Chapter : 05
The Dominant Species of the Floor
“……Ugh!”
A young girl lying under a quilt patterned with cute designs twisted her body and let out a faint groan. It was as if she were trapped in a horrific nightmare.
And soon after—
“Gasp!”
With a scream-like gasp, Nahyeon bolted upright in bed.
The contents of the nightmare she had just experienced were still vivid in her mind.
Her uncle, Do Min-hyuk, who had returned after going missing for so long.
The almost unbelievably joyful pork belly party, clearing out the storage room, and making sure her uncle was sound asleep before returning to her own bedroom.
The nightmare was the kind where all of that turned out to be nothing more than a fleeting dream.
“……A-Ah, it was just a nightmare, right? Right?”
Stifling the trembling in her body, Nahyeon hurriedly stepped out into the living room, her footsteps quick and anxious.
What greeted her eyes was—
“Mm. You’re up already? Why don’t you sleep a bit more? You still have plenty of time before school.”
In the kitchen of their small living room stood a handsome man with dark black hair, wearing an apron and holding a frying pan.
It was her uncle, Do Min-hyuk.
He wasn’t an illusion; he was undeniably real, so tangible that she could feel the faint warmth radiating from him even from a distance.
Only then did Nahyeon let out a low sigh of relief and slump onto the living room sofa.
“Phew… I just had a bad dream first thing in the morning.”
“Is that so? Hmm. Is it academic stress?”
Even while talking, Min-hyuk flipped the bacon and fried eggs in the pan with flawless timing—all while keeping his eyes gently fixed on Nahyeon.
He looked remarkably adept at cooking.
“By the way, Uncle… have you really given up being a Hunter for good?”
“Well, I’m not sure. I might jump into action briefly if necessary. Why? Are you worried about me?”
“Yeah. A little bit?”
Nahyeon knew it too. In today’s world, there was no better profession than being a Hunter.
Once someone became a Hunter, even a low-grade Class 1 Hunter could utilize their aptitudes to secure a job at a related corporation. Even if one couldn’t manipulate mana freely and could only sense it, they were still useful.
Of course, those corporate jobs couldn’t even compare to being a real, active Hunter.
Real Hunters made serious money—far beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
“……I’m thinking of living a normal life rather than being a Hunter. I’ve killed enough monsters to get sick of it, so it doesn’t really appeal to me anymore. Maybe a part-time job, though.”
“Ah! Really?”
“It seems like you’re not too fond of the idea of me working as a Hunter, Nahyeon.”
“Well, it’s just…”
Nahyeon trailed off cautiously.
It wasn’t that she disliked it.
A part of her genuinely wanted to see her uncle do what he wanted and live happily.
However, she couldn’t help but feel anxious.
She had lost her father to a Rift.
Her uncle had also been swallowed by the Great Rift, returning only now after many long years.
Nahyeon didn’t want to relive that trauma. She didn’t want to lose this indescribable, full-hearted happiness she had regained after her uncle’s return.
Even so…
“Hehe. To be honest… I don’t mind if you work as a Hunter, Uncle. As long as you’re happy, Min-hyuk Uncle! Hehe.”
“You probably don’t need to worry.”
Before being swept into the Rift, he had been an ordinary Mid-Tier Hunter—around Class 3. He had no experience climbing the higher floors of the Tower.
Yet, somehow…
‘I don’t get the feeling that it’ll be dangerous.’
With that thought, Do Min-hyuk plated the neatly toasted bread, crisp bacon, and sunny-side-up eggs onto a white dish and brought it over to the dining table.
The savory aroma of well-browned bacon and the inviting smell of freshly toasted bread stimulated her appetite immediately.
Looking at the meal prepared by a family member for the first time in a long while, Nahyeon hesitated briefly before picking up her fork and spoon.
“Thank you, Uncle.”
“Thanking me for what? Can’t an uncle make breakfast for his niece?”
“But Uncle… there shouldn’t have been any eggs or bacon at home… same for the toaster. Where did you get all this?”
