## Chapter 167 – 167. Dungeon Survival
167. Dungeon Survival
“You can see that his speed increased instantaneously. This is one of the techniques used by skilled acceleration ability users, instant acceleration. There are only three people in our country who can use instant acceleration. Ah, now there are four.”
Instant acceleration is one of the techniques that puts a strain on the user. The body becomes faster, but the consciousness does not, making it difficult to control properly. However, if used correctly, it is a very helpful technique.
On the screen, Kang Seok-soo revived, and the battle resumed.
“Hunter Kang Seok-soo! He has evaded that incredibly fast swordsmanship! It only grazed his shoulder. And with the magic drawn on his palm, he eliminates Hunter Han Ha-rin! Now the battle is one-on-one!”
“That’s Hunter Kang Seok-soo’s maximized sensory ability. It’s an ability that can maximize not only the five senses but also the senses of energy and mana. No one uses maximized sensory ability as well as Hunter Kang Seok-soo.”
“The reason he targeted Hunter Han Ha-rin first… it must be to enter the rest area. The Gukcheon Hunter Team has a negative survival point. They can win just by holding out in the rest area.”
“Oh! Hunter Seong Yu-jin has lowered his head. Is he tired? Or has he given up? Hunter Kang Seok-soo! He stops while heading to the rest area. He intends to end it here. Let’s focus on the battle for a moment.”
The battle ended with Seong Yu-jin’s victory.
-He won! It’s chicken tonight!
Silence fell over the studio. Most of them thought Kang Seok-soo would win, not Seong Yu-jin. Logically, Seong Yu-jin is an E-class hunter, and Kang Seok-soo is a C-class hunter. Moreover, Seong Yu-jin is a rookie hunter who has only awakened for a year.
“Hunter Seong Yu-jin has become the winner of Dungeon Survival Reforged as the last survivor!”
Jo Seok-hoo shouted. He wanted to call Seong Yu-jin and Kang Seok-soo here right away, but it was impossible due to various procedures.
“Again. Let’s replay the video one more time!”
The video went back to the battle scene.
Kang Seok-soo shot lightning at Seong Yu-jin. Seong Yu-jin jumped into the air, deflected the lightning with his sword, and sent it back towards Kang Seok-soo.
“Here, this scene! Hunter Seong Yu-jin deflected the lightning! Mr. Hong Su-won, is this possible?”
“It is possible. We often see A-class fire ability users controlling flames created by other ability users, not their own. Flames in a natural state without control are easier to control. The lightning that Hunter Kang Seok-soo shot was in a state without control. If Hunter Kang Seok-soo had fully controlled the lightning, such a scene would have been impossible.”
“Even so, Hunter Seong Yu-jin controlled the lightning instantly. It’s something that could be possible with practice, but as you all know, Hunter Seong Yu-jin’s hunter career is not even a year old. Water Walk, Instant Acceleration, Lightning Control… Hunter Seong Yu-jin succeeded in all of them. We can only say that he is a genius.”
Seong Yu-jin is a genius.
Those who watched the Dungeon Survival Reforged video from the beginning had no choice but to admit it.
And not just an ordinary genius. Some people thought he might be the greatest genius in Korea.
What Seong Yu-jin showed was not something a rookie hunter with only one year of experience could show.
Hong Su-won and Baek Ji-eun had different reactions.
Hong Su-won’s facial expression was sour. Putting aside that he lost the bet, he didn’t notice Seong Yu-jin’s talent at first. He had also spoken somewhat antagonistically about Seong Yu-jin while praising Kang Seok-soo, whom his guild was targeting.
If Seong Yu-jin saw this on the broadcast, he might think of the Bluebird Guild in the worst way. If Seong Yu-jin were just an average hunter, it wouldn’t matter, but Seong Yu-jin, who defeated Kang Seok-soo, would now become the most talented rookie hunter in Korea.
‘Damn it. I had no idea he was this good. I didn’t hear about this information. I’m going to get an earful from the guild master.’
