Chapter 500. How to Open a Suitcase (5)

The Hunter of the Other World Who Is Being Misunderstood

Chapter 500. How to Open a Suitcase (5)

A prank, or a test. Indeed, as Kang Changho suggested, the green-souled alien shared the same thought. The strange phenomena that had erupted so far might be a foundation laid to observe humanity's response to Red and Blue Gates, or perhaps—like children pouring soda into an anthill—it could be an attack entirely devoid of malice.

'Since the answer is this obvious anyway, why bother asking as if to probe?'

It was just as Kang Changho stood with his hands clasped behind his back, surveying the situation. South Korea decided to simply refer to the Gate that appeared this time as a "Large-Scale Dungeon."

They actively used that term as discussion progressed, and this was the result.

[Gate Entry Applicant List]

(1) Kim Giryeo

(2) Kang Changho

1 Kim Giryeo

As plainly revealed at the top of the document, these were the individuals who had stated they would enter the Gate directly.

A few Association staff members watched the scene with such expressions, but in truth, the current situation was not particularly strange. It was only that he possessed a temperament like bones set backward and had usually refused orders. Kang Changho, too, had at times voluntarily entered Gates that piqued his interest.

'Is the primary investigation going with this lineup?'

Reptilian eyes shifted. It happened just as the discussion turned to the Gate entry list. When Kim Giryeo—the first-priority entrant—didn't offer any objection, Jeong Haseong, who had been quiet until now, suddenly caused a massive scene.

"As expected, I should enter as well."

There was the saying that seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times. He intended to continue working as a Hunter in the future. It seemed Jeong Haseong wanted to personally experience unusual cases whenever possible.

‘His mindset resembles those treasure hunters who chase after EX-grade items.’

Jeong Haseong is one of the most outstanding hunters in the industry. Above all, his accumulated knowledge was so vast he could be called a walking encyclopedia. Of course, the recent experience of [Nightmare] had not been something he had intended. In any case, Jeong Haseong was like an AI that had amassed a terrifying amount of data, and he tended to discern unfamiliar monsters faster than others.

‘If an Awakened like that wants to accompany us, there’s no reason to refuse.’

Thus Kang Changho had thought, upon hearing the Hunter declare he would enter the dungeon.

“No.”

Yet the opinion of the one who mattered most—Kim Giryeo—was different. The man with dyed hair at his side immediately rejected the rank-one Hunter’s dungeon entry.

“Kang Changho and I are enough. We’re not forming a full raid team right now.”

“What?”

“No one knows what might happen next. Wouldn’t it be better to keep the S-rank Hunters in a two-and-two ratio—inside and outside?”

That, too, was a valid point. Moreover, upon reflection, the two currently exchanging opinions possessed primary skills that clashed considerably. Watching them, Kang Changho thought.

‘Even if it’s a fabricated attribute to conceal his real Awakening type, fire and water of all things.’

Water and fire. Attributes that were not, in fact, entirely incompatible. But logically speaking, there was little to gain from placing a water-attribute Awakened next to Jeong Haseong, who grew stronger the higher the heat. So Kang Changho wondered if that was why Kim Giryeo hesitated—but Jeong Haseong’s concern did not cease.

“Hunter Kim is certainly strong.”

“Compliments all of a sudden?”

“I am well aware that you have tempered not just your body but your mental strength to a realm that an ordinary person like me can hardly approach.”

I am well aware that you have tempered not just your body but your mental strength to a realm that an ordinary person like me can hardly approach.

I think you're mistaken about something.

But even someone like Hunter Kim Giryeo has had times when you weakened due to injury or exhaustion. That's my only concern. What if that S-rank Hunter suddenly strikes from behind at a critical moment?

Perhaps he, too, had been affected by the vivid [Nightmare]. Jeong Haseong expressed an unusually firm desire to enter the dungeon.

If we keep a criminal on the team like this, it's obvious he'll constantly look for weaknesses.

Even so, I'd feel more at ease bringing him in with me than leaving him outside.

As expected of Hunter Kim. Actually, that part is the fundamental problem. Hunter Kim is powerful, yet your personality is among the kindest....

Is that supposed to be describing me?

But I, on the other hand, can act at any time without sympathy for someone like that. Please trust me. I resolved myself for the greater cause long ago. Handling a convicted criminal is well within my capacity.

“Is that supposed to be describing me?”

“But I, on the other hand, can act at any time without sympathy for someone like that. Please trust me. I resolved myself for the greater cause long ago. Handling a convicted criminal is well within my capacity.”

From Archmage Kim Giryeo’s perspective, that was a rather commendable remark. It had already been plainly confirmed that Korea’s rank-one Hunter was a decent citizen—yet he was willing to step forward and personally eliminate a potential risk factor.