“Ah, this?”
At her question, Min-hyuk chuckled softly and picked up his fork.
“I bumped into Mr. Kang-baek while taking a short walk during the day, and he gave them to me. Told me to make sure my niece gets a proper breakfast.”
“Huh? Really…?”
Nahyeon tilted her head in confusion.
The Kim Kang-baek she knew wasn’t the kind of person to warmly hand out favors or gifts on his own initiative.
However, soon after…
‘……Was there a side to his personality I didn’t know about? Well, Mr. Kang-baek did seem lonely from time to time. You could tell he wanted to get close to the tenants even if he couldn’t bring himself to do it.’
The thought crossed her mind for a moment. If it was the Kim Kang-baek she imagined, it was certainly plausible.
Of course, the reality was—
‘There’s no need to tell Nahyeon the details.’
The moment Min-hyuk had asked what to do about breakfast, Kim Kang-baek had hurriedly scrambled to pack up everything he had in his own kitchen and handed it over.
Regardless, he was a grateful presence. Thanks to him, Min-hyuk could take care of Nahyeon’s breakfast, which he hadn’t had the chance to prep for yet.
With a warm smile, Min-hyuk watched Nahyeon begin her meal before picking up his own fork.
It was an enjoyable breakfast, the likes of which he hadn’t experienced in so long he couldn’t even remember.
“……U-Uncle? Isn’t this too much?”
After finishing her meal and taking a bath, Nahyeon, now dressed in her school uniform, was stopped by Do Min-hyuk just as she was about to head out the door.
In her hands were three crumpled ten-thousand-won bills.
“If you’re asking if I’m overdoing it, I’m a bit hurt. Did you think your uncle couldn’t even afford this much? Don’t worry about it. It’s just pocket money from an uncle to his niece.”
“A-Ah, no! It’s just that you only just returned, so I thought it’d be better not to push yourself too hard right away…”
Nahyeon bit her lip tightly as she stared at the bills resting on her palm.
It wasn’t a fortune.
But that wasn’t what mattered.
For a fleeting moment, she was reminded of the time when her parents were still alive—a mundane life spent under someone’s protection, loved and cared for.
The sensation of returning to those days.
It was comforting, yet still unfamiliar.
“Mm. And I’ve already talked to Mr. Kang-baek about the monthly rent. It’s all settled, so you don’t need to worry about that either. Electricity, water bills—all taken care of.”
“Ah! U-Uncle, that was originally my responsibility… I’m so sorry, Uncle.”
“What’s there to be sorry about? Ah, right. Take this, too.”
Just then, as Nahyeon stood there flustered and fidgeting—caught between gratitude and embarrassment—Min-hyuk handed her something.
It was a school notice regarding a field trip.
More accurately, rather than just handing it over, he unfolded it completely and waved it in front of her face.
Then he said:
“If you had something like this, you should have told me right away. Why keep it to yourself? Your uncle is genuinely disappointed.”
“I-It wasn’t an absolute requirement to go!”
“Anyway, the fee is paid, so talk to your homeroom teacher when you get to school.”
“Uncle…”
“In moments like this, you say ‘thank you,’ not ‘sorry.’ We’re family, aren’t we?”
Min-hyuk let out a gentle laugh and playfully ruffled her hair.
“Anyway, when you come back, let me take you to some good restaurants for dinner. Mr. Kang-baek said he wanted to join us too. Is that fine with you?”
“Huh? O-Of course!”
There was no way she would dislike it. While having Mr. Kang-baek tag along on a cozy outing with her uncle felt a bit unexpected, she still harbored a lot of apologetic feelings toward the landlord anyway.
“Then I’m off to school!”
“Yeah. Take care on your way. And if any classmates try to bully you, make sure to tell your uncle.”
Nahyeon burst into a soft smile at his parting words.
Of course, she had no idea that if anyone actually dared to bully her, Min-hyuk intended to beat them within an inch of their lives.
