Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 22

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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 022

 

-Kakakakakak!!

 

-Kakakakakak!!

 

A shallow dust storm arose due to Tyros rolling on the floor laughing.

 

“At this rate… it won’t die, will it?”

 

Kwon Hae-seong muttered while brushing the dust off his pants.

 

“If we release that thing, won’t we be the ones to die?”

 

It’s laughing so hard that tears are forming, which is starting to look pitiful…

 

Well, I suppose laughing that much in life isn’t such a bad thing.

 

“They say laughter brings good fortune.”

 

At my nonsense… Kwon Hae-seong declared in a low voice with a face that said he had a lot to say but would hold back for now.

 

“We’ll talk later… We have a lot of questions.”

 

I shrugged and picked up the bag that was on the floor.

 

Whatever it is, I have no intention of answering later either, so it doesn’t matter.

 

‘I guess he instinctively knew what I did to his body.’

 

It was my first time using it on someone in their right mind, so I just realized there were such problems.

 

I’ll just shamelessly pretend I don’t know.

 

“Now let’s go look for Tae-jae again.”

 

We found the kids too. I had to hurry and move to achieve our original purpose.

 

“Teacher, why is that thing acting like that?”

 

Before that, I need to solve this problem.

 

When Seo-ro pointed at Tyros who was rolling around laughing, I lightly grabbed the child’s face and turned it forward.

 

Don’t look. It’s embarrassing.

 

“That’s… a monster, and you all almost died.”

 

“It must have found playing with us fun.”

 

Kwon Hae-seong, be quiet.

 

If the kids find out they almost died just now, would they stay still here?

 

If they panic and scatter in all directions, that’s the end of it.

 

After persistent deliberation, I finally made up my mind.

 

I’ll appropriately mix truth with innocence.

 

“You saw Teacher Hae-seong playing with it, right? He played with it so entertainingly. So it seems to be laughing because it’s so happy.”

 

“That was playing?”

 

“I don’t want to play with Seal Teacher anymore!”

 

“Teacher, please treat animals with care.”

 

Kwon Hae-seong, who was suddenly being scolded, looked at me.

 

His eyes seemed to say ‘Why… is the story going like this…?’ but I quietly shook my head.

 

Make the sacrifice.

 

“Teacher! Why did you hit the animal like that? I don’t like it when you play like that either!”

 

“I don’t like it either.”

 

“Me too.”

 

…Ah, seriously.

 

I finally raised both hands at Kwon Hae-seong who kept looking only at me silently. My heart had softened since he was the one who struggled against Tyros.

 

At least it’s fortunate that the kids are treating Tyros like just a slightly large animal.

 

“Hmm, right. It might have looked like Teacher Hae-seong was treating the animal roughly.”

 

“Yes, the animal looked so pitiful.”

 

Right, after seeing him try to strike the monster’s face with a rock, it’s more than understandable they’d think that.

 

“But Teacher Hae-seong wasn’t bullying that animal… Rather, he played with it very well. Even if it looked a bit rough, it actually wasn’t. That’s why it’s laughing like that because it’s happy. Right, Teacher Hae-seong?”

 

“Yes… It’s Customized Play.”

 

After successfully drawing out Kwon Hae-seong’s awkward response, I sneakily checked the children’s reactions…

 

“Really, is that so? I thought Seal Class Teacher was bullying the animal.”

 

“No way~ Teacher Hae-seong loves animals, you know? It’s just that our animal friend was too big and dangerous, so he played with it instead of our friends.”

 

Still, kids are kids.

 

It seemed they couldn’t connect that the control phrase Manager Lee Won-woo had given me earlier was likely the cause of Tyros ending up in that state.

 

So right now, the kids thought the monster that got hit by Kwon Hae-seong had gone crazy from the shock.

 

‘My use of the control phrase at the end must have seemed like nothing compared to Kwon Hae-seong’s actions.’

 

Seeing the children’s furrowed brows gradually relax, they seemed to have accepted the explanation in their own way.

 

I felt relieved inside and refreshingly shook the dust from my hair.

 

“If that’s the case, please play gently with me since I’m small!”

 

As if making a big decision, Noah made this request to Kwon Hae-seong, still tightly gripping Tae-jae’s sneakers.

 

“Yes, Teacher will try his best…”

 

Noah, having apparently concluded that size and play intensity were proportional, extended his pinky finger toward Kwon Hae-seong.

 

“….”

 

It was a resolute promise, as if they were making some invisible pact.

 

I was about to say something but just closed my mouth.

 

‘This level of misunderstanding should be fine…’

 

 

We didn’t discuss Tyros any further and quickly left the area.

