By Zephyria 
Kiiiiiiii-.
The thing howling from behind Ban No-ah was a one-eyed monster resembling a lugworm.
‘It’s not just one.’
Dozens of grotesque monsters were lined up behind Ban No-ah as if they were an army.
“Something’s weird…”
We felt a sense of unease there.
“It looks like the monsters appeared following that guy’s instructions.”
Jae-ha’s brow furrowed tightly.
While being doubtful, I was also reminded of the time when the Jin Eu-tteum disappearance case occurred.
The Dungeon that could have been sufficiently cleared with an A-class Hunter’s ability went berserk, and monsters of a higher rank than expected popped out from within.
I quickly examined the grotesque monsters guarding Ban No-ah’s back like signposts.
“Those guys, they resemble Sandworms, but they seem to be of a higher class.”
“…Yeah.”
“Jae-ha, do you happen to know what rank the Dungeon we entered was?”
Jae-ha hesitated before answering carefully.
“…B-rank.”
“B-rank?”
For a B-rank, the bloodlust and amount of magic emanating from those monsters seemed extraordinary.
Potato even widened his eyes at the sight of the monsters.
[ Th, those things. They look like a mutated version of Sandworms? ]
‘What?’
[ That’s no B-rank Sandworm! At least A-rank, or in the worst case, an S-rank… not a Sandworm, but an evolved unidentified monster. ]
‘So, you’re saying the Sandworm evolved on its own when the Dungeon Break occurred?’
[ W, well, I’m not sure, but maybe…? It’s a phenomenon I’ve never observed before, so I can’t be 100 percent sure. ]
In any case, this was a big problem.
‘Evolution. No way.’
Even when I was working in the front lines in my past life, such a thing never happened.
The concept of evolution was not something allowed for monsters.
But at this timing, of all times, in a mutated Dungeon, the monsters have evolved to be more powerful and ferocious?
‘Wait a minute.’
Mutated Dungeon.
Dungeon Breaks that occurred simultaneously in various places.
The Jin Eu-tteum disappearance case.
Even Jae-ha’s statement that Ban No-ah was the culprit directly involved in Jin Eu-tteum’s disappearance due to the Jin-irang incident.
Combining all of this, a trembling voice escaped from my mouth.
“Ban No-ah, you… by any chance, do you have the ability to control Dungeons and monsters to cause this?”
Ban No-ah didn’t answer.
He simply raised the corners of his annoying mouth.
“If so, what are you going to do?”
Ah, damn it!
Seeing my pale face, Ban No-ah seemed to have regained his lost composure.
And, horrifyingly, it was practically the same as him affirming my question.
“How could you have such an ability…”
Jae-ha was also speechless, and he glared at Ban No-ah with anger.
Ban No-ah even whistled at Jae-ha’s enraged appearance.
“Are you finally getting a little anxious now? Hyeon Jae-ha.”
“…Are you the culprit who triggered all the recent Dungeon Breaks?”
The anger that had never been seen in Jae-ha before was boiling like lava.
The Esper’s wave emanating from him flickered red, spewing out sadness and resentment.
“Answer me. Are you saying that your tricks were involved even in the Dungeons that burst decades ago?!”
Jae-ha, who was always calm and strong.
Hyeon Jae-ha, who always worried about his comrades and supported them firmly, telling them not to lose heart.
…Even Jae-ha, who possessed such gentle strength, was ultimately just a human.
He, too, was a victim who was separated from his family due to the appearance of Dungeons and went out to fight as a meat shield.
To Jae-ha, Dungeons and monsters were no different from demons that had taken the lives of precious people.
But to deliberately cause Dungeon Breaks for his own greed and to manipulate monsters to steal the abilities of Ability Users.
Flames rose in Jae-ha’s blue eyes.
“Answer me! Ban No-ah!”
Kuuuuuung-.
Kieek, kiiiieek!
Kieek!
The excited Jae-ha used telekinesis to simultaneously crush the monsters and Ban No-ah.
An invisible, giant hand of telekinesis applied pressure to them, but Ban No-ah alone leisurely stood up, brushing the sand off his legs.
“It’s a well-known fact that your ability is telekinesis. You didn’t think I wouldn’t bring armor to counter that ability, did you?”
