Chapter 26: Awakening Dungeon (5)

Just because it’s called Cerberus doesn’t mean its name is Cerberus. 

At my question, the Cerberus bared its fangs and gave a sinister smile. 

“Listen well, my name is Ker!” 

It really just took the first syllable of Cerberus. 

“Wow… Nice name… By the way, how do I hide and take you with me?” 

I couldn’t just walk around with Ker like this. 

People would obviously freak out, thinking it’s a monster. I absolutely didn’t want to end up on the front page of the news for discovering a talking monster. 

Thinking it was a decent plan, I tried to stuff Ker into my clothes. 

Ker, horrified, recoiled. 

“W-Wait a second!” 

It pressed its front paws against the back of my hand, and its form began to vanish. 

‘Gone?’

It didn’t seem like invisibility magic. 

No matter how much I looked around, Ker was nowhere to be seen. 

-How’s that?

Ker’s voice echoed in my mind. 

It felt like an echo in a cave, making me flinch involuntarily. 

-I’m inside your body. We can even talk in your head! 

So… it’s inside my body right now!? 

The thought of another creature living in me like a parasite gave me chills. 

-I’m going to rest here to recover my strength, so don’t bother me unless it’s important.

It’s my body, and it’s treating it like its own home. 

Still, with Ker hidden like this, I should be able to leave without issue. 

It might actually be more convenient than carrying it around. 

[You have achieved an impossible feat.]

“Argh! Give me a heads-up before popping in!” 

As I tried to stand, the sudden system window made me fall on my butt. 

Rubbing my sore lower body, I got up. 

[You have gained a large amount of experience points.]

[Your level has increased.]

[You have received rewards.]

Oh! Maybe because I made Cerberus my summon, my level shot up significantly. 

This earned me growth points. 

And the real reward was still to come. 

[You have acquired the S-class skill ‘Flame Emperor of Hell.’] 

[You have acquired the A-class skill ‘Random Box.’]

I couldn’t hide my excitement. 

I never imagined I’d gain another S-class skill in my lifetime. 

An A-class skill was a bonus. 

Considering I nearly died, they had to give me this much. 

What kind of skills are these? 

With a pounding heart, I opened the skill window. 

[Skill: Flame Emperor of Hell]

[Grade: S]

[Effect: For a short time, you can borrow some of the stats and abilities of the Flame Emperor, the lord of Hell.] 

[Note: Can only be activated when fighting alongside the gatekeeper of Hell, ‘Cerberus.’]

[Skill: Random Box]

[Grade: A]

[Effect: Depending on the Lucky Box number, you can temporarily boost some stats.] 

[Note: Can only be used on individuals who are still growing.] 

What the heck! 

I slammed the ground, holding back tears. 

They looked like great skills, but I could only use them with Cerberus in combat. 

With Ker in its weakened pup form, fighting together was impossible. 

And whether Ker would even fight with me was questionable. 

In short, this was a useless burden for now. 

Random Box was also unusable for me. 

It could only be used on growing individuals—basically, just the kids. 

At this point, I seriously wondered if the system hated me. 

‘Better than nothing, I guess…’

I closed the skill window dejectedly. 

Ugh! The Minotaur’s corpse is still here. 

The stench was so bad it made my head spin just being near it. 

“It said the dungeon was cleared, so I should be able to get out soon.” 

As I turned to head back to where the kids were, I noticed something. 

Did something just sparkle near the altar? 

It wasn’t my imagination. 

A transparent blue gem, free of any impurities, caught my eye. 

Its luster, like crystallized mermaid tears, drew my gaze. 

It was a ring attached to a gray band. 

“What’s this?” 

As I touched the ring, a blue light enveloped the surroundings. 

The light danced and shimmered around me. 

It was like a beautiful gypsy dancing under the sunset. 

There was no time to be startled or amazed. 

The beauty etched into my retinas had already captivated me. 

+++ 

Name: Ring of ■■■ 

Grade: ??? 

Description: ??? 

+++ 

No way, an artifact!? 

The item description confirmed it was an artifact. 

But… why is the description all question marks? 

