Chapter 56
Chapter 56
----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: Ryuma Chapter: 56 Chapter Title: A Pearl Among Swine (3) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Near the border of Cheorwon County. The passage leading north was a chaotic mess of soldiers, hunters, and reporters. A hunter stepping off a group bus whistled as he gazed northward.
"That's all the dungeonized zone?"
The northern region was covered in opaque hemispherical barriers bulging out like a mountain range. The man figured it would look like a giant foot massage board if viewed from above. The failure of an SS-grade Elite Gate. That catastrophe had splintered the area into hundreds of dungeonized zones, spreading out like spores. North Korea had lost half its territory in that single blunder. His fellow hunter chimed in as he disembarked.
"Yeah. The golden land that'll make us filthy rich in one go."
"Not a graveyard?"
"This guy's jinxing us from the jump."
"Haha, just shaking off the bad luck. But... why are there so many reporters? It's not like there's a festival."
"You haven't heard the rumors?"
"What rumors?"
The fellow hunter glanced around cautiously before whispering.
"You know that rising star in the Hero Guild lately? Word is he's joining the expedition too."
"Kim Gunja...? What's he lacking? Isn't he just the rookie feasting on scraps from the Hero Guild's table?"
To the public, Kim Gunja was the devoted hunter who threw himself into danger for the citizens. But in the hunter world, he was also seen as 'the rookie fully backed by a major guild.' "Exactly. Guy's got nothing to want for, yet he jumps into this glorified gamble of an expedition. Why do you think? He's making his move. Hero Maker. Clear the dungeonized zones, stamp his face in the government's good books, and rake in even more popularity from the citizens."
Unlike random gates with time limits, dungeonized zones were fixed in place with no strict timers. Plus, the rewards were a total crapshoot, so they always ranked low on raid priorities. That explained the low participation from top hunters too. A hunter on the rise ditching profits to join one? It wasn't hard to guess why. Just drop a line in the pre-entry interview like 'for the citizens...' and the optics would be perfect.
"Damn show-offs always pushing harder. Tsk."
And those two weren't far off the mark. Screech. A car pulled up to the entrance, and a man with a single sword stepped out.
"It's Kim Gunja from the Hero Guild!"
At the shout, the waiting reporters swarmed like they'd rehearsed it.
"Mr. Kim Gunja! Why join an expedition with such low clear rates?!"
"It's only been two weeks since the gate break! You pushed through the multi-gate crisis too—what's the special story behind volunteering for this forced march?!"
"Among expeditions, Zone 79 here has the lowest byproduct expectations! But rumors say you chose it because it's closest to the city—for the citizens. Is that true?!"
Kim Gunja answered the barrage calmly.
"No other reason. Just doing my duty as a hunter."
He walked toward the temporary waiting area, flashes exploding behind him. Some hunters watched the reporters chase him with envious eyes.
"Whoa, in this crowd, he's soaking up every spotlight solo."
"That's the way of the world. Go find a homunculus lab or something yourself."
"You nuts? I'd rather block a gate break."
"Oh? You could do that?"
"Hell no, you idiot."
"Heh."
The two hunters shared a wry smile after the banter. Tens of thousands of hunters had gathered for the expedition here. Some backed by corporate sponsors, others chasing a big score, or just looking to boost their name value—everyone had their angle. But one guy hogging all the attention? It stung. As all eyes locked on Kim Gunja, one female hunter in the crowd stared at him with unfocused eyes.
"......"
Confirming he was heading to the temporary waiting room, she quietly followed inside.
But it's necessary. Kang Inhyeok, world rank 98. To face him on equal footing, same stage, he needed matching fame. Big stages came from big recognition. So Kim Gunja didn't snub the Hero Guild's setup. Lucky the list from the chief included the expedition Geum Jinung tipped me off about. Two weeks since meeting Geum Jinung. The chief's list had three options, and it felt like a test. Each distinct. One safer than most, one with high byproduct potential, one perfect for public exposure. Clear pros each. Tough choice for others, but not him. Geum Jinung's intel settled it. Max public eyes, max byproducts. Zone 79. Plus, comparing notes from Geum Jinung and the chief revealed a bonus. Hero Guild's intel isn't infallible. They wielded massive power domestically, but they were still human. Info control had gaps. Proven by the chief missing what Geum Jinung got via Geumsan Group's connections. As he mulled the past two weeks, his gaze fell on his left ankle, slightly darkened. ...
Still bugs me a bit. Physical change. Meant the investor's stake had grown substantially. No effects from Stein yet, but it nagged. "Oh my, Mr. Kim Gunja?" A sultry female voice. He turned to see a stunning beauty beaming. The kind of smile no man could resist. She brushed hair behind her ear, leaning in with a sweeter tone. "B-rank hunter Lee Yura, here for Zone 79 expedition. You're Kim Gunja, right?" "Yes, but..." "Wow! Honored! Mind if I sit?" Lee Yura plopped down beside him, friendly as could be. Close enough to catch her shampoo scent. Kim Gunja's eyes darkened. What was it? Friendly approach, yet an uncanny unease. He'd felt this before, more than once. Tensing subtly without alerting her, he replied. "...
Something you need?" "We're teammates now—fate, right? Let's get close before Zone 79. Don't you think?" Lee Yura leaned in, hand reaching to touch his shoulder softly. Or trying to. If he hadn't twisted away.
