hotmtlnovel Chapter 70
Chapter 70
“It’s not possible to enter. We would appreciate it if you could grow a bit more before trying again.”
“What? You’re telling me I can’t enter? I’m an intermediate-level Hunter! And it’s just a B-class dungeon—why are the conditions so strict...?”
“Intermediate-level Hunters need a party of at least three. Please gather more members or raise your rank and try again. Next, please.”@@@@
At the gate set up in Hwaseong, Suwon.
A Hunter handed over his Hunter ID and asked to enter the dungeon, but the two young Dungeon Guards firmly refused.
They were denied entry because the Hunter didn’t meet the required conditions.
The rejected Hunter tried to protest further, but it was impossible.
In front of the gate, a line stretched far beyond 200 meters.
And in the middle of the long line was...
“Phew... As expected, the Golden Lake Dungeon is very popular, Master.”
“Experience points and drop rates are good, and it’s the only one in Suwon. This line’s actually pretty short for today.”
Kang Hyunsoo and Swallow were there as well.
After receiving an intermediate-level Hunter ID from the Hunter Bureau, they had taken a quick nap at home before heading straight to the Suwon gate.
This was their well-prepared expedition.
But when they saw other Hunters being rejected, the tension was unavoidable.
The gate for the B-class Golden Lake Dungeon was known for having occasional casualties, so entry conditions were strictly checked.
In his previous life, Kang Hyunsoo had once been denied entry here.
At just over level 200, he had tried to enter based on Seo Jieun’s words about upgrading a hidden piece, but he had been denied because the conditions didn’t match.
To enter, he needed to bring at least three more mid-to-low-level Hunters, but since the hidden piece upgrade was the goal, that wasn’t an option.
The value of the growth-type hidden piece was beyond imagination, and sharing it with others could make him a target. Plus, upgrades required a lot of effort, so even if he formed a party with a good Hunter, he would have to give extra compensation.
In the end, Kang Hyunsoo, Seo Jieun, and Choi Taehun had to level up past 300 to become intermediate-level Hunters before they could enter together.
But now, his current level was at least 100 below that, and he had no party.
He had received an intermediate-level Hunter ID from the Hunter Bureau, but would he even be allowed to enter?
Kang Hyunsoo took a deep breath and quietly waited for his turn.
Soon enough...
“Next, please step forward.”
It was Kang Hyunsoo’s turn.
The Dungeon Guard, seeing Kang Hyunsoo approaching, raised up on tiptoes to peek behind and asked,
“Are you planning to enter alone?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Kang Hyunsoo nodded and handed over his Hunter ID.
“You’re an intermediate-level Hunter. The conditions are met, but... Are you sure about this? This is the Golden Lake Dungeon, a B-class dungeon, but with the difficulty level of an A-class dungeon. The monsters here are over level 350.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Kang Hyunsoo nodded again as the Dungeon Guard explained, swallowing nervously.
Luckily, his rank allowed him to enter, but because he was alone, they seemed extra cautious.
The Dungeon Guard, looking at his Hunter ID, raised a concern.
“It’s a bit worrisome. An intermediate-level Hunter could technically clear a B-class dungeon alone, but it’s not guaranteed. I see that you’ve never cleared the Golden Lake Dungeon before.”
“That’s... because my talent quest requires me to enter alone. I’ve learned a lot about the Golden Lake Dungeon and its strategies, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Hm, a talent quest, huh...”
“Well, if that’s the case...”
In truth, the real goal was to upgrade the hidden piece, but Kang Hyunsoo used the talent quest as his reason.
Talent quests assigned to Hunters vary by individual, and they are tasks that must be completed. Using that as the basis for entry often allowed for exceptions.
Fortunately, the strategy worked.
“Alright, I’ll let you through.”
“I hope both your raid and quest are successful.”
The two Dungeon Guards moved aside to clear the path, allowing Kang Hyunsoo to enter.
“Thank you.”
Kang Hyunsoo gave a slight bow of thanks as he walked through the gate.
However, as he passed the guards and was heading toward the waiting area in front of the portal...
“One moment, Hunter Kang Hyunsoo.”
“...?”
