The Dagger of Anubis…
One of the most powerful weapons I ever wielded. It was my edge, my catalyst—the reason I reached level 62 so quickly.
A relic buried deep within a dungeon, lodged in the chest of a skeletal king seated on a throne of stone and silence.
I never learned how it got there. I didn't want to. Not then. Not now.
What mattered was this: in this second life, this rare chance to rewrite everything, I had to reclaim it.
If I could secure the dagger again, it would become my safeguard—my contingency against whatever unpredictable horrors the future might hold.
That same day, Ji-Kai boarded a long-distance bus to Gwangju. The journey was slow, the distance considerable, but he arrived at a good hour—late afternoon, just before sunset.
As he stepped off the bus and onto the streets, a strange familiarity washed over him. The last time he had stood on this ground… he had been someone else. Park Jae-Ron. A different name. A different life.
« Now… I need to find the location and begin the investigation , but first ... » Ji-Kai murmured, pulling out his phone.
He typed a formal request and sent it to the Guild's internal email system, asking for clearance to operate in the area.
« This way, no one can stop me or claim I'm trespassing on private land » he said with a satisfied grin.
In the worst-case scenario, he could've been mistaken for a fraud—one of the many unlicensed adventurers who had begun to plague the system. Some were criminals. Dangerous. Rogue.
I didn't care about them before. Honestly… I don't even remember why.
But now that I've recalled it, I need to be cautious. Just because they're unlicensed doesn't mean they're weak.
Some of them… might even be S-rank.
Ji-Kai began his search across Gwangju. He didn't know the streets or alleys, but he moved with purpose.
As dusk fell, he still hadn't found the exact location the system had hinted at—vague as always.
« System, show me the third main quest again,» he whispered, just loud enough for the interface to respond.
[ Main mission : Purge Gwangju ]
[ Details: Gwangju has experienced multiple sightings of monsters with distorted forms appearing outside known gate zones. While no serious injuries have occurred, tension is rising. A few witnesses claim something strange is happening in a specific area—far from any officially discovered gate. ]
[ Objective: Investigate the phenomenon. Additional objectives may appear if new variables emerge. ]
[ Time Limit: 4 days ]
[ Reward: Hint to the location of the Dagger of Anubis + Consumable Item (Rank E) ]
Nearest discovered gate…
As far as I know, there isn't one in this area. Which means—wait…
I get it now!. But seriously , How long will I keep missing the obvious?! Damn it!
« The nearest discovered gate doesn't have to be registered. It might've been found recently but kept hidden. Still hard to locate… unless…»
An idea sparked. Ji-Kai opened his browser and began scanning forums, underground listings, and encrypted recruitment boards.
After a few minutes, he stopped. His lips curled into a confident smile.
« If you want to find an unregistered, undiscovered gate—one hidden for personal gain, making the dungeon inside illegal—then all you have to do is… join a secret raid. »
The location was nearby. Ten minutes on foot. The time? Midnight.
Until then, Ji-Kai grabbed dinner at a convenience store. A large meal, mostly instant food. He hadn't eaten lunch, and he'd need the energy.
When the time came, Ji-Kai arrived slightly late. The location was an old public swimming pool.
He slipped inside, following the last person through a closing door—and froze.
He recognized someone.
« Ah, the final member's here. That makes four. We're good to go! » said a man wearing a hockey mask, his blond hair styled into a flamboyant spike.
He was clearly the one who had discovered the gate.
Ji-Kai quickly pulled up his mask to cover his face. He scanned the group: the blond man, a heavily tattooed brute with a wide frame… and then—
Kim Nina?!
Across from him, she stood with the same expression she'd worn the first time they met—over a month ago. She felt his gaze and turned.
Recognition flashed in her eyes, but her face remained unreadable. Inside, though, she was shaken. Nearly stunned.
Kim Ji-Kai?!
