Trapped in a Dungeon with The Boss Monster - Chapter 2

If Evie had bought Mikewood’s Bracelet a while ago, she wouldn’t have needed to pay for today’s treatment.

That’s how this extreme capitalist hunter society functions.

There is no such thing as ‘treat first, pay later.’ Treatment is provided only to the extent that one can pay.

A bitter reality, but there was no other choice. Although it was a bit regretful, not purchasing the bracelet was also the right decision.

‘I grind, I earn, I blow it on healing, I spend it on equipment…

When will I be able to quit being a hunter? It feels like a comfortable retirement keeps getting further away.’

No, it shouldn’t be like this.

Evie shook her head to dispel gloomy thoughts.

Let’s think of something good, something happy.

Imagined a safety zone where gates have never been created, living there without financial worries.

‘I know I can’t afford it now, but one day I’ll buy a house there, even if it’s small.’

Imagined a life unrelated to dungeons. No giant bugs, moving corpses, eyeball monsters, or acid slimes. Just tending a garden in the yard.

Growing vegetables, cultivating strawberries and tomatoes.

The outcome was definite.

Just imagining that happy future gave Evie the motivation to live again.

“Now…the skill scrolls. I guess my contribution must have been significant.”

[Skill Acquisition Scroll x2]

– Scrolls that grant you random skills.

– Obtainable Skill Grades: F-S

– Untradeable

“Tsk.”

Evie clicked her tongue.

Defeating boss monsters or mutants would occasionally drop scrolls that allow you to acquire skills like this.

While some scrolls were tradable, unfortunately, this time they were not.

Evie slumped onto the bench, emitting a disappointed sigh, but soon rose to her feet.

Although she couldn’t exchange them for money, these scrolls still counted as a gain for her.

‘This time, I hope it’s an attack skill.’

Gently touching her now-healed arm and leg, Evie stepped forward.

I didn’t want to advertise that I was acquiring new skills through scrolls.

Hailing a taxi, Evie ordered two boxes of combination pizza with extra cheese and slouched in the backseat. All she wanted was to return home, take a shower, savor the pizza, and drift off to sleep under cozy blankets while watching videos of adorable four-legged creatures.

***

“Let’s pull out a skill.”

Evie sat her butt down on the worn-out sofa, settled her mind, and opened her inventory.

She took out two skill acquisition scrolls and placed one on her lap.

Clasping the scroll tightly with both hands, she thought, ‘Use.’

The scroll vanished from her grasp, replaced by an unending flow of cards before her eyes.

The cards flashed rapidly, one after another, with their backs facing her. It was a dazzling, disorienting sight. Evie held her breath, watching closely with wide-open eyes.

Finally, one card was selected, revealing its front side to Evie.

[Acquired Skill: Bright Eyes]

[Bright Eyes (C)]

– You can see what others cannot.

– Skill can be stacked

“…Yeah, I figured as much.”

Evie put the skill card away with a dejected expression.

Of course, Evie didn’t have high expectations, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t disappointed. Everyone else seemed to have F-grade attack skills like Fireball or Ice Arrow, but why was she different?

Evie reclined on the couch, covering her eyes with her arms.

“I’m so fed up, seriously.”

No matter how hard she tried in dungeons, being treated like a dead weight had grown wearisome.

Although such treatment was natural given her reliance on low-ranking buffer skills, Evie still felt bitter.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t fight upfront just because I lacked attack skills. I was always out there fighting too.

I’d rather quit everything and take any job, but the Awakened individuals couldn’t get employed in regular companies.

There was a perception that the Awakened snatched job opportunities away from the Non-Awakened. The real issue was that only the Awakened could check their status.

Because of that, if an Awakened concealed their skill, they could threaten the safety of the Non-Awakened.

In reality, there were indeed cases like that.

However, the guild wouldn’t accept Evie either, whether as a hunter or an ordinary employee.

With mediocre abilities and no notable academic or professional background, the outcome was expected.

Out of 100 job applications, 97 were rejected at the document stage, and the remaining 3 failed during interviews.

