An F-Rank Veterinarian Physically Heals an S-Rank Magical Beast - Chapter 8

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 8
At 2 PM, alert notifications chimed simultaneously across the three pinnacles of South Korea’s hunter world.
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[Gangnam-gu Cheongdam-dong, Zeus Guild Master’s Office]
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Lee Shin-woo, known as the “Dragon Slayer,” was reviewing a mountain of approval documents when his phone vibrated softly. S-rank gate settlement, guild member welfare expansion, government negotiations—his temples throbbed as he pressed them, and his phone buzzed briefly.
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[Sender: Director Kang Jin-hyuk]
[Content: Urgent Recruitment Notice (First Come, First Served)]
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Lee Shin-woo’s eyes transformed in an instant. Documents were irrelevant. He bolted upright and grabbed his coat.
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“Secretary-General! Cancel all my appointments today!”
“Pardon? But there’s a Blue House luncheon this afternoon···.”
“Tell the President someone far more important has summoned me.”
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[Seocho-gu, Ares Guild Training Grounds]
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“Harder! Put everything you’ve got into it!”
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Ma Dong-tak, known as the “Destruction King,” was drenched in sweat, pulverizing a massive sandbag with his bare hands. Just then, the smartphone he’d tossed onto a bench lit up. He wiped his sweat with a towel and glanced at the screen—his eyes went wide.
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[Compensation: Lifetime Free Medical Care (VIP Gold Tier)]
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“Insane··· lifetime free?”
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Before Ma Dong-tak’s eyes danced the image of three-headed Cerberus. Between that beast’s feed costs, hospital bills, and behavioral correction expenses for his temperamental nature, he hemorrhaged tens of billions annually. But lifetime free?
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“Hey! Get a car ready! No, traffic’s terrible—launch a helicopter! Now!”
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[Seongsu-dong, Genji Guild Korean Branch (Bing-je and Seo Ji-hoo)]
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“Branch Director Seo Ji-hoo, this quarter’s mana stone procurement rate···.”
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Bing-je Seo Ji-hoo, mid-meeting, raised his hand to silence his subordinate. His gaze remained fixed on his smartphone. Pengsu, his penguin, had recently begun molting and was in a sensitive state. Jin-hyuk’s care was desperately needed.
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“The meeting will proceed via written report instead.”
“Branch Director? Where are you going?”
“An interview.”
“Sir? How can the 4th-ranked hunter attend an interview···?”
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South Korea’s three strongest hunters burst forth from their respective headquarters. Their destination was singular: Gangnam, Zeus Medical Tower.
Thirty minutes later. In the corridor outside the director’s office at Zeus Medical Tower.
Three titans of power stood face to face. The hallway crackled with palpable tension. Their auras collided, and the air itself seemed to hum with electric friction.
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​”Well, well. What brings Guild Master Lee Shin-woo to these humble halls? I thought you were occupied with matters of state.”
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Seo Ji-hoo spoke with icy sarcasm.
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​”And you, my friend, must be terribly busy grooming penguin feathers.”
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Lee Shin-woo countered with unflappable composure.
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​”Hey, stop blocking the way! Move aside! I arrived first!”
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Ma Dong-tak wedged his massive frame between the two, forcing his way through.
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​”First, my foot. My helicopter landed first.”
​”With all due respect, I pressed the elevator button before you did.”
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Ranked 1st, 2nd, and 4th hunters in the nation were bickering over elevator priority like elementary schoolchildren. Nurses passing by gasped and flattened themselves against the walls.
The director’s office door swung open, and Park Chul-woo stepped out.
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​”All three of you, please be quiet. The director was taking a nap and you woke him up.”
​”Ah, yes.”
​”Ahem.”
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The world-renowned S-rank hunters deflated at a single word from the nursing director. Park Chul-woo shook his head in exasperation and opened the door for them.
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​”Come in, please. The interview begins now.”
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The director’s office was a peculiar sight.
Kang Jin-hyuk sat with his feet propped on the desk, slurping cup noodle broth, while the three men who moved the nation sat obediently on the sofa with their knees pressed together.
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​”Slurrrp. Ahh, nothing beats ramen with tempura udon noodles.”
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I set down my chopsticks and surveyed the three men before me.
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​”You’ve seen the notice, yes? I’m hiring assistants for nighttime house calls. Compensation: lifetime VIP membership benefits.”
​”We accept!”
“Me! It has to be me!”
“I’m the most qualified!”
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All three raised their hands simultaneously. I scratched my ear and spoke with indifference.
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“Quite the competition. Three to one. All of you have impressive credentials.”
“Director, credentials aren’t the issue here.”
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Lee Shin-woo placed a hefty bag on the table. As it opened, premium marbled red meat was revealed.
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“It’s 1++ grade wagyu imported from Argentina. I prepared it specially since Balakas seems to have lost his appetite lately.”
