> Ding!
You have leveled up!
You are now Level 2.
You have gained 5 stat points and unlocked a new skill!
Jinhyuk blinked as the glowing system window hovered in front of him.
> "Oh?" He barely suppressed his excitement.
It was finally happening.
He quickly pulled up his updated status screen.
---
[Jinhyuk's Status]
Name: Jin Jinhyuk
Level: 2 (Exp: 0/100)
Class: None
Title: None
Stats:
Strength: 8 → 10
Agility: 10 → 13
Endurance: 7 → 9
Mana: 12 → 15
Perception: 14 → 16
Skills:
Lord of Illusions (Unique) – Alters reality through powerful illusions.
Illusion: Phantom Strike (D-Class) – Creates an afterimage to confuse enemies.
Illusion: Shadow Bind (D-Class) – Binds enemies using their own shadows.
NEW: Shadow Manipulation (C-Class) – Allows limited control over shadows, enabling movement and attacks through them.
---
> A C-Class skill?!
Jinhyuk's breath hitched.
This was huge.
Most D-Class hunters never obtained a C-Class skill without consuming rare skill scrolls or awakening at higher ranks.
And yet, he had gained one naturally.
He clenched his fists, feeling a subtle energy within him. The shadows at his feet twitched slightly, reacting to his thoughts.
> This… is going to be fun.
But before he could experiment further—
> "Jinhyuk, we're moving," Sungho called out.
He blinked.
Right. No time to play around.
---
Rest Before the Final Battle
The hunting party had moved to a safe zone deep within the dungeon. The air here was calmer, and the ground was clear of monsters.
It was the perfect spot to rest before facing the dungeon boss.
Everyone sat around a makeshift campfire, eating rationed food and restoring their stamina.
Jinhyuk chewed on a piece of dried meat, glancing at the others.
It was the first time he was sitting among them as an equal, rather than just a porter.
> "So, Jinhyuk…" Woojin, the swordsman, leaned forward. "Where the hell did you learn to fight like that?"
Jinhyuk froze mid-bite.
> "Uh… well… you know… just experience?" He laughed awkwardly.
> "Experience?" Woojin snorted. "Bullshit. You're a D-Class, right? You fight better than some B-Class hunters I know."
Jinhyuk sweated internally.
> "Well, I was in a lot of life-or-death situations…" he said vaguely.
Sungho, who had been silent, suddenly chuckled.
> "He's hiding something."
> "Huh?" Jinhyuk panicked.
> "You move like someone who's used to being in danger. Like a rogue rather than a porter." Sungho smirked. "And that illusion ability of yours… it's definitely not normal."
> "I-it's just a skill!" Jinhyuk waved his hands.
> "A very good skill," Woojin added, raising an eyebrow.
Jinhyuk scratched his head. Crap.
He had stood out too much.
Before anyone could press him further, Taesuk suddenly spoke up.
> "Does it matter?"
Everyone turned to him.
Taesuk was leaning against a rock, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable.
> "He's skilled. He helped us. That's all that matters," he said simply.
Jinhyuk glanced at him in surprise.
Was he… defending him?
Woojin shrugged. "Fair enough."
The conversation shifted after that, moving into casual topics.
> "I swear, if this dungeon boss is another oversized goblin, I'm quitting hunting."
> "What are you gonna do instead? Become a baker?"
> "Hey! Bakers make good money!"
Laughter rippled through the group.
Even Jinhyuk found himself relaxing.
For the first time, it felt like he was part of a team.
But deep down, he knew—
The real battle was still ahead.
---
The fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows on the cavern walls. The rest of the party had dozed off, saving their energy for the final battle.
Jinhyuk sat on a flat rock, staring into the flames.
Next to him, Taesuk sat with his arms resting on his knees, lost in thought.
For a while, neither spoke.
Then—
> "You're not what I expected, Jinhyuk."
Jinhyuk blinked and turned to Taesuk.
> "Huh? What do you mean?"
Taesuk let out a small chuckle.
> "Most D-Class hunters I've met are either struggling to survive or dreaming of becoming big shots without the skills to back it up."
> "…And which one am I?"
Taesuk shrugged. "You're different."
Jinhyuk tilted his head. "Different how?"
Taesuk was silent for a moment.
> "You fight like someone who's been doing this for years. But you don't have that… arrogance most skilled hunters have." He glanced at Jinhyuk. "You act like you're still weak."
Jinhyuk let out a small laugh. "That's because I am weak."
Taesuk raised an eyebrow.
> "Come on," Jinhyuk continued. "My body's fragile. My rank is low. People don't even want to take me on hunts. If I didn't have my illusions, I'd be dead in an instant."
Taesuk didn't reply.
Instead, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a worn-out photo.
Jinhyuk leaned over.
It was a picture of a woman and two kids.
> "Your family?"
Taesuk nodded, his expression softening.
> "My wife, Seoyun. And my daughter, Eunha."
Jinhyuk's eyes widened. "You have kids?"
> "Yeah," Taesuk smiled faintly. "Eunha's sixteen."
Jinhyuk stared at the photo. "They're beautiful."
Taesuk let out a breath.
> "They're the reason I do this," he said. "Hunting is dangerous, but… what choice do I have?"
Jinhyuk listened quietly.
> "I was just a factory worker before all this," Taesuk continued. "But after the gates appeared, jobs disappeared. Factories shut down. I had a family to feed. Becoming a hunter was the only way to survive."
He clenched his fists.
> "I started out like you—taking whatever small jobs I could get. Barely making enough to eat. I thought if I just worked harder, things would get better."
He let out a bitter chuckle.
> "But no matter how much I try, I'm still D-Class. Still stuck running from real battles, picking up scraps like a dog."
Jinhyuk felt a pang in his chest.
Taesuk wasn't angry—he was tired.
> "I just want them to have a good life," Taesuk murmured. "A life where they don't have to worry about whether I'll come home or not."
Jinhyuk looked down at his own hands.
For a moment, he imagined his father, mother, and younger siblings waiting for him at home.
How long had his father worked tirelessly at their small convenience store just to support them?
How many times had his mother worried about him going on hunts?
How often had Jinhwan and Jinhee watched him leave, hoping he'd come back safely?
> "…I get it," Jinhyuk finally said.
Taesuk looked at him.
> "I became a hunter for my family too." Jinhyuk gave a small smile. "We're not so different, huh?"
Taesuk stared at him for a moment before laughing softly.
> "Yeah. Maybe we're not."
Jinhyuk grinned. "Guess that makes us comrades in suffering?"
Taesuk snorted. "More like comrades in stupidity for choosing this job."
The two chuckled quietly.
For the first time, the gap between them closed.
Taesuk no longer saw Jinhyuk as just some lucky kid who gained unexpected power.
And Jinhyuk no longer saw Taesuk as just another D-Class hunter struggling to survive.
They were the same.
Two ordinary men thrown into a brutal world—fighting to survive, fighting for their families.
> "Hey, Jinhyuk."
> "Yeah?"
> "Let's make it out of this dungeon alive."
Jinhyuk grinned.
> "Deal."
---
The real battle was about to begin.