noveltune Chapter 1: Lucky Day (1)
Chapter 1: Lucky Day (1)
Chapter 1: Lucky Day (1)
You crazy bastard! Youre telling me to be a meat shield!
No, hyung. Dont take it the wrong way. Besides, you said you needed the money, right?
Even with Jeong WooMin dissuading him, Min JaeHyun shouted angrily. JaeHyuns voice rang out through the interior of the cafe.
JaeHyun glared at Jeong WooMin, who was standing in front of him, while biting his lips in frustration.
Damn. No wonder he said hed take me along on a dungeon raid.
He had wondered why Jeong WooMin was contacting him out of the blue.
Jeong WooMin.
JaeHyuns partner from the Raider agency. He was someone who took care of and distributed work to freelance raiders who werent part of any guild.
So when JaeHyun was contacted by Jeong WooMin, he thought there was work he could do for a change.
But when he heard the request Damn.
Stand on the front line with a shield in a dungeon full of undead monsters.
It basically meant that they would use him as a meat shield in a dangerous situation.
Ha
Of course, it wasnt that Jeong WooMin didnt understand where JaeHyun was coming from.
However, there was no other way.
Min JaeHyun was a lower mid-level D-rank raider among the Awakened. And a Warrior at that.
It wasnt like he was more experienced or skilled than his rank implied. So the treatment JaeHyun was currently receiving could be said to be natural.
JaeHyun sighed and lowered his volume.
Why are there only jobs like this left, when those with a lower rank than me get pretty good jobs?!
Well, you know how it is, hyung. Nowadays, there arent many places that like to hire Warrior-class raiderseven if they have a high rank.
So, are you insulting me for being a martial arts nut? Jeez, I apologize for the grave sin of preferring the arts.
Martial arts fanatic.
It was basically a derogatory term for a raider who specialized in combat.
Fundamentally, Awakened raiders were classified as either Warriors or Magicians, but Magician-class raiders could get quite a lot of commissions even if they had a low rank. On the other hand, the situation wasnt that great for Warriors.
Jeong WooMin took a sip from the cup of coffee in front of him and spoke.
In reality thats true. Nowadays, the Magicians are taking up all the jobs. Martial artists are pretty slow in completing tasks and have a higher frequency of injury, so they arent the first choice for employers.
That was the bitter truth.
Compared to those who hunted monsters from the rear, martial artists who were in the front could only receive more injuries.
And it went without saying how superior Magicians were in large-scale combat.
At Jeong WooMins words, JaeHyun gulped down the iced Americano in his hand.
Clack!
JaeHyun put the glass down with a bang and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
Im aware. It would have been different if it was 10 years ago. But now, there is nowhere a martial artist can go. Damn I should have chosen to be a Magician back then
<11 years ago, back in his third year of middle school>
JaeHyun got a good score on the awakening aptitude test and entered the Millaes Academy, which specialized in raider training.
At the time, the score JaeHyun got on his magic aptitude test was a whopping 97%.
Even the score of the current top Magician in Korea, Seo Ina, was merely 92%, so JaeHyuns score at that time could be said to be out of this world.
On the other hand, his combat score was just 34%.
However, JaeHyun still chose martial arts.
He didnt have any great reason or grand purpose for doing so. There was just a tendency to disdain Magicians at the time.
Of course, it was the opposite now. Martial artists had waned, and Magicians were worshipped.
If I had chosen to be a Magician 11 years ago, would my life be better right now?
JaeHyun shook his head to get rid of useless thoughts.
Normally, a raiders growth stopped in their 20s.
In other words, even if Jaehyun regretted it now, nothing would change.
At one time, his talent was envied by all those who wished to be a Magician.
However, he was now a D-rank raider with nothing special.
The difference between Jaehyuns past and present was incredibly vast.
After a moment of silence passed
The person who started the conversation again was Jeong WooMin.
Hyung. Such opportunities dont come by very often. I was going to give this chance to someone else, but I remembered your circumstances. So I came to you first.
JaeHyun knew from the very beginning that he didnt have a choice. If he wanted to survive in his situation, he couldnt do so by avoiding rough work.
JaeHyun spoke after contemplating the situation.
I understand. Ill do it.
Youre making the right choice, hyung.
A smile spread across Jeong WooMins face.
Then, Ill see you tomorrow at 8 oclock at the place Ill text you the location of beforehand. Dont be late.
