Chapter 23
Episode 23, Chapter 5: The Villains
"Huh? You're going alone?" Big Bo said, watching Ja-geon gather his equipment.
"You stick with the Black Tiger Raid Team and coordinate with them. I've already explained everything to Chunsik."
Ja-geon had always explored dungeons with Big Bo. He'd never gone dungeon diving without him.
"We're going to the dungeon anyway. Let's go together," Big Bo said, sounding disappointed.
Ja-geon frowned. "Leave while I'm asking nicely. Before you get yourself killed." Irritation dripped from his voice.
Big Bo shut his mouth and plopped down on the sofa. "Do whatever you want. I'm strong enough now too. I can go to dungeons even without you, boss."
"Yeah yeah, do as you please." Ja-geon finished gathering his gear and left. He had no time to bicker with Big Bo.
'I need to get stronger.'
Ja-geon had acquired the Black Tiger Raid Team as his pawns.
'I always knew I'd need an organization to serve as my hands and feet eventually. It just happened sooner than expected. Ironically, the tiger will play the role of biting the dragon.'
Ja-geon hadn't planned to form an organization until reaching a certain level. No matter what shortcuts he took, he was still weak. There were many opponents he couldn't defeat through conventional means.
'If I lead the Black Tiger Raid Team, they'll grow quickly. Which means they'll soon reach a level where they could overthrow me. I need to get stronger before developing them further.'
The only way Ja-geon could control the Black Tiger Raid Team was through sheer power and ability.
[Shin Ja-geon (Chaos Walker)/Level 44]
Strength - 50
Sense - 65
Stamina - 42
Magic Power - 103
Ja-geon had obtained a new ability certificate from the Temple of Sairok, God of Scales. It was necessary to join instant raid teams.
"Chaos Walker? What kind of class is that?"
"Must be some kind of dark mage variant."
"We needed an offensive mage anyway. Stats aren't bad."
At Baekje City's central plaza, many raiders milled about. Raiders without fixed teams either formed temporary groups or joined existing raid teams. Ja-geon joined an instant raid team alone—a temporary group assembled solely for dungeon clearing.
"Need a test?" Ja-geon asked.
The female raid leader shook her head. Female leaders were rare.
"No need. We have five fixed members including me. The other five, including you, are outsiders. As long as you're not completely useless in the dungeon, we'll distribute loot fairly and call it a day. I'm Yoo Mi-jeong. Nice to meet you, Ja-geon." She spoke arrogantly. Ja-geon nodded.
'Typical of experienced raiders who never made it to the top,' Ja-geon thought, observing the team's equipment and attire. Raiders spent money as fast as they earned it—many who appeared to make millions actually ended up in the red rather than clearing even one million won per month.
"I assume everyone knows their roles without explanation?" Mi-jeong addressed the team members—all level 40+ raiders who knew their positions well.
The ten raiders and two porters chartered a bus to their destination: Gapyeong Dungeon No. 145. Dungeons C-rank and above received official numbering due to their land-contaminating properties.
During transit, Mi-jeong asked Ja-geon: "What exactly does a Chaos Walker do?" She was a Sharpshooter specializing in precision shooting among archer classes.
"Dark mage," Ja-geon answered curtly, clearly annoyed.
"Just looked it up—seems like an uncommon class," Mi-jeong said with a flirtatious smile that would enchant most men.
'The type who knows she's pretty,' Ja-geon thought, crossing his arms and looking out the window.
"Got it from the Temple of Fate," he lied. "No special trick."
In truth, he'd received this unique class from Isaac of Chaos.
"Hmm? Well then," Mi-jeong smiled as she returned to her clique.
Ja-geon narrowed his eyes at her smile.
'Her eyes aren't smiling. Cunning little bitch.'
He chuckled darkly before closing his eyes.
The instant raid team arrived near Gapyeong Dungeon No. 145.
They walked up mountain paths inaccessible by bus.
"Ugh, the contamination's severe. A few more days and monsters will spawn," someone remarked.