The beautiful light that had been swirling around soon scattered like sand. 

I don’t know what it is, but I should take it. 

A masterless artifact belongs to the finder, right? 

“Moving hurts so much.”  

It felt like a few ribs were broken. 

Limping toward where the kids were would take time. 

“We have to go find him!” 

“Are you insane!? The opponent is a Minotaur! That teacher is surely dead!” 

What’s this commotion? 

I’d finally reached the entrance of the ruins, but people were arguing. 

Ho Changwoo was insisting on rescuing me, while the other hunters vehemently opposed it. 

“Who saved you all by sacrificing himself!” 

“I know, but going to save someone who’s already dead is pointless!” 

“Who said he’s dead!” 

Ho Changwoo shouted, grinding his teeth. 

Seems like saving him once earned me some trust. 

Honestly, it was kind of touching. 

The lower-class hunters were united in their refusal. 

It made sense, given that the Minotaur had taken down an A-class hunter like Ho Changwoo in one blow. 

“The opponent is a Minotaur! He’s definitely dead!” 

“Teacher can’t be dead!” 

Shin Ahyeon jumped in, shouting. 

Tears welled in her eyes, and they were red from crying. 

The other kids were in the same state. 

“Teacher can’t be dead…” 

As the child sobbed, the hunters wore pitying expressions. 

‘…What do I do now…?’ 

I’d planned to watch the situation and make a dramatic entrance, but the funeral-like atmosphere made it impossible to step out. 

They’re crying, thinking I’m dead—how am I supposed to show up? 

Should I just yell, “It was a hidden camera!” and walk out? 

Maybe because of the wounds, my head wasn’t working right. 

“Cowardly bastards, I’m going to find that teacher, so you lot can stay here and rot!” 

Uh. 

Uh-oh…!? Don’t come closer now! 

I was moments away from being spotted by Ho Changwoo, striding toward me. 

In the end, I chose a frontal approach. 

Taking a deep breath, I walked out from the ruins’ entrance. 

Ho Changwoo, mistaking me for a monster, aimed his weapon at me. 

“Uh…?” 

Upon recognizing my face, his eyes widened. 

A few seconds of silence followed, and I caught my breath. 

‘Should I just go back into the ruins now…?’

“Teacher!” 

Breaking the silence, the kids rushed toward me first. 

Shin Ahyeon, along with Yoon Cheonwoo, crashed into me like a tackle. 

“Urgh!” 

I was already in agony, and the kids’ body slams made it feel like death. 

‘This is all my karma, isn’t it?’ 

Swallowing the blood in my mouth, I forced a smile. 

A child from another world, a child blessed by the gods. 

Even so, they’re just kids who need protection now. 

I won’t let them lose anyone around them, no matter what. 

“How did you deal with the Minotaur?” 

Everyone wore dazed expressions, unable to believe I’d returned alive. 

“…I woke up, and it was gone, haha.” 

I gave an awkward laugh. 

“So you woke up, and the Minotaur just disappeared?” 

Ho Changwoo asked, incredulous. 

“Yeah.” 

No one would believe such a ridiculous excuse. 

But I had no intention of saying I defeated the Minotaur. 

If word got out to the public, my peaceful retirement life would surely be ruined. 

“You woke up, and the Minotaur was gone, huh…” 

See that? Anyone could tell he was suspicious! 

But I couldn’t exactly say a monster I contracted ate it like a snack! 

Can’t they just let it slide? 

“Listen up. We didn’t see anything here.” 

The hunters couldn’t hide their disbelief at Ho Changwoo’s declaration. 

“What?” 

“There was no Minotaur here, and we never saw these ruins.” 

With a menacing glare, the hunters reluctantly nodded. 

What a guy! 

He resolved my awkward predicament in one fell swoop. 

If things passed without incident like this, it was good for me. 

“Spread a word about what happened today outside, and I’ll half-kill you.” 

Though threatening, it felt like Ho Changwoo’s way of showing gratitude. 

Thanks to him, it looked like I’d get through this without trouble. 

“Let’s get out of this damn dungeon already.” 

