Levelling Up In An Exclusive Dungeon

Chapter 10

Kang Jin-hyuk felt a strange disturbance while casting Heal toward the front.

Wondering what was happening, he looked around and discovered that a baseball bat was trying to wriggle its way out of his inventory on its own.

From his previous experiences, Kang Jin-hyuk realized that this phenomenon wasn’t occurring for no reason.

“Is something nearby?”

He quickly grabbed the baseball bat and surveyed the area carefully.

Thanks to the bat’s sensing ability, he could vaguely sense the location of the enemies.

Spotting a part of his field of vision shimmering like a mirage, he swung the bat immediately.

“Screee!”

A lizardman, camouflaged to blend in, shrieked in agony as its face caved in.

The nearby lizardmen, having witnessed this, were startled and reverted to their true colors.

“Gasp!”

“Did monsters come this far?!”

The clerics turned pale as they realized a horde of monsters had appeared right next to them.

The Titan Hunters, who were fighting ahead, seemed frantic as they chased after Ahn Do-yoon, who had bolted forward.

They had no idea that a group of monsters was ambushing them from behind.

Kang Jin-hyuk called out, calming the panicking clerics.

“I’ll handle those guys! You focus on healing!”

The clerics jumped back, astonished at his declaration.

“You’re going to stop them alone?”

“That’s impossible!”

Even by rough estimation, there were more than twenty of them.

For a cleric to take on something that even the dealer-type hunters would struggle against was akin to a death wish.

“We can help!”

“If we fight together, we can manage somehow!”

The clerics thought they could withstand the surprise assault by healing each other.

However, that plan would not be a solution.

“If you do that, the hunters in front will all die. If healing is even slightly delayed, their HP will drop rapidly.”

“Y-You’re right…”

“I’m saying this because I’m confident. So don’t worry and concentrate on your work.”

With those words, Kang Jin-hyuk confidently adjusted his grip on the bat and charged at the lizardmen.

The clerics, who had been hesitant, regained their composure as they witnessed Kang Jin-hyuk smash in the skull of a lizardman with a single swing.

“How can a cleric hunt like that…?”

“Hey, attention! Instead of getting distracted, let’s focus on healing like he said!”

“Yes!”

As the clerics began healing the hunters nearby, the lizardmen moved in an attempt to stop them.

But with Kang Jin-hyuk blocking their path, the lizardmen could advance no further.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

The head of a lizardman that forced its way forward was crushed like clay as the bat swung through the air.

Seeing one of their companions perish without even a scream dampened the lizardmen’s morale.

Despite their overwhelming numbers, they couldn’t manage to take down a single opponent.

Some lizardmen, unable to bear the humiliation, rushed in all at once.

Thinking that coming at him together would make a difference, about five or six of them swung their swords simultaneously, but none hit their target.

With swift movements, Kang Jin-hyuk had already circled around to the side of the lizardmen.

Having gained confidence from previous fights, he charged in without hesitation and swung the bat.

“Screee!”

The lizardman struck on the side crumpled and fell to the ground, tangled with its rushing companions.

As Kang Jin-hyuk began to break the heads of the fallen lizardmen one by one, one lizardman gritted its teeth and attempted a sneak attack.

With the blade thrusting toward Kang Jin-hyuk’s back, the lizardman grinned triumphantly.

Yet, the moment the blade made contact, its target did not fall as expected but instead remained standing and bleeding.

“Kiii?”

Kang Jin-hyuk smashed the bewildered lizardman’s head with the bat.

Rubbing the spot where he had been stabbed, he frowned.

“Ugh, this is going to leave a bruise.”

Thanks to the chain mail he had received from the dwarf, the damage he took amounted only to a bruise.

“Kiii!”

Seeing that the strike had no effect, the lizardmen fled without looking back.

Realizing that there was no chance of victory, even a monster could comprehend that.

The clerics witnessed this scene, unable to hide their amazement.

“Wow… he really held them off alone.”

“Is he really a cleric?”

