Park Jihoon

"Jiyoung, what do we do now?” I asked as I looked at my elder sister, my brows creased with furrow lines as I felt the helplessness bleed through my words, frustration gripped my heart as I desperately looked around before returning my gaze to my sister.

“I'm not sure, Jihoon," She said, her panicked face creased into a reassuring smile as I seem to feel the pinch, seeing my sister desperately trying to console me. She turned to look around, her gaze passing through each tree to the haunting darkness as she spoke again. "But there has to be a way out of this place." I realized the frustration which laced her words.

“Nearly two weeks have passed since we entered this dungeon, and we've been trying to find as exit ever since. And not even the rescue box is working," my voice came out anxious, as I observed my surroundings, to keep watch for any mana beasts nearby.

Jiyoung's firm steps finally came to a stop, I looked at her back, which seem to shirk al of a sudden, as if my sister had enough, but she still tried to keep her facade to reassure me.

She turned slowly and I could see her solemn face which spoke of her fatigue. “Let’s rest here for the time being, alright. We can't continue on forever." She said with her crisp voice which was obviously tired, and I felt a maelstrom of emotions rage within me.

My eyes felt heavy and warm, seeing my sister in such a sorry condition. Even in such a situation, she was more worried about me than herself. I clenched my hands, as I nodded.

I immediately heaved a sigh as I slumped down on the ground and leaned against a withered tree. My head touched the rough surface of the trunk as realxed and breathed. After a few minutes, I I took out my water canteen from my dimensional storage and took big sips as my dry mouth finally moistened.

Afterwards I took out some pieces of jerky and began to munch on them. They didn't have much of a flavor or weren't savoring, but in this situation even having clean water and something to eat was a blessing.

I saw Jiyoung do the same, but she was still on her guard, looking out for any ambushes from the mana beasts who could attack us out of no where.

This aspect of her always made me admire her. She has been like this since our childhood.

She was the perfect role model for me. Despite my sister's quiet and nonchalant demeanour which she showed on the outside, she is a very caring and friendly individual, who deeply cares about the people and friends she is close with. But she never showed it on her face, which was something that I always found concerning.

Like a leader, she's fierce and a resourceful individual, who always helped me, even now when we are in a pinch, she was trying to find a way out of here, unlike me who is of no help. Jiyoung had been like this since she was little.

But sometimes when I look at her wide back, I could vaguely feel that even she might be lonely, carrying all the burdens since she was young. Never asking for anyone's help or trying to appear weak. She always excelled in everything she did, and that's why Dad was proud of her.

But, I've seen others rely on her, but I have never seen her rely on anyone.

“What?” My sister asked, as she looked at me with her warm eyes, the hazel felt so much like our mother's, as I was reminded about those happy memories, those soothing and fresh memories which always worked as a drive for me to better myself, to become someone reliable—someone that even Jiyoung could rely on.

“Huh...it’s nothing. I was just glad that I'm stuck in her with you, Jiyoung. And in this situation, you know, your presence kind of calms me down," I replied with an awkward but appreciating smile, which felt weak and obscured by the fatigue.

“I meant, not in a bad way. It's just...if I'd been stuck in here all by myself, I would have long been killed by some passerby monster. That's how grateful I am of having you with me."

She turned her head downwards a little when I spoke, but as I focused on her face, .y smile seemed to bloom slightly.

It was due to her being fatigued and not rested for the past few days, but the reason she had hid her face from me was beacause it was one of her old habits. When she got embarrassed from being openly praised, she would try to hide her face and act slightly awkward.

These small gestures were the things which made Jiyoung an extremely likable person, but such things were subtle and hard to catch on for others.

“Haha!” I laughed as I looked at Jiyoung. A thin and dry chuckle, but one which left me slightly refreshed and rejuvenated.

“What’s so funny?” Jiyoung straightened and asked with an expressionless face as always.

“It’s nothing," I said with my lips curving into a wide grin. I honestly couldn't tell what kind of expression I was making.

Afterwards, we spoke a little bit and shortly after that, I yawned as Jiyoung nodded at me with an understanding expression and I felt my eyes getting heavier and my body loosening up and soon I fell asleep with the support of the tree.

***

“Jihoon wake up!”

Jiyoung's voice boomed across the area and hammered into my ears as I heard the sharp noise of flesh slithering, afterwards which followed the subtle sound of a blade cutting through flesh, and the loud sound of something heavy crashing against the ground.

Fear and trepidation gripped me as I jolted awake from the ground and saw in horror that we were surrounded by countless undeads monsters.

“...”I looked around in horror, my arms trembled and mind felt clouded as I tried to comprehend everything through the fog in my mind, as I fought against the fatigue.

Immediately afterward, I turned my attention to my left and saw Jiyoung fighting multiple undeads, a few metres away from me, her sword moved in an arc, her mana bolted through her body with a near desperate attempt to protect her from the ferocious attacks of the beasts.

