I Awakened as a Dark History - Chapter 80

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 80
With the Dungeon behind me, I’d have plenty of free time.
With that thought in mind, I drew up a plan to decipher the stone tablet.
Though calling it a plan was generous—it was really just a half-baked idea to study the tablet whenever I had a spare moment.
But then……
“The Dungeon we’re entering today did receive an S-Rank Rating, but it barely squeaked by, so it shouldn’t be too dangerous.”
“Plus, we have the Healer with us today!”
“Ah, haha, yes……”
I’d never been more wrong in my life.
‘So much for studying the tablet—my weekends vanished too!’
When I came to my senses, I’d already cleared three Dungeons, and three weeks had slipped by.
In those three weeks, I’d rested for only three days. That meant six days of work per week.
‘This is insane. I’m reporting this to the Labor Board!’
Though as a freelancer, that wouldn’t get me anywhere.
I looked up at the sky to keep the tears from falling.
Truth was, I could have refused the raid schedule.
The problem was that without me, clearing several high-level Dungeons would be nearly impossible.
If I left things as they were, it would fall squarely on the Hunters who’d been grinding away for weeks.
I couldn’t bear the thought of burdening them like that.
So in the end, I had no choice but to accept the raid schedule.
‘At least the money’s fantastic.’
I thought of all those zeros in my bank account. My tears dried up instantly.
It wasn’t really about the money—just a touch of chronic dry eye, the price of adulthood.
While I was brooding over work-life balance, the Leader of the raid team raised his hand lightly.
“Today’s Dungeon isn’t just about clearing it.”
The other Hunters nodded as if they’d been briefed already. But before I could get a full explanation, a van pulled up in front of the Dungeon Gate.
Six or so people in white lab coats tumbled out of the van, apparently having come as a group.
“Good morning. We’re from the Anconu Research Foundation.”
One face among them looked terribly familiar.
“Wait……? An Je-hwan?”
“It’s been a while, Healer.”
An Je-hwan bowed slightly to me. I returned the greeting awkwardly, bowing back.
Midway through the greeting, something suddenly struck me.
“You’re going into the raid with us?”
“That’s right.”
When An Je-hwan confirmed it lightly, I grew even more confused.
‘Does this Dungeon have something to do with poison? Doesn’t seem like it.’
As I tilted my head in bewilderment, An Je-hwan added an explanation.
“We’ve come to gather materials for Potion production.”
“Huh? Your research foundation makes Potions?”
So they weren’t items that dropped from Dungeons.
Now that I thought about it, I’d never received a Potion as a Dungeon drop in all my time raiding.
I’d been buying and using Potions without ever wondering where they came from.
That realization hit me fresh.
“I had no idea……”
My musing wasn’t particularly rare—An Je-hwan nodded calmly.
“Our research foundation manufactures Potions and basic items for distribution. Complex weapons are usually obtained through Dungeons, but someday we might be able to supply more items from the lab.”
An Je-hwan seemed to take pride in his work.
“Researchers and non-combat personnel might seem unimportant, but we research Dungeons and provide support from the rear. It’s a vital profession.”
Or maybe he was just being less modest because his team members were standing behind him.
‘Even mad scientists have to navigate office life.’
Once again, I felt the quiet anguish of the working world.
Looking back at the researchers standing behind him, their expressions didn’t look particularly happy either.
‘Don’t they usually go into Dungeons?’
Their nervous smiles, trembling legs, and clasped hands all suggested genuine anxiety.
And even if it barely made S-Rank, an S-Rank Dungeon would make anyone nervous.
“But do the researchers have to go in person? Can’t we just gather the materials and bring them to the lab?”
“The collection and extraction require specific skills and knowledge, and none of your raid team has those skills.”
“So the researchers have to go into the Dungeon every time? That sounds dangerous.”
Nothing in this world comes easy. I wondered how inconvenient it must be to work as a researcher and then get sent into the field.
I watched the researchers with a sinking feeling.
They looked exhausted—my concern had been entirely justified.
An Je-hwan caught my gaze and shook his head.
“Normally we have dedicated Hunters for Gathering. The researchers don’t venture into Dungeons themselves.”
“Really? Then why are you going in this time?”
An Je-hwan let out a heavy sigh.
“Right now, all the top-tier Hunters from each Guild and Raid team have joined Dareia Godden’s team. We’ve had to fill those gaps from below, so we ended up deploying Gathering Hunters to raids as well.”
They were called Gathering Hunters, but they had enough stats to run Dungeons with a full Raid team.
So they’d likely been hastily thrown into Dungeon runs when the situation demanded it.
