A Hunter on Borrowed Time Keeps Surviving - Chapter 9

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 9.
A griddle sat in the middle of Si-ul’s studio apartment.
The ventilation fan ran at full blast, and a window stood cracked open.
Si-ul settled himself in his most comfortable T-shirt in front of the griddle.
“How long has it been since we did this?”
Meat already sizzled on the griddle.
Not the thin-sliced pork belly he usually bought to pinch pennies.
Premium Korean beef, gleaming with a richness all its own.
Not just one variety—ribeye, chuck flap, skirt steak—each cut laid out in its own section, cooking away.
“Money’s nice, sure. But it’s enough to make your head spin, you know?”
Sizzle—!
The sound of meat cooking, so close it tickled the ears.
Si-ul was flipping a piece with tongs when one particularly glistening morsel caught his eye; he couldn’t resist popping it straight into his mouth.
“Wow.”
No chewing needed.
The moment it touched his tongue, the meat melted away like silk.
Si-ul immediately reached for a canned beer.
Pop.
The tab opened, foam bubbled up, and he tilted his head back and poured it down his throat as if he’d been waiting for this his whole life.
Glug, glug—
“Aah!”
The cold beer slid down his throat, then rose back up as a hot gasp of satisfaction.
“This is crazy. God, why is this so good?”
As a morsel of beef dissolved on his tongue, the deep, rich fat coated his palate, and the beer swept it all away in perfect harmony.
‘Alcohol tastes different now.’
He’d drunk far too much ever since he’d received his terminal illness diagnosis.
But today was different.
Not drinking to numb himself against a terrifying future of death, but eating and drinking to steel himself for another day of living with purpose.
That single shift in perspective changed everything.
“You bastard dragon. Thanks to you, I’m living between hell and heaven.”
Now he could even laugh about it in spite of himself.
He’d become more composed, and stronger too.
‘Combat’s starting to feel natural, and I’m getting used to the Immortality Trait. As long as I don’t overreach, steady leveling should be easy enough.’
As Si-ul was imagining a positive future, a question suddenly crossed his mind.
‘But how far can this quest actually level me up?’
Si-ul set down his chopsticks and gave the question serious thought.
‘Generally, the highest rank for an Awakened One is S-rank. Hells, even Gates in the domestic sector only go up to S-rank.’
Of course, if you looked beyond Korea, the picture changed.
In countries with vast territories like the United States or China, SS-rank Gates turned up occasionally.
In seven zones the World Hunter Association had designated as restricted access areas, SSS-rank Gates actually opened.
To sum it up: Awakened Ones maxed out at S-rank, but the monsters inside Gates and Dungeons could reach all the way to SSS-rank and beyond.
Which was why S-rank Hunters from each nation formed the Allied Guild, aiming to clear double or triple S-rank Dungeons together.
‘So my leveling ceiling must be S-rank too, then?’
Just reaching that height would be glorious—putting him on the world’s most powerful Hunters list.
But Si-ul was greedy.
‘If it’s possible to level all the way to SSS-rank, I’d like to take on that dragon one-on-one.’
He knew it was wishful thinking, but he couldn’t help imagining it anyway.
Even as an S-rank Hunter, he’d still be insignificant before the Judgment Dragon.
‘Still, if I ever face it again, at least I’ll be something more than I am now.’
Si-ul swallowed a bitter laugh and took a sip of his beer.
‘Right—I need to file a Re-awakening Report at some point.’
A Re-awakening Report: the formal process of notifying the Hunter Association that an awakened rank on file was incorrect, requesting retesting and reclassification.
‘If I stay D-rank, it’ll get inconvenient for operations.’
He wanted to correct it tomorrow if he could, but that would create headaches down the road.
‘My rank will keep changing as I level up. If I report now, I’ll just have to do it again later.’
One Re-awakening Report was considered normal. A second would definitely raise the Association’s suspicions.
No one had ever re-awakened twice in recorded history.
‘Looks like I should wait until I reach S-rank to file the Re-awakening Report.’
Better to endure the inconvenience now than invite unwanted scrutiny later.
‘Leveling up to S-rank… can I manage it before my death sentence expires?’
Si-ul’s gaze lifted toward the holographic screen floating in mid-air.
The miniaturized display expanded as soon as he looked at it, the characters growing sharper and more legible.