 

The deeper we went into the maze, the more a small but definite change became apparent.

 

‘There are more of these than when I first saw them.’

 

The number of glowing blue stones embedded in the ground seemed to be gradually increasing. As a result, the surroundings had become much brighter. Blue light rippled like waves beneath our feet.

 

Had we walked for a while, staying alert to these subtle changes?

 

Kwon Hae-seong, who had been walking at the front, looked at me and lightly gestured.

 

‘There’s something ahead.’

 

That’s what he conveyed through lip movement alone.

 

I squeezed myself and the three children into the grass thicket wall. When one adult and three kids entered the round space created by pushing through the tangled grass below, it was completely full.

 

The unspoken agreement was not to come out until Kwon Hae-seong gave another signal.

 

‘Hmm, this time it’s taking quite long?’

 

We’d experienced this pattern more than five times so far, but there had never been such a long delay without a signal.

 

Had thirty minutes passed? This was somehow unsettling.

 

After thinking for a moment, I finally decided to take a quick look outside.

 

“Hm? What’s that sound? Ah~ Teacher Hae-seong is saying something? It seems like Teacher needs to step out for a moment, but you can stay here without moving, right?”

 

Of course, no sound could be heard at all.

 

It was simply a question-and-answer setup to lay groundwork. I had to keep reinforcing the perception that it was nothing serious.

 

The children who had been huddled together nodded their heads vigorously at my words. Good, I trust you kids.

 

I left the grass thicket and silently approached Kwon Hae-seong, who was a little distance away.

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

“….”

 

Kwon Hae-seong, who was crouched on the ground, turned to look at me. Difficulty and bewilderment quickly appeared and disappeared.

 

“…I found Tae-jae.”

 

“Where is he?”

 

It was definitely good news, but Kwon Hae-seong’s expression was too concerning to celebrate.

 

His long index finger pointed toward the inside of a corner in the maze wall. When he stepped aside for a moment, I stuck just my head out to check inside.

 

Whether it was the center of the maze, a huge plaza was visible.

 

And…

 

Damn, what the hell is that.

 

“Please tell me what I saw isn’t real.”

 

“…It’s not real.”

 

“Thank you for at least saying that.”

 

I was so unwilling to accept the reality before my eyes that I asked Kwon Hae-seong for such nonsense.

 

…Ahead of us were creatures even worse than the Tyros we had just seen.

 

Monsters that appeared to number in the dozens at a glance.

 

“It’s small, but…”

 

Kwon Hae-seong whispers with a nuance of being troubled.

 

The monster was small. Small enough to think of it as a mini version of Tyros. Certainly, being small would make it easier to deal with.

 

But what’s the problem, you ask?

 

Those peanut-sized guys were each holding one in their hands.

 

Sharp-edged tools.

 

Sickles, axes, and even shovels… How diverse.

 

“…Let me take another look.”

 

I mustered up courage and stuck my head out again.

 

And just then, a status window appeared in mid-air.

 

 

This one is called the Searcher of the Maze Garden.

 

‘Somehow, the small ones are more vicious.’

 

In the midst of all this, I made a good discovery. I found Tae-jae, just as Kwon Hae-seong had said.

 

Among the busily moving Bermons, I could see a large barred prison in a corner. And inside those bars, I could see a familiar person.

 

A conspicuous yellow bag, a familiar face wearing a sky blue activity uniform.

 

It’s Tae-jae.

 

“It’s definitely Tae-jae.”

 

“Yes, it looked difficult to approach, so I was contemplating…”

 

It wasn’t just difficult to approach. Fighting through dozens of monsters to reach the barred prison… seemed nearly impossible.

 

‘They’re no different from thugs with tools.’

 

I looked at my own body, Kwon Hae-seong, and the grass thicket where three children were hiding, trying to gauge the situation.

 

What method could there be to secretly reach that place?

 

After several plans formed and were quickly deleted repeatedly…

 

‘I guess there’s no choice.’

 

I presented the most reasonable-looking method to Kwon Hae-seong.

 

“I’ve been thinking, please tell me if it seems too difficult.”

 

As I continued my explanation, Kwon Hae-seong was furrowing his brow so much it looked like he might create valleys on his face.

 

Is it that bad?

 

Looking like a rotten tangerine, he pondered for a long time after my explanation ended, then reluctantly nodded his head.

 

“It’s not bad… But wouldn’t it be better if we switched roles, yours and mine?”

 

Yeah, I knew you’d say that.

 

“Teacher Hae-seong’s role is dangerous, but considering the possibility that the remaining kids might be in danger, I think it would be more helpful if Teacher Hae-seong stayed nearby rather than me.”