But it’s not too late yet. He needs to build a good relationship with Seong Yu-jin before the broadcast airs. If possible, it would be best to bring him into the guild.
On the other hand, unlike the anxious Hong Su-won, Baek Ji-eun was smiling happily.
‘Was he always like that? When did he grow up so much? In my memory… well, I don’t remember well, but I don’t think he was this good.’
Baek Ji-eun had not been able to meet Seong Yu-jin. If it became known that she, a candidate for an association executive, was meeting Seong Yu-jin, there could be gossip, so Baek Ji-eun deliberately avoided him. It was also true that she was busy preparing for the project.
‘If I meet him, I’ll give him a good suck and have sex too…’
Now that Dungeon Survival Reforged is over, she will be able to meet him directly soon. Baek Ji-eun felt moisture gathering in her nether regions.
“Hunter Seong Yu-jin! He breaks through, dodging all nine energy bolts! Hunter Kang Seok-soo reveals his upper body. There’s a magic circle on his abs! But Hunter Seong Yu-jin passes by Hunter Kang Seok-soo as if he knew it! Hunter Kang Seok-soo turns around, but it’s too late! The eerie lightning and the sword that Hunter Seong Yu-jin threw eliminate Hunter Kang Seok-soo!!!”
“…Amazing. Hunter Seong Yu-jin. He used instant acceleration when dodging the energy bolts. It means he has complete control over instant acceleration.”
“Hunter Seong Yu-jin knew Hunter Kang Seok-soo’s last trump card. If he hadn’t broken through the nine energy bolts head-on… the result might have been different.”
The lights in the studio did not go out for several hours after that. They had to comment not only on the battle between Seong Yu-jin and Kang Seok-soo but also on the battles of other hunters.
Of course, only some of this would be aired on television.
•••
The filming did not end when I won.
There was one more filming left for the Dungeon Survival Reforged after-party. The participants who had made impressive performances would gather in the studio for a talk show. And they also had to film interview videos to be inserted in between the main footage.
Three days after Dungeon Survival Reforged ended, Han Ha-rin, Eun Sang-min, and I headed to the broadcasting station.
‘Hehe. I’ll be able to see Hong Su-won kneeling before Baek Ji-eun with my own eyes.’
The prize money of 1 billion won was split between Han Ha-rin and me. Eun Sang-min felt sorry and gave his share of the prize money to us.
‘It’s not a lot of money for Eun Sang-min or us, but the feeling is important.’
1 billion won is not much for a hunter. No hunter would have participated in Dungeon Survival for the prize money.
‘I participated because of Han Ha-rin.’
It was a good excuse to get closer to Han Ha-rin.
‘And since I participated, I had to win. Kehaha. I’m looking forward to when the broadcast airs. What if I become a huge celebrity and women try to cling to me? I only have one dick.’
I was sitting in the winner’s private waiting room, imagining a prosperous future, when it happened.
Without a knock, the door opened, and Kang Seok-soo entered.
‘…Did he come to kill me?’
“Seong Yu-jin, I have something to say.”
Fortunately, it didn’t seem like that.
Kang Seok-soo closed the door.
I stared at Kang Seok-soo as if to tell him to speak. He hesitated for a moment and then asked me.
“…Are you and Yu Jeong-mi dating?”
“No.”
I know Yu Jeong-mi’s phone number. She told me when I asked after we finished having sex.
I’m not in contact with her. I can have a relationship with Jin Se-yeong and Han Ha-rin anytime. There’s no reason to insist on Yu Jeong-mi, who is less beautiful than them.
“Did you come because you were bothered by what I said back then? That was just to provoke you, so you don’t need to worry about it. Forget it. Ah, sorry, it’s a bit late.”
Actually, I didn’t feel sorry at all.
“…I admit it. I was furious back then. It was an excellent provocation.”
“Did you come to praise me?”
“…Did you really sleep with Yu Jeong-mi?”
“I did.”
I answered immediately.
“……”
Kang Seok-soo is looking at me with complicated eyes. He probably had some certainty about it.