I really tried my best, but it seemed I was still lacking in many ways.

Evie wished she had a family to console her at times like this, but there was no one else, aside from herself, in this house.

It was hard to find an intact family from her generation.

Around 20 years ago, dungeons appeared all over the world without warning.

Over half of the global population was said to have been killed by the monsters pouring out of those places.

Evie’s parents were among those casualties. She had been sent to several orphanages until awakening at 18 and became a hunter.

Since then, Evie had been delving into dungeons for four years to acquire this small, old shelter.

Evie softly sobbed, reminiscing and shedding aimless tears. She felt melancholic for no reason.

Evie sprang up from the sofa and grabbed the remaining skill scroll.

“Please, just give me one useful skill. Please. If possible, give me a healing skill. Heal, heal, heal.”

What good were attack skills, anyway?

A high-level healing, or even a low-level one, could change her life from then on.

At least she wouldn’t have to risk her life in dungeons anymore.

Holding the scroll between her clasped hands as if in prayer, Evie shouted desperately from the depths of her heart.

“Use.”

The scroll vanished in an instant.

Though her eyes were shut, she sensed the cards flickering past her view.

Her hands clenched in fervent prayer.

“Please, please… Show me something useful.”

When the flashing dimmed somewhat, Evie opened her eyes to slits.

She caught a glimpse of a brilliant golden glow.

Evie inhaled deeply and fully opened her eyes.

[Acquired skill: “Enchantment”]

[Enchantment (S)]

A golden card emitted a blinding light, causing her eyes to tingle. It was an S-rank skill.

“Hic…hic..sob”

Evie crumbled onto the couch.

She buried her face in the thin blanket, letting out quiet sobs.

She had done it.

From the skill acquisition scroll, she had drawn an S-rank skill.

She was too overwhelmed to examine it closely yet. But one thing was clear.

“Evie James, now your life will change.”

After a long time of sobbing on the worn-out sofa, Evie finally sat up.

She reached for tissues on the table in front of her, wiping away her tears and taking a deep breath. Having celebrated to her heart’s content, it was time to discover what skill she had acquired. Evie pressed her face close to the floating golden card.

[Acquired skill: “Enchantment”]

[Enchantment (S)]

– Completely mesmerizes the designated target, ignoring all defense skills. (Restricted to use on other races, one-time use)

– Triggers if certain conditions are met.

– Permanent duration.

“….”

After examining the skill details, Evie quietly stowed the card away and retrieved her phone to access Hunter Heaven.

[Korea’s Largest Hunter Recruitment Information Site]

[Find your desired party on Hunter Heaven!]

[New member benefits! Item trading fee DOWN!]

[Recruiting for Corpse Disposal team. No experience required. New and low-level hunters welcome.]

Evie then stood up from her seat and went to the refrigerator. She popped open a can of beer and emptied it all, standing before the fridge.

The empty aluminum can crumpled in Evie’s hand.

She tossed the beer can into the trash and returned to the couch. Her eyes scanned the new job posted on Hunter Heaven.

“Fucking life….”

It was time to wake from her brief dream and return to reality as Evie James, a low-level supporter.

***

Rattle rattle.

With each minor bump the bus passed over, it jolted loudly. Due to constantly banging her head against the window, she couldn’t keep her eyes closed even briefly. The musty smell peculiar to old buses made her head spin.

Magic stones contain mystical energy that can be obtained from dungeons or monsters.

After the discovery of Magic stones, the world changed significantly. But many things still remained unchanged.

Electricity was still needed, gas was still used, and oil remained an essential resource in various sectors.

That was why Evie got on this rundown, dilapidated bus that seemed long overdue for retirement.

The local bus company had no intention of upgrading to newer models.

The efficiency of the energy extracted from magic stones, although revolutionary, still had an issue.

To use the new energy, new machinery devices compatible with that energy were required.

Absently gazing out the window, Evie entertained useless thoughts that contributed nothing to her life. Suddenly, she snapped out of it and quickly grabbed her bag.

