Chapter 511. Why Are You Like This (5) |
Chapter 511. Why Are You Like This (5)
It was just a simple dungeon entry. But what was with these burdensome gazes?
—Sparkle.
—Twinkle, twinkle.
Honestly, I had expected my decision to drag two guild members along without asking would be interpreted poorly. Because, in truth, it was a selfish proposal. However, Jeong Haseong seemed to have misunderstood that his mentor had brought in personnel with good intentions.
Otherwise, there'd be no reason for that burdensome gaze from beside him.
‘Look forward. Just look ahead.’
If interest kept centering on me like this, it might soon be discovered that this body was not a normal Earthling. Since I was in a position with many things to hide, I was forced to urge the gate raid along.
“First, the person with the Appraisal skill, please keep a steady eye on the interior of the dungeon.”
“S-ranks need to conserve their mana, so we’ll focus on letting Choi Jin demonstrate her skills during the early stage.”
Choi Jin began eliminating the minor monsters as planned. It was smooth sailing.
“Guildmaster, in the case of monsters that fast, what’s the best way to [Appraise] them?”
“Don’t waste your energy. Just record them with the PIXY device. It calculates the results even if you observe for just a second.”
“Aha!”
Furthermore, the employee in charge of analysis who came along was reasonably bright and remembered what I taught well. The Awakened’s work soon fell into a rhythm. Accordingly, from the mid-point of the dungeon, the Archmage had enough room to take a proper rest.
‘Just as planned!’
Pretending to care for my beloved guild members while actually letting go of the work. From the middle of the dungeon raid process, I subtly slipped to the rear and did nothing but meddle in the mammals’ actions, telling them to do this or that.
It was a situation where I hadn’t personally caught a single monster.
“The more Archmage mana I save, the better, obviously.”
Of course, I had my own justifiable reasons.
‘And as long as my acquaintances’ safety is guaranteed, there’s no need to perform useless labor, right?’
I didn’t know if they were unaware that someone was slacking off. Or if they didn’t point it out because I was the guild president. At any rate, the hunters who entered the gate continued to work diligently thereafter.
‘She’s a total butcher.’
Additionally, the A-rank Awakened named Choi Jin stood out uniquely among this group despite her taciturn personality. Her output was exceptional. The psychic in question silently aimed for weaknesses according to the magical beast’s behavioral patterns.
Ordinary hunters occasionally turn a blind eye to enemies because they grow weary of the alien environments of the otherworld, but Choi Jin produced results silently and without rest, like a modern piece of agricultural machinery.
—Thud!
When I snapped back to my senses, there were already sixteen corpses she had produced. With this level of diligence, even if the [Dungeon Shock] hadn’t occurred, she surely would have made a fortune in a technical profession.
‘She’s a truly talented hunter. I’d like to arrange for her to be sent to the [Korean Magic Tower] if I could, but the problem is she keeps refusing...’
As expected, keeping Choi Jin in one hunting ground for a long time was an impossible slacking-off plan. I looked at the mammal working like an ox with a complex mind.
—Phak!
Then.
—Phak!
A bizarre form flickered at the edge of my vision. For the record, the thing that ran out with a sort of sidestep was somewhat similar to a human in that it was bipedal.
‘When I first saw the enemy’s shadow, I truly thought so.’
But looking closely, the monster’s outer shell was actually a flimsy husk that couldn’t be compared to a human body at all.
‘What kind of principle is that thing using to run around?’
Thud-thud-thud.
The primary material was a black substance with a collapsed silhouette, as if it had just emerged from hydrochloric acid.
[Black Door A-rank]
Certainly, I could see why the Earthlings called it a door...
‘Even so, it’s just an A-rank.’
I only observed the beast for a moment. The monster in question was being hunted relentlessly by the hunters even at this very moment. Therefore, I maintained my posture of holding my hands behind my back as I had until now, but then a slight special situation arose.
‘Hmm?’
Choi Jin, being an A-rank, probably didn’t perceive this at all. However, it was a situation where it was difficult for a mere beast to evade the Archmage’s sixth sense.
‘The monster is squeezing out its mana...’
Befitting a headless, heteromorphic entity, the magical beast before my eyes usually just ran around without intelligence.
