A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 47
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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 47: Island of ? (2)
The Blue Dragon Guild, including myself, was entering the island.
It was clearly a place overgrown with grass fields, but it was definitely different from ordinary islands. The appearance of the flowers and trees was quite bizarre.
“The way they look is unsettling. It’s ecological destruction.”
“All dungeons are like that. But that one looks like it might be edible?”
“You want to eat this? I’d rather eat poisonous mushrooms.”
The Azure Dragon Guild Members each made jokes as they cleared a path. It was because the vegetation was so thick that it was hard to see ahead.
“How is Senior Ho-jung doing?”
“She’s still unconscious. She seems to be in pretty bad shape…”
“That crazy monster bastard. We should have dried up the entire sea.”
However, the atmosphere itself was more subdued than before.
No matter how Lee Cheong-ryu’s skill ensured no deaths, it was natural for their hearts to feel bitter even if their minds were fine after witnessing a comrade’s tragedy up close.
— …go. We can’t lose the party.
Kim Se-min hesitated for a moment but ultimately didn’t answer. Since it felt wrong to grab and interrogate a kid who was barely middle or high school age, I backed off for now.
Then I followed the Blue Dragon as they entered the island. I hoped it wasn’t anything serious.
I walked silently, cutting through vines with the Spirit General Sword. The writhing appearance of the vines, as if they were alive, was unpleasant.
Shrieeeek—!
“—!”
Something suddenly lunged at me. A red flower-shaped plant monster opened its maw as if to tear off my face.
Kieeeek—!
I quickly raised my sword and cut through the stem.
Slash, thud.
The plant’s head fell to the floor.
“What the hell is this…”
Looking around, sure enough. The surrounding plants were watching this way menacingly, waiting for an opportunity.
I frowned. How should I put it, this was.
‘It seems like they’re trying to drive us out…’
| Oh, combat again? |
“That’s troublesome… Everyone’s exhausted.”
Thunder God spoke up as if interested. However, I shook my head.
Starting another battle already would be pushing it a bit, wouldn’t it?
‘Yeon Ho-jung hasn’t woken up yet either.’
Looking at the Blue Dragon Hunters’ personalities, it seemed like no one would point out this problem if not for me.
I pondered for a moment, then spoke to Lee Cheong-ryu who was walking ahead.
“Mr. Lee Cheong-ryu. Shouldn’t we rest here for a bit?”
“Huh? Rest?”
“Yes. Everyone looks very tired. If we keep going like this, those things will attack us immediately.”
Lee Cheong-ryu scratched his head while looking at the plant monsters baring their teeth.
“Are you guys tired?”
“Oh my, now that you mention it, my back does seem to be aching a bit.”
“The wound I got earlier hasn’t fully healed yet!”
“A-and Senior Ho-jung is still unconscious!”
Twitch.
“Hmm?”
‘Something seemed to move.’
Yeon Ho-jung’s shoulder, who was being carried by a Hunter, twitched. Ah, so that’s how it is.
“See? Everyone’s completely beaten up. It’s better to rest.”
“Right! It’s hard! I’m sleepy!”
“My feet hurt!”
“At this rate, the Association will raise labor rights issues too.”
Moreover, my physical condition wasn’t good either. Fighting while maintaining balance on a swaying ship wasn’t an easy task.
Mana and stamina recover to some extent when you rest and sleep. In other words, for the battles to come, it was better to take a short rest.
The Boss Monster hasn’t even appeared yet.
“How much did you all fight to be tired already?”
“Guild Leader, you didn’t fight!”
“Of course not, this is your training!”
“Down with the figurehead boss!”
Everyone was losing their minds. Lee Cheong-ryu let out a long sigh.
“Fine, then we’ll camp here briefly.”
“Ooh. Awesome.”
“Wow, how long has it been since we had a break?”
“That Association person is really the best! Thanks to them we’re being treated like humans!”
The Blue Dragon Guild Members each patted my shoulder as they passed by. Phew. I let out a sigh of relief and sheathed the Spirit General Sword into its scabbard.
As the killing intent from the Hunters subsided, the surrounding plant monsters also became much calmer.
It seemed like we could rest for a very brief moment.
* * *
Crackle crackle.
A campfire blazed up. Whether this place had day and night, the surroundings had grown darker than before.
“Good thing we stopped for a moment. If we’d kept going, we wouldn’t have been able to see anything.”
“It’s thanks to the Association person. Your name was Eun Hae-dam, right?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
“I was wondering what kind of Association person would be coming along with us… Turns out you’re a pretty decent guy!”
“Taking a break in the middle of a raid. This feels like a complete dream.”
The Blue Dragon Hunters came over to talk to me as I warmed myself by the campfire.
Most of them had hearty personalities, so it felt like having a conversation while hosting Fire Virtue True Lord and Thunder God.
I chewed on a piece of red bean jelly that Lee Cheong-ryu had given me.
“Is Blue Dragon’s training always this intense?”
“Oh man. It’s no joke…”
“It’s scary, I tell you. Think about it. What guild would reserve all the dungeons nationwide just for training?”
That’s true. Even Eden, which is as big as Blue Dragon or bigger, doesn’t do such things.
“It’s not just dungeons. You should see how many training grounds there are at Blue Dragon Guild Headquarters alone…”
“I’m starting to feel respectful now.”
