Chapter 80

First to enter the dungeon, Kim Hunter silently nodded.

The smell of insect secretions hung heavy in the air.

Kim Hunter had also just discerned the dungeon’s theme through her heightened sense of smell.

‘She’s supposed to be a part-time instructor… but she does seem talented,’ thought Kim Hunter, recalling what the deputy had emphasized about her.

On the other hand…

“Ugh, this smell!”

“I hate how dungeons always reek!”

None of the rookies had managed to figure out the dungeon’s theme yet. They merely pinched their noses and made faces of discomfort.

“All right, everyone! Let’s proceed as we were trained!”

Clap clap, Kim Hunter signaled with her hands and issued instructions. Only then did the rookies stiffen their expressions and begin moving cautiously.

After watching them for a moment, Kim Hunter approached Si-hyun and asked, “What’s your guardian’s rank?”

“…C-rank.”

“I see. Please ensure the students’ safety and may today be a meaningful experience for you.”

“Yes, understood.”

Responding politely due to Kim Hunter’s courteous demeanor, Si-hyun felt impressed by her reputation as a considerate and well-mannered hunter.

Kim Hunter moved back toward the rookies while Si-hyun addressed the students:

“Let’s follow them.”

“Yes!”

And so, the dungeon expedition began.

Almost instantly, combat erupted.

*Scritch scritch scritch—*

“It’s an ant swarm!”

“Why are they appearing so fast?!”

“Keep formation! Stay calm and fight back!”

The rookies handled themselves composedly as battle commenced.

*Swoosh*, *thud!*

*BOOM!*

From afar, two hunters whittled down the numbers with ranged attacks while the ants charged in.

*Kreeeek!*

*Crack!*

Up close, sturdy melee hunters blocked the advancing ants calmly, reducing their numbers one by one.

‘…There are too many insects.’

Realizing the situation, Kim Hunter decided to assist the rookies. Though briefly entertaining worst-case scenarios, she concluded it was too early to confirm anything and focused on resolving the immediate battle.

Once the skirmish ended, Yang Chae-wook, the C-rank support hunter who had been standing safely at the rear, healed two nearby rookies.

As the wound on his thigh vanished, the male rookie grinned and said, “Having a supporter really makes things easier!”

“Of course it does! Hahaha!”

Yang Chae-wook laughed happily, finishing his task before the group took a brief rest and continued onward. But not long after, another battle broke out.

“Left flank! More ants!”

“Let’s handle it like last time!”

The Dawn Guild hunters resumed fighting once more, with Kim Hunter joining in again because the ants kept appearing in overwhelming numbers.

After a couple more battles, Kim Hunter pressed her temple with her index finger and thought deeply.

‘There must be some kind of special entity around here.’

This was something Si-hyun had already suspected while observing from a distance.

“Hey, doesn’t it feel like there are way too many monsters?”

“Yes, yes! Is this normal for bug-themed dungeons?”

“It’s not always like this. Does anyone know how long this gate has been open?”

When Si-hyun asked, Eun-byeol raised her hand and replied, “Uh… I think it’s less than a week until the dungeon goes berserk.”

“Oh, that explains it. They’ve been multiplying for weeks.”

“Huh?”

“They’ve been breeding nonstop for several weeks.”

The students fell silent, their mouths forming straight lines. Si-hyun gave a wry smile.

While there are various types of ant monsters, they share one common trait: individually, they’re no big deal—just large, strong bugs. But these guys never travel alone. They move in swarms with clear hierarchies. And given the sheer number present…

“There’s probably going to be a giant queen ant monster waiting for us today. That’s pretty rare, huh?”

“Ugh… Not exactly something to look forward to!”

Eun-byeol exclaimed with distaste, causing Ah-reum to vigorously nod in agreement. After observing Jae-woo’s tense expression as well, Si-hyun led the way forward.

By now, the Dawn Guild hunters had finished regrouping and were heading out again.

But during the next battle…

“Aaaaaah! Some-help-me-pleaseee!”

An accident occurred.

One of the ants had slipped past unnoticed, circling around to target Yang Chae-wook, who stood at the back. He barely resisted, fumbling his staff swing and missing. As he stumbled backward, the ant viciously bit down on his ankle.

“Aaaaagh!”

Yang Chae-wook screamed in agony, smashing his staff onto the ant’s head in an attempt to shake it off, but the creature held firm with its powerful mandibles.

“Grrr! Get off! GET OFF!!”

“Damn it! I’m coming!”

Kim Hunter finally noticed the situation, quickly sweeping away the ants in front using a combat skill. She then pushed off the ground and dashed to help Yang Chae-wook.

Watching from afar, Ah-reum frowned skeptically.

‘Is this right…?’

Ah-reum observed as Kim Hunter swiftly dealt with the ant, freeing Yang Chae-wook, who proceeded to cry and treat his ankle while sniffling pathetically like someone seeing a dungeon for the first time.

‘This is completely different from Professor Shin…’

Was it because he was a rookie? Still, even if he was new to Dawn Guild, he was C-rank. That meant at least a year or two of hunting experience. How could someone at that level struggle so much against a single ant?

