Chapter 10:
“Huh?”
Not only Seo Won-yeong, but even the usually nonchalant Seo Jae-yi widened her eyes.
A 93% Matching Rate. That was…
“It’s the highest initial Matching Rate ever recorded.”
An Esper and Guide’s Matching Rate gradually increased as they underwent Guiding, their wavelengths aligning.
But no one had ever recorded such an unbelievable initial Matching Rate of 93%.
Even the highest recorded rates had only reached around 90%…
“The Center wants to run another test, so they asked us to visit again in two days.”
“…Unnie.”
Seo Won-yeong unconsciously embraced Seo Jae-yi tightly, her arms trembling slightly.
Not only was he an S-rank Guide, but their Matching Rate was 93%?
Considering the high efficiency due to their matching ranks, even a small amount of Guiding from him could end Seo Jae-yi’s terminal sentence.
Her dwindling lifespan could be significantly extended.
Her precious sister could finally experience the freedom she had been denied.
It was a miracle.
“You’ll be okay soon.”
Seo Won-yeong buried her face in Seo Jae-yi’s shoulder, which was much smaller than her own. Seo Jae-yi felt her shoulder becoming damp with tears.
Kim Yoo-sung also seemed overwhelmed with emotion, covering his face with one hand, his lips pressed together as if suppressing something.
And amidst all this, Seo Jae-yi…
‘This is bad.’
…was sweating profusely.
She had a secret, one she hadn’t revealed even to Seo Won-yeong, her own family, let alone Kim Yoo-sung.
‘…I need to go to a dungeon tonight.’
She knew they would yell at her, calling her crazy, if they found out.
***
After much effort to calm Seo Won-yeong, who insisted on barging into the Center and claiming the Guide for herself, Seo Jae-yi was finally able to return home.
Truthfully, she also wanted to go. Her first encounter with Baek Joo-won had been nothing short of disastrous.
With a 93% Matching Rate, they were bound to see each other frequently, whether they liked it or not. She couldn’t remain a terrible first impression forever. She needed to improve his opinion of her, even slightly.
However, there was something more important she had to do right now.
Late at night, when everyone was asleep, Seo Jae-yi secretly headed towards a Fixed dungeon located on the outskirts of Seoul.
While some dungeons disappeared after all the monsters were eliminated, others remained permanently, continuously generating monsters. These were known as Fixed dungeons.
The dungeon Seo Jae-yi was heading to had emerged ten years ago. It had been dangerous only during its initial appearance, and after the first subjugation, the danger level had significantly decreased. Over time, it faded from people’s memories.
That’s why, a year ago, after receiving her terminal diagnosis, Seo Jae-yi had entered this dungeon alone. It was the perfect place to control her rampaging ability without harming anyone.
And it had been the best decision. She had managed to suppress her overload and discovered a method to slightly extend her lifespan.
Her solo visit to the dungeon tonight was related to that method.
Upon arriving at the mountain where the dungeon was located, Seo Jae-yi hid in the nearby bushes and observed the white Gate, a characteristic of Fixed dungeons. Since this area was accessible to the public, two Association staff members were guarding the entrance.
This was easy.
Seo Jae-yi took out a gun from her bag and aimed it at them.
‘I’m sorry. Please forgive me again.’
After a brief apology, she pulled the trigger without a shred of guilt.
“Ugh!”
“What the- Ugh!”
Tranquilizer darts shot from the gun, one embedding itself in each staff member’s arm. They gasped in shock.
“Not again!”
“Damn it! Who is it?! We got demoted because of you last time!”
“And you’re back again? Give us a break!”
“Press the alarm! Press the alarm button!”
Hmm, it seemed they were the same staff members she had tranquilized before entering the dungeon a year ago.
She hadn’t expected them to get demoted because of her. She felt guilty. Well, she felt a little guilty…
‘The alarm is a problem.’
Seo Jae-yi fired another dart at each of them.
“Youuu… we won’t let you get away with this…”
“Demoootiooon…”
Finally, the two staff members lost consciousness and slumped to the ground. Seo Jae-yi approached them with a remorseful expression.
“I’m truly sorry. But I’m in a bit of a hurry. Please forgive me with this.”
