4.

[You have entered the home of the poor wizard, Sen.]

[Difficulty: S-Rank (Rare)]

As the white light that filled my vision slowly faded, the appearance of my second rare dungeon in life was revealed. I had expected it to be a damp cave-like place, just like the first one. However, true to its leisurely name, ‘The Home of the Poor Wizard, Sen,’ what appeared before me was a rather idyllic house.

“What a small and cute house.”

Dain commented indifferently. As he said, the house looked quite small even from the outside.

We climbed over the wall and entered the yard. The wall wasn’t very high, so I thought I could manage to climb over it with some effort. But Kelian lifted me up with ease and carried me over.

“How is your body feeling?”

“I’m fine, so you don’t have to worry, Kelian.”

Kelian carefully observed my complexion, as if still concerned. He seemed displeased that I couldn’t rest more after taking a day off because of me.

I was the one who convinced him that it was fine to enter the dungeon.

It was just a single encounter, yet staying bedridden as if I were seriously ill felt excessive. Besides, after resting for a day, I was nearly fully recovered. More than anything, I felt awkward facing the rest of the party, who had no idea what had happened.

“What are you two whispering about?”

Dain narrowed his eyes when we still hadn’t moved away even after climbing over the wall.

Despite Dain’s sharp gaze, Kelian continued to check on me until I reassured him multiple times that I was fine. Only then did he reluctantly set me down and step back. He looked like he would carry me around all day if I let him.

I avoided Dain’s piercing stare, but I could feel my cheeks subtly warming.

“Has the first clear been achieved?”

“Yeah. Someone already cleared it.”

At Jenin’s response, Barkrud nodded. This rare dungeon was one that Jenin and Dain had discovered through the information guild.

In the Unique Village, there were several rare dungeons ranging from A to S rank, and this one was known to have fewer challengers. That meant it was all the more difficult to clear.

—Ah… There’s nothing. Nothing at all.

As soon as we stepped inside the house, we heard the murmuring voice of a man.

The interior was just as small and cramped as it had appeared from the outside, making it easy to pinpoint the man’s location.

A frail-looking man sat at a wooden dining table, clutching his head. He was most likely the protagonist of this dungeon—the wizard, Sen.

“What’s missing?”

At Dain’s question, Sen abruptly lifted his head. Startled, he instinctively backed away, and Kelian stepped forward beside him.

Sen’s complexion was deathly pale, made even starker by the dark circles under his eyes. Perhaps that contrast made him appear even more ghostly.

—No money. I need money to pursue the truth of magic… Damn it, even the Mage Tower won’t accept me.

It was a surprisingly detailed backstory.

Jenin had briefly explained human-type monsters to us before, but seeing one in person was unsettling. Sen looked so human that it was difficult to process. More than that, he didn’t even seem particularly hostile toward us.

“The Mage Tower only takes in the skilled. If you couldn’t get in, that just means you lacked talent.”

Dain, a former member of the Mage Tower, spoke with brutal honesty.

I expected Sen to lash out in anger. Instead, he grabbed his head again and groaned in despair, sinking further into self-loathing.

—You’re right. It’s all my fault. I wasn’t good enough…

Jenin watched as Sen dug at the floor in frustration, then scratched the back of his head.

“Dain, wasn’t that a bit harsh? He might stay like that all day.”

“I just told him the truth.”

Even after a long wait, Sen showed no signs of stopping his self-loathing. With a resigned sigh, Jenin finally stepped forward.

“Hey, Sen. How about you quit whining and just get things started?”

For someone who had just scolded Dain, she wasn’t exactly overflowing with empathy herself. The word ‘whining’ made Sen’s head droop even lower.

“Should we just kill him? He’s the boss anyway.”

“I doubt killing him would clear the dungeon, but we could give it a try.”

Just as Seiris and Kelian were uttering such ruthless remarks, the noise outside suddenly grew louder.

For a moment, I thought the real challenge of the rare dungeon was about to begin. However, the door suddenly burst open, and someone stepped inside—making it clear that this was something else entirely.

“Huh? There’s someone here?”

“What? Who the hell got in before us?”

A party of seven—five men and two women.

It was obvious they had come to clear this rare dungeon, just like us.

At first, they grumbled and complained about someone arriving before them. But as soon as they stepped inside and saw our group, their voices noticeably quieted.

They seemed a little mesmerized by our party’s appearance, but the real reason they swallowed their irritation was likely Barkrud’s sheer size.