 

“Ah… If that’s the case. I’m faster, so…”

 

I know, I know. I know your physical abilities are far superior to mine, but wouldn’t it be better to minimize any potential risks?

 

Fortunately, there were no more additional comments. I guess he completely understood.

 

“Then, let’s prepare.”

 

“Yes… Teacher, please be careful.”

 

“You too, Teacher Hae-seong.”

 

***

 

I tightened the bag on my back again. I checked my shoelaces and jumped lightly in place to release tension.

 

“Teacher, I’m all ready…”

 

Kwon Hae-seong calls me with a worried expression. Meanwhile, I looked at the perfectly hidden children and was genuinely impressed.

 

“You’ve done the camouflage perfectly.”

 

“I used to do this kind of thing often before…”

 

Kwon Hae-seong, scratching his forehead as if embarrassed, seemed sincere. But it really was praiseworthy skill.

 

The hideout, cleverly concealed using terrain features like bushes, tree branches, and various stones, was truly amazing – you’d never think it was a place I had crudely put together.

 

No matter how you look at it, it’s professional work.

 

What did he do before that makes him so good at camouflage?

 

“….”

 

…Yeah, whatever works, works.

 

Well, maybe he made a name for himself in the Boy Scouts when he was young.

 

I decided to shake off these idle thoughts and focus on the current situation.

 

“Did you relay the details to the kids?”

 

First of all, the most important thing in this operation was the children’s safety.

 

So after discussing it with Kwon Hae-seong, we agreed to hide the three children more thoroughly. That amazing hideout was the result.

 

Kwon Hae-seong would only be moving around this area, but just in case.

 

“Yes, I earnestly told them not to come out no matter what happens.”

 

Oh, confident tone. I like it.

 

“Good. Then let’s begin.”

 

I hid behind a rock as far away from Kwon Hae-seong as possible. Behind the rock between the Rock Wall and Green Vines was a space where I could hide without looking unnatural.

 

Now…. I stretch out my right hand and give an okay sign.

 

Then I wait quietly.

 

Through the slightly split Rock Crevice, I can see Kwon Hae-seong Making the Sign of the Cross. Neat and orderly movements.

 

At that moment, I naturally realized. Though there was no visible change in his appearance, I could tell at a glance.

 

That this was a kind of ‘condition’ for Kwon Hae-seong’s unique Ability Amplification.

 

As an aside, it’s a well-known fact that Awakeners use their abilities as naturally as breathing.

 

However, the problem was that each person had a certain ‘limit’ set for using their abilities as naturally as breathing.

 

There’s a reason why ‘grades’ were created.

 

A-rank had A-rank limits, B-rank had B-rank limits, and…. Even D-rank like me had D-rank limits.

 

‘A kind of ritual plays the role of slightly breaking through these limits.’

 

The accepted theory is that actions or words frequently done by the Awakener themselves are set as the ‘conditions’ for this ritual, but….

 

‘I heard there are people who never find their conditions in their entire lifetime.’

 

In my case, it was the action of touching my Earring. The difference was that instead of Ability Amplification like others, I got a bizarre Status Window with ridiculous abilities written in it.

 

‘This guy probably doesn’t see Status Windows and stuff, right? When I asked other guys so far, they all said they didn’t know….’

 

-Ding!

 

Hm? Ding?

 

 

 

…What the hell is this.

 

I stared blankly at the Status Window that had completely misinterpreted my thoughts.

 

So it interpreted my thought ‘This guy probably doesn’t see Status Windows and stuff, right?’ as a request to show me this guy’s Status Window?

 

I can’t even be bothered to be surprised anymore. Hey, when did I tell you to make judgments on your own?

 

And what’s with Kwon Hae-seong’s Status Window spouting all that weird stuff?

 

While I was having a strange standoff with the Status Window.

 

Kwon Hae-seong’s voice boomed loudly from afar.

 

“Hey, you little shorties over there! Yeah, you guys staring around stupidly. If you saw me, hurry up and come out!”

 

Wait a minute.

 

…Why is that bastard’s dialogue like that?

 

“Wow, do you guys live here? What’s that over there, a hut or what? Since it’s come to this, I’ll tear it all down for you. It’d be better to build new. The demolition costs are reduced, so that’s good, right?”

 

Besides, it doesn’t even seem like his original way of speaking?

 

“Ah, you don’t have to thank me. I’m not so desperate that I’d use old people and children as ingredients. Your brains are probably as small as your stubby legs, so you probably can’t even say thank you properly, right? It’s okay. I’ll understand that with a generous heart too.”

 

…Hey, you crazy bastard.

 

We didn’t discuss anything like this, did we?

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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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