Dungeon & Commander

Dungeon & Commander – 2

Dealer Jo Mi-yeon and Buffer Koo Hyun-do didn’t even look at Kim Joon. Their pride wouldn’t allow them to converse with an ordinary person without abilities. They barely spoke to their own team’s carrier, Lee Sang-seop, either. To them, a carrier was easily replaceable.

Kim Joon silently noticed Lee Sang-seop walking towards the back door of the building, his gaze fixed on the ground and his shoulders slumped. It seemed things hadn’t gone well for him this year either.

Around the guild house, many people like Lee Sang-seop dreamed of awakening and gave their best every day. They were called trainees. Kim Joon was one of them, so he could empathize with Lee Sang-seop’s expression.

Choi Moo-hyun, who had just arrived, panted heavily and said, “You’re really fast.”

“I intentionally slowed down my pace.”

“Just kill me instead,” Choi Moo-hyun whined.

They both laughed and entered the guild house together.

“I’m here!”

Choi Moo-hyun shouted, and Go Chul-min, who was resetting the old virtual reality simulator DXS, looked up.

“You’re early today.”

“School ended early.”

Kim Joon followed behind Choi Moo-hyun. Go Chul-min frowned at the sight of Kim Joon.

High school students, and sometimes even middle school students, often came to the guild house after seeing famous raiders on television. To them, dungeons were a way to quickly get rich and, more importantly, become famous.

The problem was that they had no idea how miserable a carrier’s life could be. Go Chul-min chased away every teenager who came with such naive dreams, sometimes using harsh words.

Kim Joon, a first-year high school student at the time, had come two years ago, saying he wanted to be a carrier. Go Chul-min had explained how cold and brutal dungeons were, but Kim Joon was stubborn.

“Why are you here?”

Go Chul-min asked coldly on purpose. Today, he planned to give Kim Joon a proper scolding, even if it meant using threats.

‘It’s for his own good,’ he thought, clenching his fist.

Kim Joon approached and handed over his college entrance exam results. Go Chul-min, caught off guard, unclenched his fist and took the results, his eyes widening.

Even though the test had been easier, resulting in nearly ten perfect scores, tens of thousands of people took the exam, making such a score a combination of effort and luck.

“Keep your promise,” Kim Joon said, trying to contain his excitement.

“…Promise?” Go Chul-min was taken aback.

“You said you’d accept me into the guild house if I got into Seoul National University. Well, this isn’t an acceptance letter, but…”

“That, that’s…”

Now he remembered.

Two years ago, Go Chul-min had said something similar to the scrawny Kim Joon. He often made such promises to kids who came to the guild house with grand ambitions and couldn’t be persuaded otherwise.

“With this score, I can get into Seoul National University,” Kim Joon said confidently.

“Why not just live comfortably after getting into Seoul National University?”

Go Chul-min knew well that this stubborn kid wouldn’t listen to him. Not only had Kim Joon’s body transformed beyond recognition in two years, but now he also brought a perfect score on the college entrance exam. There was no excuse to refuse him.

“Thank you,” Kim Joon said, bowing his head.

“What about your parents?”

“I plan to keep it a secret for now.”

No sensible parent would agree to their child becoming a carrier.

“You know that being a carrier isn’t something you can do as a hobby while attending university, right?”

“I’m not planning to go to university.”

“What? Why?”

Go Chul-min was almost as agitated as if it were his own matter.

“Because, as you said, it’s not an easy job.”

“Don’t you think it’s a waste?”

“I studied to become a carrier.”

“You’re something else.”

Go Chul-min shook his head. He had lost to the kid’s determination. How much effort must he have put in? Thinking about that, he couldn’t bring himself to harshly chase him away.

Sighing, Go Chul-min tossed a rag to Kim Joon. It meant to clean the simulator. He had just assigned Kim Joon the task usually given to the youngest member of the guild house.

As Go Chul-min headed to the master room, Choi Moo-hyun approached with a broad smile.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“I didn’t do anything. You did it all.”

“You helped. You told me what kind of training I needed to endure to become a carrier.”

“Then treat me.”

“Gimbap and tteokbokki.”

“Sounds good.”

Choi Moo-hyun laughed brightly and headed to the locker room.

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***

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Choi Moo-hyun stood in front of three pitching machines, wearing durable training clothes. His well-developed muscles were prominent. His inverted triangular upper body looked strong enough to withstand anything.

“Shall we start?”

Choi Moo-hyun asked, looking at Kim Joon.

Kim Joon nodded and brought over a box. The yellow plastic box was filled with heavy, hard baseballs.

“What speed should I set it to?”

“130,” Choi Moo-hyun replied.

Kim Joon set the speed on the pitching machine and loaded the balls. The pitching machine’s maximum speed was 165 kilometers per hour.

Choi Moo-hyun took deep breaths to calm himself. When he nodded, Kim Joon pressed the button and stepped aside to observe his friend’s abilities closely.

Light emanated from Choi Moo-hyun’s large body. The light floated like fluffy clouds but soon dispersed and vanished.

