The Magical Hunter Girl Decorates the Dungeon! - Chapter 37

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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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The Magic Hunter Girl Builds a Dungeon! Episode 37
“What kind of item?”
[A Magic Stone discovered in the Boseok-myeon C-rank Dungeon!]
It was the worst possible report.
But that alone wouldn’t have warranted surprise.
[The weight-change sensor on the storage locker suddenly triggered, so we checked the records and found the item disappeared ten minutes ago. This happened despite the security system being active.]
“……How is that even possible?”
The Deputy Association President swallowed the string of curses that threatened to follow.
He needed to focus on what mattered.
“What evidence do we have?”
[At the time of the theft, the CCTV shows a white flash of light around eye level for an adult male—likely illumination meant to obstruct vision. Last position: B1, three minutes ago.]
“Understood.”
The Deputy Association President turned immediately to survey the conference room.
The Hunters who had been all but merged with their chairs sprang to their feet, waiting for orders.
‘Operating Committee member, even if that’s all we’ve got.’
“You three stay here on standby.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You conduct a physical sweep of the Association grounds. You two, check a one-kilometer radius for anyone moving suspiciously.”
“Yes!”
“Hae Cho, use your skill in the main lobby!”
With that, the conference room door shattered as Hae Cho hurled herself toward the emergency stairwell.
She reached the 1st Floor Lobby ten seconds later and shouted the alternative name of her skill.
“Ujah’s Swamp, manifest!”
Hunters use alternative names for their skills for various reasons—to keep people from guessing the effect from the name alone, or because the real name sounds embarrassing.
In Hae Cho’s case, it was to hide just how dangerous her skill truly was; the structure of its actual name alone would have given it away.
The moment her EX-rank skill, “Pool of Hae Cho,” activated, black tentacles erupted from beneath her feet.
They spread in all directions, casting shadows that ignored even the light filtering in, consuming the entire first floor.
Several security devices sparked and went dark.
The effect of “Pool of Hae Cho” was to absorb all Mana within her domain.
If used in a Dungeon, it could bring even A-rank Hunters to their knees.
Outside a Dungeon, the effect weakened considerably, limited to things like disabling security devices as it did now—but……
[Oof! Deputy Association President, strange Mana detected! It’s foul!]
As a tool for tracking suspicious Mana, it was more than sufficient.
Hae Cho’s breathless voice crackled through the earpiece. The Deputy Association President shouted back.
“Where?”
[2nd Floor Central Corridor! Specifically, um, in front of the restroom?]
“Got it. Signaling again!”
The Deputy Association President chose just one Hunter and bolted toward the second floor.
Deploying too many people risked losing key Association personnel in a worst-case scenario.
From the top floor down through the 10th, 7th, 3rd floors……
There were no additional reports as he descended like a falling stone.
Finally, he reached the 2nd Floor Corridor.
At some point, he noticed the walls trembling—something colliding violently with Hae Cho’s domain.
“Hae Cho!”
[Yes!]
The moment Hae Cho released her skill, the Deputy Association President and the other Hunter burst into the trembling corridor.
They hadn’t allowed even a single second of delay.
But—
“……What?”
The corridor was empty.
Moments before, it had been a space where someone was radiating Mana so powerful it shook the walls.
Now there was no sign of movement, not even a trace of Mana remaining.
The Deputy Association President barked into his radio.
“Suspect fleeing! Anyone moving at high speed outside the building?”
[Outside, there’s been nothing the whole time!]
[Inside, only permanent staff are visible.]
“…….”
[Deputy Association President…… they’re not there either?]
“Vanished. Right in front of us. Completely.”
Everyone fell silent.
It made no sense.
The Operating Committee Hunters were pathetically uncoordinated as a unit, but each was individually exceptional at apprehending and subduing targets—
And yet someone had managed to evade them all and disappear?
[What in the world is……]
In one sense, the Deputy Association President accepted the reality.
The suspect had emptied the special storage with ease. For someone capable of that, evading Hunters would be that much simpler.
Of course, his feelings were another matter entirely.
“Ah…… AAAAAAH!”
Hunters who had swept down from the top floor converged on the second floor with nothing to show for their effort.
All except one: Hae Cho.
[Hehhehe—exhausted……]
“……I’d appreciate a more socially appropriate sentence right now, if possible.”
[There’s an outsider on the 1st floor?]
“What?”
[Just came down the stairwell. It’s that kid and his older sister from before.]
“Wait. Going down now! Keep eyes on them!”

