Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 108

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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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Episode 108

 

Lee Gyeon stared at the man who was walking confidently in the distance.

 

The man wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and short pants that revealed his arms and legs looked like someone who had come to enjoy a vacation.

 

Instead of strutting through the dungeon like it was his own front yard.

 

“….”

 

Ever since he spotted Na Hwi-yeon at the gate entrance, his plan had gone completely awry.

 

No, actually, at first he wasn’t even aware that his plan had gone off track.

 

The moment he saw his teacher calmly entering the gate, his body reacted first with the thought that he had to stop him!

 

However, once inside the dungeon, Lee Gyeon didn’t stop Na Hwi-yeon.

 

Because he… showed unbelievable initiative for someone who had just entered the dungeon as a ‘civilian’.

 

Usually, people would be trembling in fear or screaming and hiding somewhere, and that would be considered normal.

 

‘Even considering that he had some experience entering dungeons a few times…’

 

He didn’t simply look like someone who had lost their fear just from having some experience.

 

Na Hwi-yeon… acted like someone who knew exactly what kind of place this was.

 

He moved between locations without hesitation and didn’t desperately watch his surroundings.

 

His attitude even seemed relaxed.

 

Therefore, Lee Gyeon changed his goal to quietly observing him first and then making natural contact.

 

This way would be better for figuring out the other party’s hidden intentions.

 

‘Speaking of which…’

 

He touched the watch on his wrist and made subtle adjustments.

 

The screen that quickly changed showed that a function for real-time assessment of the dungeon’s difficulty and danger level was being activated.

 

After a moment, the screen changed and neat text appeared.

 

The result was…

 

D-grade

 

“…?”

 

It determined this was D-grade?

 

However, the current interior of the dungeon was completely different from the typical D-grade dungeon landscape.

 

Usually, ‘caves’ or ‘plains’ frequently appear as backgrounds, designed so you can only eliminate the boss by continuously fighting small monsters as you advance…

 

This place was actually more similar to the non-standardized EX-grade dungeons.

 

To put it in a brief impression.

 

‘It feels exactly like being turned into a toy.’

 

However, regardless of his suspicions, the grade displayed on his watch didn’t change even as time passed.

 

Then… was this really D-grade?

 

Eventually, he decided to lower his heightened tension by one level.

 

Putting aside unnecessary worries while maintaining appropriate wariness.

 

Thus, Lee Gyeon continued to follow behind Na Hwi-yeon.

 

In the middle, he didn’t forget to look for and gather anything that could serve as a weapon.

 

‘Having a weapon would be good for managing stamina.’

 

As a result, he picked up a pencil as tall as himself that was lying on the street as if it were his only weapon…

 

Trudge trudge.

 

Na Hwi-yeon remained quite an impressive person to him.

 

That commanding presence that made Lee Ju-shin Hunter kneel with a single shout at the ‘F-Grade Ellumis Sanctuary’.

 

 

That was the best he could think of as someone who couldn’t even imagine that it was the result of Na Hwi-yeon’s other ability.

 

Even after that, the way he systematically analyzed the situation, pointed out mistakes, and then showed understanding toward the other party.

 

 

It was an attitude with much to learn from as a field team leader.

 

Of course, there was also a somewhat bewildering encounter…

 

‘What on earth was the reason he was catching a taxi on a hill near a cult building.’

 

He couldn’t forget the moment he saw the face of the passenger who boarded almost as if snatching the taxi right after he got out.

 

Given the situation, it was true that the thought had briefly crossed his mind that Na Hwi-yeon might also be involved with some cult group.

 

However, when he saw the male student who had gotten into the back seat with him, he roughly understood.

 

Just then, he recalled the information the taxi driver had given him about a small family camping site operating nearby in that area.

 

‘The male student who came with him must have been sick, so they were probably rushing to a hospital.’

 

That was the conclusion he had reached after thinking alone for several nights.

 

In any case, considering all those incidents together, Na Hwi-yeon could be defined as ‘someone with much to learn from.’

 

Until entering this dungeon, that is.

 

However.

 

“Teacher Na Hwi-yeon… What is this place for?”

 

To the question he threw out, unable to contain his curiosity as he followed Na Hwi-yeon who had suddenly stopped.

 

“Ah, this is a shop inside the dungeon. As you can see from the store sign, there are mainly things that children would like…”

 

…He was answering like an expert.

 

‘It wasn’t just a mistaken impression.’

 

Na Hwi-yeon really was someone who knew this place.

 

***

 

Wow. I thought my heart was going to drop.

 

When I suddenly heard a man’s voice from behind, I thought it was an auditory hallucination.

 

But it was really a person… and that person was even Lee Gyeon, the Team A leader.

 

‘But wait.’

 

 

Why are you asking me that?

 

Lee Gyeon looks at me with eyes that I can’t tell if he’s glaring or interrogating.

 

My panic was brief as I switched to a resolute expression.

 

Right, it’s sudden but…

 

‘Come to think of it(?), maybe it’s not such a sudden situation after all.’

 

It was a dungeon that was openly located in the middle of the forest from the beginning, so it would naturally be possible for hunters to visit and explore it.

