Episode 1 Lucky Day (1)
“You crazy bastard! You want me to become a meat shield?!”
“No brother. Don't listen so badly. He said he was in a hurry for money anyway.”
Despite Jung Woo-min's dissuade, Min Jae-hyeon shouted with great enthusiasm. The inside of the cafe reverberated with Jaehyun's voice.
Jaehyun bit his lip and glared fiercely at Jung Woomin in front of him.
‘shit. Somehow, he said he'd take me to a dungeon raid.'
I wondered if Jung Woo-min had contacted me for some reason.
Jung Woo-min.
Jae-hyeon's partner at the Raider agency, who shares care and work for freelance raiders who are not affiliated with a guild.
Because of this, when Jaehyun got a call from Jung Woomin, he thought it must have been a long time since he had a job.
However, when I received the request, what was it?
Stand in the vanguard with a shield in a dungeon with undead monsters?
It was a story that he would literally use it as a meat shield to throw away in case of emergency.
‘Ha......'
Of course, Jung Woo-min was not ignorant of the meaning of this representation.
But there was no right way.
Min Jae-hyun is a D-class raider of the lower middle class among the Awakened. He even belongs to the martial arts world.
Neither have a lot of experience, nor are they overwhelmingly superior in skill compared to their class. Therefore, it was right to see that the current treatment given to Jaehyun was extremely natural.
Jaehyun sighed and lowered his voice a bit.
“Why are there only jobs like this? Even kids with lower grades than me are good at asking for jobs!”
“No, you know. Recently, even if the rating is high, it is rare to entrust a request to martial fighter raiders.”
“so. Are you ignoring Muchin now? Oh, I'm sorry.”
Muchin.
Literally, it is a term referring to those from the martial arts world among the raiders.
Basically an Awakener.
In other words, radars are divided into martial and magical types. Recently, magic-type radars have a fairly low level of requests, but in the case of martial arts, the situation was not very good.
Jung Woo-min took a sip of the coffee in front of him and opened his mouth again.
“Realistically speaking… that’s right. Kids in the magical world are eating all the plates these days.
It is true that combative radars are relatively slow to work and have a high rate of injury, so employers are reluctant to do so.”
The truth was.
It was inevitable that the fighter-type raiders in the forefront would be more injured than those who hunted monsters with magic from the rear.
Needless to say, the magic world was superior in a multi-person battle.
At Jung Woo-min's words, Jae-hyun also gulped down the iced Americano he was holding in his hand.
widely!
Jaehyun put down the cup he was drinking from and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.
‘Know. It might have been 10 years ago, but now there is no place for combative radars.
Shit...... I should have chosen the magic world then...'
11 years ago in the third year of middle school.
Jaehyun got good grades in the Awakener aptitude test and entered Miles Academy, a training institute specializing in radar.
In the aptitude test at the time, Jaehyun's magic aptitude was 97%.
Currently, Seo In-na, who is considered the top of the Korean magic world, had only 92% of her magic aptitude, so Jaehyun's aptitude at the time was truly unbelievable.
On the other hand, only 34 percent of martial arts.
However, as a result, Jaehyun chose martial arts.
There was no particular grandiose reason, just because there was a tendency to treat magical raiders very condescendingly at the time.
Of course, now, on the contrary, the fighting world is in decline and the magic world radar is being supported.
‘If I had gone to the magic world 11 years ago, would my life be a little better now?'
Jaehyun shook his head from side to side to get rid of the meaningless thoughts.
In general, the growth of a radar stops at the age of 20.
To put it simply, it was a story that nothing would change just because Jaehyun regretted it now. A talent that was once envied by those who decided to pursue a career in magic.
However, now it's a non-fighting D-class radar.
The temperature difference between Jaehyun's past and present was very large.
Silence flows for a while.
It was Jung Woo-min who started the conversation first.
“brother. Opportunities like this don't come often. I was going to introduce it to others first, but I thought of my brother’s circumstances, so I came first.”
“.......”
Jaehyun knew from the beginning that there was no choice. Because in order to survive on this floor, you can't work while being covered for harsh things.
After a while.
Jaehyun's lips finally fell.
“I get it. I will.”
“Good idea. brother.”
A smile spread across Jung Woo-min's lips.
“Then, see you at the place I send you by 8:00 tomorrow morning. Don't be late.”
“What do you see? While the agency work is also busy. Don't worry and do your thing.”
At Jaehyun's words, Jung Woomin smiled lightly and whispered softly.
“no. I have work to do there tomorrow. Then I'll see you tomorrow. brother.”
* * *
The next day.
Contrary to the promise, Jung Woo-min's face was not seen at the entrance of the dungeon.