The cramped house was already uncomfortable for Kelian, who was much taller than the average person. For someone as massive as Barkrud—practically a giant—moving inside was even more of a struggle. He was hunched over, trying to make himself fit.

“Are you also here to clear the dungeon?”

The one who stepped forward to speak was a man with a friendly and easygoing expression.

“Of course, we came to clear the dungeon. Do you think we’re here for sightseeing?”

Dain’s sharp retort visibly flustered the man, but he quickly regained his smile.

“I see. We also came to clear this dungeon. It wasn’t easy to find, since there isn’t much information about it. I heard only a handful of people have ever cleared it.”

Despite our party’s lack of social enthusiasm, the man kept talking cheerfully on his own.

“Ah, by the way, my name is Hans Rock. I’m the vice guild master of the Brave Hawk Guild.”

Judging by the expressions of Hans and his group, the guild seemed to be quite well-known in the town.

The problem was that our party was far too accomplished to be impressed by such a name, and since I had only recently arrived in this town, I had no idea how great that guild was supposed to be.

Hans, observing our lukewarm reaction, looked a bit disappointed as he hesitantly asked,

“And you are…?”

“Kelian Ail.”

As soon as Kelian’s name was spoken, a gasp rippled through Hans’ party.

“I knew it! I thought he was unbelievably handsome!”

“He’s the Hero…!”

The disappointment of not being recognized vanished instantly. Hans’ expression lit up with excitement, and he eagerly fired off more questions.

“I had a feeling you were remarkable individuals, but to think you’re the Hero’s party—what a stroke of luck! I’ve heard plenty about the rest of you as well. The one with the staff adorned with a red gem must be Dain Farion, once called the next Master of the Empire’s Mage Tower. The beautiful silver-haired one is none other than another hero, Seiris Lyn. Then we have Jenin Elizabeth, and the towering giant over here must be the wandering Mercenary King, Barkrud…!”

He knew that much detail?

It seemed the Hero’s party was far more famous than I had assumed.

Hans rattled off their names without even pausing for breath. Then, as his gaze finally landed on me, he abruptly stopped.

“And… you are…?”

The party members standing behind Hans also murmured as they looked at me.

“I never heard of there being an extra member in the Hero’s party.”

“Maybe we just missed the news.”

Since they were blatantly talking about me while staring, it felt awkward to stay silent. I hesitantly introduced myself.

“I’m Aine Kruger.”

I debated whether or not to add, ‘I’m not as amazing as the others.’

But I didn’t need to say it. Judging by the way their expressions shifted as they sized me up, they already assumed as much. Their disappointment was even more apparent than when we hadn’t recognized their guild’s name.

“Hmm. I see.”

Hans looked genuinely puzzled as to why I was part of the Hero’s party, but he seemed to decide to let it go for now.

I barely had time to feel awkward about the sudden shift in attitude before their attention turned elsewhere—toward the wizard Sen.

—Nothing… There’s nothing…

Sen was still caught in his loop of self-loathing and lamentation.

“Well, the dungeon’s name gave me an idea, but I guess he really is a humanoid monster.”

“It’s been a while since we encountered one. Now it really feels like an S-rank rare dungeon.”

After exchanging a few remarks with his party, Hans turned to Kelian’s group.

“Since we’re all inside now, there’s no way out. We should cooperate and clear this dungeon together.”

For all their irritation about someone arriving first, their attitude completely changed once they realized it was the Hero’s party. If anything, they seemed eager to associate with them.

“There’s no need for that. The dungeon will decide contribution points on its own.”

Kelian’s response was as cold as ice.

Hans’ attempt at teamwork was effortlessly deflected, as if it had hit an invisible wall.

His party stiffened awkwardly, but the Hero’s party remained completely unfazed. Ignoring the tense atmosphere, they casually resumed their conversation from earlier, as if Hans and his group didn’t even exist.

“We can’t just sit around forever. Killing him might be worth a try.”

“Dain, step aside.”

With a flick of Seiris’ staff, the air around Sen darkened visibly, turning as black as toxic smoke. As it engulfed his entire body, Sen gasped and choked, unable to breathe.

Seiris’ power was terrifying.

That ornate staff of hers, which had already been praised dozens of times, looked almost divine in this moment.

“Gasp—!”

While Hans’ party gaped in shock, Sen’s lifeless body slumped onto the dining table.

