Chapter 58: Hidden Beneath Stage 1

“I-I don’t want to! I’m not leaving!”

There was no way he could leave alone. Even if he did, there was no guarantee he’d find any information to save them, he couldn’t even connect with the Constellations.

What if something happened to them while he was gone?

If he escaped alone, he would never be able to forgive himself.

He had to stop them somehow.

But these lunatics clearly had no intention of listening.

“Hyung, this isn’t the time for this. Just listen. Why are you being so stubborn?”

“If you don’t want to get hurt, do as you’re told!”

Overpowered by Ji-chan and Se-yoon working together, Seong Ju-an couldn’t even move as he glared at Eun-hoo.

“Th-then at least let me use my skill.”

“We’re all in contact with you already. It probably activated automatically.”

He had planned to escape while using his skill, but it seemed Eun-hoo had seen right through him.

Still… using the skill would be safer. Even without monsters, the embrace skill would create a shield…

Before he could think further, Eun-hoo firmly pressed down on his shoulder.

At the same time, Ji-chan pinched his nose, forcing his mouth open, and Jun-young shoved the portal stone inside, blocking both his nose and mouth.

“Mmph-!”

It was flawless execution, no wasted movement.

Ju-an had no choice but to swallow it.

The moment it touched his tongue, the portal stone melted like water and was absorbed instantly.

His body felt like it was floating.

Through his fading consciousness, he heard Eun-hoo’s voice:

“We’ll be right behind you. Don’t worry.”

His vision went dark.

****

When he opened his eyes, a familiar ceiling greeted him.

The events before he lost consciousness came back vividly, but everything after that was blank. He must have blacked out for a while.

Gasping, Seong Ju-an bolted upright.

“Are you alright?”

The one who spoke was Min-jae, whom he had met when he first arrived at the residential facility. Several others stood behind him, some dressed like members of Hanbaek Guild, others looking like high-ranking officials.

Every face in the room was tense.

Of course they were. All the S-rank hunters were trapped in the dungeon, and only Ju-an had returned.

But the one closest to losing his mind right now was Ju-an himself.

“What exactly happened?”

Min-jae answered carefully.

“Jun-young contacted the center and requested emergency rescue. We were going to move you to a hospital, but brought you here instead.”

‘That’s not the point!’

Seeing Ju-an’s expression, Min-jae misunderstood and added:

“If news spreads that all S-ranks are trapped, it could cause public panic. And anarchist groups might take advantage of the chaos…”

“That’s not what matters right now!” Ju-an snapped. “If the center received a rescue request, shouldn’t you be saving them? Why is everyone here?!”

A middle-aged man in uniform stood up from the back.

“The one Jun-young asked us to rescue… was you.”

“…What about the others?”

“He said they’ll get out on their own. That we should just make sure the buffer is safe.”

On their own? How?

Ju-an’s mind went blank.

Nothing made sense, neither his teammates’ decision nor the calm indifference of the people here.

This isn’t right. Their lives are on the line.

He couldn’t trust these people.

Ignoring calls to rest, Ju-an stormed out and immediately tried calling Eun-hoo.

No answer.

Se-yoon. Ji-chan. Same result, phones turned off.

His fingers trembled so much he kept missing the screen.

After steadying his breath, he called Jun-young.

This time, it connected.

“Seong Joo-an, you’re awake?

Relief washed over him at the sound of his voice.

“Why are your phones off?”

“We don’t know how long we’ll be here. We’re conserving battery. I’ll keep mine on and rotate.”

That made sense.

“Are you cold? Hungry? Is anyone hurt?”

Laughter echoed through the speaker, everyone must’ve been listening.

“Is this a joke? Get a grip!”

“Hyung, where are you?”

Se-yoon’s voice.

“I’m at home.”

“Then rest. Don’t worry about us.”

How could he not worry?

Still, at least they were safe, for now. He hung up.

The answer had to be in his memories. The system hadn’t completely changed.

Ju-an shut himself in his room, ignoring everyone else, and began thinking like a developer debugging a system error.

“This has to be a system glitch…”

He turned on his computer and began writing formulas related to the dungeon.

Soon, the screen was filled.

But nothing changed.

Of course it didn’t.

This wasn’t a game.

Those inside weren’t characters.

They were real people.

“…Damn it.”

No matter how much he thought, there was no answer.

“Do I really have to make a contract with the Constellations…?”

No.

He clenched his fist and slammed the desk.

He wouldn’t sacrifice them.

There had to be another way.

Grabbing his jacket, he ran outside.

****

Police lines surrounded the dungeon.

A-rank officials controlled access, but upon recognizing Ju-an, they let him through immediately.

The area near the gate was eerily empty.

Standing alone before it, he examined everything carefully.

Nothing had changed.

Then…

He remembered.

That strange sinking sensation under his feet.

“…Wait.”

He stomped the ground in front of the gate.

Then stepped back and did it again.

“…It’s different!”

The ground near the gate felt hollow.

His mind raced.

The Constellations couldn’t erase a dungeon.

They could only move or disguise it.

This dungeon had no monsters.

It wasn’t a tutorial.

Which meant…

“This is still Stage 1.”

They hadn’t removed it.

They’d hidden it underground and created a fake layer above.

That’s why phones worked.

That’s why everything felt wrong.

“They didn’t have enough power…”

His heart pounded.

He could save them.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and called Jun-young.

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