# 019. Long Live the King (3)
“Groups A and B, please come this way. You’ll enter with me. The next groups, please enter with your guide at 30-minute intervals.”
“Alright, you heard that? Kang Min-gyu’s group, this way.”
The already large Kang Min-gyu was so imposing that he almost completely blocked the slender instructor from view.
Jaehee swallowed a sigh inwardly. It had been a long time since he’d met someone this irritating.
Although no one had appointed Kang Min-gyu as the leader, he referred to himself as such. Not only that, he insisted on calling Group A “Kang Min-gyu’s group,” and whenever the instructor said something, he would chime in as well.
“Ju Se-rin. You said this is your first dungeon, right? Well, dungeons aren’t much. Just stay close to me, and you won’t have to worry about anything.”
After learning that Ju Se-rin was 21 years old, Kang Min-gyu started speaking informally to her, claiming he was older. Of course, Se-rin never asked him to speak informally. Objectively, Kang Min-gyu’s appearance wasn’t that bad, but he had the talent of making any attraction disappear after just a few exchanges. Within less than an hour of introductions, Jaehee had learned that Kang Min-gyu was a Taekwondo student at Korea Sports University, what competitions he had entered, and what awards he had won. Needless to say, Jaehee had neither asked nor cared.
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m an Awakened One too, you know.”
“Haa, Se-rin, you’re so clueless. Do you think all Awakened Ones are the same? You haven’t seen many other Awakened Ones, have you? That’s why you’re saying such naive things. Se-rin, who am I? I’m a king! A king! Not just an Awakened One, but a king!”
Even though Ju Se-rin was clearly refusing by drawing out her words, Kang Min-gyu didn’t bat an eye.
Why did he feel embarrassed every time he heard that king talk? Jaehee jabbed Jeongwoo with his elbow. Seeing Jeongwoo mouth ‘what,’ he irritably kicked Jeongwoo’s foot.
Why the hell did you agree to be in a group with that guy, you idiot!
I’m going to get sick from looking at him!
Jeongwoo looked at Jaehee with a smirk and then pushed his leg forward as if asking Jaehee to kick it again. Jaehee gave a hollow laugh at the sight.
“Now, we’ll enter in order. This dungeon is a D-class training dungeon. It’s already been conquered and is only used for training, so there’s no need for any special strategy. Now, please follow me.”
After listening to Kang Min-gyu’s chatter, Jaehee was actually looking forward to entering the dungeon. He grumbled inwardly as he followed the instructor.
Even though he thought nothing would happen, there was something unsettling about entering the black hole.
When passing through the black hole, he felt a chill, like an insect crawling on him.
Was he being sensitive because they were entering a dungeon? He felt as if someone was scanning him from head to toe.
“Now, we’ll first explore the dungeon together, and then each group will conquer the boss room separately. Since this dungeon has already been conquered, there will be regular monsters instead of a boss. Your goal is to defeat these monsters.”
“Is it dangerous?”
“Regular monsters aren’t too dangerous, but if a dangerous moment comes, I’ll step in, so don’t worry.”
“Haa, but why are we even doing this nonsense?”
The one who spoke to the instructor was a man from Group B. The man had a good build, not unlike Kang Min-gyu, with colorful tattoos visible on his forearms below his short sleeves.
“Hmm, you must be Kim Yong-nam from Group B. Have you already experienced dungeon conquering, Yong-nam?”
“Yes. I’ve conquered a C-class dungeon before.”
“I see. Those who have experience conquering dungeons may feel that dungeon training is unnecessary. I completely understand. But we still don’t know much about dungeons. All we know is that if we don’t conquer the dungeon within the given time, the monsters inside will come out. We don’t know what principle drives dungeons, or why some dungeons don’t disappear even after they’ve been conquered. So examining a conquered dungeon again is by no means meaningless. Besides…”
The instructor briefly paused, looked around at the audience, and then smiled.
“The items you acquire in the training dungeon will belong to those who find them. You know that even in D-class dungeons, the items that come out are quite expensive, right? If you go to a dungeon through a guild or a state-assigned dungeon, all items are auctioned.”
People’s eyes changed. All dungeon products were traded at high prices, but since they were shared with guilds or belonged to the state, it was rare for individuals to keep them.
Jaehee was genuinely impressed with the instructor’s conduct. It was like watching a seasoned veteran handling a difficult customer.
“Come on, the Management Bureau wouldn’t waste time on this without reason. There’s a purpose to all this, but some shortsighted people just tsk tsk.”
“What?”
When Kang Min-gyu, who had been quiet until now, interjected, Kim Yong-nam’s face turned red. As the atmosphere between the two men began to sour, the instructor timely continued.
“Now, see how the soil is black here? This means it’s a safe zone. Be careful of areas where the soil turns red, as that’s where monsters appear. Each group, look around the safe zone and then gather here.”
“Come on, Kang Min-gyu’s group, let’s go!”
As soon as the instructor finished speaking, Kang Min-gyu waved his hand and shouted.
Jaehee wondered if there was something medically wrong with him. Was there an issue during his developmental years? How could he have no sense of shame?
