Chapter 124: Level 4 Dungeon Raid

The two went through numerous procedures again and left the lab.

While taking the elevator down to the lobby, Jin Seong-ha returned the Sansevieria. Ion immediately hugged it and rubbed his cheek against the leaves.

“You said you keep plants close because they supply mana.”

“And because I love them.”

“Right, and because you love them. One thing I’m curious about—why don’t mana potions or magic potions work on you?”

“Probably because of my special constitution.”

“The celestial half-blood thing.”

“Yes.”

“Haidian the fairy said he’d never seen anyone suffer that much from mana depletion. Even the village fairies woke up quickly when drained. He thought it was weird that only you were in such pain.”

“You two talked a lot while I was out.”

Ion answered nonchalantly.

“Guess it’s my special constitution too.”

The celestial excuse was the perfect shield. Nothing was known about celestials, after all.

Jin Seong-ha stared at Ion, then said,

“Must be tough with that special constitution, Leader Ion. But if that’s the case, you could just use magic power instead of mana… why don’t you use skills? I’ve never seen you do it once.”

Back to this topic.

The elevator was empty today, thankfully.

Wish Baba were here.

“Why make Dam Ion uncomfortable? Stop talking! Bad! Shut your mouth!”

It would definitely be flapping its tiny wings and yelling that.

“At first I thought it was because of ‘Teacher.’ You were abused yet still followed Breeder, so I wondered if you just couldn’t let go of the magic he taught you. But you don’t even use inventory… it keeps making me think—could it be that you—”

Ion bit his lip.

Ah, what excuse do I make?

No excuse came—he bit harder. Already weakened, blood quickly seeped out.

“…”

Jin Seong-ha stopped talking. His gaze shifted away from Ion, and he let out a long sigh.

“…Ha, I can’t do this anymore.”

“Do what?”

“Feels like I’m bullying a kid…”

Ion blinked—he had been about to insist he wasn’t a kid.

Confusion filled his green eyes, then a light of this is it flashed.

“Yes, exactly. I’m young… and confused. I only just found out I’m a celestial half-blood in Idea. I just use magic because it’s comfortable, but when you pressure and interrogate me like that, I don’t know how to answer…”

“Pressure? When did I—”

“You’re like 20 cm taller than me. Much bulkier too. When a huge guy corners me in an empty elevator asking about mana this, mana that, of course I feel pressured.”

“Leader… you seem to have forgotten you easily overpowered me the first time we met.”

Jin Seong-ha sighed lightly.

“Fine. If you don’t want to talk, I won’t ask anymore.”

If it passed like this, great.

He wanted to reveal he wasn’t awakened as late as possible…

And that his “supposed magic” consumed life force—he never wanted to reveal that.

Conveniently, the elevator reached the lobby.

Stepping into the noisy lobby felt like a breath of fresh air.

“Where are you headed now, Leader?”

“Home to rest.”

“That dust-covered house? Speaking of which, Guild Master Ason and Aide Dam were shocked when they saw your place. They felt guilty, wondering where the hell Ion had been living.”

“I was away hunting for demon realm entry materials all over dungeons. No need anymore, so I’m staying home now. See you tomorrow.”

Special Team 1, including Jin Seong-ha and Ion, had an S-rank dungeon raid scheduled starting tomorrow.

System Age, Demon King, Apostles… many things to worry about, but as Elliot said yesterday, they had to clear the S-ranks in front of them first.

Ion opened the door to leave—Jin Seong-ha followed.

“It looked practically abandoned—maybe renovate it now. Oh, how about a housewarming? I’ll bring a nice gift. How about a Dururu brand cat tower?”

“Are you insane? Something that sheds fur, smells, and treats humans like servants—”

“But look how it is—put plants on each level, wouldn’t it be pretty?”

Jin Seong-ha quickly showed his phone screen. He had already pulled up a cat tower image: a spiral wooden one with five differently styled platforms. Putting pots on them would look nice.

Baba would love it too…

“…Give it a try first. I’m going.”

Ion dashed to the parking lot.

Jin Seong-ha watched his retreating back, chuckled, and went back into Horizon headquarters.

.

.

.

That night, Horizon headquarters.

Lee Do-jin, unconscious since the silver entity possessed him, opened his eyes.

Silver light shimmered in his brown eyes.

While the demon realm had many natural terrains—plains, forests, swamps, oceans—the giant realm was full of artificial structures: fortresses, temples, dwellings, towers.

The first Level-4 dungeon Special Team 1 entered seemed to have been a giant residential area; countless spiral, conch-shaped massive structures spread out. Some floated in the air, others embedded in the ground…

KRRAAA! KEEEEEE!

Giants crawled on all fours over spiral roofs or the ground, roaring.

The gate Team 1 entered happened to be mid-air, so they flew while looking down at the horrific sight.