Yongsan-gu, Ahyeon High School Staff Room.
Na Eun-chae, an instructor in the Department of Practical Martial Arts, narrowed her eyes.
‘……Was Nahyeon always this bright?’
She stared at the student before her with a somewhat suspicious expression.
A pretty female student with a neat bob haircut stood there, beaming from ear to ear.
It was Kim Nahyeon, a student from Class 2-8, her homeroom assignment.
Usually, Nahyeon was taciturn, rarely smiled, and struggled to fit in with her peers—a student who always seemed somewhat out of place. Up until yesterday, at least.
That was why Eun-chae had subtly taken extra care of her behind the scenes, but today felt entirely different. Starting with her tone of voice and pitch.
“Hehe. Has the payment gone through, Teacher?”
“Uh? Oh. Yes, it came through… 900,000 won must have been quite a burden. Good job. Be sure to convey my gratitude to your parents.”
She was genuinely relieved.
The Instance Dungeon Field Trip was considered a major, high-stakes school event. If a student from her class got left out, it would inevitably leave a stain on her professional career.
Still, even so, seeing Nahyeon return looking so bright in just a single day couldn’t help but spark her curiosity.
When she cautiously asked about it—
“Ah, me? It’s just that all the things I was worrying about have been resolved smoothly. It just worked out that way.”
“Uh-huh. Is that so?”
“Yes! Because my uncle came back home.”
With those final words, Nahyeon bowed deeply at the waist and skipped out of the staff room.
Left alone, Teacher Na Eun-chae sank into thought.
“……Her uncle?”
Just how incredible was this uncle to transform a girl who had always harbored a dark shadow into someone like this? She was getting genuinely curious.
For a brief moment, she even considered pulling out the home-visit card she had been postponing for so long.
Of course—
“Naturally, that’s a matter to consider after this Instance Dungeon Field Trip is finished…”
It was a dungeon for which access permits had been secured with extreme difficulty—an achievement impossible if Ahyeon High School weren’t a top-tier prestigious institution.
Lately, sinister rumors had been circulating about it, but she didn’t want to pay them any mind.
‘Well, it’s not like a real monster would pop out, right? They said the reset process was done thoroughly…’
It was literally just a ghost story—a cheap, low-quality rumor originating from the Tower and occult lore. While a few rare rumors turned out to be true, those were an absolute minority.
With that, Eun-chae shrugged off the bad omen. Now was not the time to fret over trivial things.
She had plenty to do—such as raising her teacher evaluation scores.
Na Eun-chae was an ambitious instructor.
“Whew! Ha!”
Rough, heavy breaths echoed in the yard.
A muscular man hanging from a pull-up bar was sweating profusely as he performed overhand pull-ups.
It was Kim Kang-baek, the owner of the detached house.
Even after quitting manual labor, he never slacked on training his body, routinely exercising in the morning like this whenever the tenants were absent.
Behind his back—
“……Hmm.”
Seated at a table in the yard, Do Min-hyuk was quietly browsing the internet on Kim Kang-baek’s smartphone while sipping coffee.
He was loosely checking how much the world had changed and how things were currently operating.
Just then, having finished his workout, Kim Kang-baek wiped the sweat from his forehead and body as he walked over.
“Big brother, did you find the information you were looking for?”
“I wasn’t looking for any specific piece of information. Just browsing through various things.”
“Hahaha. But when do you plan on speaking to me casually? Since we’re living under the same roof now, I think it’d be comfortable for me too if you lowered your speech level.”
“Gradually. I’ll drop the formalities in due time.”
Min-hyuk chuckled softly and replied.
Having met countless individuals in Ignosheim, he could tell that Kim Kang-baek was simply clumsy at expressing himself, not a bad person at all.
Still, since he was someone who had looked out for Nahyeon, Min-hyuk intended to take a bit more time before dropping formalities, out of respect.
“By the way, Brother… are you really going to get a regular job? Someone of your caliber could easily make a fortune working as a Hunter.”
