Ash swirled through the air like fine dust, shimmering under the moonlight as the hellhounds were banished from this world forever. That Paladin… he was like a storm. Unstoppable. Unbreakable.


    I wished I had even a fraction of his strength.


    I stared at him, my eyelids seemingly forgetting how to blink. It was insane how much power Ryn Valen had gained since joining the Elysian Wardens. He moved like the wind, struck fast and mercilessly like a mantis, and was strong beyond human limits. I hated to admit it, but I would’ve bet my entire reward that I couldn''t even lift the epic Sword of Justice strapped to his back.


    Yet, he seemed to have nothing but contempt for me.


    "What’s wrong with you, Takuya?" he said, his words cutting like a dagger straight to my heart. "Seriously, you’re getting wrecked by a trash mob? Even your scrawny little friend put up more of a fight than you. He actually took one of those beasts down."


    I fumbled nervously with my taped-up, broken glasses. One more cruel word from him, and I’d probably start tearing up. I was already a nobody in high school. This was supposed to be my dream... my life as a Monster Hunter. But reality was catching up fast. Turns out, I wasn’t just the biggest loser in high school, I was also the biggest loser in this dungeon.


    "We’re here to kill Nihilith, the final boss. I need to be able to rely on every single one of you."


    "You can rely on me," I finally said, brushing the dirt off my shoulder. Maybe it was my way of shaking off the frustration. But the feeling of failure clung to me like a curse, and I was already itching for the next monster attack, desperate for a chance to prove myself.


    The rest of the squad seemed fine, but Ryn Valen still ordered a quick status check.


    "All good here," Hye-Rin said.


    "Just a few scratches," Dae-Won added. "Not worth wasting mana on."


    "Yeah, that’s an important factor," Ryn Valen said. "This dungeon has a debuff on me. My mana regen''s completely blocked. I lost a lot with that AoE cast, and on top of that, I keep having to heal you two from your injuries. Honestly, I didn’t even think I’d need a potion. But this… this is my only one. And I’ll need it before the first boss fight. You’d better watch yourselves."


    With that, he uncorked a round, heavy bottle, the shimmering blue liquid inside swaying like captured moonlight. I should’ve felt bad. Guilty, even. But instead, his words made me pause.


    A Holy Pala… running out of mana?


    That was... straight-up suspicious. If there was one thing Ryn Valen shouldn’t have, it was mana problems.


    I adjusted my glasses and cleared my throat. "Holy Paladins have built-in mana sustain," I blurted out. "Like, several ways to get mana back. Sanctified Will restores a chunk of mana every time you take direct damage. Divine Flow converts overhealing into mana regen. And if you’re really desperate, Sacred Vow lets you trade HP for mana. You’re telling us none of those are working?"


    Fuck. My brain was screaming at me to not argue with a level 50 Paladin who could probably one-shot me if he wanted to. But my inner nerd just wouldn’t shut up.


    Ryn’s expression didn’t change. Not immediately. But for the briefest moment, I swore I saw something flicker in his eyes. And for the first time, I wondered if Ryn Valen wasn’t just hiding something... but lying.


    We kept walking in silence. Every now and then, the undergrowth around us grew so thick we had to crouch to push through. The forest air was damp and earthy, but something foul lurked beneath it. The stench of death and decay. Or maybe it wasn’t a smell at all. Maybe it was the presence of Nihilith itself, seeping into the atmosphere like a dark fog, pressing against our very souls.


    Then someone struck my shoulder.


    I nearly jumped out of my skin. PTSD kicking in from years of bullying. My whole body locked up in sheer terror, bracing for a beating… or for demons to tear me apart. My heart pounded.


    But it was just Hye-Rin. She had caught up to me, winking as she held out a small vial filled with a green, shimmering liquid.


    "Drink this, or you’ll pass out before the boss fight even starts."


    It kind of looked like poison. Thanks to my daily dose of school-induced paranoia, I always expected the worst from people. Gifts? Yeah, not so much.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "Go on, take it." She chuckled. "It’s just a little strength buff. Maybe it''ll help you stop looking so scared."


    I hesitated before taking the vial from her hand. The cork popped off with a soft plop!, and I downed the entire thing in one gulp.


    It tasted like… lightning?


    A rush of warmth spread through my muscles. My posture straightened almost instantly, like my weak, noodle-like limbs had just been upgraded with reinforced steel.


    "Wow, thanks. For a Monster Hunter, you’re surprisingly caring, Hye-Rin. You’d probably make a great mom."


    Wait.


    Did I just say that out loud?


    Instant regret. Embarrassment hit me like a critical strike. Had I just insulted her? Undermined her authority? What was I even thinking?!


    God, whenever I talked to women, my brain short-circuited. And the more I thought about it, the worse it got. Overthinking was my ultimate debuff. But Hye-Rin just chuckled, tapping the holster of her K5 pistol.


