A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 144

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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 144: Year-End Party (2)

 

[Well, let’s call it a thank you, I suppose.]

 

“A thank you?”

 

[It seems like you helped our guild member quite a bit?]

 

“…!”

 

‘Did Kim Se-min tell him directly?’

 

I furrowed my brow. Since Kim Se-min belonged to Blue Dragon, it wouldn’t be strange if yesterday’s incident had reached Lee Cheong-ryu’s ears.

 

‘But Se-min isn’t the type to report such trivial details.’

 

She’s not much of a talker, after all. I asked back with suspicion.

 

“Did Hunter Kim Se-min tell you directly?”

 

My achievement rate had risen quite a bit by now. A word or two like this wouldn’t be a matter of life and death.

 

When I chose an appropriate title and asked the question, Lee Cheong-ryu played dumb.

 

[Hm? I never said it was Se-min, did I?]

 

Oh no.

 

“Stop playing word games. How did you find out?”

 

When I spoke curtly while pressing my forehead, I heard laughter along with the sound of splashing water.

 

[Haha. She didn’t tell me directly. I just deduced it roughly. You know? My hobby.]

 

“….”

 

[There was a C-rank Gate conquest today. I received a report that Hunter Kim Se-min’s concentration had noticeably improved. What could be the reason? I was thinking about it, and well. That’s how it happened.]

 

‘It seems like he skipped a lot of explanation.’

 

What connection could there possibly be between Kim Se-min’s concentration and a former shaman?

 

‘What does he know and how much… Anyway, he’s a strange person.’

 

Being the guild leader of Blue Dragon, his deduction network seemed to extend in all directions throughout the Republic of Korea.

 

Lee Cheong-ryu spoke nonchalantly.

 

[Anyway, thanks to you, Blue Dragon’s Gate conquest efficiency has improved. I think this is enough justification for even an unaffiliated hunter to participate in the party as Blue Dragon’s guest, don’t you?]

 

As Lee Cheong-ryu said, while it wasn’t quite sufficient, there was certainly some justification. The problem was how playful he was being about it.

 

‘At this point, he just wants to invite me because he feels like it. What a serious mood-driven person.’

 

[And you said so last time. That you had something you wanted to tell Guild Leader Choi Yu-kyung and me.]

 

“Ah, that.”

 

I finished my meal and put down my chopsticks.

 

‘It was actually a topic I was thinking about.’

 

The story about the Strange People Cult’s resurgence.

 

I had to deliver the warning to the large guilds as soon as possible that they would definitely start operating in Korea again.

 

[The Guild Leaders of the Five Great Guilds share pretty much all information related to national interests. If you’re going to say something anyway, it’s faster to do it when everyone’s present. The security here is thorough too. I can’t think of a more suitable place than this.]

 

“….”

 

[You already know each other, right? What’s wrong with being among comfortable company.]

 

…Since when was I on comfortable terms with S-rank Hunters?

 

‘Fine. Let’s skip the trivial stuff.’

 

I ran my hand through my hair and stood up from my seat.

 

“Alright, I understand. I’ll think about it.”

 

[Oh, good good. If you’re coming, I’ll keep a Gate open around the evening of the 31st. Just come through there!]

 

“Yes….”

 

He’s talking about tearing through space-time like he’s saying he’ll call me a taxi on time.

 

* * *

 

December 31st evening.

 

The taxi arrived on time.

 

“Sigh…. Is this right?”

 

I looked at the rippling deep blue Gate and thought.

 

‘…A party. There are many risk factors. The aftermath is scary too.’

 

What’s there to worry about when it’s just a simple party? I shuddered at the creeping unease.

 

‘If I accept Lee Cheong-ryu’s invitation and go to the party as a ‘guest of Blue Dragon,’ what will Eden say?’

 

Even now, I haven’t joined a guild, so I’m already walking on eggshells around Sister Yu-kyung.

 

I managed to temporarily deflect it through that interview about being friends with Choi Yu-il. But if I participated in such a big event as Blue Dragon’s guest, the situation would spiral completely out of control.

 

‘That can’t happen… For the peace of the Republic of Korea, if nothing else.’

 

I tried to reassure myself by recalling the solution I had come up with over the past few days.

 

With that method, I could prevent Sister Yu-kyung’s wrath, Lee Cheong-ryu’s smugness, and Baek Kyul’s shock.

 

‘So it’s fine. Let’s just go and come back safely.’

 

I briefly adjusted my appearance before crossing the gate.

 

“…This should be good enough, right?”

 

Lee Cheong-ryu had given me a brief explanation about party attire.

 

— Neat, but not casual clothes! That’s just right. I don’t know much about this stuff either since I’ve only done it a few times—.

 

If it’s neat but not casual clothes, by my standards, there’s only one other option.

 

Swish.

 

The red durumagi that covered half my hands looked luxurious. The gonryongpo pattern embroidered in purple was quite modern too.

 

‘This is just in case.’

 

Over my shoulders, I draped the black robe that Sister Yu-kyung had given me as a gift.

 

I didn’t put my arms through it properly but simply draped it over due to the wide sleeves of the durumagi, but it looked stylish enough.

 

Why did I dress like this? Right, I finally decided to go to the party!

 

‘I must be crazy. Walking into the tiger’s den with my own two feet.’

 

But if all those tigers are scheming to drag me to their dens and shower me with delicacies, wouldn’t that be pretty good?

 

‘I really am crazy…’

 

But you see, there was one more reason for my decision.

 

“…It’s almost New Year.”

 

At least for New Year’s, it was better to be with people’s festive noise than to listen to the New Year’s bell alone.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

I cleared my thoughts and took a step forward.

 

Swoosh.

