Chapter 26: The Alchemist’s Laboratory

Half a month had flown by since Se-hyeon broke through to Phase 2. During this time, he had focused strictly on running D-rank dungeons.

While Sanctuary Declaration and Dark Chains gave him more than enough utility to tackle C-rank zones, both skills suffered from fixed cooldowns. In particular, Sanctuary Declaration required a cooldown of 1 hour and 24 minutes. Even though its duration lasted a generous 2 hours—meaning the cooldown would technically refresh before the field collapsed—the major drawback was that the sanctuary was completely stationary. Activating a massive, unmovable domain just to clear a small pack of monsters, only to wait over an hour to deploy it again, was horribly inefficient. For maximizing sheer volume and speed, speed-running D-rank dungeons was far superior.

Today’s raid took place in the Spider’s Forest, a D-rank wilderness infested with arachnid terrors.

Boom! Crash! Bang! “Kieeeeeek!”

In a flash, Se-hyeon obliterated a pack of seven Giant Spiders that had attempted to ambush him. Thanks to his relentless training over the last two weeks, he could now manifest and manipulate up to 10 Shadow Orbs simultaneously. Naturally, while executing close-quarters Magic Combat Arts, his active micro-control was capped at 6 orbs—but even that was an immense upgrade.

“The trailers are already half full,” Park Sang-soo noted, checking the cargo. “We’ve only been inside for about two hours. At this rate, we’ll be completely done by 4:00 PM. Hunter Jang, what do you say we grab a casual drink after this?”

Se-hyeon smiled faintly. “Sure. I don’t have any particular plans, so that sounds fine.”

Skipping a single night of simulation center practice wouldn’t hurt.

“Haha, excellent!” Park beamed. “I found a great barbecue place recently. It has quiet, private rooms—perfect for a relaxed chat. It’s my treat.”

Thanks to Se-hyeon, Park’s performance metrics had skyrocketed to an undisputed number one spot at the agency, bringing in handsome incentive bonuses. But the real prize was the side income. Over the past fifteen days, they had encountered Elite monsters three times. Each time, Park had eagerly volunteered to scout ahead, earning a 3% bonus from Se-hyeon. It was a drop in the bucket compared to Se-hyeon’s earnings, but an incredible windfall for an agency worker.

“I can’t let you pay,” Se-hyeon countered. “My bank account is just sitting there collecting dust since I don’t have much to spend it on. Let me get the tab.”

Over the last two weeks alone, Se-hyeon’s accumulated revenue had reached a staggering 2 billion won. It was a profit margin an ordinary hunter couldn’t dream of making in a year, made possible only because Se-hyeon routinely wiped out over a hundred monsters per single raid.

As they took a quick breather, a frantic shout echoed through the trees.

“Hunter Jang Se-hyeon! You need to come look at this!”

It was Jae-kwang, who had ventured slightly off-path to scout the perimeter.

“Did he find something? Let’s check it out,” Se-hyeon said, leading the way with Park and the other porters close behind.

When they reached Jae-kwang, he pointed toward the base of a massive, dead tree. “Look down there. There’s a tunnel heading straight underground.”

Sure enough, a gaping subterranean tunnel was carved into the earth, wide enough for two or three grown men to walk through shoulder-to-shoulder.

“Huh, look at that,” Park muttered, scratching his head. “A tunnel? I’ve never heard of Giant Spiders digging burrows like this.”

The porter Dae-sung chuckled. “Well, they’re monsters, Manager Park. We can’t exactly compare them to ordinary house spiders, can we?”

“I suppose…”

While the others stared at it curiously, Se-hyeon’s eyes locked onto the dark descent. “An underground tunnel in a spider forest… it’s certainly anomalous.”

Park noticed the sudden glint in Se-hyeon’s eyes and felt a sudden wave of anxiety. “Don’t tell me…”

“I think I need to check the inside,” Se-hyeon declared, confirming Park’s worst fears.

“What? You’re going in?” Park gasped. “Granted, it’s wide enough to stand in, but it’s incredibly cramped compared to a standard cavern or dungeon room. If you get ambushed down there, your mobility will be severely restricted. It’s too dangerous!”

Se-hyeon, however, had already made up his mind. “It could be. Which is exactly why you all should head back to the dungeon entrance and wait for me. Once I clear the interior, I’ll call you.”