Ah-reum glanced at her professor standing nearby, remembering how dazzlingly cool Professor Jeong Si-hyun had looked handling thieves in the Undead Dungeon. Back then, she seemed to radiate brilliance, almost like she carried all the light in the world.

Ah-reum looked back at Yang Chae-wook, where the rookie hunters were apologizing profusely despite the situation being resolved.

‘Is this what a solo supporter looks like…?’

Confused, Ah-reum turned her gaze back to Professor Jeong Si-hyun, whose presence was reassuring and radiant.

She’s dependable. Literally glowing!

‘I want to become like Professor Jeong Si-hyun!’

Aim high! Dream big! She wanted to be just like her professor—a great, strong, shining beacon of awesomeness!

With sparkling eyes, Ah-reum said brightly, “Ah, never mind!”

Then she refocused her attention forward.

Noticing her student’s odd behavior, Si-hyun tilted her head slightly before glancing at the Dawn Guild members, lowering her hand from her bracelet.

‘If it had been Kim Hunter in trouble, I would have helped.’

But Yang Chae-wook? She didn’t feel inclined to assist him. After all, actions speak louder than words—and his earlier poor impression wasn’t helping.

Besides, judging by the other rookies’ performance, Yang Chae-wook wouldn’t die from a single ant bite anyway. Si-hyun was quick to assess the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Kim Hunter thought grimly,

‘This isn’t good.’

Even with her involvement, an accident still happened. Even one ant was enough to cause chaos. The situation was crystal clear now.

‘This is a factory-type dungeon.’

Also known as a plant dungeon—a place where monsters abnormally multiply. There was undoubtedly a special entity responsible for spawning them at the center.

Her expression hardened as Kim Hunter instructed the rookies to regroup, then approached the observers nearby.

“Everyone, the situation has become very dangerous.”

All four pairs of eyes turned toward her.

“I can still clear the dungeon since I’m here, but I won’t have the capacity to protect all of you. It’d be best if you retreated quickly, though it’s unfortunate for your field trip.”

After explaining, Kim Hunter looked at Si-hyun, recognizing her as the representative of the observers.

Si-hyun, receiving the glance, redirected her gaze to Eun-byeol—the true star of this field trip.

‘She looks disappointed.’

Then they should continue, right? Isn’t it a teacher’s duty to fulfill their students’ wishes?

Si-hyun spoke slowly, “I’ll take care of the students, so don’t worry.”

“…I’m not questioning your abilities. However, the number of ants is excessive. To be blunt, this feels closer to a B-rank dungeon, even if it’s officially C-rank.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I assure you, everything will be fine.”

“Hmm…”

Kim Hunter scrutinized Si-hyun’s face, which remained unchanged since their first meeting.

Finally, after hesitating for a moment, he spoke gravely,

“Please ensure the students aren’t exposed to unnecessary danger. If I judge it too risky, I’ll forcibly withdraw you all.”

“Yes, I promise. I’ll follow your orders when that happens.”

“Good.”

With that, Kim Hunter stepped back and returned to the Dawn Guild rookies. Si-hyun watched him go briefly before addressing her students.

“Looks like you guys will only get to watch after all.”

“…Were you planning to let us fight?”

“Well, maybe if a good opportunity arose?”

“…”

Eun-byeol stared at her professor skeptically, unsure if the playful smile was genuine or not. Eventually, she sighed deeply and said,

“We trust you, but those over there might not. We’ll stay put.”

“Oh, so you do trust me?”

“You casually sliced through a troll’s neck before. What else is new…”

Though Eun-byeol’s tone sounded exasperated, her words carried deep trust. Sensing this, Si-hyun’s lips curved into a faint smile.

At this point, Jae-woo, who had been quietly standing beside them, spoke up,

“Everyone’s moving ahead.”

“Shall we catch up?”

“Yes!”

Following the Dawn Guild members, Si-hyun and her students hurried along.

Combat continued to occur frequently thereafter. Not only did the number of ant swarms fail to decrease, but it kept increasing.

Eventually, Kim Hunter adjusted the rookies’ formation, placing herself at the front. This significantly reduced the chances of rear-support roles being exposed to ants.

Even though the support hunter’s combat skills were lacking, his healing capabilities as a C-rank hunter ensured the Dawn Guild hunters were fully healed after each battle, allowing them to push forward steadily.

However, the sheer number of ants was overwhelming. With constant battles raging on, ants eventually began targeting the students as well.

“Pro-professor! Over here!”

*Scritch scritch scritch—*

A cluster of ants scaled the cave wall, approaching Si-hyun and the students.

Kim Hunter, having just slashed through an ant in front, shifted her gaze sideways and quickly assessed the size of the swarm.

‘…Quite a few.’

Too many for a lone C-rank hunter to handle without issue. Though there were three students, they were all E-rank hunters.

Having made her decision, she prepared to rush over, intending to help them just this once before retreating.

Just then…

Their eyes met—Si-hyun’s and Kim Hunter’s.