-injection: rapid heart rate increase, heightened breathing, and muscle tension.

The “rampage precursor” phenomenon (vascular dilation, rapid body temperature rise, etc.) is immediately accelerated.

Stimulates the brainstem and limbic system, drastically enhancing aggression and adrenaline secretion.

Inhibits prefrontal cortex function responsible for emotional regulation, accelerating the onset of “madness.”

High-concentration magic particles in the bloodstream stimulate muscle fiber membranes, triggering explosive muscle strength and overactivation within a short period.

“Malice” was the horrific culmination of experiments performed after capturing Berserkers worldwide for research.

An extraordinary drug, indeed.

But that wasn’t all.

The document meticulously compiled by the cultists had a chilling highlight:

[Branding Formation]

The magical curse within the drug etches impure energy onto the skin.

Visibly appears as irregular, dark red patterns spreading abnormally.

These act as conduits for the sect’s “control magic.”

The more a Berserker goes on a rampage and releases mana, the faster the brand propagates.

Once fully formed, the subject prioritizes the “doctrine” in their actions.

The dimly lit room was bathed in soft light from a single multicolored lamp.

The glass window, smudged with yellowish glow, faintly reflected my face—utterly grim.

How could I convey this to the instructors and the Academy?

Even knowing the truth, I couldn’t ask for help.

The moment a mere cadet recklessly handed over such information to instructors or associations, it wouldn’t just expose the illegal means by which the data was obtained.

Worse, it could lead to questions about the source.

“In the worst case, I could be suspected of being one of them.”

Moreover, I couldn’t risk harming Lee Rasol, my ally.

Officially raising this issue wasn’t feasible.

The overwhelming sense of helplessness from having no solutions consumed me.

“Haa…”

Malice was undoubtedly a trial Kang Han couldn’t overcome alone.

Someone had to carry that burden for him.

And that someone…

It had to be me.

11th Day of Training.

A Day of Rest, and a Hidden Dungeon

After enduring yet another grueling schedule, we finally got a rare break.

Inspector Han Se-ah had returned to the Hunter Association for a mid-term report, leaving us with unexpected free time.

Taking advantage of the absence, we claimed the lounge for some much-needed relaxation.

Jin Mugyeol was engrossed in mobile games with Kim La-ra, while Kwak Dohyeong passionately explained a business idea to Kim Jinsu.

Wi Seoyeon stuck close to me, watching my every move, and Kang Han sat comfortably on the sofa, reading a book.

It was the perfect time to drop a bombshell.

With the intent of stirring the calm waters, I broke the silence.

“Hey, guys. How about we do something… rebellious?”

As soon as the words left my lips, the room fell into a stunned silence.

The six of them exchanged puzzled looks until Jin Mugyeol finally reacted.

“Rebellious? That’s kind of my specialty. What, you wanna sneak out for a smoke or something?”

“If it were that lame, I wouldn’t have brought it up.”

Everything needs a proper sequence.

Having tossed the first pebble into the pond, I now hurled a boulder.

“I know of a hidden dungeon in the Academy.”

I had forgotten about its existence until the recent threats to Kang Han arose, making it necessary to find a hidden piece within the Academy.

It was an item awarded for clearing the dungeon and required at least five participants to enter.

Luckily, I had just enough capable allies at my disposal.

My suggestion was met with varied reactions—mostly disbelief.

I couldn’t blame them.

Who would suspect a dungeon to exist within such a pristine Academy?

Ignoring their stunned faces, I chuckled and stood up.

“Whether I’m lying or not, you’ll find out if you come. But don’t be late, or you’ll miss out.”

I headed straight to the Simulation Room.

Even on rest days, the room was always open for cadets who wanted extra training.

As I briskly walked down the hallway, Kang Han was the first to catch up.

“A dungeon? What are you talking about?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t believe me.”

“No, I mean, it’s just… obviously…”

While Kang Han struggled to form a coherent response, we arrived at the Simulation Room.

By then, the rest of the group had followed us, their curiosity piqued.

“Grab whatever equipment you need. I’ll set up the Simulation Room,” I instructed.

While the others hesitantly headed to the equipment room,

I walked to the briefing room and approached the terminal for inputting the Simulation Room’s coordinates.

“Let’s see… The code from the game should be…”

Pressing the keys, I entered a sequence etched in my memory.

As expected, the screen blinked red and displayed the message: Coordinates Not Found.

This was no surprise.

The coordinates I had entered pointed to a non-existent location.

However, instead of failing to activate, the Simulation Room began to hum with power.

Woooom!

The interior of the Simulation Room started constructing the “non-existent space.”

The screen in the briefing room went black, unable to display the area.

I swallowed hard, staring at the blank screen.

“It’s ready.”

The entrance to the hidden dungeon had appeared.

Returning to the group, I was met by a flustered Kang Han.

“Lee Dam-ah, what’s happening with the Simulation Room—”

“Yeah, that was me. Let’s go in!”

No room for debate. Grabbing Kang Han’s arm, I pulled him into the Simulation Room.

“Lee Dam-ah?!”

“Wait, hold on!”

Panicked voices called after me, but I paid them no mind. I had taken the first leap into the unknown.

As expected, I had no doubt that everyone would follow me in the end.

When the hidden entrance to the Simulation Room opened, we were greeted by a chill, dry air.

Even Jin Mugyeol, who always claimed to run hot and wore short sleeves year-round, shivered at the sudden cold breeze.

“W-What is this place?”

“F-6.”

“What?”

The one who immediately reacted was Wi Seoyeon.

Being a frequent user of the Simulation Room, she was quick to spot the inconsistency in my words.

“Joo-Yidam, you do know the Simulation Room only goes up to E-13, right?”

“Yep.”

The corridor was filled with an eerie darkness.

Old mechanical wiring snaked along the walls, interspersed with corroded metal debris frozen in time.

Half-destroyed machinery lay scattered, faint traces of magic glimmering on their surfaces.

The floor was littered with shards of metal and broken glass, making each step a cautious one.

The ceiling hung low, tangled with cobweb-like pipes and frayed electrical wires that dangled precariously.

Hiss.

Pshhh.

Some pipes released faint streams of vapor, casting ghostly shadows in the dim, stale air.

A sinister red light blinked ominously in the distance, like an emergency beacon.

Wi Seoyeon, momentarily overwhelmed by the atmosphere, managed to stammer out a question.

“Are you saying… we’ve entered a space that doesn’t exist?”

“Spot-on analysis.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“Not at all.”

I pushed through the darkness, leading the way.

This was the Simulation Room, F-6.

According to the game’s lore, this place had once been a research facility studying dimensional anomalies long before the Academy was established.

But one day, a dimensional explosion erased it from reality entirely—or so the story went.

In short, this was a ghostly remnant of a dimension anchored to the Simulation Room.

I had no intention of clearing such a troublesome dungeon under normal circumstances.

But with the cultists targeting Kang Han, the situation had changed.

A critical hidden piece—one we urgently needed—was buried here.

It was a unique artifact called The Promised Ruin.

A pair of rings that allowed one wearer to transfer any curse they suffered to the other.

There was no way I would let those evil god worshippers turn Kang Han into a powerful slave by injecting him with Malice.

Not while I was alive.

If it came to it, I’d rather become a servant of that cursed god myself.

And so, we pressed forward into the haunted, forbidden depths of F-6.