 

‘Though it’s surprising that the visiting hunter happens to be someone I know…’

 

And if this is the case, it means I’ve illegally entered what might be a BOND-owned dungeon.

 

This… I need to answer well.

 

I thought carefully about the other person’s question again.

 

‘He asked what this place is for.’

 

I don’t think the field team leader really asked without knowing.

 

Then, the intention behind the question is…

 

‘Is this telling me to find the answer myself in order to answer the question?’

 

And to explain the reason for entering this place.

 

‘Hmm… One of my major professors was this type.’

 

I began to answer as sincerely as possible, trying not to rub him the wrong way and for the sake of my later excuses.

 

‘This type doesn’t really like inferential answers.’

 

Expressions like ‘seems like~’ or ‘I think it’s like~’, that is.

 

So pushing forward confidently would actually sound better!

 

“Ah, this is a shop inside the dungeon. As you can see from the store sign, there are mainly things that children would like…”

 

I maintained an upright posture as I pointed to the shopping street under the bed.

 

Bustling sounds can be heard, but there are no human figures walking around the street.

 

“Probably, they’re all inside the shops or unable to come out of the shops.”

 

Additionally, I haven’t discovered anything that looks like a monster while moving around so far. Then…

 

“There’s a very high possibility that there are monsters inside the shops. Be careful.”

 

After ending my answer like that, I cautiously entered the alley lined with shops under the bed while reading the mood.

 

Fortunately, Lee Gyeon didn’t stop my actions. He just nodded silently and followed me under the bed.

 

The deeper we go into the alley, the louder the music box sound becomes.

 

“Um… What brought you here?”

 

Still, I should ask out of courtesy.

 

“We came in to search for missing persons.”

 

“Ah… Missing persons search… Yes?”

 

Wait… Not dungeon exploration?

 

“Over the past year, more than 30 children have gone missing in this village alone. Have you heard about this beforehand?”

 

Ah.

 

“I did hear about it from an elder at the neighborhood corner store…”

 

“Yes, we entered this dungeon to find those children.”

 

Children went missing here?

 

Don’t tell me the missing children from the flyers I saw at the shop are related to this dungeon?

 

I fell into thought, somewhat dazed.

 

Then, should Nabi also be considered ‘missing’?

 

I had thought Nabi just got lost and ended up here…

 

Shocked by this truth, I finally confessed the reality.

 

“I also came here looking for my younger brother…”

 

Since it had come to this, there was no need to hide it.

 

“!… How old is your missing younger brother?”

 

“(Probably) 7 years old.”

 

“Ah… Now I understand. You mustered the courage to find your sibling. That’s why you could be so calm after conducting thorough preliminary research… Your efforts to find your family seem to be a step ahead of ours.”

 

“? …Yes, well.”

 

What is he talking about.

 

Lee Gyeon even made an impressed expression and slightly bowed his head to me.

 

“I was considering the possibility that you might be the kidnapper… It was my hasty suspicion. I apologize.”

 

Unable to follow Lee Gyeon’s train of thought, I shook my head with difficulty and answered.

 

‘How could I possibly look like a kidnapper?’

 

“…No, that’s understandable.”

 

Though it wasn’t understandable, from experience, hunters seemed to have paranoia as an occupational hazard.

 

‘Instead of making exclusive contracts with hotels, shouldn’t the company make contracts with mental hospitals and get group therapy for everyone?’

 

As we continued our strangely awkward conversation, we stopped in front of a shop.

 

《 Taste of Heaven Myoryeongdang 》

 

“Shall we go in?”

 

I nodded at Lee Gyeon’s question.

 

After scanning the store sign and walking through the shopping street, the most likely place where Nabi would be was right here.

 

‘This would be the most probable place.’

 

Through the dusty shop window, the interior was faintly visible.

 

Colorful hard candy in jars, snack baskets that seemed about to overflow, and chocolate fondue displayed near the glass windows flowing down like a waterfall.

 

“…My younger brother will be here.”

 

“How can you be so certain…”

 

“Our kid goes crazy for snacks.”

 

I grabbed the door handle and pulled with force.

 

The music box sound that had been echoing through the street diminished, and instead, a gentle piano melody played along with an announcement.

 

-Please put snacks in your bag according to the set amount! Exceeding the limit will result in additional charges!

 

-Unauthorized eating is prohibited! However, if you want to become a permanent employee of Myoryeongdang, you’re always welcome.

 

For a snack shop, it was quite a threatening announcement.

 

However, I didn’t have the mental capacity to listen carefully to the announcement.

 

The moment I stepped inside Myoryeongdang.

 

I spotted a familiar figure standing in front of the counter, waving at me.

 

A child with cotton candy-like light pink hair.

 

“Hello! Customer! Pick and pack your snacks!”

 

However, the clothes I had picked out this morning were nowhere to be seen, and instead, they were wearing something like a shop uniform.

 

“You can’t just eat whatever you want! If you eat it, you have to work here with me. Hehe!”

 

That’s right.

 

It seems Nabi has become an employee of Myoryeongdang.

 

‘No, you little…!’

 

I expected it, but couldn’t you hold back for just that brief moment and ate without permission?

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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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