“Jiyoung..." I shouted, panic shrouded my mind, my mind as if filled with thick tar as I tried to look beyond the numbers which encompassed the area.

“Jihoon, draw your weapon.” She shouted back whilst slashing an undead, which decapitated its head from its body. Her voice was rushed, almost desperate as she perfomed a summersault whilst twisting her body, kicking an undead in the face, and drawing an arc in the air as an undead feel to the ground.

Heeding my Sisters words, I quickly stroked the dimensional artifact and withdrew my dagger and gripped it tightly in my right hand, as I pushed my body into a stance and got ready for battle.

Soon my vision landed on two undeads who were standing close to me, they lunged in my direction, simultaneously attacking, as if in coordination with each other's pattern.

My arms moved and I drew the dagger in my hand as the blade carved the flesh of the undead rushing at me from the right, I twisted my body, my mana worked allowing me to augment my body, as my heel connected with the head of the other one as it crashed on the ground with a extreme force.

The undead on my right fell to the ground its dry blood smeared the dagger in my hand as the other one stumbled back a few steps, as I positioned my body.

Creating some distance between us, I again decided to attack but in that moment I felt a stinging sensation arouse from my left shoulder. My body jerked back a step, as I saw that the same undead from before was bitting on to my shoulder. Ripping my skin.

The sensation was unbearable, the hard and jagged teeth of the beast dug into my skin and carved my meat as I felt them reach my bone, blood smeared across my skin and clothes as my body warmed up, my mind felt numb and body started to loosene up.

Ahaaa—!

My screams echoed through the massive forest around us, I lost my balance and fell to the ground with the beast biting into my shoulder.

“Jihoon..." Jiyoung screamed, but her voice was drowned by the pain I felt, but the desperation in her words and the panic was so vivid.

The pain was agonising. I felt as if my skin and muscles were slowly being pinched off of my body, the beast making it a slow process.

But punching the undead, it allowed me to free myself fron the sudden vertigo and make some distance.

I backed up against a nearby tree as my back touched the hard surface.

Placing my hand over my now bleeding shoulder, I looked at Jiyoung, who was desperately trying to kill all of the undeads obstructing her path, to make her way toward me. My sister endured wounds, blood still fresh on her body as she fought, just to reach me, to protect me.

Then an undead lunged from my left and bit me on my left leg.

Ahaaa—!

Again a scream escaped my mouth, as a warm sensation enveloped my body.

Putting my hand down from my shoulder, I hacked my dagger into the undeads head, which at the excact moment killed it.

All the strength in my body dispersed as I slumped down to one knee.

My leg was profusely bleeding along with my shoulder, as I scowled, my face twisted with the agony which coursed through me.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

‘I was always a good for nothing. I’m sorry Jiyoung.’ I inwardly said as I looked at Jiyoung, who was still now fighting with the undeads. Desperately trying to reach me, her face twisted with a frown, her anger flared as she screamed, killing one undead after another.

“Please god, please save her. It’s fine even if I die, but please just save her. I beg you!” I prayed that some divine being might hear my pleas in this hopeless moment. In this moment of desperation and despair.

I felt up eyes get heavy as tears started to well down my eyes. I felt desperation crawl up from the bottom of my heart My heartbeat increased, as my mind was hit with another wave of panic.

“Please," with a low desperate voice I pleaded again, believing my plea could change the the outcome.

But nothing happened. I just blankly looked in Jiyoung's direction.

Soon multiple undeads lunged in my direction, and I blankly kept looking at them, my eyes remained dull and face hopeless.

“Jihoon!!!!!" I heard Jiyoung's gut wrenching scream reverberate around me, tears welled down my face faster, as the image of my parents and Jiyoung surfaced in my mind, the few happy moments I held dear to my heart.

“I don’t want to die," I desperately said in a low voice, almost like a whisper, whilst sequentially closing my eyes as if it could help me coup with whatever was to come.

But nothing happened, the pain I'd embraced myself for never came.

Then I heard multiple slashing sounds coming from around me, they were fast, precise and almost everywhere.

With each slash the body of an undead fell to the ground effortlessly without any resistance.

I opened my eyes and saw multiple undeads lying on the ground lifelessly, their bodies perfectly carved.

With another subtle slashing sound, the last of the undeads fell to the ground. Only in a few minutes, every single undead had been disposed off in this area.

My eyes followed along where several fresh corpses laid, and there I saw the figure of a man standing amongst the lifeless undeads.

I swallowed hard as I tried to take in his appearance.

His glossy black hair basked beneath the moonlight which spilled everything around us, a black mask covered his face, which perfectly complimented his black clothes and hair.

He was wearing a simple black shirt paired with black pants, and long boots, with a long black coat. He cleared the blood from his sword and put it back into his sheath.

