Beyond The Control

Chapter 12

The procedure for conquering dungeons is almost identical worldwide.

When a new dungeon or unregistered dungeon is discovered, anyone must immediately report it to the Central Management Association. Once a report is received, the Association dispatches staff to begin an investigation, and they neatly organize information such as the predicted grade and time remaining until dungeon break on their website.

Access to the site is given only to a select few, such as guild masters or guild managers. After that, a process similar to an auction takes place. Guilds submit applications saying “Our guild will take charge,” the Association reviews them, and grants full authority for dungeon conquest to the guild they deem most suitable.

There’s a significant correlation between dungeon grade and a guild’s combat power. Simply put, high-level dungeons are always taken by large guilds. Not only because of the astronomical winning bids, but also because large guilds with many high-grade Espers have an absolute advantage in safely completing dungeon conquests that occasionally take over a month.

Currently, there are six guilds counted as large in Korea, with an unofficial but universally acknowledged standard: the presence of an S-class Esper.

It was a result following the principle that people attract people, just as money begets money.

When Korea’s first S-class Esper created the first guild, braving fierce opposition from the Awakened Association, top A-class Espers flocked to join. Subsequently, another S-class Esper created a guild with himself as the head, and then another was formed. Thus, there are now a total of six guilds possessing S-class Awakened.

While medium to large guilds don’t even look at dungeons below C-grade, there is one unique case where they bid for D-grade or E-grade dungeons. It’s for newly Awakened individuals who have successfully completed their new recruit training to gain practical experience.

8th Floor Small Conference Room.

The New Employee Team Leader, whom I hadn’t seen in nearly two weeks, hurriedly opened the door and entered the conference room. Unlike the Team Leader who looked kind as always, the faces of the new recruits who had arrived earlier all showed clear signs of tension.

Ah. Of course, there are exceptions. I don’t need to say who that exception is.

“I apologize for being late. We’ve gathered you all here today to inform you about the upcoming dungeon conquest.”

As the beam projector screen at the front turned on, darkness fell over the office. Thanks to this, an environment was created where the already disciplined new recruits could focus even more.

Soon the PPT screen changed, and the full-fledged briefing began.

“The dungeon you’ll be conquering for the first time is expected to be D-level.”

The obvious explanation continued, but I didn’t find it particularly boring. Rather, it was perfect for reminiscing as memories of when I was a new recruit gently surfaced.

‘It was an open mountain, so I could use my skills freely.’

Actually, this is when I had become somewhat accustomed. When I first crossed the control line and entered the gate, my legs were shaking so much I thought I was going to die. I was terrified even by a gust of wind.

‘My skill is handling wind… Looking back now, it’s quite comical.’

While I was alone in my reminiscence, the briefing had already ended. The room brightened again, and it was time to introduce the guides. I had expected Gitae hyung of course, but I didn’t know they would call me up to the platform too.

“Next, I’ll introduce our assistant. Guide Lee Su-hyeon?”

Thanks to this, I looked at Director Joo with a completely bewildered expression. When our eyes met, he nodded kindly. Then he gestured towards the platform as if to say ‘go up quickly’.

There was another gaze directed at me. The new guild members scattered in the front had already turned their heads to look at me.

‘If you were going to do this, you could have given me a heads up.’

I felt Team Leader Kim Kwang-in’s rotten smile from earlier overlapping on my face.

I stood up from my seat, dripping with cold sweat. Fortunately, I made it to the microphone on the platform without tripping.

“I’m Lee Su-hyeon from Team 3. It’s an honor to be able to join the first raid of our new guild members, who are the new hope and young blood of our guild. I hope you trust our leader, Deputy Team Leader Kim Gitae, and that this will be a beneficial time where you can demonstrate your skills to the fullest and gain experience. Thank you for your cooperation.”

As I stepped back and bowed politely, generous applause poured out. Gitae hyung’s double thumbs up was a bonus.

Thump thump. Even before I could turn around at the sensation on my shoulder, I heard Gitae hyung’s words as he put his arm around my shoulders.

“As expected of our Su-hyeon. You did better than me, who prepared a speech.”

“Don’t tease me, hyung.”

“Tease? I’m completely serious. I don’t know why there’s no skill for eloquence.”

That’s what I mean by teasing.

“Then see you later.”

“Yes.”

Gitae hyung playfully messed up the back of my hair with the arm around my shoulders and then walked away.