But moments later, he was revived in a flash of white light.

—Ah… There’s nothing…

It was as if nothing had happened.

Realizing something was strange, Hans’ party started questioning Sen.

“Hey, where are the other monsters? Don’t tell me you’re the only one here.”

“What the hell are you mumbling about? When does the dungeon actually start?”

“You’re the boss, aren’t you? Why are you just sitting there?”

But Sen didn’t give any meaningful answers.

“Is this dungeon’s goal to bore us all to death?”

Dain was clearly losing patience.

Understandably so.

A never-ending monologue of despair, a cramped house, the noisy presence of another party, and a dungeon that refused to start—it was a chaotic mess.

“Let’s search the house.”

Following Kelian’s lead, the Hero’s party began inspecting every corner of the house, from the kitchen where Sen was seated to the shabby bedroom with its worn-out bed.

I joined in, rummaging around until I found a bundle of foul-smelling clothes under the bed, forcing me to clamp my nose shut.

“I can’t move.”

Barkrud, who hadn’t budged, offered an explanation as to why he wasn’t helping search.

Not that anyone needed one.

If he moved any further, the fragile house looked like it might collapse under his sheer size.

“You damn bastard! Start the dungeon already! Summon the monsters!”

Just as our group was sighing in frustration over the lack of clues, Hans’ party lost their patience.

They began attacking Sen indiscriminately, cutting him down with their swords.

And yet, every time he revived, he only sank back into self-loathing.

Kill. Revive. Despair. Kill. Revive. Despair.

Of course, nothing changed.

“We’re not going to be trapped here forever, right…? This dungeon seems like the type where you can’t leave until it’s cleared.”

There was an underlying fear in their words.

Meeting the famous Hero’s party had been exciting at first, but if they ended up permanently trapped in this dungeon, none of that would matter.

I could relate to that fear, so I quietly asked Jenin,

“Have you ever encountered a dungeon like this before?”

“I’ve been to all sorts of dungeons… but one that refuses to even start? This is a first.”

I asked Kelian as well, but he also admitted this was new to him.

However, he seemed preoccupied with something else.

“Aine. Would you like to sit down?”

Was he still worried about my condition?

It had been exhausting right after we had been together, but I wasn’t that weak anymore…

Still, his low, coaxing voice was strangely pleasant, making it hard to refuse. I obediently took a seat across from Sen.

Even though he had been killed multiple times, he did nothing but wallow in despair. There was no real threat from him, but perhaps as a precaution, Kelian stood beside me.

I had expected Dain to glare at us for whispering so obviously.

But what I hadn’t expected was the intense stares from Hans’ party.

They openly gawked at us as if trying to figure out, ‘Why are those two acting like that…?’

—Nothing… There’s nothing… How hopeless…

Across the table, Sen clutched his head again.

At this rate, he was going to pull all his hair out.

The dungeon name displayed upon entry was The Home of the Poor Wizard, Sen.

And just as expected, Sen was endlessly lamenting his financial struggles.

To be honest, I could somewhat understand.

I wasn’t a magician like him, nor did I have any grand ambitions, but I had experienced the hardship of struggling without money.

“Do you really need that much money?”

Sitting at the same table doing nothing felt awkward, so I decided to ask.

I expected him to ignore me and continue sobbing.

But instead, Sen suddenly stopped and stared at me, looking dazed.

His hollow eyes resembled someone who hadn’t slept in days.

—A lot… Yes, I need a lot. More than I ever imagined…

“I see…”

It seemed even dungeons had their own version of life.

Money was just as important inside as it was outside.

“How can you earn money?”

—Powerful wizards get hired by nobles without even trying… but no one wants to hire me.

“Have you tried reaching out to potential employers yourself?”

—That’s… embarrassing.

Sen averted his gaze, as if just the thought was humiliating.

“Still, you should at least give it a try. It might be embarrassing, but it’s better than sitting here doing nothing. You have a better chance if you take action.”

—You think… so?

“Yes. You can do it, Sen.”

I couldn’t lend him any money—not when I barely had enough to purify myself at the temple.

But a few words of encouragement? That much, I could offer.

Not that I even knew if currency from outside the dungeon would work in here.

—You’re kind…

Sen’s gaunt face, with its sharp cheekbones, took on a hazy expression.

I felt momentarily flustered at being called kind just for encouraging him.

