Kwon Jihan, unusually, was not looking at Yoon Seo. He was staring intently at the table, which was covered with drawings of monsters created by Yoon Seo.
"The boss monsters in the Great Dungeon are S-rank Yellow, resembling the boss monsters from the Red Dungeons. It's like the Gaia System beta-tested them in the Great Dungeon and then upgraded them before adding them to other S-rank dungeons. The same goes for the other mobs. I've fought them dozens, even hundreds of times. These monsters aren't supposed to fight with this many deaths."
Kwon Jihan's voice grew increasingly impassioned. He was showing his emotions honestly, with furrowed brows, a wrinkled nose, and creases on his chin. His gray eyes and black pupils were filled with sadness and anger.
"I kept thinking while listening to you. The Revenger was just extremely unlucky. If the Gaia System had been updated even halfway to how it is now, the Great Dungeon could have been cleared without such great sacrifices. Such just and brave people shouldn't have had to die like that. It's really frustrating."
Yoon Seo blinked slowly.
Those engaged in the heated discussion now stared at Kwon Jihan with wide eyes, sensing the unusual atmosphere.
"I'm so angry I could go mad. It didn't have to be this way. Damn it. We could have saved everyone."
Kwon Jihan roughly ran his hand through his hair.
He was sincere. He was truly angry and frustrated over the lost lives, feeling it was unjust and infuriating.
Yoon Seo watched him silently, taking in Kwon Jihan's furious outburst, which included cursing Gaia itself. Finally, Yoon Seo spoke softly.
"Indeed. It really… didn't have to be this way."
As Yoon Seo said this, he felt a small part of the knot in his chest loosen.
The words Kwon Jihan had expressed were thoughts Yoon Seo had harbored for the past ten years.
If only the inventory had existed back then, if only potions had been available, if only there had been Guild Stones or spatial pockets… Ah, the anger is overwhelming. The injustice is unbearable. The resentment is too much.
Kwon Jihan, whether intentionally or not, had voiced the frustrations Yoon Seo had to keep bottled up. It was being comforted now, from an unexpected source.
"Hyung."
Kwon Jihan called out to Yoon Seo, who blinked and looked over. There was a flicker of golden light in Kwon Jihan's gray eyes, as if his anger was making his magic move unconsciously.
"Let's get our revenge this time."
"..."
"Let's wipe them all out."
"…The Great Dungeon,"
"Don't just talk like you haven't experienced it. The Great Dungeon is beyond us now. Humans have become much stronger than you know."
"I understand they've gotten stronger. But we must not underestimate the updated system."
"Hyung, we've never underestimated anything, not even once."
Kwon Jihan lifted one corner of his mouth in a half-smile.
His deliberate enunciation seemed to carry complete conviction.
"We'll win. Overwhelmingly."
"..."
Regardless of the basis for his confidence, his face, filled with both a hint of anger and certainty, was strikingly impressive. For a moment, Yoon Seo was caught in the illusion of a halo around him, staring blankly.
"Yoon Seo, I have something to show you."
If Yoo Juncheol hadn't intervened just then, Yoon Seo might have continued staring.
As Yoon Seo looked at him, Yoo Juncheol took a folder out of his U-pad and hovered it in the air.
The folder contained other folders.
'Monsters,' 'Skills,' 'Items,' 'Dungeon Terrain,' 'Gaia System,' 'Planet Map.'
Yoo Juncheol navigated to the 'Monsters' folder. The translucent screen displayed a list of countless monsters, detailing their forms and characteristics.
"This is the monster base we're building. We've categorized them by the terrain they appear in and by rank, then further divided them by type, strength, and other factors. Upon analysis, it's clear that the monsters are like well-designed game data, with attack and defense values that can be accurately measured. For example, 'Small Vampire Bat' appearing in S-rank Yellow Dungeons has a health of 1,800–1,820, while the 'Large Vampire Bat' has 3,900–4,000."
"..."
"Similarly, we've also succeeded in quantifying the skills of Awakens. For example, the attack power of my skill
What? What's up with the 901?
Yoon Seo's head felt like it was spinning with the numbers. However, he roughly understood what Yoo Juncheol was trying to convey.
"There are various variables, such as weapon attack power, buff item usage, critical hits, skill cooldowns, and the user's proficiency. But by using a quantum computer to calculate all these variables and run simulations, we can achieve more efficient combat. Dungeon攻略 has become a numbers game, almost like solving a mathematical equation. This applies to the monsters in the Great Dungeon you mentioned as well. In fact, monsters from before the Gaia System upgrade are even easier to calculate."
Yoon Seo wondered why it would be easier to calculate pre-upgrade monsters but realized that speculating about the past of existing creatures was something humanity had always done, so he didn't ask.
Yoo Juncheol opened another folder.
This time it was a planetary map of Proxima b.
"You heard from Jihan that we're creating a map, right? It's larger than Earth, so there are still many unexplored areas, but we've identified the location of the Great Dungeon you mentioned. It seems to be in this area here, labeled 'Lava Great Canyon 10'. It was also an S-rank Red Dungeon that appeared in our country four years ago."
A 3D hologram displayed swirling red lava. Yoo Juncheol adjusted the size of the hologram. The unexplored areas were shown in gray, while most of the surrounding lava was gray as well, though there were areas with color and names.