“I’m contemplating it. If I need money, Hunter work is an option. But since it’s not urgent, I should look into things a bit more.”
Holding down a regular job while taking on Hunter work as a side hustle was entirely feasible. If corporate life didn’t suit him, he could quit anytime.
Options were plentiful.
However, if there was one snag…
It was his revoked identity.
This morning, Min-hyuk had discovered that his identity status had been erased by the government.
Not registered as missing, but processed as deceased.
And now, after a considerable amount of time had passed, the identity of “Do Min-hyuk” no longer existed in South Korea.
‘Restoring my identity isn’t an issue in itself. But it might prove troublesome.’
Min-hyuk was fully aware: he was a survivor who had returned from a Class 9 Rift, a cataclysm-level event.
To reinstate his identity, he would have to contact the government—and there was no way they would simply restore his legal status and let him off the hook without pressing for details about surviving a Great Rift.
It was glaringly obvious that they would hassle him endlessly.
Of course, if they became too much of a nuisance, he could simply make them quiet again, but…
‘Before I contact them… consulting that person for an opinion wouldn’t be a bad idea.’
With that thought, Min-hyuk used the phone he borrowed from Kim Kang-baek to place a call somewhere—to someone who was quite an expert in this field.
57th Floor of the White Night Tower: The Plateau of Dead Giants.
CRACK—!
The sound of something solid being mercilessly shattered echoed through the air.
Directly following it—
“Aaargh!”
A man in his late twenties, his limbs contorted into grotesque angles, collapsed onto the ground, his body writhing in agony.
And standing right in front of him—
Hehehe… Hehehe…
A monster with a massive head—resembling three or four human heads stitched together with thick needles—let out a chilling chuckle while flexing its long, spidery fingers.
“Tell me. Tell me. Where is it? The doll. The rabbit doll. It’s mine. That was originally mine.”
“Fucking hell! I told you the mages of Ahihil took it to South Korea! I don’t know anything about it!”
Screaming from the excruciating pain, the man twisted his fractured arm. He attempted to tear an emergency magic scroll hidden in his coat while the monster was distracted by the mention of the doll.
However, in that split second—
“No. Not you.”
“W-Wait…!”
The man’s words could never be finished.
The monster composed of stitched, rag-like heads tore its lips open into a wide, unnatural grin.
At that exact moment—
Along with a deafening boom as if the floor itself were warping, a colossal crack split open across the blue sky.
CRUNCH—!
The entire sky turned a vivid blood-red, as though the firmament itself were a ceiling made of corpses.
And from that massive Rift carved into the sky—
RUUUUUMBLE—!
Accompanied by a violent tremor, a foot of overwhelming proportions—rivaling the scale of an entire mountain range—emerged.
A foot so terrifyingly immense it looked as though it had been severed from the corpse of a dead giant.
Alongside it—
BOOOOOOM—!
That gigantic foot slammed downward toward the earth with a momentum that threatened to crush space itself to pieces—striking precisely over the area where the fallen man lay.
KABOOOOOM—!
A deafening roar blasted across the land, numbing the ears.
A tidal wave of horrific residual mana swept through the impact zone, and as the tempest of destruction settled, the erased space revealed itself.
The bedrock of the earth had been entirely gouged out, creating a massive artificial canyon.
It was a landscape reminiscent of a sheer, vertical cliff.
And along the steep incline of that cliff—
RUMBLE, RUMBLE—!
Shattered giant boulders, uprooted ancient trees, and every living organism buried deep within the earth were swept away by a wave of soil, avalanching down the cliff face.
Yet, amid that scene of absolute destruction, one monster stood completely unscathed.
The monster that had unleashed such absurd power on a mere whim.
The creature made of multiple stitched heads slowly rose from the cloud of dust.
And before long, it murmured—
“……South Korea? My doll is in South Korea?”
The monster quietly chewed on the words uttered by the now-deceased man.
The Dominant Species of the Floor.
The Giant Contractor.
The destination of Paslo was now decided.