Thanks to that, I started moving my feet that had momentarily stopped. Since I was fully equipped in combat gear before deployment, my boots made a steady thudding sound with each step.

When I returned to the conference room and opened the door, I saw that the new recruits had also changed into combat gear. There were a total of five Espers who had completed the new recruit training this time, and unusually, their grades were all different. Two B-grade, one C-grade, one D-grade, and one S-grade Esper.

That S-grade guy looked at me and immediately approached.

“Excuse me.”

I almost stepped back reflexively at his sharp aura. Still, I had to say what needed to be said.

“Senior, or hyung. Remember?”

“……”

“I’m not trying to be old-fashioned, but proper titles are essential. If you do that in front of the Team Leader or Deputy Team Leader, your spine might fold in half.”

It might sound like a joke, but it’s true. As we are frequently deployed to life-and-death situations and often exposed to great dangers, following the chain of command is absolutely fundamental. I don’t know about now, but when I was a rookie, it was even highlighted in bold in the new recruit training materials. Our team has a particularly good atmosphere and everyone is close, so playful insubordination is tolerated as endearing, but the moment you cross the line, punishment is merciless.

In response, Song Ji-hyeok continued without using any title.

“Don’t guides usually not go to the field?”

“That’s usually the case.”

As he pointed out, guides with physical abilities no different from ordinary people are rarely deployed to the field except in very special cases like joint combat or emergency mobilization. I too am joining this new recruit training in my capacity as an Esper, but Song Ji-hyeok didn’t seem to know that yet.

“But I’m a bit special.”

“……”

Oh boy, look at that distrustful gaze.

I lightly tapped his chest, not enough to hurt, and added a couple of words with a smile.

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Sometimes seeing is faster than telling.

About thirty minutes later.

Following the new recruits, then me, and finally Gitae hyung, we all boarded the car in turn. While our guild does have a few Espers capable of teleportation, there were no fools who would use such a precious ability just for new recruits’ combat.

Throughout the journey, a suffocating tension filled the car. It was understandable for everyone to be nervous as it was their first real combat.

Gitae hyung and I didn’t make any effort to ease the tension of the new recruits. We knew from experience that no matter how much reassurance you give, it only lasts for a moment, and all sorts of thoughts come back again.

On the other hand, their highly disciplined appearance looked a bit cute. They’re like this because it’s their first time; after about five more deployments, they’ll reach a state where they play phone games mindlessly or catch up on sleep in the car.

The dungeon site was in a small town about an hour’s drive away. When we arrived at the scene, a familiar sight greeted us.

There was a seemingly flimsy but impenetrable control line set up, with two Association staff guarding around it. It was a modest number of personnel befitting a low-level dungeon.

While Gitae hyung had a brief conversation with the staff, I examined the dungeon gate from a few steps away. The faintly rippling blue wavelength was clearly a normal D-grade at a glance.

‘Let’s see. How should we distribute roles?’

Grades aren’t just for show. No matter how much of a novice Song Ji-hyeok is, an S-grade Esper conquering a D-grade dungeon would be easier than eating cold porridge.

But that’s not how it should be. As this stage was set up to gain practical experience, we needed to give all the new recruits a chance to use their skills. And I’m the one who can optimize and give instructions for that.

While secretly praising myself, I took out a chocolate bar from my combat suit pocket. I had swiped it from the pantry during the preparation time given before deployment. As they say, one should replenish their sugar before important matters…

“Are you the only one eating?”

As I was tearing open the chocolate bar wrapper with my teeth, Song Ji-hyeok suddenly spoke to me. At that sound, the gazes of the other new recruits all turned towards me. I suddenly became the guy leisurely eating chocolate alone while leaving the nervous new chicks behind.

‘Come on, you could have brought your own…’

Contrary to my inner voice, my hand repeatedly reached for the front pocket of my combat suit.

Although I was flustered by the unexpected situation, I was someone who knew how to turn a crisis into an opportunity. I took out all the chocolate bars I had stuffed in haphazardly and distributed them to the new recruits one by one, as if I had intended to share from the beginning.

“Have one each to ease your tension.”

“Um…”

Then, a timid-looking Esper raised his hand and asked meekly. Was her name Kang Ha-na?

“Is this a potion with tension-relieving effects?”

No. It’s something you can buy at any supermarket. There are tons in the pantry.