When he looked around, the hunters all had similar expressions, standing with their mouths agape in a daze. They looked like they had just woken up from a long, terrible nightmare.
"…Did we clear it?"
At that moment, a semi-transparent message window appeared before everyone's eyes.
"Reward for Clearing"
For every quest cleared, the system automatically calculates contributions and gives rewards accordingly. Usually, the expedition leader gets the highest score, and the support members get almost nothing. This is why Hyeon Su-ho had almost nothing to show for quest clearings even after seven years.
But this time was different.
"Emblem Obtained"
◆Emblem
Galactic Defense Force (Rank S)
▷Condition: Defeat the Queen
All stats +10%
Disease resistance +30
Acid resistance +50
Light attribute attack power +100%
OOPArt efficiency +30%
"…An S-rank emblem?"
An emblem is a kind of passive skill obtained by achieving a certain contribution rate and specific conditions during a quest. Of course, Hyeon Su-ho had never obtained even an F-rank emblem before. Moreover, an S-rank emblem was something even top professional hunters find hard to acquire in their lifetime.
But the luck didn't end there. Before he could even check the details of the emblem, another message appeared.
"Artifact Obtained"
◆Artifact
Genocide (OOPArt)
Attack power ???
Suddenly, the alien gun he had used earlier was in Hyeon Su-ho's hand. Though nothing can be taken out from the Dimensional Gate except for small pebbles, there is one exception. An artifact obtained as a clearing reward.
Artifacts are categorized into six grades: 'Common,' 'Uncommon,' 'Rare,' 'Special,' 'Epic,' and 'Legendary' depending on their level.
'But what is this OOPArt grade?'
Maybe it was categorized differently since it was an alien relic. The attack power was marked with question marks, an unknown item.
Come to think of it, didn't the emblem he just got have an option related to OOPArt?
While he stood there bewildered by the unexpected rewards, Jin Seo-yeon was busy moving around.
"Is everyone okay? I will check the headcount. Please gather over here."
Having completed a difficult quest, they needed to accurately assess the damage. With the swarm of monsters at the end, they didn't know how many had been lost.
Fortunately, the casualties were fewer than expected. Besides the three from Park kwang-yeol's group and three other hunters who couldn't be treated in time, there were only six in total.
Although many hunters had been dragged away by monsters, they survived because they were kept in a comatose state to be used as hosts. If more time had passed, they would have only had their shells left, but fortunately, they cleared the quest in time to avoid further losses.
Seeing this, Jin Seo-yeon trembled with relief.
"Thank goodness. Really… thank goodness."
At that moment, Hong Chang-sik suddenly approached someone, twisted their arm, and yelled.
"You traitor!"
"Argh!"
Everyone's eyes turned to them in surprise, and Jin Seo-yeon hurried over.
"Mister? What's going on?"
"This illusionist is the cause of everything. This bastard put us in danger."
"What do you mean?"
"Miss, it wasn't a 3.5-star dungeon from the start. This dungeon was 6-star!"
"What?!"
When they first entered the dungeon, everyone saw the difficulty marked as 3.5 stars. It turned out it was an illusion manipulated by the illusionist.
"Damn! So we cleared a 6-star difficulty?"
"People usually give up on 5-stars, but 6-stars…"
If it hadn't been for Hyeon Su-ho's performance, they would all have perished.
Jin Seo-yeon, biting her lower lip, shouted at the man dangling from Hong Chang-sik's grip.
"Is it true? Did you really try to kill us?"
This wasn't their first meeting. She had known him for a long time. His skills were excellent, and he had faithfully participated in the expedition, so she included him in this one as well.
"S-sorry. I'm really sorry, miss. I couldn't endure the debt collectors any longer…."
The illusionist had accumulated massive gambling debts. He had even resorted to private loans, and the interest was growing faster than what he earned as a hunter.
When the loan sharks started threatening his family, he finally came to his senses, but it was already too late.
At his moment of despair, a secret proposal came.
"They said if the expedition was wiped out, they would let my family live in peace. I'm truly sorry. I committed an unforgivable crime."
At first, manipulating the difficulty was just the beginning. The original intention was to gradually trap and annihilate the team members. But he changed his mind midway due to the horrific monsters and victims' appearances.
Tears streaming down, he confessed.
"Even though I had steeled myself, I didn't want to die like that."
After hearing everything, Hong Chang-sik roughly threw him to the ground.
"High difficulty with monsters particularly resistant to fire… It was all a trap."
A dimensional dungeon designed to annihilate the expedition. Not just high difficulty, but with monsters resistant to fire abilities, was especially malicious.
Although the man didn't reveal who had ordered him, it was obvious even without hearing it.
Jin Seo-yeon rubbed her forehead, looking troubled.
"…It must be my brothers' doing."
The heirs fighting over the Jinryong Group. After an assassination attempt, they had now set a deadly trap.
Jin Seo-yeon glanced at Hyeon Su-ho.
'If it hadn't been for him…'
If not for Hyeon Su-ho, the expedition would have been wiped out. Even if they had cleared the quest by some stroke of luck, the casualties would have been immense.
Thanks to Hyeon Su-ho's efforts, the crisis turned into an opportunity. Clearing a 6-star dimensional quest with only six casualties was remarkable.
This would significantly boost Jin Seo-yeon's reputation and give her an advantage in the heir competition.
But Jin Seo-yeon felt no joy. She sighed and said,
"…Let's go back."
* * *
After safely returning to the city, they began the settlement process. When asked to check the acquired items, Hyeon Su-ho promptly handed over the alien gun, Genocide.
The others were astonished when the support member, Hyeon Su-ho, presented the item.
"You got this?"
"Yes."
