Chapter 58
Chapter 58
The Slayer skilled in everything, Slaying, PvP, and more.
A true all-rounder.
And now, that Platinum Slayer had decided to cooperate with the police.
It wasn’t unheard of for Slayers to assist law enforcement, but the involvement of a Platinum-ranked Slayer meant something entirely different.
“Did you hear? The Platinum Slayer’s stepping in because of that serial murder case.”
“Huh? Then does that mean it really was a Slayer’s doing?”
“Must be. Why else would a Platinum Slayer get involved?”
“Then that suspect’s probably one hell of a strong Slayer.”
Once word spread that Hyunseok was cooperating with the police, people immediately assumed that the culprit had to be a Slayer.
It wasn’t an unreasonable leap, after all, Slayers only ever joined investigations when the suspect or perpetrator was another Slayer.
“Still, that guy’s insane. If I had his kind of power, I’d be lording it over everyone.”
“They say Hollywood wants to make a superhero movie about him.”
“Can’t believe someone like that actually exists.”
And just like that, Hyunseok became a superhero, a self-sacrificing savior with infinite devotion.
The fact that he kept his face hidden, saying he didn’t want public attention, only made him seem more mysterious.
Of course, in reality, Hyunseok was only moving to hunt down a First Achievement Monster, but that wasn’t exactly something the public could know.
“By the way,” Hyunseok asked, “what’s with your outfit?”
Hong Seyoung didn’t respond.
She just stared back at him in silence.
Hyunseok stared right back.
Eventually, Seyoung dropped her gaze slightly and muttered bluntly, her neck faintly flushed.
“It’s my choice. This is just how I like to dress.”
Hyunseok couldn’t help but laugh.
This girl… seriously. She’s not even pretending to be aloof anymore.
Her outfit was… less than ideal for a “search operation.”
Who wore a flowy one-piece dress to track down a potential monster-related killer?
Sure, Hyunseok couldn’t deny it suited her, but even so, clothes were meant to shine when appropriate for the situation, and by that measure, Seyoung’s sense of fashion was abysmal.
At least, by his standards.
“Wow… can’t believe someone that beautiful is a Slayer…”
“She’s absolutely stunning.”
The two police officers assigned to work with Hyunseok were practically mesmerized.
They weren’t there for combat, their job was to provide investigative support, but right now, theory was the last thing on their minds. They just couldn’t stop admiring Seyoung.
Hyunseok shook his head.
And she even went with a bright-toned makeup look… unbelievable.
When he kept looking at her, Seyoung turned away sharply and said curtly:
“Stop staring.”
“Why?”
“Just don’t. I don’t like it.”
For someone who “didn’t like it,” she sure had dressed up a lot.
Hyunseok chuckled again, unable to help himself.
Once, he might have teased her with a line like “Too bad, I like you anyway,” but not anymore.
Sure, Seyoung had the toned legs and shapely figure of someone who trained hard, paired with a face so pure it almost didn’t fit, any guy would be tempted.
But Hyunseok wasn’t about to mess with a guildmate’s feelings without meaning it.
When he smiled, Seyoung looked away again with an annoyed huff, but at the corners of her lips, a faint, nearly imperceptible smile lingered.
Someone who knew her well might’ve said she actually looked… radiant.
That was when they got unexpected intel from the police.
Apparently, Exploration-type Slayers were proving extremely helpful in criminal investigations.
Right then, Hyunseok’s communicator buzzed, it was Myunghoon.
—Yo, Guildmaster. You’re actually joining this case? Why the sudden change of heart? I thought that wasn’t your thing.
“You probably already know this, but there’s a chance the culprit’s some kind of new monster. A First Monster means an Achievement reward.”
—People are calling you a selfless superhero, man.
“News to me.”
And it really was news to him.
He hadn’t planned any of that.
He just wasn’t about to stand on a podium and announce, “I’m only doing this for Achievement Points, and honestly, it’s not that hard.”
—Then why didn’t you call me? I’m the Inha Guild’s top Trapper, remember?
“You’re busy hunting Hidden Dungeons, aren’t you?”
—Hey! I’m not just looking for Hidden Dungeons, I’m looking for anything new! Doesn’t have to be a dungeon!
Luckily, Myunghoon wasn’t too far from Seoul.
He arrived not long after.
As soon as he did, he turned to Seyoung.
“Seyoung, you feeling okay? You look… kinda off. Wait, what’s with that dress?”
The look on Seyoung’s face turned deadly, and Myunghoon instantly paled.
Oh crap. Should’ve kept my mouth shut. She probably thought this was a date or something.
