Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 104

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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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104. Level 39 Guardian, Kim Han-chul (2)
-It’s not possible to achieve 100% healing. However, if you wish to proceed, we require an item equivalent to an S-Rank Elixir.
-If the treatment succeeds, joining the Dragon Guild will exempt you from paying for the Elixir’s value.
This was what the Hunter Association had discussed with Kim Han-chul beforehand.
Since he’d agreed to all the conditions, there wasn’t much more to say.
“I believe it’s a reasonable proposal. I have a conscience too—I can’t just accept something for nothing, can I?”
Despite his haggard appearance, Kim Han-chul spoke with firm resolve.
However, one question remained.
“If the treatment succeeds, will you join the Dragon Guild? Or return to the United States….”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to join the Dragon Guild.”
“You must have bonds with your former teammates—are you certain? I’m not forcing anything. I have no intention of coercing guild members.”
“Force? No, that’s not it.”
Kim Han-chul spoke with a serious expression.
“Even lying in a hospital bed, I have eyes and ears. I’ve heard plenty about the Dragon Guild. Wasn’t it quite the sensation? What Han Hye and the Dragon Knight were doing seemed unbelievable.”
“Then I’m relieved.”
“Rather, I’m the one who’s relieved. When I heard about it, I thought—could such an opportunity really come to me? If I recover, I’d be working alongside those who will become the advance team.”
Hearing recognition from someone once called the strongest of the advance team years ago filled me with overwhelming emotion.
Back then, I wasn’t even a porter—I was just a foolish kid dreaming of becoming a Hunter at Mister’s Samgyeopsal Restaurant.
“And the circumstances when you placed the curse on me—we’ve already discussed that before.”
Kim Han-chul’s stern face twisted into a bitter smile.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I even met with my teammates before returning to Korea recently.”
His expression as he spoke seemed to grow more melancholic.
“The truth is, the level gap is so large that it’s difficult to work together anymore, isn’t it? Those friends already have a new vanguard.”
He was right. The current US Advance Team was around level 60, while Kim Han-chul was level 39.
Though only a 20-level difference, considering how experience requirements increase at higher levels, it was a significant gap.
“My friends encouraged me too. They said it doesn’t matter where I work—just hurry up and recover so I can catch up to them.”
I don’t know what emotions Kim Han-chul and his teammates felt having that conversation after so many years together.
However, I could tell the US Advance Team were good people. So was Kim Han-chul, who’d fought alongside them.
“They’re all good friends and the memories are precious, but now it’s time to walk a different path.”
Separate from sentiment, this was good news for our guild. It meant Kim Han-chul, freed from the curse, would be joining us.
Beyond alleviating concerns about our rear guard, we’d gained a tank who once stood at the highest level.
“And most importantly, I want to regain my health and fight again. I still have things I must do.”
As Kim Han-chul spoke seriously, his gaze turned to his left wrist. On the thin, emaciated wrist lay a worn bracelet.
It was a colorful bracelet the kind a young girl would wear. I’d heard his younger sister died during the Gate incident—this must be her keepsake.
“Of course, this is all assuming the Elixir you provide, Han Hye, can cure me.”
Kim Han-chul’s expression as he looked at me was enigmatic. It was a mixture of hope and fear.
His reaction was natural, since he didn’t know the Elixir could achieve 100% healing.
“It should work. It’s written that it can remove curses that consume the body.”
“I hope so too.”
Did speaking itself consume mental energy? Even though only a few minutes had passed, Kim Han-chul looked noticeably more exhausted than when I’d first seen him.
“Ah, if the treatment doesn’t work, the price of the elixir would be discussed with my former colleagues….”
“You don’t need to explain. I believe it will work.”
Knowing it was rude, I cut him off anyway, and Kim Han-chul looked momentarily flustered before nodding.
I hoped my meaning had gotten through to him.
Whoosh.
Just as I was pulling out the elixir, Kim Han-chul suddenly spoke again.
“Ah, I’d like to add just one condition, if that’s alright?”
“What condition?”
“If I become a Dragon Guild member, can I just eat samgyeopsal grilled over dragon fire whenever I want?”
“Pardon?”
…Was he joking?
Faced with a decision about life and death, he was talking about samgyeopsal, and I found myself questioning him without thinking.
I mean, Yong-Yong Samgyeopsal… it’s delicious. Really delicious, but at this timing?
Kim Han-chul seemed to read what I was thinking and smiled faintly.
