A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 115
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 115: Unpredictable (6)
“Our government also received a cooperation request. Secretly.”
Yeo Jung-eun spoke again with a calm expression.
“As you can see, even an S-rank Hunter died yesterday. From the Japanese government’s perspective, it’s literally a fire under their feet.”
That was understandable. S-rank Hunters were essentially equivalent to national power, and each one was treated as a precious national asset.
‘Even losing just one is a huge deal.’
If you imagine one of Korea’s large Guild Leaders dying tomorrow. It would truly be a front-page headline, an unprecedented incident.
‘And murdered by someone at that…?’
Surely anxiety would spread nationwide immediately, and public sentiment would be shaken beyond control.
I could understand the position of the Japanese government requesting help secretly.
“Japan has 12 S-rank Hunters… No, 11 now. If 2 more die, it’ll drop to single digits. That’s a serious problem.”
Yeo Jung-eun sipped her tea with the tone of someone watching a neighbor’s house fire.
“I’d like to just leave it alone… We’ve been hurt by them so much.”
Then her eyes became somewhat sharp.
Well, in an era where Hunters meant national power, friction with neighboring countries was natural.
‘Historically, there are still many problems…’
For reference, even after the Great Awakening era came, they still haven’t apologized.
I cleared my thoughts and rested my chin on my hand.
“Anyway, a cooperation request came in.”
“That’s right. The first batter was us, right next door. If it can’t be resolved, China next, then another country… They seem to plan on continuing to ask for help.”
“…”
“Because they don’t know what might happen if they put their own Hunters on the front lines again.”
So it’s okay if we get hurt… I leaned back against the sofa.
“What’s the content?”
When I asked about the content of the cooperation request, Yeo Jung-eun pursed her lips.
“Dispatching domestic Hunters. Specifically, high-ranking Hunters.”
“That’s a vague condition.”
“Yes. But they probably meant S-rank. Maybe they thought it would be shameless to specify directly?”
She smiled slyly afterward.
“But ‘high-ranking’ Hunters would include A-rank too, right?”
I let out a hollow laugh at her words.
‘She’s exploiting a loophole in their words.’
The Japanese side probably thought we’d understand they meant S-rank. Unfortunately for them, our Association President was a Prophet Hunter.
‘She’s no ordinary strategist.’
I tilted my head, impressed by her cunning.
“But why me specifically?”
“You know what? Mr. Eun Hae-dam is considered one of the strongest among A-rank Hunters currently registered with the Association.”
“…Me?”
Yeo Jung-eun nodded. She pointed at me as if it were obvious and continued her sentence.
“Think about what you’ve accomplished so far. Wouldn’t it be stranger to judge you as not strong?”
“…”
“We can’t give Japan an S-rank Hunter who’s a pillar of our nation. But we can’t ignore their request either. Someone strong enough, yet who would never damage our national prestige… I thought there was only one answer. Plus we have our deal, right?”
Saying that, the Association President shrugged. I asked back.
“…So, I’d be going on dispatch duty to Japan? I’m a bit hesitant about that.”
‘I’ve never left this land in my entire life.’
Forget overseas travel, I could barely afford domestic trips, so there was no way I’d ever been on a plane or ship.
“Hmm… The compensation Japan offered is quite substantial. Want to hear it?”
When I made a complex expression, Yeo Jung-eun spoke.
She put down her empty tea cup and calmly opened her mouth.
* * *
Zip.
I pulled the zipper of my newly bought suitcase.
“…What should I bring?”
But I could only stare blankly at the empty interior of the suitcase.
“Clothes, toiletries, cup noodles…? When am I going to pack all this.”
I read the travel preparation list I barely managed to find on the internet and scratched my cheek.
Thud thud.
Just then, I heard the sound of someone knocking on the door. Ah, this feels familiar somehow.
Ding dong, ding dong—
“Yes, coming—.”
Please just press it once. I approached the entrance, easily predicting the future that awaited me.
Creak.
When I opened the door, two people came tumbling in from the other side.
‘…Two people?’
I naturally thought it would be Choi Yu-il who got kicked out by Sister.
“Sir! Is this for real?!”
“Hae, Hae-dam. I saw the article…”
I looked at the two with a bewildered expression. What’s all this about.
“No way, this doesn’t make sense. I’m really shocked.”
“I was so surprised… Are you really going?”