❋ ❋ ❋
Myunghoon was one of the strongest Trappers in Korea, at least as far as Hyunseok knew.
Actually, every member of Inha Guild was elite in their field.
“So, found anything yet?” Hyunseok asked.
“Not really. These things don’t show up right away. Hey, charge my M/P for me, yeah? Running low.”
Myunghoon had advanced from high-grade Exploration to Master-tier Exploration.
But higher levels meant massive M/P consumption, so he couldn’t sustain the skill for long.
That’s why he usually worked with support Slayers who could recharge M/P, though few could keep up with him.
Luckily, Hyunseok’s M/P Charging was second to none.
A single cast from him could fill Myunghoon’s gauge instantly, and effortlessly.
Myunghoon sighed, almost resentfully.
“Seriously, man, you’re a cheat code. Every time I see you, I’m reminded how unfair life is.”
“Don’t you ever get tired of saying that?”
“When Trapper Skillbooks go public someday, I’m gonna be out of a job. Damn, life’s hard. Poor Myunghoon.”
Hyunseok chuckled.
If he had the energy to whine, he wasn’t really suffering.
Using his top-tier Exploration, Myunghoon began tracing signs from past murder scenes.
He even developed a new skill in the process, Trace Detection.
It was quite the gain for him.
Together, Inha Guild’s core trio, Hyunseok, Seyoung, and Myunghoon, worked alongside the police for three days.
And finally, Myunghoon picked up the culprit’s trail.
Baengnyeon Mountain, in Seoul’s Eunpyeong District.
It wasn’t particularly tall or famous, but it had gained notoriety after a dungeon appeared there years ago.
As Hyunseok climbed, he thought:
“A mountain, huh… If the suspect’s a Slayer, there’s no way they’d be hiding in some cabin up here.”
Once, it had been a tall peak, but heavy urban development had reduced it to little more than a hill.
“Better deploy a Battle Field in advance,” Myunghoon said. “This one’s fast. We should be ready for anything.”
“Agreed,” Hyunseok replied.
He remembered how a bit of carelessness during the Giant Turtle fight had nearly gotten Minseo and Pyeonghwa hurt.
Battle Fields could last for hours anyway, and their cooldowns were shorter than their durations.
He had plenty of M/P, and it regenerated fast, no reason to hold back.
They followed Myunghoon’s lead deeper into the mountain.
Though the terrain wasn’t steep, the off-trail brush was thick.
Night fell.
The accompanying police officers started whispering among themselves, quietly, but not quietly enough.
“So… the suspect’s a Slayer, right? Why are we searching some mountain? There’s no way he’s here.”
“Is that Trapper really any good? I don’t know, man, this feels like a waste of time.”
“Even if they’re top-tier Slayers, this isn’t their field. Slaying’s about combat, not investigation. That’s our job.”
“But that Platinum Slayer seems to trust him completely…”
“Well, he’s not an expert. Trappers in crime scenes, I still think it’s wrong.”
The two officers finished their grumbling.
Soon after, one of them spoke up again, this time to Hyunseok.
“With all due respect, sir, I don’t think there’s any point searching here. If anyone had been living here, we’d have seen traces, and there’s nothing. I know Trapper skills are gaining attention lately, but they’re still unproven.”
Myunghoon didn’t respond.
He just kept using his Master Exploration, eyes sharp with focus.
To the cops, it looked like he was ignoring them, which rubbed them the wrong way.
The sun was gone.
It was nearly pitch dark.
Realizing it was time to call it, Hyunseok spoke up.
“Let’s wrap up for today. It’s getting too dark.”
But Myunghoon shook his head.
“Wait, Guildmaster. That guy, he only moves at night, right?”
“Yeah. There’s never been a daytime attack.”
“Then he’ll show up soon.”
The police frowned.
It was so dark now they could barely see their feet.
Lanterns helped a little, but only so much.
They were exhausted, physically and mentally, and skeptical of the Trapper’s “intuition.”
Still, no one dared complain openly in front of the Platinum Slayer.
One officer cleared his throat and said gently:
“Sir, it’s really too dark. We should at least get proper lighting and come back tomorrow. I understand your urgency, but we should head back for now.”
Myunghoon cut him off flatly.
“No.”
And with that, he activated Master Exploration again, eyes glowing faintly, focus absolute, as though he were in a trance.
Hyunseok felt it instinctively.
Don’t interrupt him.
He could tell, that cop’s pride had just taken a serious hit.
(End of Chapter 58)
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— Translated by Prime Works —