The Dimensional Swordmaster C10

Chapter 10 How I Ended Up in Another World (10)

The moment he returned to the car, Siyoung’s phone began to ring. Seeing Gong Sijin’s name flash across the screen, he sighed and answered.

— Siyoung! Leaving without saying goodbye? Really?

“You told me to go to the dungeon. Anyway, I dropped off that lunatic. He’s your problem now.”

— Still, you could’ve at least said hi before running off… Whatever. Are you heading straight to the dungeon?

“Yeah.”

He had to go back for the sword anyway. Starting the engine, Siyoung scrolled through the navigation history until he found the dungeon’s address. A message popped up: Estimated travel time: 1 hour 3 minutes.

— The team’s already waiting at the entrance, so go in with them. And don’t go alone like last time.

“Got it. Hanging up.”

Without waiting for a reply, Siyoung jabbed the end call button.

He glanced at the Bureau building in the rearview mirror. He couldn’t see into the lobby, but somehow it still lingered in his mind. Tightening his grip on the wheel, he muttered under his breath.

“…He’s actually insane.”

He wasn’t going to see that guy again. Not ever. His fingers clenched harder around the steering wheel.

“I’m sorry about that. Siyoung’s not… exactly the most polite kid—well…”

It seemed he couldn’t quite bring himself to say he’s not actually rude. Gong Sijin gave an awkward laugh before smoothly changing the subject.

“Anyway, I’m glad you made it. Did you sleep well last night?”

Yurian nodded. He wasn’t exaggerating—the bed had been like a cloud.

The moment his head hit the pillow, he’d passed out cold. If Siyoung hadn’t woken him, he probably would’ve slept through the day.

“It was amazing.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Ah, right—this way, please.”

Yurian followed him up a flight of stairs. The floor above was noticeably quieter, and he couldn’t resist dragging his foot along the carpet, savoring the soft, springy feel beneath his toes.

“Normally, you’d have to submit an application and wait about a week for assessment,” Sijin explained. “Then you’d get a scheduled appointment after the paperwork’s processed. But considering the circumstances, I pulled a few strings.”

Yurian nodded—he took that to mean bribery, more or less—and gave a thumbs-up.

“Impressive.”

“Oh, no need for that. Think of it as a little VIP courtesy for our interdimensional guest.”

Sijin chuckled, waving a hand modestly. The sly curve of his eyes made him look exactly like a fox—sleek, sharp, unreadable.

Their faces were somewhat similar, but their temperaments couldn’t have been more different. While Siyoung wore his emotions like a badge, his older brother had the kind of smile that hid far too much behind it.

“When your name’s called, just go inside and follow the examiner’s instructions. If anything confuses you, just call for me—I’ll be waiting right outside.”

Yurian nodded at the door Sijin indicated. Orders were orders.

Right then, the door opened and a young woman appeared. “Mr. Yurian,” she called brightly.

He waved his hand cheerfully. “Be right back.”

“Take care,” Sijin said with a warm smile.

Yurian followed the woman into the room. Aside from the dimmer lighting, nothing seemed particularly different.

As he glanced around, the woman began explaining the procedure.

“Please place all personal belongings in this basket—phones and any electronic devices included. And can I confirm your name is Yurian?”

“Yes. Uh, do I need to take off my clothes too?”

She startled, flustered hands waving. “Oh—no, no, that’s not necessary! Just come this way when you’re ready.”

Since he had no possessions to begin with, Yurian followed her easily. She led him to a rectangular device standing against the wall.

“See the red line? Please stand there with your feet aligned and place your hands on the marked areas. Don’t move until I tell you to.”

He did as instructed, raising his hands. Before he could touch the device, the woman added,

“Once contact is made, a status window will appear. The results will project onto the evaluation monitor in front of you. Don’t be alarmed—just hold still until I say stop.”

“Status window?”

What would appear if he touched it? Excitement flickered through him as he pressed his hands to the surface.

A faint bzzt—like static—ran through his fingertips, and they twitched slightly. But since she’d told him not to move, he stood perfectly still, holding his breath.

After a few seconds, the sensation faded.

One minute passed. Then two. Then three. Nothing happened. Yurian blinked.

Finally, the woman’s uncertain voice broke the silence.

“Are your hands placed correctly?”

To prove it, he lifted them off, then pressed them down again—same position, same result. Still nothing.