It was already close to 9 o'clock, well past the 8 o'clock when we were supposed to meet Jung Woo-min. Jaehyun muttered as he walked around the dungeon entrance alone.
“...... Jung Woo -min is a baby. I'll see you tomorrow and I can't see the nose. I'd rather not say you're coming.”
Well, if it's Jung Woo-min, it might be better to take care of other talented people.
He himself is at best a D-class fighter-type raider, but Jung Woo-min is an A-class magician. It was an obvious upper class that was treated everywhere.
It would be strange if such a person was in charge of reproducing.
‘I don't know why a guy like that only works for the Radar Agency in the first place...'
Wasting time at the agency when you can choose any guild to join.
It was something Jaehyun couldn't quite understand, but thanks to him, he was getting help in this and that, so it wasn't something to be deeply concerned about.
Because everyone has circumstances.
Jaehyun sighed and looked around.
Then, he saw the appearances of fighter-based raiders in the same situation as himself.
The number is about a little over forty. All of them were ready to die and were already polishing their shiny shields.
‘If I polish more, the shield will break through.'
This time I shifted my gaze to the other side.
Unlike the face-to-face day laborers, the mages with a friendly atmosphere all have bright expressions.
A high-ranking guild made up of only high-ranking raiders. It's like the Meteor Guild, which has been gaining a reputation as a rookie for a while.
Jaehyun, who watched the scene, quietly reflected on his situation.
To be honest, he didn't want to participate in this raid either.
However, the monthly rent is 350,000 won with a deposit of 500 now tied to the monthly rent room. Considering the money that went out every month, such as food and equipment maintenance, there was no other way than raid.
Of course, since Jaehyun is still only 27 years old, relying on his parents would have been the way to go.
Above all, his father, Min Seong-oh, is an A-class radar. Because he was one of those who received the envy of the people.
Unfortunately, my father didn't love me. My mother, who had already passed away, was the same.
Seong-oh Min.
Jae-hyun's father was a so-called human scum who used violence and abusive language to the two of them.
So, as soon as I became an adult, I became independent without pennies.
To get out of my father's shadow.
In the end, however, independence made representation impoverished.
Not that I haven't tried other things, of course. However, since this was the only thing he learned at the academy, other jobs hardly suited him, so he couldn't hold out for long and returned again.
Well, the conclusion ended up being like trimming the shield to become a meat shield.
A familiar voice came from behind Jaehyun, who was lost in thought for a moment.
“uh? Jaehyun! See you here again?”
Jaehyun turned his head in the direction the voice came from. Soon, a middle-aged man with a familiar face came into Jaehyun's field of vision.
Myeongho Lee.
We had seen each other a few times while exploring dungeons with a fighter-based radar like Jae-hyun.
“Did Myeong-ho come too?”
“okay. I haven't had a job lately... It's a bit risky, but it pays off.”
“Yeah... what. Yes. Especially.......”
“There is no place for non-fighting radar except in places like this. Right?
Anyway, kids these days have no romance with this sword. What's so cool about shooting fireballs from behind?”
‘What a romance is to freeze to death. It looks like I'm starving to death now.'
Of course, I didn't say anything out of my mouth. I just sigh and shrug my shoulders.
Lee Myung-ho shook his head as if he didn't care and put his hand on Jae-hyun's shoulder.
“Whatever. Let's do well together this time. How about a glass of soju after finishing something?”
“Yeah... well, that's good. But I don't have money right now...”
“No. I bought it last time too.”
At Lee Myeong-ho’s firm words, Jae-hyun made a pitiful expression with his shoulders drooping.
Lee Myeong-ho looked at him with a pitiful expression for a moment, then scratched his head and said,
“no way! okay. Got it! Then, I will only buy it until this time!”
‘Because he's a very easy-to-handle man.'
Jaehyun laughed inwardly.
This was exactly the eighth time he had been drinking.
“Everyone gather at the entrance of the dungeon! We will enter in 30 minutes.”
Jaehyun and Lee Myeong-ho's feelings calmed down at the sudden voice of a guild official.
The two quickly moved in the direction of the voice.
at that time. Jaehyun suddenly stopped walking and turned on the screen of the smartphone in his arms.
“Mr. Jaehyun. What are you doing?”
Lee Myeong-ho turned around and looked at Jae-hyun's actions when Jae-hyun didn't immediately catch up.
Soon, a smile spread across Lee Myung-ho's lips.
“her! Are you looking at your smartphone again? Jaehyun always said that before entering a dungeon. What are you looking at so intently? Do you see a picture of your girlfriend?”
“......it's nothing. Let's go.”
