The soft hum of the city was ever-present, from distant car engines to the rhythmic click of heels and sneakers tapping across the pavement. Sung Jinwoo stood still in front of Exit 3 of Hapjeong Station, blending in like any other commuter—except for the gleaming green key resting in his hand, faintly glowing with a magical hue.
People bustled around him, walking in and out of the subway exit, oblivious to what he was about to do.
"I got this key from one of the Random Loot Boxes..." Jinwoo muttered, his voice low and sharp. "Let's hope it's worth something."
As if guided by instinct, he raised the key and inserted it into the air—right in front of the station entrance.
Click.
It slid in like a lock had been waiting for it all along. The air shimmered and parted with a quiet shhhrrk, like silk tearing apart in reverse. A glowing arc opened, translucent and glass-like, a barrier only visible to him.
Without hesitation, Jinwoo stepped through.
The air shifted.
[Ding!] [You have entered an Instance Dungeon.]
A pulse of heat flushed across his face. Pink light danced in the corners of his vision—his Lust System reacting to the new environment. The world behind him suddenly cracked like glass.
Crrrrsh!
Jinwoo whirled around to see the entrance seal shut, a curtain of translucent crystal collapsing behind him, leaving no door, no way out—just a gleaming wall of fractured light.
"It closed?" he blinked.
[You cannot leave this dungeon unless you defeat the Boss or use a Teleportation Stone.]
"Huh… is this like a Red Gate?" he wondered aloud, a small grin curling on his lips. "Well, I didn't have any plans to run away anyway."
He rolled his shoulders, taking a slow breath.
"Unless this dungeon is ranked higher than E, I'm not leaving until I crush the boss."
He turned and noticed something strange—an office worker, humming quietly to himself, walked up the station steps on the other side. He moved past the shattered crystal wall, completely unaffected.
No reaction. No hesitation. It was as if Jinwoo wasn't even there.
"He couldn't see me…" Jinwoo muttered. "Am I in a completely different dimension?"
He turned, his boots echoing softly on the concrete steps as he descended into the depths of the station. There was no music. No energy pulses. Just cold air, dim light, and the distant sound of something shifting in the darkness ahead.
Most would've flinched. Most would've turned back.
But Jinwoo didn't twitch.
Whatever was waiting for him down there, he would face it head-on.
His body was ready.
His mind was clear.
...
Jinwoo descended deeper into the station, the flickering overhead lights casting pale shadows along the cracked tile walls. It should've looked clean—modern, even. But now, everything was in disrepair.
Graffiti marred the once-pristine surfaces. Trash littered the steps. Cracks webbed across the ceiling like veins of decay. Metal benches were rusted and torn from their bolts, lying crooked on the floor. Pipes dripped foul water from unseen leaks, and the walls pulsed faintly with a sickly, unnatural light.
"This station was brand new…" Jinwoo muttered, narrowing his eyes. "But in here…"
It was as if time had fast-forwarded decades—and through something far more violent than erosion.
A stench hit him next. Pungent. Rancid. Like wet dog fur, rotting meat, and coppery blood all blended together.
Jinwoo covered his nose slightly, frowning. "Is this… the smell of beast-type monsters?"
As if summoned by his words, a growl echoed from the far end of the platform.
From beneath the busted remains of a vending machine, a monstrous creature padded into the faint light. It looked like a nightmare made of metal and flesh—blood-red fur bristling down its spine, steel plates fused to its shoulders, back, and legs like natural armor. Its elongated muzzle curled into a snarl, revealing razor-like fangs. Steam hissed from its nostrils.
Above its head floated glowing white letters:
[Steel-Fanged Lycan]
Jinwoo's gaze sharpened.
"So this is your dungeon…"
The Lycan crouched low, lips peeling back as it charged.
But it was slow.
To Jinwoo, it felt like the beast was moving underwater.
"Slow," he muttered.
With casual precision, he pivoted and raised his leg—then kicked.
Crash!
The Steel-Fanged Lycan flew backward like a missile, colliding with a steel beam. The impact bent the support structure, sending dust and debris cascading down.
The beast groaned, metal plates cracked along its chest. But despite the blow, it staggered upright—blood trailing from its jaw, eyes still wild.
Jinwoo grinned. "I see you're pretty resilient."
The Lycan howled.
The sound echoed across the ruined platform—and was answered.
From the tunnels and stairwells, more monsters emerged. Dozens. All identical, clad in the same brutal fusion of hide and steel. Their glowing red eyes fixed on Jinwoo, jaws snapping, claws clacking like blades on concrete.
Jinwoo exhaled once through his nose, calm and steady.
"Alright then..."
His aura flared, crackling faintly with raw power.
"Let's see how many of you I can handle."
With a blur of motion, he shot forward, his fist already pulled back.
The Lycan pack charged with wild fury, howling and clawing in unison. But to Jinwoo, it felt like time had slowed.
He moved like a phantom through them—dodging swipes, stepping between jaws, fists slamming into armored skulls and claws snapping under his grip.
One Lycan lunged from the side. Jinwoo grabbed its snout mid-air, twisted, and ripped its jaw clean off. Another leapt onto his back, but he spun with impossible speed and hurled it into two others, sending them skidding across the floor like broken dolls.
He ducked, stepped, struck—every motion fluid, clean, and devastating.
To him, it was play.
To them, it was massacre.
One Lycan managed to rake a claw across his shoulder, but Jinwoo barely felt it. He turned, eyes cold, and drove his fist through its throat, lifting the beast into the air before slamming it down hard enough to crack the platform.
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[You have obtained the title: Beast Slayer!]
[This title is given to hunters who excel at hunting beasts. All your abilities will now increase by 40% when fighting against beast-type monsters.]
When it was over, the station was silent.
The lycans lay scattered across the platform—limbs twisted, heads shattered or ripped clean off, their bodies twitching in death.
Jinwoo stood among the corpses, his chest rising slowly.
"It was more tiring than I thought..." he muttered, despite the fact that not a single bead of sweat ran down his face. "If I had a weapon, I would've gotten rid of them much quicker."
He straightened and opened his hand. "Inventory."
A transparent interface hovered in front of him, listing the spoils.
"Let's see… 34 Lycan Fangs, a Traveler's Cloak, two Worn Daggers, and a… Teleportation Stone?" He raised a brow. "Huh. I thought that would be harder to find. Not like I'm gonna use it."
With a flick of his hand, the daggers materialized into his palms—old and nicked, but sharp enough.
"This'll do. I don't know how long they'll last, but they'll make things easier—especially with Twin Blades." He smirked.
"Since it ranked up to C-rank, it now increases all my attacks by 10% when I'm holding two bladed weapons."
He called out again, "Status Window."
[Name: Sung Jinwoo
Class: None
Level: 7
Title: Succubus Queen's Man, Beast Slayer
HP: 2300 / 2650
MP: 400
Strength: 47
Dexterity: 33
Health: 32
Intelligence: 33
Sense: 30
Charm: 51]
"Well, that's quite the upgrade. All my stats increased by six…" Jinwoo mused, eyes scanning the numbers. "So one level raises all stats by one, huh?"
He sheathed the daggers at his sides, smile widening.
"Guess I just found the fastest way to grow."
Without another word, he turned and dashed into the deeper shadows of the ruined station, the glint of his new blades flickering in the dim light.
There were more monsters waiting.
And he had levels to gain.
To be continued...
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How was this chapter? Did I describe the fight too rudely? I mean it's not like our body Jinwoo is really struggling against those weaklings, so I didn't get the reason of doing that.
Also, does anyone of you know any snake-girls or just any girl related to snakes?