F-Rank Secretly Becomes Stronger - Chapter 43

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

43

“Hello!”

A lively voice.

An Hyeonsu, the only B-rank Hunter among the other personnel gathered in front of the A-rank Gate.

‘I’m finally getting to see an A-rank!’

The A-rank Gate he had longed for so much.

The reason why he, a B-rank Hunter who had only just started Hunter activities for 2 years, could join this party.

[Please! Yes? I absolutely won’t act up and will stick right next to the party members!]

It was thanks to persistently begging his grandfather, the chairman of Hanul Corporation, for this opportunity.

‘If I go to an A-rank Gate, I’ll see the possibility of reawakening, right?’

Growth that was hardly visible in his second year of Hunter activities.

Even practicing to death every day, when judged coldly, no noticeable growth curve was visible.

Here, Hyeonsu felt he needed some new experience.

Not the B-rank Gates he entered daily, but something that could stimulate him a bit more.

He judged that to be the experience at an A-rank Gate and thought there might be something to learn from it.

‘Let’s absorb as much as possible from these people.’

Since it’s an A-rank Gate, dangerous actions are forbidden.

Calmly feeling with all five senses from behind how A-rank Hunters attack Gates and using it as foundation for growth.

Today’s A-rank Gate was a party formed solely for that growth.

Therefore, it was selected with veteran skilled players most suitable for that purpose.

“Hello. Jung Juhyeok, Vanguard.”

Just one person.

Except for the F-rank Hunter who was newer than himself.

‘Is that person the famous F-rank Irregular?’

Jung Juhyeok, an F-rank Hunter.

He could be considered the hottest person in the Hunter scene right now.

‘From his appearance, I really can’t tell if he’s that strong…’

The rumor that he handled a B-rank Gate alone despite having only F-rank Hunter level mana amount.

The videos circulating on the internet still haven’t clearly revealed whether they’re incredibly high-quality manipulated videos or if he really did defeat a B-rank Boss.

However, the fact that the Hunter Association didn’t take issue with Juhyeok joining this party was tantamount to confirming that he really had defeated a B-rank Boss alone.

“….”

A strange atmosphere.

Everyone tried not to show it, but their gazes inevitably went to Juhyeok.

They probably realized what it meant for him to be here, just like Hyeonsu.

They had wondered about it since he was included in the party, but actually facing him in person like this, they couldn’t help but look.

“I’ve finished my introduction, is there anything more I should say?”

“Ah, no.”

The silence that had flowed after the brief self-introduction.

When Juhyeok spoke up, the leader finally noticed the awkward silence and spoke.

“Well then, everyone will enter in 20 minutes.”

The final maintenance time before entering the Gate.

Hyeonsu didn’t miss that opportunity and went to find Juhyeok, who was maintaining his equipment alone.

“Excuse me, hello?”

“Yes, what is it.”

“Haha, it’s not that there’s anything particular… I just wanted to have a chat.”

What kind of person could he be.

Hyeonsu moved first, unable to overcome his curiosity.

At his approach showing goodwill, Juhyeok looked at that bright face for a moment before turning his gaze back to his sword.

“Chatting is fine, but it’s better to finish your maintenance properly first.”

“My maintenance is perfect. I’ve been preparing thoroughly for a week.”

“That’s fortunate then.”

He answered with a small smile and then focused his attention only on his own equipment.

The desire to somehow continue the conversation and various questions.

All those emotions mysteriously intertwined, pounding at his chest.

“Are you really F-rank?”

So he asked.

An action that could be seen as rude by anyone watching.

The people around who had been secretly perking up their ears at the overly direct question quickly turned their heads away.

A topic that some might not particularly want to bring up.

His action of bringing it up without even 3 seconds of consideration could be seen as brave in a way.

“….”

Hand movements that paused momentarily at the question.

Jung Juhyeok quietly looked up at him.

‘Is he really… curious.’

An innocent expression without malice.

It didn’t seem like a question thrown with some greater meaning behind it.

Really just doubt about whether he was truly F-rank.

If Jung Juhyeok had felt inferior about being F-rank, he would have just felt bad without even having time to notice the other person’s intentions, but fortunately Jung Juhyeok wasn’t someone bound by rankings.

“Yes, I’m F-rank.”

“Really F-rank? But how were you able to come to an A-rank Gate?”

“I’m strong enough to come to A-rank Gates.”

“Ooh, as expected!”

The other person became even more delighted at the confident answer.

Hyeonsu began asking various questions with a smile spreading across his cheerful face.

What methods there were to become that strong without Reawakening.

How he came to earn the title of Irregular.

There were plenty of topics worth discussing, and Jung Juhyeok didn’t hesitate to answer them.

“Really amazing! The Hunter Association even came looking for you?”

The positive energy radiating from him.

Was it because he was from a wealthy family and had natural composure?

