How to Raise Your Skeletons

Chapter 7: This is Seriously Hopeless.

“I’ll speak on behalf of my team.”

A man stepped forward toward Kang Sunwook.

—Tap!

He touched the blue badge hanging on his waist.

“As you can see, I’m a B-rank hunter. Among the survivors here, I’m of the highest rank.”

At his words, the crowd fell silent.

Kang Sunwook and I, along with the survivors, naturally focused on him.

He let out a sigh of breath and began to speak. “This place… is hell. I’ve been a hunter for some time but never encountered such a strange dungeon.”

“A strange dungeon?”

“Yes, look. There’s no exit.”

“Hmm, that’s true.” Kang Sunwook, the Guide, nodded in agreement.

It was indeed bizarre, even from an expert’s perspective.

“From the starting point, no matter which direction you go, you end up in front of this ‘door.'”

Kang Sunwook furrowed his brow, but the man continued without concern.

“Then, we were tightly bound by this aura, unable to leave. The food and water we brought are long gone. Ultimately, all we can do here… is to challenge what’s beyond that ‘door.'”

Faced with starvation, the survivors chose to risk their lives on the challenge.

The survivors, looking grim, began to chime in.

“He’s right. We were really hungry. We wanted to live. If there were bats around, we would have eaten them raw.”

Starvation.

“To survive, we all had to go through that ‘door.’”

Survival instinct.

“But… the clear condition is insane. How can anyone defeat that thing?”

“Exactly. ‘An elderly man with white hair, filled with deep resentment,’ was it…? That guy is insane. It’s impossible to beat him. Whether you’re D-rank, C-rank, or even B-rank, we were like infants before that old man.”

Despair.

“Ah, thank you for coming.”

“A-rank hunter, thank you. You can get us out of this hell, right?”

And a faint glimmer of hope.

Desperation was engraved in the lifeless eyes of the survivors.

We seemed to have arrived when they’d nearly given up on themselves due to their harsh and grueling experience.

“…”

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth. Is this the true face of dungeons, hidden behind the glamor of ‘rankers’?

But.

One question arose.

“Excuse me, but…” I asked immediately. “If the old man, no, the boss, was so strong, how are you all still alive?”

It was strange. What kind of dungeon boss would spare the challengers? They said they entered the door, so did the boss kindly throw them back out?

“Good question.” The B-rank hunter smiled slightly and nodded. “I understand. That was my first question when I arrived as a latecomer.” He explained, “Surprisingly, the old man doesn’t kill people. He simply accepts challengers. And he conducts a sort of test.”

“A test?”

“I don’t know the exact details. He just subdued us painfully, agonizingly, and then clicked his tongue, saying ‘this one’s not fit,’ and threw us back out.” The man grimaced, his body trembling.

Hmm, I guess just imagining it must be agonizing.

So, he doesn’t kill?

“…”

I couldn’t fully understand the B-rank man’s explanation. What kind of dungeon is this?

“It’s strange, right? Think about it. An old man is still a person. This is the first time a dungeon boss has been human since the world changed.”

“Yeah, it’s not like a dwarf or an elf, but definitely a human, right?”

“Yes, absolutely. Though he seemed a bit senile.”

“…”

An actual human as a boss? Is that even possible?

Kang Sunwook and I looked at the man in silence.

I closed my eyes.

Whatever it is…

In the end, we’re trapped here like them. We must open that ‘door’ and complete the mission to find an exit.

I don’t trust Kang Sunwook for this.

As his alias suggests, he’s a hunter specialized in guiding. Seeing him struggle against the pressure from the door, clearing this dungeon seemed unlikely.

So, what should I do?

As my brow furrowed deeply in contemplation,

“Mr. Kang?”

There was no need to ponder any longer.

In the distance, I sensed the presence of ranker Gi Soyul.

* * *

Reaper Scans

Translator – Dawn

Proofreader – BringTheRayn

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* * *

“Hmm… Alright.” After hearing a brief explanation from Kang Sunwook, Gi Soyul simply nodded. “We should go in right away. Judging by the aura, these survivors aren’t doppelgangers or traps. The system also indicated a mission. It does bother me that the aura is intense, but we can’t sit around, can we?”

Thinking too long wouldn’t yield answers.

In that case, let’s face it head-on.

That was her thinking.

And then…

“Wow!”

“We’re saved! Three A-ranks and one S-rank!”

“An S-rank. Is this a dream?”

“Oh my god, I’m so moved. Is it really the Parang Guild? From now on, I’ll bow toward the Parang Guild headquarters every morning. Don’t stop me.”

The survivors cheered at her confident words.

The atmosphere was completely different from when they saw Kang Sunwook and me.

Well, it makes sense.

How can an A-rank outshine an S-rank? Especially someone ranked within the top 1,000. I, too, felt a slight thrill at her presence.

“Porters and survivors, stay here. We’ll take care of this.”

