Chapter 34
“What? Seriously? All Master?”
“I saw it live yesterday! All Master’s party found an Unknown Rank Dungeon.”
“Unknown Rank? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Experts are saying the magic energy and radiation aren’t just SSS-Rank level—they’re way beyond. They’re calling it completely uncharted.”
“They’re saying it’s the greatest dungeon ever discovered. So far beyond current understanding that they’re labeling it Unknown.”
“Oh! You mean that one? The dungeon even All Master’s party was too scared to enter!”
“They’re calling it an Otherworldly Dungeon. Some people are saying even Jeonsin wouldn’t be able to clear it.”
We were on our way to Hanbit Capital, where the slush fund ledgers were supposedly being transported.
As we drove in the van, one particular news story energized everyone.
‘An Unknown Rank Dungeon? Impossible.’
Even with Titles and Classes reaching SSS-Rank, Dungeons had never reached SSS-Rank, let alone surpass it.
We used to joke that an SSS-Rank Dungeon would be an extinction event—so what was this nonsense about something beyond that?
Among all the chatter, the funniest comment was the last.
All Master was one of the strongest people alive, second only to Jeonsin.
Holder of the Hidden Monopolizer Title.
Someone I’ve seen in person—an overwhelming powerhouse.
And yet this man supposedly ran from a dungeon without even knowing its rewards?
And Jeonsin couldn’t clear it?
‘Absurd.’
I couldn’t help laughing.
But less than a minute later—
Hyuk-min’s expression stiffened.
“Hey!! Turn on the news, now!”
The driver shouted urgently.
“What happened?”
“Jackpot!! All Master just died!”
All Master… died?
That monster?
[Last night, Nicholas, the world’s second-ranked adventurer, and all 15 members of his party were found dead at Hotel Rosellina in Italy. Authorities suspect murder and are investigating.]
It wasn’t a joke.
Nicholas was dead.
And he had been murdered.
But that wasn’t the part that shook the world.
[A massive hacking incident is occurring worldwide. All victims have one thing in common—they possessed photos or videos of a dungeon believed to be Unknown Rank. If you have such files, report immediately.]
This was unreal.
But—
“Huh!? My screenshot from yesterday—it’s gone!”
Hyuk-min’s expression sharpened immediately when one of the team spoke up.
“Are you sure you saved it? Maybe you misremembered.”
“I’m telling you, I did! Everything else is fine, but that one file is gone. The one I wanted to show you guys.”
While he was frantically digging through his laptop—
The driver held out his phone.
“Is it this one?”
“Oh! You took one too? Yeah, that’s the one! Isn’t it weird?”
My curiosity rose.
“I took it because it seemed important. But strangely, it didn’t disappear from my phone.”
Normally, I wouldn’t have looked.
But with everything happening one after another, I took the phone.
‘A tombstone?’
The photo showed a stone marker standing in front of the Unknown Rank Dungeon.
Why that image disappeared for everyone else but remained on this phone—I had no idea.
The symbols engraved on the tombstone were in characters Hyuk-min had never seen.
“I can’t read this. It’s not from this world.”
“That may be true, but someone out there might decipher it. It’s an Unknown Rank Dungeon—who knows what secrets are hidden?”
Zap—!
“What the—”
A jolt of electricity surged from the phone.
Startled, I dropped it.
“…Huh?”
When I picked it up again—
Just like in the news, the tombstone image had vanished.
“Hey! Why’d you drop it!? Is the phone okay?”
“It disappeared!? It really disappeared!”
“Huh?! Just like the report! It really vanished!”
The van erupted into chaos.
The story everyone thought was exaggerated nonsense had just unfolded before our eyes.
“No! Did my phone break!?”
“What is happening!? Why did it disappear!?”
Voices overlapped, frantic and confused.
Meanwhile—
A single whisper left Hyuk-min’s lips.
“…God…”
“…slayer…”
It seemed I was dreaming.
I woke staring at my ceiling.
“There’s no way I’d be chatting and laughing with those guys unless it was a dream.”
Those were the teammates who betrayed Hyuk-min—
Cut off his arms and legs—
And delivered his death.
Why would I ever laugh with them?
I got up.
“It’s been a long time since I dreamt.”
I reached for the door.
Quietly, I murmured to myself—
“If today goes well, I’ll have collected three.”
Godslayer.
A word only I remembered.
A word only I could complete.
As the dream dissolved, the top symbol on the tombstone glowed red.
= = =
Hyun-jung and I were heading to the Tower.
Just as we stepped out of the taxi, the driver called out to me.
“They said they trust you. They’ll wait.”
“…What?”
Bewildered, I kept walking.
Then, voices reached my ears as we passed Dotdae Tower.
“Black Label.”
“We can’t be sure.”
“With the Guild Master’s authority—”
“They’ll try to stop it as much as they can.”
Black Label.
Different voices, all with one meaning.
‘He really lives up to being number one in intelligence gathering.’
It was reassuring to know Black Label still stood as an ally—
Yet a cold chill crawled down my spine.
If Black Label ever declared me their enemy…
Every one of those voices would be knives hidden behind backs.