“But that’s not important to you, is it? Yu Jeong-mi and I had a relationship by mutual agreement. It’s just a young man and woman meeting and having fun. You’re not Yu Jeong-mi’s boyfriend, just a friend.”
Kang Seok-soo is Yu Jeong-mi’s ex-boyfriend. Now they are just friends. There’s no reason for him to interfere between Yu Jeong-mi and me.
“…I know I have no right to say anything to you and Yu Jeong-mi about that. After that day, I thought about it carefully and realized. I can’t let go of Yu Jeong-mi.”
“Relationship counseling isn’t my specialty. Just go.”
Except for sex counseling.
“Jeong-mi is my woman. I came to tell you this. Don’t touch Jeong-mi after this.”
“What? Are you dating again?”
“I’m going to confess to Jeong-mi soon.”
Kang Seok-soo and Yu Jeong-mi will date again. Yu Jeong-mi also has feelings for him.
If Yu Jeong-mi refuses to have sex with me, I will accept it calmly. There’s no reason for me to cling to Yu Jeong-mi.
“Okay, okay. If that’s all you have to say, then leave now. Let’s get some rest.”
“There’s one more important thing to say.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about the top 10 guilds in Korea. I found out that you don’t belong to any guild.”
I don’t have any particular thoughts about guilds. I have the Pleasure Life app.
The reason why hunters try to join good guilds is to get stronger faster with the help of the guild, to have reliable colleagues, and to earn more money by working with the guild.
‘The downside is that you have to follow the guild’s rules.’
Since it’s a life-threatening job, the guild’s rules are quite strict. Also, it feels like a company, so you have to be mindful of human relationships. It’s a hassle in many ways.
‘I can get stronger through the Pleasure Life app. Even if I don’t join a guild, I can work as a freelance hunter, avoiding dangerous jobs and hunting only relatively safe monsters.’
Guild support? If I’m determined to use the Pleasure Life app, guild support is nothing.
“I don’t plan to join a guild. At least not now. And there’s also a contract I have with Yeongcheon Sword Academy… the hunter academy I attend.”
I can’t say for sure since the future is unknown. If there’s a guild with a pretty woman I like, I might join just to seduce her.
“…Wasn’t your participation to promote yourself to the large guilds?”
“No. I ended up participating because I was the strongest in my university.”
Actually, it was because of Han Ha-rin. And since I participated, I aimed for the win.
“Stop digressing and tell me what you want to say. Get to the point.”
“The top 10 guilds in Korea are stagnant. The hunters of the previous generation are clinging to the guilds, working for a minimum of 20 years, and a maximum of 50 years or more. Even if it’s you, if you join one of the top 10 guilds in Korea, you’ll have to work for at least 20 years to get a managerial position.”
Kang Seok-soo’s words are exaggerated, but they are not wrong.
The top 10 guilds in Korea have many old hunters, making it difficult to get promoted.
It’s a well-known saying among hunters. If a hunter is determined, they can work even past 70 years old. They do get weaker as they get older, but not as drastically as ordinary people. Once you reach the upper A-class, age becomes just a meaningless number.
S-class? There are S-class hunters in Korea who are over 100 years old. Their appearance is surprisingly in their mid-20s. The return to youth in martial arts novels actually exists.
“…So?”
“At first, I also tried to join one of the top 10 guilds in Korea. But while investigating, I realized that the top 10 guilds in Korea are already saturated.”
“That’s not just the top 10 guilds.”
“The top 10 guilds are the most severe.”
The current Korean hunter world is a red ocean.
In the past, there was a lack of proper dungeon strategies and monster information, so the mortality rate of hunters was quite high. Because of that, many people who awakened their abilities did not become hunters.
But now, with systematic dungeon manuals, information on tens of thousands of monsters, and hunter equipment that is constantly improving over time, the mortality rate of hunters has significantly decreased.
‘Thanks to the energy protect, which was invented relatively recently, hunters are safer. It’s a bit too expensive, though.’
Moreover, there are currently about 7,000 A-class hunters in South Korea.
There are as many as 7,000 A-class hunters in a small country.