But at some point, it suddenly came to a halt as if it had made a grand resolution. Moreover, I could feel it scraping together the strength of its entire body, to a lethal degree, in this state.
‘It’s obvious this will lead to a major blow.’
The moment I felt the omen, I corrected my posture. More accurately, I poured my five senses into protecting the C-rank appraiser who was building up exploration experience in the back.
—Swish!
Yet, the moment the monster actually started moving, another S-rank hunter blocked the final technique it executed.
—Boom!
‘Oh my.’
The giant beast, which had almost self-destructed by charging this way, collided with Jeong Haseong first and exploded in the middle of the passage.
For the record, even though I knew the situation would turn out this way, the completion speed of magic cannot be faster than the speed of visual information processing, so I was simply too late.
“Jeong Haseong—!”
“Hunter Jeong!”
Choi Jin and I shouted simultaneously at the explosion. But fortunately, the one before us was an S-rank ‘fire’ attribute psychic.
—Hsssss.
Once the rising smoke subsided, the result was soon visible.
‘As expected.’
The hunter who intercepted the monster’s attack had perfectly intact skin. Though, seeing as his movements had become one generally awkward, it seemed the physical impact had still caused some damage.
“You don’t have a concussion, do you?”
“It’s not that.”
First, the first word is worry for his health. However, after approaching Jeong Haseong, I began to speak in a different vein.
“Haseong! Anyway, why did you bother jumping in the middle?”
“...”
“It would have been fine to just let the monster come all the way. Even if you didn’t step in, I would have handled it all on my own anyway, so why bother?”
With this golden body that had completed the one-and-only Second Awakening, I could easily ignore such cute attacks. But an acquaintance had volunteered to sustain an injury he didn’t need to suffer.
‘Should I scold him in advance so he doesn’t step forward dangerously in the future?’
If Jeong Ha-eong hadn’t opened his mouth first, I certainly would have carried out the plan in my head.
“That’s because, I... honestly, I hate the situation where only you, Hunter, are sacrificing yourself.”
Clang.
A portion of the monster’s corpse that had been hanging from the top of the dungeon fell to the ground. And timed to that metallic noise, the human with hair as pitch-black as a magpie’s crafted a new sentence.
“Hunter Kim, why do you always try to bear the risks yourself?”
Because I’m strong. Because I’m immensely more powerful and mighty than you lot. Naturally, this way is more rational. Before I could even explain the logic properly, Jeong Ha-eong quickly uttered the next part.
“To be honest, even during the evacuation work in the Great Dungeon, this part weighed on my mind.”
“What?”
“Even if protecting weak hunters is a given... I’m an S-rank...”
“Ah, so you’re saying your pride is hurt if I take the lead?”
“I’m not trying to bring up a matter of pride right now. As a representative of hunter of Korea, I must always stand on the front lines, so if I receive help from others recklessly, it creates a bad effect, doesn’t it?”
Oh my. That was an unexpected rebuttal.
“Dangerous things will happen anyway. Even if I seem lacking, if Hunter Kim helps me out in every single instance like this...”
Certainly, as he said, overprotection is not good for development. It must be a toxic method, enough to stunt healthy growth.
“And actually, more important than anything else is the feeling. I, too, am a person who would rather have my own body be in pain; it’s much more comfortable.”
“How can you say that?”
“When a mentor who helped so much with my growth sacrifices themselves instead, truly, it’s like... seeing my mother get hurt; my heart just drops.”
“Mothers can get hurt in the course of life.”
“No, that’s. I mean. What I’m trying to say is...”
However, it was troublesome for such an intense rebuttal to continue. Jeong Haseong had already finished his skill-related growth. I could state with certainty that among the existing primitive pyromancers, he was the strongest.
Thus, even if his abilities began to decline right now, if it resulted in this kind of outcome, there would ultimately be no impact. Because this Archmage was going to wipe the [Dungeons] off the face of the Earth.
“Haseong.”
For a moment, I offered an answer to this planet’s original hero.
“No matter what the reason is, you shouldn’t lead with your body so dangerously.”
At the firmness produced by this body’s throat, the gazes of the raiders momentarily centered on me.
“First of all, I was helping my acquaintances because I had my own reasons for everything.”