As an added apology, she placed a fist-sized magic stone, worth tens of millions of won, in each of their pockets.
That should be enough to ease the pain of their demotion, right?
After carefully laying them down, Seo Jae-yi apologized once more and entered the dungeon.
“Ah.”
As soon as she passed through the Gate, the cool autumn night air transformed completely. A fresh, clean, and tranquil scent of greenery enveloped her.
A lush forest, unchanged from when she had left it six months ago, stretched before her.
“The air was always clean due to the forest attribute, but… it feels strangely comforting.”
It felt like returning home after a long absence.
‘Is it because of the power that extended my lifespan?’
Since she had obtained it here, it was only natural that it felt like home.
Seo Jae-yi navigated the maze-like forest with familiarity. The sight of the verdant greenery filled her with a sense of nostalgia.
“The burn marks have almost disappeared.”
About a year ago, Seo Jae-yi had secretly infiltrated this dungeon to control her overload, desperately trying to suppress her uncontrolled ability.
But that was easier said than done. She had lost control, and the escaping heat had scorched the surrounding area.
However, this wasn’t Earth but a dungeon, a Fixed dungeon where both monsters and resources regenerated over time. The burned forest was slowly returning to its former glory. That was why Seo Jae-yi had chosen this particular dungeon.
But that hadn’t lasted long. After almost six months of this, there was barely any forest left.
It was when the forest was covered in ashes and reeked of smoke that Seo Jae-yi encountered ‘someone’ in this dungeon, not just a mindless monster, but someone capable of conversation.
“…I feel a bit guilty now that I think about it.”
Back then, she had been desperate and simply sought a secluded place, not caring about the consequences.
This wasn’t the time for sentimental reflection. She had compensated the demoted staff members with magic stones, but she had no idea what to offer the one who had suffered unexpected misfortune.
“Huh?”
Lost in thought, Seo Jae-yi entered the cave where ‘someone’ resided. But it was empty. She couldn’t sense any presence, which was unsettling.
“Where did he go? Can a dungeon master just leave his post?”
The one Seo Jae-yi had encountered here was none other than the master of this dungeon.
‘Please, stop burning the forest.’
He had appeared with a weary expression, uttering those desperate words.
His appearance was far from human.
He was tall, with long hair reaching his waist, and he had elongated canines that were clearly not human.
His eyes, with their clear and beautiful green irises that resembled the forest itself, had slit pupils. He was incredibly handsome, surpassing anyone Seo Jae-yi had ever seen.
But he was still a monster.
Just like she had killed countless other monsters, Seo Jae-yi had intended to kill him as well.
‘Wait! Let’s make a deal. Your body doesn’t seem to be in good condition. I can heal you.’
Normally, she would have killed him without hesitation.
However, this dungeon was no longer dangerous and was being used for resource extraction, so Seo Jae-yi agreed to the deal.
Even an Esper who specialized in slaying monsters couldn’t refuse an offer to prolong her own life.
‘But I never imagined he would leave.’
The dungeon master had offered a crystal infused with his power as payment for the deal.
Just as he had promised, as soon as she swallowed the crystal, the heat that had been raging within her subsided. His power cooled her body, allowing her to breathe properly for the first time in six months.
Her ravaged body was healed, and her lifespan was slightly extended.
He had given her a chance to live a peaceful life, free from fighting, before she died.
He was a benefactor, and she had lived each day with gratitude towards him.
Until an unexpected problem arose.
‘I need to ask him if it’s okay to receive Guiding…’
When she first received the dungeon master’s power, she had never imagined that a Guide with a 93% Matching Rate would suddenly appear.
It was a power that could influence an Esper. Would it be safe for a Guide?
If it had adverse effects on Guides, unlike Espers, it would be a disaster.
‘Will he appear if I burn the whole forest down again?’
Seo Jae-yi contemplated, looking at her palm, before shaking her head. She couldn’t burn down the place that was practically her benefactor’s home just to summon him.
“Huh?”
As she meticulously searched the dungeon master’s cave, something caught her eye.
In a corner of the cave, lying abandoned on the hard, bare ground…
“An egg?”
A smooth, white egg, about the size of an ostrich egg. Why was it here? And why did it look abandoned?
Interesting revelation