These Lunatics are Obsessed With Me

"Let's do that. Vice Guild Master Seo Ha-joon."

"Hunter Han Yi-jin…!"

Sung Yoo-bin shouted angrily. I looked back at Sung Yoo-bin, who looked like she was going to blow up her fire at any moment, and I signalled her with my eyes to stay quiet. Tiny sparks appeared around her, making crackling sounds.

"In return, I would like to rest here until Hunter Sung Yoo-bin's cool time is over."

"Hmm…"

Because the Catnip skill had a 24-hour cooldown, this skill was not efficient if used on just one person. However, Sung Yoo-bin was the only S-class hunter that we could rely on in the current raid team. She had proven herself tough even against the sandworm's abnormal mental skill. Seo Ha-joon also seemed to be aware of that and seemed to be in a dilemma.

"I understand. However, I hope you follow our instructions immediately afterward."

"…Understood."

I answered, holding back an inexplicable feeling of unease. Seo Ha-joon and the Tyr guild members quickly turned around and moved to a corner of the oasis. Sung Yoo-bin, who had been glaring at Seo Ha-joon, also turned her head.

"That asshole. What's he up to now?"

"Well, probably it's nothing serious."

“Of course, I will protect Hunter Han Yi-jin with my life.”

"Well, there's no need to go that far…"

I looked at Sung Yoo-bin's fiery eyes with a little surprise. It was hard to tell whether she was serious or joking. The way she spoke and the look in her eyes were sincere, yet the harsh words she often expressed were hard to believe as sincere.

"It's okay, Yi-jin-ah, I'll protect you!"

"Kkyau!"

Eden and Yong-sik also shouted from beside me. Finally, my heart felt a little lighter. I wasn't alone in the combat team. Yong-sik would never leave my side, and Eden, my bodyguard, would keep following me. While not particularly useful in battle, Eden's ability was perfect for escaping.

"All right, thank you."

Besides, Sung Yoo-bin's cooldown bought us some time. Hopefully, Kang Yoo-hyun would be here by then. I sighed as I looked at the misty desert outside the oasis.

Kang Yoo-hyun's eyes widened as he arrived at the portal entrance to the Muspelheim dungeon. His eyes scanned the portal entrance, which seemed to have been hit by a gale. The guild members of the Tyr Guild who were guarding the entrance were lying around in a mess.

"Uh…"

“…!”

One of the fallen guild members groaned, perhaps sensing someone's presence approaching. Kang Yoo Hyun approached him.

"Are you okay?"

"Ugh, Hun–ter Kang Yoo-hyun?"

The guild member's eyes widened when he recognized Kang Yoo-hyun. However, he immediately coughed as if he was struggling. Kang Yoo-hyun frowned when he saw parts of his body covered in black aura.

"Cough, kugh… The villain guy…"

"Villain?"

Kang Yoo-hyun's sharp gaze turned towards the chaotic surroundings of the portal. The communication terminal was destroyed next to the fallen guild member. It was a calculated move.

Normally, if there was no contact from the guild members guarding the portal area for more than ten minutes, other guild members would come and check it out. Guarding the dungeon entrance was a very important task for a guild.

This means that it hasn't even been ten minutes since this place was attacked. Kang Yoo-hyun looked at the flickering portal with a rigid face.

“Was he alone?"

“Ugh, yes…"

"…"

After administering a potion to the barely conscious guild member, Kang Yoo-hyun helped him raise his body. As Kang Yoo-hyun glanced at the broken communication device, he contacted the Tyr Guild. Their response was that they had been trying to reach the member stationed at the entrance, and they would send reinforcements promptly. Kang Yoo-hyun quickly conveyed instructions to strengthen the dungeon entrance and the defence before ending the call.

Familiar aura. Familiar method. Kang Yoo-hyun gritted his teeth when he thought of someone.

Spark

"…"

The deep-blue portal began to flicker and turn red. The dungeon had begun to experience a rating anomaly. Kang Yoo-hyun, who saw it, immediately entered the portal.

The desert sun was scorching hot. He ran against the sand, unperturbed by the scorching sunlight. As soon as he entered the dungeon, he could feel someone's presence.

Han Yi-jin. Kang Yoo-hyun could feel the matching wavelength for him not far away. Kang Yoo-hyun's brow furrowed as he felt something soft rubbing against his back.

But Kang Yoo-hyun, who was rushing forward, stopped after a while. Kang Yoo-hyun frowned as he felt the ground shaking. He felt that something huge was approaching him.

Kugugugu.

Most monsters were reduced to ash by his passive skill. However, this one felt like it couldn't be stopped by his passive skill.

"…Is it a sandworm?"

Kang Yoo-hyun, who muttered quietly, stood there and waited for the sandworm to come up. Once the sandworm had discovered his location, it would follow him wherever he went. He couldn't go to where Han Yi Jin was with this thing. He had to kill it here.

"Kieee!"