    "A mom? Not yet. Think of me more like the annoying big sister you never wanted, but who still has your back."


    A big sister. Someone who looked out for me. Because she… cared?


    "Oh… uh… thanks." That was all I could manage.


    A short pause settled between us, like always. I sucked at this. At life. At dungeons. And at talking to girls. Hye-Rin’s expression grew serious. She glanced at the others before turning back to me.


    "But seriously… you’ve got that look on your face. The whole Why am I such a damn noob? thing."


    "Oh… yeah… can you blame me?"


    "Actually, I can." She sighed. "Back at the start of the dungeon... did you even notice? You were the only one who ran to help the lady at the ticket booth without hesitation. The only one of us who actually cared."


    "You… saw that?"


    Hye-Rin met my eyes, holding my gaze. "Maybe you’re weak. Maybe you’re scared. But you’ve got a good heart. And that’s exactly what people need if we want to stand a chance at stopping the end of the world. Your weakness? You can train that away. Your fear? That fades with experience. Let me tell you something: I used to be just like you."


    My eyes widened. Just like me?


    "I can’t imagine you were ever as much of a noob as I am."


    Hye-Rin tilted her head back, gazing at the dark, demon-lit sky flickering above the dungeon. "I was worse," she said. "My first mission with ROKA? I nearly pissed myself. My sergeant called me Panic-Rin for a whole damn week because I freaked out at every single noise."


    I let out a surprised laugh. "No way. Seriously?"


    Hye-Rin grinned, but then her expression turned thoughtful. "But eventually… it gets easier. Not because it becomes less dangerous, but because you learn to deal with it. You become yourself, no matter how much shit gets thrown your way. And once you do that? You’re already ahead of most people out there."


    She clapped me on the shoulder.


    This time, I didn’t flinch. Was it the strength buff? Or her words?


    I took a deep breath, gathering all my courage to ask something for once instead of just reacting. "Hye-Rin… how much more do you guys need before you have enough for the wedding?"


    She walked beside me in silence for a while. Then she said, "This is going to be our last dungeon."


    I frowned. "Your last?"


    "Dae-Won and I… we’re almost there. Just one final raid. One last run. And then?" She gave me a small smile. "Then we leave this life behind."


    "Really? But you guys are so good. Sin-Joo and I are obviously the noobs here, but you two? You’ve got it all figured out."


    "We’ve been raiding dungeons for over two years now. A-rank, B-rank—you name it, we’ve done it. It’s been a wild ride, thrilling and intense. But Dae-Won and I… we’re getting older. We’re already in our early thirties. Our priorities are shifting. Other things are becoming more important. And we’ve realized something…"


    She glanced at me, her expression more serious than ever.


    "Dungeons won’t give us a future. They’re a ticket to an early grave. Or worse. It’s gambling, Takuya. Except instead of money, you’re betting your life. We want out before it’s too late."


    I hadn’t expected that. For me, they were the ultimate warrior couple. The kind of people who had combat and adventure in their veins. The idea of them leaving this life behind felt… strange.


    "You guys just… want a peaceful life?"


    Hye-Rin suddenly giggled. "As peaceful as life can be with a mini Dae-Won running around." She tapped her flat stomach with a grin. "We’re planning for a baby."


    I blinked. "Oh, wow. I… uh, congrats?"


    She laughed, and in her eyes, I saw something. A spark. A dream. A future she was looking forward to.


    "Not yet," she said softly. "But soon. Hopefully. Dae-Won and I made a promise to each other: We won’t end up like the others. The ones who get trapped in this endless cycle of fighting and dying. At some point… you have to know when to walk away. And for us, this is it. Our last run. After this, we’ll have everything we need. And we’re not going to push our luck any further."


    She placed a hand on my shoulder, gentle this time, almost protective. "Good luck, Nooby. With whatever it is you’re chasing."


    I pressed my lips together, could feel my eyes stinging again but not because someone was being cruel to me this time. No. It was because, for the first time outside my tiny bubble of a home, someone was actually being kind to me. And I had no idea what I’d done to deserve it.


    Hye-Rin picked up her pace, walking over to Dae-Won, who had been waiting for her. He took her hand, giving it a small squeeze. And while they weren’t looking, I turned my attention to Ryn Valen. I couldn’t help but wonder: He could’ve cleared this dungeon solo. No question. So why was he here? Why did he need us, when he was on an entirely different level?


    Ryn Valen belonged somewhere else. Somewhere deeper. He should’ve been exploring the Abyss, fighting alongside other Paladins in a G-rank dungeon, taking on the strongest elite monsters of this world and beyond.


    The answer hit me like a brick wall.


    I froze mid-step.


    Was this Ryn’s goal all along?


    Was he here… to enter a new Abyss?


    Something was off about him. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was keeping something from us, something important.


    And as much as I admired him…


    The truth was, he was starting to scare me.