Jaran Dungeon. Rega intended to hunt and raise his rank today.
"Move! Get out of my way!" a man's angry roar echoed from the dungeon gate.
Rega turned his head, startled by the appearance of the man who had just spoken.
Standing at 190 cm, the man's physique was superior to any bodybuilder, but he was currently covered in wounds. One of his arms had been severed, wrapped in bandages that were already soaked through with fresh blood.
Rega used his Appraisal skill to confirm something, and he gasped when he saw the man's rank.
'Rank 4, yet he came out in such a battered state? What on earth is happening in there?'
Rega wanted to enter the dungeon immediately but was forcibly stopped by the Hunter Association staff on duty.
"Jaran Dungeon is temporarily closed. Please come back later."
"Why is it closed?"
"An anomaly is occurring inside. Large numbers of Elite Goblins have been confirmed on the third floor."
Rega's expression shifted. Elite Goblins? No wonder a Rank 4 returned in such a state!
Rega knew it was dangerous, but he was itching to fight those Elite Goblins to grind his level. However, he couldn't just sneak in, especially with the Association staff guarding the entrance so strictly.
'What should I do?'
"Let me in! My friend is still inside!" someone else pleaded nearby.
"Impossible. Hunters below Rank 3 are not permitted to enter the dungeon!"
"I don't care! I have to save my friend!"
Rega went silent, his mind drifting to the staff member's statement.
Below Rank 3 isn't allowed—meaning Rank 3 and above are?
To confirm his theory, Rega pulled up his status window in front of the staff member standing right before him.
"I'm Rank 3. That means I can enter, right?"
The staff member was stunned. He took a deep breath and said, "You can, but it's extremely dangerous. Did you see the man who just came out? He's a Rank 4 Hunter."
"I saw him, but I still want in."
"You—never mind. I've warned you. If you die inside, your body will only be recovered once a subjugation team is dispatched—and that's if there's even anything left of you."
The staff member likely intended to terrify Rega, but the attempt failed miserably. Rega wasn't just unafraid; he felt even more motivated to dive in.
"Just go! Good luck in there!" The staff member turned away in annoyance, clearly displeased by Rega's stubbornness.
Rega flashed a faint smile, passed through the line of Association staff, and entered the dungeon under the bewildered gazes of the crowd.
(It turns out Master can be quite stubborn when he wants to be.)
"Depends on the situation. I can change my attitude based on what's needed."
Rega smirked proudly, rushing toward the third floor to face the Elite Goblins.
Race: Elite Goblin
Level: 30
Skills: Basic Swordsmanship, Thought Communication
The status above was just one example of the hundreds of Elite Goblins swarming the third floor.
"Some of them can use magic, as expected of Elite Goblins."
(Master should be aware of this. Watch out for their magic attacks, especially the poison spells.)
Rega fixed his gaze on five Elite Goblins hiding behind the front-line fighters. They were the Mage-types; one of them was even capable of casting a mid-tier spell: Poison Mist.
"Looks like I should take out the ones in the back first before dealing with the rest."
Gripping his spear tightly, Rega lunged like a rocket into the heart of the goblin horde. He slaughtered those blocking his path, closing the distance to the startled Mage-types.
(Kill confirmed. EXP multiplier successfully applied!)
(Level up! Level up! Level up!)
A barrage of notifications flooded Rega's mind.
He ignored them, continuing his rampage and butchering every Elite Goblin until nothing remained.
As hundreds of Elite Goblins dissolved into mana crystals, Rega finally saw a gruesome sight that made his stomach churn.
If you were imagining corpses, you'd be right. Specifically, there were five hunter corpses—two men and three women.
The two male corpses were no longer whole; their arms had been severed, eyes gouged out, and stomachs ripped open.
The three female corpses were in an even more horrific state. From the visible marks, they had been raped and tortured by the Elite Goblins until they died. After death, parts of their bodies had been hacked off—likely consumed by the goblins, as the remains were nowhere to be found.
Gulp...
Rega swallowed hard, sinking to the ground with an expression of pure shock.
To be continued...