The Protagonists Are Murdered by Me
chapter-23

Morning of the next day.

Member of Lost Day, Han Yoojun, spoke with guild master Yoo Haram over the phone.

[You know, this dungeon has something to do with ‘magic.’]

Magic.

Earth, a technological planet with no magic, Han Yoojun listened to Yoo Haram’s words carefully.

No one on earth has even found a trace of magic.

There are many who desire it, yet not a single person has it.

But what if someone obtains magic?

The current power scale will tilt towards what nobody expects.

[Very few people know the deformed dungeon on Eurwangni is related to magic.]

Yoo Haram only found out about it through a special connection.

Even large corporations and countries do not know this fact.

Therefore, Yoo Haram decided to take a big risk.

[…I’ve already asked. Only soldiers are allowed in.]

By international law, entry into deformed dungeons is strictly monitored.

Due to the nature of deformed dungeons, it’s impossible to establish communications to the outside world once you’re inside.

This led to numerous accidents, with the ‘Elitz dungeon massacre’ from 10 years ago being the biggest incident of them all.

No matter how much Lost Day spins it, they will not escape criticism if they break international law.

That’s why countless companies and hunters were waiting patiently outside the deformed dungeon.

F-Rank or not, they can’t go in if they’re not permitted.

For that reason, Yoo Haram took a big risk.

To deceive international law, many people had to become accomplices.

[That’s how important this case is to me. To understand.]

When Yoo Haram hung up the phone, Han Yoojun gulped.

He thought perhaps this might blow up, but soon shook his head.

The opponents are one F-Rank and one S-Rank hunter.

By comparison, they had three S-Rank hunters.

‘This is enough.’

Shortly after, Han Yoojun calmly called up three S-Rank hunters.

Jang Dojin, Yun Seolgyun, and Ahn Jei.

Each have been active for more than five years as hunters, and all have S-Rank superpowers.

Unlike him who can’t fight, they could attack the dungeon, so he relayed the message from the guild master.

“You three will sneak into the dungeon.”

“Is that so?”

As if Jang Dojin had expected it, he nodded.

“I’ve finished talking to the soldiers. Now you guys just have to go in quietly, kill the two, then endure a week inside. You can do that, right?”

The three hunters in front of Han Yoojun can clear a S-Rank dungeon with a high success rate.

It’s also unlikely for the deformed dungeon here to be SS-Rank because it has rarely been the case, and even if it is, it won’t be a problem for the three to stay near the entrance for a week.

In the first place, if it’s really a SS-Rank dungeon, those two inside will not be able to survive.

“Assuming everything goes as planned, the guild master wants a flawless performance.”

The plan was to send a rescue team after a week if there’s no news from the two who ‘disappeared.’

That is to say, the dungeon attack is deemed a failure after a week.

After killing Yoo Seodam and Taylor Nine, the three hunters will hold out for a week, then the rescue teams will be dispatched to save Yoo Seodam and Taylor Nine.

Then, the three hunters will blend in with the rescue team and clear the dungeon safely.

“Machines don’t work inside the deformed dungeon. Strangely, even radio reception doesn’t work. At best…analog morse code transmission is possible. If anything happens, make sure to contact me.”

“Yes. However, there won’t be a need for that.”

They are three S-Rank superhumans who are considered veterans in Lost Day.

Although the other side has a S-Rank superhuman, at that level, the three of them will be enough.

There’s no problem.

“Yes. Let’s go now.”

Late morning.

The number of soldiers standing guard at the entrance to the dungeon exceeded 20, and among them there was a S-Rank superhuman.

Han Haejung, a middle aged man of the colonel rank, creased his eyebrows as he saw three superhumans approaching.

Nonetheless, Jang Dojin approached him and spoke.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Han Haejung showed a stiff expression.

He knew very well what would happen inside if he let them in.

But there was nothing he could do.

This morning, a sudden order came from the top.

Permit entry to the three hunters from Lost Day.

The order wasn’t sent just to the army, but the Cooperative of International Anomaly organization as well.

As a soldier, Han Haejung has no choice but to follow orders.

“…Sooner or later you’ll have to repent.”

Said Han Haejung, leaving his post quietly.

“That day will never come.”

After brushing the remark aside, the three hunters quickly entered the dungeon.

Hwaak!!

The smell of a different environment assaulted their noses as soon as they entered.

Feeling the stuffy and heavy air, their faces crumbled.

One of a hunter’s basic equipment is an air purifier and oxygen filter, but it is still very hard to adapt to other world’s environments.

Sometimes even the gravity was different.

“This place looks similar to Earth.”

They raised their heads and looked straight ahead.

It was morning on Earth, but here the sun was already setting.

A huge half destroyed palace welcomed them, and somehow it gave off an ominous feeling.

