A S-Class Hunter With Great Agility - Chapter 93

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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 93: Misty Forest (3)

 

I glanced around to check my surroundings.

There truly were no living monsters left, and only Hunters catching their breath while covered in purple blood could be seen.

As the fog lifted, I could feel the gazes of others focusing on the Lord and me.

 

‘Anyone injured…’

 

Fortunately, there seemed to be none. Except for Wi Seo-jin’s distinctive hair color, there was no red visible anywhere.

 

“…So it’s really just you left.”

 

I looked down at the Lord trembling before me.

 

“I’d like to ask about that sacrifice thing or whatever…”

【S-S-Sacrifice! Y-Yes! I’ll tell you about that! It’s not like we wanted to do this forever…!】

“I said I’d like to ask, not that I was asking. The only thing I’m asking now is your corpse.”

 

‘I’ve already figured it out anyway.’

 

A sacrifice… From what I can guess, there’s only one thing that would pull this kind of stunt.

The Lord’s pupils dilated at my indifferent words. Then he spoke rapidly.

 

【Y-You don’t have to kill me to get out. My telekinesis has the ability to open and close Gates! If you just spare my life, I’ll give you all kinds of abundant rewards!】

“Really?”

【Yes!】

“You’re quite good at lying. I guess you practiced that for 800 years.”

 

Now I know. Promises with this thing are never kept. Who knows when it’ll pull another stunt.

No matter how much it flapped its mouth, it was only adding more reasons to die.

 

Scrape.

 

The blade went in almost half an inch deep. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before I could see the end.

The Lord began begging desperately.

 

“….”

【W-W-Wait…】

 

Yeah, that suited it better.

More than the position of Lord, or that lofty castle.

 

“Lightning Flash.”

 

Only a pathetic death was fitting.

 

Thud.

 

Finally, the Lord’s head very quietly.

Rolled across the grass of the forest.

 

* * *

 

“You okay?”

“Yeah, this little scratch is…”

 

Choi Yu-il touched the wound on his forehead. Baek Kyul clicked his tongue and cast Heal, and soon the wound closed up.

The fog began to lift after that.

 

“…!”

“Now on top of everything else, it’s even starting to rain…”

 

Rumble.

 

Dark clouds gathered. Strange clouds rolled over the scene where the Lord and Eun Hae-dam would be facing off.

Baek Kyul watched the sight with a hollow laugh, and Choi Yu-il also looked surprised.

 

“Want to make a bet?”

“What bet all of a sudden?”

 

However, they weren’t making a fuss. Even with a natural disaster unfolding right before their eyes, they remained calm.

When Baek Kyul asked, Choi Yu-il looked puzzled.

 

“About who’s lying down in there, you know.”

“Ah…”

“What are you betting on? What’s the stake?”

 

Whether it would be the Elf Castle Lord lying fallen beyond the fog. Or their companion.

Choi Yu-il spoke while retrieving his last remaining arrow.

 

“Kyul, that’s gambling too.”

“…Tch.”

“Hmm… Instead of money, how about we bet on who has to clean all the used equipment after the next Eden conquest?”

“Deal.”

 

Baek Kyul snapped his fingers and gave his answer.

 

“I’m betting on the senile old man. That side definitely croaked.”

“What? This is…”

“Why?”

 

Choi Yu-il scratched his cheek.

 

“The bet’s meaningless.”

“….”

“Well, me too.”

 

Rumble.

 

Eventually, the fog completely lifted. The torrential rain stopped and the sky was gradually returning to its original color.

Under that sky.

The result of the wager began to reveal itself.

 

“Ah, I’m tired… That’s over, let’s go quickly. This place will collapse soon.”

 

Step.

 

Someone walked out from where purple blood pooled thickly.

Wearing a blue silk hanbok with a black robe draped over it. The one with jet-black hair neatly hanging over his forehead rolled his stiff neck.

 

“Good work.”

“Yeah, good work.”

 

His old friend and a boy now greeted him as if accustomed to it.

 

* * *

 

 

I heard a welcome notification. After checking the content, I wasn’t sure if I should call this welcome.

 

‘399, really.’

 

I silently screamed in front of Choi Yu-il and Baek Kyul without them knowing. Just one more point and it would be 400…

I frantically looked around my surroundings, but there were no more visible monsters.

 

‘They cleaned them out quite thoroughly.’

 

I looked at Red Dog, Choi Yu-il, and Baek Kyul who were exchanging final greetings, saying they had worked hard.

 

“I’ll have to try again next time…”

 

Still, I decided to think that good things are good things. It was true that 400 was right around the corner.

Also, on one hand, I had achieved satisfactory results.

 

 

The Main Quest achievement rate was exceeding 30%. It was a result worth all the hardship.

Even though it seemed like there was still a long way to go numerically, thinking of it as almost one-third level, it was quite a high percentage.

I cleared my throat secretly and said to my party.

 

“Well, let’s go. This place will collapse soon.”

 

Rumble.

 

Sure enough, the purple sky began to roar.

Since the boss monster had disappeared, this place also had to follow its predetermined course.

 

‘So this conquest ends like this too.’

 

There had been many twists and turns. Moreover, quite a bit of time must have been delayed. How much time had passed outside…

 

“Th-thank you for your hard work!”

 

While I was thinking about what came next, Wi Seo-jin suddenly offered me a handshake. I grasped her hand with a bewildered expression.

Wi Seo-jin wiped her reddened eyes with a somehow moved expression.

 

“Thank you. No matter how many times or how long I say it, it won’t be enough… As the leader of the raid party, *sob*, everyone’s alive, alive, *sob*.”

“Are you alright? P-please calm down.”

