Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 66
Having just one L-rank versus two for assaulting a 1st-grade dungeon was a world of difference, so everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Come to think of it, aren't you the Archmage of Omniscience? If you can use every attribute, can't you cast a teleportation spell?
Joo Eun asked, but Kang Se-jun shook his head with a regretful look on his face.
That doesn't mean my proficiency in them is all L-rank. Besides, Seong Ja-rim is currently somewhere other than Seoul right now, so it'd take at least several dozen minutes. If we did that...
We'd definitely die. So we have to hold out until we can reach a distance where we can make a round trip in one go.
Let's set our goal as weakening it as much as possible.
Okay.
Eun In-jae, clad in crimson armor, slammed a shield the size of her body into the ground with a thud. The fierce Doo-eok-si-ni emblem engraved on the front of the shield glowed brightly.
Eastern Azure Emperor Demon-Slaying General, Western White Emperor Demon-Slaying General, Southern Crimson Emperor Demon-Slaying General, Northern Black Emperor Demon-Slaying General.
Four wooden jangseung totems rose up from all four cardinal directions. As a reddish glow emanated from the jangseung, the morale of the entire raid party surged. It was the power of protection and blessing inherent in the totems.
This should be enough to hold out, right?
More than enough.
Yoon Jae-hun grinned as she and Do Jun-young took positions to support Eun In-jae from behind.
Following the power of the jangseung, Han Su-eonwielding water attribute magicunleashed his spells, slowing the oozing flow of lava. The heat subsided noticeably as a result, allowing Joo Eun to properly aim at the magical beast.
Argh, screw it! I don't care! I'll keep you all alive, so just kill the damn thing!
The raid's core attacker, Yoo Su-eun, bellowed from behind Kang Se-jun.
Kraaaah! With the massive magical beast's roar, the battle began.
* * *
Yoon Se-ra let out a sigh at the administrator's message. Unlike usual, there were no playful emoticons, which meant the situation was dire.
Cheorwon Dungeon's open.
No word from the Association?
No sooner had Ja-rim asked than Se-ra's phone rang. The caller ID was her terrifying "auntie."
...Should I even pick this up?
If you don't, that scary sister will rampage even more.
Hmm. Can't have that. Se-ra took several deep breaths before cautiously answering.
Yoon Se-ra! Where are you right now!
The voice that poured out was so intimidating that Se-ra pulled the phone away from her ear and switched to speaker. Maybe getting scolded together with Ja-rim wouldn't be so bad.
Where the hell did you and Seong Ja-rim run off to!
It worked perfectly. Ja-rim's face turned pale.
What's up? Something happen?
Pretending to be calm, Se-ra asked, and a despairing voice replied.
...The dungeon. It broke.
It finally happened.
So get to my place right now. Seong Ja-rim's with you, right?
Yeah, she is.
Se-ra answered while glancing at Ja-rim, who met her eyes and silently asked what to do.
Yeah, what should we say?
But seriously, where are you? What's that noise? Wind?
Nailed it. The two were currently heading to Cheorwon. On foot, no less.
It would take over four hours by car, but with their legs, two hours would do it. Still, they couldn't exactly admit that.
Windows open while I'm driving. I came down to some rural spot for a bit and I'm heading back up, so don't worry.
Rural spot? Where?
Taebaek Mountains. Had some business with that shaman the Jeong Ho-young guild master introduced me to before.
It wasn't a complete lie, so the words flowed more smoothly than when outright acting.
Then head straight to my place. And put Seong Ja-rim on?
I'm listening too. Speak.
Sorry to ask this of you, but can you head to Cheorwon right now?
Fine by me, but why? Not enough firepower with the people already there?
Got word from the support team. It's just...
What? What's going on? I need to know to prepare.
...Se-ra, you listening?
Se-ra and Ja-rim exchanged glances. No matter how they sliced it, something major had gone wrong.
Just say it.
Sigh. The dungeon's grade jumped a level.
Se-ra's eyes widened. Cheorwon was 2nd-grade; one level up meant...
It's 1st-grade now. So Ja-rim, please, head there.
Guess I really have to go.
Se-ra, I know it'll worry you, but don't stray anywhere elsecome straight to Seoul. Wait at my place.
Se-ra finally realized why Song Han-na kept repeating that.
Please.
But she couldn't promise she would. She'd already heard Baek Hee-won's words that she absolutely had to go to Cheorwon.
It was 1st-grade, not even 2nd, so she wondered how much help she'd be, but she had a unique edge over the others, so she'd trust in that.
I'll call when we arrive.
Song Han-na, missing that Se-ra had omitted the subject on purpose, sighed in relief and hung up.
Se-ra, you're going to Cheorwon, right?
Obviously. I didn't liewe left Taebaek and we're heading back up. Just not in a car.
If they find out later, it won't end with a scolding.
But if oppaor anyone theredies, that scolding turns to sighs and tears. Better a lecture any day.
Yeah, fair point. One more thing.
What?
You know if you fight there, your identity's gonna get exposed, right?
It was an unexpectedly serious remark. Ja-rim was looking at her with unprecedented gravity. After two months together, Se-ra knew: she was worried.
