NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63
While the hunters were enjoying their break and having a meeting.
Outside the gate that served as the entrance, Team Leader Jang Han-soo from the Hunter Management Agency was talking with his team leader.
The team leader stared seriously at his phone.
After sipping his coffee, he spoke.
“Everyone must be safely progressing, right?”
“Yes. There’s the Dawn Guild party, and the Master of the Knight Guild is also present.”
“We need to make sure there are as few casualties as possible.”
The team leader took another sip of coffee.
“So, about that Hunter known as the Returnee…”
Even while busy, he trusted his subordinate and prepared various things.
Now that he had some free time, it was time to hear the details.
Since the car was prepared to accommodate the Returnee’s request, there was no one to eavesdrop.
The team leader asked comfortably.
“What’s his actual rank?”
The Returnee from America is at least B-rank.
He must be a B-rank at the very least, or maybe an A-rank Awakened, right?
If he happens to be S-rank, I’d treat him exceptionally well.
To the point where he’d have no desire to leave Korea at all.
The team leader felt his expectations rising as he looked at his subordinate.
The subordinate answered calmly.
“I don’t know his rank since he hasn’t revealed it.”
“……”
The team leader’s expression soured as his expectations were dashed.
The subordinate hurriedly added explanations.
* * *
Si-hyun glared at the man participating in the meeting from a distance.
Ye Do-hyeong.
The advertisement model for the stir-fried noodles that had burned his tongue in an intense way was standing in front of him.
‘Who would’ve thought I’d run into him here…’
They say a nemesis often appears on a narrow bridge.
Hidden behind a veil, Si-hyun glared at Ye Do-hyeong with burning eyes that couldn’t be seen by anyone.
The intensity of his gaze was so strong that Ye Do-hyeong glanced at him for a moment before focusing back on the meeting.
Si-hyun clenched and opened his fists, trying to suppress the fidgeting fingers.
If it were up to him, he’d want to give that man a taste of the “burning tongue pain.”
In fact, it was a spell he had vowed to use against someone like that hero.
‘…Should I just go for it?’
Although he felt a strong temptation.
‘…But I really shouldn’t.’
He reminded himself that there’s a need to distinguish between public and private matters and endured it.
He came here to assist in the dungeon raid, not to cause a disturbance.
It was utterly trolling to harass the true leader of the advance team who anyone could see he was.
Such blatant interference with an ally should not happen.
Huff…
Swallowing a sigh, Si-hyun suppressed the feelings that fought against his reason.
At that moment, Ji-a spoke up.
“Lady! How did you end up here?”
“……”
Silently, Si-hyun turned to look at Ji-a.
With familiar motions, he conveyed his thoughts through gestures.
Ji-a roughly understood the meaning of the gesture.
‘Oh my…’
Mixed emotions filled Ji-a’s heart.
Pure joy about realizing she followed out of concern.
Confidence in the dungeon raid that was surely assured because Si-hyun was with her.
On the other hand, there was also guilt for causing worry.
Of course, while she did leave a message beforehand.
Still, it was entirely predictable that Si-hyun could react this way to her actions.
Ji-a lightly hugged Si-hyun and whispered softly.
“I’m sorry for worrying you.”
Feeling the gentle touch, Si-hyun shook his head.
He kindly patted Ji-a’s back.
Ji-a did nothing wrong.
She just followed along out of her concern.
What mattered was her resolution not to regret her decision.
Since they had arrived at the dungeon, he was determined to make things happen.
All or nothing.
After hugging, Ji-a pulled away from Si-hyun.
Si-hyun sorted through his thoughts and glanced around.
At that moment, the Female Supporter from the Dawn Guild, Ga-eul, approached and spoke.
“Ji-a, do you know this person?”
“Ah, yes. They helped us in the dungeon previously.”
“Hmm.”
Ga-eul squinted as she looked at Si-hyun.
“Is that a nun’s habit? Are you perhaps a Supporter Hunter?”
“……”
Si-hyun didn’t respond to the question.
He glanced at Ga-eul, then bowed his head slightly in greeting before diverting his attention elsewhere as if he had no interest.
Ga-eul felt an immediate sense of irritation.
While it wasn’t rude per se, it was oddly annoying.
“I didn’t introduce myself! I’m Choi Ga-eul, an A-rank Supporter Hunter from the Dawn Guild.”
“……”
Si-hyun turned back to look at Ga-eul.
Even though she was someone he had no interest in, he couldn’t ignore someone who approached him to speak.
He shook hands with the hand Ga-eul extended for a handshake.
An A-rank Supporter Hunter, huh? That sparked just a tiny bit of interest.
But since they’d naturally reveal their levels as they progressed in the dungeon.
If he had any questions, he could just check with Ah-reum.
Ultimately, Si-hyun’s interest quickly fizzled out, and he turned his gaze to scan other hunters.
Ga-eul openly sensed her own embarrassment.
‘Is he really acting like that even after being introduced?’
Who was she?
A member of the top guild in Korea, the Dawn Guild, and the only A-rank Supporter Hunter in South Korea.
Even globally, she ranks among the top Hunters.
Did the other person not know that? Or were they just indifferent?
Their reaction was entirely different from those she had met so far.
Most would be surprised and cling onto her to get close and flatter her.
Generally wanting to go into the dungeon together.
It was the reaction Ga-eul had expected.
However, this nun seemed completely uninterested in her.
‘How strange…’
Ga-eul frowned.
What kind of person could be like this? She thought about wanting to hear even a word from him and opened her mouth again.
“Excuse me?”
“……?”
At the voice calling him, Si-hyun quietly focused on Ga-eul.