Perhaps because no passengers were getting on or off, the bus continued past the bus stop without stopping.

In a panic, Evie pressed the bell and called out loudly, “I need to get off! Please stop!”

The bus abruptly stopped after passing the stop. If Evie waited for the next stop, she would have to walk a long way back.

With the grumbling complaints of the driver as background music, Evie managed to get off the bus just in time. The junker bus, fueled by diesel, belched out thick smoke as it drove away.

Covering her nose and mouth with her hand, Evie turned on her phone. The dungeon she had to raid today was located in a remote area with poorly paved roads.

It resembled an abandoned village, long devoid of its locals.

Rusted materials littered the streets, and cement chipped away from the facade of buildings. The gust of wind blew grains of sand into the tumbleweed.

Only the sound of her own footsteps crunching in the sand was heard. Evie felt uneasy and quickened her pace.

Beside a two-story house that was once a fancy property, a gate shimmering in purple hues.

Despite arriving early, there were already several people present besides Evie. As they leisurely stretched, their heads turned upon hearing Evie’s approaching footsteps.

Walking over, Evie exchanged greetings.

“Hello.”

“Oh…ah, yes. Hello.”

The man at the center of the group greeted her with an awkward smile.

The nearby members nodded stiffly. Their responses were reluctant, but Evie paid it no mind.

Hunters with average skills like her often encountered such treatment.

‘They usually assume buff hunters will hang back and leech EXP.’

Even if hunters like Evie fought at the forefront, they could only handle normal-grade monsters at best. Those assumptions were not wrong.

Before joining this party, Evie had been rejected 5 times.

Evie felt grateful just for being included in the party. It was a bit disheartening to hear everyone boasting about their achievements as they headed toward an F-rank dungeon.

Honestly, if Evie were in their shoes, being a hunter with only buff skills would make her feel uneasy indeed. This realization deepened her sense of discouragement.

As Evie joined her party members in stretching, she summoned her status window.

‘Status.’

[Evie James]

Level: 16 (E)

Stats: Strength (9), Stamina (12), Agility (11), Intelligence (10), Magic (13)

Skills: Calmness(E) / Hurry, Hurry!(F) / Bite Him!(E) / Dodged It!(E) / Bright Eyes(C) / Enchantment(S)

‘Always looks so pathetic.’

Evie signed, feeling embarrassed about her status no matter how she looked.

What even are these skill names?

Occasionally, in panic, she would unconsciously shout out skill names, only to cringe in embarrassment afterward and wish she could disappear after each raid.

While awaiting the arrival of two members, Evie skimmed through the skills she possessed.

[Calmness (E)]

– Slightly calm yourself in any situation.

– Activated automatically based on the user’s condition.

[Hurry up, hurry! (F)]

– Boost allies’ movement speed by 5% for 10 minutes.

– Cooldown: 20 minutes

– Mana cost: 1

[Bite Him! (E)]

– Enhances allies’ ATK by 7% for 15 minutes.

– Cooldown: 30 minutes

– Mana cost: 2

[Dodged It! (E)]

– Increases allies’ evasion rate by 7% for 15 minutes.

– Cooldown: 30 minutes

– Mana cost: 2

[Bright Eyes (C)]

– You can see what others cannot.

– Skill can be stacked

– Mana cost: 3

[Enchantment (S)]

– Mesmerizes the designated target completely, bypassing all defense skills. (Restricted to use on other races, one-time use)

– Activates under certain conditions

– Permanent duration

– Mana cost: 50%

“Really…so pathetic and embarrassing…”

Especially [Enchantment]. If only she could get rid of it.

Seriously, everyone.

Have you ever heard of a one-time use skill? I haven’t, damn.

To encounter a single-use skill that you can’t even use on the same person is mind-boggling.

It even has triggering conditions, but they don’t tell you what they are. Unless the system wanted to fuck Evie intentionally, this shouldn’t be possible.

Why the hell was this S-grade?!

As Evie stared at her status screen with a sorrowful gaze, the rest of the party members arrived at the gate one by one.