Chapter 16 – Omens in the Darkness
As soon as they crossed the dungeon's portal, the group was enveloped in an oppressive darkness. The environment was damp and cold, with winding tunnels twisting in unnatural directions like the innards of some forgotten beast. Faint echoes bounced off the jagged stone walls, and a subtle stench of sulfur clung to the air like a warning. Every footstep echoed too loudly, each breath felt like it disturbed something ancient and hostile.
Ha-Joon narrowed his eyes and activated the Byakugan. Veins popped around his temples as his field of vision expanded, giving him a full 360-degree view that pierced through the rock and shadows. He scanned the maze of tunnels silently, watching closely.
"These tunnels... they're full of ants," he murmured quietly, almost as if afraid to wake something worse. "They're about to attack."
He deactivated the Byakugan a moment later, but before he could alert the others—
"They're above us!" shouted Sung Jin-Woo.
Suddenly, monstrous ants burst out from the walls and ceiling, leaping from hidden holes and crevices. The ambush came like a tidal wave of claws and fangs, crashing onto the group with terrifying ferocity.
Screams echoed through the tunnels as chaos broke out. The hunters scrambled to respond, blades drawn and spells cast. Ha-Joon stepped forward, unsheathing a standard sword. Though it lacked enchantments, in his hands it was deadly. He cut through the swarm with precise and powerful strikes, his movements fluid and economical.
While fighting, his eyes darted to Jin-Woo, who moved like a shadow—swift, quiet, and impossibly efficient. Every strike he delivered was fatal, yet he never drew attention to himself. It was as if he were testing how far he could go unnoticed.
"Up to now, everything is the same as the anime," Ha-Joon thought, parrying a mandible strike. "But... I've got a bad feeling. And it's not about these guys."
He glanced discreetly at the rest of the team. He already knew they would try to kill him and Jin-Woo when they reached the boss room. That much hadn't changed. So why did this uneasy feeling cling to his spine? Why did it feel like something else—something deeper—was wrong?
"What changed in this dungeon?" he wondered, frowning beneath his breath.
From behind them, Yoo Jin-Ho rushed into view, clad in a large, gleaming suit of armor that shone under the faint dungeon light.
"You guys okay?!" he shouted, panting.
"We are," Jin-Woo replied, his calm voice contrasting the tension in the air. He adjusted the heavy backpack filled with supplies, then glanced at Jin-Ho. "That gear of yours... is it expensive?"
"Ah, yeah! My dad got it for me when he found out I was entering a dungeon for the first time," Jin-Ho replied, smiling like it was nothing.
Jin-Woo's expression tightened. He muttered quietly, almost to himself, "Something's wrong... They don't give me a good feeling."
Ha-Joon said nothing, but he watched Jin-Woo carefully. The tension in his brow confirmed it—he was sensing it too.
"Looks like Jin-Woo's already started to suspect them," Ha-Joon thought. He looked down the corridor. The shadows seemed darker than before.
Just then, Hwang Dong-Su's commanding voice echoed through the dungeon:
"Everyone! We've found the boss room. Come with us."
He led the group forward, his posture confident, almost too confident. His voice had the false security of a salesman masking a lie. Something about it rubbed Ha-Joon the wrong way.
The group followed the tunnel until it opened into a massive cavern. The atmosphere shifted immediately—thicker, heavier, as though the air itself resisted their intrusion. A primal sense of danger clung to the chamber like fog.
Inside, a colossal creature lay dormant, surrounded by glowing blue mana crystals embedded in the walls and floor. Thick strands of web clung to every surface, adding to the sense of entrapment. The sight was hauntingly beautiful—and ominous.
"With all these mana crystals, I'll finally be able to upgrade my assault team," Hwang Dong-Su said with greedy excitement. "Just wait and see, brother. Let's get to work!"
Before anyone could move, Yoo Jin-Ho stepped forward.
"Before we start… about that mana crystal we found earlier. I checked the contract for Sung Jin-Woo and Ha-Joon. They also have a right to a share."
Hwang Dong-Su smiled, all false charm.
"Of course. Everyone's entitled to a share. Just wait here while we get the gear to extract the crystals. Come on, everyone."
Jin-Ho frowned. "Wait—you're just leaving us here? With that thing?"
"Relax," Dong-Su said dismissively. "It's sleeping. Probably won't wake up unless it gets hungry. So as long as you don't make noise, you'll be fine."
As they left, Dong-Su gave a subtle signal to one of the casters.
"Collapse the entrance."
A sudden explosion rocked the chamber. The exit filled with rubble and dust. The only way out was now sealed.
Yoo Jin-Ho coughed and stared at the blocked passage in horror.
"They're trying to kill us!"
"Damn it," Jin-Woo muttered, clenching his fists. "Those bastards… they're traitors…"
Ha-Joon stood frozen for a moment, eyes scanning the room. He wasn't looking at the collapsed tunnel. He was staring into the shadows beyond the crystal-lit walls. His senses screamed at him.
Then he saw it.
Two massive spiders stirred in the far corner of the chamber. One white and familiar—exactly like the one Jin-Woo defeated in the anime. The other, however, was blood red, larger, and pulsing with malevolence.
It was never supposed to be here.
"I finally figured out where that bad feeling was coming from…" Ha-Joon whispered, his voice cold with realization.
He pointed discreetly to the creatures in the corner.
"Guys… we've got a problem."
Two giant spiders.
Ha-Joon clenched his jaw.
"I said it before and I'll say it again: damn butterfly effect."
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