Infinite Evolution Hunter - Chapter 64

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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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64
[Sir, when a core ruptures, it doesn’t just go “bang” and end. All the energy inside explodes outward. Moreover, my previous calculations were wrong. Based on today’s experimental data, the yield will be at least equivalent to a small nuclear warhead. And this facility wasn’t designed with that in mind.]
“I already took a direct hit in North Korea and came back alive, didn’t I? And Jae-in tested my armor, right? She said it blocks virtually any energy attack.”
After experimenting with Jae-in upon my return, I confirmed my armor could withstand not only physical impacts but also most energy attacks—magic, aura, even radiation. If it couldn’t, Bae Na-young would have been charred black from the radiation.
[Still… even so…]
“It’s fine. Evacuate all the researchers and have Jae-in leave too. She can collect data remotely.”
[… Are you serious? If I leave, I can’t control it like I do now? It’ll just explode? This research facility cost hundreds of millions of won. All of it will be destroyed?]
Even though the experimental facility was simple—just a tunnel dug out and reinforced concrete poured for protection—it contained expensive equipment: turbines, computers, experimental apparatus.
“Doesn’t researching this over time cost more than just detonating it once? A single explosion should give us cleaner data anyway, don’t you think?”
[Well, that’s true, but…]
“Then do it. I’ll take full responsibility.”
My resolve convinced Jae-in to relent, and the staff began evacuating upstairs, carrying their belongings. It took time because they hauled out every expensive piece of equipment.
Once everyone had evacuated, I wrapped my entire body around the core from above. When I’d protected Bae Na-young from the tactical nuclear blast, I’d enlarged myself as much as possible. But now, with only the core to shield, I enlarged to about three meters and saturated my armor with dense aura.
[Sir, I’m pouring the catalyst now. Even I don’t know when it’ll detonate.]
“Yes, begin.”
Water began flowing in first. Once the tank filled, the catalyst mixed into the core.
The core heated faster and hotter than any previous experiment today. The water boiled so violently it was hard to keep my eyes open.
Sizzzzzzzzle… Sizzzzzzz…
The speaker must have failed—Jae-in’s voice became nothing but static, then disappeared entirely.
The moment I thought, ‘It’s taking longer than expected to detonate.’
A flash erupted, and the world turned white.
Then impact.
My eardrums ruptured from a sound so massive I couldn’t process it.
When the explosion occurred in North Korea, I’d been thrown upward and the impact dispersed. But now, suppressing the explosion with my entire body, the impact was far more severe. The aura and armor wrapped around my chest shattered with the blast.
After a moment, the shock subsided and the vibrations ceased. The tank had cracked in places, but I’d shielded it well enough that it retained its basic shape. Water leaked and evaporated through the cracks, nearly disappearing.
“S… Sir!! Are you alright…ugh…”
Jae-in opened the hatch at the top of the tank and entered, then covered her mouth when she saw me. Looking down at my body, I saw a gaping hole below my sternum, exposing my spine and organs.
“I’m fine.”
My body was regenerating in real time, flesh filling in the wound. It would just take a moment since I’d expended so much vitality on defense and regeneration.
While Jae-in and the researchers cleaned up the laboratory, which had been devastated by the explosion’s vibrations, I drank potions and absorbed magic stones to restore my body.
“Anyway, today’s data was incredibly valuable. The fact that such an insane experiment was possible is all thanks to your reckless spirit, sir.”
“Is that a compliment or an insult?”
Jae-in didn’t answer, just grinned and turned back to the researchers, diving enthusiastically into data analysis. She genuinely looked excited. Everyone was thrilled by the new data. Left to their own devices, they’d probably spend days and nights researching. I should stock up on energy drink potions as substitutes.
* * *
The monsters in subjugation missions were all small fry—no way to gain levels. I needed to enter at least an A-rank Gate, or better yet, an S-rank Gate.
After several incidents concluded and I finally had time, I applied for an A-rank Gate, but the reservation button was grayed out again.
