Chapter 110
Chapter 110
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 110
"Guild Master Campbell."
Christopher, who had been drafted as support for this raid, was in the conference room where meetings were dragging on. Unlike the leisurely L-rankers, he had been busily issuing orders when he spotted Se-ra and his eyes went wide.
"Oh, Y-Yoon Se-ra?"
"How have you been? Ah, were you in the middle of work? Did I interrupt?"
"No, not at all! It's fine! I can make time anytime."
He beamed and handed off what he was doing to someone else before approaching her. He looked thrilled.
"I heard you wanted to see me. And I wanted to give you my thanks anyway, so I came by."
"Thanks? To me?"
"You kept your promise not to reveal my identity. Thank you."
"That was just the right thing to do! No need to thank me for that."
The two moved to a spot where no one else could overhear.
"I heard you cleared a Rank-1 dungeon. And now you're heading into the labyrinth without even resting."
"I saw a gate opening on my way back from overseas. Good luck or bad luck, I guess... I couldn't just leave it alone after seeing that."
Christopher, still oblivious that more than half of Se-ra's words were lies, kept expressing his admiration. How long would he stay this naive?
"No injuries, I hope?"
"None at all. My mental barrier is pretty sturdy."
"That's a relief. Still, try not to do anything too risky before entering the labyrinth."
"Yeah, I should be more careful from now on. Having the labyrinth right ahead has me on edge already."
Her words flowed as smoothly as if her tongue had been oiled. If Kang Se-jun or Seong Ja-rim had been there, they would've shouted at the innocent Christopher, You've been duped! Too bad for him.
"I hope you return safely this time too."
"Thank you."
With her business done, Se-ra was about to head out. But Christopher fidgeted, lips twitching like he had something to say.
"Something wrong?"
"Ah, it's just... I'm not sure if I should be the one telling you this."
"What is it? You kept my secret, so I'll hear you out."
"Please don't take it the wrong way. The truth is, Association President Milan asked me to pass along a message."
Joe Milan. America's first-generation S-rank awakener and association president.
Se-ra's lips twisted at the name.
"Ah, the American association president."
"I'm not asking too much of you! I don't even have the right!"
Christopher hurriedly protested his innocence. Se-ra didn't suspect him anyway. Someone like that wouldn't have kept her identity secret in the first place.
"He seems to have something important to say to you, so if you ever change your mind, please consider meeting him. Of course, if you'd rather not, that's fine too."
See? It wasn't empty talkhe meant it. Makes sense; Christopher was close to both the U.S. government and association, so he'd probably been hounded from all sides.
"I'll think about it. Just think."
Christopher wisely nodded without pushing further, recognizing the firm resolve behind Se-ra's smile.
"I've held up a busy person's time. Rest well until you enter the labyrinth. The American association won't pressure you into meeting either."
"Thanks for the heads-up. See you later."
"Y-Yes...!"
He lit up at the "see you later." After an enthusiastic farewell, Se-ra turned to leave. What was there about her that made him so happy?
Joe Milan must be getting anxious.
According to Song Han-na, he'd even contacted the Korean president to push. Of course, they were on her side, so they ignored him. No need to kowtow to America anymore, and the president was thrilled.
"Hmm~ Should I meet him or not?"
Joe Milan was probably lurking somewhere nearby right now. But did she really need to bother?
Se-ra hummed a tune and walked off lightly.
* * *
"So this is the labyrinth gate..."
The day the labyrinth's 8th floor opened.
Stepping onto Labyrinth Island for the first time, Se-ra's eyes widened at the thrilling energy.
On the barren land without a single blade of grass or tree stood a massive gate all alone.
The crimson gate, one she'd never seen before, churned violently, radiating an ominous aura. Kang Se-jun had told her it was a sign it would open soon.
"Does it connect straight to the 8th floor?"
"Yeah. Once cleared, the dungeon collapses just like anywhere else."
Yoon Jae-hun naturally fielded her question.
