CHAPTER 50………..
Going into a dungeon alone… that had never been an option for me.
I still remembered how hurt I’d been the very first time I went into a dungeon, all because of some DPS whose nickname I can’t even properly recall anymore.
“What was it again… something like PlainGuyWhatever…”
But unlike back then, I wasn’t completely clueless now. I still wasn’t good, but I knew a lot more, and my skills had definitely improved.
Even so, the nervous tension of entering a dungeon with strangers never really went away. My palms were sweating, and I wiped them against my thighs.
Right. Hwansung couldn’t always be there to run dungeons with me. I had to try it alone sooner or later.
He hated the thought of me getting heals from anyone else, but maybe if I came back after doing a dungeon by myself, he’d actually feel proud—like his little kid had grown up. After all, he practically raised me in this game.
Still, I should probably tell them before I go, since the dungeon opened earlier than expected…
[Guild] Kim Sooki: Ah ♡♡
[Guild] Nyangmongie: I’m sooo sorry!!!!!!!!
[Guild] Kim Sooki: Let’s hurry up and clear before Lee Hwansung deserts us to run back to his master.
[Guild] Kim Sooki: I’m already on edge as it is.
…Yeah. Maybe now wasn’t the right time to say anything.
I queued up, and before long, I was inside the Hall of the Abyss. Naturally, the party list was full of names I didn’t recognize.
Tank – Sunya
Healer – Haryeong
DPS – Hyono
DPS – Kangmin
Some jobs I’d seen before, others I hadn’t. Kangmin’s was new to me, but it was the healer who caught my eye. Since I only ever knew Hwansung as a healer, this Haryeong person fascinated me.
He carried a staff too, though shorter—a wand, right? And just like the weapons my guildmates carried, his gave off that unmistakable glow of someone very, very seasoned. His gear and accessories all confirmed it.
His character looked like a young boy, much like Cheonma’s, but styled differently. Slightly upturned eyes, slim cheeks, ash-colored hair and eyes. When he looked up at me, it was only because I was the tank…
But still.
“…C-cute.”
Why did I find this childlike avatar cute, when Cheonma’s never made me feel a thing?
“Wow, seriously—did you design your character to be this cute on purpose?”
Without thinking, I triggered an emote that let me pat his head.
[Party] Haryeong: ––?
Apparently, he did not appreciate it.
[Party] Haryeong: I don’t wanna be stuck in a dungeon with you longer than necessary.
[Party] Haryeong: So just start already.
Ouch. His words had thorns. I flinched before I could stop myself.
Right… this was what dungeons were like. I’d been spoiled until now.
Still, maybe because of that first harsh experience with “PlainGuy” or maybe because of Sooki’s infamous sharp tongue, I’d grown a thicker skin. Words like this didn’t hit as hard anymore.
Guess my mentality had leveled up too.
[Party] Sunya: Ah, sorry ㅠㅠ… Your character was just so cute, I couldn’t help itㅠㅠ!
[Party] Haryeong: ––?
[Party] Sunya: Okay, let’s go…
I took the lead as tank, the others following.
But even as we ran forward…
“Seriously. Way too cute.”
Seeing that small avatar running behind me with his stubby legs made the corners of my mouth curl upward despite my nerves.
Just before we reached the first mobs, a message popped up from Kangmin.
[Party] Kangmin: Huh, look at that—this party’s got two famous players in it.
Famous?
Couldn’t be me—I’d only ever played with my guild. So it must be Haryeong or Hyono.
[Party] Kangmin: Gonna take a screenshot for the memory.
[Party] Kangmin: V-sign v^-^v
How famous could they be, to get that kind of reaction? Were they the kind of players who had their names posted online every day, like Yu-chan once showed me?
[Party] Haryeong: ;
[Party] Hyono: Oh, then me too! v^^v
Hyono joined in cheerfully, while Haryeong reacted with just a curt symbol. It was like watching celebrities give fan service.
[Party] Haryeong: DPS, don’t get yourselves killed typing. I won’t heal you.
That line… it felt familiar. Hwansung often said things just like that.
Why did all healers hate healing so much? If they liked damage so much, shouldn’t they have picked DPS instead? Was this some universal healer trait?
I focused extra hard, afraid he’d scold me if I slipped up. He was cute, sure, but also sharp-tongued. Like one of those “devilish” types people talked about.
Which… somehow made him look even cuter.
[Eyes shining in the dark abyss are fixed on you.]
“Uh-oh…”
That meant an AoE across half the map. I hadn’t realized, and got caught in the blast. I was doing better than usual, but I still got hit now and then.
And each time I slipped—
Sigh…
From the seat beside me, I heard a perfectly-timed sigh of frustration. At first, I thought it was a coincidence. But then—
When I stood too long on a floor marker and got hit—
“Ah, I got clipped.”
Sigh…
When I failed a long-distance mechanic and took extra damage—
“Gah.”
“Seriously…”
When I mistimed my defensive skill—
“…”
“What are you even doing?”
“These sighs are way too perfectly timed.”
It felt like someone was right there in the dungeon with me. The muttered complaints continued until the very end.
[Party] Hyono: Wow… Tank, your skills are impressive…
[Party] Sunya: Really?! ㅎㅎ Thank you! My guildmates did say I’ve gotten betterㅎㅎ!!
[Party] Hyono: Ahh… I see. Well then, enjoy the game~
[Hyono has left the party.]
[Party] Kangmin: Then how bad were you when you first started?
[Kangmin has left the party.]
Even so, Hyono praised me before leaving. No wonder he was famous—probably thanks to his kind personality.
Now only Haryeong remained, staring at me just as he had at the start.
[Party] Haryeong: Hey.
[Party] Sunya: Y-yes?!
I knew there was a real person behind that avatar, but the character was cute enough that I couldn’t help but sound flustered.
[Party] Haryeong: You really don’t know me?
…Nope.
I never followed the community or rankings, only stuck with my guild. So even if he was famous, I wouldn’t have known.
But the way he said it—like it was absurd for me not to know him.
Wait. Could it be…
[Party] Sunya: Have we met somewhere beforeㅠㅠ……?
[Party] Haryeong: Forget it.
[Haryeong has left the party.]
“…?”
That was strange. Usually someone only says “You don’t know me?” if they know you.
But I was sure I’d never heard of “Haryeong.” And if I had met him before, how could I forget such a cute character design? Impossible.
Maybe my guildmates would know. They kept up with the community.
[Guild] Sunya: Um, are you all busy right now?
[Guild] Hwansung: Nah, I’ve got plenty of time.
[Guild] Kim Sooki: Yeah, super busy.
[Guild] Sunya: Oh, I see! ㅠㅠ Tell me when you’re free then!
[Guild] Hwansung: Why? What happened. Wait—don’t tell me the dungeon opened? That can’t be.
[Guild] Nyangmongie: Focus!! Let’s get past this mechanic this time!!
Yeah, way too busy to ask them about it.
That was when another annoyed mutter came from beside me.
“What the hell? I thought you’d know me since you hang around with that guy, but you don’t even recognize me?”
The overlap with Haryeong’s words in the dungeon was undeniable.
Almost against my will, I turned my head. Past the partition, I saw the monitor of the person in the next seat.
And on that screen—
The very same cute boy-avatar I’d just partied with.
Yes. It was that healer, Haryeong.
