A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 141

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 141: The Boy and Girl (5)

 

Waves crashed. Under the summer sunlight, the deep blue and transparent seawater soaked the sand.

 

Swoooosh—

 

Kim Se-min stepped back as the waves approached her feet. Even the popping bubbles felt real.

 

‘How can it be this vivid?’

 

No matter how closely she observed, she couldn’t find any difference from reality.

 

Kim Se-min didn’t understand what this was, but it didn’t matter. No matter how dangerous it might be, it was fine.

 

As long as she could see the person before her eyes.

 

“It’s been a while since we came to the sea. It’s cool and nice, isn’t it?”

 

The woman splashing around with her long hair flowing smiled brightly.

 

“Let’s come here often from now on!”

 

She seemed more real than the waves.

 

Confident eyes, curved lips. Long eyelashes, the same nose bridge as Kim Se-min.

 

It was definitely her sister that she had drawn countless times.

 

Kim Se-min couldn’t smile. Because she knew. That she would never be able to come here with her again.

 

“Oh, they’re selling shaved ice over there. Should I buy some?”

 

“….”

 

“Hmm, you might catch a cold. Next time….”

 

“No. I want to eat it. I’m strong now.”

 

Kim Se-min had been weak since childhood. She caught colds frequently and lay sick for days due to mysterious fevers.

 

Her sister must have struggled quite a bit raising Kim Se-min, who was born underweight, in place of their deceased parents.

 

“Puhaha. Not healthy, but strong? Oh my, is that so?”

 

But the woman never complained even once. She always smiled and did her best at whatever she was responsible for.

 

She was always overflowing with confidence and possessed a spirit that feared nothing.

 

“Then you can only eat a few spoonfuls, understand?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Though she was sometimes overprotective of Kim Se-min. Kim Se-min loved everything her sister did for her, so it was all fine.

 

“Ugh, it just tastes like artificial coloring.”

 

Blue syrup was sprinkled over white ice. The woman took a spoonful to try it, then fed Kim Se-min a bite as well.

 

There was no sweetness. It must have been the limit of the illusion.

 

“It’s delicious though.”

 

It felt like chewing sand, but Kim Se-min swallowed it down.

 

She brainwashed herself into thinking it tasted sweet, and that she didn’t want to leave this place.

 

“Se-min will be going to middle school soon too… Then you won’t play with your sister much anymore, will you?”

 

“You’re the one who’s busier, sister.”

 

“Oh no. Are you mad? Sorry, sorry. I’ll get some vacation time soon.”

 

She heard a playful voice. No matter how hard she tried, she could never become that kind of person.

 

Kim Se-min, who often heard that she looked gloomy even when just sitting still, couldn’t mimic her sister’s personality.

 

When she looked in the mirror, Kim Se-min was there. Not her sister.

 

Swoooosh—

 

The waves crashed. Kim Se-min clenched her fists tightly. Soon now…

 

“Kyaah! Wh-what is that?!”

 

“It’s a Gate! Everyone get away!”

 

“Children. Don’t go near it! Come over here quickly!”

 

Wooooong—

 

A massive Gate appeared in the middle of the beach.

 

The dark green entrance rippled as if it would spew out monsters at any moment.

 

“Aaah! Why now of all times!”

 

“Ah, what’s happening all of a sudden…!”

 

“Anyone in the water, get out of there right now!”

 

People fled in panic. A Gate that could spew out monsters at any time was an object of terror by its very existence.

 

Adults quickly escaped the beach, scooping up children who were lingering around the Gate out of curiosity.

 

Only one person wasn’t running away.

 

Step.

 

“….”

 

Handing the shaved ice cup she was holding to Kim Se-min, the woman looked up at the gate with serious eyes.

 

Crackle, crackle.

 

The dark green gate reflected light.

 

“…It’s on the verge of saturation. I need to go in right now.”

 

The woman muttered like that. At the time, it was incomprehensible words, but the current Kim Se-min could understand the meaning.

 

“Hunter Association Emergency Gate Management Department! We came after receiving a report! Everyone please step back!”

 

The surroundings became noisy and two or three people in black suits appeared.

 

“It’s dangerous if you stay here, …Are you a Hunter?”

 

“Yes. Could I get an explanation of what’s happening?”

 

The Association staff discovered Kim Se-min’s sister and exchanged glances among themselves.

 

“…Could you please state your affiliation and name?”

 

“Kim Se-won from Songbaek Guild. I’m B-rank.”

 

Once her identity was confirmed, the staff member cleared his throat and explained with a serious face.

 

“As you can see, it’s an emergency gate on the verge of saturation. Judging by the size, it’s a low-rank gate corresponding to E-rank or D-rank, but the problem is that it seems less than an hour remains before a dungeon break occurs.”

 

“I’ll enter. Please just give me an emergency suppression permit.”

 

Kim Se-won spoke without hesitation. The staff members looked flustered and asked back.

 

“…Are you sure you’ll be okay? But proper rank measurement hasn’t been done yet, and no matter how B-rank you are, it might be dangerous. It’s difficult for us to easily give permission….”

 

“That’s my job.”

 

Kim Se-won smiled brightly, and that was the last smile Kim Se-min saw.

 

“Se-min, sister will be back. Wait just a little, okay?”

 

“Uh, sister.”

 

Do you have to go?

 

Why couldn’t she say that one simple thing?

 

— Yeah. Have a safe trip. I’ll be waiting.

 

Sadly, those were the only words I had said in the past. Kim Se-won patted her younger sister’s head a few times and turned to leave.

 

Toward the beach, toward the entrance to a world from which she could never return.

 

“Ah…”

 

Kim Se-min tried to run after her. But the Association staff members blocked her way.

 

“Ahh…”

 

The bright blue syrup from the shaved ice in her hand dripped onto the sand, drop by drop.

