Something Keeps Appearing in My Subspace - Chapter 158

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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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158. Karako Village Defense Battle (1)
“Dragon Guild, fighting!”
“You’ve got this!”
Once again, there were many fans gathered in front of the Gate. It wasn’t my imagination that their numbers had grown compared to before.
With the successive incidents and the launch of Yong-yong merchandise, our guild’s recognition had reached an unimaginable level.
-You’re more famous than top celebrities? Even grandparents know about Dragon Guild.
‘They’re not talking about actual dinosaurs, right? Like a Tyrannosaurus?’
-…Sir. I can’t laugh at that one.
That was a conversation Mister and Min-jae had a few days ago. Our recognition was higher than that of Korea’s famous top celebrities.
The world’s only Red Dragon. I’d defeated the world’s most promising prospect and achieved the fastest growth period in the world.
On top of that, I’d cleared two trial Gates. I’d accomplished all sorts of sensational feats.
Since Gate-related information was important for safety and appeared in the news, I’d made a name for myself during the discharge-type Gate incident as well.
‘And then Yong-yong Samgyeopsal and beef became a hit.’
To be honest, it was only natural. People seek out charcoal grills even for ordinary grilled meat….
Charcoal-grilled meat infused with Red Dragon fire? And the taste is definitely different? It couldn’t possibly be unpopular.
I heard that even elderly people say, ‘I want to try meat grilled with Red Dragon fire at least once.’
When children succeed in making reservations for Yong-yong Samgyeopsal and beef, they’re called filial sons and daughters.
“Kill them all!”
Moreover, it had been ten years since the Gate incident. Even if people had forgotten the past tragedy somewhat, many like me harbored deep anger in their hearts.
I was acting as a proxy for revenge for many people.
To this popularity, the concept of a ‘fresh face’ was also important. The Hunter world was a place where trends didn’t change easily.
Trends didn’t change—wasn’t it a place where even famous pioneering Hunters died and disappeared every so often?
-S-rank Hunter death….
Just two years ago, the highest-level Hunter of France’s pioneering team had died.
And even when an incredibly promising prospect appears, their growth takes quite a long time.
Sang-yeop, who’s at an upper-middle level, has been a Hunter for several years but isn’t at a higher level than me.
It’s not for nothing that I and Liu Zhen are drawing attention. We’ve advanced incredibly quickly.
“Do you see them cheering? Let’s do our best again today.”
“Of course.”
After showing Yong-yong to the fans waving their merchandise in front of the Gate, we stood before the entrance.
[Karako Village Defense Battle]
-Recommended Level: 41~45
-Party Limit: 10 people
“Finally entering the Defense Battle.”
That was what Mister said just before entering the Gate.
It had been quite a while since he suggested entering the Snow Field Gate. We’d tried once before.
If we were going to enter an ordinary Gate, the Defense Battle Gate was a good choice. First, it was always open because the difficulty was high and people avoided it.
The rewards themselves weren’t particularly good, but the experience points were quite decent.
‘It works well for our guild too.’
Both Mister, who fights alongside Yong-yong, and Min-jae, our mage, excel at area-of-effect skills, so we have excellent firepower against multiple enemies.
And Lee Shin-hee could use her healing skills not just on us but on others as well, which was great for leveling up her skill.
I, too, had the opportunity to refine my spatial awareness and swordsmanship amid the chaos of fighting multiple enemies at once.
It was certainly a good Gate, but there were so many better ones out there. The Mercury War Gate wasn’t always available either.
* * *
-Protect Karako Village. Time remaining: 5 hours 59 minutes
The moment we entered the Gate, my vision shifted, and the mission objective came to mind.
“True to the Mercury War Gate—it’s simple. Just defend for six hours and we’re done.”
“Doesn’t take long.”
Upon entering the Gate, we found ourselves at the highest point in the village, with a clear view of the surrounding landscape.
The village we’d arrived at wasn’t particularly small. I’d say it was larger than the Snowfield Village we’d seen before.
The first thing that caught my eye was a massive forest beyond the plains in front of the village. The atmosphere felt ominous.
There was something dark about it, if I had to describe it.
“That gloomy feeling seems to be coming from over there, doesn’t it?”
The guild members seemed to share my thoughts.
“Yes. There are some barricades set up ahead too. Wooden fences? They don’t seem very practical, though.”
“Still, there’s something you could call a castle wall.”
“Yes. It’s not completely open.”
Around the village, wooden walls about 2.5 meters high stood as if there had been invasions before.
The entrance was also blocked by thick wooden gates.
“Huh? Someone’s coming from over there?”
As I was observing, a figure burst out from the forest and began blowing a horn.
-Mooooo!
The low, dull horn blast echoed across the entire village. At the same moment, a young man from the village came rushing up from below.
“Sirs! They’re coming! They’re here!”
He shouted as if he knew us, which suggested this Gate had a story-driven structure.
We were set as either villagers or people who had come to help defend.
It was something I’d anticipated to some degree.
I knew other Mercury War Gates started right before enemies came pouring in.
“Let’s go.”
Mister grinned and climbed onto Yong-yong’s back.
“Everyone knows the plan, right?”
“Of course.”
“You two are free to move. Han Chul and the rest of us will intercept from a safe position.”
This was how our guild best defended the Mercury War Gate.
Why had we recruited Han Chul in the first place?
Because Mister and I needed to roam freely on the battlefield, so we needed someone to hold the rear guard.