Jang Dojin slowly looked around, trying to calm his nerves as much as possible.

Fortunately, there was no reaction from their sensors.

“Look at this. Isn’t the dungeon interpreter a little weird?”

“What?”

Numerous dungeons have appeared over the last 30 years, and now it’s possible to find out the ‘name’ of a dungeon using modern technology.

Once an anomaly detector captures the characteristic of a dungeon by its name, they can start attacking the dungeon.

But…

[Fallen ??? ?? Palace]

“What’s that? What’s wrong with the name of this dungeon?”

“This was normal in the past. Not so much these days…I think this is a new dungeon type.”

“That palace. I’ve seen buildings in dungeons before, but never a palace…Is this a first?”

Asked the female hunter, Ahn Jei.

The two men were stumped as well.

“But one thing is certain.”

The palace entrance was wide open.

Which means their prey are inside.

“Let’s go.”

The three superhumans walked cautiously.

There’s no chance for them to be discovered.

But among the opponents was a S-Rank superhuman, Taylor Nine.

It can become troublesome against her ability, so they did not underestimate her.

Ahn Jei activated one of her superpowers, a detection ability.

Although it’s low rank, it has the effect of identifying the path a target has recently taken.

Yoo Seodam was recently here, so it wasn’t difficult to figure out.

“Hmm?”

“What’s wrong?”

“No, I think they took this strange path.”

She turned her head, pointing to a space hidden between two walls.

“They went in there?”

“Hmm…”

There were bodies of monsters that looked like golems scattered everywhere.

All of them had holes in their chests, waist, and head, so it is assumed to be Taylor Nine’s doings.

However, if they had defeated all these, wouldn’t it make sense to head through the main passageway?

‘Why did they go there?’

They couldn’t understand it, but regardless, they had to chase them.

“We don’t need to know why. Just follow after them.”

Said Jang Dojin to the other two, who nodded their heads.

They quietly and quickly moved.

The only time they felt tense was when they entered the dungeon.

However, the further they pursued Yoo Seodam, the more strange it felt to them.

Because the path Yoo Seodam took was completely different from normal thinking.

Usually this type of dungeon has a boss monster at the top.

‘Why are you heading underground?’

Jang Dojin thought they might have been noticed, but soon shook his head.

They had neither a sensing ability nor a machine.

With Ahn Jei’s state of the art sensors and sensing ability, they could not have been noticed.

But even if they had the thought that they were being followed, why would they wait underground for someone to show up?

Also, attacking an S-Rank dungeon would take a longer time.

That’s how they rationalized it in their heads.

Finally, the deepest part of the underground.

They have just arrived at a huge place called “Heart of Mana,” something modern people can’t know or understand.

They suddenly had a thought.

‘…Don’t tell me, this is a trap?’

It was a strange place.

Columns with unknown patterns were erected jaggedly, and the ceiling was unusually high.

And in the middle lay a giant rock that had lost its luster and looked as if it would crumble at any minute.

What people on Earth may not know is that this giant rock is the Heart of Mana, a generator that powers every ‘magic building.’

Although all the mana has been lost, somehow its vibrant feeling still remains.

Jang Dojin looked at Yoo Seodam, who was petting the rock, and spoke.

“Did you know we were coming?”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn’t you run away?”

Asked Jang Dojin, as they looked around.

They couldn’t see Taylor Nine.

‘Where is she hiding?’

But they were not worried.

Because Yun Seolgyun’s ability specializes against superpowers.

Ahn Jei who has the abilities Aether Shot (S) and Target Tracking (D).

Yun Seolgyun who has the abilities Aether Discharge (S) and Aether Disruption (A)

And Jang Dojin, who has the abilities Aether Shield (S) and Perfect Physique (S).

There are very few cases in the world of people awakening dual superpowers, and when there is, it is rare for both superpowers to be S-Rank.

If Yun Seolgyun disrupts the superpowers of the target, Jang Dojin rushes with a body stronger than steel, and Ahn Jei uses her aether bow to shoot down the target, even Taylor Nine, the top S-Rank hunter, will not be able to survive.

Suddenly, Seodam spoke.

“Taylor is hunting right now. It’s been a while since I’ve unwind.”

“…What?”

Walking slowly, Seodam placed his hand on a pillar.

The heart of a mage’s building.

It is a place that preserves the life of the building itself.

Wouldn’t there be precautions in place to prevent attacks against such a place?

Although the heart was shut down because the building died, the ‘rune’ still remains.

A kind of security system that activates using magic to immediately shoot down all intruders.

Although the Heart of Mana is quite old fashioned compared to Vivienda’s, and it’s dead because most of the runes were damaged.

Still, there’s no problem.

Oong!!

