The Owner of the Healing Therapy Shop Is Ranked 0th in the World - Chapter 3

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Owner of the Healing Therapy Shop is World Rank 0

Chapter 3

Kwaaaagang-!

[Gate Clear! Would you like to receive the clear reward?]

A blurry status window appeared before Gangjinseong’s eyes after he solo cleared the AA-rank gate.

His wide-area collapse skill had turned the remains of monsters and buildings into dust that floated up and obscured his vision.

Jinseong squinted and checked the time on his wristwatch.

It was for timing how long it took to clear the gate.

4 hours and 19 minutes.

At the number that far exceeded his expected time, Jinseong roughly ran his fingers through his hair that had turned gray from dust.

“I’m going to get another earful.”

He could almost hear the nagging of association employee Ean from here.

‘I’ve told you so many times to follow existing paths, not break down perfectly good walls to make new ones!’

Then Jinseong would always give the same response.

‘I’d love to have just one team member who’s good at finding paths too.’

But everyone knew his wish would never come true.

His wide-area collapse skill had merciless attack power that applied to allies as well.

How many hunters in the world could withstand an S-rank hunter’s attacks anyway?

‘Ugh! That guy seems to get lost on purpose!’

Though Ean would burst out saying that, Jinseong genuinely couldn’t find his way.

When he used his skill, places where paths existed would become empty open spaces, making it impossible to get his bearings.

Today as well, Jinseong, covered head to toe in dust, squeezed his body through the gate exit.

The moment the city air entered his lungs.

From the frantic notification sounds on his phone, he realized something serious had happened.

[Catastrophe-level Maze Gate occurrence. All hunters emergency deployment requested. Dongjak-gu, Mapo-gu, Songpa-gu…]

He immediately ran to the nearest Mapo-gu gate, but stopped short just before entering the gate.

It was because of a single word that came to mind belatedly.

‘Maze’

If he, who got lost even in ordinary dungeons, entered a Maze Gate, how many hours would he have to wander?

“Haah…”

A short sigh escaped his lips.

A faint tension spread across his previously expressionless face, but he entered the gate without hesitation.

The moment he fell rapidly from the sky and set both feet on top of the giant maze wall, a thunderous ‘Kuwung!’ sound echoed.

“…”

He felt a strange sense of alienation inside the gate.

A strange feeling that even he, who had entered gates from low rank to the highest difficulty rank, couldn’t describe.

It was definitely a different feeling from all the gates he had entered before.

“Don’t enter the maze, protect as many civilians as possible from here!”

“Five charging-type monsters approaching from the front!”

“Healer! Over here!”

“Kyaaaak! Please save me!”

In the large open space, hunters were running around frantically to protect the civilians who had fallen into the gate.

Jinseong let out a short sigh.

A gate full of civilians posed many restrictions for him, who always played solo due to his wide-area skill that didn’t distinguish between ally and enemy.

If he used his skill, people would get swept up in it, and if he dealt with monsters one by one with his sword, he would obviously get lost and trapped in the maze.

Jinseong hoped that a capable hunter who could find the exit in his place had entered this gate, and threw his body down below the wall.

* * *

More than three hours had passed since the rank 1 hunter entered the gate, but the situation hadn’t changed.

No, it had actually gotten worse.

The hunters who had lost stamina were gradually being pushed back by the monsters, and the terrified civilians were blocking the hunters’ path.

Jinseong, who had been moving back and forth on top of the maze walls collecting lost civilians to the Central Plaza, clicked his tongue at the gate strategy that showed no solution.

He had been destroying maze walls indiscriminately to forcibly create paths, but damn it, even the walls respawned.

In the end, he had no choice but to return to the Central Plaza. If even he got lost and trapped in the maze, there would be no one to help the hunters protecting civilians in the Central Plaza.

“Fuck… More monsters are coming…”

“Uaaaak! The barrier here is broken!”

“I’m out of mana… And we’re out of potions too!”

Even if he protected all of them, there would eventually be a limit. If they couldn’t find the exit like this, they would be overwhelmed by the continuously spawning monsters and die.

Now was the time to make a decision.

“…”

After finishing his deliberation, he moved to the farthest point from the Central Plaza.

He intended to destroy the entire gate with his wide-area collapse skill and leave only the exit.

Of course, he wasn’t confident he could control the skill range so that the Central Plaza wouldn’t collapse.

The more monsters and structures he destroyed, the more he absorbed their mana and lost self-control – that was his fatal weakness.

“…”

It was a dangerous act that could turn everyone except him into dust if he made a mistake…

But he couldn’t think of a better method right now.

Jinseong stood still and took shallow breaths. The sensation in his fingertips was gradually becoming numb.

At that moment, the catastrophe caused by his mistake 5 years ago flashed through his mind. However, he deliberately ignored it. Because there was no other way.

Just as he was about to sharpen his eyes and release the seal to emit the dense mana in his body to its maximum.

“…!”

