Owner of the S-Rank Dungeon Campsite (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1

My workplace was a small event planning company.

We were always short-staffed, so I ended up doing design work I’d never done before, hauling heavy loads, making outreach calls, and handling accounting—constantly forced into tasks far beyond my actual job description.

But collaborating with strangers to pull off a single project wasn’t all that bad. It even made me hopeful that maybe, just maybe, I’d finally found my true calling.

That was, until this morning, when my boss abruptly told me to quit.

“We’re winding down the event business and starting something else.”

“But you can’t just suddenly tell someone to quit like this!”

“Yubom, you know times are tough. It’s not easy to secure new gigs.”

“Even so, doing this out of the blue…”

“I’ll help you get unemployment benefits.”

“That’s not the point!”

The boss sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache.

“Yubom, you didn’t join this job seriously in the first place, right? Didn’t you say that during the interview?”

Seeing me speechless, he brought up the past.

“You said you hadn’t figured out what you really wanted to do and were still searching.”

“…….”

“Well then, it doesn’t have to be this job, does it? Anyway, consider it settled—don’t come in tomorrow.”

In just a few words, I lost my job.

Did my earnest desire to find what I truly wanted sound unserious to him? I’d meant it more than anyone else ever could.

I packed my things right away. He’d told me not to come in tomorrow, but so what? I didn’t want to waste another second—let alone a minute—in that company.

As I shuffled out of the office building, a taxi pulled up to the curb as if it had been waiting for me.

“Hello. Please take me to Hapjeong Station.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“…Actually, make it Yanghwa Bridge.”

I could’ve brushed off this pathetic turn of events, but today, I just couldn’t muster any energy.

All I felt was doubt—when exactly had my life started going off the rails?

Was it because of this aimless job I’d stumbled into? Or since the day I moved out on my own, insisting I could handle everything alone?

Or maybe it began with my older brother’s sudden disappearance? Or even earlier—fifteen years ago, when Mom vanished in a dungeon?

Humanity called it the “Great Calamity”—the day Gates appeared. From within these Gates emerged spaces known as “Dungeons,” spewing out ferocious monsters.

These creatures poured out through the Gates, attacking and threatening humanity.

Military weapons—guns, missiles—proved useless. People despaired, believing the world was doomed to extinction.

But then, a few individuals began to “Awaken.”

They learned of this phenomenon from an enigmatic entity called the “System” and were granted astonishing powers equal to those of the monsters.

Humanity swiftly adapted to this change, building a new civilization.

Those who Awakened were called “Hunters,” using their newfound strength to slay dungeon monsters.

Among them stood one Hunter who displayed exceptional skill.

SSS-rank Hunter Jo Inyoung. The moment Mom Awakened, she became the undisputed number one Hunter.

“Bom-ah, want to try this?”

“What is it?”

Whenever she returned from a dungeon, she’d bring back strange, wondrous souvenirs.

This one, called “Cynthia,” was a rare fruit that only grew in high-tier dungeons.

“It’s pretty.”

“Right?”

The fruit, no bigger than a thumbnail, had a glassy, transparent skin. Inside, white nectar shimmered.

Since Mom gave it to me, it must be safe to eat.

Back then, as an elementary schooler, I popped it into my mouth without hesitation.

The outer layer tasted sweet like hardened sugar, but when I bit into it, a sharp sourness spread so intensely it made my nose wrinkle.

“How is it?”

“…Is there more?”

“Delicious, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Next time, I’ll bring back a lot more. Dungeons are full of tasty and amazing things like this.”

“Really?”

“Of course. There’s a place called the ‘Valley of Blue Starlight’—one of the most beautiful dungeons out there. That’s where I got this fruit. I bet you’d love seeing the sky there.”

“But dungeons are full of scary monsters. It’s dangerous.”

“Not at all! I’m SSS-rank, remember?”

Mom described dungeons as beautiful, magical places.

She said the sky there was so filled with huge, brilliant stars it felt like gazing into a miniature universe.

She called it a place brimming with excitement and new experiences.

Now I realize she probably said those things to reassure me—I used to stay awake waiting for her whenever she came home late from a dungeon.

Because of Mom’s positive portrayal, my perception gradually shifted.

Dungeons weren’t dangerous places—they were fantastical realms straight out of a fairy tale, overflowing with magic.

By the time my reason for waiting changed from worry to eager anticipation of what new treasure she’d bring back…

Mom vanished suddenly in a dungeon and never returned.

Soon after, my older brother disappeared too, having entered the dungeon to search for her.

Dad then threw himself entirely into his work to find them, eventually rising to the position of Director of the Dungeon Research Center. With so much on his plate, he rarely stayed home, and our relationship grew distant.

After I moved out, we saw each other even less.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Thank you.”

The taxi had brought me to a bridge over the Han River. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I always came here—the cool breeze made my chest feel wide open.

As soon as I stepped out, a strong river wind tousled my hair. Just as I took a step toward the railing, my phone vibrated in my pocket.

[Bom-ah, happy birthday.]

It was Appa. I’d assumed he’d forgotten my birthday in his busyness.

Receiving this birthday message softened the gloom weighing on my heart, just a little.