An unexpected tunnel inside a predictable D-rank dungeon could mean anything. It could be a simple nest, a death trap packed with hundreds of spiders, or a hidden secret area—like a ruin or a treasure vault. He wasn’t about to pass it up. But because of the unknown dangers, keeping the non-combatants out was the logical choice.

“Are you absolutely set on going?” Park asked.

“Yes.”

Park sighed, knowing better than to argue. “Haa, understood. Honestly, in a tight space like that, having us lugging trailers around would probably just get in your way and hinder your movements. We’ll head back to the safe zone at the entrance. Call us the moment it’s clear, and we’ll run right down.”

“Do you need me to clear a path back to the entrance for you?” Se-hyeon asked.

“No, no. You thoroughly wiped out every spider on our way here. The trail is completely safe. Just focus on your own safety.”

“Alright. If anything happens on your way back, hide and call me immediately. I’ll get to you as fast as I can. See you shortly.”

With that, Se-hyeon slipped into the darkness of the tunnel.

“Alright, boys, let’s pull back,” Park ordered, guiding the porters toward the entrance.

The moment Se-hyeon verified that the team had safely departed, he activated his magic.

“Shadow Orb.”

Whirrrr!

Six dark spheres manifested, revolving around his body like protective satellites. He moved deeper into the tunnel, his senses on high alert.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

Suddenly, brackets holding rusted iron sconces along the earthen walls ignited one by one, casting an eerie orange glow down the passageway.

“Oh? Wall sconces?” Se-hyeon paused, examining the flame. “Spiders don’t use fire. This tunnel wasn’t dug by monsters—it was built by intelligent hands.”

This meant it was either an artificial structure or a pre-existing space that someone had modified. ‘Could this be a ruin?’

The anticipation spiked his adrenaline. Right on cue, a skittering noise echoed from the shadows ahead.

“Kieeee!” “Kyangggg!”

Several Giant Spiders bristling with venomous hairs lunged out of the darkness. Se-hyeon’s lips curved into a predatory smile. “I figured it was about time for the welcoming committee.”

He flicked his wrist, launching his floating artillery forward.

Screeech! BOOM!

The dark explosions completely vaporized the lead arachnids, turning them into a paste of chitin and ichor.

“Whether this place used to be a ruin or not doesn’t change the present,” Se-hyeon muttered, stepping over the smoking remains. “Right now, it’s a spider nest. To claim whatever is buried at the end of this tunnel, I just have to exterminate everything.”

He cracked his knuckles. “Time to hit the jackpot.”

Even if there were hundreds of monsters waiting for him in the depths, or a terrifying boss guarding the inner chamber, he had no intention of turning back. Whatever stood in his way would simply be erased.

Meanwhile, it took Park Sang-soo and the porters roughly thirty minutes to navigate their way back to the dungeon entrance.

“Let’s unload the cargo here first,” Park instructed.

The porters quickly began transferring the spider carcasses from the trailers onto the designated holding tarps.

“Hey, Manager Park,” Dae-sung spoke up, wiping sweat from his brow. “Wouldn’t it have been better if we stayed with Hunter Jang? Even if we stayed near the tunnel mouth, we could have at least filled the rest of our trailer quotas before packing it in.”

They had only filled about half of their 100-monster capacity. While they were completely useless in combat, Se-hyeon’s absurd performance meant their safety was practically guaranteed anyway.

Park let out a low sigh and lowered his voice, casting a glance around the entrance zone. “Listen closely. The reason I ordered a full withdrawal isn’t just because of the danger. It’s because that tunnel might be a ruin or a hidden secret room.”

Dae-sung’s eyes widened. “What? A ruin—”

“Shh! Keep your voice down!” Park hissed.

“Oop! Sorry,” Dae-sung whispered, clapping a hand over his mouth. The dungeon entrance was shared by other corporate collection teams and incoming hunter parties; loose lips could invite unwanted claim-jumpers.

“So… you think that tunnel is a secret area, like that corrupted director’s vault we found before?” Dae-sung whispered eagerly.

Park nodded. “Exactly. I might be wrong, but the signs point to it. That’s why we pulled back. The best thing we can do for Hunter Jang is to get out of his hair so he can quietly claim 100% of the hidden loot without worrying about keeping secrets from us or sharing the spoils. Giving him space is how we protect this relationship.”

