Chapter 207: Abnormal Phenomenon (1)
‘Did these guys even take a break, or did they just keep running?’
An S-Class dungeon was vast. The one Yuhyun and Peace had entered had only three floors, but the higher they went, the wider it became. By the time they reached the last floor, even crossing it in a straight line would take an entire day.
And yet, they had cleared it in just four days. It was obvious they had pushed themselves too hard, and I couldn’t help but sigh. What was the rush? I decided that I should never send the two of them alone again. If they had other team members, at least someone would hold them back or slow them down.
This time, Kim Seonghan had accompanied them. I glanced at him, sitting next to me. Since he had grown into an S-Class, some time had passed, and he looked even stronger than when I first saw him after my regression. He had already been an A-Class with a defensive specialization, so the difference wasn’t drastic, but he had probably gotten a little taller too.
“Do you have something to say?”
Kim Seonghan asked me in a gentle tone. Even though the keyword effect had worn off, his attitude toward me had changed significantly. Not only compared to before my regression but also compared to right after. I had helped him grow into an S-Class, Haeyeon and he had formed a cooperative relationship, and, most importantly, he had become close with Yuhyun as brothers. It was natural that he viewed me more favorably now.
On the other hand, I found myself feeling a little more uneasy around him. Ever since I requested information about the people I had lost before my regression, memories I had buried kept trying to resurface. Seok Gimyeong was one thing, but Kim Seonghan also felt more uncomfortable than before.
“You’ve changed a lot since becoming an S-Class, haven’t you?”
Would it be easier if he changed even more? Maybe if he reached SS-Class, things would feel different. Kim Seonghan flexed his fist open and closed, looking a bit embarrassed.
I had been caught by that hand a few times. Back when I had no resistance to fear, even an A-Class Hunter had been a significant threat to me. Most of the time, it was just intimidation, but sometimes there had been violence. Even after experiencing that, even after being terrified, I had still kept coming back for more. What a fool I was.
“I suppose so. Not just me, but everything around me has changed as well.”
But that was all in the past. Kim Seonghan was someone I could trust. He had helped Yuhyun a lot and would continue to do so.
“You must have gotten a lot of calls from different places. Especially after the recent disappearance of MKC’s Guild Leader—”
“You refused them, right? Of course?”
I blurted out the question before I could stop myself. My tangled thoughts were suddenly pushed aside. Just like with Yerim, what was with all these people trying to take what was mine? They couldn’t have him. I wouldn’t let them. Kim Seonghan nodded with a smile.
“Yes. Since I became S-Class, I’ve heard a lot of persuasion—or maybe it was provocation—about how I shouldn’t stay under someone else forever, unlike Hunter Park Yerim, who is still young. But I turned them all down.”
“They’re meddling for no reason. Really. Of course, I think you’re more than capable of being a Guild Leader… Oh, I heard they’re discussing making you the Vice Guild Leader?”
Haeyeon Guild still didn’t have a Vice Guild Leader. There was only the Guild Leader. Because Yuhyun was so young, having a Vice Guild Leader could cause internal factions to form, and externally, people might start saying that the Vice Guild Leader was the real leader. That was why they had intentionally left the position vacant.
But now, Yuhyun was twenty, and Kim Seonghan had become an S-Class Hunter, so Seok Gimyeong had mentioned that they were planning to appoint him as the Vice Guild Leader.
“Yes. Since it will significantly change the internal structure, we’re proceeding cautiously.”
“Wouldn’t it be fine to move a little faster? You’ve been with Haeyeon since the beginning, supporting Yuhyun for a long time. I doubt anyone would oppose it. I think you’re the perfect fit for the position.”
Honestly, I wanted him to settle into the role quickly. Before my regression, Kim Seonghan had stayed by Yuhyun’s side until the end, but things were different now. Even if he was loyal, becoming an S-Class might make his resolve waver a little. And there would always be people trying to lure him away.
I couldn’t afford to lose one of the few people I could trust.
“If you ever need my help with anything or if there’s anything you want, don’t hesitate to tell me. I’m grateful for all the help you’ve given my brother, so if there’s anything I can do, I’ll do it.”
“I’ve already received enough from you, Director Han.”
“Even so.”
The keyword effect was gone, so I had to find another way to keep him close. Kim Seonghan looked down at me with a service-industry-level smile.
“You really care about the Guild Leader.”
“Well, he’s my little brother. I practically raised him, and he’s still young.”
