Doom Breaker – The Egoist

In the early dawn, Jagun and Big Bo climbed the hill behind their village.

Boom.

Jagun stared at the swirling dark matter in his hand.

“Dark Bolt.”

Whoosh!

The dark matter transformed into an arrow. It flew and smashed a rock into pieces.

“This is driving me crazy.”

Jagun muttered, shaking his head. He wasn’t used to using magic.

“Huff, huff.”

Big Bo finally reached the summit, panting heavily. Jagun kicked the sluggish Big Bo.

“Get up. Go over there and do 50 pull-ups.”

Jagun pointed to a makeshift pull-up bar. As expected of the village’s back hill, there were shabby exercise equipments scattered around.

“F-Fifty pull-ups?”

Big Bo widened his eyes in shock.

“Hey, you’re awakened, aren’t you?”

“Y-Yes, but… my body is extremely heavy…”

Jagun grabbed Big Bo by the neck and dragged him to the pull-up bar, then tossed him in front of it.

“If you don’t complete 50, you’re dead.”

Jagun said curtly and sat on a nearby rock.

‘Chaos Walker.’

Jagun searched for information on this class. As Isaac had assured, it was a previously non-existent class. The world of Raiders had all sorts of classes.

Just because it was a unique class didn’t make it special. In fact, classes with more users were advantageous.

There was more research and shared information available.

“So the first spell is Dark Bolt. It’s somewhat similar to the dark mage series.”

Dark Bolt was a basic spell in the dark mage series.

Most mage classes had a basic offensive spell in the form of projectiles. It was a fundamental technique to manifest and release one’s mana.

“Damn it, Isaac.”

Jagun had been a warrior. Naturally, he preferred warrior-type classes. Isaac must have known that.

‘For you, my life is just a game.’

Isaac had intentionally given him an unfamiliar class. Moreover, it was an unknown class with no prior information. Jagun had to figure it all out step by step from the beginning.

‘All I have is this body and that pig over there.’

Jagun looked at Big Bo. Big Bo was struggling to do pull-ups, one by one. Watching his over a hundred kilograms body attempting pull-ups was quite amusing.

“Keep going without resting.”

Woosh!

Jagun fired a Dark Bolt at Big Bo’s feet.

“Ugh!”

Big Bo, who had been catching his breath, hurriedly pulled himself up.

“This is driving me mad. How can someone be so talentless?”

Over the past few days, Jagun had been testing Big Bo. Every person usually has one or two talents.

‘He has none. That pig has nothing.’

Combat sense, strength, reflexes, magic talent…

None of them were exceptional. No, they were all below average.

“At least a real pig is said to be smart, but, sigh.”

Even Jagun couldn’t find a way to make use of Big Bo. Jagun lowered his gaze and bit his thumbnail. He stared at the ground with half-closed eyes.

Dark shadows swirled around his eyes, as dense as his own mana.

‘What am I doing right now? I still lack power. This level is not enough. I need to become even stronger. I have to make them kneel before me once again and show them exactly who I am.’

Big Bo, having completed 50 pull-ups, hesitated as he approached Jagun. Jagun sat there with a look of someone who had come back from killing a person.

‘Just who is the boss?’

Big Bo’s question remained unanswered.

Jagun’s demeanor, actions, and his interactions with gods were anything but ordinary.

It was hard to believe he had only awakened recently as a Raider.

Three days later, Jagun spoke to Big Bo.

“Let’s go. To the dungeon.”

Big Bo, who was making ramen for breakfast, responded.

“What? Should we gather a raid team?”

“No, just the two of us.”

Big Bo looked serious at those words.

“No way! We can’t! I don’t want to die yet!”

Bang!

Jagun kicked the table over.

The utensils fell to the ground.

Instantly, a cold fear filled the entire room.

Ever since Jagun arrived, at least once a day, some furniture or the dinner table would be overturned.

“Do you want to die here? Or come with me?”

“L-Let me just finish my ramen.”

Jagun, who had been glaring fiercely, nodded.

Then, as if remembering something, he spoke to Big Bo.

“Two eggs for me.”

*

Even in a low-tier dungeon, a raid team of at least six people is required for a clear.

