Clunk-clunk.
Fifteen of us, including Han Harin, Eun Sangmin, and myself, were crammed into the van. Though the ceiling lights were on, we couldn't see anything outside. All we heard were the engine's rumble and the van's rattling.
Occasionally, the van would stop, the doors would open, and an Association staff member would guide Hunters out.
"Area F-11. We've arrived. Blue Star Team, disembark."
Three Hunters rose from their seats and exited the van. A quick glance revealed a grassy plain with no trees in sight.
So Area F is a grassland.
We had been briefed beforehand. The dungeon for "Dungeon Survival Reforged" was Pelon's World, a D-Rank open-type dungeon. It was a peculiar place where the environment could shift dramatically with just a few steps. Currently, the dungeon was under the Association's complete control.
Not long after the Hunter left, the van started moving again.
"Arrived at K-4 Area. National Heaven Hunter Team, please disembark."
It was our turn.
As soon as I stepped out of the van, I scanned our surroundings. Our starting point was a rocky terrain, with parched yellow earth and dark brown rocks scattered everywhere.
We checked each other's gear. The Hunter equipment we were wearing had been provided by the Association. Eun Sangmin carried a longsword and shield, Han Harin a shortsword, and I wielded a guardless blade similar to the Hwaryeon Flying Dagger.
An Association official addressed us sternly, as if delivering a warning.
"You must never remove your Energy Protect inside the Dungeon. Any action taken without it will result in immediate disqualification. However, you may remove it in designated rest areas."
I glanced at my left shoulder, where a blue orb hung the Energy Protect. It consumed energy to absorb damage on my behalf. When it turned red, its energy was completely depleted, guaranteeing elimination.
"Team Leader Sung Yujin?"
"Yes, I'm Sung Yujin."
"Here's your tablet. Be careful not to lose it, as replacements won't be provided. You can use the tablet to access maps, situational updates, and emergency communication channels.
"Understood. I heard about it during the briefing."
"In 25 minutes, at precisely 3:00 PM, the competition will begin. Please remain here until then. Notice the cameras installed around you? The tablet has a GPS tracker, and drones are also monitoring the area, so any attempts at cheating will be detected. Good luck."
The Association staff immediately walked to the driver's seat of the van, which began to pull away.
"Ugh, damn... I have to spend a whole week here... sigh."
Eun Sangmin immediately collapsed onto the ground. He might have thought it wouldn't be a big deal before experiencing it firsthand, but surviving in the Dungeon for a week without any modern conveniences is no easy task. There's so much to do.
But if he quit right away, he'd be publicly humiliated on national television.
"..."
Han Harin stood with her arms crossed, quietly surveying her surroundings. Something had changed about her since awakening her Mana. She used to wear clothes that revealed almost no skin and even bind her H-cup breasts to hide them. Now, she made no effort to conceal her figure.
Let's see... As expected, the tablet's functions are limited. The most useful feature seems to be the map.
I fiddled with the tablet. Since it plays such a crucial role, I needed to familiarize myself with its operation quickly.
"Yujin-ah, what should we do? Start hunting monsters right away?" Eun Sangmin asked me.
In Dungeon Survival, participants' rankings are determined by Survival Points. The team with the most Survival Points after a week wins.
One way to earn Survival Points is by hunting monsters. As Hunters, we need to consistently hunt monsters.
"We'll encounter monsters as we move around. What's more important right now is securing food, water, and shelter. Maintaining at least an above-average condition is essential, even if we can't be at our peak."
Even superhuman Hunters still need food and water.
"So, we'll start with reconnaissance... Where should we begin?"
"There's an R District nearby, so let's start there. Since it's a forest, there should be streams or something."
The tablet's map only showed the district boundaries. We wouldn't know exactly what was inside until we explored it.
"Finding a place to rest is also crucial. For the first day, we should focus on reconnaissance rather than hunting monsters."
Eun Sangmin nodded. He seemed satisfied with my instructions.
Han Harin and I locked eyes. I gave her a sly smile that only she could see, and she frowned slightly, quickly looking away.
The fact that we were sex friends was a secret between us.
That prim face, whimpering beneath me... Heh heh...
I shook my head. The thought of Han Harin naked stirred a slight reaction down there.
I have to hold back.
I had to hold back here. Cameras were installed everywhere, and drone cameras patrolled the skies like sentinels. To make matters worse, some Association staff members roamed the dungeon with cameras in hand. One wrong move could lead to more than just humiliation.
The tablet in my hand vibrated slightly. I glanced at the screen. A notification had arrived.
> 3 minutes remaining. Dungeon Survival Reforged will begin at 3:00 PM sharp!
Hah... Since I'm participating anyway, I might as well win.
Every member of our team can use Mana. We have all the conditions for victory. If we can't win with this team, it would be downright embarrassing.
Wait a minute. Even if we can't have sex, we can still sneak in some touches, right?
I glanced at Han Harin's voluptuous figure.
In a certain area of the dungeon, a large crowd had gathered.
Dozens of small screens were set up around the perimeter, with one massive screen dominating the center. About ten people were seated in front of the screens.
Dungeon Survival runs non-stop for a week. This applies not only to the participants but also to the hosts and guests who watch the footage and provide commentary.
2 PM.
The studio cameras began rolling.
"Hello! I'm Jo Seok-hu, the main MC for Dungeon Survival Reforged! This time, we'll be providing live commentary for the entire week, so the three MCs will be rotating shifts. We ask for your understanding, viewers, and I'd like to introduce my co-host and guests who will be assisting me!"