Her words were reassuring. Regardless of success or failure, her spirit was commendable.

Assuming the man’s story was true, it didn’t matter even if they failed. The boss didn’t kill people.

Given time, the Parang Guild’s first team and numerous elite rescuers would undoubtedly come.

She is the only sister of the renowned archer Giparang. And Giparang wouldn’t ignore his sister’s disappearance.

“Then, let’s go. Everyone, prepare yourselves.”

Gi Soyul tied her hair back. She prepared her dagger and strapped shurikens to her waist.

The other A-rank hunters also stretched with determined expressions.

“The old man tests us, right? Let’s pass that test.”

“Just hearing about it sounds tough. I wonder what kind of reward awaits.”

They confidently opened the door and entered.

But soon after…

“Aaaargh!”

“It hurts! Damn, it hurts!”

Bruised all over, A-rank hunters came flying out.

“…?”

—Bang!

Even the ranker Gi Soyul was flung against the cave wall with blood all over her.

And the previously ominous ‘door’ shut quietly, as if it had always been that way.

What the…?

I gaped.

Rankers were the idols of all hunters and my ultimate goal! Yet, such a ranker was incapacitated in less than 10 minutes…

Contrary to their earlier confidence, they looked utterly defeated.

The hopeful survivors watched in despair.

“…Not fit, me? That’s ridiculous,” Gi Soyul muttered with a frustrated expression.

Then she looked at me.

“Mr. Porter.”

“…Yes?”

“Hand me an advanced-level potion from your bag. I’m going in again.”

What is this woman saying?

After getting beaten up, does she still want to go again?

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, the survivors were right. The old man didn’t kill me. He just subdued me painfully.”

“Then…?”

“I’m determined now. He’ll see if I’m truly fit or not.”

Fit? Does the old man look for worthy talents?

It’s a term usually used when a master seeks a disciple.

If so…

The old man’s ‘resentment.’ Could it be from not finding suitable talents?

“Anyway, give me the potion.”

“Alright… Be careful.”

I handed her the potion.

And thus began her extraordinary challenge.

An endless challenge.

* * *

Time passed.

“Huff, huff!”

As expected of a ranker. Gi Soyul’s tenacity was impressive.

The other A-rank hunters shook their heads and gave up.

“Wow, this is infuriating.”

But she pushed on, even as her clothes were torn to rags.

“Just what is his problem? What more does he want from me?”

“That cheeky old man. I thought he only mastered swordsmanship, but he’s good with a spear, too. Fine, let’s see who wins.”

Days passed, and her challenge continued without pause.

“Aaaah!”

“That old man! What is his deal? He can use magic, too! How can anyone clear this?”

Despite being a combat ranker, she was helpless.

“…”

I shook my head.

I take it back for saying it didn’t matter if she failed or not. This was a severe problem. Even if Giparang came to rescue her, the problem ensued.

I’d never seen him, but the gap between her and the old man seemed huge. I had a feeling that even five rankers might not defeat the old man.

So was this dungeon SS-rank?

“Alright. I admit it.” She nodded. “The old man is strong. Very strong. But as long as I’m alive, I’ll keep challenging him.”

Gi Soyul’s eyes still burned with determination.

“Wow…”

I was genuinely impressed. Is this the mindset of a ranker? Is this the dedication needed to be in the world’s top 1,000?

I was honestly envious. This was an endless training opportunity without the fear of death. Is this the fortune in dungeons Dark Lord spoke of?

But as more time passed, problems began to surface.

“Does time flow differently in this dungeon? The rescue team isn’t coming.”

“Mr. Kang, emergency food is running low. We’re consuming them sparingly, but it’s not enough.”

“It feels like it’s been over two weeks.”

“I’m exhausted. It’s so suffocating.”

Unable to clear the dungeon, the survivors started to struggle.

“We’re all doomed. We were destined to die here.”

One low-ranked hunter even lost his mind and cried.

Moreover…

I’m frustrated, too.

Even as a porter, I came here for growth. I trained the skeletons sporadically. I started to think that it might’ve been better to explore other dungeons during the time I wasted here.

And honestly, I was also scared. What if we were trapped in here for even longer without any food or rescue?

“That can’t happen.”

I clenched my fists then approached the resting Gi Soyul.

Come to think of it, all the hunters here had gone through the ‘door’ and came back.

Except me.

It was too unfair for me not to try. Opportunities should be equal. It wasn’t fair for her to monopolize the chance because she’s a ranker, especially after all this time without clearing it.

And, though unlikely…

What if I’m the talent the old man seeks?

“…?”

Gi Soyul looked puzzled as I approached as if to ask what business a porter would have with her. She clearly looked exhausted.

I bit my lip and said, “Ms. Soyul.”

“Yes, Mr. Porter?”

“I think I should try going in.”

“Pardon?”

A strange silence fell over the open area at my declaration.