Chapter 33

“Enemy spotted ahead.”

At Tori’s words, everyone prepared for battle. Amon drew his sword, while Yellow and Blue aimed their rifles and machine guns forward. Paul, instead of his staff, pointed his circuit-embedded glove forward and began chanting. They were confident something would appear even before the monster showed itself. After all, there was only one monster that appeared on this floor.

“30 Skeletons confirmed. Proceed as usual.”

Tori gave the command on behalf of Paul, who was busy preparing his chant. Soon, she charged into the enemy lines. The orderly formation of monsters crumbled instantly under her assault. The shield-bearing skeletons at the front were shattered by her tackle. The broken pieces clattered as if trying to reassemble, but she crushed their spines and skulls, ensuring they wouldn’t rise again.

[Tori, move aside from the line of fire.]

After destroying the shield-bearers, Tori returned as if her role was done. Immediately, Blue’s machine gun roared to life.

‘Wow, classic firearms.’

In a low-fantasy version, facing 30 Skeletons at once would have been despair. But sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic, and in the face of modern weaponry, the Skeleton army was just a “normal” encounter. In an instant, an entire squad was obliterated. However, the machine gun wasn’t enough to finish them off. Many Skeletons with intact spines and skulls remained. Their final blow wasn’t Blue’s responsibility—it was the mage’s turn.

“Burst!”

As he uttered the activation word, a powerful explosion shook the space. The acrid smell of gunpowder wafted through the air, irritating Amon’s nose. What kind of magic was this, mixed with what, to produce such a smell? He was curious but kept his mouth shut, as questioning the mage would be akin to challenging him.

When the smoke cleared, not a single bone fragment of the Skeletons remained. Amon let his sword droop, feeling drained.

“Was this really necessary?”

Hearing Amon’s words, Even, the yellow-haired one, burst into laughter.

“I’m useless too, but I just tagged along. I think it’s fine as long as it’s convenient.”

“No, you’re not useless.”

Hail, the blue-haired VIP of this battle, spoke up. His logic circuits whirred fiercely as he explained Amon’s purpose without a hint of humor or subjectivity.

“You need to conserve your strength. The Skeletons at the entrance are enough for the three of us, but further in, we’ll need you. Even, you too.”

Amon and Even were at a loss for words at Hail’s matter-of-fact explanation. It was awkward to respond when a joke was taken so seriously. Regardless, Hail checked the remaining ammunition and the machine gun’s condition on the spot. Classic firearms were great, but their heavy bullets and tendency to malfunction were drawbacks. Checking after every battle was essential.

The rest of the party silently waited for Hail’s inspection.

*Beep—clank.*

Hail’s circuits instantly calculated the remaining ammunition in the supply bag.

“154 rounds used in this battle. 1,346 rounds remaining. Take note.”

Hearing this, Amon’s gaze automatically shifted to the massive supply bag on Hail’s back.

‘1,300?’

Weight aside, it seemed like a lot, but it was actually a微妙 amount. A slightly stronger monster could easily deplete 1,000 rounds. The others seemed to share Amon’s sentiment. The party kept Hail’s report in mind and ventured deeper into the building.

Fortunately—or unfortunately—Amon’s chance to shine came quickly.

“Enemy spotted ahead! Tar Slime!”

Immediately, Paul began preparing his chant. Unlike with the Skeletons, Tori didn’t charge forward, and Hail frowned, aiming his gun but not firing. Only Yellow fired at the slime.

*Bang! Bang!*

Yellow, armed with a shotgun instead of an assault rifle, continuously pulled the trigger at the slime. The slime was pushed back momentarily by the shotgun shells but continued to advance, melting the bullets within its body.

“Ugh… I really hate slimes…”

Tori shuddered. She disliked slimes because punching them would damage her fists. Blue felt the same. No matter how many bullets he fired, the slime remained unharmed. Considering the ammo consumption, it was a significant loss. Thus, it was Yellow’s job to keep the black slime at bay with his shotgun.

