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The executives were in an uproar, insisting that they needed to find the person who had disgraced the guild, but Seo Sang-ho refused to accept that.

“The one who has tarnished the guild’s reputation isn’t that person; it’s Ahn Do-yoon.”

Ahn Do-yoon had acted stubbornly, putting the newcomers in danger while attempting to wield violence against someone who deserved gratitude.

As punishment for this transgression, Seo Sang-ho demoted Ahn Do-yoon from vice guild leader to a regular guild member.

Given the seriousness of the offense, they could have expelled him outright, but considering his previous dedication to the guild, this was the punishment decided upon.

After tossing all the protesting executives out of the meeting room, Seo Sang-ho sighed and leaned back in his chair.

“The more I think about it, the more I regret it.”

Seo Sang-ho deeply regretted not being able to recruit Kang Jin-hyuk into the guild.

Even with his carelessness, the fact that an A-rank hunter had been taken down in one hit meant that he was not just any C-rank hunter.

If given some time, he would surely surpass Ahn Do-yoon.

There was a chance that he could even become an S-rank hunter like Seo Sang-ho himself.

Not having swiftly recruited someone with such potential was a significant regret.

“It’s crucial to make him our own before he grows any larger.”

Fortunately, he had managed to get Kang Jin-hyuk’s contact information.

With this connection intact, there was a strong possibility that he could create an opportunity for future collaboration if he handled things appropriately.

“Should I start by becoming a drinking buddy?”

Beyond his skills, Seo Sang-ho appreciated Kang Jin-hyuk’s refreshing attitude.

Despite having made notable accomplishments, he had even declined additional compensation, displaying commendable character.

Regardless of whether he joined the guild, Seo Sang-ho felt a desire to build a personal relationship with him.

* * *

“Maybe I should have just accepted it when they offered it?”

Kang Jin-hyuk had a tinge of regret while checking his bank balance.

Having purchased potions, various scrolls, and equipment drained his finances more than he had anticipated.

He had turned down Titan’s additional compensation, thinking he could earn enough in the dungeon anyway.

Now that he reflected on it, that behavior seemed uncalled-for.

“Why did I end up making a loss just to look cool?”

While it was true that he had gained a good image among the clerics, giving up potential immediate rewards was foolish.

“Dammit, I’m not going out today until I make up for this loss.”

Resolute, Kang Jin-hyuk opened the door to the attic.

Upon entering the dungeon, he was immediately struck by a blast of intense heat, suggesting that the dwarf was busy creating something again.

“Is he already expanding his collection?”

Not wanting to interrupt that work, Kang Jin-hyuk made his way downstairs through the gate.

As he ventured deep into the forest and passed the cave he had previously seen, this time he was welcomed by orcs instead of kobolds.

“Urrgh.”

The orcs, having spotted Kang Jin-hyuk, approached him with a threatening demeanor.

Surrounded by over twenty orcs, Kang Jin-hyuk felt calm.

Even when he had a lower level, he had taken down orcs in a single blow, so there was no need to be intimidated now that their numbers had increased.

Kang Jin-hyuk was the first to move and swung his bat at the orc standing in front of him.

Caught off guard and unable to raise its shield, the orc’s skull caved in under the impact.

“Twenty orcs would be quite a decent haul.”

Luck was on Kang Jin-hyuk’s side, as the orc he dispatched was the leader of the group.

With the commander now gone, the remaining orcs were thrown into disarray, making it a simple task to eliminate them.

In just ten minutes, not a single orc was left standing around Kang Jin-hyuk.

Collecting the remains of the orcs, he ventured further into the forest and stumbled upon stairs that looked identical to those he had seen on the first floor.

“Can I go down to a lower level?”

As with the forest, the deeper depths were likely to be filled with stronger monsters.

Kang Jin-hyuk felt confident in his abilities and went down the stairs without hesitation.

[You have arrived at the third layer, ‘The Labyrinth of the Temple Guardian.’]

[The warp gate for the third layer has been registered.]

Messages similar to the first time he came down the stairs appeared.

The place referred to as the third layer was indeed a labyrinth, yet it felt different.

It resembled an ancient temple, with moss covering the walls and devoid of any human presence.

“There’s a creepy vibe here.”

The surrounding was bright like it was daytime, but if it had been dark, it could easily be considered a haunted house.

Though he found the place unsettling, Kang Jin-hyuk had no intention of turning back.

“There might be enchantment materials coming from somewhere in this place.”

Aluminum was plentiful outside, so if he could gather enchantment materials here, it would simply be a matter of time before he became wealthy!

Kang Jin-hyuk was curious about what kind of creatures might dwell in such a place.

Almost as if to respond to his curiosity, a golem suddenly erupted from the ground.

“What the hell?!”

The golem immediately swung its stone fist toward Kang Jin-hyuk upon appearing.

Though he managed to dodge back, it was an incredibly close call.

Kang Jin-hyuk watched as the spot he had occupied moments ago was dented by the golem’s punch.

Even with mithril armor, taking several hits from that would surely end badly.

“I’ll need to strike and retreat quickly…”

Seizing the moment as the golem readied another punch, Kang Jin-hyuk charged in quickly.

Swinging the bat at the golem’s head caused it to shatter into pieces.

