Hunter Kindergarten, Dolphin Class! - Chapter 93

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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 093

 

The inside of Hunter Bae Je-il’s tent was neat and tidy.

 

One sleeping bag and one bag, which seemed to be all his belongings, were neatly placed in one corner.

 

However, the first impression I got was that it felt cramped for a tent typically used by a family of four, and the reason for that was…

 

‘It’s probably because of those male students who can’t help but chatter away.’

 

Sure enough, they were sitting comfortably sprawled on the floor.

 

Clearly, Bae Je-il had told them to wait with their heads pressed to the floor.

 

“What’s going to happen to us now?”

 

“We’re screwed. Damn… Is Mom going to get a call?”

 

“What is this mess because of you idiots? We lost 5 million won and now we’re totally fucked.”

 

“Hey! If you hadn’t stolen anything in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.”

 

“How is that my fault?”

 

…They don’t even know I came in and are too busy fighting among themselves.

 

‘They haven’t come to their senses.’

 

“Tsk tsk.”

 

“…!”

 

Do you notice now?

 

When I clicked my tongue and deliberately made my presence known, only then did the male students look this way.

 

Then they hurriedly tried to press their heads to the floor… but stopped.

 

“Damn… I thought it was that hunter hyung.”

 

“You scared us. Mister, make some noise when you approach.”

 

“Did you come to watch?”

 

They’re getting annoyed with shameless audacity?

 

I was so dumbfounded that I let out a chuckle.

 

Oh…

 

‘So Hunter Bae Je-il is scary but I’m not, is that it?’

 

Their attitude was more arrogant than I expected, so I decided to postpone the next step I had planned.

 

“Seo-ro, could you come in a little later?”

 

“How long?”

 

“Hmm… How about you try counting to a hundred?”

 

“Yes, I can do that.”

 

I had no choice but to leave Seo-ro outside the tent and stood before them again.

 

Sitting on the floor, the eyes looking up at me were all defiant.

 

I crossed my arms and thought.

 

‘I’ve thoroughly learned how to handle teenagers before.’

 

Do you remember?

 

The cowardly teenager I met in that cult building that worshipped demons.

 

An Param.

 

While unintentionally spending a whole half-day with An Param back then, I realized something.

 

Teenagers… especially students of this type, there’s a special way to handle them.

 

“Nabi.”

 

[ Why? ]

 

I took out the White Dog Doll I had brought and showed it to them.

 

“What’s with the doll all of a sudden?”

 

“Mister, you look young but are you senile? Why are you suddenly shoving a doll…”

 

Then I slightly lifted the white hand attached to the doll and said this.

 

“Want to come out once?”

 

One.

 

Two.

 

Three?

 

“…Uh, uhh?”

 

“…!!!”

 

That’s right.

 

The male students corrected their slouched postures as if nothing had happened and were now lying flat and straight on the floor.

 

Nabi had personally corrected their postures.

 

“Our Nabi is so good.”

 

[ Hehe! I did well, right? Right? ]

 

“…What, what is this?! What the hell!”

 

“Please save us!!”

 

“Mon, mon, mon, mon, monster!! Hiiiiek!!”

 

Their reactions were all different. Three pairs of bulging eyes quickly swept around the inside of the tent.

 

However, they couldn’t see anything.

 

The giant hand-like thing that had pressed down on their bodies just moments ago.

 

‘Because I told it to go back in.’

 

The fear that comes from something not completely tangible is always greater.

 

I deliberately looked down at them and spoke with a somewhat bored tone.

 

“That’s how it is at your age… It’s the perfect age for judging people based on appearances alone.”

 

“….”

 

“But it’s not like ‘Awakener’ is written on someone’s face. So why… do you judge people so carelessly?”

 

Having said this much, unless they were idiots, they should have understood.

 

That I too am an Awakener.

 

And naturally implying that I was the one who brought out that black hand.

 

‘I didn’t want to instill fear of Awakeners in ordinary people.’

 

But what could I do?

 

Sometimes there are things you can only realize through experience.

 

“….”

 

After a moment, the students remained prostrate, glancing at each other before finally squirming and pressing their heads to the floor.

 

Even while trembling, they did their best not to break their posture.

 

I nodded with a satisfied smile.

 

“At least you have some sense.”

 

Then I made good use of the remaining 50 seconds or so.

 

I invested it all in lecturing them. To engrave it deeply in their brains, I made sure to have them repeat everything back at the end of each lecture.

 

“That’s right, isn’t it?”

 

“…Y-yes, that’s right!”

 

“Should you do it, or shouldn’t you?”

 

“W-we shouldn’t do it!”

 

Before I knew it, the 50 seconds had passed and Seo-ro entered the tent.