The ones who hurriedly entered the Shaman House were very familiar faces.
The Healer and the archer, the boy and the young man. Two A-rank Hunters thrust their mobile phones in front of my eyes.
My photo was embedded in the article text.
“…What the hell.”
Didn’t they say this was a secret?
* * *
Baek Kyul was having a peaceful day. Although he didn’t get much sleep, there were no emergency calls and the dungeon he went to in the morning ended unexpectedly early.
‘I can go home today.’
He walked down the hospital corridor, drinking an Awakener Energy Drink like water.
“Hey, you can’t run here.”
He heard giggling sounds. Children wearing patient gowns and fur hats were playing tag.
Baek Kyul spoke curtly to the children.
“Who are you, mister?”
A lisping voice came back. A child with missing front teeth asked with an innocent face.
“A doctor, you brat. A doctor.”
“Whoa. You’re younger than my brother—.”
“You’re even younger. And if someone treats people, they’re a doctor, right?”
Baek Kyul said while showing the white coat he was wearing.
“Hey kid, I even reattached your lung, so you shouldn’t say that.”
“I don’t really know.”
The child still tilted their head with a puzzled expression.
“Whatever. What am I even saying.”
Baek Kyul let out a small sigh and rummaged through his coat pocket.
“Here. Don’t run and play nicely.”
What was handed to the child was a soda flavored lollipop. The child smiled brightly, showing their missing front teeth.
“Thank you! You’re the best, mister!”
The child clutched the candy tightly and ran straight to their friends.
“Jeez…!”
Baek Kyul shook his head from side to side.
“What are they trying to become when they grow up, acting like that.”
I’d like to see how they turn out… The boy muttered for a moment.
Buzz.
Just then, his cell phone vibrated briefly. What is it? Baek Kyul opened the screen, hoping it wasn’t an emergency call.
Kyul
Kyul
Big trouble
(Link)
“…?”
Baek Kyul furrowed his brow and opened the link. Soon an article filled the entire screen.
Along with a very familiar face.
“…Isn’t this guy crazy?”
* * *
Two hours later.
Baek Kyul and Choi Yu-il took a brief break and barged into Eun Hae-dam’s house.
“Dude. Give us some explanation.”
I scratched my cheek with a troubled expression. I had barely managed to get these two to sit down, but their sullen expressions showed no signs of softening.
“What explanation? What you saw is everything.”
“Then… are you really going to Japan?”
Choi Yu-il asked in a serious tone. It was the most earnest I’d seen him in 15 years.
“Yeah. I have to go. Why are you all making such a fuss?”
I said nonchalantly. Then Baek Kyul opened his mouth wide and launched into a speech.
“Dude. Isn’t it chaos over there right now? Serial murder case! And all the victims are Hunters.”
“…Yeah.”
“But is there any guarantee you won’t die? You’re literally crawling into a tiger’s den.”
Choi Yu-il also chimed in, shoving his mobile phone at me again.
“Right, look. Everyone’s worried about it too.”
I checked the last comment.
“They’re telling me to be careful and come back safely?”
“You…!”
Choi Yu-il was shocked.
‘Right. I appreciate the concern, but…’
Why did the article come out in the first place? If it weren’t for the article, I could have gone and come back quietly.
I thought for a moment. They definitely said it was a secret request from Japan, and that it was a state secret…
‘Ah, right.’
There’s no way the Association could maintain confidentiality!
It was a very simple conclusion.
‘Or maybe Yeo Jung-eun deliberately leaked it to screw over Japan.’
Given the Association President’s personality, that might actually be the correct answer.
“…Sigh.”
I lightly tapped Choi Yu-il’s forehead.
“Ah! Why.”
He rubbed his forehead and drooped the corners of his eyes. His green eyes held a sense of injustice.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I have my own plans too.”
Choi Yu-il closed his mouth as if to say let’s hear it. Baek Kyul also pulled down his hood and rested his chin on his hand.
“I heard all the explanations from the Association President. Face to face. Of course, I also confirmed that it wouldn’t be dangerous.”
I recalled my conversation with the Association President again.
— Still, don’t worry too much. Hae-dam probably won’t become a direct target of that murderer. Since you’re not Japanese.
What the Association President said was this. Fox Mask’s targets were only Japanese people.
As an example, when A-rank Hunter Kato Ichiro died at his company. A Chinese Hunter who was with him was also attacked.