Though he felt sorry for Ju Se-rin, Jaehee was relieved that Kang Min-gyu was busy flirting with her and not paying attention to anyone else.
* * *
“Jeongwoo, did that just move?”
“Huh?”
“That, that, near the tree. I thought something moved… Maybe not?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see anything… This is a safe zone, so there shouldn’t be any danger.”
Jaehee felt uneasy and kept looking toward the densely forested area. If Jeongwoo didn’t see it, it was probably fine. Jeongwoo would be more sensitive to danger than he was. Plus, this was a practice dungeon that had already been conquered, so there was nothing to fear. Yet he couldn’t shake this uncanny feeling.
At first glance, the unfamiliar dungeon looked like a scenic resort. There was not a trace of pollution, and the fresh air and lush nature were beautiful. Even people who had been tense before entering the dungeon relaxed after looking around.
But Jaehee couldn’t let go of his tension since entering the dungeon. Strangely, his skin tingled as if being pricked by sharp needles.
“Jaehee, are you a scaredy-cat? With such fear, how are you going to conquer dungeons in the future? Hahaha, meeting me was truly your luck. I’m the type who takes good care of my juniors.”
“Ah… yes…”
Unable to curse, Jaehee forced a smile with a sour expression. Jeongwoo snickered at Jaehee’s reaction, which earned him a kick to the shin when no one was looking.
Jaehee firmly resolved to confront Jeongwoo about what he was thinking once they got out of the dungeon.
At least after this dungeon practice ended, they wouldn’t have to see each other again. In the future, he planned to take a wide detour if he spotted Kang Min-gyu.
After that, Kang Min-gyu continued to show off and boast, but when Jaehee didn’t react much, he changed his target to Ju Se-rin.
“Se-rin, I’m planning to create a guild. Are you interested in joining? Well, even if I’m just starting, since I’m a king, it will grow quickly. What do you think? Are you interested?”
“Well… I was thinking of joining Guild Sahae first… I’ve already submitted an application there.”
“Ah, so you haven’t joined yet? Then it’s fine. You can change your mind before you sign. Se-rin, meeting me today was a great stroke of luck for you. Think about it. Even if you join a guild, you still have to choose a king. Is there any guarantee that Lee Shin-hoo of Guild Sahae is a king? There isn’t. If he were a king, he would have said so already. He’s still quiet because he’s not a king, right?”
“I don’t really…”
“Besides, Se-rin, do you have a family? Your family will also need to choose a king, and what king would accept non-Awakened Ones? Think carefully even now. If it’s me… I could accept your family as my own. Right?”
Smiling with a sleazy tone and blinking his eyes, he made Ju Se-rin back away in alarm. But Kang Min-gyu didn’t care.
Jaehee’s irritation with Kang Min-gyu was surging when he suddenly had a question. While Kang Min-gyu was a human who came equipped with bragging and exaggeration, his emphasis on being a king seemed a bit strange.
Clearly, the global mission to choose a king had appeared, but most Awakened Ones were still keeping quiet about it. There were hardly any people who publicly revealed themselves as kings. So why was Kang Min-gyu emphasizing that he was a king? For what reason?
“Se-rin, when you’re young and pretty like this, you need to make good choices. If it were someone else, I wouldn’t recommend this. I’m saying this with brotherly feelings. You know what I mean, right? Guild Sahae is a big place, so there might be a king among its members, but they won’t take responsibility for your family too. And if the guild master isn’t a king… You know? It would be quite confusing.”
“You’re Jaehee and Jeongwoo, right?”
Just as Kang Min-gyu was about to subtly put his arm around Ju Se-rin’s shoulder, she turned around swiftly. Kang Min-gyu seemed embarrassed and pretended to stretch awkwardly with his extended arm.
“Do you two think choosing a king is important? More than choosing a guild? I heard you were the last to come out of the tutorial, and you haven’t chosen a king yet, right?”
“That’s right. Since we’ve just come out of the tutorial, we haven’t decided anything yet.”
As Ju Se-rin slightly moved closer to Jeongwoo, Kang Min-gyu’s expression turned grim. Kang Min-gyu followed Ju Se-rin and also moved closer to Jeongwoo, which made Jaehee turn away to keep from laughing.
Seeing Jeongwoo and Kang Min-gyu side by side, Jaehee almost felt pity for the previously irritating Kang Min-gyu.
Jeongwoo had a physique that didn’t lose out even compared to Kang Min-gyu, who was from a sports university, and his face and body proportions were such that it was hard to consider him an ordinary person.
Kang Min-gyu seemed to realize belatedly that standing next to Jeongwoo invited comparison, as he cleared his throat and moved a bit away.
“This mission to select kings that includes even non-Awakened Ones is quite worrying.”
“I know, right? Honestly, I don’t even understand what it means.”
Just as Jaehee was nodding and agreeing appropriately, he felt the ground becoming soft beneath his feet. No, how could the ground become soft?
Before he could understand what was happening, the ground began to split. Everyone’s mouths gaped open at the unprecedented sight of the ground tearing apart and splitting sideways.
