Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 170
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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 170
“A, a god has descended!”
With Yu Ba-da’s ear-splitting scream as the finale, we plummeted down into the labyrinth.
Along with the sensation of the ground suddenly giving way beneath my feet, my body temporarily floated in midair.
Just before I frantically reached out to find my companions.
“…!!”
‘Damn it.’
The labyrinth moved first.
As if it had a will of its own.
My companions, who had been looking at each other in surprise, disappeared one by one.
Walls appeared where there were none, and floors that existed vanished.
As I fell toward the endless floor below, I thought.
‘I hope it ends with just two or three broken ribs.’
In this situation, I have no choice but to act tough, trusting only in the fact that I’m an Awakener.
I’m not too worried about the others.
‘They’re all S-rank and A-rank Hunters, and the remaining two aren’t even human… Oh right, there’s also D-rank Hunter Yu Ba-da.’
But worrying about him when I’m in a similar situation seems like a luxury.
‘I’ve got my own problems to worry about.’
While I was mentally preparing for the pain of impact that could come at any moment.
-Poof.
Finally, instead of the tremendous shock hitting my back… something soft like cushions wrapped around my body?
“…?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected situation, I couldn’t even think to get up and just lay there blinking.
‘What’s going on.’
Surely by now, my spine and head should be hurting like they’re about to break.
“You’re… alive.”
If it hadn’t been for the face that suddenly appeared upside down, I would have stayed dazed like that for quite a while.
However, seeing the person mechanically checking my condition, I snapped back to my senses.
“Eternal Hunter.”
Eternal Hunter nodded slightly at my call and straightened her back.
From my view looking up from below, I could see Yeong Won-ha’s calm face.
And the scenery visible like a backdrop beyond her was amazing.
Spiral staircases rising endlessly and stone walls surrounding those stairs in a circle.
After being briefly surprised by the suddenly changed scenery, I bolted upright.
“How, how is my body completely fine?”
As I frantically looked around, I could finally identify what had wrapped around my body instead of the stone floor.
A large bean bag placed on the floor.
She took something out of the equipment bag she had been carrying and showed it to me.
It was a small ball.
‘A ball?’
“It’s an item I made for rescue purposes. I created it as a trial run to prepare for falling accidents.”
“….”
“When you hit the rescue target with this ball, it automatically wraps around and protects the body… it’s an item.”
Perhaps losing confidence as she spoke, Yeong Won-ha’s voice grew quieter toward the end.
However, my first thought was that I had at least managed to save my life.
‘So she threw that ball-like item at me to make the bean bag deploy? And that’s how I survived?’
Then, naturally…
“It’s an amazing item.”
Well, it saved my life, so it gets 100 points.
‘If there was a review event I could write for it, I’d write one right now.’
-Five stars.
-First, it saved my life. That one sentence says it all. Amazing.
…Something like that.
I bowed several more times to the Eternal Hunter, thanking her again for saving my life.
‘I also express gratitude for your throwing skills that hit me properly while I was falling…’
Then I was able to look around with a more settled mind than before.
The end of the Spiral Staircase rising upward isn’t visible from here.
‘Did I fall from up there?’
“There doesn’t seem to be any other path.”
“That’s right.”
It really is. The only path visible right now is the Spiral Staircase in the center.
Then, there’s one answer for now.
“Let’s go up and look for our companions first.”
So we began climbing the Stairs without complaint.
The width and length of the Stairs were broader than expected, so two people could walk side by side without burden.
‘By the way, I’m worried about Nabi and Sangja.’
…Rather, I hope they stay separated. If they stick together, they’ll just end up fighting.
“Where did you get that totem? I couldn’t find it no matter how hard I looked.”
With our party scattered to pieces, Yeong Won-ha’s interest seems to be solely focused on the totem I have.
However, I’m someone who knows how to respect my life’s savior, so I didn’t let such thoughts show on my face.
“I received it as a gift from Friend.”
I used to hang it on my mobile phone and carry it around, but after it fell off while working, I kept it safely in my Room.