“I saw it once when I was bedridden in the United States. I thought I really wanted to try it once before I died. I failed to make a reservation though.”
Ah, if that’s the reason.
“Of course. Anytime. We’re opening a dragon charcoal beef restaurant soon too, so you should go there as well.”
“Beef?”
“Is that alright?”
“Beef is my absolute favorite.”
“Let’s go eat together sometime.”
I smiled and handed over the elixir. Kim Han-chul’s eyes widened as he received the S-Rank item.
He must have read the description.
“Drink it.”
“Yes.”
And he began gulping down the elixir. Within less than two seconds, he looked startled.
“The, the curse….”
“It’s gone?”
“It’s disappeared!”
Chun-bae was right after all. The collapsing mana had vanished. I couldn’t help but be quite shocked myself.
In real time, I could see color returning to Kim Han-chul’s gaunt face.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
And Kim Han-chul suddenly let out a cry. Through my spatial sense, I felt the people outside become startled.
And I was flustered too.
Of course it was a cry of joy, but just moments ago we’d been speaking seriously in such a grave atmosphere.
Now that I thought about it, Kim Han-chul, who had been working as part of the US Advance Team, was quite the muscle-headed character.
He was so opposite to the stereotype of Asians that Westerners held, it had even become a topic of discussion.
“The stats that had dropped due to the curse will recover over time…!”
Kim Han-chul, who had been shouting, sprang up from his seat with a joyful expression, both fists clenched tightly.
I regained my composure and gestured to the side.
“Let’s check the mirror first.”
“…!”
Kim Han-chul’s eyes widened as he looked at the mirror.
“Your complexion has returned.”
“Ahhhhh! I’m overflowing with strength!”
He let out another cry, then extended his hand toward me.
Well. It felt like another fool had just joined the guild.
I clasped his hand, and I could still feel the firmness in his palm. He was indeed someone called the greatest.
“I look forward to working with you.”
After shouting a couple more times, Kim Han-chul seemed to regain his senses and gave a slight bow with a serious expression.
“Likewise.”
“I’m sincere. If there was someone who could cure a curse, I thought I’d give them everything.”
I pondered what to say, then smiled faintly.
“You don’t need to give everything. Just protect the guild members in the rear.”
“That’s what I do best.”
Thanks to the Elixir, I’d gained a remarkable tank as an ally. This was someone whose skills needed no verification.
He was the vanguard of the US Advance Team, one of the hunter superpowers.
And his desire to enter a Gate and grow stronger was just as resolute as mine—both driven by vengeance against family.
Of course, rehabilitation would take some time. Even with his complexion restored, his body would still be weakened.
“First, let’s focus on recovering your stamina.”
“I’ll prepare as quickly as possible.”
As I stepped out of the hospital room, Kim Han-chul’s family members were looking at me with hopeful faces.
They’d given us space to talk privately, but after his second cry about overflowing strength, there was no way they hadn’t heard it.
I gave a light nod to the woman who appeared to be his mother, and she rushed back into the hospital room with a surprised expression.
“Han-chul!”
“Mother! I’m completely healed!”
And joyful cries echoed out. I remained in the back, smiling as I looked at Seo-ung and the guild members.
“He’s been treated and will be joining us.”
* * *
[Guardian Kim Han-chul Shakes Off the ‘Collapsing Mana’ Curse!]
[Treatment Complete Upon Return to Korea! What Exactly Happened in Korea?]
[The Space Mage Cured Guardian’s Curse? S-Rank Item Elixir Used]
Guardian Kim Han-chul’s return naturally became a massive topic of discussion. It wasn’t without reason that we wanted him to join the guild.
He was the reliable vanguard of the US Advance Team, one of the hunter superpowers.
-Seriously, what does the Space Mage have? There’s even a theory that the Space Mage rescued the Red Dragon, not the Advance Team
┗ Talk sense lol
┗ No seriously. I know someone from Chulbyeok and they said the Advance Team never obtained a dragon egg
┗ Someone I know is Shin Chang and said the Advance Team got it for him lol
-Guardian So he’s going to be active in Korea?
Naturally, there was considerable interest in Kim Han-chul’s movements. Word of his return spread, and inquiries came from countries around the world.
Among those reaching out was the United States, where he had stayed just days before and worked alongside throughout his entire hunter career.
[Returning Guardian Kim Han-chul Joins Dragon Guild!]
[Guardian Kim Han-chul: “I will dedicate myself to the Dragon Guild, who freed me from the curse that tormented me for years.”]
