Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 59

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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59
“Control Center, this is Lee Ji-seok.”
I radioed the Awakener Management Bureau’s Control Center.
[Yes, Hunter. Go ahead.]
“I’ve found the missing persons. They’re all deceased.”
[…As expected. I’ll dispatch a recovery team immediately. Should I send them to the GPS location of the deceased hunter?]
“Ah, the GPS signal is being picked up from a different location. I’ll continue tracking it, so please send the team to my current position.”
[Location confirmed. Thank you. Please continue with your investigation.]
After finishing my report, I moved slightly while following the GPS signal, and a pack of Mad Bulls appeared. There were roughly twenty of them. While numerous, they weren’t beyond the capability of D-rank hunters if one knew the right technique.
I enlarged myself to about three meters and charged toward the pack. They spotted me and, sensing the threat, snorted and rushed at me.
Increasing my speed, I rammed the lead one with my shoulder, sending it flying helplessly. I continued, striking down each incoming Mad Bull with my shoulder or fist, hurling them away.
Even as their kin fell before them, these mindless beasts didn’t stop. Those that fortunately grazed past me without direct collision curved in wide arcs and attacked again.
Within seconds, I’d beaten all the mad cattle into submission and pulled out my phone to check the GPS signal again.
I walked slowly between the fallen Mad Bulls. Then my phone’s signal rang strongly from one of them.
I sharpened my aura along the edge of my hand and swiftly slashed open its abdomen.
I rummaged through the spilled entrails pouring from the split hide. After cutting open several stomachs, I found body parts of a hunter the beasts had consumed, along with a GPS transmitter. So the hunters from before really had fallen to these creatures?
Something felt off, but with this evidence from the Mad Bull’s stomach and no other clues, it was difficult to imagine any other scenario.
I sent a final report to the Awakener Management Bureau and returned.
* * *
“More missing persons?”
[Yes, this time two teams.]
It’s unrealistic to hope for zero casualties in monster subjugation operations. However, to match hunters with monsters appropriate to their rank, we first analyze the surrounding monster ecology through satellite imagery and drones before assigning hunters.
And since hunters themselves don’t want to die, it’s standard practice to retreat at the first sign of danger.
But for one team to die yesterday and two more teams to go missing just a day later—that was far too many.
“Understood. I’ll head out immediately.”
Though the Director had recommended me, I’d been assigned an easier zone as a form of disciplinary action, leaving me with more free time than other A-rank hunters.
Besides, I could hunt monsters while traveling, and rescue request bonuses would be paid, so it was beneficial for me as well.
I returned to the scene, but like yesterday, I found only the corpses of hunters killed by monsters and a GPS transmitter discovered inside a monster’s stomach.
An Awakener Management Bureau investigator also came and conducted an investigation, reaching the same conclusion as I had.
The Awakener Management Bureau informed the hunters of the accident and recommended they avoid hunting monsters that exceeded their rank or were too numerous, and that they travel in groups.
“Hunter Lee Ji-seok, I heard many hunters have died. Should we start hunting with you from today?”
Yu President, frightened by news of the deaths, asked. Despite his massive build, he was quite timid.
“No. Starting today, only the Oh Brothers will hunt separately.”
The Oh Brothers and Yang Sang-heon looked at me with expressions asking how such a person could exist.
“Hyung, it could be dangerous, right? Let me come with you.”
“No. You either join another hunter group or help with the Hwagok work. The Oh Brothers are going to hunt Mad Bulls today.”
“Mad Bulls? D-rank hunters died hunting those. How are we supposed to catch them?”
Yu President spoke with a trembling voice.
“They move in straight lines, so it’s not difficult if you dodge and attack from the side. Think of it like bullfighting. And I’ll be following behind you.”
“Ah…. You should have said you were coming along from the start. Why did you have to scare us?”
“I won’t interfere with the hunt itself.”
Oh Brothers’ expression flickered like a light switch—brightening and dimming in rapid succession.
“I’ve reviewed all three incidents, and there’s something that doesn’t sit right with me. The monster behavior and hunter mistakes don’t fully explain what I’m seeing. You’ll need to serve as bait.”
The light in Oh Brothers’ face extinguished and didn’t reignite.
I marked the accident sites with X’s on the map. Apart from all being in the Plains, there’s no obvious pattern, but if we hunt in the surrounding areas, we might stumble onto something.
“I’ll stay hidden, so hunt without worry. You understood the characteristics I described, right?”
“Yes…”
“Why does everyone look so dispirited? You’ve all surpassed level 10, haven’t you? Do you think it’s easy to level up this much in less than a month? Some people can grind forever and never make it. So have confidence.”
“Understood!”
Their voices grew a bit louder.
I wrapped myself in the transparent cloak I’d obtained after capturing Richard, one of Tellus’ terrorists. When I pulled the hood over my head, my form vanished entirely. Even raising my arms, only a faint, translucent outline was visible. Lying flat against the ground like this, I’d be impossible to detect.
Concealing myself didn’t suit my preferences, but the Awakener Management Bureau had no knowledge of this item, making it risky to use carelessly. Still, there was no point in secretly keeping it if I wouldn’t use it when needed, so I retrieved it for today’s surveillance.
I climbed to slightly higher ground and pressed myself flat against the earth. Using the breathing technique I’d honed in the Deep Sea, I reduced my respiration and heart rate to minimal levels. This would make detection even more difficult.
