The Regressed EX-Class Martial God Decided to Become a Thousand-Star Hunter - Chapter 63

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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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Chapter 63
63.
The conversation went on longer than anticipated.
Lee Young-sik was a seasoned man.
With a teacup between them, he shifted his angle of questioning again and again.
What exactly Mo Ran-hee had said.
What expression she’d worn.
What she seemed to be offering, and what she appeared to want in return.
Ju Do-gyeom answered everything except what he chose to conceal.
Yet as the conversation drew toward its end, deep furrows had carved themselves into Lee Young-sik’s brow.
“I’m at a loss. No matter how I pick it apart, I can’t figure out what that woman wants from you.”
That was only natural.
She was a woman whose intentions ran in endless layers from the start.
Besides, Lee Young-sik didn’t know Mo Ran-hee’s true identity.
Sakmwol.
Without knowing that name, no amount of calculation would yield an answer.
And Ju Do-gyeom had no intention of telling him.
‘Taeseong could stand against the world itself, perhaps.’
But Sakmwol was different.
South Korea’s top Hunter corporation, and a global villain organization.
They weighed on entirely different scales.
Learning too much too soon could cost Lee Young-sik his life.
There was no harm in waiting to tell him until he was strong enough to handle it.
Lee Young-sik spoke.
“What I’m certain of is that her goodwill seems genuine. Though it’s goodwill with a purpose, of course.”
Even now, he truly lived up to his name as a conglomerate chairman.
With no special information, Lee Young-sik had arrived at the same conclusion as Ju Do-gyeom.
“Separately, I’ll keep closer watch on Mo Ran-hee’s side. Oh, and one more thing—shall I assign you a bodyguard? I’ll pick only the most skilled ones. Of course, it won’t stop that Swordmaster, but it should buy you enough time.”
Since Lee Seo-ah’s kidnapping.
Lee Young-sik had invested far more boldly in recruiting Hunters.
In fact, Taeseong now had a fighting force that, despite not openly establishing itself as a guild, was already approaching the level of South Korea’s second-largest guild in practical terms.
Ju Do-gyeom heard him out but shook his head.
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I thought as much, but still—I’m a bit disappointed. It’s all I can really offer you.”
“I’ll gladly accept your goodwill.”
“Ha, very well then.”
Lee Young-sik, chuckling, suddenly struck his knee as something occurred to him.
“Ah! That explains it, then.”
“Explains what?”
“The Swordmaster marked you, so word went out to all guild contacts that they shouldn’t approach you directly. Apparently every guild in South Korea got the message.”
“…Even intimidation?”
He found it surprising at first, but then understanding dawned.
The Swordmaster could do such a thing if she wished—her position allowed it.
At the same time, one mystery resolved itself.
‘Now I understand.’
His face had spread far and wide through those online videos, yet not a single scout had come calling.
It had struck him as strange, considering how the Hunter market usually worked.
So that was the reason.
‘I’m grateful, actually.’
He’d had no intention of joining any guild anyway.
Having her filter out troublesome offers was no loss—it was intimidation that cost him nothing.
Of course, even Mo Ran-hee’s threats held no sway with Lee Young-sik, who stood as the right hand of Taeseong Group with its guild founding nearly at hand.
Just as the topic of Mo Ran-hee was wrapping up.
Ju Do-gyeom brought up the next matter.
“And there’s one more thing I need to ask of you.”
“Go ahead.”
Ju Do-gyeom rose from his seat and produced objects from one corner of the living room, laying them out.
Thud. Thud.
The weighty sounds accompanied what he’d set down.
A few pieces of bleached bone and a spread of dried hide.
And finally, a ash-gray sphere the size of an adult’s torso came down heavy against the floor.
Lee Young-sik’s eyes widened.
“Do-gyeom, what are all these? I’ve never seen anything like them before.”
“They’re byproducts of the Yeongnak Dragon. Bones and hide. And this one is an Empty Dragon Heart.”
“…Did you just say dragon?”
“Yes. The Yeongnak Dragon.”
“…Whether it’s fallen or not, it’s still a dragon, isn’t it? How did this…happen?”
Ju Do-gyeom’s calm voice continued.
“Nothing special. Encountered it in a Dungeon and defeated it.”
“…I see.”
“It wasn’t as simple as it sounds.”
Yet for all his words, his tone was so matter-of-fact that the gravity didn’t quite land.
Lee Young-sik let out a hollow laugh.
“Hah… Yes, you must have had quite the time of it. I suppose I’m getting too jaded to be shocked anymore.”
Even so, his gaze never left the ash-gray sphere.
“But…a Dragon Heart, isn’t that the thing worth whatever price you ask?”
“It would be, if the Mana were intact. This one is merely a shell—all the Magic Power has drained away. Still, the material itself is genuine, so it won’t be entirely useless.”
“Hmm…”
Lee Young-sik ran his hand across his chin.
His eyes had already shifted into those of a businessman.