If we had been able to live peacefully, I wouldn’t have to hover over him like this or worry so much. I could have just reminded him to eat properly, told him not to drink too much, not to stay out too late, and asked if he needed more allowance. That would have been enough.
But reality was different. Instead, I was here waiting to pick up my little brother from a dungeon filled with monsters. Damn dungeons. Couldn’t they have appeared a hundred years later?
Maybe I should push Yuhyun and Team Leader Seok to hurry up and make Kim Seonghan the Vice Guild Leader. Thinking that, I checked my phone and opened one of the many unread messages.
[There are no particular animals I like.]
It was Chief Song Taewon’s reply. I wanted to ask him more, but the conversation had been cut short because he had entered a dungeon. It wasn’t an S-Class dungeon, but an A-Class one that MKC had failed to manage properly, requiring urgent intervention.
The Association’s S-Class dungeons were mostly lower-tier, perfectly managed, and could be handled by the Association’s A-Class teams. But because of that, the Association often lacked Hunter teams for emergencies, so Chief Song Taewon frequently got these last-minute assignments dumped on him. He was essentially left to clean up after everyone.
“I think the Awakened Management Office should be expanded, but I’m sure the National Assembly is blocking it.”
The Hunter Association, which was easier to control, received support and funding, while the Awakened Management Office, which was harder to interfere with, was neglected. Preventing dungeon breaks was equivalent to protecting the country. Even though the office was under the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, couldn’t they allocate part of the defense budget? With a defense budget of around 40 trillion won, even setting aside just 1 trillion would be enough to properly reorganize the national S-Class team.
What a waste of Chief Song Taewon’s abilities. It was like purchasing an aircraft carrier and leaving it empty. Sure, he could generate enough firepower on his own, but still. If they were going to make use of him, they should at least do it properly.
‘They wouldn’t refuse to accept the Monster Mounts system just because of a lack of funds, would they?’
Since it was just an A-Class dungeon, he would probably be out by today or tomorrow. Maybe I should send him the Peace and Chirp plushies once they were finished. He might unexpectedly like them.
The dungeon Yuhyun and Peace had entered this time was outside of Seoul. It was still nearby, but it took a considerable drive to get there. When we arrived in front of the dungeon building, I saw a few Association officials and reporters waiting.
“The Association being here is expected, but the reporters are really quick.”
“They were already waiting. Since the Guild Leader’s last S-Class dungeon clear time set a new record, they’re expecting the same conditions this time and decided to camp out in advance.”
That made sense. If they had come after hearing the news, it wouldn’t have been this fast, especially since this wasn’t even in Seoul. As I got out of the car, cameras immediately turned in my direction.
“Can I go in alone?”
Kim Seonghan nodded at my question. There didn’t seem to be any issues with them, and Grace was with them too. Given that it had taken quite a while to get here, and since they hadn’t come out of the building, they were probably waiting inside.
I walked alone into the dungeon building. At the far end, I opened the door to the gate chamber and saw the two of them. Yuhyun and Peace, who was still in his adolescent form, looked at me simultaneously.
“Hyung.”
My younger brother approached with a bright smile. There were dried blood stains splattered on his clothes, and his hems were dirty, but I couldn’t see any visible injuries.
“I missed you.”
“You’re not hurt anywhere? You didn’t sleep, did you?”
“I wasn’t that sleepy. I didn’t need to sleep.”
I figured as much, but he really hadn’t. I had told him not to push himself, but of course, he hadn’t listened. Just like when he was little, he clung to me, and I pulled him into a firm hug. Was he trying to make up for the three years we lost? He was getting more and more affectionate.
“Don’t forget to activate your disguise before going outside. We still can’t let people find out. There are quite a few reporters waiting.”
“Yeah.”
“Why is Peace just standing there like that?”
Peace was still in his adolescent form, standing by the gate, silently watching us. His behavior seemed strange. I started to worry that something might have happened, but Yuhyun released me and stepped aside.
“We decided on the order.”
“What?”
“Peace lost.”
What the hell was he talking about? As Yuhyun moved aside, Peace finally reacted. He shrank down into his usual small size and came running toward me at full speed.
— Kkiaaaang!
He let out an especially long, sorrowful cry as he threw himself at me. I caught him, and he rubbed his whole body against my chest, wagging his tail.
— Kkiang, kkiwoong.
“…Yuhyun, you didn’t bully Peace, did you?”
“No, not at all.”
That sounded suspicious. I gave him a skeptical look, and my brother quickly pressed up against my side. Both of them needed a bath. Peace had monster blood all over him, and his fur was matted and clumped together.
