"……So."
"Hm?"
"What exactly… is going on here?"
She had barely managed to reunite with the girl she'd suddenly gotten separated from earlier, but Kim A-rin was still drowning in questions.
Where had Ji-woo been hiding while A-rin had been running around so noisily trying to find her?
Where could she possibly have hidden that even an S-Rank Hunter like Kim A-rin couldn't find a single trace of her?
What had Ji-woo done to just pop out of thin air like that?
And.
—Twitch.
—Swish, swish.
—Swish, swish.
The pointed fox ears sticking up from her head were one thing, but why did she have nine tails?
There was no shortage of things A-rin wanted to ask the Ji-woo looking up at her.
But.
"…Actually, let's get out of here first, A-rin. It's way too dangerous."
Every last one of those questions had to be pushed aside, because the Haeinsa Dungeon had become an extraordinarily dangerous place.
No matter how many things A-rin wanted to ask Ji-woo, she needed to get out of the Dungeon first.
It would be smarter to ask somewhere safer.
And for good reason — a Hidden Boss had appeared inside the Haeinsa Dungeon.
【Currently Assimilating: Hwaran (1%)】
'…Should I tell her or not.'
Ji-woo, who had just been chatting away with that very Hidden Boss until moments ago, mulled it over.
Whether to escape the Dungeon with Kim A-rin as things stood.
Or wait until Hwaran, who had vanished somewhere, came back.
—Murmur.
"Data Viewing."
【Dream Phantom Hwaran】
【Affinity: 85】
【Affinity remaining until ❮(A) Avatar Manifestation: Paradise Lost in a Daze❯ condition met: 15】
【I want to hear again the st■■■ that ■■■ told me, in ■■■ ■■■……(Insufficient Authorization)】
"…What a waste…."
If she raised Hwaran's affinity by just 15 more, she could obtain a new Avatar Manifestation skill.
If Kim A-rin saw Ji-woo's new Avatar Manifestation skill, she might immediately try to scout her into the Haetae Guild.
"Let's go, A-rin. Come on."
"…Hold on."
After running through the calculations in her head.
Ji-woo decided to wait just a little longer.
She was only 15 points away from affinity 100. Giving up and leaving now felt like a waste.
Either way, wasn't this the very Dungeon she'd come to in order to prove whether she could make it as a Hunter or not?
If she could show that she was safe even in front of a Hidden Boss, maybe A-rin's mind would change quickly enough.
'If they'd wanted to attack us, they would've done it already.'
And so, Ji-woo opened her mouth to persuade Kim A-rin.
She was going to let her know that the current situation wasn't as dangerous as A-rin seemed to think.
"Ahem… Hwaran!"
"……? Ji-woo?"
Rather than following Kim A-rin, Ji-woo stood rooted to the spot and called out loudly for someone.
Naturally, that sight looked nothing short of bizarre to A-rin.
Every second counted right now.
What is she doing instead of following me?
Steeling herself to carry Ji-woo out of this Dungeon on her back if she had to, A-rin sprinted back toward her in an instant—
—Rustle……
【 [ ! ] WARNING: Hidden Boss Appeared 】
【 [ ! ] WARNING: Hidden Boss Appeared 】
"You called for me, little one?"
—A chill ran down her spine.
The air crumbled apart like sand, and through the gap, someone Ji-woo had never seen before revealed herself.
Pointed fox ears similar to the ones Ji-woo now had, and nine tails.
But an overwhelming pressure and intimidation that was incomparable to Ji-woo's.
Clearly human in form, yet carrying an alienness and wrongness that set her apart from humans like Kim A-rin.
—Flash———!
Before A-rin could even properly assess who the figure before her was, her body moved on its own.
In an instant, she drew her mana to its peak.
Crackling lightning wrapped around every inch of Kim A-rin's body, and she shot straight toward Ji-woo, planting herself in front of her.
As if she would protect Ji-woo from that alien presence by any means necessary.
