Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 24

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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 024

 

I removed the cap of the smoke grenade and hooked my finger through the ring underneath. I heard that this smoke grenade was an item used in the annual fire drill events.

 

‘I couldn’t find a portable microphone in the storage room, but this thing coincidentally ended up in my bag.’

 

Really, today seems to be full of coincidental happenings in many ways.

 

Following my index finger drawing circles in the air, the smoke grenade attached to the ring spins around.

 

I deliberately raised the corners of my mouth in a sinister smile. I need to look as crazy as possible.

 

“Hey, you short bastards!!”

 

I put the diaphragmatic breathing I’d practiced while singing children’s songs to good use. My solid and firm voice temporarily stopped everyone who was there.

 

“Yeah, I’m talking to you idiots looking around stupidly~ Now, look here. What do you think this is?”

 

I had seen with my own eyes that Kwon Hae-seong’s ridiculous aggro actually worked.

 

‘So, I should use it too.’

 

One by one, the guy who got kicked by Kwon Hae-seong, the one about to get kicked, and the ones who got kicked and flew away look this way…

 

And so do Kwon Hae-seong and the children.

 

Soon recognizing us, they shout with joy.

 

“Nam Tae-jae!!”

 

“Tae-jae, Teacher!”

 

“Nam Tae-jae isn’t dead!”

 

“Teacher Hwiyeon…!”

 

The four who looked like dirt-covered potatoes forgot about the situation and their eyes welled up with tears of emotion.

 

I barely held back my desire to nod at them and calmly raised my voice.

 

“This is called Bermon-Specific Repellent Spray Gas!”

 

“Bermon? What’s a Bermon? Hey, teacher, is that thing dangerous?”

 

“Mister, shh. Shhhh.”

 

Bermon.

 

The searchers of the Maze Garden.

 

And right now, only I, who can see the Status Window, know their names here.

 

Moreover, seeing these guys get pissed off and charge after hearing Kwon Hae-seong’s words proved that they understand language.

 

I turned the text [Fire Drill Smoke Grenade] into my palm and continued my explanation methodically.

 

“Bermon-specific. You understand what this means, right?”

 

They would understand. Only me and these blade-wielding thug bastards.

 

“Upon inhalation, after 1 minute they’ll foam at the mouth and collapse, after 2 minutes their limbs will twist, and after 3 minutes… Well, I think you can figure out what happens without me saying it.”

 

Screech. I add a gesture of slitting my throat with my thumb.

 

-…

 

“What the hell is a Bermon? Don’t tell me this is some ‘let’s all die together’ thing?”

 

Ignoring the man who was tapping my shoulder and pressing me, I narrowed my eyes.

 

-Uuu… Uu…

 

The growling subsided and serious gazes poured toward the smoke grenade in my hand.

 

I deliberately didn’t add any more words. Sometimes silence causes greater agitation.

 

-Uuuu.

 

-Uuuuu?

 

Now they seem to be consulting among themselves. Even though I can’t understand exactly, it feels like “Is that thing real?” “How would I know?”

 

However, they didn’t move rashly. Actually, this alone is sufficient.

 

I need to press them a bit more here.

 

Bluffing is all about momentum.

 

“Ah, I don’t feel like chattering away here anymore. This is Ber. Mon. specific, so it doesn’t really concern us. Well then… you’d better get out of the way, alright?”

 

With these words, I immediately pulled the ring cap of the smoke grenade.

 

-Pshhhhhshk.

 

As the ring flies off, sparks fly and red powder scatters, shooting upward…

 

Then it traces a parabolic arc and lands on the bare ground.

 

-Whiik.

 

-Rolling.

 

Right into the middle of them.

 

-Bang!!

 

“Kwon Hae-seong, run!!!”

 

As if my words were a signal flare, the pack of Bermon began to rampage.

 

The man holding Tae-jae brushed past me and ran off in the opposite direction. Red powder silently bloomed and spread like fog.

 

The confused monsters bumped into each other, fell over, and fled while making all sorts of noises.

 

‘Let’s just run straight ahead.’

 

Obviously, the smoke grenade is just a simple fire safety smoke grenade.

 

Therefore, the vision-blocking effect doesn’t distinguish between people and monsters.