What do you mean, see you? Youre also busy with stuff for the agency. Dont worry about it, just do what you have to do.
At JaeHyuns words, Jeong WooMin laughed slightly and whispered in a low voice.
No, I also have something to do there tomorrow. See you tomorrow, hyung.
***
Despite what he said, Jeong WooMin couldnt be seen at the entrance of the dungeon.
Time quickly passed from the 8 oclock hed promised to meet Jeong WooMin at, and it got closer to 9 oclock. JaeHyun strolled around the dungeon entrance by himself and mumbled.
The guild Magician that JaeHyun was guarding didnt stop with the curses and verbal abuse. Since it was a scouting mission with their lives on the line, the Magicians were also high-strung.
The Warriors, including JaeHyun, had their own task.
While the Magicians were casting, the Warriors had to secure the battle line and block the monsters attacks endlessly.
The glittering lights of Alfheim
Flames under Surts command, destroy all enemies in sight
During that time, the Magicians would aim and shoot spells at the monsters using cringey casting.
Crash!
The monsters who were running toward the Warriors became ashes in an instant.
Phew
The hand holding his shield was filled with sweat. JaeHyun panted as he returned to his position in the battle line.
All the monsters that appeared in the dungeon this time were the undead type.
They came back to life even when killed, so they had to be either cut down with weapons filled with holy power or hit with holy magic. They were monsters who were complicated to deal with.
Kieeeehhhhh!
Kaaaak!
However, displaying the power of a guild of Magicians, the members of Meteor quickly disposed of the undead monsters.
If its going to continue like this, I dont have to worry about dying.
JaeHyun recalled what had happened yesterday and considered himself stupid for spending the whole day worrying. At the speed they were proceeding with, it wasnt too much to say that they could clear the dungeon by evening.
The bitter fight against the monsters continued for four hours.
The raid captain looked around the razed dungeon, then he stopped walking and spoke.
This place seems roughly done. Lets rest for a while!
Everyone heard that, right? Were resting here for a while before continuing! Raiders who were at the front! Come back!
At the words of the raid captain and guild member, those who were walking in front turned around.
Lee Myung-Ho, who was walking right beside JaeHyun, began to speak.
Wow Any way you look at it, this place is massive.
Yeah. With this size, we could probably build a soccer field here.
JaeHyun said in agreement as he looked around.
It truly was a huge dungeon.
Im not sure if its because its an A-ranked dungeon, but it sure is enormous.
The dungeon the Meteor Guild was currently trying to clear was A-ranked. According to a news article that came out recently, this was the first time a rookie guild attempted to clear an A-ranked dungeon so quickly.
I dont want to admit it, but a guild of Magicians truly is strong.
A few doors that looked like cave entrances could be seen amidst the foggy darkness.
One of those doors probably led to the boss room.
JaeHyun looked at the row of doors and gulped.
However great of a rookie guild Meteor was, this was an A-rank dungeon where hundreds of elite raiders died every year.
It was not a place that permitted carelessness.
Whew is the boss room the only place left?
JaeHyun caught his breath as he sat on a folding chair at the edge and did some stretching.
Huh?
All the strength in his body suddenly left him, and JaeHyun started to waver like a sheet of paper.
The Aesir System is downloading.
The connection with the user will temporarily be cut.
The system is rebooting.
Huh? What is this
A voice out of the blue.
JaeHyun focused on the machine tone in his ears with a dazed expression.
Shouldnt the Aesir System already be downloaded? There hasnt been anything like this until now.
However, the confusing messages did not stop there.
The Aesir System could not reboot due to unknown reasons. Rebooting failed?
The system downloading and the reboot failing were all things that were happening for the first time.
The strange situations that he had never seen on the awakened communitys raider bulletin board continued. JaeHyuns mind became blank in an instant.
A voice from an unknown source started to calmly spread inside JaeHyuns head.
lightfollow
An unknown presence is infiltrating the Aesir System!
Returning to safe mode.
failed!
An unknown presence? What the hell was the voice from a moment ago
Did it say to follow the light?
Huh? JaeHyun, what do you mean?
Nothing. Just now, I thought I heard someone tell me to follow the
JaeHyun was unable to finish his sentence.
Oooowoooowowww.
A firefly shining with a white light wavered in front of his eyes.
This light was it saying that I should follow this light?
JaeHyun nervously swallowed.
What on earth is happening right now?