If not in a hurry, a ten-person raid team is common.

This number is considered efficient for experience points and role distribution.

For mid-tier or high-tier dungeons, large raid teams are formed to ensure a clear.

“No matter if it’s an F-rank dungeon, going with just two people… I don’t even know how to fight properly yet.”

Big Bo spoke in a voice that was on the verge of tears.

Jagun smacked the back of Big Bo’s head.

“You’ll learn how to fight in real combat.”

“And then you’ll end up dead.”

“If you die here, that just means that’s the extent of your potential and mine.”

Jagun grinned.

He crossed his arms, standing in front of the dungeon entrance.

Jagun and Big Bo were well equipped.

They had sold the raid loot from the last dungeon and bought superior gear and items with the proceeds.

“We could start with a ten-person raid team, boss.”

“Growing at the same pace as everyone else is too slow. That way, you’ll stay at the bottom forever.”

Jagun spoke coldly.

‘The traitor Chilyong is at the top. I have no choice but to grow stronger at a rapid pace if I want to reach him.’

When experience points are shared among a team, it takes longer to grow. Clearing a dungeon ten times with a ten-person team is equivalent to clearing it twice with a two-person team in terms of growth.

“Don’t worry. I, Shin Jagun, am not destined to die in a place like this.”

Jagun boasted as he entered the dungeon. Big Bo, captivated by Jagun’s enigmatic figure, followed him. By following Jagun, Big Bo felt he might be able to achieve something great.

‘He’s selfish, cruel, and arrogant… yet…’

The back of Jagun, as seen from behind, was reassuring.

*

The dungeon is the only enemy humanity must fight.

20th century.

The deities who descended on Earth solved all of humanity’s problems. Hunger, resources, and inequality were addressed with alien technology.

As a result, a utopia was created where all humanity, from the Third World to advanced nations, enjoyed equal benefits. The only challenge left for humanity was the dungeon.

Dungeons appear and grow suddenly. Upon reaching a certain size, they pollute the land and spawn monsters. They are a kind of natural disaster. The warriors who stop these dungeons are the Raiders.

Due to the Medieval Syndrome, modern weapons are useless inside dungeons. Warriors fight with swords and magic within them.

They do not fight out of a sense of duty to protect humanity. Each fights according to their own desires.

Their reasons for fighting are purely driven by greed. Dungeon byproducts result in enormous wealth in the outside world.

Many wealthy individuals collect high-end items they can’t even use. There’s even a bizarre fetish of hunting monsters without damaging them and preserving them as trophies.

Dragon horns are used as a precious aphrodisiac.

“Carry two shields. I won’t be counting on you for offense anyway.”

Jagun snatched Big Bo’s sword away as he spoke. Big Bo, clad in steel armor, took two shields. He looked like a massive iron wall.

“Ugh, it’s hard to move,” he grumbled.

“Do you think you can dodge attacks by moving around?”

Jagun replied, smoking a cigarette.

“Well, no, but…”

Big Bo glanced at the heavy shields.

“It’s an F-rank dungeon, so you probably won’t die. Probably.”

Jagun spoke nonchalantly.

“Probably…?”

Big Bo said nervously, looking down the dungeon corridor. It was essentially his first real combat experience. Until now, he had always stood in the rear as a porter. Jagun discarded his cigarette butt on the ground and drew his sword.

It was the Chamado, obtained from the Twin-Headed Ogre.

“Alright, let’s go. Big Bo, lead the way.”

“Yes, sir…”

With trembling eyes, Big Bo took one hesitant step after another. Jagun, following behind, frowned.

“Hey, you idiot! Are you kidding me? Walk faster. We’ll run out of supplies before we run into monsters!”

Jagun shoved Big Bo’s back as if kicking him. Big Bo tumbled forward and rolled deeper into the dungeon.

“Ugh…”

Big Bo barely managed to regain his composure and lifted his upper body. He opened his eyes wide, startled by the unfamiliar smell.

“Kiririk, kiririk.”

A group of goblins tilted their heads as they looked at Big Bo. There were five of them. Though they only reached up to a human’s chest, the weapons in their hands were real swords.

“Ahhhh! Save me! Boss!”

Big Bo screamed.