 

In the end, all I can rely on right now is my Intuition and memory.

 

-Tap.

 

In an instant, I grabbed what I presumed to be Kwon Hae-seong’s forearm. A low voice from across asked for identification.

 

“…Teacher Hwiyeon?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

I heard a relieved sigh, and soon one of them hugged into my arms.

 

“I can’t see you, Teacher.”

 

“It’s Seo-ro.”

 

Through the red smoke, I could faintly see two heads nestled in Kwon Hae-seong’s arms.

 

Now I’m completely done gathering everyone.

 

“Run. That won’t last long!”

 

I struck Kwon Hae-seong’s back hard with my remaining hand and ran.

 

The complete opposite of the entrance.

 

Another exit and entrance connected to the Maze Garden Center that I discovered while heading to the Iron Cage Prison.

 

We’re going here for now.

 

Right now, it’s time to take one step back for two steps forward.

 

***

 

“…!!”

 

My lungs stung and I ran until my legs went numb. Before I knew it, I and Kwon Hae-seong had caught up with the man, and the three of us were wandering through the Maze Garden side by side.

 

Of course, with a bit of a chase scene added to the mix.

 

-Grroooar!!

 

A little while after the smoke grenade went off, once they realized they had been thoroughly fooled, the Bermon’s attitude completely changed.

 

From “we’ll beat you up” to “we’ll kill you.”

 

Now if we get caught, it won’t end with just getting scratched a little by a blade.

 

“Hey! Aren’t you from the Field Teams? You were doing fine kicking those bandit bastards earlier, so how about you sacrifice yourself here?!”

 

Not seeming tired at all, the man who kept spouting nonsense now targeted Kwon Hae-seong.

 

“…”

 

But this guy doesn’t give him much of a reaction either.

 

“Big Guy! Can’t you hear me? Don’t you have any intention of sacrificing yourself?”

 

“…”

 

“Hey! You! Be honest! You’re deliberately ignoring me right now, aren’t you!”

 

“…”

 

I held back a sigh and opened my throat.

 

“If this person sacrifices himself, are you going to run while carrying three kids?”

 

At that, the man looked at Cheonji and Noah nestled in Kwon Hae-seong’s arms and immediately shut his mouth.

 

‘Should have done that from the start.’

 

 

-Clatter clatter clatter.

 

-Grroooar!!!

 

“…”

 

“What is this!”

 

While running desperately, the man let out rough breaths and was horrified.

 

“Huff… Huff…”

 

I only moved my eyes to check in the direction the man was horrified by.

 

“…?”

 

Clearly, the light from the Blue Gemstones that had only been flickering at our feet had now risen up to about waist level.

 

“…There’s no end to it.”

 

Just as Kwon Hae-seong said without wavering, the number of stone chunks embedded along the maze had increased to an absurd degree.

 

Almost to the level of completely filling the path.

 

Our moving shadows were reflected on the walls of the enclosure. It looked as if we were walking underwater.

 

These gemstones gradually increased in number only in one particular passage among the many maze intersections.

 

As if telling us to come this way.

 

And we instinctively chose every time we stood at an intersection.

 

The path that shone brighter.

 

And soon we arrived.

 

At the end this path was guiding us to.

 

“It’s a cave.”

 

A dark and massive cave.

 

“…The monsters don’t seem to be following us anymore either.”

 

The Bermon that had been chasing us like they wanted to kill us showed signs of hesitation as we got closer to the cave. Then, seeing us completely enter the cave by chance, they snorted and… turned back.

 

“What are you going to do now, Teacher?”

 

The man put Tae-jae down and slowly crossed his arms as he asked.

 

“Before that, there’s something I want to ask.”

 

Could it be, Kwon Hae-seong?

 

A monotone voice echoed inside the cave. I watched the two confronting each other, completely forgetting my desire to lie down right away.

 

“You… aren’t a BOND employee, are you?”

 

What?

 

I jerked my head up to look at the man. That kidnapping bastard isn’t even a BOND employee?

 

‘Then why are you here?’

 

At Kwon Hae-seong’s question, the man coughed slightly. Then he took off his hat refreshingly…

 

…Sweat drops fell as the man’s face was completely revealed.

