Chapter 220: The King Trapped in the Tower (1)
It looked as if a typhoon had just swept through.
Not a single person was left unscathed. Even those with flight skills were no exception. Fortunately, the broadcasting equipment had been properly waterproofed, or the broadcast would have been cut off.
“Mister, you saw me win fair and square, right?”
Yerim flew over to us as she landed on the ground.
“Yeah, you were really amazing! Did you purposely not use your skills?”
I lowered my voice at the end. Yerim immediately understood and nodded.
“If I used them, it would’ve ended too easily. And it felt like a waste against an S-rank Hunter by the sea.”
Yerim also lowered her voice. Well, it’s not often you get a chance to practice your skills freely against an S-rank Hunter. Especially when a stage like this is set up for you. There are ocean environments inside dungeons, but these days… dungeons aren’t very stable. You could exhaust your mana and stamina, and then a high-ranking monster could suddenly pop out due to an error.
“Ruler of Water, congratulations on your victory!”
Moon Hyunah said playfully, and Yerim burst into laughter. She was soaked, of course, and so was Seong Hyunjae, who had walked up with her. The same went for Myungwoo and Noah. At least the weather was warm—if it had been late autumn, I’d be the only one catching a cold… Everyone else was ridiculously healthy.
“Lord Shishio!”
Just then, I heard Kakuto’s shout from the other side. Curious, I turned my head to see him kneeling in front of the Lion King. The Lion King was drenched too. Had he been swept away by the water? Even his beard was gone.
“I, Iwahata Kakuto, have committed the sin of betraying Lord Shishio’s trust! I shall repay it with my life!”
What is he saying? No way he’s actually thinking of killing off a precious S-rank Hunter over something this trivial. Even if he’s from another country, an S-rank Hunter is valuable.
“Iwahata Kakuto.”
The Lion King spoke solemnly. It felt like I was watching a play.
“Victory and defeat are commonplace in battle. As long as you come out alive, even if you lose a comrade and have to use a Gate Stone, a dungeon can always be conquered again. Have I not told you this before? As long as you are alive, there will always be opportunities for redemption. So instead of grieving over defeat, sharpen yourself.”
“Thank you, Lord Shishio!”
Kakuto shouted, pressing his forehead to the ground. Well, he’s not wrong, but that was way too dramatic. Saying that survival is what matters—yeah, the Lion King is definitely better than the Japanese government.
Seeing the Amaterasu Guild members around them looking deeply moved, I wanted to quietly slip away. Or should I just clap for them?
“…Let’s hurry back and wash up.”
Seawater felt unpleasant. Ever since coming to Japan, I felt like I’d spent half my time submerged in water.
After returning to the lodging, I washed up and checked the broadcasting atmosphere in both countries. Korea was still in a celebratory mood. They were replaying the battle footage while showing the public’s reactions.
[Yes! This is the moment! Look at the Izu Peninsula swept away by Hunter Park Yerim’s single gesture! Truly befitting of the title ‘Ruler of Water’!]
[Wow, no matter how many times I watch this, I can’t help but be amazed! It’s so satisfying!]
‘Yerim is going to be busy for a while.’
She’s going to get bombarded with requests. Haeyeon Guild’s PR team’s phones are probably on fire right now. Even if it’s a hassle, handling this well now will bring long-term benefits.
Meanwhile, the Japanese broadcast was analyzing their defeat. They repeatedly emphasized that the sea environment was extremely unfavorable and that the Black Ox’s Forest dungeon wasn’t particularly valuable unless one had a monster breeding skill, so the loss wasn’t significant.
[The first international S-rank Hunter battle was held under Japan’s initiative, right here on Japanese soil. That alone is a meaningful achievement.]
[Yes, yes. I believe Amaterasu Guild has successfully demonstrated its influence and capabilities.]
Ah, sure. Enjoy this moment while you can. Once the stamina potion is revealed, it’s going to be a funeral over there. I should keep watching just to see how they cope with that mental gymnastics later.
“Hunter Han Yuhyun, Director Han Yujin.”
I was in the living room, snacking with Peace while watching TV, when an Amaterasu Guild member arrived.
“Lord Shishio wishes to discuss matters regarding the Black Ox’s Forest dungeon.”
It’s a dungeon that we wouldn’t regret giving up too much at this point, so I doubt they’re trying to back out of the deal. Is this about the item? The Thunderbird’s Regalia is much more valuable than the dungeon itself.
As I was about to head to my room to change, the guild member said it was fine to come as we were.
Yuhyun and I followed the Amaterasu Guild member. The place we were led to was a separate annex-like building. Inside the spacious reception room, Shishio was seated on a sofa along with a man I had never seen before.