Bang.

A baseball flew rapidly towards him. Choi Moo-hyun didn’t dodge. If a Tanker dodged, the Dealer and Buffer behind him could get hurt or die. A Tanker had to deflect the attack or absorb the impact with his body.

Thud.

The baseball hit his shoulder, bounced into the air, and then fell to the ground, but Choi Moo-hyun’s expression didn’t change. He even caught the second ball with his hand. After catching or easily deflecting five balls, Choi Moo-hyun looked at Kim Joon.

Kim Joon’s eyes widened in amazement. Seeing that impressed look on Kim Joon’s face made Choi Moo-hyun happy. Being acknowledged by Kim Joon felt incredibly rewarding.

Kim Joon gave a thumbs-up and said, “I’m increasing it to 140.”

Choi Moo-hyun nodded lightly. The balls definitely got faster, and they started to change trajectory. Some dropped suddenly, while others curved sharply, making it hard to time. Choi Moo-hyun continued to catch the balls for nearly 30 minutes before increasing the speed to 150 kilometers per hour.

At this speed, catching the balls became almost impossible. After increasing the speed to 155 kilometers per hour and getting hit in the face by a baseball, Choi Moo-hyun shook his head and ended the training.

Drenched in sweat, Choi Moo-hyun headed to the shower. Kim Joon picked up the scattered baseballs and filled the box. As he was about to move the box back to its place, he looked around.

‘No one’s here.’

Swallowing hard, Kim Joon approached the pitching machine, loaded the baseballs, and set the speed to 130 kilometers per hour. The brief moment of waiting for the baseball to fly felt unexpectedly long.

Whirring, mechanical sounds. Friction noises. The black hole from which the ball would emerge felt intimidating. His heart pounded as if it would burst.

Thump!

Seeing the baseball finally shoot out of the darkness, Kim Joon flattened himself on the ground. The ball whizzed past above him with a terrifying sound. Watching a ball from the side and facing it head-on were vastly different experiences.

Kim Joon mustered his courage. How hard had he worked to get into the guild? How much had he wanted this training? As a carrier in a dungeon, no matter how careful he was, he was likely to be exposed to attacks. Survival depended on whether he could dodge a single attack.

Just one dodge!

The moment he saw the baseball, it grazed his shoulder. Immediately, a second ball flew towards him. His chest felt cold. If he hadn’t quickly dodged to the side, his ribs would have been shattered.

Sitting down, Kim Joon watched the 130-kilometer-per-hour baseballs fly by. Even at 130 kilometers per hour, the balls were so powerful. To think that Choi Moo-hyun could withstand 150-kilometer-per-hour balls with his body made him realize just how incredible Choi Moo-hyun’s abilities were.

He naturally felt bad that he didn’t have such abilities. If only he could awaken, he wouldn’t have to go through such hardships. But awakening wasn’t something that happened just because one wanted it to.

South Korea’s youngest awakened individual, Lee Hwan, had lifted a spoon and fork with telekinesis at the age of seven. The next day, he passed the awakening test with astonishing results and has since grown rapidly, being named Raider of the Year three times. His current annual salary exceeded 10 billion won, and his various side incomes were several times that amount, making him the most envied man among young people.

Even the formidable Lee Hwan was still just a sapling compared to the giant that was Yoo Wan-seop. Ranked as Korea’s number one raider, Yoo Wan-seop had been selected as the “Raider of the Week” by Weekly Raider for 154 consecutive weeks, making him the undisputed strongest raider and hunter. People speculated that Lee Hwan would eventually take Yoo Wan-seop’s place, but for now, Lee Hwan was just a challenger lurking in Yoo Wan-seop’s shadow.

“Take off the sandbags from your wrists and ankles and try again,” Go Chul-min said, having approached unnoticed from behind.

“Huh? Oh, yes,” Kim Joon replied, wondering how Go Chul-min had known. He removed the heavy sandbags and stood in front of the pitching machine.

“If your mind wavers, your vision will blur, and your reaction speed will drop. The moment you get scared, your body will lean towards absorbing the impact rather than dodging it. So, no matter what, you must not be afraid.”

“Yes, Master.”

Easier said than done. The requirement to act “naturally, as usual” was one of the hardest to fulfill.

Kim Joon loosened his arms and legs.

“Here we go,” Go Chul-min said as he approached the pitching machine.

Kim Joon focused all his attention on the black hole from which the ball would emerge. Initially, he was preoccupied with performing well in front of the guild master. But as he stared at the hole, he forgot where he was and that the guild master was nearby.

To maintain stamina while running long distances, one must clear their mind. Kim Joon had learned this wisdom through running.

The ball shot out.

It was incredibly fast, making it difficult for his body to react properly. Fortunately, Kim Joon shifted his weight to his right leg and twisted his left shoulder back. The ball grazed his left side as he rotated.

The second ball targeted his right knee. Kim Joon spread his right leg to dodge the ball. The movement was simple, but maintaining that position while a 130-kilometer-per-hour ball flew between his legs was mentally taxing and exhausting.