While Paul chanted a spell to deal with the slime, the party members looked at Amon.

“How about it? Can you handle that slime?”

“Don’t feel too pressured. We brought you along for something else, not this.”

The party members looked at Amon’s sword with anticipation. Amon wasn’t sure either, but he nodded.

‘After all, I have plenty of these at home.’

Surprisingly, this sword was one of many common swords Amon owned. He had a closet full of weapons looted from Hixen Group security, minus a bit of exaggeration. Losing a couple of swords wouldn’t be a big deal.

Amon drew two swords.

“I’ll go in.”

At Amon’s words, Yellow paused his firing. Amon leaped into the line of fire and swung his swords. With a somewhat messy dual-wielding style, he slashed at the slime. Surprisingly, the swords held up well. The slime’s body, which melted shotgun shells, had no effect on Amon’s swords. Whether it was due to the swords’ quality or Amon’s divine power was unclear. However, there was something unusual.

‘It can’t regenerate either.’

Like the demons Amon had slain before, the black slime couldn’t heal its wounds. Amon pressed his advantage, hacking away at the slime. By the time it was divided into 30 pieces, it stopped moving.

“Is it defeated?”

Someone muttered a resurrection spell, but fortunately, the slime didn’t revive. The 30 pieces melted away, leaving only a core-like eyeball before evaporating.

With the slime dealt with, Paul, who had been chanting, asked with visible frustration.

“How did you do that?”

“It’s all thanks to the equipment.”

Amon attributed it to his gear instead of his divine power. The party accepted this explanation. High-grade new-material weapons often had basic enchantments like incurable wounds or soul-binding. No further explanation was needed.

“Wow, I knew I could count on you!”

Yellow casually slung an arm over Amon’s shoulder. Thanks to Amon’s efforts, the slime was dealt with much more comfortably than usual.

“Can I ask for your help next time it shows up?”

Paul asked apologetically.

“I’m sorry for putting so much burden on you.”

Amon’s jaw dropped. Such kindness in a cyberpunk world! Why was such a good person working as a mercenary? Amon was weak to kind people. He declined Paul’s offer of a bonus and agreed to handle all black slimes during this exploration.

The rest of the exploration went smoothly. The Skeletons were handled as usual, and Amon took care of the black slimes. They also dealt with the monsters that were the reason for Amon’s recruitment.

“Ghouls!”

Ghouls. These were the reason Amon had been recruited. Unlike slimes, ghouls weren’t completely immune to bullets. They could be turned into chunks of meat with enough firepower. However, unlike Skeletons, they didn’t shatter with a single bullet. To stop a ghoul, you had to separate its head from its body, which was difficult with bullets alone. They needed a frontliner capable of doing that.

Of course, they had Tori as a frontliner. But.

“Ghouls on the ceiling!! Amon!”

“Yes!”

This was the problem. Tori was agile but had short reach and limited arm length. It took too much time to decapitate each ghoul with her fists. That’s why they needed a swordsman, and that’s why Amon was recruited.

*Slash.*

Amon’s blade passed through the ghoul’s neck. A clean cut separated the head from the body.

“Were you a magic user?”

Paul asked, seeing Amon’s sword glow. Amon responded with a smile. It wasn’t a wrong assumption.

They systematically dealt with the ghouls. The machine gun and shotgun blew away the ghouls’ lower bodies, while Tori’s fists and Amon’s silver blade decapitated them. Once Paul’s powerful spell was ready, it obliterated the ghouls without a trace.

Despite joining today, Amon seamlessly integrated with the party. The members seriously considered making him a permanent member.

“How about it? Would you like to join us?”

Amon wanted to accept. They worked well together, and the people were kind. But he couldn’t be sure how they’d react to his goals. Amon was a divine power wielder with many secrets. He couldn’t answer hastily.

“Can I think about it for a bit?”

The party, sensing a story behind Amon’s equipment, agreed.