【 Time Remaining: 163 days, 16 hours, 25 minutes 】
* * *
Near Yongsan Station, in front of a Gate.
Beyond the temporary fence, security personnel moved about with practiced efficiency.
Employees from the Gate-owning company, densely positioned and uniformed.
Yet mixed among them were administrative officials in regulation dress.
“Is it because we’re next to Yongsan Station? Why are there so many people gathered here?”
Si-ul set down his equipment and scanned the area.
The atmosphere felt subtly different today.
Security personnel seemed at least twice as numerous as usual.
Radio chatter crackled frequently throughout the restricted access zone.
“Si-ul, how’s your condition?”
Park Do-hyeon tightened the straps of his protective suit and approached.
“Good. But doesn’t the atmosphere seem a bit unsettled today?”
As Si-ul spoke, Park Do-hyeon swept his eyes across their surroundings and lowered his voice.
“That’s understandable. This contract is rather unusual.”
“How so?”
“We’ve received outsourced work more than once or twice, haven’t we? From major guilds, mid-tier guilds, independents, even the Hunter Association—we’ve taken jobs from all kinds of sources….”
Park Do-hyeon paused and glanced around once more.
“This time, the client is the government.”
Si-ul’s brow twitched slightly.
“The government?”
“I was shocked too when I heard. The government rarely outsources Dungeon raids to private contractors.”
“Normally, you’re right. The government has in-house personnel and special Awakened Ones they can deploy at any time.”
They possessed military strength robust enough that outsourcing was unnecessary.
For such a government to request a contract from Min Hyung-sik’s team—made up of mere B-rank and C-rank Awakened Ones—was genuinely extraordinary, just as Park Do-hyeon had said.
“I don’t know the reason, but either way, I’m on edge. There are so many watching eyes, and Team Leader Min seems unusually stressed about it.”
While the two were chatting, Min Hyung-sik completed the procedures and approached the Gate.
“Everyone ready?”
When everyone nodded, Min Hyung-sik moved to the front with haste.
“Let’s move out then.”
Si-ul and Park Do-hyeon rose simultaneously, exchanging a pointed look.
‘As expected.’
‘He’s quite worried.’
From the tension in Min Hyung-sik’s voice, it was clear he wanted to complete today’s Dungeon raid with an excellent result.
It was only natural to want to show the government what his team could do.
“Let’s focus and do this well.”
* * *
『 You have entered the B-rank Dungeon “Silent Graveyard Fortress.” 』
〈B-rank Gate – Yongsan Sector 9〉
Dungeon Name: Silent Graveyard Fortress
Appearing Monsters: Skeletons
Estimated Clear Time: Approximately 4 hours
“It’s really eerie….”
Park Do-hyeon gripped his shield nervously, his face anxious.
For good reason—the landscape before them was exactly as the dungeon’s name suggested: a dark expanse crowded with graves.
Crumbled stone fortifications and tombs stretched across a wide area, with Mana-tainted fog coiling densely between them.
It wouldn’t be surprising if a ghost suddenly lunged from the shadows.
“Don’t stop. Push forward.”
Min Hyung-sik’s shoulders tensed as he issued the command.
“The undead become troublesome if you waste time. Everyone maintain formation, and Si-ul, you’re free to charge ahead whenever you’re ready.”
Si-ul moved forward with his dagger already drawn, following Min Hyung-sik’s instructions precisely.
“Why does this Dungeon feel so unpleasant?”
Park Do-hyeon whispered to Si-ul, his expression uneasy.
“What do you mean, unpleasant?”
“From the moment we entered, no monsters have rushed out, and we haven’t encountered any yet, but I have this persistent feeling that something is watching us.”
According to what Si-ul had heard from his party members, Park Do-hyeon was an Awakened One with exceptionally keen instincts.
“Could the monsters be hidden somewhere, observing us?”
“These dungeon monsters don’t operate that way….”
Park Do-hyeon was right—the creatures in this dungeon weren’t approaching stealthily.
The moment enemies drew near, they revealed themselves without hesitation.
Shrieeek!
A sharp, scraping sound echoed through the air, like stone being dragged.
Min Hyung-sik and his party members stopped in their tracks with practiced precision.
At the same instant, white forms began emerging from behind toppled gravestones and beneath half-buried walls.
Kling-klang-klang!
“What are those…?”
Skeleton soldiers.
