"Excuse me, may I order a cup of coffee?" a young man asked politely.
Sung Jinwoo stood in front of a mobile coffee stand set up at the edge of a worksite near a dungeon entrance, his voice soft but clear. He was a young man in his early twenties, with unremarkable features that many would overlook in a crowd. His hair was dark and slightly messy, as if he hadn't bothered to style it this morning, a result of his usual hectic routine. His clothes were simple—old jeans, a faded jacket, and scuffed boots, showing signs of a life spent battling the dungeons. The weariness in his brown eyes betrayed the exhaustion he often carried, though his demeanor remained polite and composed.
The young man working there hesitated as he glanced at the empty coffee pots. "Ah, Mr. Sung Jinwoo, I'm sorry, but all the coffee just ran out..." he said, apologizing with a sheepish smile.
Jinwoo's shoulders slumped, and he let out a soft sigh. I can't even get a cup of coffee... geez, this sucks. He turned away, disappointment creeping in as he walked toward the street.
The man quickly called after him, "I'm really sorry, Mr. Sung."
Jinwoo half-turned, offering a polite, though somewhat weary, smile. "No worries..." His voice was subdued, his mood clearly low. "I'm okay—"
But before he could leave, a familiar, feminine voice interrupted his thoughts. "Agh! Jinwoo! You're hurt again!"
Jinwoo paused, turning toward the voice, and saw Lee Joohee running toward him. She was a fellow Hunter, a B-Rank healer with striking orange hair. Her azure eyes held a mixture of concern and irritation, and despite her usually calm demeanor, her worry was evident today. She wore a simple yet elegant coat.
[Image Here]
"Huh? Oh, hello," Jinwoo greeted her, trying to sound casual despite his frustration. "I see you're going on this raid as well, Joohee."
"Of course I am!" she exclaimed, her voice rising slightly in her usual animated manner. "But that's not the issue here! What happened to your face this time?!"
Jinwoo absentmindedly touched his bruised cheek, wincing as he remembered the recent skirmish with a few monsters in the dungeon. "It's nothing serious," he muttered, but the cuts and bruises on his face told a different story.
Joohee frowned, crossing her arms. "Nothing serious? Jinwoo, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You're pushing yourself too hard."
He let out a small, rueful laugh. "I know, I know. I'll be more careful."
She shook her head, her voice softening, though her concern didn't fade. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself. We need you in one piece for the next raids."
Jinwoo met her gaze and nodded, the weight of her words sinking in. "I promise."
They both walked over to a set of metal bars that were probably forgotten there by the construction workers when the dungeon appeared. The rough surface wasn't exactly comfortable, but it was a familiar enough place to sit. Joohee dropped down onto one of the bars without hesitation, and Jinwoo followed suit, sitting beside her.
Joohee huffed, her brows furrowing as she reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her hand. "Stay still, Jinwoo, I'm gonna heal you now."
She lifted her hand near his cheek, a warm green light blooming from her palm. The energy pulsed softly, radiating gentle heat as it wrapped around his wounds. Within moments, the cuts and bruises that marred Jinwoo's face vanished, his skin returning to its unblemished state.
Jinwoo touched his cheek, surprised as always by how effortless it seemed for her. "Thanks, Joohee." He smiled faintly but hesitated before speaking again. "But are you sure this is not a problem? Shouldn't you preserve your mana for the dungeon instead of wasting it on me—"
"Wasting?" Joohee's voice sharpened, and she pulled her hand back abruptly. "I am not wasting my mana on you! You are important as well, so stop talking about yourself like you have no value!"
Jinwoo blinked, caught off guard by her frustration. He let out a dry chuckle, his expression dimming. "Well... but that's what everyone thinks…" he murmured. "I'm weak… so I don't have any value."
"Jinwoo—" Joohee's expression softened into something close to sadness, her lips parting as if she wanted to argue, to say something to change his mind.
But Jinwoo beat her to it. He gave her a reassuring look, one that carried a tired understanding. "Don't worry, Joohee... I'm used to it. You already know that as well."
Silence settled between them, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air.
Then, Jinwoo exhaled and pushed himself off the metal bars, brushing his jacket off. "Well, looks like it's time to head into the gate. Let's get going, Joohee."
Joohee hesitated for a moment, as if wanting to say more, but in the end, she just sighed and stood up, following behind him. "Okay..."
Together, they walked toward the group of Hunters gathering near the dungeon entrance.
Jinwoo and Joohee approached the gathered Hunters, where a man with orange hair and a confident stance stepped forward. He clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention.
"Listen up, everyone!" he called out, his voice steady and commanding.
The murmurs among the group quieted as the Hunters turned toward him.
"I'm sure we're all looking to have a good time and hit the jackpot today," he continued, his lips curling into a small smirk. "That said, even though I'm not exactly in any place to say this, I'm thinking about taking charge and being the party leader. How's that sound to everyone?"
A wave of agreement rippled through the group almost instantly.
"Song, you're the highest rank out of everyone here!" one of the Hunters said. "I approve."
"Yeah, we can count on Song." Another one nodded. "Let's see those skills."
"Yes, I'm on board too."
"Me too."
"Me too!"
The others quickly voiced their approval, trusting Song Chiyul's experience as a veteran C-rank Hunter.
Jinwoo smiled lightly and gave a small nod. "We'll be counting on you, Mr. Song Chiyul."
Behind him, Joohee nodded as well, a warm smile on her face.
"All right then..." Song Chiyul said, turning toward the shimmering blue gate that marked the dungeon's entrance. "Let's all head in."
With that, the group began moving, stepping forward toward the portal that would take them inside.
Just before stepping in, one of the Hunters turned to Jinwoo with a knowing smirk. "Sung, keep behind so you don't get hurt. Take it easy!"
Jinwoo let out an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "Okay..."
The man laughed and stepped into the gate, vanishing into the dungeon.
Joohee followed soon after, looking back at Jinwoo before entering. "Come on, Jinwoo."
"Yeah..." Jinwoo took a deep breath and stepped forward. Just before his figure disappeared, he clenched his fists, determination burning in his eyes.
I'm going to give it my all today!
And with that, he entered the gate.
To be continued...
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This was the first chapter? It's the same as Solo Leveling's first chapter only rewrote in my style, but in the next chapter you'll see something greatly different from the original...