Chapter 35: One Gap. One Strike. Boss Down

Clang, chaeng, clang.

As Gong Se-yoon spun gracefully, crossing his twin ice blades into an X, a brilliant blue aura radiated around him.

It was the motion preceding his main skill, Cold-Blooded Predator.

When Seong Ju-an had designed it, he hadn’t realized just how breathtaking it would look in reality. His heart began to pound.

Wait… wasn’t Se-yoon still in a depressed state?

Since when did depression produce that kind of aura?

Ju-an hurriedly opened the status window and checked Se-yoon’s character information.

A system message flashed into view.

< Gong Se-yoon has awakened a skill! >
< Passive Skill – If It’s to Protect the One I Love >

…Just look at that name.

So the reason Se-yoon could emit that aura even while depressed was because he had awakened a passive skill?

His status still read “Depressed,” so it clearly wasn’t something that converted depression into cheerfulness. It seemed to be a passive that allowed him to unleash SS-rank skills depending on his resolve, even while depressed.

That was great news.

But would Cold-Blooded Predator be enough?

Even if they froze the Werewolf, wouldn’t the Constellations simply cure the status effect and revive it again?

After a brief moment of thought, Ju-an relayed an idea to Joo Ji-chan.

“Ji-chan, the moment Se-yoon uses Cold-Blooded Predator, pull the trigger immediately. Even if the Werewolf is under Constellation protection, they’ll have to remove the status effect before reviving it. There’ll be a gap. We’ll aim for that.”

“Okay! Got it!”

Clang, chaeng, clang.

The ice blades collided sharply, tracing bright blue arcs.

When a streak of blue pierced straight through the crown of the Werewolf’s head, Se-yoon shouted:

“Cold-Blooded Predator!”

Instantly, not only the Werewolf but every wolf within a three-meter radius froze solid.

Click.

Ji-chan, already prepared, pulled the trigger.

Flames roared from the flamethrower, engulfing the frozen pack in seconds.

Awoooo!

Agonized screams tore through the air, mingling with the stench of burning flesh.

Ji-chan holstered the flamethrower. In his hand now blazed a red-hot sword.

His eyes flared crimson. His red hair whipped violently in the wind. Becoming one with the flames, Ji-chan launched into the air.

Wrapped in raging fire, he tore through the sky toward the Werewolf. As he activated Flame Inferno, he resembled the Vermilion Bird of the South.

The sword streaked forward.

And pierced straight through the Werewolf’s heart.

KRAAAAGH!

The Werewolf and the surrounding pack released one final howl in the face of death.

Direct hit.

The battle that had seemed endless under the Constellations’ interference was finally ending.

< Congratulations. You have successfully cleared the Event Dungeon. Your reward is… >

The system window flickered before Ju-an’s eyes, but his vision blurred.

Thud.

In the midst of the swirling vortex of power, Seong Ju-an’s body collapsed onto the dungeon floor.

“Hyung-! Hyuung…!”

Through fading consciousness, he heard Se-yoon’s desperate voice calling him.

‘Thank goodness. Everyone’s safe. Se-yoon… thank you. We cleared this dungeon because of you. Why am I so sleepy? If only I could wake up in my original world. I wanted to say goodbye properly before going back…’

****

“Isn’t this a bit too much effort for an event dungeon? The open beta hasn’t even started yet.”

Assistant Manager Kim’s voice echoed in the meeting room. He always dampened morale whenever someone worked hard on a project.

As usual, Team Leader Park stepped in.

“Don’t you know a game’s success depends on updates? You need at least one thing prepared properly. Even if the initial response is good, players leave if the updates are weak.”

He was defending the idea, though likely to claim the credit later.

“So what kind of reward are you putting in the Special Card?”

Ju-an had answered with a smile.

Coins, skills, character rank upgrades, randomized rewards.

Hard-to-get items that would drive players into a frenzy.

‘Am I… finally back?’

Hearing Team Leader Park’s voice felt strangely nostalgic.

‘It was a long dream. But at least I got to see my characters again. I’ll tone down Se-yoon’s tragic backstory. Remove Ji-chan’s side effects. Give robot-like Mo Jun-young some flexibility. And make Baek Eun-hoo’s betrayal something trivial, like a tickle on the sole of the foot. So many things to fix. Time to work hard again. Then why does my chest feel so hollow?’

****

“Hyung… are you awake?”

A trembling voice. Shaking shoulders. Beautiful faces.

When Seong Ju-an opened his eyes, he saw four incarnations staring down at him in concern.

So it wasn’t a return.

Just a dream.

Strangely, Ju-an’s lips curved upward.

He’d regretted not being able to say goodbye.

“Baek… Eun… keugh.”

A sharp pain tore through his throat. His shoulders and back ached too.

He tried to move but couldn’t.

Baek Eun-hoo pressed down gently on his shoulder.

“You shouldn’t move yet. Lie still.”

“Hyung, you’re way too fragile. What are you, soft tofu? I blocked everything with my body and still…”

Se-yoon sniffled, still not fully out of his depressive state.

Ju-an weakly grabbed his hand.

“Thank you… for shielding me. And congratulations on awakening your skill. Looks like you’re invincible now, depressed or not.”

Se-yoon shrugged.

“Of course. All my skills are SS-rank. Who could possibly beat me?”

Mo Jun-young glanced at his watch.

“Are you capable of conversation?”

“Yes.”

“Then I will begin a brief debriefing.”

He listed the dungeon rewards.

< STAGE 3 Event Dungeon Result – CLEAR >

< Drop Items
— 5,000 S-Rank Weapon Enhancement Stones
— 500 S-Rank Healing Potions
— 500 S-Rank Status Recovery Potions
— 500 S-Rank Skill Recovery Potions>

< Special Card – OPEN
— Awakens passive skills for all party members>

<Seong Ju-an: Doubles duration of all skills
Baek Eun-hoo: Reduced cooldown on all skills
Mo Jun-young: Doubled skill range
Joo Ji-chan: Doubled destructive power
Gong Se-yoon: Status condition control>

Ju-an gave a thumbs-up.

“Wow! Risking our lives was worth it.”

Mo Jun-young replied evenly, “The results are good. But many civilians were injured.”

“…Ah.”

Ji-chan had been silent the entire time, face rigid. Civilian casualties clearly weighed on him.

Ju-an hadn’t truly considered the cost of clearing dungeons one by one.

Now that real people had been hurt, the gravity settled heavily over him.

And at the same time, his anger toward the Constellations began to burn.