Another message followed immediately.

[If you’re free after work, could you spare some time for me? I’d like to have dinner together.]

His tone was unusually cautious for a father texting his daughter—probably because we hadn’t seen each other much lately, and also because we’d argued just days ago over his recent dungeon expedition.

Appa was a D-rank Hunter. Yet his job often required him to enter high-tier dungeons, and recently, he’d even gone into an S-rank one.

I dreaded Appa entering dungeons. With our whole family already missing, I was terrified he might vanish too.

So even though I knew it wasn’t his fault—that he was doing his best—I couldn’t help voicing my frustration.

Truthfully, the person I resented most was myself—Yubom.

Everyone else had tried so hard to find our family, while I’d done nothing but wait.

Now that I’d lost my job too, shouldn’t I finally start searching for them myself?

‘If I Awaken at a high rank, maybe Appa won’t need to enter dungeons anymore.’

If I became a Hunter, maybe I could actually do something.

Mom was SSS-rank, and Oppa was S-rank—so if I Awakened as a Hunter, I couldn’t help but have high hopes.

Rumors claimed Awakening occurred in moments of crisis. I glanced down at the river beyond the railing.

“Shouldn’t someone stop her?”

“She’s probably just sightseeing.”

“No, she’s been standing like that for a while.”

I overheard passersby whispering as they saw me teetering dangerously close to the railing.

“Ugh, how scary…”

But just looking down made my head spin. The endless river below looked deep and distant, as if ready to swallow any life at any moment.

“Right, this isn’t it. What if I actually die? That’d be such a stupid way to go—what else even counts as a stupid death…? Oh, wait!”

I suddenly remembered I hadn’t replied to Appa. Pulling out my phone, I sent a message saying I had no plans but preferred to meet tomorrow—I didn’t trust my expression around him today.

After so long without seeing each other, I didn’t want to cause him worry.

“Whew, whew—!!!”

Just as I received his quick reply and managed a faint smile, someone in the distance blew a whistle and came running toward me.

“Miss! Get away from that railing right now! No matter how tough things get, you can’t do this!”

A man in police uniform rushed toward me. As I tried to step back, realizing he’d misunderstood—

“Ah!”

My hair got caught in a gap in the railing.

“Ugh, why won’t it come loose?”

While I struggled, the officer reached me.

“Come here quickly! It’s dangerous!”

“I want to, but—”

“Hurry up! Why are young people so stubborn!”

The harder he pulled me, the more my head tilted back, yanking my short hair until it felt like my scalp might tear off.

“No, seriously, let go of me!”

I pushed him away with one hand while desperately trying to free my tangled hair with the other, pressing my body against the railing.

“Wait! Let go! My hair’s stuck!”

“Oh… really?”

In the midst of our unintended scuffle, the officer suddenly released me. My center of gravity lurched forward instantly.

“Huh?”

Time seemed to stretch like slow-motion tape. I vividly felt my body tipping over the railing.

His eyes widened in shock as he reached out. I extended my hand too, but it was too late—we couldn’t connect.

My body began falling slowly. Very slowly, his face grew distant.

Looking down, I saw the churning river below, its mouth gaping wide as if eager to swallow me whole.

‘Is this how I die?’

What a hollow end. I didn’t even want to die yet!

Suddenly it hit me—this was the ultimate crisis! Maybe I’d miraculously Awaken! I scanned my surroundings desperately.

But the scenery only rushed closer to the river—no sign of a System message appeared.

‘They said Awakening happens in crisis—why not me…!’

With a splash, my body was sucked into the river. Water flooded my mouth and nose like a deluge. My ears roared with silence.

‘Why won’t it work for me! Awaken me too!’

[System is scanning your potential to determine if you can Awaken.]

‘What did you say?’

I’d shouted in frustration, but the System actually responded.

[…(Scanning)… This process may take considerable time.] […(Scanning)…]

It said it might take a while, and true enough—the System fell silent, giving no further indication.

‘At this rate, I’ll die before I even Awaken!’

As the scan dragged on, hope faded. Just as my consciousness began to blur, a clear chime rang out.

[Compatible class scan complete.] [Congratulations on your Awakening! You have gained a new ability!]

‘Really? For real? What rank? Please tell me it’s S-rank?’

[Class: ‘Campground Owner’.]

…? What did you say?

[Acquired unique skill: Tent Pitching (F).]

…Campground Owner? Tent Pitching? Are you kidding me right now?

Fine, maybe F-rank I could accept—but “Campground Owner”? I’d never even heard of such a class.

[Please select a dungeon in which to build your campground.]

But I wasn’t in any position to be picky. Even as this happened, my body kept sinking deeper into the water.

‘Valley of Blue Starlight!’

That was the only dungeon name I knew.

[Warping to ‘Valley of Blue Starlight’ in a moment.]

‘Oh, come on…’

I’d thought I’d narrowly survived a life-or-death situation, only to face yet another crisis.

[5 seconds until arrival at ‘Valley of Blue Starlight.’ 5… 4… 3…]

The Valley of Blue Starlight was an S-rank dungeon.

[2… 1…][Warp successful!]

Mom… why did it have to be an S-rank dungeon you told me about…?