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My eyebrows twitched.
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“Interesting. Our security chief’s meals too?”
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Seo Ji-hoo promptly pulled out an ice box, unwilling to lose.
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“Bah, mere meat. Director, this is ‘eternal snow shaved ice’ extracted from three thousand meters beneath Antarctic glaciers. It’s the finest tonic for penguins who suffer from heat, and naturally perfect for you as well.”
“Everyone, step aside!”
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Ma Dong-tak unfurled an enormous bundle. Inside lay a golden-gleaming dog treat… no, a [Golden Bone (A-rank Artifact)].
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“Our Cerberus has been absolutely desperate to see you! I brought this so he can chew on it while thinking of you!”
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A bribery offensive. S-rank hunters were fawning over a veterinarian with meat, shaved ice, and dog treats. I rested my chin on my hand and chuckled.
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“Your sincerity is admirable, but the place I’m heading is rather dangerous.”
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I unfolded a map. A danger zone marked in red.
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[S-rank Dungeon: Valley of Giants]
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“That’s our destination. The boss room.”
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All three faces hardened. The Valley of Giants—one of Korea’s three most difficult dungeons. Common monsters were five-meter ogres, and the boss was a cyclops whose physical attacks barely worked on it.
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“I’m not going hunting. I’m going gathering.”
“Gathering?”
“[Dimensional Stones]. That’s what I need.”
​”Dimensional Stone···.”​
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Lee Shin-woo groaned. A rare mineral that warped space and opened dimensional gates. It was a treasure the Cyclops cherished like his own eye—an item impossible to obtain without killing him.
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​”What do you intend to use it for?”​
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Kang Jin-hyuk’s gaze deepened. He glanced briefly at the photograph frame on the desk. A photo of his wife, missing for three years.
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​”I need to bring my wife back.”​
​”···Pardon?”​
​”My wife is still alive. She’s been waiting for her husband’s dinner in that hellish place for three years now. As her husband, I can’t afford to be any later, can I?”​
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The three men fell silent.
Kang Jin-hyuk’s wife—that would be Yoo Yi-soo, the ‘Sword Saint’.
The hero who, three years ago, was said to have perished saving humanity. She’s alive?
And this man intends to breach an S-rank dungeon, even The Abyss itself, to rescue her?
Lee Shin-woo spoke first. The playfulness vanished from his eyes, replaced by genuine respect.
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​”You’re quite the romantic. I underestimated you.”​
​”I’m just a devoted husband.”​
​”Understood. I’ll go. On the honor of Zeus Guild, I’ll take responsibility for your safe return.”​
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Then Ma Dong-tak spoke up.
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​”What are you saying! Ares can’t sit out of something this important! If we’re going to rescue the guild leader’s wife, I should be the one clearing the path!”​
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Seo Ji-hoo refused to be left behind.
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​”I’m the fastest at creating paths with ice. Please let me join as well.”​
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The atmosphere had shifted. Where moments before there had been flattery for a “free medical voucher,” now the code of brotherhood had awakened. A man willing to charge into hell for the woman he loved—no true man could stand by without pushing his back forward.
Kang Jin-hyuk read the light in their eyes. A satisfied smile crossed his lips.
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​”Excellent. Then I’ll hire all three of you.”​
​”All three of us?”​
​”Yes. Those giants have impressive durability, so I need a tank, a dealer, and a supporter. However, there’s no profit sharing. I’ll take the Dimensional Stone, and you can keep the byproducts. Deal?”​
​”Deal!”​
​”Excellent!”​
​”Then let’s depart. My wife gets upset if I’m late.”​
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I shed my white coat and donned a black tactical overcoat. Balakas, transformed into miniature size, bounded onto my shoulder with a cheerful leap.
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The formation of South Korea’s strongest dream team—the so-called “Jin-hyuk Avengers.”
The lobby of Zeus Medical Tower’s first floor. Countless reporters and onlookers had gathered, their presence so overwhelming that the entire Gangnam district seemed to grind to a halt at the news that the 1st, 2nd, and 4th-ranked hunters had assembled in one place.
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​”They’re coming out! Director Kang Jin-hyuk and the guild masters are emerging!”​
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The automatic doors slid open, and four men walked out. Kang Jin-hyuk stood at the center, flanked protectively on either side by Lee Shin-woo, Ma Dong-tak, and Seo Ji-hoo.
Camera flashes erupted like machine-gun fire at the picturesque formation.
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​”Director! What is the purpose of this meeting?”​
​”Are the three guilds forming an alliance to plan a new raid?”​
​”Will you make a statement regarding the conflict with Apollo Hospital?”​
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A barrage of questions erupted from the reporters. I stopped and adjusted my sunglasses.