"Wh… A-rin?"
"Hah, hah……"
Eyes wound tight with tension fixed on the figure before her.
Dark clouds gathered from every direction, writhing as if ready to unleash blue lightning at any moment.
Even so, the hand gripping Ji-woo kept pulling her further behind A-rin's back.
The tension that welled up unbidden made her fingertips tremble.
And Hwaran, gazing quietly at that Kim A-rin, opened her mouth and spoke.
"So this is the little one's guardian."
—Pat……
"!!"
"Indeed. You care for the little one deeply."
A graceful hand that closed the distance in an instant and gently stroked A-rin's bangs.
Without so much as blinking at A-rin's razor-sharp killing intent, Hwaran shifted her gaze past her toward Ji-woo.
The threat of this woman was of no consequence to her.
Right now, she had something to tell that child.
—Whoosh.
A hand swept through the air.
Bubbles bloomed, and above them floated a scene from somewhere inside the Dungeon.
The men Ji-woo had asked Hwaran not to kill earlier appeared on the surface of the bubbles.
"Look here, little one."
The moment those brief words ended, Hwaran's bubbles spread out in every direction.
Thanks to that, both Kim A-rin and Ji-woo could see what the men were currently doing.
Even A-rin, who had been sharply on guard against Hwaran until just a moment ago, found herself naturally watching the scene on the bubbles.
"Grab the goods and get out—! The rest of you, buy as much time as you can here!"
Unidentified men hurriedly fleeing with metal boxes full of something in tow.
The sight, which kept nudging her toward certain conclusions, made Kim A-rin's eyes waver.
The only people who had been scheduled to enter the Haeinsa Dungeon today were Ji-woo and A-rin herself.
She knew nothing whatsoever about those unfamiliar men.
But more than any of that.
"P-please… spare me…"
"Don't worry, kid. You staying alive is what keeps us alive too."
"Ugh……"
A familiar figure trembling in the grip of one of the men.
At the same time, a girl who looked exactly like the Ji-woo standing right here caught Kim A-rin's eye.
"Wh… Ji-woo?"
"Huh? Who's that?"
"That's… you."
"…I'm right here though?"
Naturally, both Kim A-rin and Ji-woo herself were startled.
Could that be a doppelganger?
The kind where if the original and the copy meet, one of them has to die?
"Pfft, it's merely a double, little one."
"A double?"
"Yes. I had a strange feeling about those men, you see."
Looking down at the scene on the bubbles with amusement, Hwaran spoke.
She had gotten an unsettling feeling, so she had used her own double to test those men a little.
"In my estimation, those men came here to harm you… Shall I dispose of them?"
Surprised by the unexpected news Hwaran delivered, Ji-woo's eyes naturally drifted toward her own double.
The fake Ji-woo Hwaran had created, wearing the exact same appearance as Ji-woo.
***
—Flinch, flinch.
"…Monstrous woman."
Park Jeong-hun, the ringleader of a small-time criminal outfit with no name to speak of, tightened his grip.
His hands hadn't stopped shaking since he'd witnessed all those bolts of lightning earlier.
No matter how hard he tried to steady himself, having come face to face with an S-Rank Hunter's real power kept his nerves rattling.
How long could they possibly hold out against Kim A-rin, who had slaughtered countless monsters all at once?
"…Hah……"
The thought that those tremendous bolts of lightning might be aimed at them next dragged a heavy sigh out of him involuntarily.
It was a small mercy that there was at least some slim chance, however tiny.
—Struggle, struggle.
—Struggle, struggle.
"Ugh, let go of me! What's your problem, mister…!"
"Hold still, hold still! I swear, one more word out of you and I'll— hey! Knock it off!"
"Take it easy, take it easy. Don't scare the kid too much."
The white-haired girl they had stumbled upon entirely by chance moments ago — Park Jeong-hun and his men hadn't let her slip away.
The kid who had entered the Dungeon with Kim A-rin.