“Well, I suppose adding one more person to the dungeon wouldn’t matter much....”

“Ah!”

At last, the Archmage changed his mind. While Kang Changho remained silent on the matter, Kim Giryeo—effectively the central figure among the S-rank Hunters—put forth a new opinion.

“In that case, to increase resistance against anomalies, shall we proceed with a team of three? Jeong Haseong included.”

Above all, he had this tool.

Swish.

The leather gloves he had tucked away and brought back out as the autumn weather began to approach. Kim Giryeo looked down at the item with his sambaegan eyes and thought.

'With this spatial magic imbued in it, I can ignore all interference and forcibly return one person to a safe zone. It's superior to any emergency escape measure that exists on Earth.'

In other words, bringing Jeong Haseong along to build experience posed no real problem. But increasing the team like this was not merely for training purposes.

'If the number of raiders increases, I can save magic as well.'

Ever since the elixir incident, Korea's rank-one Hunter had been highly receptive to his words. Thus Kim Giryeo intended to actively use that aspect to assign him to handle lesser monsters. It was better than expending the Archmage's valuable mana unnecessarily.

'Bringing Jeong Haseong along and making him work will be advantageous.'

If selecting raid members purely for efficiency, Esther could have entered instead of Jeong Haseong without issue. She possessed the patience to restrain her [Curse] even with Kang Changho right before her. No matter the friction caused by guild matters, she still maintained an amicable relationship with him.

In other words, if persuaded properly, Esther would also dispatch lesser monsters free of charge.

“Hunter Seo should remain outside for any unforeseen circumstances.”

At this point, Kim Giryeo revealed his personal calculation.

“I’ve thought this for quite some time now, but if someone asked me who the most important Hunter in Korea is… I would choose Hunter Seo.”

Clink.

Jeong Haseong, who had been happily checking his equipment after receiving approval to enter the dungeon, shifted his gaze.

“Of course, Haseong’s strength and achievements are beyond reproach. A truly remarkable Awakened.”

And as the black-haired man’s demeanor softened again—Kim Giryeo calmly continued.

Of course, Haseong's strength and achievements are beyond reproach. A truly remarkable Awakened.

And as the black-haired man's demeanor softened again—Kim Giryeo calmly continued.

But Hunter Esther possesses far more than that.

I do?

You're someone who always thinks in the bigger picture. I've wanted to avoid pulling your strength into risk whenever possible.

....

Even while busy, you've managed the public image of superhumans through a second path, and—.

....

You expanded guild branches more actively than Neo Sisters so that local regions would enjoy equal safety. If someone like you entered a dungeon and failed to return, then honestly....

Surprisingly, Korea would suffer a greater blow if Seo Esther were lost than if Jeong Haseong were. That was the conclusion he had reached after careful consideration.

he like you entered a dungeon and failed to return, then honestly....

Surprisingly, Korea would suffer a greater blow if Seo Esther were lost than if Jeong Haseong were. That was the conclusion he had reached after careful consideration.

'If Jeong Haseong were gone, the public might grieve for a generation and move on. But if Seo Esther were gone, the overall standing of domestic superhumans could simply collapse.'

Kim Giryeo presented his argument without pause. It was regrettable to exclude her from item distribution, but by his calculations, the guild master—she—was the foremost priority among S-rank Hunters and should remain in a safe location.

"And just in case, if the outside becomes dangerous again, immediately call over an S-rank Hunter from Japan. Specifically, invoke Ito—the fire-attribute Awakened—using my name."

"From Japan?"

"When I checked the news at the campsite earlier, it said this sudden Red Gate incident bypassed some countries."

"Ah. If Japan was among the safe regions... indeed, they wouldn’t refuse a request in your name, Giryeo."

There was no reason to needlessly clash with a curse-user. Kim Giryeo laid out all intentions in advance to avoid misunderstandings. Seo Esther was first. To the alien, that phrasing was nothing more than a pure arrangement of words—untainted by any additional emotion.

Yet to someone who had long been an underdog, hearing she was distinctly superior to Jeong Haseong carried an inevitably different weight. Though unintended, with just a few words Kim Giryeo easily shaped the composition of the raiding party.

"Al... all right. If you insist that much, Giryeo, I suppose there's no choice."

Thus the agreement on entrants was completed. Time was precious, and upon receiving Esther's permission, Kim Giryeo immediately entered the dungeon.

‘The air is cold.’

Jeong Haseong, Kim Giryeo, Kang Changho. It felt as though it had been a while since this particular trio had entered a dungeon together.

