A Hunter on Borrowed Time Keeps Surviving - Chapter 26

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 26.
The Boss Chamber of the Bell Tower, where the Stone King had vanished.
The trembling stone pillars had stilled, leaving only silence in the chamber.
Standing in the center of it all, Siul stared at the Quest window, lost in thought.
【Level-Up Points 3 or Hidden Roulette】
Two choices granted as a reward for seven consecutive successful Quests.
It seemed like a pleasant dilemma, but Siul’s mind was tangled in knots.
“What even is a Hidden Roulette? I could at least guess at a Dragon’s Egg from the name, but this one’s completely opaque.”
No matter how much he griped, the Quest window remained unmoved, offering only the same choice options.
“Well, what can I do.”
Having no better option, Siul decided to chew over the nuances of whatever hints the words might offer.
‘Roulette… is that some kind of randomized item?’
Images flashed through his mind.
A spinning wheel with an arrow you throw to land on a prize.
Reaching into a square box to pull out a ball and discover win or lose.
He even imagined scratching a lottery ticket with a coin.
‘It doesn’t seem like a gamble item with blanks mixed in.’
This was a seventh-tier bonus, after all.
A reward given to someone who’d carried through seven consecutive Quests didn’t seem like it would be some hollow toy with a chance of failure.
‘Please let that be the case.’
He couldn’t be certain.
No information was provided until after receiving it.
Perhaps, like the Dragon’s Egg, he might not realize its function for some time even after obtaining it.
‘How did I choose back at the fifth round when decisions were this hard?’
Siul searched his memory of that time.
He’d definitely hesitated then as well.
Knowing how precious even 2 Level-Up Points were, he’d convinced himself that he ought to make the safe choice.
But in the end, Siul’s decision had been—
— Even if you regret it afterward, follow what your heart pulls toward.
With that resolve, he’d chosen the Dragon’s Egg.
‘A Terminal Condition doesn’t leave much room for caution, anyway.’
Looking back now, that choice hadn’t been wrong.
Thinking so, Siul felt his heart beginning to lean in one direction.
‘What I’m drawn to is clearly….’
Siul’s gaze fixed on one of the reward options.
‘Yes. You’re the one.’
【You have selected Hidden Roulette.】
【As a bonus reward, we grant you ‘Hidden Roulette.’】
Poof!
Smoke erupted at Siul’s feet.
As the smoke cleared, what remained in its place was a single revolver.
“Huh?”
Siul’s eyes widened.
“It’s a weapon, not a randomized item?”
This was completely unexpected.
The name “Roulette” had made him think of random rewards.
But what now lay before his eyes was a revolver emanating a deep, dense magical aura.
Siul picked up the revolver with a bewildered expression.
The weight of it fit snugly in his palm.
Sleek black barrel, and the grip section bore the same blue-green hue as if Zero’s scales had been peeled off and grafted directly on.
Most striking of all was the crude, jutting magazine positioned just above the trigger.
‘This revolver… it looks exactly like….’
A structure where six bullets were loaded into a rotating cylinder.
Only then did Siul grasp why this weapon was called the Hidden Roulette.

A game name he’d certainly heard before.
A game where you load a single bullet into a revolver, spin the cylinder so no one knows where the bullet is, then several people take turns putting the gun to their own head and pulling the trigger.
One of the thrilling scenes frequently shown in films.
And the revolver that appeared whenever that scene came up was precisely this model.
“So that’s why it’s called a Roulette?”
Siul felt a sense of relief wash over him, though he couldn’t quite say why.
As the seventh-stage reward, he’d hoped for at least equipment that would prove useful in combat.
‘Well, getting a weapon at all is half the battle won….’
But doubt crept in almost immediately.
“Don’t tell me it just looks like a gun but actually functions as some gambling item.”
That was when a small holographic window flickered into existence above the Hidden Roulette.
It was a tooltip displaying the weapon’s specifications.
『 Hidden Roulette 』 ― S+ Grade
[Capable of firing a total of 6 Hidden Bullets. Upon ammunition depletion, reloads automatically after 168 hours.]