Dae-sung, Jae-kwang, and Chang-su all nodded in profound realization. Even if they didn’t harbor any greed, their mere presence would force Se-hyeon to be cautious about what he revealed or picked up.

“He pays us massive bonuses, and we’re gaining experience at a rate normal porters can only dream of,” Park lectured them in a stern, quiet tone. “Do you think an opportunity like this drops out of the sky for just anyone? We have grabbed hold of a golden lifeline, boys. If we want this gravy train to keep rolling, we need to know exactly when to step back and when to play dumb. Knowing how to read the room—that’s the most important skill you can have. Got it?”

“Haha, loud and clear, Manager Park,” Dae-sung grinned. “Honestly, finding a VIP who treats guys like us this well is a miracle. I consider meeting Hunter Jang a stroke of divine luck. But, uh… I’m not great at reading subtle cues. What do I do if I mess up?”

Park rolled his eyes. “Then you just do exactly what I tell you to do. Simple as that.”

“Perfect! I’ll just follow your lead. Oh, one more thing… if Hunter Jang and you ever have a disagreement, whose orders do we follow?”

Jae-kwang let out a heavy sigh and slapped Dae-sung’s shoulder. “Man, you really are dense, aren’t you? A disagreement? Between Manager Park and Hunter Jang? Even if that impossible scenario happens, Hunter Jang is the absolute leader of this party. Manager Park can offer advice, but the final executive decision belongs to the guy killing the monsters. If anyone doesn’t like it, they can leave the party.”

Park nodded in agreement. “Jae-kwang is exactly right. I would never oppose Hunter Jang, but make no mistake—he is the core of this operation. If you ever find his decisions unsatisfactory, you are free to throw away all these benefits and walk away. Though I doubt any of you are stupid enough to do that.”

“Hey, I was just asking a hypothetical question!” Dae-sung whined. “You guys don’t have to treat me like an idiot.”

“But you are an idiot,” Chang-su chimed in, chuckling. “Honestly, sometimes I look at you and wonder if a few screws are loose up there.”

“Why you little—! Do you wanna die?!”

“Alright, break it up,” Park cut in smoothly. “Finish stacking the carcasses. It’s going to take Hunter Jang some time down there, so let’s get organized and take a proper break until he calls.”

Deep underground, Se-hyeon was advancing like an unstoppable juggernaut.

Boom! Crash! “Kieeeeeek!”

He had already slaughtered well over a hundred Giant Spiders since stepping into the tunnel, and the stream of monsters showing up showed no signs of slowing down.

“Man, these bastards really don’t give a guy a moment to breathe,” Se-hyeon muttered, though his tone held no real exhaustion.

In the forest above, it had taken him two full hours to find and kill fifty spiders because he had to track them through the dense terrain. Down here, he had killed double that amount in under forty minutes because the monsters were continuously throwing themselves into his line of fire.

For an ordinary hunter, this endless meat grinder would be a nightmare scenario leading to immediate mana depletion and a swift party wipe. But Se-hyeon possessed a colossal mana pool exceeding 70,000, paired with a massive 70% reduction in mana consumption. Combined with his accelerated mana regeneration buffs, his Shadow Orbs were effectively a resource-free, infinite-ammo gatling gun. This overwhelming horde wasn’t a threat; it was a hyper-efficient experience farm.

As he cleared the latest wave, the narrow tunnel suddenly gave way to an immense cavernous opening.

“Oh? What’s this?” Se-hyeon muttered, stepping forward. “This place is massive.”

He had finally reached the terminal point of the subterranean path. As his boots stepped onto the smooth, cut-stone floor of the subterranean chamber, a series of glowing system text boxes materialized in front of his eyes.

[You have discovered a new Ruin: ‘The Laboratory of Alchemist Kaltraven’, now serving as the hatchery for the Defeated Queen Spider seeking her vengeance.]

[Current Party Count: 1 Player has entered ‘The Laboratory of Alchemist Kaltraven’.]

[The Laboratory is now under lockdown. The barrier will remain sealed until either the entered Awakened is dead, or every single monster inside the laboratory is exterminated.]

Se-hyeon’s grin widened, the dark light of his floating orbs illuminating the ancient laboratory.

It was a hidden instance.