The sandworm that suddenly jumped up let out a shrill scream. Several status windows appeared before Kang Yoo-hyun's eyes.

[A fatal error has occurred!]

[The error has been resolved.]

[Élivágar’s Blessing (SS) has been activated.]

[The status ailment ‘Panic' has been lifted.]

[Vanishing Darkness (SS) has been activated.]

[Twilight Guide (SS) has been activated.]

"…"

The elite monster, Sandworm, couldn't match up to the SS-ranked Kang Yoo-hyun. Still, the monster was close to S-rank, it was quite a tough opponent. It wasn't a monster that would appear at the beginning of the dungeon, so it was clearly affected by the rating anomaly. Kang Yoo-hyun, who summoned his demon sword, clicked his tongue and swung it at the sandworm.

“Kiaa!”

"Kugh."

The sandworm lunged at him tenaciously. As Kang Yoo-hyun's passive skills and the sandworm clashed in the air, a whirlwind enveloped the surroundings. However, this was a fight with a clear outcome from the start. The moment when his black demon sword wanted to penetrate the sandworm's body.

"Ugh…!"

Boom, boom!

Countless explosions erupted around Kang Yoo-hyun, and before he could dodge the explosions, the sandworm's massive body hit him.

[An unknown error has occurred.]

[The Élivágar’s Blessing (SS) is temporarily disabled.]

[An unknown error has occurred.]

[The effect of the Vanishing Darkness (SS) is temporarily weakened.]

[An unknown error has occurred.]

[The Twilight Guide (SS) is temporarily inactive.]

"…"

Numerous system windows flashed up, indicating that his passive skills were temporarily disabled. Kang Yoo-hyun's eyes widened.

Nullifying SS-grade passive skills—this was something only a boss monster like the Draugr King could do.

Kang Yoo-hyun was taken aback for a moment by the unexpected event. The demon sword with explosive energy filled with Kang Yoo-hyun's determination, split the sandworm's body in half.

"Kiek…!"

"…"

Looking at the falling sandworm with a cold gaze, Kang Yoo-hyun turned his head and swung his demon sword beyond the sandworm corpse. Intangible energy spread to the surrounding ground.

Thump!

"…Tsk, you're quick to notice."

"Baek Si-hoo."

A human figure suddenly appeared where there was nothing but sand. It was Baek Si-hoo, who was secretly watching his fight with the sandworm. He hid his tracks well enough to hide his presence even from him, but the item he had just used had revealed his location.

An item that could negate SS-grade passive skills, even if only temporarily, was unheard of. Kang Yoo-hyun narrowed his eyes.

"Long time no see, Kang Yoo-hyun."

"…”

The air between the two facing each other vibrated violently, emitting a sharp sound. In a cold atmosphere, Kang Yoo-hyun stared at Baek Si-hoo.

When Kang Yoo-hyun returned to this world after wandering for more than 300 years, surprisingly, the first person he met was Baek Si-hoo. It happened when Kang Yoo-hyun found Baek Si-hoo mercilessly killing other hunters in front of the portal he had just come out of.

He didn't know what was going on, but Kang Yoo-hyun didn't have a good feeling about Baek Si-hoo killing his fellow hunters. Kang Yoo-hyun fought with Baek Si-hoo, who quickly charged at him.

At that time, Kang Yoo-hyun was not in normal condition. He had had one tough fight before meeting Baek Si-hoo, and he was mentally exhausted after going through the portal. Nevertheless, facing an SS-class opponent was no easy feat. Therefore, Baek Si-hoo had no choice but to retreat.

Afterward, they encountered each other occasionally. That was only after they properly understood each other's circumstances. A hero trying to protect the world and a villain trying to destroy it. These were the resolute words that define both of them. Their fierce gazes clashed in the air.

"I thought Jang Tae-san was your master, but it turns out someone else was holding your leash, huh?"

"…"

Baek Si-hoo frowned at Kang Yoo-hyun’s sarcastic remark. His hand gripped the sword tightened. Unlike Kang Yoo-hyun's demon sword, his sword was thin and long and emitted a black aura like an abyss.

There was no way that Jang Tae-san, the Loki Guild's guildmaster, would possess an item that could disable an SS-grade skill. Behind Baek Si-hoo lurked a greater force, and Kang Yoo-hyun could tell who that person was.

"Shut up."

"…"

They glared at each other with displeasure on their faces. They weren't in the mood for a long conversation anyway. The bodies of the two hunters holding their swords twitched as if they would jump at any moment. And that's when—

Qrrng.

"…!"

"…!"

The ground beneath them shook, and the sand collapsed. At the same time, brownish sand hit them both. A dispassionate voice of the system echoed in the surroundings.

[The rating is adjusted by the interference of…]

[Muspelheim-S207's rating is adjusted to SS-rank.]

T/N: See you guys next Friday.

Spoiler

Next chapter – husband looking for his wife (⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠)⁠✧⁠*⁠。

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