‘What exactly is this thing that has everyone making such a fuss?’
Kang Ho-won had only explained it to me as ‘an Item needed to approach the Altar,’ so I didn’t know much.
I lightly checked the totem in my pocket with my hand and asked.
“Is this really that amazing?”
“Of course.”
Her look seemed to say, why are you asking such a pointless question.
“There are two more similar Tree totems. Each has different symbols and effects.”
“…Oh.”
“Peace, luck, protection. Three in total. The one I have is peace among them… The effect gives the premise that ‘the worst is avoided in any situation’ only to the target carrying the totem… Interesting, right?”
So you can aim for such effects with Items too.
“And the one you have…”
She lightly raised her Eyes upward and stared at me.
More precisely, at my Jumper pocket containing the Tree totem.
“Luck. If you carry it, it probably has the effect of temporarily gathering all the world’s luck.”
…What did you say.
Could it be, that’s why at the Company sports festival…? I remember participating that day with this totem hanging on my mobile phone.
‘So I didn’t win the ten million won prize money for no reason?’
Who does that Nabi take after, giving only such Gifts?
‘This… cute little thing.’
I felt deep emotion for the first time in a while.
“So, could you give that to me after the exploration ends? I’ll give you money. Of course, considering the Item’s special nature, it’s hard to put a price on it, but reflecting the auction winning bid, it would be about XX billion won.”
For a moment I almost doubted my ears.
‘XX billion won??’
For someone who proposed such an insane amount, the Eternal Hunter was expressionless.
‘I’m suddenly getting scared, but it must be my imagination…’
Of course, it seems to have that kind of value…
‘One of these is worth a whole Building.’
This is dizzying in a different way.
However, as someone who received it as a gift, I can’t just promise to give it away without consulting first.
I deliberately put on a troubled expression.
“Well, I received this as a gift myself, so I can’t give you a definitive answer right away. And more than anything, the feelings of the person who gave it to me are more important than money.”
As someone obsessed with money, it was a statement that pricked my conscience, but I had no choice.
I really do have different circumstances from others.
‘No, try giving away a gift someone gave you to another person without saying anything.’
Would Nabi just sit still?
Now, instead of sending me straight to the afterlife, she’d probably try to send my card to the afterlife.
‘I could even end up in debt over snacks.’
However, since the Eternal Hunter was someone who had saved my life several times, I offered a slightly different solution.
‘It’s true that I’ve received a lot of help in various ways, including when I went missing last time.’
“If it’s for research purposes, I could lend it to you briefly.”
“Th-then even that would be…!”
As expected, it seemed like a pretty good compromise choice.
I felt it before too, but her eyes were full of research desire. Is it because she’s a crafting-type Hunter?
“This… was difficult to obtain. My life’s goal is to research these kinds of items with special effects among those naturally generated inside dungeons…”
The Eternal Hunter murmured with a faint smile.
I too smiled warmly as I looked at her.
‘She looks young, maybe around Lee Seo-hyeok’s age?’
After that, since it felt awkward to just keep climbing stairs, I continued the conversation.
Then, I received this kind of question.
“By the way, what’s your ability? I think Jin-chae unnie said you were an Awakener.”
“Ah, I’m a D-rank Tamer.”
“…Tamer…I haven’t gotten my hands on that Wave yet.”
“Pardon?”
The Eternal Hunter’s eyes as she glanced at me looked slightly crazed.
“By any chance, would you consider donating your Wave?”
‘I’ve never heard or seen the term Wave donation before.’
Moreover, from what I know about Wave extraction methods, I heard it’s quite painful.
I hurriedly shook my head.
“If you insist, I’ll give you money.”
Save that money!
“I’ll have to decline.”
I’ll pass on unnecessary touching of my body.
“It doesn’t hurt much. Just a little sting and it’s over.”
“I’ll decline once again.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
To divert the attention of the Eternal Hunter, who now wanted my Wave after I gave her the totem, I hurriedly changed the subject.