Yong-yong breathing fire and Mister with his flying island could harass enemies from the sky, while my leaps and subspace allowed me to eliminate key enemy targets.
With Lee Shin-hee providing continuous healing magic and Min-jae supporting with area-of-effect spells, there were no gaps in our defense.
“For now, our goal is to make sure not a single villager dies.”
So far, no hidden objectives had been reported in the Mercury War Gate. At best, there was the equipment the enemy commander carried.
However, there were two unusual cases that could be considered hidden quests.
-When I executed near-perfect defense at the Mercury War Gate, the Gate subjugation reward was quite generous.
-When I protected everyone without a single casualty during the Snowfield Village defense, the residents gave me gifts.
In a typical defense gate, preventing casualties is nearly impossible. You’re fighting over an entire castle wall.
But the village defense was slightly different. Like the previous Snow Field Gate, there could be additional rewards.
‘Though those two weren’t really worthy of being called hidden quests either.’
Still, it was worth hoping for.
So when entering this Gate, our primary objectives were Min-jae’s magic training and protecting all the villagers.
“I’ll keep watching, but if there’s any dangerous situation, tell me right away. I’ll support you with a leap.”
“Understood!”
Then I spoke to Han Chul.
“It might be a bit boring, but I’m counting on you.”
My main duty was protecting Min-jae and Lee Shin-hee from atop the wooden castle wall. Besides, I’d block any dangerous monsters from getting near them, so there wouldn’t be much work.
Unless things escalated, the most he’d do was cast First Guard on me or Mister.
“Boring, you say?”
Han Chul chuckled.
“I’m quite happy these days. Leave it to me.”
* * *
Guardian Kim Han-chul.
A first-generation Awakened who manifested during the Gate Incident.
By coincidence, he was traveling with his family in the United States when the Gate Incident occurred. Facing monsters head-on while trying to protect his family, he Awakened.
He managed to save his parents, but unfortunately, he couldn’t save his younger sibling.
[United States: Successful contract with Kim Han-chul, rare class ‘Guardian’.]
Given the timing and location, contracting with the United States wasn’t unusual. The entire world was in chaos from the Gate Incident.
As if facing the apocalypse itself, looting and crime erupted in the streets, and corpses littered the ground from monsters emerging from Gates.
With aviation nearly shut down, the United States took notice of Kim Han-chul. Korea eventually caught up and made overtures, but…
Since the United States guaranteed the safety of his remaining family, Kim Han-chul signed a contract with them.
[Guardian Kim Han-chul joins the US Top Team!]
After that, consumed by rage and vengeance for failing to protect his sibling, Kim Han-chul threw himself into Gates with reckless abandon.
Discharge-type Gates appeared occasionally, but entrance-type Gates were always open.
Entering, hunting monsters, and leaving eased the guilt of not saving his sibling somewhat.
Running through Gates so frantically, he eventually became the vanguard of the US Top Team.
-Han Chul, take it easier.
That’s what his mother said watching him. He hadn’t realized it, but he was in a mentally pressed state.
A desperate desire to see the Gate Incident resolved before I died mixed with vengeance.
Impatient and angry, yet always tense inside Gates. I couldn’t afford to die. I had to complete my sibling’s revenge.
Moreover, as the vanguard, I had to protect the team. I had to worry about everything and constantly survey my surroundings.
A position of grave responsibility.
From the tension, I developed an anxiety disorder. My heart would race, and sometimes my breathing would catch.
[Guardian Kim Han-chul, afflicted by a curse…]
And then it happened. He had thrown himself forward without thinking, driven by the need to protect his teammates.
Lying in the hospital bed, Kim Han-chul realized how relentlessly he had been pushing himself.
Part of him yearned to return to the field, yet another part craved this rest. That was how it started.
He had believed he would recover. But as time dragged on, anxiety grew with it.
What if he never stood again?
The desire to rise and enter the Gate burned fiercely. Yet deep within, uncertainty gnawed at him.
What would happen if he stepped back into that agony? Wouldn’t the trauma make him perpetually tense?
An internal conflict.
Even so, the flame of avenging his brother’s death still burned bright.
Then the Dragon Guild arrived with an elixir. Joy flooded through him. He could return to the field.
But anxiety lingered. Could he truly keep pace with these rising stars? What if the panic returned?
‘Not now.’
Yet those worries soon dissipated. When fighting alongside the Dragon Guild, such tension never took hold.
To be honest, he had been quite nervous at first.
And then he understood.
With the Dragon Guild, he didn’t need to maintain the extreme tension of his past.
Their coordination was flawless, their combination perfect. Moreover, their abilities far exceeded the average level, minimizing serious danger.
Thus, Kim Han-chul found the ‘stability’ he had sought within the Dragon Guild.
“I’m truly grateful these days. I’ll do my part.”
His words to Han Hye came from the heart. With excessive tension gone, he could see the broader picture.
Where once he had tried to shoulder everything alone, now he simply needed to support those who excelled.
“Contact! Ahead! Fifteen Grendels and multiple monsters!”
Fifteen Grendels.
Classified as Ogre-tier, they were formidable creatures that required teams of 35-45 level Hunters to take down one at a time.
Indeed, Han Hye’s escape from four Grendels had garnered significant attention—they were powerful and agile adversaries.
For a 41-45 level Gate, the difficulty was exceptionally high.
“Let’s go!”
“Move!”
Yet the Dragon Knight soaring on the Red Dragon and Han Hye advancing alone through the enemy ranks…
Kim Han-chul watched without the dread he once would have felt.

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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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