‘Even Kang Changho, if he has any conscience, will handle a few monsters himself.’

He inhaled the air that was cold to the extreme, as if he were plunged deep into the sea. They adapted to the otherworldly environment welcoming them before their eyes and moved forward. For the record, inside the Gate they had eventually entered, the [Displaced Carcasses] that had poured out from the red passages outside were also surviving.

'The surrounding air seems far too dry for amphibious creatures like that to survive.'

Squelch. Squelch.

Since it was already a known fact that the slime making such sounds induced [Nightmares], they simply had to be careful not to touch the enemy carelessly for now.

"Was that one I just took down an S-rank?"

Whoosh!

The rank-one Hunter stepped forward first and eliminated a monster. To his subsequent question, the Archmage replied affirmatively.

"That's right."

It was naturally good news that a monster whose pattern had already become familiar appeared as a minor enemy. But the issue was that the overall grade of this Gate was fairly high.

'While they were rarely seen outside, inside an S-rank Blue Gate, small fry that are likewise S-rank appear with high frequency.'

The trap of averages displeased them.

Still, though proportions differed somewhat, it was true that F- or E-grade enemies were mixed in, making overall progression manageable. Since conserving mana was advantageous when foes were weak, Kim Giryeo manipulated only the dungeon entrance with his gloved hand and took no other action.

'I thoroughly applied information-blocking spells earlier, while [Dragon's Eye] was looking elsewhere.'

He worried about Korea's future. He worried about the gaze of the Gate creators. He even worried whether companions might find his conservation of strength strange—and what hardship this all was.

'Is the [Displaced Carcass] the only type of small fry?'

It was after battling long against enemies with sticky feet.

'Huh.'

The S-rank raiders investigating the strange cave devoid of even a hint of moisture finally saw the dungeon boss after a long time had passed. However, what was in the space commonly referred to as the “Boss Room” was a rather shocking entity.

"...?"

An enormous eyeball the size of a human adolescent. Fins wide enough to roof a house. And a red stomach visible immediately through transparent skin, revealing its gluttonous nature at a glance.

'The brain must be covered by that white skull, which is why it's not visible. The other organs besides the stomach are colorless like the skin, so they don't stand out.'

Kim Giryeo completed his analysis. The being before him closely resembled the “transparent-type” species that had once ruled Alphauri. Aside from the slightly iridescent surface, like a shell bearing calcium carbonate crystals, its skin clearly transmitted most visible light.

Thus its bones and stomach were plainly exposed. At this moment, Kim Giryeo set himself as a mature and ordinary hunter and tried his best to look calmly at the transparent creature he encountered.

'It’s a form I often saw in Alphauri, so it’s rather nostalgic—but don’t show it....'

In contrast, beside him burst forth the unmistakable reaction of a typical Earthling.

“Wow, that’s disgusting.”

Rumble.

As the enormous boss, vaguely resembling a mackerel, crawled along the ground—The national hero observing it from afar added without hesitation:

“It’s truly grotesque.”

“....”

“Honestly, working as a Hunter, it’s not like I haven’t seen bad sights a time or two, but a monster whose skin is transpar...

....

Honestly, working as a Hunter, it's not like I haven't seen bad sights a time or two, but a monster whose skin is transparent so you can see everything inside is indeed instinctively repulsive and alien.

Jeong Haseong grumbled in advance, anticipating a difficult task ahead. For the record, one hunter took on a mournful look at the marine creature hatred the Earthling spat out as naturally as breathing.

And if it's a fish, it's probably going to stink horribly, nine times out of ten. Worst kind of monster.

Around the time those additional words left Jeong Haseong's mouth, the blond man's eyes grew faintly moist like a well—but it posed no serious issue. A human's crystalline lens was originally bathed in liquid at all times.

Stop insulting it.

Yet if this continued, the tears he had barely restrained might actually fall. Thus the Alphaurin hiding on Earth carefully spoke, asking that they cease slandering the transparent creature.

Ah! My apologies. I momentarily behaved unbecomingly of a Hunter.

....

“Ah! My apologies. I momentarily behaved unbecomingly of a Hunter.”

“....”

“As you said, Hunter Kim, I should focus on the job instead of voicing unnecessary preferences—.”

The Archmage’s intention was not conveyed as intended. Paradoxically, that was fortunate.

“As long as you know....”

The alien could not reveal what lay within and squeezed out a dry, melancholy reply. Well, since he had successfully imitated a normal hunter, now he would have to deliberate on how to analyze the boss as per Jeong Haseong’s advice.

Author's Thoughts

Hi, from now on, I will update this novel 3 chapters/week. Thank you for all your support so far:)