Jaehyun's expression, which had been rigid, softened a little.
Inside the small screen of an old-fashioned smartphone, Jaehyun's childhood and his mother Lee Seonhwa's face were contained.
A slightly bittersweet smile appeared on Jaehyun's face.
‘I'll be back.'
Jaehyun switched his smartphone to dungeon mode and followed Lee Myungho closely. He was sucked into the dungeon with Lee Myeong-ho, still smiling.
* * *
“Hey! electric potential! Hold the shield straight up. Keep the line, do the line!”
“Fuck! Why can't you understand the language? Stay there even if you die!”
The magicians of the Meteor Guild, who were in Jaehyun's rear, constantly poured out abusive language and abusive language. It was because the mages were also sensitive as it was a dungeon exploration where their lives were at stake.
What the martial arts Awakeners, including Jaehyun, had to do was as follows.
Blocking the attacks of monsters in the front line without gaps while the wizard casts.
“Alfheim's brilliant light.......”
“Surt's fierce flame, without leaving any enemies in front of him...”
In the meantime, the wizard completes his magic through somewhat cringe casting and kills monsters. Aim at it and shoot.
Quaang!
The monsters that attacked Jaehyun and other martial arts awakeners quickly turned to ashes.
“Huh.......”
The hand holding the shield was sweaty. Jaehyun sighed and straightened the line.
All monsters that appear in this dungeon are undead.
Since they come back to life even after being killed, they are quite tricky monsters to deal with that must be slashed with a weapon containing divine power or used against them using divine magic.
Kieeck!
Kaaak!
However, as if showing the potential of a guild composed of wizards, Meteor's guild members quickly defeated the undead monsters.
‘If this is the case, I won't have to worry about dying.'
Jaehyun felt like an idiot for worrying all day while thinking about what happened yesterday. At this speed, clearing the dungeon before evening was not unreasonable.
Four hours for the intense battle with the monster to continue.
The raid leader looked around the devastated dungeon and stopped walking.
“Looks like things are sorted out here. Let's take a break and go!”
“Did you all hear? Let's take a break here for a while! Raiders in the vanguard! Come back!”
Those who walked ahead of the engineering captain and guild members turned around and returned.
Lee Myeong-ho, who was walking side by side with Jae-hyun, got lucky while drinking water.
“Hey… it’s really spacious anyway.”
“Iknow, right. I could even build a soccer field with this amount.”
Jaehyun sighed and looked around.
It wasn't that it wasn't, it was a really large dungeon.
‘It's definitely an A-class dungeon, so it's wide.'
The dungeon currently being attacked by the Meteor Guild is A-class. According to a news article not long ago, it was the first time that a rookie guild started raiding an A-class dungeon so quickly.
‘I hate to admit it, but a guild made entirely of wizards... is also strong.'
Through the thick darkness, several doors that at first glance looked like entrances to caves stood out.
Perhaps one of them is the door to the boss room.
Jaehyun gulped down his saliva as he looked at the lined doors.
Even if it is a meteor guild with a reputation as a rookie, this is a class A dungeon where hundreds of elite raiders die every year.
A place where carelessness is never allowed.
“Ha... Now only the boss room is left.”
Jaehyun caught his breath and sat down on a simple chair at the edge of the dungeon to do a short stretch.
at that time.
“uh?”
All of a sudden, all the strength in his body was lost, and Jaehyun's body started to stumble like a piece of paper.
―......The Aesir system is down.
―The relationship with the user is temporarily disconnected.
―Reboot the system.
“uh? What is this…”
A voice suddenly came out.
Jaehyun focused on the mechanical sound in his ears with a stunned look on his face.
‘The Aesir system is down? I've never had anything like this before.'
But the embarrassing message didn't stop there.
―......The Aesir system failed to reboot for an unknown reason.
‘The reboot... failed?'
This is the first time the system has crashed or failed to reboot.
A series of bizarre situations that have never been seen on the radar bulletin board of the Awakened community. Jaehyun's mind went blank in an instant.
at that time.
An unknown voice began to calmly spread in Jaehyun's head.
「......follow the light......follow......」
―An unknown anomaly has infiltrated the Aesir system!
―Run recovery in safe mode.
―......Failed!
‘An unknown heteromorphic existence...'? What the hell was that voice I heard a moment ago...'
“The light... you mean follow me?”
“huh? Jaehyun Mr. What are you talking about?”
“no. Just follow the light...”
Jaehyun couldn't finish his words.
Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh.......
In front of his eyes, a small firefly emitting white light was swaying.
‘Are you saying...follow this light?'
Jaehyun sighed nervously.
‘What the hell is going on?'
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