The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log - Chapter 29

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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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Chapter 29

Kang Hyeon’s head, which had been closing his tired eyes tightly before opening them, tilted at an angle.

It was because he spotted Choi Kwon in front of the guild building.

Choi Kwon, wearing a fur hat that didn’t match the weather at all and torn jeans.

“Guild Leader Seo Ganghyeon!”

As soon as he spotted Kang Hyeon, Choi Kwon raised both hands high above his head and waved them frantically.

At that sight, Yun Taegyeom shuddered in disgust.

“That guy’s here again. Doesn’t he ever get tired? How many days has it been already? Why is he making such a fuss about wanting to join our guild?”

Ignoring Yun Taegyeom’s distorted expression, Choi Kwon ran toward Seo Ganghyeon.

“Guild Leader. I’m really useful. I’m A-rank, which is rare among wind-type attributes, and I have achievements too. I also have plenty of combat experience!”

“We don’t need you. We already have enough A-ranks.”

“Don’t say that, just consider it one more time—, huh? F-rank?”

Choi Kwon, who had been ready to grab onto Kang Hyeon’s pant leg, spotted someone approaching the guild and brightened up.

At the mention of “F-rank” from Choi Kwon’s mouth, Kang Hyeon also looked in the same direction.

As soon as he heard those words, Yun Hana came to mind.

Sure enough.

Hana, who had gotten out of the car sent by the guild, was approaching while carrying one of the boxes full of crops in her arms.

Hana, whose view was blocked by the potatoes and tomatoes packed full in the box, stuck her head out to the side and greeted them.

“Oh. You’re all outside?”

Before Kang Hyeon could even offer a greeting, Choi Kwon quickly approached Hana.

“My benefactor! Why are you carrying something so heavy? Here, give it to me, I’ll carry it.”

“I told you not to call me that. And could you please step back?”

Choi Kwon, who had snatched the box from Hana, sidled up close to her.

At the sight of the two people who seemed quite close, Kang Hyeon felt a strange sense of displeasure for some reason.

“I didn’t know you two were close.”

“We’re not close!”

Hana tried to step back in disgust, but Choi Kwon didn’t seem to have any intention of moving away.

Just as Kang Hyeon’s eyes narrowed further while watching this scene.

The ground vibrated lowly and the flow of air changed.

The feeling right before a gate opens.

At that familiar sensation, everyone from Hana to Kang Hyeon stopped talking at once and looked in one direction.

Sure enough. An alarm began blaring above the area where space was distorting.

[WARNING]

[Gate reaction detected]

[Location: Front of Haechi Guild]

Red warning windows appeared one after another in the air.

And before they could even react, the gate’s entrance opened halfway from the distorting space.

Then something like kudzu roots shot out through the gap and wrapped around Hana’s waist.

“Huh?”

Hana’s body, which had been stepping forward, came to an abrupt stop.

The next moment, Hana was dragged backward without being able to resist at all. Like someone who had stumbled on a treadmill.

What’s more, Hana wasn’t the only one being dragged in.

Even Choi Kwon, who had been sticking close to Hana, had his ankle bound by another root that extended out and was pulled into the gate along with her.

“Whaaaat?”

“Ugh!”

A dull impact traveled through their backs as their bodies were thrown to the ground.

“At this point, aren’t I enemies with gates?”

How many days had it been since the last gate incident, and now this was happening again?

Hana rubbed her aching back and stood up awkwardly.

The kudzu-like tentacles that had wrapped around her waist had disappeared without a trace, as if they had never been there.

As if they had successfully completed their role of dragging Hana in and then retreated.

Choi Kwon, who had been sprawled beside her, also belatedly jumped to his feet.

“What. I didn’t fall, okay?”

Choi Kwon seemed embarrassed and got unnecessarily angry.

Who said anything?

Hana, who had been shaking her head at Choi Kwon’s wide-eyed expression even in this situation, squinted her eyes.

Tap.

It was because a cold raindrop hit her eyelashes.

“Huh?”

The moment she looked up in confusion, more raindrops pelted her face.

“…It’s raining?”

Come to think of it, it was raining inside the gate.

Hana looked around.

The atmosphere was quite different from the gates she had entered before.

What spread before her eyes was an empty city.

Broken buildings, collapsed roads, dead traffic lights. And endless rain falling over it all.

