While the hunters were resting and holding a meeting, outside the gate that served as the dungeon entrance, Chief Jang Han-soo of the Management Department was engaged in a conversation with the team leader.

The chief was staring intently at his phone, a serious expression on his face. The team leader sipped his coffee noisily before speaking.

“They’re all clearing the dungeon safely, right?”
“Yes. With the Dawn Guild’s party and the Knight Guild’s master, it should be fine.”
“There shouldn’t be too many casualties, I hope.”

The team leader took another sip of coffee.

“By the way, about that returnee hunter…”

Despite his busy schedule, he had trusted the word of his subordinate and made the necessary preparations. Now that he had some time to spare, it was time to hear the details.

Since they were in the car prepared for the returnee’s request, there was no one around to eavesdrop. The team leader asked casually.

“What’s that person’s actual rank?”

Even in the U.S., returnees are at least B-rank.
Could they be a B-rank Awakened at minimum, or perhaps even an A-rank?
If they turned out to be S-rank, the team leader was prepared to treat them with the utmost care, providing the kind of treatment that would ensure they’d never even think of leaving Korea.

Feeling a surge of expectation, the team leader looked at the chief.

The chief replied calmly, “They didn’t disclose their rank, so I don’t know.”
“……”

The team leader’s expression soured at the answer, his expectations crushed.

The chief hurriedly tried to elaborate.

Si-Hyun glared at the man participating in the meeting some distance away.

Yeo Dohyung.

The face she once despised, the model from that spicy noodle advertisement, was right in front of her.

“Who would’ve thought I’d meet him here….”

They say you meet your nemesis on a narrow bridge.
Hidden behind her veil, she stared daggers at Yeo Dohyung, her eyes burning with fire.

Her gaze was so intense that Yeo Dohyung momentarily looked her way before refocusing on the meeting.

Si-Hyun clenched and unclenched her fists, suppressing the urge to act on her emotions.

If she could, she would have loved to unleash the "Burning Tongue of Agony" spell she had developed, inspired by this very man.
For a moment, she was tempted.

“Should I just do it?”

But she quickly reminded herself.

“No, I can’t do that.”

She held herself back, recognizing the need to distinguish between personal feelings and professional responsibilities.
She was here to assist with the dungeon raid, not disrupt it.
Interfering with someone clearly leading the vanguard competently would be nothing short of sabotage.

Taking a deep breath, Si-Hyun suppressed the emotions bubbling within her.

That’s when Ji-ah approached her.

“Sister! How did you end up here?”
“……”

Si-Hyun turned her head silently toward Ji-ah and conveyed her thoughts through familiar gestures.

Ji-ah understood the gestures almost immediately.

“Oh, no way…”

A whirlwind of emotions filled Ji-ah’s heart.

Pure joy, because Si-Hyun’s concern had driven her to come.
Confidence, knowing the dungeon raid was now more secure with Si-Hyun here.
And guilt, for causing Si-Hyun worry and possibly trouble.

Even though she had left a message beforehand, she hadn’t imagined Si-Hyun would react by showing up herself.

Ji-ah gently hugged Si-Hyun, whispering softly, “I’m sorry for making you worry.”

Si-Hyun shook her head and patted Ji-ah’s back warmly.

Ji-ah wasn’t at fault. Si-Hyun had simply been unable to suppress her concern and decided to tag along.
What mattered now was ensuring no regrets going forward.

As Ji-ah stepped away from the embrace, Si-Hyun surveyed her surroundings, gathering her thoughts.

At that moment, Choi Ga-eul, a female supporter from the Dawn Guild nearby, approached them.

“Ji-ah, do you know her?”
“Oh, yes. She helped us in a dungeon before.”
“Hmm.”

Ga-eul narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing Si-Hyun.

“Is she a support hunter? She’s wearing a nun’s habit.”
“……”

Si-Hyun didn’t respond, offering only a curt bow before redirecting her gaze elsewhere, signaling disinterest.

Ga-eul felt a twinge of annoyance. Though Si-Hyun’s behavior wasn’t outright disrespectful, it felt irritating.

“I didn’t introduce myself yet! I’m Choi Ga-eul, an A-rank support hunter from the Dawn Guild.”

Si-Hyun turned back to look at her. Despite having little interest, she couldn’t ignore the introduction entirely.

She shook hands with Ga-eul briefly before her attention wandered back to the hunters nearby.
If she had any lingering curiosity about Ga-eul’s capabilities, she figured she’d see it during the dungeon raid. If not, she could always confirm details later through Areum.

Ga-eul, however, felt slightly disoriented by Si-Hyun’s lack of reaction.

“She’s ignoring me…?”

As one of Korea’s only A-rank support hunters and a member of the top-tier Dawn Guild, Ga-eul wasn’t used to this kind of indifference.

She clenched her jaw, deciding to probe further.
“Excuse me?”
“……?”

Si-Hyun looked at her, tilting her veiled head slightly as if confused.

Ga-eul’s irritation began to boil over when a female mage from the rear party stepped in, addressing the tension.

“This person was brought by the Management Department’s chief. She’s a foreigner!”
“…A foreigner?”
“Yes! She can understand but doesn’t speak.”
“Oh, I see.”

Ga-eul’s temper subsided somewhat, though not completely.
Meanwhile, Ji-ah, now fully understanding the situation, nodded knowingly.

Time passed, and the hunters finished preparing, aligning into formation.

“Let’s go!”
“Yes, moving out!”
“Let’s wrap this up cleanly!”

With loud cheers, they stepped through the gate into the double dungeon.

The area that greeted them was a vast cavern, lit dimly by torches affixed to the walls.
The space was expansive but eerily empty, with no monsters in sight.

As they moved forward, Si-Hyun felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

“This feels… familiar….”

The sensation grew sharper the deeper they ventured.
Moments later, a swarm of undead appeared, marking the start of combat.

“Wow, Dohyung’s magic is so amazing!” Ga-eul chirped.
“……”

“Eek! What’s that?!”
“……”

While Ga-eul’s chatter persisted, Ji-ah focused on cutting down the undead with precision. She tried her best to ignore the piercing gaze she felt from behind.

The intensity of Si-Hyun’s silent observation was almost palpable.

In Ji-ah’s mind, she could hear Si-Hyun’s imaginary critique.
“Is that what counts as pulling your weight?”
“Are support hunters usually like this?”

Ji-ah sighed inwardly. Between Ga-eul’s antics and Si-Hyun’s scrutiny, she felt her nerves fraying.

Si-Hyun, meanwhile, alternated between observing Ga-eul and Ji-ah, unimpressed by the former.

“This is the best Korea’s support hunters have to offer?”

Deeper in the dungeon, the hunters eventually came across a massive set of doors, signaling the boss room.

“This dungeon’s shorter than expected,” someone remarked.
“Yeah, didn’t take long at all.”

But one hunter, staring at the door, muttered grimly, “This isn’t a good sign…”
“Why not?”

“The mana density here is too high. If the path’s this short, it means the boss is going to be absurdly strong.”
“…Shit.”

The realization settled uneasily among the hunters.

With tension thick in the air, Kang Cheol-min stepped forward boldly, grasping the door handle.

“Let’s get this over with! Watch me shine!” he bellowed arrogantly.

As the doors creaked open with a deafening groan, the hunters prepared themselves for the final battle.

Inside, a chilling sight awaited them.

“That… isn’t that Hunter Yoo Byung-joon?”
“And those people… aren’t they rescue team members?”
“What the hell…?”

An eerie female laugh echoed through the room, greeting them ominously.

“Heeheehee…”