Just from a glance I could teel that he was an experienced hunter, the way he had dealt with this situation and how he carried himself, he looked to be in a league of his own.

His steps were fast but not rushed as he walked in my direction and he extended his hand forward.

“Can you stand?” He asked, his voice was hoarse, but I could feel the gentleness in it.

“Huh, yes!” I answered whilst grabbing on to his hand as I stood.

Standing up from the ground, I looked around to find Jiyoung and she was already near me.

“Jihoon.” She said, her words warm and voice on the verge of tears.

Soon she reached me and pulled me into her embrace.

“Thank goodness you’re alright, Jihoon.” Her words made me reassured as I looked at her edges of her eyes which were reddish.

“Yeah, me too.” I replied with a weak smile.

Then breaking apart she looked at the man who stood in front of us, her gaze pierced into him.

“Who are you?” She cautiously asked, pulling me behind herself, as she tried to size up the man before us.

“Let’s leave the introductory part for later and let’s quickly leave this place first. We can't be sure if more mana beasts would be arriving here sooner or later." He said, his words were concise and logical.

“Alright.” Jiyoung nodded in agreement while she looked around, her eyes warily seeing the countless bodies which laid unmoving.

“Here.” He threw something in mine and Jiyoung's direction.

Both of us caught it effortlessly as I looked below and recognized the item.

“This is...?”

These were two bottles with translucent liquids inside.

“It’s a stamina recovery potion and a strength recovery potion, drink it and let's move on.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, thank you.”

Jiyoung and I both thanked him.

Chugging the potions down, I felt my wounds somewhat starting to heal as my mana felt a significant boost.

Jiyoung had s similar experience as her facial expression slightly changed and brightened.

Then following him from behind, both of us stayed quiet as we followed the man from behind.

***

Seo Jiwoo

The deafening silence descended over the forest, as we walked through the dead and dark forest, which was only broken from the fleeting sounds of our boots striking the ground. I looked behind from time to time, watching the two as I walked in front, guiding the way, but also looking around for any threats.

They both looked alike, a lot, so I came to the conclusion on my own that they were siblings. They had a similar facial structure and their fondness for each other spoke better than any words—a fondness which deviated from other platonic relationships.

I'd also come to the conclusion through simple analysis of those two. They both had jet black hair, but separate eye pigments.

The boy had blue eyes like the depth of the ocean, while the girl had hazel eyes which burned like the setting sun, leaving an impression.

Their faces looked weary and distraught, and bodies covered with grime, but nonetheless, it still didn't hide their natural beauty.

Their looks were abnormally eye-catching, something that anyone could notice from a single glance, even in the rough state they were in.

“Excuse me?” I heard the boy’s voice from behind me, it was meek and almost hesitant.

“Yes?” I looked above my shoulder and exclaimed in response, the boy realized and spoke immediately

“My name is Park Jihoon, and this here is my elder sister Park Jiyoung. A-Again, thank you every much for saving us. If it hadn't been for you, we would never have been able to get out of that predicament.

“It’s fine don’t worry about," I said as I stepped forward.

Realizing the awkward silence between us, I opened my mouth and spoke to appear more friendly. “And I’m Seo Jiwoo, nice to meet you both."

“Yes, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Jihoon responded with a exaggerated smile which didn’t quite reach his eyes.

But Jiyoung stayed quiet. She only looked at me the entire time with wary eyes. She had her guard up the entire time and her hand was resting over the handle of her sword for obvious reasons.

I shrugged my shoulder as I moved my gaze away. Well can’t blame her, there are cases where strangers try to help you in a dungeon and in the end to just kill you and take your loot and items. These case were quite usual with smaller teams and less experienced hunters.

That's the kind of world it is!

After walking for a few more minutes, we reached the cave where I was resting prior to saving both of them. The burrow in the cliff was a few feet above the ground, giving a good place to rest.

“Let’s go," I said as pointed to the mouth of the cave.

I climbed up first, as I brought my hand out to Jihoon who climbed behind me, he hesitated first, but after a second he took my hand and climbed into the mouth of the cave.

I tried to do the same for Jiyoung, but she shrugged my help away and climbed all of her own.

I pulled my arm and shrugged as I entered the cave. I pointed at the small fore I'd started previously, the three of us sat down on the ground around the small campfire as we awkward looked around.

“Here.” I moved my hand and grabbed the blanket that I brought along with me, as I pointed it toward Jihoon.

Jiyoung's eyes followed me, despite being tired and weary, she continued to appear wary.

Then taking the stick which had the cooked meat, I gave it to the two.

Jihoon brought his hands forward and grabbed both of them, as he handed one to his sister.

They were hesitant at first but their growling stomach's got the better of them, seeing the tender pieces of meat which gave off a nose tingling scent with the spices which covered their surface.