“Hunter Kim...”
“Actually, even setting aside the few people who treat me kindly, as you live, you realize that this country called Korea where we were born is quite comfortable.”
“Hmm.”
“Even if I only to maintain this kind of life, hunters must work on the front lines until the very moment the threat known as dungeons disappears. I’ve long since abandoned the thought of retirement...”
“Gasp.”
“In other words, I’m saying there will almost never be a situation where, Jeong Haseong, will be left all alone to escape a crisis.”
“...”
“I will always handle the dangers to the best of my ability.”
But the gazes of humanity were fine. The only things I had to avoid were the true masters of the dungeons. That was all. A hunter, after all, only takes action after the prey has entered the striking range. I let out words of resolve as if redefining my goal, and thereafter, I did my best to express my opinion so that Jeong Haseong wouldn’t act dangerously.
“Besides, when I truly need your help, Haseong, I’ll be the first to tell you, won’t I?”
“Well, th-that’s true, but.”
“Everything you said is just useless worry. Don’t get injured strangely by being impatient. Just look out for yourself.”
“Mhm. Yes.”
For an extraterrestrial being, I tried pulling up a plausible Earth-style emotion. I persuaded the Earthling by solidifying my intent regarding the monster subjugation a second and third time. Then, perhaps Jeong Haseong had understood the other’s position to some extent now. The mammal declared that from now on, he wouldn’t just jump in to bear the risk either, and would always look for a better way.
‘Excellent.’
It was a good phenomenon. Now that the brief friction was over, we proceeded through the dungeon smoothly after that and finished by subjugating the boss.
‘An item that looks like it’ll make some money dropped today. Let’s put it on the auction house immediately!’
Seeing how quiet it was despite my blatant display of hostility toward the otherworld, it seemed the [Veil] magic I cast at the start of every raid was truly paying off.
“Hunter Kim!”
By the time we emerged from the dungeon, the sun had already set.
“Anyway, it happens to be dinner time. How do you plan to have your meal today?”
It seemed the mammal had asked that question for that reason. I pointed toward Hunter Choi Jin and the others who were tidying their equipment and spoke.
“Today, we decided to have a guild dinner among ourselves. I have some things I want to ask the hunters who know the guild’s situation personally.”
“Ah.”
“However, since the meal will be paid for with the corporate card, a private meal with Hunter Jeong Ha-seong won’t be possible. You’ll have to go buy yourself something delicious elsewhere today.”
“... Yes!”
“Right. Well, good work today. Take it easy on your way back—”
That was the end of the schedule.
***
Another day passed. For the record, even if I had just gone through an S-rank gate, the world showed no mercy to hunters. In other words, even today, Wednesday, there was work.
“I’m back.”
Thus, a certain blonde S-rank hunter returned to the [Kim Giryeo Guild] building after finishing a raid on one dungeon as usual. I had set up the company to run automatically as much as possible... But even so, as the representative, I couldn’t just stay out all the time.
The alien, who had visited the guild building for certain reasons, locked eyes with a human waiting nearby.
“Ah. Director! The documents I mentioned this morning have just finished being reviewed—”
Thud.
At that exact moment of eye contact, a scream erupted.
—Oh my God heavens!
The personal secretary who had been with me since the early days of the company’s founding... To be more precise, a certain veteran senior aide with graying hair suddenly shrieked.
“Kyaaah!”
“Chief of Staff, what’s going... Aaaaaak!”
Furthermore, even the mammals who came running out after hearing the noise couldn’t hold back their screams in unison. The atmosphere was suspicious in many ways.
“Everyone, please calm down.”
The reason humanity was aghast and screaming was actually simple. Kim Giryeo, the owner of this guild, had one leg in tatters. The blonde mammal had appeared with an injury so severe that even an orthopedic specialist wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
“Is it just a simple fracture?”
“No. From what I heard the paramedics say, it seems to be a comminuted fracture or something.”
“What!”
“But honestly, it’s been fixed a lot now. It’s not even bleeding from the skin anymore...”
In the scene of the terrifying abnormal mutation, the Number 1 ranker had even sacrificed himself to save me.
So why had the Archmage, who had escaped with a perfectly fine body, returned today looking like a rag?