Blue flames flickered in their hollow eye sockets, their hands gripping rusted swords and spears—the dungeon’s signature skeletal apparitions.
Skeletons were appearing throughout the dungeon.
“Ten skeletons ahead! More coming from the left!”
“Their numbers keep increasing! Stay sharp!”
Min Hyung-sik’s team formed their defensive formation with practiced ease.
Si-ul surged forward a half-beat faster than the rest.
‘When you’re facing numbers, striking first is essential.’
Si-ul, who had already entered boss chambers alone twice before, knew the tricks to fighting multiple enemies.
‘Kill the leader, and the rest fall apart on their own.’
The target Si-ul had chosen was the lone skeleton wearing a distinctive helmet among the ranks of bone soldiers.
A skeleton officer.
The commander of this unit.
‘Only that one’s showing a Danger Rating of eight.’
In Si-ul’s field of vision, an enemy’s strength displayed itself as a numerical Danger Rating.
The other skeleton soldiers ranked at seven, but this one alone registered an eight.
That was why Si-ul had marked it as his target, even before noticing the armor.
Whoosh!
The Tracer’s blade traced a sharp arc through the air toward the skeleton officer.
“Gaahhk…!”
The skeleton officer’s neck snapped instantly, and it crumpled to the ground.
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
“…!”
The skeleton soldiers froze mid-motion.
Their commander’s death had broken their resolve.
Si-ul didn’t waste the opening.
“Now!”
Min Hyung-sik echoed the command.
“Charge!”
With a battle cry, the party members surged forward in unison.
The skeleton soldiers, already wavering, were overwhelmed in an instant by Min Hyung-sik’s surging team.
“That team’s quite capable, wouldn’t you say?”
In one corner of the dungeon, the unpleasant gaze Park Do-hyeon had sensed earlier was now observing the scene unfold.
Two invisible figures—cloaked in transparency—watched Min Hyung-sik’s team from within the dungeon.
『 Concealer’s Necktie 』 ― A-rank
While worn, this item erases the user’s visual presence entirely.
Kang Ho-chul and Baek Ga-hyeon, both dressed in special hunter suits with neatly tied neckties, observed Min Hyung-sik’s team’s combat with interest.
“Nothing beats watching a good fight while staying hidden, really.”
“That phrasing sounds a bit odd, doesn’t it?”
These two had entered the dungeon long before.
They had been waiting in this location since before Min Hyung-sik’s team even began their raid.
“Having the government commission the dungeon clearance was a smart move.”
“There’s no better way to observe Si-ul than this.”
Today’s subcontract that Min Hyung-sik’s team had accepted was actually orchestrated by these two.
A means to investigate Si-ul and extract information.
Baek Ga-hyeon watched Si-ul’s combat closely.
The way he threaded through the skeleton soldiers, his timing as he broke from formation, the angle at which he raised his weapon—every detail.
“His instincts are solid, but I wouldn’t call him particularly skilled. In terms of pure combat ability, without considering equipment, he seems mid-tier within the team.”
Kang Ho-chul agreed with Baek Ga-hyeon’s assessment, though he’d drawn a different conclusion on another front.
“His combat power isn’t anything exceptional. But he’s not D-rank either. He’s using skills.”
“That’s true. It seems the official records for Si-ul registered with the Hunter Association are incorrect.”
A hunter who appeared to need a Re-awakening Report.
That same hunter had become connected to a rift suspected of being a Black Gate.
And he’d even blocked an S-rank hunter’s memory-theft ability.
“I can’t help but be fascinated.”
Kang Ho-chul smiled thinly, his gaze fixed on Si-ul.
Si-ul and his party members had already defeated the skeletal soldiers and were catching their breath.
Kang Ho-chul and Baek Ga-hyeon missed nothing, taking in even that smallest exhalation.
A terminal illness hunter continues to survive
Author |
Katsumattsu
Publisher |
Samyang C&C Corp.
Editor-in-Chief |
Editorial Department
Published by |
Samyang C&C Corp. – Dream Books
Address |
7th Floor, Gwangseong Building, 28 Bongeunsa-ro 114-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
UCI |
G720:N+A063-20260731071
Blog |
blog.naver.com/dreambookss
Twitter (X) |
@dreambookss
Submissions |
[email protected]
Without written permission from Samyang C&C Corp. – Dream Books, no part of this book may be used in any form or by any means.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————