A familiar mana flow was detected not too far away.

‘Exit?’

It was the mana flow that could only be felt from a gate’s exit. Jinseong quickly turned his head.

The excellent eyesight of an S-rank hunter caught sight of some woman limping and running toward a newly generated gate exit.

A woman with a thin build who had her long brown straight hair tied up in one bundle.

…Was it just his imagination that her back looked familiar?

Thud thud thud thud.

The soil and monster remains that had become dust due to his ability were floating in the air before suddenly crashing to the ground.

At that moment.

A status window appeared before the eyes of everyone in the gate.

[Gate Clear!]

At the same time, Jinseong ran toward the gate exit at maximum speed.

He had never heard news of a hunter with search skills being in Korea. But this woman had found the exit that all hunters in the gate couldn’t find. She had to be a hunter with search skills.

Then she would be either an unregistered hunter or a freelance hunter. Or maybe she had just awakened today.

He had to find that woman with such a precious skill no matter what.

Not only would it be of great help to the nation, but he intended to ask her to become a team member to clear gates with him.

Since Jinseong had never felt the woman’s presence or mana even until the moment she created the exit, the woman must be the same rank as him or higher.

‘I have to catch her somehow.’

The moment Jinseong quickly exited through the exit.

“Oh! It’s Hunter Gangjinseong!”

“Film it! Film it! The gate has been cleared!”

“As expected, Hunter Gangjinseong did it!”

The woman he was looking for was nowhere to be found, and only civilians holding up phones and reporters with cameras were bustling about.

Only about 20 seconds had passed since the woman exited through the gate exit.

Yet nowhere could anyone be found who knew her whereabouts.

* * *

February 19th, 10:10 PM.

Thousands of civilians poured out from the Maze Gate exit in Seoul.

This was the result achieved just 4 hours after Maze Gates had appeared worldwide.

While even countries with search skill hunters were clicking their tongues, unable to find even a clue to conquering the gates, all 11 gates in Seoul had been completely conquered.

The first to emerge from the exit was S-rank Hunter Gangjinseong. News of him spread rapidly across the world.

The Korean Hunter Association and the President’s office were unable to conduct normal business due to the incessant ringing phones and flood of messages.

President Maeng’s face, which had been gloomy just minutes before, couldn’t stop smiling.

“Kahahaha! As expected of our S-rank Hunter! He never fails to meet expectations! Who said he was directionally challenged? Huh?”

Upon hearing that Gangjinseong was returning to headquarters, President Maeng simply couldn’t keep his bottom glued to the sofa.

A lucky charm! A golden lucky charm!

The entire world was clamoring to hand over billions if only they could have Hunter Gangjinseong!

If they sent Gangjinseong to conquer other countries’ gates one by one?

Not only would the Korean Hunter Association’s prestige soar to the heavens, but they could stack money cushions all the way to space.

“But when exactly is he coming…!”

“…Sorry I’m late.”

“Oh! Oh! Hunter Gang! My goodness! My goodness! You’ve worked so hard, so hard. First, sit here. I even personally prepared that drink you like. Here, drink this first.”

Jinseong looked at the glass of milk that had been thrust into his hands. Steam was rising from it.

Jinseong’s straight eyebrows furrowed slightly.

While it was true he liked milk, he was displeased that President Maeng knew this fact.

Jinseong immediately placed the glass of milk on the table.

“I’ll submit the gate report right after I wash up.”

His coldly subdued voice quietly echoed through the Association President’s Office.

“No, no! Write the report later!”

“…Are you asking about the reason for the delayed conquest time? You may have heard, but I…”

“Hunter Gang!”

President Maeng cut off Jinseong’s words and firmly grasped his scarred hands.

His eyes were shining brighter than ever before.

“Don’t be surprised.”

“…?”

“The entire world is waiting for Hunter Gang! They’ll pay whatever amount you ask and even offer national treasure items!”

“…?”

“You’re so surprised you’ve lost your words! Hahaha! It’s worth being surprised! Even those proud countries like Germany and Russia…!”

Jinseong quietly withdrew his hand from the president’s grasp and slightly furrowed his brow.

“Why are those countries waiting for me?”

“Why do you think? Ah! Hunter Gang might not know. Right now, the same Maze Gates that appeared in Seoul have also appeared in capitals worldwide. But we’re the only ones who have conquered those gates! So everyone’s making a fuss asking us to send Hunter Gang to their country first!”

Abundant desire flowed from President Maeng’s eyes.

“The President will arrive soon too! He’s agreed to respect Hunter Gang’s opinion, but in my view, receiving Germany’s S-rank artifact as compensation would be…”

Ha.

What cut off President Maeng’s cheerful voice was Jinseong’s quiet sigh.

His deeply sunken brown eyes looked directly at the president.

“I’m not the one who conquered the gates.”

“What? No, if not Hunter Gang, then who conquered the gates…?”

A sudden silence descended upon the Association President’s Office that had been buzzing with intense excitement.

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