The Blue Dragon Hunters clicked their tongues in amazement. I listened to their stories while drinking the barley tea provided along with the sweet bean jelly.
Regardless of reputation, it really is a convenient skill. Being able to pull out whatever food you want in a dungeon.
But other dungeons won’t have Lee Cheong-ryu like this one…
“So are the other places being conquered without Lee Cheong-ryu?”
“Mmm. That’s right. Those are veterans who’ve been trained to some extent now. Guys who won’t cause casualties even without the Guild Leader.”
“Compared to them, we’re a complete gathering of green rookies!”
If this is the level of rookies… Eden should be getting nervous.
I reviewed the battle on the ship. I couldn’t observe much of the surroundings since I was busy dealing with the largest Kraken alone, but at least there were no immediate deaths.
That alone showed that their level wasn’t simply confined within the ranking system.
‘Whether he has a good eye for people or good skills at nurturing them.’
I had also recognized Kim Se-min’s abilities in that desolate dungeon last time.
Her unhesitating personality, fast skill casting speed, and the characteristics of skills with infinite potential depending on how they’re used. Despite her young age, she possessed terrifying talent.
However, recognizing that talent and then not letting it slip away by bringing her in is also a remarkable ability.
“Still, I’m grateful to the Guild Leader. Without Blue Dragon, a major guild would’ve been difficult with my rank.”
“That’s true. Even though it’s tough, seeing our skills improve day by day makes it worthwhile. Hunters can’t grow. That was kind of a law, wasn’t it.”
Two Hunters who said they were C-rank spoke up. It seemed Lee Cheong-ryu recruited Hunters regardless of their rank.
While I can grow, ordinary Hunters’ stats don’t change, so it would be natural to prefer higher ranks.
| Experience is the most important thing in combat. |
“…”
| The more it accumulates, the more it changes everything. There’s no experience that isn’t helpful! |
“You’re right, aren’t you?”
I chuckled softly as I ate the last bite of sweet bean jelly.
Yes, even painful experiences ultimately become helpful. I wanted to believe that.
“Huh? Eun Hae-dam, what did you say?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”
“You keep talking to yourself. Are you okay?”
“I guess I’m tired. I should sleep for a bit.”
“Ah. Right, right. You fought incredibly hard alone, didn’t you? Let’s clear some space for him!”
I was actually tired. The Hunters moved busily and got up from around me. Just then, I heard Lee Cheong-ryu’s shout.
“Anyone want hamburgers!”
“Oh, I’m coming!”
“Hae-dam, aren’t you eating?”
“Ah, I’m fine.”
Western food wasn’t to my taste. I shook my head.
Maybe I should get some sleep. Tomorrow—though I’m not sure if that word applies in a dungeon—there would probably be more fighting.
I yawned once and quietly gazed at the campfire.
“…Excuse me.”
“?”
It was Kim Se-min.
“I brought firewood.”
Kim Se-min approached me holding dry tree branches in her arms.
It was an unexpected face, so I looked slightly flustered as I clumsily received the firewood. I had wondered if she might be upset about what happened earlier.
Kim Se-min came and sat down next to me, as if to fuel my bewilderment.
“It’s cold. I want to dry my clothes.”
“Ah…”
I added the firewood Kim Se-min had brought to the campfire. The fire blazed up strongly.
I racked my brain trying to find something to say.
“Is Yeon Ho-jung okay?”
“She’s over there.”
Kim Se-min pointed somewhere.
At the end of her finger, there was Yeon Ho-jung eating a hamburger and having a pleasant conversation with her colleagues.
So she really was awake earlier after all…
“Thank goodness. You don’t seem to be hurt anywhere either.”
“I do have injuries. The scratches from the Kraken are pretty severe.”
“….”
“I should have jumped in faster.”
“That’s not true. From the beginning, only you were there, Kim Se-min. The person who jumped in without hesitation.”
Kim Se-min was silent for a moment. She just hugged her knees and rested her chin on them.
“…There is. I almost lost a friend once too.”
I continued speaking while looking at the crackling campfire. It was about what happened in the Life Dungeon.
“His personality is soft, but…. He’s strong. Even so, back then I really almost lost him forever. A guy who’d been my friend since we were practically babies.”
“….”
“That bastard, he was completely beaten up.”
Choi Yu-il was always like that. He cherished his people and was good to those around him. The problem was that he was so good that he would go to the point of sacrificing himself.
I chuckled and threw another branch into the campfire.
“I also back then…, stepped forward to save him. Just like you did earlier, Kim Se-min, in a situation where I might die.”
“….”
“Normally I wouldn’t do that. But I’m someone who has lost something else before, so I couldn’t stop myself.”
The orange campfire was warm. It was just like the flames of Fire Virtue True Lord that had wrapped around my entire body back then.
I took off the black robe of the combat suit I was wearing. Then I draped it over the shoulders of Kim Se-min, who was still shivering while soaked with seawater.
“…Did your friend survive?”
“Yes.”
Upon hearing that answer, Kim Se-min gripped the edge of the robe tightly. Kim Se-min’s jet-black hair scattered over the black silk.
“I….”
Kim Se-min hesitantly opened her mouth.
“I have an older sister.”
“….”
“She’s currently missing.”
The sound of the campfire’s flames crackling echoed fragilely.
The child begins the story she had buried away.
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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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