By the time Jin-Woo went together with Seung-Eun for re-evaluation, he had already attracted the White Tiger guild, Hunters guild, and Korean Hunter Association. But according to the data of the original world setting, he wouldn't join any of them and instead used his E-rank license that hadn't been updated to join the mining team.
The mining team consisted of low level hunters and they were deployed in high rank gates, usually A-rank to collect mana and magic crystals after the attack force of Hunters cleared the gate except for the boss monster. After that, the attack force would finish it, closing the gate completely.
The first time Jin-Woo had started working, everything went smoothly and they had even finished early because he worked fast. Hunters guild had their attack force split into two, A and B-team to clear A rank dungeons, hence known as the strongest guild in South Korea. A-team consisted of two S-rank hunters, the guild leader Choi Jong-In and hunter Cha Hae-In.
But the same thing couldn't be said on the second day Jinwoo had joined the mining team.
"Mining team, good work this morning! We'll rest for a bit then start out afternoon's work."
"Is it possible to borrow someone from the mining team? Our porter didn't show up today." Son Ki-Hoon, a hunter from the B-team attack force asked.
"They want to draft someone from the mining team as a porter?"
"There are strong guys from the collecting team that can carry heavy loads, so why are they asking us...?"
"My men had to work non-stop for 3 hours on top of skipping dinner to finish our work on time. And now you want one of us to follow you guys as a porter? My team doesn't have the power." The leader from collecting team crossed his arms in disapproval. "This is all due to the mining team finishing their work too early."
"Well, we did finish two hours ahead of schedule thanks to Mr. Sung..."
"Is there anyone who wants to come with the attack force? We'll compensate you for the risk when the raid is finished." Ki-Hoon ignored the people that said their rejection directly and asked around again.
"Listen here leader Son Ki-Hoon. We would hesitate even if it was a B-rank dungeon. Acting as a porter for an A-rank dungeon is too much. It's not a place for low-rank hunters. Even though the hunters would only be carrying your equipment... compared to mining, the risk is too high." The leader of mining team sighed, frowning. "The majority of us in mining team are D-rank hunters and there are even a few E-rank hunters here as well. A small scratch would be enough to kill us. Do you really think that people here would risk their lives for an extra bit of cash?"
Ki-Hoon still didn't give up, but his voice lowered as hopelessness sank in. "Is there... no one?"
"I will go." Jin-Woo raised his hand, startling the people in mining team.
"An E-rank hunter wants to follow them into A-rank dungeon?!"
"Mr. Sung, what are you thinking?!"
"There are powerful monsters waiting inside the dungeon. Why do you want to join them?"
"Someone young with a bright future like yourself shouldn't risk their life like this!"
The people that cared for the newcomer immediately reprimanded him.
Jin-Woo replied awkwardly. "I'll be fine. It's not like I don't have the guts."
"That man had just started working with us yesterday, he must've raised his hand without knowing." Jin-Woo's colleague persuaded Ki-Hoon.
"What's that man's rank?"
"He's an E-rank. Since his rank is too low, we should look for someone else."
"No, we'll take him." Ki-Hoon approached Jin-Woo and gave his hand for a handshake. "Thank you for joining us. I'm Son Ki-Hoon and I've been tasked to lead today's raid."
"I'm Sung Jin-Woo."
"Is it too heavy?"
"I'm alright." Jin-Woo replied while carrying a large bag pack. He looked at the tall and wide blue gate. "How enormous."
"Yesterday was your first time mining right? Then this must be your second time witnessing an A-rank gate."
"The gate may be big, but they say that the magical energy flowing out from it is weaker compared to yesterday. If it was too dangerous, the B-team wouldn't have been handling it."
While listening to Ki-Hoon's explanation, Jin-Woo looked at the attack force consisting of 11 A-rank and 6 B-rank hunters in front of them. As they entered the gate, he followed closely from behind.
[The 'player' have entered the dungeon.]
Somewhere inside the gate, Lanze was carrying a plastic bag into the dimly lit room. Seung-Eun was sitting on a wooden chair, long legs stretched out as he stared at the light blue window with drooping eyelids.
"Sire, how about this one? Do you want to eat this?"
Seung-Eun turned his head, looked at the several takeout placed on the long, table, and then to Lanze, who was also looking at him with bright eyes and a smear of something red- presumably chilli sauce on his lips.
'This unfilial son ate before me.'
Ignoring the thought, Seung-Eun's mood instantly brightened as he pulled out a mirror from the window and tossed it to Lanze. They had been staying in the gate since this morning so Lanze decided to buy them something to eat while waiting for Jin-Woo to enter the gate. Seung-Eun looked back at the screen that showed Jin-Woo and the B-rank team and stuffed his mouth with chicken nuggets.
Lanze also peered to look at the screen from behind Seung-Eun, his curiosity about their contract gnawing on him. While monitoring 'the player', he also went to search about humans and then came to a sudden realisation that humans fought the monsters that invaded their world. And yet, Seung-Eun also worked together with an enemy. There was also another fact that he could control gate, which shouldn't be something that a human could do.
"Sire, are you a human?"
"What do you mean, Lanze? I am."
"But sire, humans fought monsters..."
"That's true. What about it?"
"I'm curious."
"Humans also kill each other, so what's the difference? It doesn't matter whether they are humans or monsters, to me, they are all the same."