Ban No-ah took out something that looked like a fragment of a mirror, a Magic Tool, from his pocket.
The mirror was so cracked that it looked like it would break soon.
“I’m glad I bought it. It was armor that completely nullifies an attack from an S-class or higher Ability User just once.”
“You…”
“It was worth buying from the black market for a high price. Wow! To think I’d see Hyeon Jae-ha on the verge of losing his mind because of me while I’m still alive!”
Ban No-ah chuckled and soon turned his gaze to me.
“An Ga-hyeon… unfortunately, if you and Hyeon Jae-ha are annihilated in this Dungeon, I’ll come back to find you then.”
“Don’t bullshit, you X bastard. Who’s going to die?”
I blatantly flipped him off, but he laughed at me.
“Do you think you can easily escape from a Dungeon that I’ve already mutated? You’re dreaming big. No matter how great Ability Users you are, you’ll be trapped and die in a Dungeon that I’ve already closed.”
“Close…?”
Suddenly, Jin Eu-tteum, who couldn’t escape from the Dungeon, came to mind.
The moment the reason why he, who even possessed a Return Stone, was found as a cold corpse was solved.
“You… did you kill Jin Eu-tteum in that way too?”
Did you drive the other Ability Users whose abilities you stole to the brink of death in that way?
Unlike with Hyeon Jae-ha, Ban No-ah did not avoid my question, which I asked in shock.
“I won’t deny it.”
“Y… you crazy bastard!”
This time, it wasn’t Jae-ha but me who was furious and tried to pounce on him, but Jae-ha grabbed me.
“No, Ga-hyeon! I don’t know what that bastard will do if you get close to him.”
“Let go! What did that bastard do!”
The moment I realized that the shining red orbs in Ban No-ah’s ears, neck, and pockets were products obtained by making Ability Users tremble in fear and killing them in Dungeons, nausea surged.
‘The Dungeon was the perfect place to kill Ability Users and dispose of them without a trace.’
Why couldn’t I have thought of that at all?
Even though I was hit by the attack of a boss monster that burst out from a Dungeon Break and died on the spot.
I struggled to get out of Jae-ha’s arms.
“Let go of me, Hyeon Jae-ha! That bastard! That bastard…!”
“I’m sorry, but… I understand your anger, but. I can’t let you go to that dangerous guy alone.”
“That bastard…”
That crazy bastard pushed innocent Ability Users to their deaths in a terrible Dungeon.
Dozens? Maybe even more than three digits.
They may be people I don’t know.
It broke my heart to think that they had faced a miserable death alone, no less than I had.
‘At least Jae-ha was there to watch over me at the end…’
How helpless and frustrated would they have been in front of a murderous robber who was trying to steal their abilities?
I understood that feeling so well.
Tears fell from my eyes.
“Ugh…. Hngh…”
Hot tears wet my cheeks and soaked into the dry sand.
[ Uh, uh-uh? ]
Potato was flustered and restless.
That’s right. I was the owner of a dry sensibility who didn’t cry easily in my past life or my present life.
Jae-ha hugged me even tighter when I, who hadn’t cried even when my arms and legs were blown away, shed tears.
Ban No-ah watched me crying with interest.
He even rested his chin as if appreciating a work of art.
That attitude made me even more angry.
“How amusing. I never thought I’d see such a rare sight.”
“…What’s so funny? Are you like a god because you can manipulate Dungeons and monsters as you please? Stealing other people’s abilities and using them indiscriminately? Huh?”
Ban No-ah didn’t even scoff at my sharp sarcasm.
“God, God… I am dreaming of such a thing.”
“This bastard’s completely gone mad.”
I didn’t expect him to answer sincerely to a sarcastic remark.
‘God? He’s trying to become a god?’
It was a delusion so bloated that it felt like it would burst.
“How can someone like you become a god?”
“What’s to stop me? I’ve already caused Dungeon Breaks all over the country, and the Hunters trying to stop them are struggling…”
He snapped his fingers, creating a clear ringing sound.
“Isn’t it everyone’s hope that a ‘hero’ will appear in this time of insufficient power?”
If only I could get rid of you, who were like hangnails under my fingernails, constantly hindering my path.