Athena's people had arrived via a different route, bypassing Hawaii. Rumors swirled that Athena had a hidden base nearby since they always did this. Se-ra didn't know where Jae-hun stayed either, of course.
"The pressure is no joke. I'm breaking a sweat."
It was incomparable to the Rank-1 gates in Cheorwon or Japan.
"It'll get worse once it fully opens. Normally, you don't feel a speck of mana, but during opening season, it leaks out like this. Weird, right?"
"Weird. Hey, did you eat with an aspen tree or something? How long are you gonna shake? You're making me vibrate."
Yoon Jae-hun gave an awkward smile and hid his hands behind his back. Sure enough, his body was trembling visibly from tension.
"The guy who never shook going in alone or with his team couldn't sleep a wink because his little sister was going."
Ali approached. Unlike Jae-hun, she seemed utterly relaxed despite heading into the labyrinth herself.
"Hello, Captain."
"Hey there, Headbang. Fooling everyone with that innocent face."
"Hahaha. You heard too, Captain."
"Yeah. Never dreamed you'd trick people so completely with that mild-mannered look. You know how shocked I was seeing the news? What're your guts made of, steel?"
"I didn't mean to deceive anyone, but it turned out that way. Sorry. You didn't chew out my brother, right?"
"Wanted to sock him good. But I held back, scared some L-rank would go berserk if I hurt my fragile little brother."
Se-ra, who had been subtly checking Jae-hun over, coughed awkwardly at Ali's words. She'd teased Jae-hun for overprotecting his sister, but it went both ways.
"Even sent the Phantom Lord to the afterlife without a scratch. Gotta watch my step around a powerhouse like that. Your skills must be insane, little brother."
"It was possible because it was the Phantom Lord. My mental barrier blocks all mental intrusions."
"That's skill too. Wonder if I'll get a show in this labyrinth. You're more intriguing than that omniscient mage."
From F-rank to S-rank, even L-rank in a meteoric risethere was no one like her worldwide. No wonder all eyes were on Se-ra.
"Let's see what an L-rank space ability user can do."
"I'll live up to expectations."
Se-ra smiled brightly.
The message hit every awakener just as a massive mana surge erupted from the bright red gate. It was potent enough to knock out anyone B-rank or lower.
Even as her skin prickled, Se-ra stood firm, eyes locked on the gate.
Finally, into the labyrinth.
"Prepare to enter!"
Julian Martinez, Ethan J. Garcia, Oliver Roth, Monique Libri, Ali Russo, Kang Se-jun, Seong Ja-rim, and Yoon Se-ra.
All eight L-rank hunters lined up before the gate. A force that could topple the world, yet the onlookers gazed at them with unease.
The door sealing a catastrophe was that terrifying.
The ominously flickering red portal burst with brilliant light. The day it turned green, the world would become hell. The raid team's sole goal was to prevent that.
"Let's go."
Led by Ali Russo, the raid leader, everyone stepped through the gate. Se-ra strode forward vigorously, feeling her family's worried gazes on her.
"Ugh!"
No sooner had they entered than everyone groaned and shielded their faces. Intense heat scorched their skin. A flame zone, apparently. Even L-rank hunters resistant to most temperatures struggled to breatheit was trouble.
"Heat control."
"Stamina boost."
Kang Se-jun and Monique activated their abilities simultaneously. The suffocating heat eased, and their heavy bodies lightened.
"Damn labyrinth. Zones changing is just basic."
Ethan rubbed his shoulders, grumbling, then eyed the shimmering message ahead.
Collapsed Apocalyptic World.
No one among the eight glossed over the name lightly.
"Apocalyptic World, huh."
Apocalypsesomething hidden revealed. And it had collapsed.
"No clue what it means, but one thing's clear."
Vast wasteland. The sky blazed, vegetation gone, sulfur stench rising from surging lava.
Worse than Cheorwon after terraforming turned it to a lava zone.
"A world of ruin."