 

Though I had entered through this entrance several times before, it really did look similar to an actual Gate. The unsettling feeling I got was unavoidable.

 

‘Sorry to Lee Cheong-ryu, but.’

 

* * *

 

The light reflecting off the chandelier was dazzling. I frowned momentarily at the suddenly brightened scenery.

 

‘Is this the place?’

 

When I gathered my senses and looked around, the interior of the party hall came into view.

 

‘It’s quite lively.’

 

Small foods and champagne glasses were placed on tables covered with luxurious cloth.

 

The people standing around the tables were all key forces of guilds, each possessing formidable status windows.

 

“This is pretty stuffy. Ugh. I’m always wearing combat suits, so wearing a suit really doesn’t feel natural.”

 

“Still, you’re wearing it well. Our attitude today represents the face of our guild.”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

However, perhaps because it really was an unofficial event, everyone’s behavior seemed quite relaxed.

 

“This champagne is delicious! It’s refreshing and nice, isn’t it?”

 

“It’s alcohol for Awakened. You’ll get drunk if you drink too much, so be careful.”

 

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I may not look it, but I’m quite the drinker?”

 

Hunters dressed in formal attire laughed and chatted away.

 

“Haha. When it comes to crime suppression records, no guild can match our Red Dog. We’re like society’s vacuum cleaner, you could say?”

 

“Hmph. If you put it that way, what about Eden? We hold overwhelming first place in all records.”

 

“We’ll see about that when today’s guild rankings are announced!”

 

‘The appearance is similar to the auction house I went to last time. But the people are different.’

 

Since they were field Hunters, it felt more like an after-party following a company dinner rather than a ball.

 

“Hmm.”

 

I took a few more steps to look for any familiar faces. Lee Cheong-ryu’s gate gradually shrank and disappeared.

 

And that’s when the hunters’ attention began to focus on me.

 

“Hm? Isn’t that the Guild Leader’s gate?”

 

“That bright blue one that just disappeared? Oh, looks like that person came out of it.”

 

“The Guild Leader doesn’t use her skill for us very often, does she…? She told me to just run over myself. So I actually ran all the way from Busan as training.”

 

“Pfft. But then who is that person?”

 

‘Don’t tell me this is some kind of… Lee Cheong-ryu premium escort service or something…?’

 

I had been using it so casually all this time that I had no idea.

 

I hesitated a bit as hunters began gathering around me one by one.

 

‘This really is a tiger’s den after all…’

 

Fortunately, most of their gazes were filled with curiosity rather than wariness, but it was still burdensome.

 

“Hello there, brother. Let’s, uh, introduce ourselves. What organization are you with?”

 

“Hey, watch your language. We’re the face of Blue Dragon!”

 

“Why are we the face when the Guild Leader’s divine presence is here?”

 

The hunters bickered among themselves while asking for my name.

 

I barely held back from shouting, “Excuse me, but I’m an introvert… Could you please speak one at a time?”

 

“Nice hanbok. With those red clothes, are you from Red Dog?”

 

“Haha… That’s not it…”

 

“Why not? Your eyes look so cold, you’d be perfect for Red Dog!”

 

That hunter was definitely drunk…

 

While I was wondering how to explain to such a person that I was a harmless former shaman with no connection to any large guilds.

 

A voice that would normally be welcome, but was now unwelcome in many ways, reached my ears.

 

“Oh my. Hae-dam?”

 

It was Sister Yu-kyung. I barely managed to turn my stiff neck.

 

“Why are you here…?”

 

When Eden’s Guild Leader appeared as well, the hunters presumed to be from Blue Dragon began murmuring.

 

“Brother. That guy seems to know the Eden Guild Leader too?”

 

Don’t use that tone and stir up fear!

 

I awkwardly smiled and greeted Yu-kyung.

 

“Haha… Sister, how have you been?”

 

“Oh, yeah. What’s going on all of a sudden? Why are you here? Don’t tell me…”

 

Yu-kyung was wearing semi-formal attire. However, more accessories than usual adorned her, harmonizing with her platinum hair to make her look even more glamorous.

 

Yu-kyung covered her mouth and muttered.

 

“Don’t tell me you joined somewhere… without even telling me…!”

 

“Th-that’s not it!”

 

What good is being glamorous? Right now she looks exactly like a parent who discovered their child’s sudden delinquency and is shocked.

 

I haven’t actually seen such a face myself, but that’s what it’s like, metaphorically speaking.

 

“It’s a misunderstanding, definitely a misunderstanding.”

 

Just as I was about to start explaining, Choi Yu-il appeared from behind Yu-kyung.

 

“Sister? What’s wrong?”

 

Choi Yu-il was dressed similarly to Yu-kyung.

 

Between his slightly oversized ivory formal jacket, a loosely hanging green necktie was visible.

 

“Eun Hae-dam?”

 

The guy spotted me immediately.

 

“Yeah, it’s me.”

 

“You came. But what’s all this about suddenly?”

 

“I don’t know either.”

 

I glanced at Yu-kyung, who was alone with a serious expression, muttering to herself.

 

“No, Eden has the most money. I can just pay the contract termination penalty for him…”

 

“…How far have you gone?!”

 

I approached her to clear up the misunderstanding.

 

‘I knew this would happen.’

 

It wasn’t hard to guess that this kind of situation was probably included among the things Lee Cheong-ryu was aiming for.

 

That was when it happened.

 

A man’s voice was heard, ready to pour oil on what was already a blazing fire.

 

“Wow, the ‘Blue Dragon’s Customer’ has arrived?”

 

“….”

 

“Welcome!”

 

It was Lee Cheong-ryu, wearing a navy blue formal suit coat.

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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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