“Huh!”
Siul let out an involuntary gasp of shock.
“S+ Grade?”
He’d never seen such a rating in his entire life.
Even the shop only displayed items up to S-Grade; anything higher required entry to the exclusive VVIP section.
‘An S+ Grade weapon would be worth at least five billion won….’
The fact that such a rare item appeared as a reward seemed almost unbelievable.
Siul’s pulse quickened noticeably.
Yet after reading the full description, a wave of disappointment followed.
‘Only six shots? And after emptying all six, I have to wait a full week? What is this?’
This went beyond mere frugality—it meant he shouldn’t even consider using it except in the most critical moments.
‘What on earth are Hidden Bullets anyway? Are they really that powerful?’
The name was completely unfamiliar to him.
They seemed to be something different from standard explosive rounds or mana bullets.
“At least give me a trial bullet. Six is just unreasonable.”
With such a long cooldown, he couldn’t exactly test-fire it into empty air.
If the bullets proved to be far more powerful than expected, he’d regret wasting one on experimentation.
“……?”
Then something caught Siul’s eye—text he’d initially overlooked.
There was more to the tooltip description below what he’d already read.
As his attention shifted, the display scrolled to follow his gaze.
[Requesting Roulette Time and winning in the subsequent game allows you to skip the reload cooldown.]
‘Roulette Time?’
So there was a way to bypass the week-long cooldown.
That certainly sounded like good news.
Yet the mention of having to play a game filled him with vague unease.
‘Why does this reward have to be so confusing? There’s barely any information I can actually rely on.’
There was only one way forward.
He’d have to test it himself.
‘I’ll need to book the next dungeon run soon.’
Siul rolled the pistol over in his palm a few times, getting a feel for it.
‘At least the core design is unmistakably a weapon. And S+ Grade is among the highest tiers there is.’
Though many questions remained unanswered, one thing was certain: he’d obtained something exceptional.
The raw mana bleeding from within the Hidden Roulette itself was proof enough that this was a weapon of the highest caliber.
* * *
Screeeech—.
Siul pushed open the iron door of the Boss Chamber and stepped outside.
The sight that greeted him was nothing short of spectacular.
“Whoa!”
Purple Magic Stones covered the entire floor, piled up like mountains.
It would hardly be an exaggeration to say the chamber was buried under them.
Clang—! Clang—!
In the center of it all, a boy swung a Pickaxe, his body glistening with sweat.
Do Ihyun stopped his work the moment he spotted Siul arriving.
“Hunter Siul! You’re back already?”
Siul found himself momentarily speechless.
He could only circle the area in wonder, letting out an awed laugh.
“You mined all these Magic Stones by yourself?”
“Ha! The Pickaxe you gave me was so good, Hunter Siul. A few swings into the ground and the stones just popped right out!”
Do Ihyun maintained an outwardly modest demeanor, though internally he was practically bouncing with ‘Praise me more!’ energy.
“Do Ihyun….”
“I’m sorry?”
“It seems like you have real talent, doesn’t it?”
Do Ihyun’s eyes snapped wide open.
‘Here it comes…!’
His heart began to pound.
The flow of conversation until now—exactly what he’d anticipated.
A scene played out automatically in his mind.
— You know, no matter how I look at it, you’ve got tremendous potential. Ever thought about becoming a Specialist Hunter? I could recommend you right now!
Do Ihyun straightened his posture.
He’d already prepared his response for when Siul offered him the Specialist Hunter position.
“How about becoming a miner?”
…….
Do Ihyun’s eyelids fluttered in confusion.
“Excuse me?”
Siul had launched into genuine career counseling.
“This kind of output is real talent. I’ve mined quite a few Magic Stones myself, but I’ve never seen anyone extract them this quickly and in such volume. I hear that profession actually pays decently. I could get you connected through someone I know.”
Do Ihyun stood frozen, merely swallowing hard.
“You’re still only nineteen, so take your time thinking about it. Anyway, you did an excellent job while I was waiting.”
At Siul’s praise, Do Ihyun’s shoulders relaxed slightly.