 

I guided Seo-ro in front of the three heads.

 

“Teacher explained everything to the older boys about why Seo-ro acted that way yesterday, how much it hurt and how scary it was. The older boys are sorry too… Right?”

 

The male students, who had been lifting their heads slightly to look at Seo-ro, quickly nodded with forced smiles.

 

“Yes, and they really want to apologize to Seo-ro.”

 

Right?

 

“Yes! Of course! Um, hey kid? We’re sorry…”

 

“Sorry! We’re really sorry about yesterday. We apologize!”

 

“…Sorry for grabbing your neck.”

 

…They’re so bad at apologizing.

 

It wasn’t satisfactory, but I decided to let it slide for now.

 

‘Since Seo-ro seems satisfied.’

 

I looked at my right hand that had somehow been warmly covered. Seo-ro was holding my hand and smiling softly.

 

‘As expected, it was good to have them apologize.’

 

***

 

Following behind Na Hwi-yeon to Bae Je-il’s tent, Lee Seo-ro came face to face with them again.

 

Through the slightly open tent entrance, he saw familiar figures chattering away.

 

Still, the memories of last night remained vivid. They had been that shocking.

 

“….”

 

Inside the mountain where rain was falling.

 

The MVP Prize he had been searching for so desperately.

 

The scary older boys approaching with excitement.

 

His feet lifted into the air, himself being thrown down the slope.

 

He had pretended to be fine in front of the adults, but in truth, he wasn’t fine at all.

 

Even now, when he recalled those memories, he felt scared and wanted to run away.

 

However, those inside the tent were different from him. Though it seemed like they were having an argument, even that looked like mere playfulness.

 

An endlessly carefree attitude.

 

Seeing this, Lee Seo-ro felt deflated.

 

‘I’m an Awakener though.’

 

Even a high-grade Awakener at that.

 

This fact was Lee Seo-ro’s pride and source of confidence. Thanks to it, he had nothing to fear and could nurture his dream of becoming a hunter.

 

However, the experience he had gone through last night brought him emotions he had never felt before.

 

A body that wouldn’t move as he thought it would.

 

A situation that wouldn’t flow as he wanted.

 

The choking pain he experienced for the first time in his life.

 

He couldn’t explain it because he didn’t know the word, but….

 

‘It was similar to a sense of defeat.’

 

That emotion, which was more precisely helplessness…. made Lee Seo-ro feel miserable.

 

So Lee Seo-ro didn’t question Na Hwi-yeon’s words about whether he could count to a hundred outside the tent before coming in.

 

Rather, he thought it was fortunate.

 

If he had to face them right away, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to hold back and would run away.

 

He counted the numbers very slowly. At a pace incomparably slower than usual.

 

However, everything in the world has an end.

 

Numbers, approaching time, and even scary memories.

 

Ninety-nine.

 

One hundred.

 

‘…Let’s go.’

 

Lee Seo-ro deliberately entered the tent with confidence.

 

Repeating to himself ‘Don’t be scared, don’t be scared,’ the atmosphere inside the tent he entered was…. a bit strange.

 

Moreover.

 

“Teacher explained everything to the older boys, why Seo-ro acted that way yesterday, how much it hurt and how scared he was. The older boys are sorry too…. Right?”

 

Seeing Teacher say this, Lee Seo-ro was flustered.

 

Right in front of him, he could see the older boys with their heads pressed to the floor. They looked very uncomfortable, but they didn’t break their posture.

 

As if they were watching someone’s mood.

 

Lee Seo-ro…. keenly grasped this situation.

 

‘These older boys are suddenly scared?’

 

Of whom?

 

‘…Of Teacher?’

 

D-rank Tamer.

 

That was Teacher Na Hwi-yeon’s grade and ability. Knowing this, Lee Seo-ro had been unconsciously thinking this way.

 

‘He’s weak.’

 

That’s why when he lost to him, he felt even sadder and more frustrated.

 

But if he thought about it again….

 

Was Teacher really weak?

 

Come to think of it, no, even just looking at yesterday’s events, he was definitely not weak.

 

He won MVP with excellent performance at camp, saved him from falling down the slope, and… completely subdued these scary older boys.

 

In the end… the child had no choice but to acknowledge it.

 

‘Teacher is strong!’

 

And this successfully struck the heart of Lee Seo-ro, who dreamed of becoming a hunter and was completely absorbed in justice and strong power.

 

Moreover, Teacher had always been kind and was the only person who acknowledged him…

 

Lee Seo-ro no longer cared about the older boys who were now apologizing to him.

 

What mattered was quickly grabbing Na Hwi-yeon’s hand.

 

It was the moment Na Hwi-yeon was added to 7-year-old Lee Seo-ro’s list of role models.

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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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