“Uh… hmm… You’re not seeing a status window?”

“Nope. Nothing.”

“That’s… odd. Even non-hunters should still see something. Once contact is made, look—here.”

She stepped closer and pressed her own hand to the device. Instantly, a light blinked on, and a translucent panel appeared above the surface.

“Oh,” Yurian murmured softly.

[ Accessing subject information. Status window will close upon contact removal. ]

— Name: Jung Mirae

— Date of Birth: 20**. 12. 11

— Rank: Non-combat classification not applicable.

— Titles: ,

— Attributes: Physical health stable, Mental state average

— Skills: None

• Combat aptitude: None *

Even though the words were written in a language he didn’t recognize, he could understand them perfectly. Mirae pointed at her own status display.

“See? Even for a regular person like me, the system registers basic information. Try placing your hand like this again.”

“Like this?”

He mimicked her gesture exactly. Fascinating—so this device could reveal one’s rank and skills?

But no matter how perfectly he positioned his hand, nothing appeared. When he looked back at Mirae, she bit her lip.

“Well… occasionally, it takes longer to load if the rank is high. That might be the case here…”

Except even then, a loading notice would appear. A completely blank screen was unprecedented.

Scratching her chin in uncertainty, Mirae frowned.

Sensing the awkward tension, Yurian asked, “Did something go wrong?”

“Just a moment, please. Could you wait outside for a bit? I’ll double-check the system.”

Yurian nodded and withdrew his hand.

When he stepped back into the hallway, Sijin was already approaching.

“All done?”

Mirae reentered the room to check the machine, leaving Yurian to answer. “Not really. She said nothing showed up and asked me to wait.”

“Nothing at all? Not even the status window?”

“Didn’t see a thing.”

“Hm…”

Sijin’s expression was unreadable—somewhere between I expected as much and genuine surprise.

Either way, Yurian’s patience had finally reached its limit. He’d been holding back this whole time, but now…

“Um, hey…”

“Yes?”

Putting on his best pitiful look, Yurian tilted his head slightly.

“I’m starving. Could you… maybe buy me a meal?”

His hopeful eyes blinked up at Sijin.

“You haven’t eaten breakfast?”

Sijin glanced at his watch, frowning. The hour hand hovered near twelve.

“I haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

“Since yesterday?!”

Was it really that shocking? Yurian scratched his head awkwardly.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier! Come on, let’s go—now!”

Grabbing his wrist, Sijin practically dragged him away. The abrupt concern was oddly touching.

“That idiot Siyoung didn’t even feed you, huh? Unbelievable… Hold on, let’s get you something right away.”

He led Yurian straight to a restaurant on the first floor. Once they were seated, Sijin launched into a flurry of orders. Within minutes, a full meal was spread across the table.

“Is this… really for me?”

Steam rose from the hot soup, filling the air with the most mouthwatering aroma. Yurian’s eyes stung with sudden emotion.

Watching him, Sijin smiled kindly and scooped some kimchi into his side dish.

“I hope it suits your taste. If it’s too spicy, let me know—there are plenty of other options. Do you like spicy food?”

“I eat everything.”

Honestly, he would’ve eaten anything at that point. He took a big spoonful of broth—then his eyes widened.

“This is so good… What is it?”

“Galbitang,” Sijin replied. “Short rib soup. Eat as much as you like.”

Yurian needed no further encouragement. His hands moved fast, and before long, he was devouring everything in sight.

Every bite was a revelation—rich, savory, perfect.

Only after he’d emptied every bowl did he set his spoon down. Sijin stared at the spotless dishes in awe.

“You really eat well…”

It was almost mesmerizing—how Yurian ate with such enthusiasm, yet not a single grain of rice was left behind.

“No wonder people watch those eating shows,” Sijin murmured under his breath.

He handed over a glass of water, which Yurian downed gratefully. As the movement of his throat caught the light, Sijin’s pocket suddenly buzzed.

Pulling out his phone, he saw the caller ID: My Little Brother ❤️

He barely pressed the answer button before a furious voice exploded through the speaker.

— Hey, you insane guild master! How the hell could you send a team out like this?!

The shout was so sharp that Yurian paused mid-sip, glancing at Sijin in alarm.

Sijin waved him off with a smile. “It’s fine. Nothing to worry about.”