Seodam had already finished his preparation by interpreting all the runes here earlier before they came.

A mage is a person who prepares.

And as a F-Rank hunter, Yoo Seodam has always prepared.

He waited 3 hours to catch a F-Rank monster.

He waited 48 hours to catch a E-Rank monster.

It took a month to hunt D-Rank monsters.

He prepared to the point where people thought he was crazy, and so, at least when it comes to preparation, it could be said that he’s superior to a mage.

“Well, let’s go. Kill him first and then find her.”

When Jang Dojin’s words fell, they each took out their bows, shields, and wristband.

Three S-Rank hunters who have the most optimal superpowers to deal with a hunter.

No matter what tricks the F-Rank hunter has, they thought they could easily defeat him.

To them, it will be like swatting a fly.

The moment Jang Dojin rushed in.

Pichi!

“…!”

A pillar of light fell from the sky.

---

Taylor patted her shoulder with her baseball bat while twirling three spheres of light in her left hand.

Kuung!

A strange house-sized S-Rank monster called a ‘hybrid chimera’ fell.

Although it’s a powerful monster that many S-Rank hunters would struggle with, Taylor Nine was able to defeat it with only a light scratch.

“Ah, unlike robots, these cute things have aethers, right?”

Unfortunately, the enemies Seodam said were ‘guardians’ had no aether crystal even after she killed them all.

However, aether crystals could be extracted from the various types of chimeras she had defeated, and has collected a considerable amount.

Having extracted the last aether crystal, she looked back with a worried look.

‘You hunt to your heart’s content. I’ll be right with you after serving our guests.”

After saying so, Yoo Seodam stayed back alone in the deep underground.

Although he was prideful, he was also cautious in everything.

She wanted to help, but he was so confident that in the end she agreed.

When she thought about it, Seodam has always been confident.

Taylor recalls a memory from that time.

Fifteen years ago when the eight children became hunters.

Even when all but one person awakened their superpowers.

When they awakened E-Rank superpowers and he didn’t.

When it became D, C, and finally A rank.

Seodam was still full of confidence.

Just because we gained superpowers we didn’t want to invade his space, thus everyone didn’t cross that line.

That’s why Taylor was hesitating.

But, she couldn’t help but worry.

‘What the heck, let’s just check. I feel uncomfortable hunting…’

Eventually, Taylor turned around and went back the way she came.

Kugung!

‘…Also, what the hell is that noise?’

Going back to the place where they split up, she frowned at the earthshaking vibration.

The sounds of a slight explosion, something striking, and something falling.

As far as she knows, that did not come from Yoo Seodam.

With an uneasy feeling, Taylor clenched her teeth and ran towards the underground.

When she got to the entrance.

…She saw a pillar of flame rising to the sky and hunters with the Lost Day armband.

“W-what is that?”

Taylor widened her eyes, trying to grasp the situation.

A standoff between three S-Rank hunters and one hunter.

It couldn’t be Yoo Seodam.

It’s impossible.

She thought as such.

‘What the hell is that…?’

A bolt of lightning fell from the sky.

Then, a red circle rose from a line drawn on the ground and burned everything in its vicinity when a pillar lit up.

This…was a kind of superpower she has never seen before.

There were not just one, but several such phenomenons happening.

It was none other than Yoo Seodam.

‘Since when did you gain superpowers…No, before that, does this even make sense?’

Among the many superhumans recorded on Earth, the largest number of superpowers a person had were three.

But not even superpowers could create such strange phenomenons.

Every time Yoo Seodam ran like the wind and touched a wall, the air curved, rays of light poured down, or blue beads rolled around.

It was incomprehensible to modern superpowers.

The three S-Rank hunters were wailing at the absurdity, unable to withstand the difference in power.

What the hell is this?

They thought he would beg for his life.

But it is them who is now begging for their life.

‘What the hell is that…?’

Taylor was speechless at the absurdity of three S-Rank hunters being unilaterally slaughtered.

Unknowingly, she looked at Seodam’s face.

He was smiling.

She has never seen him this happy while fighting before.

He who doesn’t have talent.

He who doesn’t have superpower.

His 30 years of existence had always been a struggle from the bottom.

For the first time, he is a genius with overwhelming power!

Looking at his expression, all questions disappeared from her mind.

It’s just, she was happy.

It made her happy seeing Seodam happy.

What that is.

How it happened.

Only

Such things didn’t matter at this moment.

Those who have always stood at the pinnacle.

Watching Seodam tear at the peak from the bottom.

Taylor Nine thought.

‘Wow, so crazy. It’s fucking beautiful…’

No other words were needed.

A mysterious and beautiful battle that has never been seen before.

For a long time, Taylor Nine looked at the scene, bewitched.