💥 CRITICAL HIT! 💥
Sssizzle—! "......!" Emerald-green liquid shot from Lee Yura's palm, melting the chair instantly. Kim Gunja grabbed and snapped her wrist without hesitation. Crack. Then slammed her arm down, hurling her to the floor. Bam! The crash drew every eye in the waiting room as Lee Yura hit the ground. "What the—?" "Fight?" And they saw it.
💥 CRITICAL HIT! 💥
Sssizzle— The chair fully dissolved by the green liquid, Lee Yura's arm twisted grotesquely as she sprawled on the floor.
"Fight's getting rough."
"Yeah. Poison like that... But that woman. She looks off."
"Her pupils... Gasp! S-Slayer?!"
Just like the shout. Blood vessels bulged around Lee Yura's eyes after her thrashing by Kim Gunja. The telltale sign of mana overload. No sane hunter pulled that in a simple scuffle. Kim Gunja reacted instantly. Shing. Jeokwol sang with a chill metallic ring, tracing a graceful arc. Slice, stab.
"... Gurk."
Her throat pierced, both hands severed cleanly. Splat! Sssizzle—! Her poison-laden hands hit the floor, corroding it. Thud. Despite her mana rampage, Lee Yura did nothing and died in seconds. The hunters reeled at the Slayer's sudden appearance and death—and Kim Gunja's ruthless strike. Then, from what they thought was a corpse, her mouth opened with a chilling voice.
— Death to the heretic. Kim Gunja. Remember... even alive, you're as good as dead... Slice! Jeokwol cleaved her head before she finished. No chances with ears everywhere—especially if Pentagram came up. No, already trouble... The room buzzed. "Did she say 'heretic' just now?" "Means he's Slayer bait." "Fucked. How'd that happen..." "Man, his life's gonna suck now..." "...
Suck? Not knowing when they'll ambush you—that ain't just 'suck'?" "I mean, figuratively..." Kim Gunja sighed. He could guess why Slayers targeted him. Twice now... Stopped Choi Jiyeon in the seabed Elite Gate, too late at the amusement park ritual. Slayers saw him as more than coincidence—a saboteur. Target... Meant bracing for ambushes anywhere, anytime. Chilling for most. But Kim Gunja thought differently. ...
Maybe use this 'target' excuse to squeeze another artifact from Monjiro? Side effect of 'faithfully' doing Pentagram duties. They'd have that flexibility, right? Officials rushed in amid the uproar; Kim Gunja explained coolly. The hunters were floored by his composure. No excitement, no emotion—unnatural calm. How's he so chill?That was a fight, right? His innocent looks hid ruthless action, but to battle-hardened hunters, the post-fight poise was creepier. Whatever they thought. Kim Gunja pondered how to sweet-talk Monjiro.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Despite the Slayer attack, the expedition proceeded as planned. Team leader and senior A-rank hunter Choi Byeongdu—top dog—placed a hand on Zone 79's opaque barrier. Bulge. A massive reptilian eye protruded from the haze, and an alert popped for the gathered Awakeners.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Enter the dungeonized zone?] Unlike gates, dungeonized zones gave zero prior intel. Transformed worlds with varied clear conditions beyond just boss kills. That's why we call them expeditions, not subjugation teams. Navigating unknown changes for clear goals over mere hunting. Pioneering over suppression. Why they were trickier than gates—and why hunters avoided them. Though you can return after holding out awhile, unlike gates... Actual 'survivors' were rare. Geum Jinung had poached some via Geumsan Group's Association ties. They guarded their intel value tightly. The Association hoarded不利 details to recruit. Thus, expeditions drew mismatched intel holders. Hunters including Kim Gunja affirmed entry. Thoom. A low resonance hummed; the barrier surged like a tidal wave, swallowing them whole. Kim Gunja felt like swimming through jelly as the surroundings warped rapidly. Water echoes, stench. Darkness. And... Squeak squeak. Rat cries too. They stood in what resembled a massive sewer. Tunnels branched everywhere. Before acclimating,
📜 NEW QUEST 📜
Pour Cold Water on the Empire's Symbol!
Difficulty: A Clear Condition: Destroy the Iron-Blooded Lord's statue in the imperial palace garden! Description: The underground sewers span the entire imperial capital. Use them to breach the ironclad defenses and destroy the statue! Time Limit: 72:00:00 Ding! The unprepared hunters' faces twisted.
"Imperial palace...? Damn it! Not even monsters?"
"Mana stones in bulk? Forget it."
"Difficulty's no joke either. Sewers or not... ugh."
Griping echoed. But Kim Gunja and a few insiders stayed mum. Especially Geum Jinung's investees and Kim Gunja—they knew Association secrets too. — Survivor says a secret passage from the sewers links to the empire's treasure vault. Stacked with artifacts.Treasure vault... As Kim Gunja recalled Geum Jinung's words, Association team leader Choi Byeongdu spoke.
"Monsters might swarm from the sewers—move out now."
He skipped mentioning the patrol squad hitting soon. No need to tip off the Association's info holdback. Grumbling hunters mobilized at his order; as Kim Gunja followed, A fierce intent blasted his mind.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[The Shadow Lord shouts 'East!']
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[The Shadow Lord shouts 'Right!']
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