“I am Sato Kiyoshi.”
He introduced himself as an advisor to the Amaterasu Guild Leader. He looked quite young for an advisor—probably in his early forties? Since the Hunter Guild needed people well-versed in dungeons, preferably with practical experience, most of them tended to be on the younger side.
“First of all, I want to congratulate Hunter Park Yerim on her victory. We lost fair and square. Hunter Park Yerim’s abilities are truly remarkable.”
Shishio raised both hands as he spoke.
“We have no lingering attachment to the dungeon. The problem is the Thunderbird’s Regalia.”
“Our original plan was to have Hunter Iwahata Kakuto win, then accept the slime dungeon while publicly presenting the regalia as a consolation gift to Haeyeon Guild.”
Kiyoshi spoke. By taking the slime dungeon, they could have flaunted their generosity, and they likely would have used that as leverage to pressure us about the Flame Horned Lion dungeon. Even though they had won the slime dungeon through a fair fight, they would have framed it as, “Since we gifted SS-rank equipment, wouldn’t it be appropriate to offer a young Flame Horned Lion in return as a gesture of goodwill?”
But we were the winners. We had already obtained the regalia, and the behind-the-scenes agreements were finalized, so we could simply pretend none of this had ever happened. However, that would make using the regalia openly a bit awkward. Too many people knew that Amaterasu Guild possessed the Thunderbird’s Regalia, and if it suddenly appeared on us, people would start questioning our ties to Japan. That would be a hassle.
‘It’s definitely better if Amaterasu Guild officially announces it as a gift.’
Giving away a dungeon and even handing over SS-rank equipment—it would make them look like complete fools.
“Since things turned out this way, why not just boldly present it as a commemorative gift? You’re Japan’s top guild, aren’t you? This is a chance to show the world how grand your generosity truly is. It may be called a Korea-Japan match, but officially, it was the first S-rank Hunter battle ever broadcasted. Every country in the world was watching. Imagine the impact when the Haeyeon Guild Leader returns to Korea wearing the Thunderbird’s Regalia, and it’s announced that Amaterasu Guild generously gifted SS-rank equipment. Think about how impressive that would be. Not just S-rank, but SS-rank—given away without hesitation! Such immense magnanimity!”
An immense fool, really.
“Oh-ho.”
Shishio’s expression showed intrigue. Right, I knew you loved putting on appearances.
“To be this generous—truly fitting of the Lion King! Even after losing the dungeon in battle, you don’t just accept it; you go even further and bestow a gift. Such boldness, reminiscent of the grandeur of ancient heroes! Even when something is taken, instead of feeling regret, you offer even more—an outlook so vast and noble that it commands admiration from all!”
I was just spouting nonsense, but the Lion King looked quite pleased. Simple-minded people are the best.
“Of course! I possess great generosity and a lavish spirit! It’s absolutely not because I felt regret over the SS-rank equipment!”
“Naturally. That’s exactly what I thought.”
“But giving away SS-rank equipment without any return…”
Kiyoshi interrupted at the worst possible moment. He was just doing his job, but not only me—even Shishio’s mood visibly soured. Yet, Kiyoshi pushed on.
“At the very least, we should receive some kind of compensation, even if it’s under the table… don’t you think?”
Poor guy. He had a point—if we pushed too hard, even the showy Lion King might feel resistance.
“Well, taking it entirely for free does feel a little uncomfortable. Haeyeon Guild Leader.”
I turned to Yuhyun, who was sitting beside me.
“How about we offer Amaterasu Guild the priority right to negotiate if we acquire a new young Flame Horned Lion in the future, as a token of appreciation?”
“Priority rights…?”
Yuhyun glanced at me, speaking awkwardly in polite speech. He could just talk casually.
“Yes. Specifically, the right to negotiate first. Many guilds worldwide would want an S-rank young beast, and the competition would be fierce. On top of that, Amaterasu Guild’s leader doesn’t even have fire-attribute skills, so they lack justification. In a simple bidding war, they would likely lose. So having priority rights would be a considerable return.”
At my suggestion, Yuhyun still looked a bit uncertain but nodded.
“If Director Han says so, then I suppose it makes sense.”
He could’ve just spoken like the Lion King. Anyway, with Haeyeon’s Guild Leader also agreeing, I turned back to the front.
“Additionally, our breeding facility will prioritize taking care of your monsters. You must have heard how foreign guilds are lining up for our services, right? Since Amaterasu Guild is showing such great generosity, I also feel inclined to be generous in return. That’s just how people are.”
We were being so generous. Of course, we’d charge them for everything and just use this to look good, but still. There was no guarantee that a young Flame Horned Lion would even be born anytime soon—or at all.