 

Now that I look at it, this guy’s condition…

 

As if someone had beaten him up, his eyelids were bruised black and blue and his cheeks were swollen.

 

I quickly looked the man up and down.

 

I had thought his way of speaking was unusual too.

 

“Why should I tell you that?!”

 

Oh? He’s getting worked up?

 

Just like someone who’s been caught.

 

Kwon Hae-seong approached the man. In the ominous atmosphere, I hid the four children behind my back.

 

“A person who isn’t a BOND employee is wandering around inside the company building…”

 

“What? Hey, what do you know! I just… you know that external security company? I came from there!”

 

“External security company? Then at least tell me the name.”

 

“Te, TechTic! Don’t you know? We’re a large corporation!”

 

“TechTic… BOND doesn’t use external companies for security issues.”

 

“What? Hey man, Big Guy you…! I think you’re suspicious too. You’re not a kindergarten teacher, are you?”

 

Since his lies aren’t working. Now he’s trying to turn the suspicion around.

 

What an obvious trick.

 

“I… am a kindergarten teacher though.”

 

The man poking Kwon Hae-seong’s chest repeatedly with his index finger smiles bitterly. He seemed to think he had regained control.

 

“Ha…”

 

Surely, I must have said it…

 

If there’s anyone who would dare to attack Kwon Hae-seong, I would unconditionally take their side.

 

I let out a deep sigh and warned the man.

 

“Please stop.”

 

Unless you want to lose even the few decent teeth you have left.

 

Kwon Hae-seong probably wouldn’t throw a punch carelessly, but then again, you never know with people.

 

However, the man ignored my warning and shouted with even more intensity.

 

“Teacher! You must be too young to know, but this world is full of people like him!”

 

What is he talking about?

 

I tilted my head. Really, I couldn’t understand.

 

For words meant to deflect suspicion… why do they sound so sincere?

 

“This body isn’t just any body! Have you ever seen an ordinary guy with a body like this!”

 

Ah, because of his physique?

 

Well, I haven’t. But Kwon Hae-seong is a Physical Enhancement Awakener specialized in strength and muscle power.

 

Of course, being an Awakener, he wouldn’t be ordinary.

 

“This guy must be the most vicious one among the Field Teams! To think he’d even infiltrate as a kindergarten teacher!”

 

“Excuse me, wait a moment.”

 

“I’ve never seen such a sloppy infiltration in my life! BOND is finished, completely finished. A kindergarten teacher? They should send him to a gym or a mine instead.”

 

…Is Kwon Hae-seong crying?

 

“Let’s be honest with each other. Fine, me? I’m not a BOND employee! But you’re not a kindergarten teacher either!”

 

Making such a confession of truth.

 

In front of the speechless Kwon Hae-seong, the man headbutted forward, demanding the truth.

 

A dogfight in this situation.

 

I reached out to restrain the man.

 

“Um, please calm down first…”

 

“…”

 

At that moment, a chilling sensation swept across the back of my neck. With the two still fighting in front of me, another thought suddenly struck me.

 

‘Does it make sense for the children to be this quiet?’

 

…No, it doesn’t.

 

Children who had been chattering even in front of monsters being this quiet doesn’t make sense.

 

Swish. I reflexively turned my head.

 

“…!”

 

I felt the blood in my entire body turn cold.

 

…Three children were collapsed on the floor with their eyes closed.

 

When I checked their breathing with my finger and listened for heartbeats, they seemed to be simply asleep. Panicking at the sudden situation, I called for Kwon Hae-seong…

 

“Teacher Hae-seong.”

 

“…”

 

“Teacher Hae-seong?”

 

When I looked back again, neither Kwon Hae-seong nor the man were visible. I clenched and unclenched my trembling hands, slowly lowering my gaze from where it had been focused upward.

 

Then… both Kwon Hae-seong and that man were collapsed on the floor.

 

Like they were dead.

 

“…”

 

I turned my head again. Something was faintly visible on the cave wall where water was dripping.

 

A shadow.

 

A shadow.

 

And at the end of that shadow stood… a human hand so large it was hard to believe it belonged to a person.

 

That unidentifiable thing was approaching with apparent joy.

—————
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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