A dungeon raid was supposed to be easy.
You go in. You kill some monsters. You loot their corpses. You go home richer.
But as Kai Ren stood before the swirling blue vortex of Dungeon Gate 017, a cold dread settled into his gut.
Something felt wrong.
And by the time he realized what it was—it would already be too late.
Hunter's Association – Dungeon Entrance
The dungeon gate pulsed before them, a swirling mass of deep blue energy. The air hummed with arcane vibrations, and the ground beneath their feet seemed to tremble.
Kai adjusted his grip on his notebook, the only thing he was allowed to carry as a Scrivener-class hunter. He could barely afford a basic mana-enhanced vest, while the other party members wore leather armor reinforced with minor enchantments.
They stood at the designated raid point, just outside a crumbling industrial district in Incheon, Korea. A standard E-rank dungeon had appeared here two weeks ago, and it was now their job to clear it before the monsters inside grew stronger.
"Alright, listen up."
Jung Yoon-Soo, their B-rank assassin leader, stood at the front of the party, spinning a dagger in his hand.
"Standard formation. Tank in front. DPS on the flanks. Healer in the rear." His gaze flickered to Kai. "Ren, you—just stay out of the way."
Kai gritted his teeth but nodded.
He was used to it.
For the past two years, every party he had joined had treated him like baggage. His Scrivener class didn't offer any combat abilities, and his only skill was Transcribe, which let him record battles for post-mission analysis.
It was useless in live combat.
Or so they said.
"Alright, no more wasting time." Kim Dae-Ho, their tank, cracked his knuckles, shifting his grip on his tower shield. "Let's get this over with."
Without waiting for confirmation, he stepped forward, his heavy boots crunching against the gravel as he walked straight into the dungeon gate.
One by one, the others followed.
Kai took a deep breath.
"Here we go."
Then—he stepped through.
Inside the Dungeon – Unease in the Darkness
The moment Kai crossed the threshold, a chill settled into his bones.
Dungeon interiors varied by type—some were wide forests, others ancient ruins, and some resembled underground labyrinths.
This one was a cave system, its walls lined with glowing blue moss, casting an eerie, ghostly light across the jagged rock formations. The air was thick with dampness, and a faint, sickly-sweet smell of rot hung in the air.
Something had died here recently.
But the party didn't seem to notice.
"All clear so far," Choi Hana, their healer, said as she glanced around. "I'm sensing low mana fluctuations. Nothing dangerous."
"No surprises? Perfect." Min-Jae, their C-rank mage, rolled his shoulders. "Let's get this over with."
Kai trailed behind them, his eyes scanning everything.
The cave walls had claw marks. The ground had deep scratches, as if something had been dragged away.
"Why does it look like something was trying to escape?"
But before he could voice his concern—
A guttural growl echoed from the shadows.
First Encounter – The Goblins Attack
From the darkness of the tunnels, three goblin warriors emerged, their yellow eyes gleaming, rusted blades in hand.
They were small—barely waist-high to an average human—but their speed and ferocity made them dangerous in large numbers.
"Contact!" Dae-Ho roared, stepping forward, his tower shield raised.
The first goblin lunged, swinging its rusted cleaver toward Dae-Ho's head.
🔹 [Shield Bash!]
The impact sent the goblin flying backward, slamming into the cave wall with a crunch.
Yoon-Soo disappeared, reappearing behind the second goblin.
🔹 [Assassin's Strike!]
A flash of steel—and the goblin collapsed, its throat cut cleanly.
The third goblin turned to run—
🔹 [Fireball!]
A searing explosion engulfed the creature, Min-Jae's flames consuming it instantly.
Within seconds, it was over.
"Hah! Easy." Dae-Ho spat on the ground, shaking the goblin's blood from his shield. "At this rate, we'll be done in an hour."
Kai had watched everything. Memorized everything.
Even though he couldn't fight, his Eidetic Memory skill allowed him to observe, analyze, and recall battle tactics with perfect clarity.
He jotted quick notes in his notebook.
Goblin Weaknesses:
Easily distracted.Slow reaction time to magic.Vulnerable to blunt force trauma.
It wasn't much.
But information was power.
And one day, it might be the only thing that kept him alive.
They pressed forward, the twisting tunnels growing darker and colder.
Then, at the end of the cavern—
A massive stone door stood before them, pulsing with an ominous red glow.
"Wait... this isn't right..."
Yoon-Soo's grin widened.
"A hidden gate?"
The others exchanged excited glances.
"Hidden dungeons always have better loot," Min-Jae said eagerly. "Should we go in?"
But Kai's heart pounded in his chest.
Everything in his instincts screamed at him to turn back.
"Something's wrong. This isn't a normal hidden gate. We need to leave—"
But before he could warn them, Yoon-Soo pushed the stone door open.
A howling, unnatural wind erupted from within.
And then—
The Red Gate activated.
And the nightmare began.