Then, realizing something, I quickly added,

“But before you go, can you start the dungeon? We can’t just keep waiting forever.”

—If you wish to leave this place… you must pass several trials…

“What kind of trials?”

—I can’t tell you in advance… but can you really overcome them?

There was a trace of concern in his tone as he looked at me.

Did I really look that weak?

I couldn’t even argue—it was true, after all.

“I should be… fine. The people I’m with are strong.”

—Ah… I see.

Sen’s gaze swept over Kelian and the others before he nodded in understanding.

—I shall now bestow trials upon you. Only those who overcome them will be able to leave.

Finally, something was happening.

As Sen muttered an incantation, the ground trembled violently, as if struck by an earthquake.

My vision wavered.

Kelian, already anticipating the shake, reached out and steadied me by the waist.

Thanks to him, I didn’t stumble.

“Ah…”

When the shaking finally stopped, we found ourselves standing in an empty clearing.

Towering gray walls encircled us in a perfect ring, stretching impossibly high.

Sen and his cramped little house had completely vanished.

If this was Sen’s magic at work, then he wasn’t as talentless as he claimed to be…

“…….”

Curious about the sudden silence, I glanced around—only to find both our party and Hans’ group staring at me.

What’s going on…?

“You sure treat monsters like humans.”

Before I could ask, Dain took the opportunity to throw out a jab.

That’s when I realized—they had been watching me talk to Sen the entire time.

Well, he was a humanoid monster, so it felt natural to speak to him like a person…

In fact, I had gotten so used to it that I had completely forgotten he was a monster.

“Aine’s the reason the dungeon even started, so what’s the problem? You’re so picky.”

“It’s not that I’m picky, you’re just oblivious!”

Jenin and Dain immediately started bickering again.

The rest of the party, as usual, didn’t bother paying them any attention.

It was such a familiar scene that I couldn’t help but smile slightly—until I made eye contact with Hans’ group.

“What’s so special about that…?”

The murmur was loud enough for us to hear clearly.

Jenin abruptly stopped mid-argument and turned around.

“What did you just say—”

And at that moment, a creature suddenly popped out of thin air and bounced toward us.

Kyuik, kyuik!

The familiar sound made me flinch.

When I turned my gaze, I immediately recognized it.

A Torong.

Fortunately, it wasn’t the rare Torong that had cursed me—just a regular one with green eyes.

It was a bit larger than usual, so maybe a mid-tier variant?

“What the hell is this tiny thing?”

Kyuak!

Dain swung his staff, striking the Torong with a single blow.

With a shrill cry, the creature died instantly.

Then another Torong appeared.

And another.

The more we killed, the more of them emerged, their numbers growing at an increasing rate.

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

“If this is the trial Sen was talking about, it’s disappointingly easy,” Hans remarked, casually directing his comment toward the Hero’s party.

But he got no response.

Kyuak!

[You have acquired Mid-Tier Torong’s Blood.]

[Item Rank: C]

The Hero’s party could kill them in a single strike, but with my club, it took at least ten hits to bring one down.

So they were mid-tier Torongs after all.

Still, I wasn’t as weak as I had been back in my hometown.

At the very least, I could kill them on my own now.

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

All around us, the sound of dying Torongs echoed through the clearing.

Sen had mentioned passing ‘several’ trials, so this had to be the first one.

Hans wasn’t wrong—if the rest of the trials were as easy as this, we might be able to escape this dungeon faster than expected.

Kyuak!

[You have acquired Mid-Tier Torong’s Blood.]

[Item Rank: C]

Kyuak!

[You have acquired Mid-Tier Torong’s Blood.]

[Item Rank: C]

Kyuak!

[You have acquired Mid-Tier Torong’s Blood.]

[Item Rank: C]

[Your level has increased.]

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Even though they were mid-tier Torongs rather than low-tier ones, I had plenty of experience hunting them back in my hometown. My body moved on instinct.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud…

I kept swinging at a steady rhythm, only stopping when—

Crack.

My club broke.

In the past, I would have just repaired it and kept using it.

But now that my level had increased, it was time to buy a new weapon.

Not that I could afford anything too expensive…

Checking my status, I realized I had reached level 27.

The last time I checked, I was level 24, which meant I had gained at least two levels in this dungeon.

I had been too distracted by the endless kyuak cries of the Torongs to even notice the system alerts.

Level 27!

The excitement hit me belatedly.