“Wow… f*ck, this is hell. Wang-ke-wang-jing.”

“Kid, what’s wang-ke-wang-jing?”

“Wang (king) big, so king gross. I knew they were huge when only heads appeared before, but seeing them like this—they’re insanely massive. Like giant white cockroaches. Ugh, disgusting.”

Hong In-soo rubbed his goosebump-covered arms.

Another hunter beside him wore a bitter expression.

“How did such majestic beings fall to cockroaches because of this madness disease? Back then they felt like higher-dimensional existences—almost awe-inspiring. Good thing it doesn’t spread to Earth… really a terrifying disease.”

Other hunters felt similar bitterness.

For those meeting giants for the first time in Level 4, their first impression would be “giant human-shaped cockroaches crawling on all fours.”

Special Team 1 was different. The giants they met in the Moniti dungeon had been overwhelmingly oppressive, their presence etched clearly in memory.

Seeing them reduced to this mindless, pathetic state…

The hunters’ mood sank.

In the heavy silence, Ion realized something anew.

Humans feel pity so easily.

Humans pitying giants—how absurd. It would vanish once battle began.

FWOOSH—

Team Leader Lee Jin-ah created ice spears.

“No time for pity—our noses are three feet into the grave. If we don’t clear in time, Busan becomes ruins and those giant human-cockroaches overrun Korea. Group 1 plaza, Group 2 north, Group 3 south. Charge!”

“Yes!”

“Charge!”

Special Team 1, fully armored in solmium, charged.

What followed was literal hell.

Madness-possessed giants.

Mindless giants swung massive arms wildly and fired Ult in all directions. Not precise, planned Ults.

Rational giants fixed their heads to maximize Ult power; mad ones shook their heads like lunatics.

Random, unpredictable barrages were harder to dodge.

At least solmium armor prevented instant incineration, but Ult wasn’t the only problem.

Giants were too big, humans too small—one direct palm hit crushed every bone. Even dodging sent you tumbling from shockwaves into structures or other giants.

“ARRGH!”

“AGH, my—my leg!”

“Healer! Here! Heal—potion fast!”

Screams and injuries everywhere.

Five Special Team 1 members had gone to Idea with Dam Da-on. The urgent replacements from the guild caused teamwork issues.

BOOM—

Ion used magic without holding back. Assigned to the plaza with Jin Seong-ha, he grew a massive vine tree in the center. Hundreds of vines shot out in all directions.

“UAAAH!”

KRRAAA!

Ion’s vines pierced the brain of a giant about to crush a hunter.

The giant roared in pain, yanked out the vine, and snapped it easily. White matter leaked from the hole in its head.

A rational giant would suffer; a mad one felt no pain—like any mad monster.

KRRAAA!

Unable to fire Ult anymore with a pierced brain, it charged swinging only its arms. Killing it wasn’t simple.

Ion stabbed a sword into its forearm and hung on, injecting flames into its bloodstream. The giant thrashed harder in rage.

“Ion!”

“…!”

At the call, Ion dismissed the flame sword and shot upward. As the giant bent its knees to leap after him—

FWOOSH—

Icy wind blew; the air froze. The extreme cold pushed Ion even higher. He stopped at gate height and looked down at the plaza.

The giant was frozen solid mid-crouch.

Not just that one—all plaza giants were ice statues, mid-roar.

Haaa…

White breath escaped even at this height.

SHAAA— The freezing wind searched the already-frozen ground for anything left to freeze.

In the center of the icy plain, golden mana surged. Jin Seong-ha looked up, met Ion’s eyes, and shook his head—don’t come down yet. Ion nodded and flew north to help another group.

Jin Seong-ha’s fourth skill, <Ice Age>. Froze everything in range—ally or enemy.

That was why only the two of them were assigned to the plaza.

After the first battle, the map showed only 8% progress. Over ten more residential areas like this remained.

“Ugh, brutal. Never had an easy day since joining Special Team 1. Gonna die before my time. You okay, Ion?”

Hong In-soo, fresh from healing a broken arm, plopped down beside Ion.

“…You dyed your hair?”

“Just noticed? In <Hunter and Hero> I was a yellow-haired villain, right? Dyed it brown the moment I heard. How is it—still handsome?”

Special Team 1 had received a rough explanation of <Hunter and Hero>.

They weren’t as confused or rejecting as Ion had feared.

They accepted it as “one timeline that would’ve happened without Breeder and the orphans’ interference.”

A bitter hunter said,

“How did such majestic beings fall to cockroaches because of madness… really terrifying disease.”

Another added sadly,

“Good it doesn’t spread to Earth…”

The mood was heavy.

Ion realized anew:

Humans feel pity so easily.

Pitying giants—ridiculous. It would vanish once battle began.