Siul opened his inventory and pulled out a Pickaxe.
“Let’s mine the rest together.”
“Yes! I still have energy left!”
The two of them stood side by side and raised their Pickaxes.
“Oh, and should we nail down the schedule for the next dungeon right away?”
Do Ihyun’s ears perked up.
“Already?”
“Yes. We need to keep going while your combat sense is sharp. And I have personal reasons for wanting to move quickly.”
Siul had pushed for the next raid partly to continue leveling, but more because he wanted to test out the Hidden Roulette.
Of course, testing was possible even in Lower-Rank Dungeons, not just A-Rank ones.
But since the Hidden Roulette was a weapon with limited uses, he judged it most efficient to test it while progressing through a Quest.
“Perfect! I’ll tell our handler about it! I’ll ask them to schedule the next one as soon as possible!”
Do Ihyun spoke with a bright smile.
He was simply delighted at the news that he’d get to explore another dungeon with Siul.
“There’s one more thing I want to ask of you, Ihyun.”
“Just say the word!”
“What happened today….”
“Of course I’ll keep it secret! I promised!”
Siul let out a soft laugh and waved his hand.
“No, that’s not what I mean. I’m asking you not to forget what happened today.”
“Huh?”
Siul lowered his Pickaxe and pointed to Do Ihyun’s right shoulder.
A wound was visible through the broken Armor and torn tights.
A scar from the battle with the Gargoyle.
“Looking at your record, there’s never been an enemy stronger than the Gargoyle you fought today. And yet you hunted it properly.”
Do Ihyun touched the tip of his nose awkwardly.
“I was just lucky. Hehe….”
“No. It wasn’t luck at all. Rather, this is the moment your potential is finally beginning to surface.”
Siul added his words with a serious expression.
“Never set your own limits yourself. That prevents you from using your full power. Instead, aim higher. That’s how you can draw out your potential to the fullest.”
Do Ihyun was moved by the sincere advice.
The way he pulled out his notepad and wrote down every word he’d just heard came from a place of genuine respect.
Then, suddenly, Do Ihyun raised his hand high.
“Um! May I ask you a question, Hunter Siul?”
Siul nodded, and Do Ihyun began hesitantly.
“I’m curious what kind of goal you’re pursuing! I won’t write this down since it might be too personal! And if it’s a problem, you don’t have to answer!”
Do Ihyun wanted to know what a skilled Hunter like Siul carried in his mind.
That innocent question caught Siul off guard.
“There’s nothing I can’t say… but it feels a bit embarrassing to say it out loud all of a sudden.”
It felt different from when he’d spoken about it in front of Kang Hocheol and Baek Gahyun.
Siul cleared his throat to shake off the awkwardness, then opened his mouth.
“I’m aiming to conquer an SSS-Rank Dungeon.”
“……!!”
Do Ihyun’s face drained of all color.
An SSS-Rank Dungeon.
One of the world’s seven most formidable dungeons—never conquered, not even once.
To speak of conquering such a hellish place.
“…Are you serious?”
Do Ihyun couldn’t help but ask again, incredulous.
‘Even the top Hunters in South Korea who’ve made the world rankings have never dared say such a thing….’
For Do Ihyun, who habitually sought out interviews and books by famous Hunters, the shock hit all the deeper.
Meanwhile, Siul, who had just laid bare his ambition, remained unflustered.
“It’ll be difficult, but I want to try. Before the end comes, I need to give everything I have a shot.”
To Siul, those words meant he would struggle and fight with everything he had left before his death warrant came due.
Yet that melancholy lament struck a chord of pure romance in the heart of a nineteen-year-old prospect.
“You’re truly amazing!! I admire you so much!!”
Do Ihyun’s fists clenched as a shiver ran through him.
Such a magnificent Hunter existed in this world—he marveled at it.
He felt a swell of pride that this Hunter was from the same South Korea as himself.
More than anything, joy flooded through him at the thought that he was witnessing the footsteps of this great one up close.
A Terminal Condition Hunter who continues to survive
Author |
Klutzmats
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(주) Samyang C&C
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Editorial Department
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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