“As it happens, I have craftsmen under Taeseong’s patronage. Some of the finest hands in the country for Mana Tool craftsmanship. Shall I entrust it to them? They’ll fashion something worthwhile from it.”
It was then that the face of a single dwarf—the only Mana Tool artisan of note connected to Taeseong—passed through Lee Young-sik’s mind’s eye.
Ju Do-gyeom spoke.
“I’d be grateful. However.”
“However?”
“Please include not just mine, but also Kim Han-ryul’s and Lee Seo-ah’s portions as well.”
Lee Young-sik’s eyes widened for a moment, then a deep smile spread across his lips.
“Even my daughter’s share?”
“She may well become a team member.”
“Hah-ha! I see. I understand perfectly. I’ll make it top priority.”
Lee Young-sik, now in high spirits, nodded repeatedly.
His eyes tracing over the bones and hide on the floor were already brimming with anticipation.
“The craftsmen who lay eyes on these materials will faint on the spot. Materials from a dragon, no less. Hah.”
Then, as if remembering something, he drew something from his pocket and slid it across the table.
It was a photograph.
Ju Do-gyeom’s eyes, as he picked it up, slowly sank.
Formless Soldier, Manyeong.
In his past life, the beloved weapon that had remained longest in his hands.
A half-companion that had carried him through countless calamitous nights.
The Daebu he wielded now was a fine weapon, and so was the Yusseong-chu.
But his palm still remembered the feel of Manyeong in his grip—even now, after his return.
“Next month. That item you’ve been looking for finally goes up for Auction.”
“…Sooner than I expected.”
“I was surprised too. Apparently the Museum’s situation was resolved rather urgently. Will you go see it yourself?”
France.
A place he’d been meaning to visit for some time now, as it happened.
“I will.”
“Good. I’ll have an invitation and credentials prepared on this end.”
By the time the conversation drew to a close, the night outside the window had grown quite deep.
At the entrance.
As Lee Young-sik put on his shoes while being seen out, he turned back one last time.
“I’ll visit again soon. With Seo-ah next time.”
“I’ll have everything ready.”
The door closed.
* * *
The next afternoon.
The phone rang.
Lee Seo-ah.
The moment he picked up, a spirited voice burst through.
-We should meet up too!
“……What on earth are you talking about?”
-I just got back from a Dungeon, and you’re saying we can meet again now? Both of us. Father went yesterday too…… So, let’s see each other!
She was rambling.
But her voice was unmistakably bright.
It was a fortunate turn of events.
And conveniently, there was news he needed to share with both of them.
“Then, come to my home. I’ll have dinner ready.”
-Really? Just like that……?
“If it’s too much trouble——”
-I’ll come! I’m definitely coming!
“Understood.”
The moment Ju Do-gyeom finished speaking, the call ended.
Ju Do-gyeom looked at him, then dialed the other person who had business today.
It was Kim Han-ryul.
* * *
Meanwhile, Lee Seo-ah hung up the phone and bounced off her feet.
An invitation.
To his home, no less. And dinner, too.
The exhaustion of rolling around in a Dungeon for two days had already evaporated somewhere.
Back home, she went straight to her wardrobe.
This one was too childish.
This one looked too put-together.
This one…… looked done up, but maybe she could pull off looking effortless in it.
An hour in front of the mirror.
She fussed with her hair, debated perfume three separate times, and only then stepped outside.
Finally arrived at the foot of Ju Do-gyeom’s home.
One deep breath.
Straightened her clothes twice.
Combed through her bangs one last time.
Then rang the bell.
Ding-dong.
The door opened, and Ju Do-gyeom’s face appeared.
He spoke.
“You’ve arrived.”
“Thank you so much for the invitation!”
Lee Seo-ah’s gaze, bright as she greeted him with a smile, stopped just beyond Ju Do-gyeom’s shoulder.
An unfamiliar woman stood there, watching her.
No—this was the first time seeing her in person.
But she knew.
The woman who stood at Ju Do-gyeom’s side in the video.
Kim Han-ryul.
The woman rose from her seat and approached with a bright smile.
“Nice to meet you. You’re Lee Seo-ah, right? I’m Kim Han-ryul.”
Her greeting was smooth and practiced.
Lee Seo-ah smiled too.
Gently.
Very gently.
“Oh, yes. Nice to meet you. I’ve heard quite a lot about you. Reconstruction Mage Kim Han-ryul.”
Her tone was like a spring breeze.
But her eyes, where they met, grew quietly and soundlessly cold.
The corner of Kim Han-ryul’s mouth curved upward in a sharp smile.
The look of someone who’d found something amusing.
‘Oh, well, well?’
Between the two women, something invisible pulled taut.
Ju Do-gyeom quietly closed the front door.
“Let’s eat first.”
* * *
The dinner table was set generously.
It was the first time the three of them ate together.
On the surface, the mood was cordial.
Kim Han-ryul ate well, and Lee Seo-ah ate even better, both of them counting sidelong glances at how many bowls the other emptied.