“*Sob*, I just can’t, can’t help it…”

 

I patted Wi Seo-jin’s shoulder. I couldn’t just stand by when the tip of her nose was turning the same color as her hair.

 

“There, there. Wipe your tears… It would be better to talk after we get out. We can’t die crushed by the castle after coming this far.”

“Y-yes! R-right. That’s right.”

 

I had said it jokingly. Wi Seo-jin hastily came to her senses and let go of my hand.

However, her hand was trembling even until the moment she let go.

 

“I’m really… moved that we can return to our original place. I wonder how our guild leader is doing…”

“Ah, that person…”

 

I immediately thought of the Red Wings hunter who came to mind. Then I smiled lightly.

 

“I wonder.”

 

Maybe some sunlight will reach those dark circles.

I looked at the stone walls of the collapsing Elf Castle.

…Huh? Collapsing? Right now?

 

* * *

 

“Guild Leader. The next auction house schedule is…”

 

Jet-black walls and ceiling. The space entirely painted with black paint was frighteningly desolate.

 

“….”

 

The only colors in that place were the occasional red decorations and the half-folded massive wings.

 

“Guild Leader?”

 

The man in the black turtleneck briefly raised his head. The staff member who had been calling him asked with a puzzled expression.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

However, Hong I-jo’s gaze didn’t reach the staff member.

He flinched his scarred nose bridge and turned his eyes somewhere else.

 

“….”

 

The bird’s gaze was directed outside the window. A place where bright light entered, contrasting with the dark space.

Sunlight streamed in from outside the window on a bright autumn afternoon.

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

As always, Red Dog’s Guild Leader said nothing.

When his mouth had closed, and when he had stopped uttering any words except those absolutely necessary.

Everyone at Red Dog could only guess. They didn’t know the detailed circumstances.

 

“…No, nothing.”

 

It was a brief answer. The Staff Member nodded as if accustomed to it and continued the briefing.

 

“Yes, then let me explain about the artifacts that will be sold at the next auction house—.”

 

Hong I-jo quietly listened to the Staff Member’s story.

However, unlike usual, no one knew that his gaze frequently and for long periods lingered outside the window.

 

It was half a day before news of Red Dog’s 2nd unit would arrive.

 

* * *

 

My legs gave out. Choi Yu-il, Baek Kyul, and I exited the Gate and collapsed one after another with thuds.

 

“Ah…. Huff, huff….”

“Hey, why did you suddenly start running there! You could have just blocked it!”

“I had my reasons, you fool….”

 

My mana consumption was high from using both Earth Mountain Technique and Thunder God.

It wasn’t to the point of complete depletion like before, but I still didn’t have enough power left to block the suddenly collapsing castle wall.

So I had no choice but to desperately push Baek Kyul’s back and run. I had just learned that his stamina was completely exhausted from healing.

 

‘Of all places, why did the castle have to collapse there….’

 

It was the moment when a warm resting place turned into a life-threatening pile of stones.

I neatly folded away the memories of that harrowing escape process and tucked them into a corner of my mind.

 

“What about the collection team. How does everyone else handle such things.”

 

When I turned around, I could see the Gate slowly closing.

Just completing the conquest was overwhelming enough. Collapse prevention powder, dungeon Boss restraints. I wondered how everyone else handled such things.

Unfortunately, we had to leave the dungeon’s byproducts behind.

 

‘That artifact too, what a real waste….’

 

I was referring to the bracelet artifact the Lord had shown us. I clicked my tongue in regret.

 

‘I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with this.’

 

I slyly lifted the sleeve of my shaman robes. Inside were magic stones glistening abundantly.

The large population of the Elf Tribe turned out to be tremendous luck in the end.

 

‘I wonder how much it’s worth.’

 

It looked like at least dozens of times more than all the magic stones I’d collected so far.

Seeing me brighten up like this, Baek Kyul said quietly.

 

“Hey, is this really the time to be looking at that…? I’m going to die first….”

“Really…. That was exhausting….”

“I’m never going into a dungeon with you guys again. Why is it always this hard?!”

“Ah, why.”

 

Choi Yu-il muttered while holding his head, and Baek Kyul grumbled. I pulled my hood strings to cover his mouth in case he was serious.

But even our meaningless conversation was in better shape compared to over there.

 

‘That side is completely a sea of tears….’

 

Red Dog’s 2nd unit huddled together in a group. Embracing each other, they were just streaming tears.

 

“Home, I’m going home….”

“Senior. Is this perhaps a dream?”

“I want to ask that. Is it a dream?”

“Oh, then shouldn’t I slap you? That way you’d realize it quickly….”

 

It was fortunate that despite being clearly exhausted both physically and mentally, they still had the energy to joke around.

I was about to call the Association Staff who had left for overtime due to the conquest taking longer than expected and quietly step aside when Wi Seo-jin approached.

 

“Ah, Hunter!”

“?”

“J-just a moment. I have something to tell you….”

 

She hesitated for a moment before speaking.

 

“I’d like to repay you separately. If there’s anything you want….”

“Repay me?”

 

‘…All I really did was cut through some iron bars.’

 

“Hmm…. Well. Ah, right. When you talk to the reporters later, could you just leave out any mention of me?”

“Pardon? You want me to leave it out, not emphasize it?”

“Yes. It’s important.”

 

Their return would cause quite a stir. Having experienced the media once, I could sense it now. There would probably be chaos for a while.

If it came to light that I was involved here too, then really…. I already felt sick thinking about it.

 

“Ah, understood. Then….”

“….”

“If you can’t think of anything else, may I look into it and take care of something additional for you?”

“That much…”

 

I nodded my head without thinking.

 

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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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