A girl who clearly had a close relationship with A-rin — she would surely be their lifeline.
No matter how fearsome Kim A-rin was, she wouldn't be able to attack freely as long as this girl was being held hostage.
"Grab the goods and get out—! The rest of you, buy as much time as you can here!"
He ordered them to move the illegal drugs they'd stashed inside the Dungeon first, leaving behind only a skeleton crew.
The bare minimum of manpower to stall for even a little time if A-rin showed up.
The goal right now was to hold out against Kim A-rin for as long as possible.
That way, the truck loaded with the illegal drugs could get just a little further away.
"Hyeon-seok, get ready to snipe. Park Su-hwan, have that B-Rank spell of yours ready to go."
"Boss, shouldn't we just run for it now—!"
"Are you an idiot? If we run, you think Kim A-rin's just gonna stand there and watch?"
Trying to outrun an S-Rank Hunter was, put plainly, the kind of idea only a fool would have.
Especially a Hunter with the power of lightning.
If they all tried to flee together, they'd be caught before long anyway — so having a few stay behind to buy time was the only way out.
As long as they delivered the illegal drugs, the money would definitely come through.
"…Hah."
Swallowing down the fear rising in his chest, Park Jeong-hun reminded himself once more why he was doing something this dangerous.
His daughter, who had suddenly come down with mana addiction one day out of nowhere.
The staggering medical bills that a simple office worker had no hope of covering.
His wife, crying every day at their daughter's bedside.
"…It's fine. Once we get through this, we can pay off the treatment costs in full."
"Wh-what… really?"
"Yeah. Our Ha-yeon — we can finally get her treated."
He imagined the day he would pay off every last overdue hospital bill and surgery fee.
His wife, smiling at last after so much hardship.
His daughter, lying in her hospital bed, smiling faintly.
"…The surgery went well. No complications either. She should be up and healthy before long."
The doctor's voice telling him his daughter's long illness was finally cured reached Park Jeong-hun's ears.
His daughter, who not long after truly got up from her hospital bed with a spring in her step.
"Sniff… Ha-yeon……"
"Mm, Dad? Why are you crying…?"
"…No, I'm not crying. I'm not. Can't cry on a happy day like this."
Forcing a bright smile, Park Jeong-hun took his daughter's hand.
He could finally take her.
To the amusement park famous for being a blast — the one she'd been begging to visit the whole time she was stuck in that hospital bed.
"Dad, Dad! I want to ride that one!"
"Ha-yeon, don't run ahead. We can still get on it if we walk."
"Honestly, our Ha-yeon. She talked about coming here so much, and now she's finally got her wish~."
His daughter, bursting with excitement as she darted between the countless rides at the amusement park.
His wife, walking in step beside him behind their daughter with a fond, helpless expression.
Right. This is the future I'm doing all of this for…
—Flinch.
"Dad?"
…Something was wrong.
The face of his daughter waving at him from across the way — he couldn't see it.
The small face that came running over and took his hand again, looking up at him.
But somehow, what her eyes looked like.
How button-cute her nose was.
The soft lips that would sometimes shyly press a kiss to his cheek. The hair he used to tie into two pigtails for her.
What any of it looked like — he couldn't remember a single detail.
—Flinch, flinch.
—Flinch, flinch.
An unease registered somewhere beneath his conscious mind.
The illusions that had been swallowing Park Jeong-hun whole cracked, ever so faintly.
—Flicker……
As the eternal fantasy broke for just a moment, what he came face to face with was the form of a great and terrible yokai.