The area reeked terribly, knee-deep swamps forming. C-rank+ dungeons contaminated surrounding land when neglected. Eventually, monsters would emerge.
"What's the government doing? No military blockade despite this contamination?" Raiders grumbled.
"Must be true about dungeons increasing rapidly. They can't manage them all."
"More work for us, huh? Heh heh."
"Laughing about making money even if the country collapses."
"What has this country done for us? Just takes our damn taxes."
"True."
Amidst complaints, only Ja-geon remained silent.
'Fools. They don't understand what losing government control over dungeons means.'
Monster Land.
It refers to land completely overrun and dominated by dungeons. When a country becomes Monster Land, it’s deemed incapable of self-protection, and the transnational dungeon management organization—the Dio Foundation—assumes trusteeship. Many nations have already fallen under the Dio Foundation’s control this way.
‘Pfft. The Dio Foundation? Just a pack of thugs.’
The Dio Foundation is an enigma. No one knows when they gained global influence or transnational military power. During his Ragnaf Guild days, Ja-geon had frequent clashes with them.
“Ugh, I can’t stand this,” Yoo Mijeong hissed, glaring at the polluted swamp.
“Ms. Mijeong, climb onto my shoulders.”
“Oh! Is that really alright?”
“Haha, of course. The honor’s mine.”
The man lifted her with a lewd grin, his fingers skimming her thighs. She giggled, feigning ignorance.
“All show, no substance,” Ja-geon muttered from the back.
The middle-aged man ahead chuckled. “Now, now. You’re young for raiding—got a story there?” His graying hair and crow’s feet framed a kindly face.
“Story? Just here for cash. Unless…you want me to smoke out a few rats. Want one, old man?” Ja-geon lit a cigarette.
“Quit. My girls hate the stench.” The man beamed at the mention of his daughters, unperturbed by Ja-geon’s brashness.
Ja-geon eyed him before offering a hand. “Shin Ja-geon. You?”
“Park Cheol-geun.”
After his business collapsed, Park became a raider—his last resort to support his family. Ja-geon scowled.
“Your wife’s fine with this? No sane woman sends her man to die for money.”
Raiding had the highest mortality rate.
“Debts don’t vanish. Girls need college too. Managed three years so far.”
“Pathetic. They’ll suck you dry and dump the corpse. I’d never live like that.”
“Youth’s a blessing. You’ll understand when you settle down.”
Ja-geon twisted his lips mockingly. “I’m older than I look. And ‘settling down’? Not my style.”
Park studied him. “…No friends, eh?”
“None of your business.”
They reached the dungeon entrance—its doors etched with alien patterns. Though appearing subterranean, dungeons were gateways to otherworldly realms where raiders crossed dimensions to fight.
Screech.
The doors groaned open, releasing damp air.
“Form bonds now,” Mijeong ordered. “Hold formations inside. Watch your sectors. Move after binding.”
Silence answered as raiders linked their experience-sharing ritual and filed in.
Ja-geon reviewed his Chaos Walker spells: Dark Bolt, Black Flame, Shadow Fog. Mediocre. The list glowed on his retinas.
Dark Bolt.
Monsters fell impaled by summoned spears.
Black Flame.
Infernal fire surged from below, devouring hordes.
Shadow Fog—mere obscuring mist—remained unused.
These spells aren’t unique. Any dark mage could replicate them under flashier names.
He hadn’t unlocked his full potential—why he avoided clearing dungeons with the Black Tiger Raid Team. They’d turn on him if they saw his limits, especially Kim Chunsik.
To them, I must be an unfathomable force. Charisma alone rules—not kindness, but awe and fear.
The Black Tigers were pawns to wield until traitors fell.
His research on the Seven Dragons found three guild leaders: Red Dragon Bernard, Silver Dragon Siegmund, Shadow Dragon Nox. To challenge them, he needed his own guild.
“Hey! Daydream again? No loot for slackers!”
Ja-geon raised a hand, magic swirling. There’ll be no loot distribution.
He grinned under his hood. If this were a normal raid, Big Bo wouldn’t be here.