“More importantly, did you make everything yourself, including that rescue ball from earlier?”
“Yes, though the company only tells me to make profitable things.”
The Eternal Hunter showing me the inside of the equipment bag looked slightly dejected, but I could also glimpse some pride.
‘Tsk, all companies are like that.’
I stared straight ahead resolutely and opened my mouth.
“There’s no need to be discouraged. Then, there’s a way.”
“What… is it?”
No matter how I look at it, she seems to be around Lee Seo-hyeok’s age, and like kids doing social work around this time, she lacks know-how.
‘It’s obvious, but…’
Moreover, both of them have outstanding abilities and probably feel even more pressure because of that burden they unknowingly carry.
‘I don’t know the exact circumstances, but this much advice should be fine from someone who’s lived a bit longer.’
“Throw them a few profitable things, then you can also do what you want to do.”
I dare guarantee that even with this, they won’t be able to say much.
‘If the company has any sense at all, they should know how to work a calculator.’
Rather than needlessly provoking Eternal Hunter to storm out of the company, it would be more profitable to keep her tied down by tolerating her to some extent like this.
“Everyone says I only make things with high grades… and weird stuff.”
“Is that so? But sometimes those weird things save a person. Just like how you saved me a moment ago, Hunter.”
“….”
“What was occasionally one person becomes frequently many people, and who knows, in the near future you might be making items that save the world every time.”
Besides, you’re S-rank.
‘Of course that will happen.’
I want all the children in our class, no, all the children in Ocean Kindergarten to become such people.
Of course, the young adult in front of me too.
After a brief silence, Eternal Hunter spoke very quietly.
“Teacher… seems like a good person. Like Jin-chae unnie.”
‘You only think that because you’re young,’ I thought, but I just smiled.
“I have to try to be a good person.”
“Then, since you’re a good person, how about that frequency…”
This kid really isn’t ordinary either.
“I decline.”
“That’s too bad…”
And this effort of mine is ongoing.
Because I happened to spot the figures who always test my patience.
‘No, what are those guys doing over there??’
I spotted familiar silhouettes on the opposite wall.
“I thought it was a wall, but it must have been stairs.”
Eternal Hunter’s words were true.
What I thought was a circular wall surrounding the spiral staircase we were climbing turned out to be another set of stairs.
The railing was built so high with stone walls that I didn’t realize it was stairs.
Now that we’ve climbed up, I can finally see it properly.
The stairs that spiral up along the wall surface like coiled rings.
I was shocked by the properly revealed structure and scenery of the labyrinth.
Of course, that wasn’t the only reason.
Noisy sounds are coming from above the opposite staircase.
At the same time, a giant black arm and fluttering veil keep appearing and disappearing repeatedly.
‘This is maddening, are you guys fighting even in this situation?’
I told you not to fight in front of me, and you’re really fighting behind my back!
I was about to smack my forehead and hurry up the stairs when.
“No, you’re really an Awakener, right?”
“Ah, hyung~ I’m really a spiritual-type ability user.”
“Then what was all that about divine descent earlier?”
“Well, it seemed like the owner of the altar appeared… but now that I look at it, maybe not…”
“Hey!”
“I’m D-rank, but you expect too much… I’m depressed, it’s heartbreaking, no, how can D-ranks live with such heartbreak.”
“Don’t cry, that gentleman is just sensitive right now so he’s acting like that. He’s not really that bad of a person.”
The other party members were climbing up from the lower floor near the staircase level where Nabi and Sangja were presumably located!
Kang Ho-won, Choi Un-seong, and even Yu Ba-da!
‘Damn! Why, of all times!’
-Crash!!!
To make matters worse, the sound of stone walls breaking can be faintly heard from above.
Just smash everything to pieces!
“What’s that sound from above-“
The Eternal Hunter sensed something was wrong and turned her gaze upward.
In short, it was a hair-trigger situation.
I ground my teeth.
‘Don’t you bastards even think about how we might get caught up in your dogfight!’
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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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