Hyeon Su-ho's contribution in this expedition was higher than all the other hunters combined, including ranker Hong Chang-sik. Therefore, he was the only one to receive an artifact.
The unexpected situation left the administrator scratching his head. If Hyeon Su-ho were a guild member, they would appraise the item and compensate him accordingly, but he was just a day laborer.
Eventually, the report reached Jin Seo-yeon.
"That belongs to him. It's not our concern."
"But…"
The guild members looked longingly at Genocide. Artifacts from dimensional quests, regardless of their performance, were worth at least billions. They were highly sought after by collectors.
If its performance was good, its value could skyrocket.
Seeing the greed in the hunters' eyes, Hong Chang-sik spoke disdainfully.
"This is now just a decoration. It's originally rechargeable, but our technology can't recharge it, and it has no remaining energy."
This was what they had discovered through the appraiser's skills.
The hunters, recalling the power that obliterated the queen monster and the ship, were disappointed.
Since it was just a decoration, there was no reason to covet it and risk angering Jin Seo-yeon and Hong Chang-sik.
Genocide was handed back to Hyeon Su-ho, and Jin Seo-yeon spoke politely.
"If you ever decide to sell it, our guild will offer a generous price."
Hyeon Su-ho hesitated at her words. Entrusting it to Jin Seo-yeon would yield a better price than auctioning it off individually.
'Since that voice is gone anyway…'
Nothing from the Dimensional Gate could be taken out unless it was a reward, not even specific knowledge.
He still didn't know the identity of the voice, but he could no longer receive its help.
This meant he couldn't recharge the energy with mana anymore.
…Just as he thought that.
[It's better not to give away that item, Master.]
"Hiccup!"
Startled, Hyeon Su-ho hiccuped.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Ha, ha, ha…"
He told Jin Seo-yeon, who was looking at him strangely, that he would keep the gun as a memento and stepped back a bit.
'You're still here?'
[Of course. I am now perfectly integrated with you, Master.]
'But the system of the Dimensional Gate erases even knowledge obtained from it. How are you…?'
[As you said, a mysterious force tried to erase me when passing through the gate.]
'And?'
[In an emergency, I split into subatomic particles and dispersed into your body. 99.9999% of the particles were destroyed, but fortunately, some survived.]
'And you're okay with that?'
[I initiated the recovery process. Restoring function is not difficult as long as some nanoparticles remain.]
He didn't fully understand, but the important thing was that the entity that had crucially helped clear the 6-star dimensional quest was still calling him Master.
'So what exactly are you? I think I heard you're some kind of computer?'
[I am the main AI of the 7th generation hypergalactic-class spaceship, Hypernova.]
'A spaceship…? The one we detonated?'
[Correct. I installed myself in you under emergency protocol.]
The main AI of a spaceship capable of traversing galaxies… He was trying to grasp the magnitude of this when Jin Seo-yeon and Hong Chang-sik, having finished their preparations, approached him again.
"Your name is… Hyeon Su-ho, right?"
"Oh! Yes!"
"Thank you so much for today's expedition."
Jin Seo-yeon bowed deeply in gratitude, and Hyeon Su-ho hurriedly bowed back.
Jin Seo-yeon got straight to the point.
"Please join our guild as a regular member. We will offer you the best treatment in the industry. Our guild also provides excellent basic benefits, including four major insurances."
Hyeon Su-ho's eyes widened in disbelief.
'Is this… a dream?'
For a large guild like Jinryong to scout him first… Becoming a regular member would grant him immense benefits. Moreover, they promised the best treatment in the industry.
This could be the end of his long struggle with poverty.
He was about to accept when a voice, completely different from the soft one he was used to, rang out.
[Are you crazy, human?!]
Startled by the furious voice, Hyeon Su-ho involuntarily stepped back.
[Is my Master, who has the greatest AI in the universe, really going to join a guild under such conditions?! Even if it's the best in the industry, isn't it just a porter's position?]
Even though it was just a voice, he could almost imagine the speaker spitting in anger.
'Then what?'
[With my help, you can become the strongest hunter, not just the best assistant.]
'A hunter?'
The word snapped Hyeon Su-ho back to reality.
A hunter… Despite getting a mechanic's job and facing disappointment, it had always been a dream he held onto.
[With me, you won't need any guild's help.]
The confident voice made Hyeon Su-ho resolve firmly.
Then he bowed to Jin Seo-yeon, who was waiting for his answer, and replied.
"I'm sorry. The shock from today's incident is too great. I don't think I can ever enter a dungeon again."
"Ah~"
Jin Seo-yeon nodded understandingly and then took out a business card from her pocket and handed it to him.
"Please contact me anytime if you change your mind."
"I will."
After sending off Jin Seo-yeon and Hong Chang-sik, Hyeon Su-ho began a serious conversation with the AI.
'Can you really help me?'
[Helping you is my sole mission, Master.]
The words came without hesitation, filling him with a sense of gratitude.
The help Hyeon Su-ho referred to was the continued use of the alien gun, Genocide, a powerful weapon that had destroyed alien monsters and even a spaceship.
Even though it required mana to recharge, with proper use, he could certainly make a name for himself as a hunter.
'If I could use that power freely, becoming a ranker wouldn't be just a dream…'
Hyeon Su-ho was already envisioning a rosy future.
But the AI's response was something he had not anticipated at all.
[The third planet of the solar system located in the Orion Arm, commonly known as Earth, is predicted to have a 99.99% chance of destruction in 3,512 days, 15 hours, and 31 minutes from now.]
"…What?"
Hyeon Su-ho was so stunned by the unexpected statement that he shouted out loud.
In contrast, the AI's voice remained calm.
[The margin of error in this calculation is within 1%.]