Rise of the System Slayer

As the trio and the others fought against the goblins, Dong Seok led them from the front, taking the brunt of both physical and magical attacks. He commanded the team, giving signals on where and when to strike.

Ares was slightly surprised by their coordination. Even though they were only B-rank hunters, they managed to execute their strategies effectively. "Whoa, so that's a scavenger formation," Ares exclaimed, shifting his gaze to the other members. Unlike the trio, they fought like average hunters, using basic attack, defense, and slash techniques.

As the battle dragged on, the trio started to overwhelm the monsters despite being outnumbered and lacking a healer. Ares grew even more impressed by their skill.

"Get ready! Another wave is incoming!"

Dong Seok smirked at the approaching monsters, and they quickly reformed their battle stance—a tank in the front, with two fighters flanking him.

However, one of the goblins managed to slip through their formation, rushing straight toward Ares. As Ares prepared to kill it with his bare hands, he hesitated for a moment—Conan's sharp gaze was locked onto him.

"Hey, brat! What are you waiting for? Kill that monster in front of you!"

"Ye... Yes!"

Without wasting another second, Ares discreetly summoned a dagger from his system and swiftly stabbed the goblin in the neck and eyes.

"Good job, brat."

Conan turned his focus back to the battle.

Ares let out a quiet sigh, realizing he had almost exposed himself.

"Damn, if I slipped up just a little more, they would've noticed," Ares muttered.

After that, Dong Seok's party completely annihilated the monsters with their overwhelming force, forming a defense that nothing could slip through.

After the exhausting battle, Dong Seok's party took a short rest before heading deeper into the cave.

"Whoa, these damn goblins are such a hassle! And there were so many of them… If we had been late for a few seconds forming our defense, we would've lost," Dong Seok sighed in relief, grateful they had managed to overcome the fight. Thanks to his stamina—like that of a charging bull—he had fought without hesitation, leading the charge against the monsters.

"You guys rest, too. I know some of you are tired from this fight, so take a little break," Dong Seok added, rolling his eyes at his team and Ares.

After that, the cave remained quiet for a few minutes. While they were resting, one of the hunters—who had also been recruited from an online forum—approached Ares.

A man dressed as if he owned the world approached. His velvet coat was lined with gold thread, every button gleaming like freshly polished coins. His sharp blue eyes lingered just a second too long, giving off an unsettling air. A jeweled necklace rested around his neck, clinking softly with every step.

His massive obsidian-black armor, adorned with golden patterns, weighed him down, making each movement deliberate. Ares immediately found him strange, but he didn't let his intrusive thoughts show. Instead, he simply waved at him and showed a little smile.

The man, Magnus, playfully swept his cape behind him, striking a dramatic pose like a superhero.

"Come now, don't be shy! A grand entrance like mine deserves an equally grand reply!" he declared with flair.

Ares squinted, blinking repeatedly.

"Definitely a weirdo," he muttered.

"So, what do you want?" Ares asked, his cold eyes locking onto Magnus.

For a second, Magnus froze, fear flickering across his face.

"U-Uhmm... I just saw you killing monsters like it was nothing. How could you do that? Weren't you scared?" Magnus asked, scratching his head and lowering his tone.

Ares glanced at his hands, unsure how to put his thoughts into words.

"I don't know either… but it just feels natural. When they charge at me, it's like I was meant to do this. Even fear doesn't matter—it's just kill or be killed. Survival is the only choice."

It's the same in the real world. If you're not strong enough to take risks or seize opportunities, the world will just keep devouring you.

"Oh, I see! You're so amazing, Mr...?" Magnus asked, tilting his head with a curious grin.

"I'm Ares, an E-Rank hunter," Ares replied.

"I'm Magnus. I'm E-Rank, too, and my father is Regis," Magnus said.

Ares froze for a second. The name sounded familiar. "Regis?" he muttered, repeating it over and over until the memory clicked.

"Oh… Regis. He's one of the rich and powerful company owners who hire hunters."

"Yes, that's my father. I'm only here because I'm curious about what's inside the dungeon, and I want to explore it," Magnus exclaimed.

After a while of chatting, the trio had enough rest after the battle and immediately started walking toward the deepest part of the cave.

"Let's go, guys," Dong Seok said.

As they walked, Ares noticed that the other members started moving too fast, leaving him and Magnus behind.

Dong Seok immediately whispered to his team, but Ares couldn't hear it since he was too far away. As they continued walking, Dong Seok kept whispering until they reached a large room filled with spiders. The group started acting a little strange after noticing a hole in front of them.

Dong Seok's eyes flickered with anticipation as he whispered, "The moment the spiders attack them, we slip through that hole and let them be the bait. We'll come back after they're eaten." His voice was barely audible.

"Once they're swarmed, we make a run for it and close the hole," he added, a smirk creeping onto his face.

As Ares stared at them, he suddenly noticed the boss.

The Abyss Widow—a monstrous spider with a grotesque obsidian-black exoskeleton covered in jagged spikes—appeared, clinging to the ceiling above them. Its eight abyssal eyes gleamed as it immediately reacted to their presence.

Before Ares could fully process the situation, he realized too that Dong Seok's team had already run into the hole and were sealing the pathway shut.

"I appreciate you two for helping us on this path."

Dong Seok sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

"But unfortunately, I don't plan on sharing the rewards. Go get eaten by that monster!" The team laughed at them.

Magnus gritted his teeth in anger, clenching his fists. "Those bastards… so this was their plan from the first place!"