When he shouted in Chinese, there was testimony that Fox Mask became greatly flustered and immediately retreated.
I relayed this story to Baek Kyul and Choi Yu-il.
“…Really?”
“Are you sure about that?”
“I’m telling you it’s true.”
Only then did the two calm down a little.
“Besides, if the perpetrator is caught, I’m promised compensation too.”
“…What is it?”
‘Now that all the secrets are out anyway.’
I moved my lips.
“Super Regeneration Potion.”
At these words, Baek Kyul was noticeably amazed.
“Huh? Really?”
Super Regeneration Potion. Literally a regeneration medicine.
This was different from ordinary health potions. It was a medicine comparable to an S-rank Healer’s heal.
‘They said it could even restore severed limbs.’
If you drink the potion or pour it on an injured area, severed body parts will regrow. It doesn’t have much effect on old injuries, but if used within a month, most treatments are successful.
— You never know what might happen in this world, right?
The Association President was right. Even if you’re fine today, you might crawl out of tomorrow’s dungeon without legs – that’s the life of a Hunter.
‘It’s a rare item that even Helena Shop doesn’t sell.’
It would definitely be good to obtain it while I had this opportunity.
“Damn… That’s intense.”
Baek Kyul muttered while twisting his hood string.
“…Alright. If that’s your judgment.”
Choi Yu-il also dropped his shoulders and nodded.
“I didn’t really come to stop you from going anyway… I just wanted to hear an explanation since you’re going to a country where serial murders are happening.”
“I know, I know.”
Though I didn’t expect both of them to barge in like this.
“Don’t worry. They said the schedule isn’t too tight either. Since I’m A-rank, they won’t make me do anything too dangerous. In other words, it’s just like overseas travel.”
Actually, this was another reason. In life, shouldn’t you go on overseas travel at least once? Plus, since it was international exchange, most expenses were covered by the country.
‘And when I go to Japan… I want to eat sweet bean jelly.’
I heard there’s a famous handmade sweet bean jelly shop in Japan. It must be delicious.
I chuckled and patted my friend’s shoulder.
“…Still, I’m worried.”
“I told you not to be. Oh, right.”
I snapped my fingers. There was one way to instantly quell the guys’ worries.
“Spirit Summoning.”
“Huh?”
“What?”
Whoooosh—
White smoke filled the room. Choi Yu-il and Baek Kyul looked around.
“What’s this?”
“Dude, what are you doing.”
Swoosh.
Soon the smoke cleared.
| …You call me quite early. |
A familiar scolding reached my ears. And I felt something settle on top of my head.
“My bodyguard.”
A pure white, fluffy tail swayed before my eyes.
The Mountain Lord, now in small form, was there.
“…A dog?”
“What is it?”
No, it’s not…
* * *
Incheon Airport.
I adjusted the sunglasses I bought for today.
“Somehow the Association President seems to keep sending me far away.”
Last time it was Busan too. The request locations keep being distant.
‘At this rate, I’ll end up going to the other side of Earth.’
“Mountain Lord. Would you like to go around the world with me sometime?”
| What’s with this sudden pipe dream? A world tour – humans can’t finish it even in a lifetime. |
“Technology is so advanced these days.”
I made small talk while looking around the airport. I could see people gathered in groups of three to five, each dragging a suitcase.
Travel, business trips, or immigration. The airport was bustling with people leaving or entering Korea for their own reasons.
| By the way, it’s truly difficult to see your face even once. I’ll forgive you if you honestly say you forgot about me. |
“H-hey. How could I forget about Mountain Lord? I was just waiting for the right time.”
| Enough. Stop that treacherous retainer-like way of speaking. |
Mountain Lord tapped my back with his tail. Ow ow ow.
“W-well, since we’re at it, wouldn’t it be nice to go sightseeing in the neighboring country together? I summoned you at just the right time thinking of you. You’ll enjoy it.”
| If it’s not enjoyable, there will be no communication. |
The Mountain Lord was unexpectedly displeased about being summoned after such a long time.
I had been breaking out in cold sweats for the past few days trying to appease him.
“I’ll do my best to serve you well….”
It seemed I would need to plan a trip. A version that included the tiger.
“Hunter. Hello there.”
Just then, someone approached me from the side.
“?”
I pushed up my sunglasses and turned to look beside me.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————