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​”Not a raid. A house call.”​
​”Pardon? A house call? Where to···?”​
​”Valley of Giants. There’s a patient there with poor eyesight, and I need to perform surgery. These gentlemen are my assistants for carrying equipment.”​
​”······What?”​
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The reporters stood dumbfounded.
A house call to an S-rank dungeon?
South Korea’s strongest hunters reduced to porters?
Yet Lee Shin-woo and Ma Dong-tak carried medical equipment bags over their shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
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​”Please clear the way. We’re running late for our appointment.”​
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I boarded the waiting vehicle with unhurried grace. The three S-rank hunters followed, taking their places like bodyguards. The convoy of black sedans roared to life and departed toward the dungeon.
The scene was broadcast live, and internet communities exploded.
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[Wow, I’m crazy hahaha look at the porter class]
Lee Shin-woo is the bag shuttle lol Ma Dong-tak opens the door lol
“Is that a doctor or a mafia boss?”
May the monsters of Valley of Giants rest in peace…
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In front of the S-rank dungeon gate “Valley of Giants” in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, military personnel and Association staff had established control lines.
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​”Identity verification, please. Ah··· Zeus, Ares, Genji··· and Arcana Hospital?”​
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The guard post attendant’s hands trembled as he reviewed the roster. This was a national emergency-level force. If they mobilized, erasing an entire dungeon would be trivial.
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​”Director, is this equipment sufficient?”​
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Lee Shin-woo asked, eyeing my worn leather bag. Inside were only surgical instruments and a handful of potions.
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​”It’s enough. Besides, I brought Balakas along.”​
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I tapped Balakas on the shoulder. He let out a soft chirp, but beneath his cute facade, a palpable bloodlust radiated from him.
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​”Entering now.”​
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Our party stepped through the gate, its surface shimmering with an ethereal blue light. The air transformed instantly—acrid earth and the metallic stench of blood. Before us sprawled a desolate wasteland ringed by towering cliffs like a folding screen.
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​”ROOOAAARRR!”​
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The welcome was grandiose. From behind the rocks, a pack of five-meter-tall [Skeleton Ogres] burst forth. Bone-stripped giants wielded rusted iron clubs, charging at us with primal fury.
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​”Enemies ahead! I’ll annihilate them!”​
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Ma Dong-tak stepped forward, pulling on his gauntlets.
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​”Wait.”​
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I raised my hand to stop him.
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​”Who said to kill them? They’re all part of this ecosystem.”​
​”What? But they’re attacking us!”​
​”We trespassed into their home uninvited, so their anger is justified. Let’s resolve this through dialogue.”​
​”Dialogue? With the undead?”​
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Seo Ji-hoo stared in disbelief.
I grabbed Balakas from my shoulder and held him aloft before me—like a scene from The Lion King.
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​”Balakas. Bark.”​
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[···Understood.]
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Balakas’s pride was wounded, but he had no choice—the master’s command was absolute. He drew a deep breath, then opened his maw.
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[Kyaaaaaaagh—!!]
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It was far more than a mere cry.
[Dragon Fear: The Roar of an Apex Predator]
An S-rank oppressive force swept across the space before us in a fan-shaped arc.
Uuuuuung—!
The very air twisted. The skeletal joints of the charging Skeleton Ogres began to tremble violently.
Though they were undead and knew no fear, the primal instinct carved deep within their souls—reverence for a superior being—froze them in place.
Crash.
The ogres dropped their iron clubs and collapsed flat against the ground, as though courtiers prostrating before their king.
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​”See? Well-mannered friends, I told you.​”
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I stepped over the prostrate ogre’s head as if it were a stair, with Lee Shin-woo, Ma Dong-tak, and Seo Ji-hoo following behind, their jaws hanging slack.
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​”This is… actually working?​”
​”Clearing an S-rank dungeon without a single fight?​”
​”Director, what on earth… are you really?​”
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I glanced back at them with a grin.
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​”I told you. I’m a veterinarian. Handling beasts is my specialty.​”
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And so we pressed onward toward the dungeon’s heart, never once drawing our weapons. The monsters around us caught Balakas’s scent and fled in terror. It was the ultimate free pass.
An hour later, we finally arrived before a colossal stone gate. The dungeon’s end. The boss room.
From within came the tremor of earth shaking, accompanied not by roars but by something like anguished groaning.
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​”Uuugghhh…​”
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I adjusted my medical bag and spoke with solemn resolve.
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​”Prepare yourselves. We’re about to see our patient.​”
​”Should we prepare for combat?​”
​”No. For surgery.​”
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I pushed open the door. The massive stone gate groaned as it swung wide, revealing a one-eyed giant writhing in agony within.
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​”Now then, let’s begin the ophthalmology consultation.​”
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This was the beginning of the most extraordinary raid in hunter history—or rather, a “house call surgery.”

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