Despite that, Shishio looked utterly satisfied. Meanwhile, Kiyoshi, who at least had some sense, looked grim.
“Excellent! Let’s do it! I’ll make an official announcement immediately!”
Even better for us.
“I’d like to enter the Black Ox’s Forest dungeon tomorrow to confirm its condition. Would that be possible?”
Shishio readily agreed to arrange it. However, since the dungeon had only recently reset, he mentioned that a proper raid might not be possible yet.
Sometimes, if a dungeon was entered too soon after a reset, the boss monster wouldn’t appear, making a full raid impossible. In that case, clearing out regular monsters would still open an escape gate, but the dungeon wouldn’t technically be conquered. To avoid wasted effort, A-rank dungeons were usually left for about a week before being tackled again.
After sorting out the details, we stepped outside. As we walked back to our rooms, I spoke quietly to Yuhyun.
“Once we finish checking the dungeon, do whatever you want. They’re announcing the regalia as a gift immediately, so there’s nothing holding us back.”
“Still, wouldn’t that be like picking a fight right after receiving a gift? Is that really okay?”
“If you push just right, the Lion King will bite immediately. He’s not the type to refuse, is he? It can be done privately too. There are plenty of islands around here, right? Just use some uninhabited one. Instead of just priority rights for the young Flame Horned Lion, bait him by guaranteeing it outright. Tell him we feel bad just taking the regalia, so let’s consider it the price and have a friendly match.”
“Alright.”
Yuhyun answered with a smile. He already looked excited. What can we squeeze out of them this time? Maybe an S-rank weapon? Or an S-rank outer garment that would suit Yerim?
“Be careful and come back safely.”
Myungwoo said while holding Chirp and Belare. Everyone except for Myungwoo was going to enter the Black Ox’s Forest, an A-rank dungeon. Initially, a few people had planned to stay back at the hotel with him, but Myungwoo refused, saying it would only be a hindrance in case of an emergency.
It’s not like anything in the dungeon could harm him, and he could escape to his forge at any time, so he was more comfortable being alone. Besides, if we split into two teams, our group would have fewer people than the Japanese S-rank Hunters, so sticking together was the better option.
“Be careful of Belare’s poison. I’ll be counting on you.”
“We have poison-resistant gear and antidotes, so don’t worry.”
Poison was weak to fire anyway, so if it came to it, we could get help from Ismual. Myungwoo lifted his arm to show Belare coiled around his wrist. Chirp let out a small “peep” and raised his own wing as well.
The Black Ox’s Forest dungeon was about a three-hour helicopter ride from Tokyo. We entered the dungeon building under the guidance of an Amaterasu Guild member.
“Be careful of the isolated areas within the forest. Yuhyun, of course, but even Seong Hyunjae shouldn’t use skills there. If you’re not careful, you could burn everything down.”
“Got it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
The dungeon raid itself would be over quickly. With multiple S-rank Hunters, no monster would even get close to me. Still, just to be safe, I activated Grace at an A-rank level before stepping through the gate.
A dense forest filled with the scent of greenery unfolded before us. Just as Peace grew in size and pressed against my side, as if telling me to ride him—
The space distorted.
There was no time to react. In an instant, my surroundings melted away, dissolving into darkness.
‘What the hell is this?!’
I flailed, trying to grasp my surroundings, but before I could make sense of anything, my vision suddenly brightened again.
Instead of the dense forest, I found myself in a vast, empty room-like space.
And everyone, including Peace, had collapsed unconscious.
My heart plummeted. A message about Fear Resistance appeared before my eyes.
“Yuhyun!”
I stumbled forward, almost falling, and dropped to my knees beside my brother. Fortunately, he was still breathing. His chest rose and fell steadily.
“Yuhyun, are you okay? Wake up!”
There didn’t seem to be anything physically wrong with him. He just looked like he was asleep, but he showed no signs of waking up. After double-checking his condition, I hurried to check the others. Yerim, Noah, Moon Hyunah, and even Peace—they were all in the same state, as if simply sleeping. Their complexions were normal, their breathing stable.
And Seong Hyunjae, too.
“…This feels weird.”
Seeing him lying limp like this was unsettling. Was he really unconscious?
“Hey, Guild Leader Seong.”
I lightly tapped his cheek, but there was no response. Seriously, he was annoyingly good-looking. I pulled at his cheek, but he didn’t even twitch.
“Hey, Hyunjae. Hyunjae-hyung. Hyunjae, you bastard.”
Nothing. He really was out cold.
What should I do now? Try using a potion? Just wait for them to wake up? I was debating my options when—
“Honey!”
A young-sounding, unfamiliar voice rang out.
–TL Notes–
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