I’d seen this screen so often I was developing trauma from it.
I called the Awakener Management Bureau to inquire.
“I can’t go alone?”
“Of course not.”
The Awakener Management Bureau official responded as if I were asking something obvious.
“The number of Gate Breaks this year alone has already exceeded what happened in the past decade, so everyone’s operating under emergency protocols right now.”
“So you’re saying I need at least three A-rank Hunters with a B-rank, or five A-rank Hunters if it’s just A-ranks?”
“That’s correct. If you don’t have a Guild, the Awakener Management Bureau can introduce you to others, but there will be some waiting time. And if you join a team, you’ll need to complete mandatory teamwork training conducted by the Awakener Management Bureau.”
Without a Guild, inconveniences were starting to pile up.
“Ah, or you could go with S-rank Hunter Jung Min-gi. In that case, just the two of you would be fine.”
“I understand for now.”
Going through the Awakener Management Bureau would take too much time. Should I actually contact Hunter Jung Min-gi?
“I’m sorry. I need to raise my rank quickly….”
Bae Na-young beside me hung her head low.
“What are you talking about? They said minimum five people, right? Even if you were A-rank, you couldn’t go. And you’ve been really busy lately anyway. Don’t worry about the Gates—just focus on mana treatment. You need some rest too.”
When the tactical nuke detonated, I shielded Bae Na-young with my body, and because I used the Elixir in time, fortunately there were no aftereffects from radiation exposure. Still, I didn’t want her pushing herself recklessly.
Besides, Bae Na-young reaching B-rank was already incredibly fast. Without overexerting herself, she’d reach A-rank before long.
“But oppa, why aren’t you S-rank yet?”
“Ah, apparently my achievements are ambiguous.”
“But you’ve accomplished so much, and there’s the Helen incident and the New North Korea incident too?”
“Well… Helen and the Supreme Leader of New North Korea have never been officially recognized as S-rank by the authorities, right? So even though I defeated them, I don’t get recognized either.”
“What about Tian Fei?”
“China lists him as an A-rank Hunter. He’s registered as A-rank with the World Hunter Alliance too. And even if Korea promotes me to S-rank right now, I won’t become S-rank immediately. I need recognition from the World Hunter Alliance, and for that I need A-rank Gate clear achievements.”
That’s one of the reasons I’m trying to enter an A-rank Gate now. I have S-rank abilities, but apparently achievements matter. It’s like living in America and speaking English well, but being told your English proficiency can’t be recognized without a TOEIC score.
“Then, why not contact Hunter Jung Min-gi? Even if you can’t go together, you could go with the Rose Guild’s A-rank Hunters, right?”
“I guess that’s what I’ll have to do.”
I immediately pulled out my phone and called the number I’d received before.
“Hello? This is Lee Ji-seok. Is this Hunter Jung Min-gi’s phone?”
[Oh, Hunter Lee Ji-seok. Are you thinking about joining our Guild? Good thinking.]
He didn’t tire of recruiting me for the Guild.
“No, actually. I wanted to ask you for something. I need to enter an A-rank Gate….”
[If you need something, come to our Guild right now.]
“He hung up?”
I looked at Bae Na-young in bewilderment.
“But he told you to come, so that’s a good sign, isn’t it?”
“I have a bad feeling I’m going to get my nose twisted…. Sigh….”
As Bae Na-young headed to the Hospital, I made my way to the Rose Guild.
Looking at the Rose Guild from the main gate, it resembled a university campus or a large corporation’s production facility. Long stretches of massive buildings lined the pathways from the entrance—all Guild buildings.
It had its own Guild offices, training grounds, byproduct processing facilities, and item crafting workshops. Truly befitting Korea’s strongest Guild.
I checked the map and thought about where Hunter Jung Min-gi might be.
“Hunter Lee Ji-seok?”
Someone called out to me, so I turned around. A man in his early twenties with an unremarkable face stood there smiling. But I couldn’t remember who he was. I felt like I’d seen his face somewhere before.