The Dungeon Guard, who had been checking his Hunter ID, called him back.
Kang Hyunsoo wondered if something was wrong, but that wasn’t the case.
“This is a health potion. It’s a low-grade one, so it may not help much, but I hope it serves you well.”
“Oh... You really didn’t have to do this, but I don’t know how to thank you.”
“It’s nothing. Please be sure to come back alive. I’ll be cheering for you from the outside.”
The Dungeon Guard handed Kang Hyunsoo the potion with a bright smile and returned to his post.
An unexpected gift.
Kang Hyunsoo stared blankly at the potion in his hand and murmured softly.
From the gate with the view of a city wall, he was transported to a golden lake surrounded by dense forests.
“Whew, it looks just like it did before.”
Kang Hyunsoo sighed in relief as he looked around.
It wasn’t just the scenery that was the same.
[Trust Bracelet]
[Grade: Hero]
[Ability: Defense +80, Magic Resistance +10]
[Skill: Trust Armor (A) – Forms a transparent armor made of mana over the entire body. Consumes 100 mana per second.]
[The wearer has reached level 200.]
[Item growth conditions unlocked.]
[Obtain 200 golden shards from the Golden Lake (0/200)]
[Obtain 1 golden core from the Golden Lake (0/1)]
The upgrade conditions for the hidden piece, the Trust Bracelet, were exactly the same as in his previous life.
He could upgrade the Trust Bracelet at the Golden Lake.
In his previous life, he had briefly struggled to figure out where to find the golden shards and the golden core, but that was no longer a problem.
“Phew, phew...”
[Lv 340. Golden Lake’s Guardian Seahorse]
Near the portal, a seahorse-like monster wearing a spear, helmet, and armor approached from above the golden lake.
“Well, the welcoming party is a bit underwhelming.”
“Still, at least they showed up. And with just one, it’s perfect for testing.”
Kang Hyunsoo ignited the fire sword and the command sword, lighting them with crimson flames, and sent a Sky Blade from a distance.
Whoosh—! Whoosh—! Whoosh—!
Three orbs of aura flew toward the seahorse monster armed with weapons.
The Guardian Seahorse desperately shot a water jet and swung its spear, but it couldn’t stop the Sky Blade enhanced with crimson flames.
Screech—! Screech—! Screech—!
The orbs passed through the spear and armor without resistance.
[Lv 340. Golden Lake’s Guardian Seahorse has been defeated.]
[You have automatically obtained 1 golden shard.]
[Experience gained.]
[Level increased!]
[Reward: Strength +1, Agility +2, Mana +2]
A three-hit combo.
It wasn’t a one-hit kill, but it was still very fast.
Moreover, the quest item was automatically obtained.
In his previous life, he had to control his strength so Seo Jieun could land the finishing blow, but this time, that wasn’t necessary.
Swallow knew this too.
“Ah, the memories are coming back. Back then, I had to struggle so much to gather all the mobs.”
“...You talk as if you actually experienced it.”
“Well, Master’s memories are also my memories, right? Heh. I know how to deal with these monsters, so I’ll help a little.”
“Hmm, well, it’s good to share both memories and work.”
He hadn’t actually lived through it, but sharing memories and dividing the work wasn’t a bad idea.
The first hunt became a signal flare.
“Phew, phew!”
“Phew, phew!!”
[Lv 340. Golden Lake’s Guardian Seahorse]
[.......]
[Lv 340. Golden Lake’s Guardian Seahorse]
After defeating the Guardian Seahorse, reinforcements appeared from the golden lake and the surrounding forest.
It started with about 30 of them, but their numbers quickly grew to 40, 50, and even 60.
What’s more, they were all wearing spears and armor, making them look like an army.
This was the dangerous aspect of the Golden Lake.
Unlike the scattered mobs that charged recklessly, the monsters here attacked with a sense of order, like an army.
It was a formation that would be hard to break on your own.
But...
‘If you know the method, you can easily break through. And luckily, I have reliable reinforcements.’
Kang Hyunsoo smirked, then raised his lips.
“Alright, shall we do some good old grind work?”
“Yes! I’ll handle the grunt work, Master!”
He and Swallow charged toward the sea-horses forming a line.