The third ball aimed for his forehead. It was faster than he expected, and though he leaned his upper body back, he realized he was too late. Instinctively, he deflected the incoming ball with his elbow, altering its trajectory.

The ball slightly curved and hit the back net hard.

He had no energy left to dodge the next ball. He had used up all his strength dodging the previous one.

Go Chul-min, who had moved closer, extended his foot and pushed Kim Joon’s side, shoving him out of the ball’s path.

“…I’m sorry, Master,” Kim Joon said, staggering to his feet.

Choi Moo-hyun, who had finished his shower and was drying his hair with a towel, approached with a curious expression.

“What’s going on?”

“Moo-hyun, go check out the pitching machine.”

“Huh? Okay.”

While Choi Moo-hyun went behind the partition where the pitching machine was set up, Go Chul-min observed Kim Joon. His body was well-trained, with no excess fat. The fine muscles indicated significant endurance. His agility and stamina were on par with any carrier.

What was even more impressive was his instinctive reaction to fear. Go Chul-min had been walking towards the guild house entrance to smoke a cigarette when he saw Kim Joon standing in front of the pitching machine. He was startled.

Getting hit by a baseball at that speed would cause serious injury, possibly breaking bones. Moreover, the training baseballs were specially weighted, making their impact much greater than regular balls.

Go Chul-min had initially planned to scold Kim Joon harshly, but seeing him dodge the balls left him speechless. Although Kim Joon seemed clumsy, his movements were more hindered by discomfort than fear of the balls.

It was then that Go Chul-min realized the foolish kid had been wearing sandbags while standing in front of the pitching machine. He smiled for the first time in a long while.

The “Law of Conservation of Crazies” is truly remarkable! No matter how many ordinary people find contentment in their daily lives, the total number of crazies remains constant.

“What’s strange? Everything seems normal,” said Choi Moo-hyun, returning with a towel draped over his shoulder.

“Would you believe it if I told you this kid dodged the balls from that pitching machine?” Go Chul-min asked.

“No way. How could an ordinary person dodge a 155-kilometer-per-hour ball?” Choi Moo-hyun laughed, tossing his wet towel to Kim Joon.

In the guild house, a carrier wasn’t just the youngest member; they were the ones who took on all the dirty work, akin to a “gofer.”

“Do you think I’m lying?” Go Chul-min asked.

“…No,” Choi Moo-hyun replied, his face turning serious.

From the moment he first met Go Chul-min, Choi Moo-hyun had been struck by his brutal honesty. A female celebrity once came to the guild house for an experience and left in tears after just two hours. Even when the TV producer begged, Go Chul-min mercilessly made the next celebrity cry too.

“Go and set the pitching machine to its highest speed,” Go Chul-min ordered.

“What? Okay,” Choi Moo-hyun said, reluctantly walking over to adjust the speed.

Go Chul-min approached Kim Joon, who looked bewildered, and picked up the wet towel.

“Do it like you did before,” he said.

“I thought it was set to 130 kilometers per hour,” Kim Joon replied.

“It was 155, and you dodged it smoothly,” Go Chul-min said.

“I…”

“You can do it. You can. And if you succeed, you might enter the dungeon as a carrier starting next year. I guarantee it. What do you think?”

“Ah!” Kim Joon exclaimed, filled with courage at the prospect of entering the dungeon. He stepped into the path of the pitching machine, focusing on the ball’s trajectory. Realizing his body was tense, he closed his eyes and relaxed his shoulders.

Go Chul-min watched, impressed. Many professional athletes excelled in practice but failed in actual games. The problem wasn’t their bodies but their minds. They couldn’t perform under pressure because they hadn’t trained their minds diligently.

Kim Joon was the opposite. He performed better in real situations than in practice. He might even be stronger in the dungeon than here.

“Starting now,” Choi Moo-hyun said, watching closely.

The ball shot out. It was so fast that Kim Joon couldn’t even think about its speed. The ball flew straight past his elbow. He was lucky; standing still, the ball had missed him. If he had been one step to the left, his arm would have been shattered.

“Focus!” Go Chul-min shouted.

Kim Joon slapped his cheek with his palm. Before the sound faded, the second ball came flying.

This time, it was aimed at the left side!

Kim Joon shifted his weight smoothly and opened his left shoulder. The shoulder part of his shirt tore away, but his shoulder remained unscathed.

“Faster!”

The third ball targeted his abdomen. He put strength into his ankles and jumped. He didn’t need to jump high, just be agile. His body rose, and he spread his legs apart. The fast 165-kilometer-per-hour ball passed just below his groin.

“Hahaha, if your jump had been 10 centimeters lower, you’d never be able to function as a man again!” the guild master laughed heartily.

The fourth ball was a curveball. It aimed for his right shoulder but dropped down towards his chest. Fortunately, the curveball’s speed was around 155 kilometers per hour, but it was still incredibly fast.

Kim Joon rolled to the side to dodge the ball, panting heavily. “I can’t do this anymore,” he shouted.

“Moo-hyun, stop,” Go Chul-min said.