At the gloomy scenery, she involuntarily swallowed dryly.

Perhaps equally tense, Choi Kwon reflexively drew his sword.

“This place is strange. There’s no sign of monsters at all.”

As Choi Kwon said, it was strange.

For a gate of this scale, monsters would normally burst out as soon as you entered.

But now, far from monsters, the surroundings were completely empty.

A system window appeared in the vision of both people who were warily surveying their surroundings.

【SYSTEM】

【You have entered the gate ‘Melancholy City of Rain (S-rank)’.】

【Boss Monster: ‘Melancholy Kudzu Root (A+ rank)’】

【An entity that has taken root throughout the gate, causing continuous rainfall】

【Mental-type debuff occurs when exposed to rainfall】

As soon as he finished reading the system window, Choi Kwon’s face turned pale.

“You can’t get rained on!”

He grabbed Hana’s arm as if snatching it and led her under a nearby building.

But both of their shoulders and hair were already soaked with rainwater.

While frantically shaking off the raindrops, Choi Kwon checked on Hana’s condition.

“Benefactor, are you okay?”

“Somewhat. I told you not to call me that.”

Hana, who had pursed her lips, followed Choi Kwon in shaking out her hair.

Unlike the system window’s warning, she was quite wet but didn’t feel anything particularly wrong.

Maybe it was okay because she hadn’t been in the rain for long.

“I’m fine. What about you?”

But what do you know.

When she turned her head, Choi Kwon was already crouched down on the ground. With a thoroughly depressed expression.

“Sigh… My life is ruined. Going bald at this age.”

Choi Kwon’s eyes reddened.

Only then did Hana clearly feel it. It wasn’t that there was no effect.

This rain, the debuff that penetrated the mind—everything was real.

Though she didn’t know why she herself was fine.

Hana tilted her head.

‘Are there differences between people?’

She wondered if mental-type debuffs were originally this inconsistent.

Anyway, for now, removing Choi Kwon’s status ailment came first rather than that.

If a monster suddenly popped out in this situation, it could become extremely dangerous.

Hana lowered his body toward Choi Kwon who was crouched down.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“I’m not okay. I’m finished. It’s over…”

Choi Kwon looked ready to curl up into a complete ball.

“It’s okay. That hair has its own charm too. …Probably?”

“Don’t lie. You won’t even give me rice seeds.”

Choi Kwon muttered with his head hung low.

His voice grew more dejected with each word.

Hana hesitated for a moment, then leaned his head close to Choi Kwon’s ear.

And whispered very quietly.

“I’ll give you rice seeds. Though I’ll have to discuss it with Seo Ganghyeon first.”

“…What?”

As soon as those words ended, life returned to Choi Kwon’s eyes that had been like dead fish eyes.

Fortunately, since he hadn’t been exposed to the rain for long, he didn’t seem to be completely consumed.

“Really?”

“Yes. Really. So pull yourself together.”

At Hana’s words, Choi Kwon frowned.

“But why am I acting like this?”

“It seems like you’ve been afflicted with a status abnormality because of the rain.”

“Ha, damn rain. But why only me? You look fine.”

But that was only momentary, as melancholy began creeping up again and Choi Kwon’s shoulders started to droop once more.

Choi Kwon shook his head vigorously, then suddenly started slapping his own cheeks hard.

“Damn. This is annoying.”

But that seemed insufficient, as he immediately looked up at Hana and said.

“Benefactor. Hit me hard just once.”

“Excuse me?”

“Physical force is usually the remedy for weak mental-type debuffs.”

Choi Kwon had quite a serious expression.

“Ah, hurry. If I fall back into the status abnormality and a monster shows up, you’ll really be screwed then.”

At those words, Hana finally sighed.

“Then just one hit, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and hit me.”

Hana carefully clenched his fist.

But his fist form was surprisingly solid, making the back of Choi Kwon’s neck feel cold when he saw it.

Choi Kwon, sensing instinctive danger, tried to wave his hands to stop him, but Hana’s arm had already extended forward.

“Hey, benefactor. Wait a sec, stop—”

Thwack!

With a dull sound, Choi Kwon’s face whipped to the side and he collapsed flat on the ground. Very pitifully.

“…”

“…Excuse me?”

When there was no response in that state, just as Hana wondered if he had fallen into another status abnormality.

Choi Kwon sprang up, clutching his bright red, heated cheek.

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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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