“Hey, you’re being spoken to, so could you respond?”
“……”
Ga-eul stared blankly at Si-hyun.
As if asking what was the problem, Si-hyun, with his veiled head, tilted it slightly.
Feeling neglected, Ga-eul sensed her anger slowly building.
At that moment, a female mage from the Later Group, resting nearby, stood up.
She had recognized the situation upon hearing Ga-eul’s sharp voice.
Hurriedly approaching, she positioned herself next to the nun.
“She’s someone the manager urgently brought over. I hear she’s a foreigner!”
“…Oh, really?”
“Yep! She can communicate but apparently can’t speak.”
“Aha, so that’s it.”
Thanks to her appearance, Ga-eul’s anger gently subsided.
While there was still some dissatisfaction, it wasn’t enough to be openly shown.
Thus, Ji-a, who had been listening to the conversation, also accurately grasped the situation.
How Si-hyun entered the dungeon after whatever route or conversation had flowed.
‘It was the manager…’
A foreigner, huh? In a way, that’s not entirely inaccurate.
Ji-a nodded.
As the surrounding people chatted, Si-hyun found himself thinking absentmindedly.
‘If there’s an A-rank Supporter here, I can just sit back and watch, right?’
He figured this was a good thing.
To comfortably watch while just looking after Ji-a, that’s all.
Since he had declared to the manager, in a critical situation, he would help the others too, but otherwise, he had no intention of stepping in.
Once again, he reminded himself.
All or nothing.
As a bit of rest time passed.
The hunters, fully prepared, lined up.
They looked nervous as they faced the entrance of the dungeon.
“Let’s head out!”
“Yes, we’ll depart!”
“Let’s finish up cleanly till the last moment!”
With a loud shout, they began entering the dungeon one by one.
The place welcoming the hunters was a large cavernous dungeon that was no different from before.
Torches hanging from pillars softly illuminated the surroundings.
The space was very spacious, but there were no monsters nearby.
“I’ll proceed!”
With a vigorous voice, the hunters began to move.
They walked carefully, exploring their surroundings.
Walking beside Ji-a, Si-hyun tilted his head slightly.
‘How strange…’
The déjà vu he had felt since entering the dungeon.
It had been vague, dismissed as a mistake.
But entering the duplex dungeon made it feel much clearer.
‘No way.’
After a brief chuckle, he quickened his pace.
Soon, a horde of Undead appeared, initiating the fight.
* * *
“Our Do-hyeong’s magic is so cool! Hehe!”
“……”
“Ah?! What is that?!”
“……”
The commotion caused by Ga-eul resumed.
Ji-a, firmly established in front of the rear guards, did her best not to glance sideways.
Someone’s intense gaze was poking at the back of her head.
“Yikes! Some have broken through! Ji-a! Ji-a!”
“……”
Ji-a skillfully defeated several monsters charging at her.
She composed herself again, looking straight ahead.
The strong gaze still lingered.
As if her head was being pinched.
It must be Si-hyun’s gaze.
Though he was utterly silent.
In Ji-a’s mind, Si-hyun’s voice naturally replayed.
[…Ji-a, is that a single serving?]
[Is this average for Supporter Hunters?]
[Isn’t that a bit bulky?]
‘He’s definitely thinking something like that…’
Ji-a sighed internally.
Due to Ga-eul and Si-hyun in the back, the tension kept dwindling.
In reality.
‘What is this, a cheerleader…?’
Si-hyun alternated his gaze between Ga-eul and Ji-a.
He thought he’d check the level of the best Supporter in Korea.
But all he witnessed during combat was the majority of her screams and shrieks.
He could only watch her use skills after the battle had ended.
Of course, she occasionally used magic from a distance.
But those cases could literally be counted on one hand.
‘…Is this what elite support looks like?’
Is the woman just peculiar?
Or is it that he’s more exceptional than he thought?
While her skills certainly looked impressive.
Was that really the standard?
He could think that his own standards are one thing, but considering Ah-reum’s training direction, this was quite a significant matter.
Si-hyun gazed at Ji-a, feeling perplexed.
A fierce and heated stare continued.
* * *
As the hunters deeply advanced into the duplex dungeon, they gradually realized the end was near.
Beyond an archway, they found a massive gate that dramatically changed the atmosphere.
“This dungeon is shorter than expected.”
“Yeah, it didn’t take long.”
Some hunters casually exchanged conversations.
One hunter among them, who had overheard their conversation, spoke in a low voice.
“This might be dangerous…”
“Why is that?”
A relatively inexperienced hunter from the Later Group asked.
The man who had been staring at the gate maintained his gaze while replying.
“The mana density in this dungeon is so thick that a short length and ease don’t add up.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Yeah, that means the boss is probably absurdly strong.”
“…Shit.”
They all cursed, turning their attention toward the gate.
This fact had also been realized by the S-rank hunters present.
“We need to be cautious.”
“Hahaha! With me around, what’s there to be cautious about? Just watch my performance!”
With Ye Do-hyeong’s mumbles, Kang Cheol-min shouted arrogantly.
He stepped forward, gripping the door handle of the gate tightly.
All the hunters were focused on his movements.
Preparing for the final battle, they steeled their resolve.
Creeeak—!
With a loud noise, the massive gate slowly creaked open.
Following Kang Cheol-min, the lined-up hunters entered the boss room one by one.
And shortly after.
“Is that Yu Byeong-jun the Hunter?”
“And the people beside him look like Rescue Team Hunters?”
“What the hell is going on…”
Faced with an unusual situation, the hunters swallowed their breaths.
Heheh—
A gloomy and eerie female laugh welcomed them.