When had they grown this close? Se-ra smiled and asked.
Do you know why I don't want to reveal who I am?
Uh? 'Cause you don't wanna disrupt your peaceful life? Hate the hassle?
Right. So why would I want that kind of life?
Uh, um...
Mom died. Fighting the boss of the Cheorwon Dungeon.
Se-ra continued flatly, as if it were just another tragedy.
She was a hero. But you know what? Being a hero means carrying everyone's expectations. Heroes are easy to swing around.
...
Unlike the Association President, Mom got wielded by the government under the banner of public safety and died trying to protect everyone. I don't want to live like that.
That conviction hadn't changed.
She didn't want to die. She didn't want to be swung around just because she had great power.
Living to meet people's expectations, forcing herself into hated tasksthat life was unbearable.
But no matter how important that is, it's not enough to abandon my last remaining oppa.
Se-ra, who'd been speaking indifferently, flashed Ja-rim a grin. It was a bold smile with no lingering attachment to hiding her identity.
So it's fine. Plus, it's not like 12 years agoI won't get played for a fool. And above all, the Association President's there.
Song Han-na had worked tirelessly for 12 years to prevent another awakener from being exploited by a greedy government and brutally murdered like her mother.
It was time enough to bear fruit.
So don't worry and run. Can't have oppa or anyone dying after psyching ourselves up.
Got it.
The two poured strength into their legs and sped up.
In a hunter world ruled by magic, here they were, running analog-style. No choice but to hoof it, but it sure felt deflating.
If only a spatial teleport ability would drop from the sky.
* * *
Less than an hour into the battle, the area around the dungeon was a total wasteland. Thanks to the dog-like magical beastsome kind of sentinelspewing fire from its maw.
Han Su-eon!
As the beast unleashed another torrent of flames, the two mages cast spells in unison. Han Su-eon's water magic subdued part of the fire, while Kang Se-jun's fire magic devoured most of it.
As visibility cleared, Joo Eun drew a massive bow gleaming white. The single arrow he loosed split into hundreds in an instant, embedding across the beast's body. It was the unique ability of his weapon, White Bow.
The arrows, forged from Joo Eun's mana, caused agony, making the beast roar and stagger. Do Jun-young and Yoon Jae-hun seized the opening to strike simultaneously.
It wasn't a decisive wound, but the raid party clearly had the upper hand. They were worlds apart from the hunters of 12 years ago, who hadn't even awakened for a full year and barely grasped their powers.
Incoming attack again!
As the beast emanated mana, five meteor-like fireballs floated in the air. The most infuriating thing about this beast was its ability to use magic.
Everyone, fall back!
Eun In-jae, in red armor, charged with her Doo-eok-si-ni shield raised. Yoo Su-eun supported her from the rear.
The duo's strongest defense blocked the attack. But it was still a 1st-grade beast. It couldn't fully neutralize itthe armor was pierced, leaving burns on her skin.
God, this is annoying! A magic-casting beast! This is why I hate magical beasts! You never know what tricks they'll pull!
Yoo Su-eun yelled, snapping her fingers. The shield's mana healed Eun In-jae's wounds and restored her stamina.
Reinvigorated, Eun In-jae pulled out a new shield and jammed it into the beast's maw as it geared up for another blast.
It's enchanted with stun magic. Can't cast till it breaks it.
The beast's body shuddered from the stun transmitted through its mucous membranes. As Eun In-jae retreated, Han Su-eon unleashed a deluge on it.
The ambient heat will dry it fast. Let's go now.
The two mages cast simultaneously.
Attribute conversion, lightning activation.
7th Circle Chant: Wall Thunder.
A blue magic circle bloomed under the beast's feet, a red one above its head like a flower. Kang Se-jun snapped his fingers.
8th Circle Chant: Magic Circle Linkage.
As casting completed, enormous lightning surged between the linked circles. To the beast, soaked by Han Su-eon's water magic, it was like a direct thunderbolt strike.
Damn. Han Su-eon using clashing attributes is cheat enough, but with Kang Se-jun? Insane.
Yoo Su-eun, watching from afar, stuck out her tongue.
A reinforcement spell linking two different magic circles to stack effects.
Easier said than donelinking your magic with someone else's was incredibly hard and risky. How many mages in the world could pull that off so effortlessly?
Kang Se-jun's ability to wield all attributes really was broken.
But that's not the end of it, right?
Unfortunately not.
Yoo Su-eun swallowed hard. Joo Eun sighed.
As the lightning faded, the beast's fur was scorched, wounds torn open with lava-like blood dripping, but it wasn't critical.
Still brimming with vigor, it crunched through the shield in its mouth. A magic-user with joke-tier defense.
How the hell did they fight this 12 years ago? Back then, it wasn't just the bosstons of other monsters too.
Normally, dungeons held the boss and its horde. But this Cheorwon Dungeon had only the boss.
Thanks to the hunters of old who'd risked their lives to cull most of them. Otherwise, it'd be far worse now.
I'll take the vanguard.
Kang Se-jun stepped forward for the first time.
Dragging this out any longer just wears us down.