From that position, I observed Oh Brothers hunting. My keen senses allowed me to see clearly and hear well despite the distance.
“Big brother, do you see those two over there?”
True to his role as a ranged dealer, Chang-hee spotted the distant Mad Bulls first and reported to Yu President through the in-ear communicator.
“Oh, I see them.”
Yu President, who had been squinting and staring for a while, finally spotted the Mad Bulls.
“Two of them—worth a try. I’ll go first.”
“Brother! We’ve got your back. Don’t worry.”
Si-hwan gave Yu President’s shoulder a light punch.
“Thanks. Chang-hee, can you handle the other one?”
“Yes.”
Chang-hee took his position while Yu President moved to the front, with the other three maintaining distance along his flanks. If they’d stood in a line, the charging Mad Bulls would’ve knocked them flying like bowling pins.
“Let’s go!”
Yu President roared and charged forward. The Mad Bull’s head snapped up, spotting him. It pawed the ground twice before rushing at Yu President.
Clad in armor and wielding a shield befitting his massive frame, he finally looked like a proper hunter.
Thwang!
Chang-hee’s mana bullet struck the distant Mad Bull’s forehead. Its head jerked to the side, slowing its charge. But without serious damage, it shook its head and accelerated again. An E-rank hunter like Chang-hee’s ranged shots couldn’t pierce a Mad Bull’s thick skull.
Bang!
Recognizing the problem, Chang-hee exhaled slowly and fired again with deliberate care. The mana bullet, which appeared to miss badly, curved and slipped into the Mad Bull’s ear canal like it was being sucked in.
The Mad Bull collapsed sideways at full charging speed. No matter how much monsters reinforce their bodies with mana, they can’t strengthen their brains.
The fact that he noticed this and fired accordingly—and his skill in hitting a charging Mad Bull’s ear—deserves praise. Chang-hee truly has the greatest potential for growth here.
With one monster down, Yu President’s burden lightened considerably. His enlarged frame matched the Mad Bull’s size.
Yu President gripped his shield diagonally with his left hand and lowered his stance. A longsword hung in his right hand.
Circling and kiting would be fine, but that method doesn’t suit Yu President with his low agility and stamina. So I’d advised him to read the monster’s straightforward attacks and parry them well.
The distance closed, and Yu President collided with the Mad Bull. At the moment of impact, he tried to deflect its head with his shield and thrust with his sword, but his timing was off, and he flew backward instead.
“Grraaah!”
The armor prevented external wounds, but it was a blow that dealt considerable internal impact.
“Brother! Aaaaaah!”
When Si-hwan unleashed his shout, the startled Mad Bull’s legs tangled beneath it, and that’s when Jin-woo and Min-woo rushed in from both sides.
“Min-woo! Strike!”
Si-hwan drew the Mad Bull’s attention from the front with a shout, but the creature had already recovered its senses and spun in circles, attempting to gore the Oh Brothers with its horns.
“What?! Brother, watch out!”
The Oh Brothers, having missed their opening, scrambled frantically to evade the Mad Bull’s assault.
I could see Chang-hee taking aim to support his older brothers.
“Chang-hee, don’t help them.”
I spoke to Chang-hee through the in-ear communicator.
[But… but your brothers are in danger?]
“They’re fine. How many of us are there against one Mad Bull? And if you keep helping them, they’ll never improve. You keep your eyes on the surroundings—watch for any approaching threats.”
Chang-hee understood and shifted his gun away from the Mad Bull, extending his vigilance further outward.
“Ugh… I’ll draw it from the front, so strike!”
Yu President, having been sent flying and regaining his senses, charged in from the front. He pushed the creature’s head back with his shield while thrusting with his sword. The attempt was sound in concept, but his strength wasn’t fully committed and his strike lacked precision. Alone, such skill would be a death sentence. Fortunately, Yu President had his younger siblings watching his flanks. They drove their blades into the Mad Bull’s neck and ribs from the sides.
After several minutes of this brutal melee, the Mad Bull—now riddled with wounds—finally collapsed to the ground.
“Huff… huff…”
They were all gasping for breath. Against just two Mad Bulls, and they were struggling like this…
Frustrating as it was, I decided to simply observe today and let them continue.
After drinking potions and regrouping, the Oh Brothers moved on to hunt another Mad Bull.
Whenever they found a herd, Chang-hee would take down one Mad Bull first, then the close-combat team would handle the rest.
Chang-hee’s initial one-shot kill had contained some luck, and there were still many misses or shots that avoided vital points. But as time passed, his miss rate gradually decreased.
Yu President slanted his shield to knock the Mad Bull down, then drove his sword into its neck. After being struck several times, he finally grasped the technique.
“That’s it!”
His face brightened considerably at his first success.
The remaining three brothers didn’t charge in recklessly like Yu President; instead, they engaged using their own abilities while exploiting openings. After hunting for several hours, watching them gradually master the technique showed that while frustrating, they weren’t entirely hopeless.
After waiting several hours, I detected no unusual signs.
Since the incident, hunters who went out hunting were required to report periodically to the Awakener Management Bureau’s command center. If no report came in, it was considered a problem, and I was to deploy immediately. Since there was no contact from them either, it seemed no accidents had occurred today.
I wondered if I’d just waste the entire day, when a dust cloud appeared in the distance, drawing closer.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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