They both turned to look at me for a moment, their eyes obviously distraught.

Did I appear that distrustful? I lampooned inwardly as I eased into my spot as I reassured the siblings.

“It’s not poisoned or anything. I can assure you about that, these have been cooking before we came here. I wouldn't want to eat something poisonous myself, or have no plan to do so."

I reassured them. But it was not enough to make Jiyoung believe me.

Taking the last piece of meat which still cooked near the fire, I chewed down on it in front on them as I swallowed the piece after savoring the flavor, the both of them took a bite right after.

I leaned back on the cave’s wall as I took a breath, taking a sip of water.

I looked at Jihoon taking big bites, his mouth was filled more than he could chew, as he struggled and chewed as he swallowed the piece of meat. His face bloomed into a delighted smile.

‘He must have been really hungry.,' I inwardly said, a pitiful smile pulled my lips, as I seem to remember an old memory from the past. About an old friend.

Taking my water canteen, I handed it to Jihoon who looked to be almost choking from swallowing too fast.

“Slow down. It's not running away."

Then taking out two more piece of meat I left them to cook, as the spices burned and a spicy savory feel rose in the air.

“So...?” I looked at both Jiyoung and Jihoon as I finally broke the silence. They both didn't appear ignorant, as they understood right away what I wanted to ask.

“What happened to you two?” I asked immediately as they both finished eating nd straightened.

Jihoon turned to me and slightly bowed his head, enough to appear respectful. “Well, first of all thank you for saving us Mr. Jiwoo.”

“Just call me Jiwoo." I mused back.

Looking at me with a tired expression over his face, he nodded slowly.

“I think it’s better if you get some sleep first, you've got dark circles underneath your eyes.” I pointed out with a gesture of my finger.

Jihoon sighed as he spoke. “Then I will.”

“Huaam...” With a yawn Jihoon went to sleep right away, as I heard his thin breathing.

Then the cave was filled with silence afterwards, both Jiyoung and I remained quiet. I just felt awkward talking to her. I mean, she was completely wary of me.

She scooted to the side and corrected the blanket on Jihoon body.

The twitching sound of the burning wood reverberated inside, drowning the silence from time to time, as I looked down at the fire burning in the middle.

“I think you should sleep as well.” I said to Jiyoung. My voice remained calm.

“Thank you for saving me and my brother.” She bowed her head as she thanked me, a simple gesture which appeared forced and hesitant.

“It’s fine.” I looked at here tired figure next to Jihoon. Her eyelids tried their best, but in the end they were slowly closing.

“We have been stuck here in this dungeon for almost two weeks. We entered like anyone else, but after we tried to look for an exit, we soon realized there wasn't one, even after we searched for days. And even our rescue boxes were not operating.”

I looked at her with an understanding look, my expression hidden behind the mask I wore.

“I see. But either way, you need to rest in order to replenish your stamina and recover. I know you are wary of me, but all I do is assure you with words right now." I tried to appear as friendly and logical as possible. I brought my hand forward and removed my mask from my face as I looked at her with a smile. "After both you have recovered, you can leave if you want to."

Jiyoung appeared struck for a moment from my decision to reveal my face.

She wasn't as ignorant as I thought, as she understood the reason behind my action. With a single nod she leaned back on the wall and slowly went to sleep.

Standing up from the ground I walked up to the mouth of the cave.

‘Let’s try it.’

Taking out my rescue box from the inventory, I looked at the black box in my hand which had a red button on top of it.

I pressed the button but nothing happened.

I was sure there was supposed to be some kind of noise to alert the person who had pressed the button that the signal went through.

Well the person or party who uses the rescue box, can call for a rescue team assembled by the black market. But in exchange for being rescued, all of their loot which they had collected inside the dungeon is taken as compensation by the black market.

It wasn't a bad disposition for being saved. Only after you live, would you be able to earn later. And only those who live are the victor's of tomorrow.

A weak smile pulled at my smile as I scoffed for some reason. But not everyone who survives can be called a victory. Sometimes, surviving could be worse than dying.

I shrugged as I brought my mind back to the box in my hand.

But what I had heard was that when a rescue box is used it makes a low beeping sound, giving out a frequency which alerts the officials of the black market outside the dungeon.

But this one didn’t.

I placed my hand over my chin as I contemplated over a series of things.

Then it clicked.

‘I think it’s all somehow connected to the sudden dungeon quest that the system gave me, it has to be that. There is no other explanation.’ I thought with knitted brows. ‘Jiyoung said both of their rescue boxes didn’t work, and neither did mine, it has definitely something to do with the quest to clear the dungeon.’

Then looking back into the cave I saw the siblings sleeping peacefully.

A somewhat relieved look flashed over my face.

I felt nostalgic for some reason.

“Old Man.”

My lips curled upwards slightly as I walked back into the cave, sitting back into my old spot as I began to make preparations.