Ju Do-gyeom pretended not to notice, quietly refilling his own plate.
And so the meal came to an end.
When the three of them settled into the living room, Ju Do-gyeom broached the main subject.
“The reason I called you both here is simple.”
Two pairs of eyes focused on him.
“I’m thinking of the three of us working together as a team from now on.”
“Really!?”
“Seriously?”
The two voices overlapped perfectly.
But the emotions behind them differed.
Joy and bewilderment.
The two women who’d spoken turned to face each other.
Something was forming on their lips.
Both closed their mouths at the same time.
Ju Do-gyeom continued speaking, his tone measured and steady.
“Of course, nothing’s decided yet. Since we’ll be going to dangerous places frequently, if the skill isn’t there to back it up, it’ll be difficult to work together as team members.”
The words were addressed to both, but the weight fell on Lee Seo-ah.
Lee Seo-ah, her gaze steady and firm, spoke.
“I’m confident. It’s been a short time, but I’ve worked hard enough that I won’t be a burden.”
Kim Han-ryul spoke up immediately.
“But are you really okay with this? From what I understand, you’ve only been awake for not that long after being bedridden, and even if you’ve been diligent about it…….”
His gaze swept over Lee Seo-ah, half genuine concern, half veiled caution.
A thought bubbled up unbidden in his mind:
‘……She really is incredibly beautiful.’
Even her skin was porcelain-pale, her frame delicate, her presence willowy.
The kind of aura that naturally stirred protective instincts in most men.
Ju Do-gyeom looked between Kim Han-ryul and Lee Seo-ah in turn as he spoke.
“That’s why I called you both. Right now the team consists of myself and Kim Han-ryul, and I can’t unilaterally accept Lee Seo-ah into the team on my own.”
The two of them opened their mouths at the same time, surprise written across their faces.
“Wait, what do you mean?”
“What do you mean by that…….”
Ju Do-gyeom nodded.
“We’re going into a Dungeon. A place that might be somewhat difficult for Lee Seo-ah right now. If both Kim Han-ryul and I agree on what we see there, I’d like to formally bring Lee Seo-ah into the team.”
“That’s……!?”
Wouldn’t that be too difficult?
Lee Seo-ah closed her mouth before the question could leave her lips.
Ju Do-gyeom’s expression, calm as always, left no room for objection.
‘Sigh…….’
In the end, Lee Seo-ah exhaled quietly and turned her body toward Kim Han-ryul.
Then, lowering her head, she spoke.
“I’ll be in your care.”
“Ah, yes……. Well…….”
Kim Han-ryul nodded, his expression somewhat flustered.
* * *
The three formed their first party and entered the Dungeon.
“Dungeon entry, destination designated: Corroding Grassland.”
As the darkness that had fallen in an instant brightened, a yellow grassland spread before them.
Just after Mana Erosion had surged in like the tide and withdrawn.
The grassland was wider than ever, and the monsters more numerous than ever.
As they descended slowly under the influence of Levitation Magic, Kim Han-ryul looked down and spoke.
“We’re back here again. We’re not going deeper in this time, right?”
“…….”
Ju Do-gyeom silently nodded.
There was nothing more for them to see in that direction.
And just as before, without fail, monsters surged toward them as they approached the ground.
Shriek—!
A swarm of Dust Locusts black as coal came pouring down, and behind them, Reaper Mantises with scythes raised high.
It was just as Kim Han-ryul was deftly reaching for his Flame Thrower.
Ju Do-gyeom raised his hand.
At the same time, Lee Seo-ah spoke.
“I’ll do it.”
“Wait, hold on. Don’t push yourself over there…….”
Even though the monsters in the Corroding Grassland Dungeon were manageable for C-Rank, they were still C-Rank nonetheless.
That C-Rank threshold Hunters speak of as their first true wall.
‘Demonstrating real power against monsters swarming us from the start like this…….’
Honestly, it was reckless.
As Kim Han-ryul reached out to stop her with that thought, his hand froze in midair.
Before the tip of his outstretched pale hand, violet mana began to gather.
At first it was faint.
But in an instant, it deepened into vivid color.
Simultaneously, the air grew heavy.
The earthen smell of the grassland peeled away, and beneath it something acrid—a hunger—seeped through.
The gathered mana soon took the shape of a gaping maw.
The violet gap split top and bottom, opening toward the swarm like the jaws of a ravenous beast.
Crunch!
The entire mass of Dust Locusts flying in was shredded at once.
They didn’t even have time to scream.
The Reaper Mantises charging behind met the same fate.
Without leaving a trace, they vanished into the mana’s chasm, scythes still raised.
All that remained was the sound of Mana Stones pattering onto the ground.
The grassland fell silent.
The countless monsters, as if by agreement, were withdrawing.
It was instinct.
Draw near to that, and you would be devoured.
As Kim Han-ryul’s eyes filled with shock.
Ju Do-gyeom spoke.
“Impressive.”

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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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