And there was no guarantee they could remain allies.
Because of the national order, not even the Guild Master could hold them back.
A bomb waiting to explode.
Hyun-jung and I approached the Tower—
But this time, I headed in a different direction.
Not the entrance everyone used—
But the side.
“Uncle?”
Hyun-jung followed without question.
She knew I always had a reason.
We reached the back of the Tower—
A place with nothing but bare wall.
“Uncle? There’s no entrance here.”
“There are secrets inside the Tower.”
“Secrets?”
I took out an item I had kept hidden—
The truth Shadow Brokers had investigated for years but never uncovered.
A truth now revealed in my hand.
[Key of Hermes]
As I pressed it to the Tower’s back wall, the stone-like patterns began to ripple—
“W-What is that!?”
Not surprise—
But fear.
The Tower, which had always been immutable, was changing.
With a grinding rumble, a keyhole formed.
I inserted the Key of Hermes.
It fit perfectly.
Click.
The key turned—
And the Tower transformed again.
Kugugugung!
When the sound stopped, a new entrance had formed, identical to the main entrance—
Hidden in plain sight until now.
I stared into its dark depths and made a call.
“Hwang Ji-young.”
[What is it.]
“I’ll tell you where your daughter is.”
[What…?]
While still on the line, I sent her the location via text.
“Now you have no weaknesses.”
[…]
Anyone else would misunderstand my intentions.
But nobody in this world knew Hwang Ji-young as well as I did.
[Don’t tell me this is your limit. Are you breaking down?]
“Of course not. You know me better than that.”
Since waking up this morning—
Not a single action had been impulsive.
Everything was chosen after a night of thought, fear, and resolve.
Crisis becomes opportunity.
Even Black Label—my strongest ally—was being forced away by national orders.
A relationship that weak is no relationship at all.
“I don’t like holding weaknesses over people. It’s petty. Don’t you think so?”
[…]
A relationship that sways with every change of wind—
That wasn’t what I wanted.
I wanted a relationship with no leverage, no threats—
Only sincerity.
[Are you serious…?]
What better moment to redefine our bond than when the world itself threatened to collapse?
“Watch closely. See how I destroy the Azure Lake Guild. How strong I become.”
I hung up.
This wasn’t impulse.
A faint smile touched my lips.
I knew exactly what Hwang Ji-young would do next.
‘The cold-blooded queen… she’s that kind of person.’
I pocketed my phone.
Then took Hyun-jung’s hand and stepped into the hidden entrance.
= = =
“Uncle, can I ask something?”
The long, dark corridor gave us time to talk.
“What is it?”
“This dungeon… how does it compare to the Tomb of the Dead Knight?”
“If it’s purely difficulty? This one’s stronger.”
“Then… is it dangerous? Like last time?”
I knew what she feared.
Not danger to herself—
But danger to me.
“It’s dangerous.”
“W-What!?”
Her steps froze.
I laughed softly.
“Scaredy-cat.”
Her fear was simple—
She didn’t want me to die.
“Don’t worry. I won’t.”
“Really? If it gets dangerous, you have to run. Promise me.”
To her, I wasn’t just someone who helped.
I was family.
I hooked my pinky with hers.
Then I took out the Death Knight’s Helmet and tapped it lightly.
“That won’t happen. This place is dangerous, yes. But it’s not vague. I know what I’m dealing with.”
“Really…?”
My voice was steady.
She heard it—
And smiled.
= = =
[You have entered the Hermes Dungeon.]
[You have entered a Hidden Dungeon.]
[Warning! This dungeon’s difficulty is higher than usual.]
System messages appeared one after another.
When I closed them, the sight before us took my breath away.
“Wow…”
The massive dungeon was built from white marble.
Golden chandeliers and lights reflected across the walls.
It was like a sacred hall—
A place fit for a god.
Krrr—
But the monsters were the opposite of the scenery.
“Ogres. In a place like this.”
Green-skinned giants, four to five meters tall—
Feral, drooling, hungry.
Click—
Facing their murderous intent, Hyun-jung silently readied her weapon.
“I’m ready.”
I glanced at the Immortal Demon Sword.
[Experience: 1340 / 1350]
Almost full.
A grin spread across my face.
I adjusted the helmet.
“The combat style’s changing a bit.”
Mana flowed into the Death Knight’s Helmet.
“How?”
“I’m skipping the charge.”
“What? Then how do you—”
“And I’m skipping signals too.”
“You have to give some signals—”
The green spirit—visible only to me—shot forward at high speed.
It positioned itself beside the ogres’ heads.
“Here’s your signal. We attack from the left. Now.”
“Wait—what!?”
When I tightened my fist—
My body instantly materialized beside the leftmost ogre’s head.
The Immortal Demon Sword flashed.
Chwak!
Half the ogre’s head exploded in a spray of gore.
Hwaaaak—
The dagger form of the Immortal Demon Sword glowed brightly—
Then evolved.
[The Immortal Demon Sword has evolved from C-Rank → B-Rank.]
[Unique effect increased.]
[A new effect has been added.]
[Evolution successful.]