“Let us know whenever you decide.”

The exploration resumed. It was more enjoyable and faster than expected. According to Paul, this was their 10th run through this dungeon. They were circling the entrance not because they lacked skill but because they were searching for something.

“The lower levels of this building were once used for protective magic research.”

They were here because Paul, who focused on offensive and buffing magic, wanted to learn a defensive spell or two for peace of mind. With Amon added to the familiar course, progress was incomparable to before.

However, despite the fast progress, there were no rewards this time. No magic recipes or monster drops were found.

“Ah… another bust.”

Yellow sighed. They had thoroughly searched an entire floor but found nothing.

“It’s a shame, but let’s end the exploration here.”

Paul was the most disappointed. The party comforted him and prepared to leave.

Then.

“Something caught my eye.”

Blue pointed to a corner. Everyone’s attention focused on him. Blue approached the corner, feeling the wall, then nodded and took out a sticky bomb, attaching it to the wall.

“Step outside.”

The party exited the room.

*Boom!*

An explosion and the sound of something collapsing followed. When they returned, a hidden passage was revealed. At the end of the passage was a door.

“Boss room?”

Amon muttered, but Paul corrected him.

“Not the boss, but a mid-boss.”

“How do you know?”

“According to reports from the first and last party to encounter the Lich, two Death Knights guarded the Lich’s door. It’s been 20 years since then, and the Lich has retreated deep underground, so no one has encountered it since. But I doubt much has changed.”

Amon understood. Meanwhile, the party prepared to enter the boss room.

“If it’s a mid-boss, the drop rate is much higher.”

Tori grinned, clenching her fists. The others were also confident about facing the mid-boss. However, Amon was the only one who disagreed.

“I don’t think this is a good idea.”

His caution was fully displayed. They had no information on the boss, and he had only planned to hunt small fry and return today. He wasn’t prepared or planning to fight a mid-boss. He had only joined the party to follow them to the entrance.

Thus, Amon didn’t want to take the risk of facing the mid-boss.

“Sorry, I’m not ready yet.”

Fortunately, the party didn’t blame him. Instead, they felt guilty.

“No, it’s our fault. Thinking about it, this wasn’t part of the plan, and we were forcing it on you.”

The others also looked apologetic. However, it was a bit disappointing to leave after finding the mid-boss. If they left and came back, others might have taken it. Especially since mid-bosses had a high drop rate for essence or recipes, and there was no guarantee they’d respawn, competition was fierce.

Moreover, thanks to Amon, they had saved a lot of ammo today, and their condition was at its peak. It felt like they might not get another chance like this.

Paul couldn’t take his eyes off the boss room entrance. Yet, out of responsibility, he reluctantly turned to leave with Amon.

Seeing this, Amon couldn’t hold back.

“I’ll go up alone.”

“What?”

“Monsters don’t respawn for 24 hours after being defeated. We cleared everything on the way in, so the path back should be safe.”

“But…”

“Just to confirm, do you need my help with this mid-boss?”

The party shook their heads. Despite appearances, this party had explored near the lowest levels of this dungeon. A mid-boss at this stage wouldn’t trouble them.

“Then let’s do as I suggested.”

The party members pursed their lips at Amon’s proposal. Eventually, Paul reluctantly spoke.

“Thank you.”

Amon nodded and stood up. Blue then grabbed Amon.

“Take this, just in case.”

It was a one-time barrier. Blue said he had five of these and hadn’t used any today, so he had plenty to spare. Amon gratefully accepted. You could never be too careful.

“Let’s check the boss before you go.”

In case it was some hidden boss, the party might give up and retreat. Amon wanted to check the boss before leaving.

The party gratefully saw Amon off and opened the boss room door. As soon as the door opened, they faced a three-headed wolf chimera.

Unlike Amon, who was tense seeing a new boss, the party sighed in relief.

“It’s not a hidden one. Just a regular mid-boss.”