* * *
After greeting the moving company manager.
Lee Ji’s vision blurred for a moment, and then—
She found herself back in the restroom. The sweet scent of hand cream she’d just applied lingered on her hands.
‘What…… huh? Did I dream that?’
But the small pendant now resting in her palm proved that what had just happened was real.
Rainbow Butterfly Pendant (EX)
‘I really went into a Dungeon!’
And I got an amazing reward!
‘It’s so pretty!’
The mother-of-pearl-decorated wings glowed with a gentle rainbow iridescence.
The wooden body formed a chubby ellipse with six stubby little legs jutting out at cute angles.
‘There’s a groove on the front leg though…… like a button.’
Lee Ji reached toward the butterfly’s front leg, then tucked the pendant into her bag instead.
Who knew how much time had actually passed in the Dungeon. She needed to get out of here without drawing any attention.
Outside. Her older sister waved with the same expression as always.
“Back? You washed your hands, right?”
“Mm-hmm.”
The corridor on both sides was clear—no fog. Just the ordinary, clean hallway.
As the Dungeon faded, the time spent there seemed to vanish with it, like something out of a fairy tale.
“Lee Ji, looking for something?”
“Nope. But unnie, this restroom is really nice! And it smells good? If you’re going now too, I can hold your bag.”
“Thanks. I already went a while ago.”
“You should tell Jun Seo to use the restroom too!”
“……You’re going to tell Jun Seo about using the restroom?”
“He’s our friend. It’s fine.”
As they chatted and descended the first-floor stairs.
An unusual sight caught Lee Ji’s eye.
Down the middle of the corridor: a woman in clothes riddled with holes like a pirate’s flag, her hands clasped together. Around her, black shadows writhed like serpents.
She could tell at a glance.
‘That’s a Hunter skill!’
Unnie froze in alarm.
“Could we maybe slip past quietly on the side……?”
“I don’t think that’ll work.”
Just then the woman shouted alone.
“Yes!”
With her cry, all the shadows vanished. The woman collapsed where she stood, breathing heavily.
“Phew—hehehehe. This deserves, *cough*, hazard, *cough* pay.”
‘What a funny way to pant.’
“Huh…… eh?”
The woman turned to look at them.
“Who are you two?”
Hyun Ji immediately moved Lee Ji behind her back.
“We came for education at the support center. We just needed to use the restroom for a moment……”
“Oh! Right! I saw you earlier!”
“Pardon?”
“You were taking pictures on the lawn, right? With the Public Relations Department staff and Eun Yuri.”
At the mention of Eun Yuri, the sisters had to fight back their smiles. The tension eased slightly.
“Yes. We took photos with Hunter Eun Yuri. We should probably head back soon……”
“Hold on. I’d like to see you out, but we’ve got an overtime issue. Hello? Deputy Association President?”
The woman pressed her earpiece and spoke.
“There’s an outsider on the 1st floor?”
Someone’s shout pierced through the earpiece, audible even to Lee Ji.
[Keep eyes on them!!!]
About ten minutes later.
Lee Ji sat in the Security Office with her sister.
The scarred security guard turned the CCTV screens with cinematic flair and spoke.
“You both were on the 2nd floor only.”
The man they called the Deputy Association President furrowed his brow and spoke.
“Half the 2nd floor footage is missing. You’re sure?”
“Timeline-wise, there’s nothing unusual about it.”
“Can you pull footage from the 3rd floor onward? Check if the suspected individual appears anywhere.”
“Wait, just a moment.”
Hyun Ji spoke sharply to the Deputy Association President.
“Are you allowed to review CCTV footage targeting a specific person without police present? We weren’t even asked for consent, nor were we told what this is about.”
“Ma’am. Right now the Association is in an emergency—”
“And I didn’t see any notice posted about CCTV recording in this building. By law, you’re required to publicly display the purpose of surveillance before recording.”
“That’s……”
“Besides, we were invited here for Association promotional purposes. You requested not just photos but an interview for a magazine. Should I describe this experience honestly in that piece?”
The Deputy Association President bit his lip.
Before he could mumble some weak excuse.
Hae Cho interjected.
“If I were dragged in for questioning like this on my way back from the restroom, I’d be furious too. And the people waiting would probably think you’d drowned in the toilet.”
“……”

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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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