"This area connected to Lava Great Canyon 10 is the second terrain, a swamp. This was the location of an S-rank Red Dungeon that appeared in the United States eight years ago. The dungeon size at that time extended from here to here."
Yoo Juncheol continued to point out and explain several more locations.
The dungeon was enclosed by a dome, and the terrain outside the dome was not visible. They created a planetary map by connecting these unseen regions, which was far more precise than the map Kwon Jihan had drawn in the previous dungeon.
Yoon Seo couldn't help but ask the question.
"When did you start researching all of this?"
"Since ten years ago."
"..."
"Since the clear of the Great Dungeon ten years ago, we've been working on it continuously. As Jihan said, too many lives were lost. Too many precious lives… Everyone realized that if we couldn't understand the unknown entity of the Gaia System, such sacrifices would continue. That's when Seokyoung led the large regional guilds and Hunter Alliance to combine their efforts and build this database."
"..."
Yoo Juncheol awaited Yoon Seo's reaction with a proud expression, but Yoon Seo couldn't fully grasp it and remained silent.
Yoo Juncheol didn't stop there.
"We plan to create a textbook based on what we've learned."
"A textbook? You mean something like a school textbook?"
Yoon Seo's eyes widened even more in surprise. Yoo Juncheol replied with a tone full of pride and seriousness.
"Yes, it will be a textbook for hunter training."
The term "hunter training" made Yoon Seo pinch his wrist slightly. Kwon Jihan, standing next to him, said.
"Hyung, I know you think this is a dream, but if you want to pinch something, pinch my arm."
"You might be surprised to hear this for the first time, but government officials and senior members of the Hunter Association are already aware of it."
"Even Director Tae Jaesik?"
"What are you talking about, Yoon Seo? Of course, we haven't told Director Tae Jaesik. We'd tell the local mayor before we ever tell Director Tae."
"..."
"Systematic monster encyclopedias, dungeon maps, and skill usage manuals are all part of the training materials Seokyoung has been planning and working on since ten years ago. We plan to unveil this project along with the Great Dungeon portal when it is opened. We have already selected the school site."
"A bold project… you've planned."
"We're working on a project worthy of humanity. Humans are conquerors, aren't we? We will conquer the Gaia System."
"..."
Conquer.
Yoon Seo was momentarily filled with concern, as if he feared that a deity might overhear.
Having awakened on the Day of Cataclysm and experienced the Great Dungeon, and having failed before the 'Black Portal,' Gaia felt almost god-like to him. He wondered what might happen if an omnipotent higher being were angered by humanity's audacious claim to conquer the Gaia System.
Whether or not Yoo Juncheol was aware of Yoon Seo's worry, he continued with his bold declarations.
"We can't continue living under the rule of this damned, unknown system forever, Yoon Seo. Just as the Gaia System updates itself, humanity is also evolving. We will acquire and utilize everything—dungeons, skills, items—and in the future, humanity will use the Gaia System to our advantage. It's not about Gaia giving us things; it's about us creating what we need through the Gaia System."
"..."
"You know we're researching spaceships and warp holes, right? Although it hasn't been announced yet, this research has made significant progress. Soon, humanity will travel to the Centauri system, the source of the Gaia System's emanation, and tell them we've arrived."
Yoo Juncheol's eyes and tone were filled with confidence. Do Deungsoo and Grace Elysia were the same.
It wasn't unfounded arrogance. The video alone was an invention of humanity. The planetary maps were also significantly advanced, and Yoon Seo had seen this with his own eyes. The monster encyclopedia was accurate and detailed. Item creation was already underway…
They could truly achieve it.
Conquering the Gaia System.
"Yoon Seo hyung."
Hearing his name in a very affectionate voice, Yoon Seo looked at Kwon Jihan.
Kwon Jihan wore a confident smile that seemed both combative and reassuring.
"I told you. We've become much stronger than you knew. There won't be any more sacrifices made by just one hero."
"..."
"Let's go and get our revenge."
Yoon Seo bit his lip. Neither a denial nor an affirmation came forth, but Kwon Jihan did not force an answer. He merely smiled with an expression of understanding.
While they engaged in their heated discussion, Yoon Seo remained dazed.
"We will conquer the Gaia System."
"Humans have become stronger."
"There won't be any more sacrifices made by just one hero."
Yoon Seo reflected on the disastrous Great Dungeon攻略, wondering what it all meant. He questioned why he should seek more answers when the mysteries seemed insurmountable. Most likely, many felt the same way.
This system is simply the way it is.
Sacrifice is inherent within such a system.
This system is an enigma beyond human comprehension, so there's nothing to be done about it.
Among those who spoke in such a manner, some were delving into the unknown.
They were genuinely preparing with all their might for the future to come.
Thump, thump. Yoon Seo's heart pounded loudly, as if something within was striking a large drum.
Anxiety, worry, concern…
And anticipation.
Yoon Seo had long given up hope for the future. The only future he anticipated was one where he completed all his tasks and then died. But not now.
For this moment, he wanted to see the future these people were preparing for.
A world without the sacrifice of a few, as Kwon Jihan described.
In that future, the deaths of 1,201 people would not have been in vain.