They had faced it before and defeated it without much trouble. Hearing this, Amon also felt relieved.

Soon, Amon turned toward the dungeon exit without hesitation, while the party headed for the mid-boss.

“See you above ground!”

“Payment will be made once we’re back above ground!”

Amon gave a thumbs-up and closed the boss room door.

***

The journey back to the surface was uneventful. In fact, it was much more comfortable than the descent. With no monsters or people around, the path back was peaceful, if a bit eerie.

Amon safely returned to the surface. The sun, which had been high when they entered, had long since set.

‘I should head back soon.’

Sonia would be worried. Amon headed to the Explorer’s Guild building to report his return. However, when he entered, the atmosphere was chaotic.

‘What’s going on?’

He perked his ears and headed to the counter. As he made his way through the crowd, he caught fragments of conversation.

Scavengers, human trafficking, dungeon.

He had a rough idea but wasn’t sure. To confirm, he approached the receptionist who usually handled his check-ins.

“I heard the word ‘Scavengers’ a lot on the way here. What’s going on?”

“Well… Scavenger activity was discovered in the dungeon recently. Based on the state of the bodies, it seems they’ve been active for about a week. The police are investigating, but there’s no trace of the culprits leaving the dungeon.”

“Are these Scavengers the ones involved in organ trafficking and human trafficking?”

“Yes, you heard correctly.”

Hearing her explanation, Amon unconsciously stroked his chin. An inexplicable sense of unease began to dominate his thoughts.

‘No way.’

Yet, he couldn’t shake this unease. Eventually, he delayed his return home to gather more information about the Scavengers. After bribing some experienced explorers and police officers, he pieced together a clearer picture.

‘They’re quite meticulous.’

Considering the first disappearance, the Scavengers had been active for at least a month, not just a week. The fact that they hadn’t been caught meant they were professionals. They weren’t some reckless gang driven by greed but a rational, systematic organization.

Their methods were also clear.

‘Parties planning to challenge mid-bosses were the main targets.’

Honestly, it was a very clever approach. Bosses were high-risk, high-reward. While individual deaths in a party were often caused by small fry or traps, party wipes were usually due to bosses. Thus, if a party challenging a mid-boss went missing, people wouldn’t suspect foul play. Party wipes were common in dungeons.

Besides avoiding suspicion, there were other advantages.

‘Parties are exhausted after a raid.’

The frontliners would be tired, and the backliners would be low on ammo. A weakened party, even if stronger than the Scavengers, would be a viable target.

As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Amon’s hand naturally reached for his phone.

[Sorry, Sonia. I’ll be late tonight. Have dinner without me.]

After sending the message, Amon turned off his phone. His footsteps turned toward the dungeon entrance he had just left.

As he inserted bills into the turnstile at the dungeon entrance, Amon cursed inwardly.

‘Damn it, damn it, damn it…’

There are no coincidences in the world, and tragedies always have precursors. It might be paranoia, but the unease gripping his chest gave him a sense of certainty.

His pace quickened.

‘Paul, Tori, Even, Hail…’

The faces of the kind party members came to mind. If they had been unfriendly, Amon might have turned a blind eye like any ordinary city dweller. A bit of guilt would remain, but he would have moved on, accepting it as the way of the world.

But,

They were rare, shining examples of humanity in this wretched world. They had given Amon an experience beyond value.

Yes, that was worth risking his life for.

Having rationalized his actions, he retraced his steps and headed deeper into the dungeon.

‘If it’s just paranoia…’

If it was just paranoia, he’d gladly be the butt of their jokes. If it was just a waste of effort, he’d willingly add it to his list of regrets.

A fork in the path appeared.

‘Fourth left!’

He sprinted in that direction without slowing down.

And as he entered the fork,

*Boom!!*

A deafening explosion echoed from that direction.

‘Damn it!’

Explosions were common in dungeons. But to Amon, this one sounded different.

‘Please, just be alive!’

Amon ran at full speed.

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