Hyeonsu approached Jung Juhyeok, showing off his characteristic friendliness.

“You two, let’s end the chat there and get going.”

“Yes, understood!”

The following 20 minutes.

In exactly that amount of time, Hyeonsu became close enough to exchange jokes with Jung Juhyeok.

‘I was worried about what to do if he had a bad personality since he’s a rich Young Master, but I guess that was all prejudice too.’

Someone who surprisingly listened well and gave decent responses.

He felt a bit relieved knowing this wasn’t the type of person who would cause problems by showing off once inside the Gate.

*

The five entered the Gate.

Two Vanguards, one Middle Position, one Rear.

Hyeonsu, a B-rank Hunter, was positioned between the Middle Position and Vanguards in the safest spot, being neither here nor there.

What happened immediately upon entering was predictable.

“Four or five monsters 50 meters ahead.”

“Confirmed.”

Combat readiness began with the rear Supporter’s monster detection.

Everyone should focus on the monsters, but as a curious human, his eyes inevitably wandered.

The destination of that gaze was naturally the F-rank Hunter.

It was directed toward Jung Juhyeok.

A reaction as if wondering whether he was really that amazing.

Jung Juhyeok knew about such gazes but deliberately pretended not to notice.

‘They’ll figure it out soon enough.’

The moment they discovered and faced the monsters.

Exactly 2 minutes after that.

“…Wow.”

The slight suspicion and anticipation in their gazes transformed into awe.

There were five A-rank monsters.

An F-rank Hunter charged at them without hesitation and swiftly dealt with two using fluid movements.

The remaining one was handled by the Vanguard who was with him.

“I’ll handle this.”

Before the Archer in the middle position could deal with the remaining two, Jung Juhyeok cut their ankles to incapacitate them.

The quadrupedal monster collapsed with one ankle severed.

Jung Juhyeok spoke to the Archer who was staring blankly at it.

“Finish it.”

“…Ah, yes.”

The Archer finally came to her senses and pierced the monster’s neck.

Everyone knew.

With Jung Juhyeok’s skills, he could have handled them all alone, but due to the unspoken rule of Gates where profits must be divided equally among N members, he deliberately yielded as many monsters as possible.

He wasn’t simply someone who barely qualified to enter an A-rank Gate.

“Insane…”

An exclamation unconsciously escaped from Hyeonsu’s mouth.

No Hunter reproached him for it.

Anyone who had witnessed that scene would have the exact same thought.

‘Really insane.’

There had been rumors about him taking down a B-rank Boss in one hit, but who would have thought it was to this extent.

The doubt that completely vanished after seeing it with their own eyes.

The Party Members completely erased the small distrust they had harbored and finally acknowledged him as a true Party Member.

Thus, the Gate strategy proceeded smoothly.

The B-rank Hunter Young Master they had worried about only watched from behind Jung Juhyeok in admiration, showing no intention of stepping forward to show off.

The F-rank irregular was displaying skills beyond imagination.

If things continued this way, it would be a strategy without any problems.

“Argh!”

But one problem arose.

“Are you alright?”

“Ugh… I’m sorry, I let my guard down for a moment…”

The rear Supporter’s injury.

An arrow was deeply embedded in his thigh, making it difficult to extract.

“First, let’s have you drink an antidote in case there’s poison.”

“Hah… Yes.”

The Supporter drank the antidote and took a rest.

‘At least we’re almost at the Boss now.’

The path for the strategy was already laid out.

It was fortunate that the terrain wasn’t a difficult environment like a forest where it’s hard to get one’s bearings.

“Hyeonsu, please help support Gang-in.”

“Yes, understood.”

The best choice for the current situation.

Hyeonsu, who had barely consumed any stamina from just watching, would support the injured Party Member while the remaining personnel finished the strategy.

Just as everyone was convinced by this orthodox decision and was about to continue the strategy.

“…”

Jung Juhyeok’s eyes caught sight of the injury on the Supporter’s thigh.

‘How did he get hit there?’

All the monsters he had just confirmed were at the front.

There had been ranged monsters in the rear as well, but he had dealt with them first.

‘There were definitely three, and there were no other presences at all.’

He had cut their necks completely, rendering them unable to move.

They were in no state to shoot arrows.

‘A skill? Or did I miss something?’

Jung Juhyeok falls into deep thought.

After calculating all the possibilities that could exist in his mind, he reaches a definitive conclusion before long.

‘There’s no way I could have missed a presence.’

Confidence in his own skill.

There was no way he wouldn’t notice the presence of an A-rank monster.

The probability that he handled it carelessly was even lower.

‘Then where did that arrow come from?’

For now, he follows along with his party members while working his brain.

An arrow flying from an impossible direction.

A presence he failed to notice.

The range of monsters coming from that Gate.

Combining all the information, the most likely conclusion is.

‘…A person.’

It was third-party intervention.

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