"How about 'the player'? Why are we helping him?"
"Sung Jinwoo is different... he's the protagonist. All of these things I'm doing right now is for him."
Lanze frowned, unable to understand what his sire had just said.
"Why?"
"It's my mission. There will be a disastrous consequence if I failed." Seungeun leaned his back on the chair. "Do you hate me for letting your kind's die?"
"No."
Lanze didn't have any attachment towards anyone beside his sire, who had saved him, so it didn't matter who dies, even if they were also monsters.
"That's a relief. I don't want to force you to work with me if you're unwilling. Alright... Warn the orcs that the humans are coming soon."
Seungeun watched as Lanze lifted up the red curtain briefly with one hand and went into the hall. He looked back at the light blue window and sighed with a chicken nugget in his hand. As much as he liked Solo Leveling, he wanted to end the mission as soon as possible and stopped doing these troublesome things.
Why wasn't there a bar that could tell him the mission's progress?
[Mission progress: 78%]
He looked at the new window that just appeared with a deadpanned face.
"What the..."
If he knew that it would appear as soon as he thought about it, he would've did so at the beginning of the mission.
"Okay... So, what will happen once I finished the mission?"
Another window appeared again, overlapping the previous one.
He stared at it for a long time.
.....
'I was tasked with leading the Hunters guild's attack force for the first time but if I'm successful with today's raid, I can be officially appointed as the B-team's leader.' Ki-Hoon thought. 'I may not be master Choi Jong-In or vice master Cha Hae-In but I'm still one of the best amongst A-rank hunters. I can do this!'
The dark tunnel in front of them suddenly emitted low growls, alarming the hunters as they readied themselves into a practiced formation without any instructions from the leader.
"What...th-those are?!"
"Dungeon Jackal?!"
The red wolves dashed towards them wildly with barred fangs while the B-team responded by slaughtering them one after another. The fight was quick and easy and Jin-Woo only watched as a spectator from behind the team.
"What's this? Why are there Dungeon Jackals in an A-rank dungeon?" Ki-Hoon voiced out his confusion as he lowered down his high-grade sword and shield.
"Is it rare for Dungeon Jackals to appear in A-rank dungeons?" Jin-Woo asked.
"No, but... Dungeon Jackals are C-rank monsters. Since they're too weak and placed too low on the food chain, they're usually hunt down. They're unable to maintain their pack numbers since they get eaten by stronger monsters..." The A-rank healer beside him replied. "Dungeon Jackals shouldn't be able to hunt any monsters here even if they fought in a group. Since they can't defeat their prey, weak monsters can't survive."
Jin-Woo squatted down next to the Dungeon Jackal and inspected it with narrowed eyes. 'A trace of a leash?'
"These are no ordinary Jackals. Someone has been raising these things."
"That must mean someone kept them alive on purpose. To use them as hunting dogs." Ki-Hoon said.
'A monster smart enough to free and send these hunting dogs after us. Regardless of their species, intellectual monsters are hard to deal with.'
Several footsteps echoed in the tunnel. Tall humanoid monsters with red skin appeared from the same direction together with their weapons.
Ki-Hoon and the other hunters shivered.
"Oh my God...!"
"High Orcs!"
"Why High Orcs!?"
High Orcs were buffer and taller than the hunters by two or three times, and although it wasn't anything unusual, their intelligent, which was higher than normal monsters, was also one of the most scariest trait of them.
One of the High Orcs threw a spear towards Ki-Hoon. The shield that he used to block it cracked as it deflected the weapon and hit the stone wall above them. One after another High Orcs forward and began attacking the hunters aggressively.
"They're after mages, be careful!!"
"Don't worry! We won't get defeated so easily!"
The mage used a fire magic to burn the monster but it was only pushed backwards before it sprung up back and dashed towards them again.
"It didn't work?! It's magic resistance is too great!"
Another mage came to help and used a spell that binded the orc from moving.
"It's too powerful! I can only hold it for 5 seconds at most!"
"That's enough! Head my call and cut down my enemies!"
Two yellowish knights were summoned out of thin air, each wielding swords as they attacked the High Orc.
On the other side, a High Orc swung its' axe vertically, almost chopping off the fighter's right arm. The healer nearest quickly healed his wound.
"What are the tankers doing!? Protect the backline!"
"Taunts aren't working! Our skills are being bounced back!"
"Heal! Heal!!"
"Q-Quickly!"
"We're inferior in numbers! We can't get surrounded! Group up! Break into three main groups!" Ki-Hoon anxiously shouted but the chaotic situation didn't allow any of them to hear him.
High Orcs weren't ordinary orcs. They were one of the strongest species amongst the orcs. Each one should be able stand toe to toe with an A-rank hunter. There were only 17 of the hunters but the other side had 22. B-ranks couldn't handle them due to their difference in power.
'On one hand, our A-rank hunters are stronger than these High Orcs. But on the other, if the B-rank hunters were to get killed off first, we'd be at a bigger disadvantage.' Ki-Hoon thought. 'We don't have any choice! Sacrifices are unavoidable! Damn it. Everyone, don't die!'
While the hunters were too engrossed in fighting the High orcs, they didn't notice the disappearance of their porter.
Jin-Woo finally decided to help them.
.....
Author note: We finally reach chapter 30! Thank you!