However, unlike other monsters, the golem didn’t die just because it lost its head.

The golem’s arm, which was still extended, slammed into Kang Jin-hyuk.

“Ugh!”

Thanks to the damage reduction effect of his chain mail, he was spared from severe injury.

Kang Jin-hyuk rolled backward but quickly got back on his feet.

Though he tried to act nonchalant, he ultimately couldn’t suppress the pain, making him kneel on one knee.

“Is the half-reduced damage this much…?”

Not only was it surprisingly strong, but what was more concerning was that even after losing its head, it remained functional.

There had been no prior information about golems witnessed outside.

Not having a defensive strategy for an unknown monster required Kang Jin-hyuk to rely solely on his wits.

“From what I’ve seen in comics, you need to destroy its core.”

Normally, his bat would have shown a gleaming effect on the core, thanks to its enchantment, but right now, that wasn’t the case.

No part of the golem appeared to emit any light when he looked closely.

Thus, searching for the core with just his eyes would prove useless.

“Is there even a core in the first place?”

The stories of the golem’s core were more common in novels and comics.

There was no guarantee that it applied in reality as well.

“Ordinary monsters should appear instead. Why does it have to be this thing?”

Realizing that he was not prepared for this situation, Kang Jin-hyuk started to think of a way to escape.

However, before he could retrieve a return stone from his inventory, another golem emerged from below him.

“Whoa!”

Losing his footing, he dropped the return stone he had picked up.

On top of that, the newly appeared golem swung its fist mercilessly at Kang Jin-hyuk, who had fallen.

In desperation, he extended his hand and activated a cleric’s skill.

“Holy Shield!”

A golden shield appeared in front of him, successfully blocking the golem’s punch.

But it was still too early to breathe easy.

Since the skill’s level was low, the shield was already on the verge of breaking.

If the golem delivered another punch, it would likely shatter.

“Damn it!”

As Kang Jin-hyuk hurriedly tried to rise, he heard a shout nearby.

“Stay right there!”

The moment the voice called out, an arrow zipped over Kang Jin-hyuk’s head, piercing directly through the golem’s center.

The golem, struck in the chest, turned into an ordinary stone and crumbled.

In that instant, Kang Jin-hyuk realized that the golem’s core was located at its heart.

Having understood its weakness, there was no need for hesitation.

With that knowledge in mind, Kang Jin-hyuk swiftly rose and threw his bat at the approaching golem.

The baseball bat flew through the air and struck the golem’s chest with precision.

With a sound resembling shattering rock, the rushing golem collapsed into pieces.

Thanks to the retrieval feature, the bat returned to his hands, and Kang Jin-hyuk exhaled in relief.

“Phew… that was close.”

Catching his breath, he turned to look in the direction the arrow had come from.

There stood a figure dressed in a brown hood, covering their entire body and face while holding a bow.

It was impossible to determine their gender from their appearance, yet the voice was undeniably female.

Kang Jin-hyuk assumed she was another dweller of the dungeon, similar to the dwarf he had met before.

The incongruity in her attire made it likely that she was not a hunter from outside.

“Thank you for your assistance.”

Approaching to express his gratitude, Kang Jin-hyuk was seized by the collar before he could react.

“Gah?”

Caught off guard by the suddenness of the situation, he had no time to process what was happening.

The hooded figure drew Kang Jin-hyuk’s face close as she inquired,

“Where did you come from?”

“What?”

“Where did you come from? Are you trapped here, or did you enter from the outside?”

Her questions came just as abruptly as her actions.

Kang Jin-hyuk answered quickly, without much thought.

“I came from the outside.”

Upon hearing his response, the hooded figure’s demeanor became even more intense.

She gripped his collar tighter with both hands and began to shake him roughly.

“You came from the outside?! When?!”

“Uh, today.”

“Where did you enter? How did you get in?”

“Uh, I just saw the entrance and came inside!”

As she shook him, Kang Jin-hyuk felt dizzy from the motion.

As he was about to plead for her to stop, her grip suddenly released, causing him to stumble back.

Caught off guard by the abrupt change, he lost his balance and fell onto the floor, landing on his backside.

“Ouch… what on earth was that?!”

The hooded figure paid no attention to Kang Jin-hyuk’s protests, instead falling deep into thought, muttering to herself as if possessed.

‘Is she maybe mentally unstable?’

Kang Jin-hyuk seized the opportunity to slowly step back, planning his escape.

He barely made it a few steps before an arrow whizzed above his head, slicing through the air.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

A surge of panic coursed through Kang Jin-hyuk as he opened his mouth like a fish out of water.

The entire process of her drawing the bow and loosing the arrow had appeared instantaneous and unparalleled, instilling fear within him.

He understood that challenging such a foe was reckless.

“Take me to the entrance where you came in!”

“…”

Aghast, Kang Jin-hyuk nodded vigorously, his face drained of color.

He figured that if he opposed her here, he could end up with arrows piercing through him.

“Good answer.”

Satisfied, she slung her bow over her back once more.

Then she removed the hood covering her face.

With bright, shining blonde hair, emerald eyes, and long pointed ears, she looked exactly like the depiction of an ‘elf’ found in fantasy stories.

Kang Jin-hyuk stood speechless, awestruck by her appearance.