★★★

The blocked E-class dungeon still hadn’t opened. 

Min Kyunghwa, running her hand through her hair, kicked the dungeon in frustration. 

A subordinate hurriedly tried to calm her down. 

“Why are you acting like this in front of the reporters!?” 

“I’m just frustrated! And why are all these reporters swarming!?” 

Somehow, word had leaked, and reporters had flooded in. 

A dungeon sealing shut was a unprecedented event, so naturally, they were salivating. 

Some broadcasters, already rolling cameras, had caught wind of a scoop. 

It wasn’t possible to chase them all away. 

A misstep could damage the Association’s public image. 

“Hey! That’s Seol Ahyun!” 

A reporter preparing for a broadcast shouted. 

At his words, the cameras aimed at the dungeon swung in unison. 

Seol Ahyun, an S-class hunter from the Hongyeom Guild. 

Flashes erupted at her arrival. 

Wearing a cap pulled low, Seol Ahyun approached the dungeon, visibly irritated. 

Min Kyunghwa, her face stiff, hurriedly tried to slip away. 

“I never imagined you’d come looking for me, Mother.” 

“Haha…” 

Seol Ahyun’s gaze toward Min Kyunghwa was not just cold—it was icy. 

It was hard to believe they were mother and daughter. 

They had always spent little time together. 

Back then, when the Association was first established, Min Kyunghwa was swamped with work. 

That’s why Seol Ahyun had been raised in the Hongyeom Guild. 

The Association and Hongyeom Guild were notoriously at odds. 

As the vice guild master of Hongyeom, Seol Ahyun naturally didn’t warm to her mother, who was tied to the Association. 

“Let’s resolve this situation first, then talk.” 

“Y-Yes.” 

“You said there’s a civilian inside the dungeon, right?” 

“That’s right.” 

Seol Ahyun didn’t know Kim Onyu was inside the dungeon. 

There hadn’t been time to explain. 

As Seol Ahyun removed her cap, a chilling mana laced with frost rippled around her. 

A sharp ice spear formed in the air above. 

No one knew if an S-class’s mana could break through the dungeon. 

But standing still wouldn’t get them anywhere. 

“Everyone, step back.” 

This was an S-class attack at full power. 

Even being nearby could sweep ordinary people into a mana storm. 

Seol Ahyun began. 

Just as she was about to unleash a strike with all her gathered strength, something unusual happened at the dungeon. 

“…Huh?” 

“The dungeon—it’s opening!” 

The mana sealing the dungeon scattered into the air. 

Soon, a group of people poured out of the dungeon. 

“We survived!” 

“I’m never stepping foot in a dungeon again!” 

The people emerging from the dungeon cheered. 

Some even kissed the ground. 

“The dungeon opening means… someone cleared it?” 

“Why are only low-class hunters coming out!?” 

None of the high-class hunters who supposedly entered were visible. 

At best, there was Ho Changwoo, who had just awakened as an A-class. 

“What the hell happened…?” 

Seol Ahyun, calming her mana, trembled slightly. 

Her heart began to waver as she saw someone emerging from the dungeon. 

Known as the Pale Witch for her cold demeanor, Seol Ahyun never showed emotional turmoil, no matter the situation. 

Only one person could shake her like this. 

The person she’d always wanted to see. 

The one she’d tried to find but who always seemed to shimmer like a mirage before her eyes. 

“…Teacher?” 

“Ahyeon-ah, stop crying now.” 

I held Shin Ahyeon, comforting her. 

We couldn’t bring Kokko, who lived in the dungeon, outside, so we had to part ways. 

Perhaps because she’d grown attached, Shin Ahyeon sniffled in my arms. 

“Crying over something like that?” 

Kim Seogun, watching, teased her with a chuckle. 

Though he teased, his trembling voice betrayed his own sadness. 

“Shut up! You city slicker who knows nothing!” 

This could turn into a fight. 

Luckily, it stayed at the level of childish bickering. 

Parting with Kokko wasn’t a big issue, but… why did it give us its egg? 

Shin Ahyeon was holding Kokko’s egg in her arms. 

An egg that was close to hatching, no less.