Even though my Intelligence stat had increased and my memory improved, I didn’t retain faces or names of people I’d passed by without paying attention.
“Haha, you don’t remember me.”
I stared at him with a troubled expression, and noticing my gaze, he seemed a bit displeased, though he masked it with a smile.
“I’m Lee Dong-bin. We fought together during the Troll Gate Break. The two of us held the front line back then.”
Ah, the Hunter who had struggled against the Hellhound. But thinking that the two of us held the line together? This guy had quite the high self-esteem.
“Ah, you used dual swords, right? I remember now.”
“So what brings you to our Guild?”
“Jung Min-gi Hunter told me to come, so I did… but I didn’t know where to go. He just told me to come to the Guild and hung up.”
“He does that often. Follow me.”
“Thank you.”
I followed Lee Dong-bin.
“Lee Ji-seok, you know the Rose Guild has an A-rank Gate team, right?”
“Of course. Where else would Korea’s strongest Guild have an A-rank Gate team?”
Korea had only dozens of A-rank Hunters, and there were fewer than five A-rank Gate conquest teams. One of them was the A-rank Gate team that included Jung Min-gi. This team didn’t have fixed members; instead, they selected the best team members suited to each Gate’s type and clear timing to conquer A-rank Gates.
“Ahem… I was brought in as a main member this time.”
“Really?”
With that level of skill? The words nearly escaped my lips, but I held them back. If he was a main member, he wasn’t a porter or support. He’d have to be A-rank for sure.
“It’s surprising, I know. Not many people in their twenties join A-rank conquest teams.”
He interpreted my surprise differently than I intended, but since he seemed happy about it, that was fine.
But did the Rose Guild have an A-rank Hunter who used dual swords at this point in time?
“Ah!”
It came back to me.
He was still an A-rank Hunter even nine years later. I hadn’t remembered him because he didn’t leave much of an impression. We’d even fought together before.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh… I think I’ve heard the name Lee Dong-bin somewhere before.”
“Haha, I did a magazine interview not long ago. Maybe you saw it there?”
“Yes, that must be it.”
“Oh, then you must have seen the photos from that magazine too? I didn’t want to pose like that, but they kept telling me to strike a pose. Did it look too arrogant? And apparently, that was the longest feature they’ve ever run on me.”
As I listened to Lee Dong-bin boast about his magazine interview, the short walk felt impossibly long.
Just as I was about to say something out of sheer exhaustion, we finally arrived at the Guild Master’s office. Lee Dong-bin knocked on the open door.
“Guild Master, it’s Lee Dong-bin.”
“Ah~ come in, Dong-bin.”
Jung Min-gi was lounging halfway on the sofa, casually looking at his phone.
“I’ve brought Lee Ji-seok.”
“Huh? You’re here. That was fast.”
“You told me to come right away, so I did.”
“Hahaha, good job. Want something to drink?”
“Anything is fine.”
“Dong-bin, go make us two cups of cold coffee, would you? Make it sweet.”
“…Yes.”
Lee Dong-bin bowed his head and went to make the coffee.
“So when are you joining the Guild?”
“I’m not joining the Guild. That’s not why I came today. I’m planning to enter an A-rank Gate, and I was wondering if I could go along when the Rose Guild enters. If you could just help me get in, I can hunt separately.”
“Ah~ Is this because of the regulation change?”
“Yes, they said a minimum of three A-rank Hunters are required.”
“Hunter Lee Ji-seok, just because you can hunt A-rank monsters doesn’t mean you should underestimate A-rank Gates. You can run into S-rank monsters if you’re unlucky.”
S-rank monsters appearing in A-rank Gates was rare, but it happened. When it did, there was nothing to do but flee to the farthest corner of the Gate and wait for rescue without looking back.
S-rank monsters… Even if one appeared against all odds, I didn’t think it would be a problem.
“You can come with our team.”
I thought he’d agreed too easily.
“If you pass the test.”
It was conditional.

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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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