The clerics were stunned to see a hunter of their own class performing with the capabilities of a top-tier dealer.

In particular, Kang Jin-hyuk’s unique way of fighting with just a baseball bat left a stronger impression than using flashy skills to hunt.

It wasn’t just the clerics watching with interest; S-rank hunter Seo Sang-ho, who had rushed back after finishing a raid, also caught a glimpse of Kang Jin-hyuk’s performance.

“That cleric just saved Ahn Do-yoon’s life.”

Had Kang Jin-hyuk not intervened with the ambushing lizardmen, the clerics would have faced annihilation.

What fate awaited Titan’s hunters should they lose their clerics was all too clear.

“Perhaps I should do some work myself.”

Watching the scene unfold from a distance, Seo Sang-ho casually stretched his body.

And with remarkable agility, he leaped directly into the heart of the lizardman horde.

With a sprint that covered over 200 meters in just three seconds, the lizardmen had no way to react to Seo Sang-ho’s rapid descent.

Bam!

As he landed, a tremendous crash echoed, shaking the surroundings as if an earthquake had struck.

The Hunters of Titan cheered at the sight of their flamboyant guild leader.

“It’s the Guild Master!”

While everyone celebrated and felt relief, only Ahn Do-yoon wore a grim expression.

He turned to a guild member next to him, his voice laced with annoyance.

“Who called the Guild Master?”

“He was summoned as soon as things started going south. Asking a guild member for help isn’t a problem, right?”

“…Such a pointless act.”

He must have wanted to handle things on his own.

Ahn Do-yoon seemed to indicate that he wanted to manage everything independently, despite this human presence.

However, who would trust and follow a commander who had faltered without managing the situation?

Unlike Ahn Do-yoon, Seo Sang-ho didn’t go solo.

Despite having ample ability, he prioritized helping the exhausted and those getting pushed back.

“I’ll give you some space, so anyone around 50% health, step back!”

Seo Sang-ho shouted boisterously, gathering the energy in his fists.

With the skill of the fourth class advancement, ‘Martial Sovereignty,’ unleashed as he struck the ground, the lizardmen were literally torn apart.

“What the hell is that…?!”

Kang Jin-hyuk watched in astonishment, mouth agape at the spectacle unfolding right before him.

“It seems like S-rank hunter Seo Sang-ho has arrived!”

“Seo Sang-ho? The guild master of Titan?”

“Yeah! Now we can go home.”

So, this is the strength of an S-rank hunter.

Kang Jin-hyuk was deeply impressed to see one person single-handedly turn the tide of battle.

In comparison to that level of skill, he realized just how far he had yet to go himself.

At the same time, he felt the expectation that he could become that strong someday.

After consolidating the situation in just 15 minutes, Seo Sang-ho counted the lizardman corpses scattered around.

By rough estimates, there were at least 300 of them.

Using a cleric as a mercenary, it seemed impossible to manage with only new recruits.

“Ahn Do-yoon, you crazy bastard.”

Seo Sang-ho recognized that choosing a vice guild leader based on performance metrics was a blunder.

He approached the sulking Ahn Do-yoon, seizing him by the collar.

“What were you thinking, trying to handle everything alone without calling for reinforcements? Did you want everyone to die?”

“When faced with a situation like this, it could tarnish the guild’s reputation to ask for help…”

“It’s not about the guild’s reputation; it’s that you didn’t want to lose face!”

Seo Sang-ho’s temper flared at Ahn Do-yoon, who had excluded other hunters for the sake of performance.

Previously, the other officials had excused him by claiming that he was garnering great benefits for the guild, but what had happened now was unacceptable.

Even after he was placed in charge of the newcomers, the notion that reputation mattered more than their lives was infuriating.

“Even if that were the case, you should have kept your cool until the end. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad.”

Seo Sang-ho realized that speaking to someone like this would be pointless.

He loosened his grip on Ahn Do-yoon’s collar.

“This isn’t going to go ignored. Get ready for your punishment once we’re back.”