For a long moment, they stared at each other in silence. Then the blond man broke the tension with a loud laugh.
« Let's go! The gate's right ahead, as you know! Hahahaha! »
He entered first, followed by the tattooed man, chuckling in a low, unsettling tone.
Ji-Kai and Nina followed without a word.
No acknowledgment.
No hint that they knew each other. The only priority now was clearing the dungeon. Everything else could wait.
Inside, they found themselves in a sunken valley. If anyone looked up, they'd see a steep cliff towering above them. They were at the bottom.
Ji-Kai's experience offered no insight. The terrain was familiar—but ominously so. The last time he'd entered a dungeon like this, he had been part of a rescue team.
Their mission: retrieve the body of Song Hyun-Jung , the strongest hunter Ji-Kai had ever known. That dungeon… was where the demon appeared.
The memory twisted Ji-Kai's mood. He thought of Park Yoon-Suk. Of the toxin. Of the possibility that he, too, might become a high-tier demon.
Ji-Kai steadied himself. He had 331 days left. That was enough. For now.
« This place is fascinating, guys~ I'm so excited~ » the blond man chirped, his voice grating. It shattered Ji-Kai's focus.
I didn't expect to find Kim Nina here. Though the Guild monitors illegal gate activity, her presence in this exact situation… it's almost poetic.
Kim Nina, from what I've seen, is a C+ rank adventurer. That means she's eligible for B-rank promotion. She's strong. Capable.
She'll be useful. We'll clear this dungeon quickly—and I'll get back to my main mission.
« What are you doing here? » Nina whispered, walking beside Ji-Kai while the other two led the way.
« What do you mean? » he replied instinctively, caught off guard.
« I mean, why are you here? Were you sent as support to me ? » she asked, eyes locked on the blond man's erratic movements.
« I came to investigate reports of distorted creatures. Rumor says they emerged from an undiscovered gate. Based on my research, I found it near the closest known gate. And since I overthink everything… I concluded it was an unregistered gate. »
« Who gave you that intel? » she asked, her voice skeptical.
« Someone. I don't know their name or face. But I came anyway, » Ji-Kai admitted, hesitant.
They walked in silence. The blond man wandered aimlessly, leading them in circles. Then Nina whispered again.
« So… you found this raid listing online. An unofficial recruitment post for a Gwangju gate? »
« Yes. That's exactly what I did, » Ji-Kai whispered back.
« Hey, you two! Move it! We need to find the monsters and crush them! Let's earn that sweet cash~ » The blond man called out, his tone sending chills down Nina's spine. Ji-Kai grimaced beneath his mask.
This bastard… he's suspicious. I want to be done with him.
[ Warning! Threat Detected! ]
[ Two New Missions Unlocked ]
Wait—what? Just like that? And why a warning?
[ Side Mission: Eliminate the Outlaws ]
[ Details: Song Ba-Chu, a notorious hunter known for illegal dungeon raids and civilian violence, along with his partner Hyung Bin-Hwan, who recruits adventurers only to betray them. Both have extensive criminal records. ]
[ Objective: Neutralize or capture Song Ba-Chu and Hyung Bin-Hwan ]
[ Time Limit: None ]
[ Reward: Consumable Item (Rank B) ]
Song Ba-Chu?! That blond bastard—it's him! I remember now.
He's the scumbag who nearly killed me in the past. If not for Jayeon Jo's interference…
But where's the warning the system mentioned?
[ New Special Mission ]
SPECIAL MISSION?! NOW?! SERIOUSLY?
[ Mission: Escape Death ]
[ Details: This valley is the Golem's Hollow, home to standard golems. But something dangerous is coming—a high-tier demon will soon arrive. ]
[ Objective: Escape before the demon appears ]
[ Time Limit: 1 hour ]
[ Reward: None ]
No reward? Seriously?
Survival itself is the reward.
Damn it !! ، What the hell am I talking about? We are only one hour away from death!!