“Was everything fine on your end?”
“Of course, nothing happened to me. But why did you come out so early? I told you not to push yourself.”
At my question, Yuhyun suddenly fell silent. Then, he looked toward the surveillance camera mounted on one side of the gate chamber. The footage was recorded, but it was only stored as a precautionary measure and was usually deleted after a few days without anyone reviewing it.
A thin flame flickered at Yuhyun’s fingertips.
Crack.
The small fire shot out like an arrow and shattered the camera. Immediately, my phone rang. It was Kim Seonghan.
[An internal camera failure alert just came through. Is everything okay?]
“Yes, it’s nothing. Just a minor accident.”
After ending the call, I turned to my brother. Yuhyun finally spoke.
“I felt a strange gaze inside the dungeon.”
“A gaze?”
“It definitely wasn’t from a monster. It felt like someone outside the dungeon was watching us. Hyung, are you really sure nothing happened to you?”
Yuhyun said he had come out earlier because he had been worried. A gaze, he said.
“Should we go back in and check right now?”
We were already right in front of the gate. I started to move, but Yuhyun grabbed my arm.
“No, don’t go in now.”
“Huh? Why?”
“…I have a bad feeling, Hyung. I sensed something watching us, but there was nothing I could do about it. Even though this dungeon was made for you, when you exit, it connects to a normal dungeon. Let’s wait until Hunter Park Yerim comes out before we check.”
Yuhyun spoke a bit sullenly, saying he felt uneasy with just himself and Peace. Was it still the lingering effect of what had happened with Choi Seokwon? It hurt to see him so unsure of himself. I didn’t doubt Yuhyun, but he was exhausted, so I nodded in agreement.
“Yerim should be out soon too. I thought she’d finish her raid even faster than you.”
With Blue by her side, she should be out by tomorrow at the latest.
“…There’s no way something strange is happening to Yerim too, right?”
A sudden wave of worry hit me. Yuhyun had only sensed a gaze, which was fortunate, but what if something worse had happened?
“It’s a dungeon with lakes and rivers, so she’ll be fine.”
Yuhyun reassured me. I really hoped nothing had gone wrong. I had the strong urge to storm into the dungeon and shake down a volleyball for answers, but I held back with difficulty. It was an S-Class dungeon, after all. I couldn’t drag these exhausted kids back inside.
‘…Come to think of it, what about Seong Hyunjae?’
He had been the first to enter. Was he doing okay? He was the type to survive no matter what happened, but I felt a minuscule amount of concern. Just a fraction of a fraction of a fingernail’s worth—since he was my business partner, after all.
…He’d be fine. It was hard to even imagine that guy getting seriously hurt.
As soon as I ushered the kids outside, Association officials and reporters swarmed toward us. They didn’t get too close, maintaining a respectful distance while throwing out questions. Most of them were about whether it was true that they had cleared an S-Class dungeon in just four days, but there were other topics too.
“There’s a rumor that Hunter Park Yerim of Haeyeon Guild is set to have a friendly match with a Japanese Hunter. Is this true?”
The latest hot topic came straight from a reporter’s mouth. Korea versus Japan, a Hunter showdown. Anything labeled as a Korea-Japan match always became a huge deal, but this time, it was an S-Class Hunter battle.
The rumor had started spreading not long after the A-Class ranking matches ended, fueling even more public excitement. Both Haeyeon Guild and the Hunter Association had been keeping quiet, saying nothing was confirmed, but they hadn’t denied it either. Because of that, people were going wild online and offline. It’s really happening! As soon as Park Yerim finishes her dungeon raid, she’s flying straight to Japan! No, it’s actually Han Yuhyun who’s going to fight! I heard it’s Seong Hyunjae instead!
“The details will be officially announced once Hunter Park Yerim exits the dungeon.”
I gave a vague but reasonable response, which only prompted more questions. Reporters started asking if Park Yerim was really participating, if she wasn’t too young, and even turned to Yuhyun, asking whether, as the current record holder for the fastest S-Class dungeon clear, he had any thoughts about competing himself.
What’s wrong with our Yerim? Don’t underestimate her.
“Step back.”
“This dungeon clear record will be officially announced by Haeyeon Guild.”
Haeyeon Guild members and Kim Seonghan stepped in, blocking the reporters. In the meantime, I quickly got into the car with Yuhyun and Peace.
–TL Notes–
Tired of seeing Ads? Then please support me on Patreon! Any tier of subscription will make it so you won’t get any ads!
If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/InsanityTheGame
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt