F-Rank Secretly Becomes Stronger - Chapter 30

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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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30

“It’s finished.”

After fighting like crazy with the Invisible Doll in the Training Room.

This time too, after casually breaking through a million times and returning to reality, exactly one week had passed.

The home he returned to like that.

Juhyeok was about to visit the hospital first when he suddenly thought of Yena.

‘I should buy a gift.’

She had taken care of his mother while he was away.

Even aside from that, he had received so much from her up until now that as a decent human being, he definitely wanted to give her at least one gift.

‘But what kind of gift would be good?’

Juhyeok, who didn’t have many friends because he spent every day just training.

Especially since he had almost no connection with the opposite sex, he couldn’t easily get a sense of what kind of gift would be good for a woman.

‘Would just perfume be okay?’

Given her nature as a Scout, she would have many occasions to meet with others.

She also seemed to enter Gates less than other Hunters, so if he bought her perfume, she would probably be able to use it quite often.

‘If I go to a decent brand, they’ll probably recommend something good.’

His wallet situation currently had plenty of room.

Juhyeok left home with a light heart and headed to the department store.

*

“Has there still been no contact from Juhyeok?”

“No, he doesn’t look at my messages at all when he’s in special training.”

“Sigh… I really wonder where he is and what he’s doing.”

Her son who hadn’t made any contact for a whole week.

This wasn’t the first or second time this had happened, and he had already given notice… but still, she couldn’t help but worry about her son who had gone radio silent without any contact whatsoever.

“It’s been a week now, so he should be coming back soon.”

“I hope so. He just better not get hurt.”

A face that would chat casually but then show mountain-like worry whenever she thought of her son.

Whenever that happened, Yena would try her best to change the subject and turn her thoughts elsewhere.

“Oh right. Speaking of which, did you watch that drama I mentioned last time?”

Every day, she would wake up in the morning, wash up, handle what little Scout work there was, then in her remaining time, she would file for external duties under the pretext of scouting Juhyeok and come visit the hospital.

In reality, there seemed to be almost no possibility that Juhyeok would ever join Mir Guild.

Even knowing this, Yena continued to visit his mother.

“That actress wasn’t like that before, but didn’t she suddenly become much prettier?”

At first, it really was an action she started to draw Juhyeok in.

If that wasn’t the case, there would have been no reason for her, who usually contacted even her own mother maybe once a week, to come show her face more than 5 days a week.

The main purpose was to appropriately win over his mother and recruit him to the guild.

Of course, now it was different.

Hospital visits that continued steadily despite the seemingly hopeless recruitment situation.

Even if Juhyeok joined another guild, she would continue visiting the hospital just like she had been.

Yena was that kind of person with a lot of affection.

Moreover, Juhyeok’s mother was also someone who could receive that affection and return it.

Their relationship grew closer day by day, sometimes appearing even more intimate than her relationship with her son.

Just as the two were having a peaceful conversation like that.

The hospital door that didn’t open easily moved with the sound of wheels.

“I’m here.”

“…At least this time you came back within a week.”

Considering it took nearly two weeks last time, this was quite a quick return.

He walked over holding a luxury brand shopping bag in his hand.

‘I guess he does feel sorry though.’

Probably a gift he had prepared for his mother.

It seemed like he had prepared a gift for his mother who would be exhausted from the long hospitalization period, being a son after all.

“What’s that?”

“A gift.”

Saying that, Juhyeok approached the two of them.

Contrary to the expectation that he would naturally place it on the table beside the bed, he handed the shopping bag to Yena.

“Take this.”

“…Yes?”

Yena stumbled for a moment at the unexpected situation.

She reflexively reached out to receive the shopping bag and asked.

“Was this for me?”

“Yes, it’s a gift I bought to give to you.”

“Ah, um.”

This wasn’t the first time she had received a gift from a man.

Even though she had been too busy with work to date until now, there had been a few men who showed interest in her.

Naturally, among them were those who tried to win her favor with gifts.

So receiving gifts wasn’t uncommon, but…

‘I never expected this person to prepare a gift.’

She knew it wasn’t a gift with ulterior motives, of course.

She could tell from his usual reactions that he didn’t harbor such feelings for her.

Because he was that kind of person, this gift felt all the more unique.

As Yena fidgeted slightly, Mother, who had been quietly watching, smiled warmly before breaking the silence with a playful voice.

“I’m jealous. You’ve never given Mother a gift like this.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll buy you plenty when you’re discharged.”

After handing over the gift, Juhyeok sat down next to Yena as if nothing had happened.

The way he showed an indifferent expression without even looking at her reaction after giving the gift caught her eye.

‘This must be quite expensive.’

A luxury brand that everyone would recognize just by name.

She didn’t know what was inside, but it must have cost at least several hundred thousand won.

Yena responded to the gift he gave her with a bewildered voice.

“I’ll, I’ll use it well…”

“Yes, that would be good.”

He seemed unconcerned by her somehow awkward response.

Juhyeok turned his head to talk with Mother again, and before long, he stood up from his seat.

“I’ll go grab a meal with Yena and come back.”

“Hmm~”

Mother quickly glanced over the two of them slyly.

After a brief pause, she answered with a bright smile.

“Alright, it’s getting late, so eat and don’t bother coming back – just go home.”

“I’ll come tomorrow.”

With those words, the two left the hospital.

Juhyeok silently left the hospital and headed toward the malatang restaurant.

“Aren’t you going to ask where I want to go?”

“You like malatang.”

“…That’s true, but.”

Yena thought carefully.

Had she ever mentioned that she liked malatang?

‘I don’t think I ever said that.’

Had he remembered something she said but forgot about herself?

As she thought this and Juhyeok began to look slightly different to her, just then.

“I’ve never seen a woman who doesn’t like malatang.”

“…”

So that was it.

She had almost created an awkward scene by misunderstanding on her own.

She had been acting stranger than usual since receiving the gift, constantly trying to assign meaning to trivial things, but few people can be aware of such changes in themselves.

Yena entered the malatang restaurant without noticing the change in her own perspective.

“So where is the next Gate?”

“Straight to work talk…”

“Yes?”

“I’m saying it’s good that you’re diligent.”

Yena took a bite of dried tofu soaked in the spicy malatang broth while speaking in a sulky tone.

After chewing and swallowing, she said to Juhyeok.

“But this time it didn’t take long.”

“Yes, I got the hang of it faster than I thought.”

Since they were invisible dolls, he had expected it to take quite a while at first.

However, when he closed his eyes and focused on everything except sight, he could clearly feel the subtle sounds of the dolls moving and the changing flow of air.

Each time he defeated one, it would completely change types between archer, swordsman, and mage, which gave him a lot of trouble at first.

Still, since it was fighting in the confined space of a subway, he quickly got used to it.

“So I’ve been thinking about something.”

“What is it?”

“I want to see the results of this training.”

Sparring with invisible dolls, which were special opponents rather than archers or swordsmen.

Juhyeok wanted to confirm how much his five senses had developed.

“Is there a Gate with monsters that use invisibility skills?”

“Invisibility…?”

She quietly fell into thought at the unexpected request.

After chewing and swallowing enoki mushrooms soaked in broth, she spoke.

“Invisibility is usually only found in A-rank Gates…”

“I can’t enter A-rank yet, right?”

“No, you can’t.”

Up to B-rank, you could get carried if other party members had high enough ranks.

From A-rank onwards, even such carrying wasn’t easily allowed.

The International Hunter Association only allowed hunters of the same rank or higher to enter A-rank Gates.

‘I might be able to get an irregular permit… but A-rank is still dangerous.’

Even for Juhyeok, who had gained confidence in his skills, it was a level difficult to challenge easily.

A-rank Gates were that dangerous, so he had to be patient until he was more certain.

“Even if not A-rank, there should be dungeons where B-rank Gate bosses use invisibility skills, so I’ll look for Gates like that.”

“Thank you.”

The conversation didn’t end with those words.

What had happened while he was away.

The two engaged in casual conversation, sharing trivial stories.

Putting work talk aside, it was like the everyday flow between ordinary men and women.

“The gift is perfume, I chose something that would suit you, Yena.”

“How do you know what suits me?”

“When I smelled it, it was so refreshing that I immediately pictured you smiling.”

“…”

If only he wouldn’t casually say things like this, she could treat him more naturally.

For some reason today, he was casually saying embarrassing things that left her speechless.

Normally, she would have jokingly told him not to like her and brushed it off casually.

Even though she knew it meant nothing, she kept becoming conscious of it.

‘If mother hadn’t looked at me like that, I wouldn’t have cared this much…’

That subtle gaze she had quietly sent before leaving the hospital.

Because of that, she became more conscious and kept avoiding his gaze.

After the awkward meal ended, the two left the restaurant.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Are you going home?”

“I need to train.”

“You just got back today and you’re training again?”

Training he was about to start again without getting tired of it.

She sometimes wondered if he was possessed by a ghost that died from not being able to train, but this diligence was his strength, so she accepted it.

“I made plans with Sui earlier. When I told her I was back, she made a fuss about training right away, so she’ll sulk if I don’t go.”

“…”

The moment she heard those words, she felt something tighten in her chest.

“You two must be really close.”

Her tone became noticeably colder.

Without realizing how she had changed, her voice instinctively lowered in tone.

“It just turned out that way somehow.”

Naturally not caring at all, Jung Juhyeok answered nonchalantly, checked the time on his cell phone, and left his seat.

“Anyway, I’ll head inside.”

“…Yes. See you tomorrow.”

Jung Juhyeok just finished eating and disappeared without even looking back.

She watched his retreating figure gradually grow smaller and smaller, and only when he completely disappeared from sight did she realize her behavior was strange and covered her face with her hands.

“Why am I acting like this…”

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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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