And the researchers had simply filled in for the absent Gathering Hunters themselves.
“You must have it rough.”
“It happens fairly often.”
An Je-hwan accepted it with the practiced calm of a salaryman.
Wasn’t that how workplaces always operated? No one had it mapped out perfectly.
When someone couldn’t do something, someone else patched the hole. When that person couldn’t, the first filled in again.
I quietly looked away from An Je-hwan toward the Leader.
“So we’ll be escorting the researchers while they Gather?”
The Leader made a circle with his thumb and forefinger.
“Exactly. You’re the only team skilled enough to protect the Gathering team and clear at the same time. And you have a Healer, so you were assigned to us.”
“We’ll do our best.”
The researchers bowed respectfully to the Raid team.
The Raid team returned the bow with equal courtesy.
Before entering the Dungeon, the Leader rattled off a list of precautions.
“We cannot predict what emergencies might arise inside the Dungeon. Everyone from the Anconu Research Foundation must follow the Raid team’s instructions closely—especially mine.”
“Understood.”
The office workers replied with dutiful earnestness, their voices trailing slightly.
The Leader skillfully positioned the Hunters and researchers.
The researchers who needed protection were placed in the center, with the Hunters forming a protective circle around them.
“Stay in formation. We’re entering.”
We stepped through the Gate, which spiraled like a whirlwind.
* * *
I’d grown quite familiar with Dungeon Raids. I made a quick assessment of our team’s condition.
The Tanker had a deep gash on his arm, and the others were bleeding from various places.
It was time to use a healing skill.
“Honey Drop.”
Golden droplets floated around our allies in lazy drifts.
Each time a droplet settled on someone, their wounds sealed shut and their movements grew lighter.
The Magical Beast that saw this reared its head and let out a deafening cry.
Roooooar—!
A massive creature that resembled a bear but was far too hideous to be called cute scraped its paws against the ground.
With each pawing motion, snow flew and the earth cracked.
“Whoa—!”
I quickly steadied a researcher who stumbled from the impact and looked around.
The ground was carpeted in snow, but trees and grass still grew here.
“Come on, friends—can you hold that beast tight for me? Help my companions.”
Crack-crack-crack, snap-snap.
The branches of the conifers extended and coiled around the bear’s neck.
The roots of the undergrowth tangled around the bear’s legs.
As the beast thrashed violently, the branches around its neck snapped and the roots tore free.
But in doing so, it lowered its guard—and didn’t notice the Hunter approaching from below.
The Hunter’s blade flashed upward, and the bear’s head flew clean off.
Thud—
The pristine white head rolled across the snow.
The bear’s body collapsed heavily to the ground.
The Leader remained vigilant even at the end, scanning the area one final time.
“No more Magical Beasts appear to be present. Let’s lower our guard and collect the Magic Stones and remains.”
“Yes!”
The Hunters finally sheathed their weapons.
The corpses of the bear and the wolf-like Magical Beasts that had been prowling nearby littered the area.
The white snow was now mottled with streaks of red.
I muttered to myself as I watched the scene unfold.
“This is going to take a while to collect everything.”
Even though the fighting had momentarily died down, the Hunters couldn’t afford to relax.
An Je-hwan began moving among the busily working Hunters.
“Leader, while you all gather the Magic Stones and Magical Beasts, we’d like to do some Gathering.”
“Of course, go ahead. There shouldn’t be any Magical Beasts in the immediate area. Just please don’t wander out of sight.”
An Je-hwan received permission from the Leader and called over the researchers.
“Everyone, gather around. We’re going to search the surrounding area for Sushicao. Please move diligently — we need to collect as much as possible.”
An Je-hwan withdrew Garden Shears from a Subspace Item and distributed them among the researchers.
Each researcher took a pair of shears and scattered in different directions.
They bundled their clothes tightly and began digging through the snow beneath the trees and near the rocks.
On one side, the hunted Magical Beasts were being sorted; on the other, plants were being gathered.
‘Stone Age….’
The word that suddenly came to mind nearly made me laugh.
I stifled the laugh and quietly approached An Je-hwan.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“No, it’s nothing important. I couldn’t possibly ask the Healer for such a task.”
An Je-hwan replied casually while pulling something from his Subspace Item.
Beakers, tweezers, test tubes, and a flask filled with green liquid looked entirely out of place in this environment.
In an instant, the Snowy Field had become a laboratory.
‘Why is he setting all this out?’
The question didn’t linger long. Soon one of the researchers rummaging beneath a tree raised her hand.
“Team Leader, we found it!”
And An Je-hwan picked up the beaker and flask.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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