Of course, Kim Han-chul promptly issued a statement, and those rumors quickly died down.
According to Seo-ung, the United States side was disappointed, but once they heard the reason, they understood.
It was only natural to want to stay with someone who had healed what countless other methods couldn’t cure.
Naturally, the reaction was intense.
-A Guardian joining Dragon Guild? Wow lol
┗But if they were treated with Elixir, they should join lol
-They were already the strongest of the second wave, now they’ll be even stronger
┗ Honestly, they can’t even be called the second wave anymore. They’re basically at the super rookie stage
┗ Based on ability alone, calling them super rookies would be fair.
-If a Guardian joins Dragon Guild, aren’t they invincible? With the Guardian protecting the rear, the Dragon Knight and Space Mage would just bombard everything?
┗ Yeah, Dragon Knight with wide-area charge + Space Mage slicing Ogres in one hit + A-Rank Healer and Mage protected by Guardian lol. What kind of broken party is this?
┗ What’s a broken party?
┗ It’s like that game you played as a kid where you’d level up to 99 with a notebook
┗ lololol
Beyond Kim Han-chul’s news, there were other stories circulating.
[Atmospheric Mana Density Stabilizes]
-Entry-type Gates are on an increasing trend.
-They say the difficulty has gotten slightly harder, but the atmospheric mana density has regained stability.
-Therefore, discharge-type Gates have decreased significantly. The Hunter Association’s standby team should normalize soon.
-Additionally, a Guild Conference seems to be happening soon. You could say the countdown has begun.
-Finally!
-Damn, the standby team won’t be so busy now
-I thought Gate difficulty seemed to get harder, so it wasn’t just me
-Are you new? Gate difficulty always got harder after the Gate Incident
After the Third Gate Incident, the atmospheric mana density that had been unstable gradually stabilized.
The concentration was undoubtedly higher than before, but it no longer fluctuated erratically.
Due to the increased mana concentration, entry-type Gates increased and difficulty rose slightly, but it wasn’t a major event.
Something similar had happened during the Second Gate Incident, so everyone had already anticipated this.
-When the Guild Conference happens, Han Hye and Liu Zhen will fight, right?
┗ The Space Mage can’t go to the Guild Conference anyway, right? Regardless of ability, their guild probably won’t get an invitation?
┗ They could go with Saebyeokbit or Chulbyeok
┗ Do those two have any connection?
┗ The Dragon Guild’s Mage is a sharpshooter’s cousin.
┗ Is this for real?
Following the Guild Conference topic, talk naturally turned to Liu Zhen and me.
Given all the exchanges that had occurred so far, it was inevitable. If we met at the Guild Conference, a confrontation was a foregone conclusion.
While it’s a sparring match rather than a life-or-death battle, judging by his personality, I doubt it will remain a simple exhibition.
I had to stay vigilant—he might pull something under the guise of an accident.
‘Accidents during sparring matches happen more often than you’d think.’
In fact, during Shin Chang’s sparring match against China’s S-Rank Spear Master, the Chinese hunter had recklessly deployed killing techniques.
Though Shin Chang had overwhelmed him with pure skill.
I couldn’t afford to let my guard down either. Even with the Amulet of Protection, safety wasn’t guaranteed.
The Amulet of Protection wasn’t omnipotent to begin with—its defensive strength was determined by the barrier’s rank.
‘And my opponent is an S-Rank swordmaster.’
First, I decided to call Seo Seung-yeon to confirm something.
“How long until the Guild Conference countdown begins?”
-I’m not entirely sure. Maybe three or four months? At the fastest, two months?
“That’s slower than I expected?”
-We have to coordinate schedules with advance teams from each country. Though not all participating guilds will attend due to security concerns, you know?
Three months then. At that pace, I didn’t think Liu Zhen would fall behind even if he trained hard.
What I’d said before was sincere. On equal footing, I didn’t think I’d lose.
I’d heard Liu Zhen was currently level 41.
Even as levels increased and experience requirements grew steeper, three months would be enough for me to catch up to his level.
‘There’s no way I can fall behind in stats.’
I was S+ Rank with absurdly high stats from Red Dragon blood, the Magic Tower acquisition, and other sources.
There was quite a gap in swordsmanship skill levels, but the Conference wasn’t a place to showcase sword techniques anyway.
I actually found myself looking forward to it.
‘What kind of reaction will he show if I actually beat him in a real match?’
I should contact the journalists in advance.
Tell them to get good shots from the start.

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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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