【 [ ! ] WARNING 】
.̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́
【 [ ! ] WARNING 】
.̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́
【 Hidden Boss 'Dream Phantom Hwaran' reveals her true power 】
.̷̩̗̲͙̱̠̥̭̟̳̳͈͇͎͍͙̉͐̂̆̊̔̏̒̒̈͛͒̂̓̀̐̓̚.҈͉̘̗̦̭̦̮̱͍̱̰̩͙̰͕͚͕͓̬̟͕̎̒̿̄͆̿̓́̽̎̑̓̃̈́͛̍̃̌̈̒͐̎́̈.̶͇͔̥̯̬̲͈̫̙̩̠̱̰̦̫̱̯͇̳̞́̇͗͑̓̏̄͛̓̔̓̋̾̇̐̇̀͛̚ͅ.̷̬̲̥̯̥̠͓͎̞̖̫͈̬̗͕̊̿̒͛̈́͒̆̅̒͊̅̊̀̽̾̍̊̏͛.̸̟̗͖̝̯̙̞͉̞̦̝͈̟̳̙͈͆͐͛͐̓̋͒̌̏̇̃̀̚.҉̞̠͈̬͔͕͉͚̖̝̯͓̥̖̦̠͇̲̓̾̓͂̀̈́͆͌̒͆̐̎̋̌.҉̞͙̯̞̳͈͇̣̳͕̯̙̟̩̰̄̂̒͌̿̀̐̓̏̀̀̾͒ͅ .̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́.̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́ .̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́.̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́.̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́
【 'Paradise Lost in a Daze' temporarily manifests within the Dungeon 】 .̷̩̗̲͙̱̠̥̭̟̳̳͈͇͎͍͙̉͐̂̆̊̔̏̒̒̈͛͒̂̓̀̐̓̚.҈͉̘̗̦̭̦̮̱͍̱̰̩͙̰͕͚͕͓̬̟͕̎̒̿̄͆̿̓́̽̎̑̓̃̈́͛̍̃̌̈̒͐̎́̈.̶͇͔̥̯̬̲͈̫̙̩̠̱̰̦̫̱̯͇̳̞́̇͗͑̓̏̄͛̓̔̓̋̾̇̐̇̀͛̚ͅ.̷̬̲̥̯̥̠͓͎̞̖̫͈̬̗͕̊̿̒͛̈́͒̆̅̒͊̅̊̀̽̾̍̊̏͛.̸̟̗͖̝̯̙̞͉̞̦̝͈̟̳̙͈͆͐͛͐̓̋͒̌̏̇̃̀̚ .̶͓̮̩̙̞̙̫̪̯̘̠̲̂̎̃̈͂͂̉̽̏̈̒̋̓̂̈́̉̽̄̽̓̉̇̚.̵̫̯̥̮͕̝͔͉̜̮̰̞̟̬̖̠̜͖͈̫̲̗̽̿́̌̽͂̽̎͆̑̑̐̽̂̂̽̌̆̌̀̓.҈͚̯͇̫͕̥͙̲̲͙̳̝̤̪͇̱̝̰͔͕͎̞̃̐͂̊̎́́̋͗̅̑̈́̇̂̏̒̐̽̓̚̚ͅ.̷̠̝̤̲͍̱͍̤̗̪̜͖͚̮̙̜͋̔̋̂̈́͂̍̓̀͂͑̎̇͊͑͆̃.҈͙̮̗͓̥͉̮͚͉͖̭̭͎̥̜̉͌̑̾͂̍́̃̄̌̀̎̌̾͋͐̈́
"Ah……"
At the same moment, a dense miasma settled over everything around them.
A thick fog of phantasms that refused to permit any distinction between illusion and reality.
"…Dad!"
—Murmur.
"Ah, Dad… I'm here……"
Park Jeong-hun.
No — the eyes of ■■■, who had once been Park Jeong-hun, turned white once more.
All that remained afterward was an endless sensation of falling.
"■■■■■■■■……"
The happiest of sounds echoed quietly within the most tranquil of illusions.
■■■ lost himself entirely.
【Currently Assimilating: Hwaran (48%)】
【Currently Assimilating: Hwaran (21%)】
【Assimilation with entity: Hwaran is now released.】
【The paradise returns to emptiness 虛.】