Thanks to Jo Seok-hu's seasoned skills as one of the Republic of Korea's five most famous MCs, the filming proceeded smoothly.
"Mr. Hong Su-won, what do you think will happen in this season of Dungeon Survival Reforged?"
Hong Su-won was a man in his late thirties.
He serves as a scout and strategist for Bluebird, one of the Republic of Korea's top ten guilds. Most of the guests invited here are executives from major guilds.
"I believe it will be a success. The first Dungeon Survival event in the past suffered from insufficient information and preparation regarding the Hunters. However, this time, the Hunter Association is actively cooperating, and the rules have been clearly defined.
The young Hunters who will lead the next generation of the Republic of Korea's Hunter community will showcase their skills and provide viewers with great entertainment."
"The skills of these young Hunters who protect the peace of the Republic of Korea I'm very much looking forward to seeing them myself. Ms. Baek Ji-eun, as a member of the Association and currently busy with modeling and broadcasting work, what are your thoughts?"
"I feel the same way. Heh heh. I have some knowledge of the participants' information and skills. You'll be amazed when you see their abilities with your own eyes."
Baek Ji-eun said with a bright smile, a practiced smile for the cameras.
She stared at one of the countless screens, the one showing the National Heaven Hunter Team Sung Yujin's team.
Can he really handle this?
She worried about her longtime friend, whom she hadn't seen lately due to her hectic preparations for Dungeon Survival.
...Ah. I need to meet up with him and give him a boost soon...
Before long, it struck 3:00 PM. Association staff monitoring the situation began manipulating their controls.
Baek Ji-eun easily recognized they were releasing the monsters they had been suppressing. As one of the project managers for Dungeon Survival, she knew most of the details.
Main MC Jo Seok-hu seized the moment, shouting loudly:
"Dungeon Survival Reforged! It finally begins!!"
Dungeon Survival Reforged is now underway!
After checking the notification on our tablets, we immediately headed east toward R District without hesitation.
Our team consisted entirely of Mana users. With such a powerful group, there was no need to be cautious. If any other Hunters dared to attack us, we would simply fight back and eliminate them.
"Oh, a monster."
A Giant Scorpion emerged from behind a large rock. True to its name, it was a massive scorpion, standing over two meters tall. Its hard exoskeleton, rock-crushing pincers, and venomous stinger made it a formidable foe.
D-Rank Monster. As long as we avoid the stinger's poison, it's nothing to worry about.
We remained calm. A D-Rank Monster could easily be hunted by a single member of our team.
"What do you want to do? Just ignore it and move on?" Eun Sangmin asked me.
I glanced back discreetly. A short distance away, an Association staff member was filming us with a camera. It was a bit annoying, but there was nothing we could do. This was a broadcast, after all.
"Let's hunt it down before we leave. We can't just ignore it now that we've encountered it."
"Can we use it for food?"
"If we can remove the poison."
The Giant Scorpion's flesh contains toxins, making it inedible without detoxification. Even if we could remove the poison, who had the time for that?
"Should I kill it?"
"I'll handle it," Han Harin volunteered. I didn't stop her.
The massive scorpion, which had been charging fiercely toward us, suddenly froze. Not only that, but it lost its footing and crashed to the ground. An invisible force of gravity was crushing its body.
Han Harin began intensifying the gravitational pressure.
Crack! Crack!
The scorpion's body was brutally crushed.
"It's over," Han Harin said calmly to Eun Sangmin. Eun Sangmin wore an awkward expression. Now that Han Harin could use Mana, she was stronger than him. Gravity Manipulation Ability was one of the most powerful abilities.
Even I could lose to Han Harin if I let my guard down. My sparring win rate against her is only around 80% these days.
The gravity field was tricky because it was invisible. Once she activated her ability using Mana, escaping it was quite difficult, even if you used Mana yourself.
"We don't have time for this. Let's move immediately."
"Wait. What about the Magic Stone? Shouldn't we take it?" Eun Sangmin asked me. It was clear he hadn't fully grasped the rules of Dungeon Survival.
"Association staff will recover it."
I glanced at my tablet, confirming the 5 Survival Points I'd earned for killing the Giant Scorpion.
One of the rules of [ Dungeon Survival Reforged ] stated that food crates would be distributed at 6 AM and 6 PM. Obtaining a food crate granted an additional 100 Survival Points.
This rule wasn't for the Hunters' benefit; it was designed to enhance the program's entertainment value.
By distributing food crates, the organizers aimed to incite conflict among the Hunters. From the viewers' perspective, battles between Hunters were far more compelling than watching them hunt monsters.
Food distribution will commence in 30 minutes at 6 PM. Locations are as follows:
Red dots appeared across the map, totaling ten locations. The nearest distribution point was about a 20-minute walk from our current position. Food crates would be dropped from the air onto the ground.
"The only food we've found in this forest is mushrooms. We need to go get more supplies."
Finding food proved more difficult than expected. We'd found a few unidentified mushrooms, but they didn't seem very nutritious. It wasn't enough.
"Besides, 100 Survival Points isn't a small amount. Anyone disagree with my plan?"
"You're right. We need food."
"How can we survive on just mushrooms? Of course we have to go."
Han Harin and Eun Sangmin agreed.
Avoiding food out of fear of fighting powerful Hunters was foolish.
"After securing the supply crate, we need to find shelter. The sun will set soon."
With ten minutes until 6:00 PM, we arrived at the drop zone for the supply crate.
"Kreeeeaaak!"
A blue flame suddenly engulfed Eun Sangmin, who had been confidently leading the way.