“No, what have I done wrong? It just happened to be an unfortunate situation!”

“This jerk….”

Seo Sang-ho nearly lost it but managed to hold back.

With many others watching, hitting the vice guild leader wouldn’t help mend the guild’s internal strife.

As someone who was responsible for a large guild, the situation required prioritizing the bigger picture over personal feelings.

“Ha.”

Taking a deep breath, Seo Sang-ho calmed himself.

Noticing the somber atmosphere, one of Titan’s hunters stepped forward to change the subject.

“Guild Master, first, let’s reward the clerics who helped us.”

“Oh, right. I nearly forgot.”

Seo Sang-ho remembered Kang Jin-hyuk, who had just single-handedly defended against the lizardmen.

He walked over to where the clerics were gathered and expressed his gratitude.

“Thank you all for your help. Without you, things could have escalated into a disaster.”

Kang Jin-hyuk couldn’t believe his eyes when Titan’s guild master bowed at a 90-degree angle to express gratitude.

He had always perceived members of large guilds as arrogant, but they seemed different after this encounter.

There was more surprising news.

As Seo Sang-ho approached, he initially reached out his hand for a handshake.

“I witnessed you single-handedly tackle the ambushing lizardmen. Incredible skill.”

“Oh, um, thank you.”

Kang Jin-hyuk shook Seo Sang-ho’s hand, still flabbergasted.

“May I ask your name?”

“Kang Jin-hyuk… that’s me.”

“Are you by any chance affiliated with a guild?”

“No, not yet.”

“Then how about joining our guild? I assure you the joining fee will be waived.”

Stunned by the sudden offer from an S-rank hunter, Kang Jin-hyuk struggled to process.

It was surreal for him to receive such an invitation directly.

“Are you suggesting that I join the guild?”

Ahn Do-yoon interjected before Kang Jin-hyuk could even respond, voicing his dissatisfaction.

He knew well that Kang Jin-hyuk had been grumbling just days prior about monopolizing monster kills.

Letting a weakling hunter who complained all the time join the reputable Titan was unconscionable.

More than anything, the fact that he had to rely on such a nobody grinded at his pride.

“What’s so special about this guy to warrant such a proposal?”

Seo Sang-ho’s patience was being tested with Ahn Do-yoon’s interruptions.

Having remained quiet until then, he finally snapped.

“He’s the one who cleaned up the mess you made, you ignorant fool!”

All the hunters present were taken aback by Seo Sang-ho’s outburst directed at Ahn Do-yoon.

Kang Jin-hyuk found the scene quite entertaining, comparing it to watching a popcorn movie.

It was a sight he couldn’t resist relishing, especially given that just days earlier, Ahn Do-yoon had been a source of torment for him.

Wondering how he could further fan the flames, Kang Jin-hyuk decided to speak up with a smile.

“Thank you for the offer, but honestly, I prefer not to join a guild with someone like him.”

Hearing that, Ahn Do-yoon’s rage ignited.

His anger flared even further as being disregarded in front of everyone compounded his frustration.

“How dare you! Know your place, you loser!”

Ahn Do-yoon lunged as if readying a slap, but before Seo Sang-ho could intervene, something heavier moved faster.

With a clang reminiscent of metal colliding, it was Ahn Do-yoon who fell backward instead of Kang Jin-hyuk.

“Holy crap…”

Kang Jin-hyuk had instinctively swung the bat at the moment he detected a threat.

Normally, Ahn Do-yoon would have been able to evade such a blunder.

But with his stamina and MP running low from the prolonged battle, he had no chance to defend.

He was completely unable to withstand a heavy hit from the S-rank enchanted bat.

‘An A-rank hunter just got knocked out by a scrub like me? This will make for a good story.’

As expected, those in attendance pulled out their phones, snapping photos without prompting.

Within ten minutes, this incident was bound to be discussed across various online communities.

Kang Jin-hyuk slipped the red baseball bat back into his inventory, chuckling to himself.