 

Like tears.

 

It was a common story. Hunters who entered Gates without properly understanding them often ended up losing their lives.

 

Being unable to escape from collapsing dungeons and getting buried like a water burial beneath piles of rubble… had become part of everyday life in this era.

 

“Hah…”

 

But even so, that didn’t make tragedy any less tragic.

 

[Don’t let yourself be consumed by the past.]

 

That was all I could say to her.

 

[You said you were going to find your sister. That you’d save her with your own hands.]

 

— I will find my sister. …I’m living now for that moment.

 

Kim Se-min believed. That her sister was alive. That she would find her with her own hands.

 

It didn’t matter if it wasn’t the truth. But if you believe. With that one belief, a person can live through today. …Just as I do as well.

 

[Get out of there right now. It’ll be dangerous if you stay any longer.]

 

I spoke to Kim Se-min through the crack in the illusion that I had forcibly torn open.

 

“…What if I refuse?”

 

[Well. I’ll perform the exorcism, but I can’t guarantee that the remaining illusions will break too. You might end up trapped there forever. Repeating the same moments over and over.]

 

“…”

 

[It would be meaningless.]

 

I spoke to Kim Se-min as if trying to persuade her.

 

[The talisman I gave you, hurry up and tear it.]

 

Kim Se-min took out the talisman from her pouch. She held it in one hand and stared at it blankly.

 

‘I don’t want to go back…’

 

Kim Se-min was feeling her limits. Since awakening, she hadn’t caught a cold or been bedridden with illness.

 

But loneliness was a separate matter from having a healthy body.

 

‘I don’t want to be alone.’

 

When dungeon conquest ended and she returned home. She no longer wanted to face that empty room.

 

She missed the caring eyes and touch that would ask if she was okay today, if she had any injuries. A child needed an adult.

 

[Hurry up.]

 

Kim Se-min looked back at the gate that had swallowed her sister.

 

Was she still in there? Was she reaching out her hand asking for help?

 

‘Wait just a little longer, sister.’

 

If so, she would gladly jump in. In reality, she would find Kim Se-won.

 

Riiip—

 

She tore the talisman without hesitation as always.

 

The surrounding scenery became distorted.

 

* * *

 

“Phew…”

 

I sat down in relief. Damn, I really thought she wouldn’t come out and got scared.

 

‘Thank goodness she’s not as stubborn as Baek Kyul…’

 

Baek Kyul had hugged his healthy, uninjured grandmother tightly and faced off with me for a full 3 hours.

 

Honestly, I almost lost my mind. Come out! I won’t! I said come out! I said I won’t! It was almost kindergarten-level conversation…

 

‘I barely managed to drag Baek Kyul out. But Kim Se-min had already spent a day inside.’

 

This ghost could create more realistic illusions the greater the opponent’s desperation was.

 

‘So I came here in front of such a ghost, and with bombs of all things…’

 

Both Baek Kyul and Kim Se-min were children who had lost someone. They had no choice but to be more desperate than ordinary children.

 

‘It was only natural that there were more kids who couldn’t see anything and just came back injured.’

 

How much experience could middle school students, still in their teens, have had with parting from someone?

 

Unless they were children in special circumstances, this ghost couldn’t pose a mental threat to them.

 

All questions were resolved. Now…

 

“Heave-ho.”

 

I got up from my seat and spoke to Baek Kyul.

 

“Stop sulking. Take care of the child. She’ll probably need about 30 minutes before she can get up.”

 

“Damn it…”

 

Baek Kyul was still grumbling, apparently quite resentful about being forcibly dragged out.

 

Even so, faithfully casting Heal on Kim Se-min was just like him.

 

“Well… shall we have a little chat between ourselves?”

 

I turned my gaze away from them and turned my head.

 

Step.

 

As I clasped my hands behind my back and took a step forward, the girl standing under the moonlight fidgeted, not knowing what to do.

 

「Sc, scary mister.」

 

Who’s a mister, you punk.

 

“You’re much older than me, you know?”

 

I looked at the unmistakable ghost with no shadow and a transparent body that light passed through.

 

She was a girl wearing an 80s school uniform, with her hair braided into two pigtails hanging down.

 

「I’m only fourteen now!」

 

Ah, so that’s the concept…

 

I sighed and rummaged through my sleeve. A small glass bottle containing red blood came out.

 

Swoosh—

 

I dabbed some of it on my hand and sprinkled it around Kim Se-min and Baek Kyul.

 

「…!」

 

With this, the children wouldn’t be able to come any closer.

 

It was premium chicken blood I got from the shaman of Mount Taebaek.

 

“Let’s talk, just the two of us.”

 

The girl withdrew her hand that had been reaching toward Kim Se-min. Her eyes welling up with tears, she looked quite resentful.

 

「That sister promised to play with me, with me. She promised!」

 

“…A promise?”

 

This is driving me crazy.

 

I pressed my forehead. This is maddening. Not only was she possessed by an evil spirit, but she made a promise with the evil spirit.

 

As a former shaman, these were truly the first clients like this I’d ever encountered.

 

“…I’ll take her place and listen to that. You just want someone to play with you, right?”

 

I pulled out several more talismans from my sleeve. Then I stuck them all over the back of my hand and wrist.

 

Crack.

 

When I clenched my fist, the girl was horrified.

 

「Uuugh!」

 

The girl stretched out her hand. From her fingertips, enormous resentment burst forth.

 

Screech!

 

It was a pitch-black, sinister energy. It was spiritual power emanating from a soul that had lingered for decades.

 

“Haha.”

 

Really… it’s been so long.

 

I smiled, lifting the corners of my mouth at the nostalgic sensation.

 

Then I formed a simple hand seal with my talisman-covered hand.

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