A Side Character's Mission ↠ Solo Leveling

Chapter 20: Stranded

The inside of a dungeon usually look like a cave, tunnels, a place where they usually couldn't see the sky. However, they arrived in an open area, where they were surrounded by thick forest. Heavy snow was pouring down from the clouds above and the cold air made both of their body and heart chilled.

"Where is this?!"

"This doesn't look like a Dungeon?!"

"The Gate has disappeared as well!"

Jinwoo scrutinized the surrounding with narrowed eyes.

Suddenly, three shots of arrows came from the trees and struck one of the hunter on the face. The man died on the spot while the other arrow that targeted Songi was fortunately caught by Jinwoo. The last one was flung by Seungeun with his cap.

"Kyaaa!"

"What is this?!"

"It's an ambush!"

Jinwoo felt his heart beat with a thud for a moment as he looked at the youth in surprise, "Are you okay?"

Because he paid more attention to Songi's safety, he didn't catch the arrow that could possibly end the youth's life right then and there.

"I'm fine." Seungeun brushed off the ice from the cap and wore it back calmly.

"Sorry."

He didn't understand the reason Jinwoo apologised but still smiled in respond and said it was okay.

"On the tree! It's them!"

"Ice elves?!"

Two figures stood on one of a high tree trunk, holding bows and arrows. Their hair were white and long and their skin was pale, light blue. They had pointed ears, thus they were called ice elves. These type of monsters, Hyakki, like to mercilessly hunt down hunters.

The arrow Jinwoo caught earlier froze his hand.

One of them mocked the hunters by doing a cutting gesture on their neck, earning a look of annoyance from him.

"I don't think they're welcoming us." The tank said, "I'm not sure how many of you guys understood the situation yet, but we are inside of a Red Gate. We cannot return untill all of us are dead or the dungeon opens."

"What's a Red Gate?" asked Songi. She had been calm this whole time because she had lack in experiences and didn't know that their current situation was odd.

Jinwoo explained, "It's a special gate that connects us to another world. Once we step foot inside, the gate closes off completely and nobody else can come and help. It's a place we cannot escape until the boss is killed or the dungeon opens on its own. In other words, we're stranded."

The tank turned himself towards all of them and announced, "I'll introduce myself once again. I am the A-rank hunter 'Kimchul'. Now that we know this is a Red Gate, I'll take responsibility for your survival!"

"But I will not be premature and claim that all of you will be able to return back alive.  We must wait countless months for the dungeon to open and there's no guarantee that we will survive."

"A Red Gate's rank is at least B. In a dangerous place like this, it'll be difficult to manage a large number of people. That's why I will form a separate team to clear the dungeon with me."

"If we stay here, we'll either die from the cold or get ambushed. Even if no one wants to clear the dungeon with me, I will go alone."

"Who wishes to join me?"

As far as the other hunters knew, Kimchul was the highest ranked hunter in the group, so many of them rushed to join him. After all, their chances of survival were more likely higher to stick with him.