Of course, if I had been hunting alone, I wouldn’t have leveled up this much.

But since I was still part of the Hero’s party, I must have gained experience from the enemies they defeated as well.

Wanting to share the good news, I quickly turned to my party—only to find them staring at me with dazed expressions.

“What’s wrong?”

Did I have Torong blood on my face?

That didn’t seem to be the case.

Even Hans’ party, who had been sneaking glances at me earlier, were now outright gawking.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, I turned away—just as another Torong lunged at me.

With no other choice, I struck it with my broken club.

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

.

.

.

Kyuak!

Kyuak!

With my damaged weapon, it took over thirty strikes to kill just one.

After dealing with the distraction, I looked back at the others.

Only to find the silence had grown even heavier.

“…….”

Seriously, why were they looking at me like that?

Even as they continued slaying the approaching Torongs, their wide-eyed stares remained fixed on me.

“Jenin?”

I called out to the person I thought would give me the most straightforward answer—Jenin.

Only then did I finally get a response.

“Well… it’s just… there was this… madness…”

“Huh? Madness?”

“Coming from you…”

Jenin trailed off, so Dain stepped in.

“Why the hell were you slaughtering monsters like that?”

…What?

“It was terrifying.”

Even the usually calm Barkrud muttered something ridiculous.

I slowly retraced my actions, trying to figure out what had spooked them so much.

As far as I could recall, I had simply been killing monsters, just like everyone else.

“You’re saying I was scary while killing monsters?”

“It wasn’t just the killing. It was your expression… and everything else about it.”

“Was my face that frightening?”

“Not exactly. But you were completely emotionless.”

The more Dain explained, the less sense it made to me.

Of course, I was expressionless while killing monsters. Was I supposed to smile while doing it?

It was a reaction I simply couldn’t understand.

And since I doubted I ever would, I decided to just give up trying.

Still, I was curious if Seiris and Kelian had felt the same way, so I asked,

“Did you two think I was scary as well?”

“Not really.”

“Not really.”

As if rehearsed, Seiris and Kelian gave the exact same response.

They briefly glanced at each other but soon went back to what they were doing without a second thought.

Kelian’s focus? Eliminating the Torongs that approached me.

The swarm of creatures that had been relentlessly charging forward evaporated the moment they so much as grazed his sword.

Thanks to that, my surroundings were remarkably safe.

“But this… just doesn’t end.”

Despite the bizarre little commotion over my supposedly crazy way of killing monsters, everyone had long since resumed fighting.

Yet, just as Jenin muttered, there was no sign of an end to the Torongs.

The Hero’s party merely looked bored as they continued cutting them down.

Hans’ group, however, was starting to struggle.

“Gah—! Why the hell aren’t they disappearing!?”

“We kill them, but they just keep coming! I’m getting exhausted…”

“Get a grip! If it’s too much, move toward the Hero’s side!”

The fact that they openly admitted to relying on Kelian’s group showed just how worn out they were.

They fought their way closer—toward Kelian.

Which, in turn, meant they were heading toward me.

For members of a well-known guild, they shouldn’t have been struggling this much against mid-tier monsters.

That could only mean the Torongs had multiplied to a ridiculous degree.

“This trial probably won’t end just by killing them.”

“Maybe it’s a test of patience.”

“Gods, I hope not.”

Jenin sighed and, in a single strike, wiped out three Torongs at once.

She covered one ear, visibly irritated by the endless kyuak cries that filled the air.

“Everyone, don’t move. I’ll try to kill them all at once.”

Seiris raised her staff high, and all eyes turned toward it.

It seemed like a dramatic move—likely for show. Our group seemed unfazed, while Hans’ party, unaccustomed to such displays, were momentarily distracted by the staff’s flashy appearance.

A black smoke enveloped the Torongs in the clearing. It looked unsettling, and just like the magic that killed Sen earlier, it swiftly wiped out the Torongs one by one.

What had once been a clearing full of creatures was now suddenly empty.

But it was only temporary.

As if to fill the void, a large swarm of Torongs appeared all at once.

“Looks like killing them all at once isn’t the answer…”

Jenin searched the area desperately for a solution to the trial, but there was no obvious clue.

I, too, was scanning the area, hoping to find some hint to pass the trial.

That’s when my eyes caught something unusual among the mid-tier Torongs.

Actually, “unusual” wasn’t quite the right word. It was too familiar, too ordinary.