Chapter 19
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Inex Gate
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Monsters inside hidden gates recognized her as an enemy regardless of favorability. That much she already knew.
But she had been able to max out favorability with the Ogre Queen and the Bound Kalikan.
"Why is that?"
―She puts in quite the effort imitating that one, but it’s no use on these guys.
As the Cursed Drayger flapped its wings, the Bewitched Draygers took to the air in unison.
An unimaginable number, too vast to even estimate.
'If each one of those countless Draygers spits out a fireball...'
She stopped herself from thinking further.
No D-rank hunter could possibly stand against a horde of A-rank monsters.
And even if, by some miracle, she took out the Bewitched Draygers, how was she supposed to beat the Cursed Drayger with its H-mark?
Ever since her hidden abilities came to light, she'd felt herself growing at a rapid pace, which had filled her with quiet pride.
She'd even temporarily ranked up from F-rank healer to D-rank conqueror.
Knowing full well it was absurd, she'd still pushed forward into gates to satisfy her curiosity.
Perhaps it was because her instincts told her she wouldn't die just yet.
After her encounter with Keres, she now truly understood what death meant. Anything less threatening than Keres couldn't possibly scare her.
But right now, Lee Ru-ri was afraid.
'Why did Keres spare me?'
The skeletons saw her as one of the dead.
An endless labyrinth.
She stared blankly at the horde of Bewitched Draygers hovering in the air, awaiting orders from the Cursed Drayger.
I'm really going to die this time.
She drew in a deep breath, and that's when a nauseating stench of blood assaulted her nostrils from somewhere.
"I smell death."
The words slipped out unbidden.
"I still want to live."
The Cursed Drayger eyed her with interest before speaking.
―Lowly creature, what do you feel right now?
"I want to burn away this rotten stench of death... completely."
That was when it happened.
Extinction has evolved
Black Vortex Form (Unknown Effect)
Black energy rippled from both her hands, soon erupting into a massive vortex that shook the entire gate.
"Why now?"
The airborne Draygers scattered higher to evade the black vortex.
Ru-ri scanned her surroundings from within the vortex, trying to grasp the situation.
Then, suddenly, the oppressive presence of the Cursed Drayger faded in an instant.
In its place, a dark, eerie aura enveloped her.
At the same time, an even more stomach-churning rotten blood stench filled the gate.
She pinched her nose, fighting nausea, and thrashed to escape the vortex.
When she finally broke free and regained her vision, she saw the Cursed Drayger cowering in terror.
"What? Why are you freaking out all of a sudden?"
―You...!
Swoosh!
One of the hovering Draygers suddenly spat a fireball at Ru-ri.
She dodged it by a hair's breadth, irritation flaring up.
"Make some noise next time?"
Anger surged at how close she'd come to death.
She thrust her hand toward the offending Drayger and unleashed Extinction.
But the Extinction hurtling forth looked different from before.
It wasn't the usual blazing inferno of fire.
It was a massive orb shrouded in immense black energy.
The black orb engulfed one Bewitched Drayger whole.
The swallowed Drayger crumbled into black ash, scattering like dust.
"What was that just now?"
Startled, the Draygers unleashed a barrage of fireballs at her.
The Cursed Drayger remained huddled by the door, watching her fight in fear.
"Hey, why are you so scared?"
The Cursed Drayger didn't respond.
For now, Ru-ri dodged the incoming fireballs and rained Extinction on the airborne Draygers.
Just as before, Extinction manifested as massive black orbs, devouring and incinerating the Draygers.
"Why did my skill suddenly change?"
The situation had flipped from what she'd thought was her end moments ago.
It was now fully reversed.
The Bewitched Draygers burned away one by one.
The Cursed Drayger chanted some incantation continuously.
It seemed to be searching for a way to turn the tide, but it was futile.
The Draygers' morale shattered spectacularly, and she mercilessly incinerated the last one.
The area before the Cursed Drayger was piled high with black ash.
"This feels weird."
As she steadied her ragged breathing, an unfamiliar sensation sparked sudden fear.
The Drayger spoke to her in disbelief.
―You surely couldn't have beaten me.
She waited for its next words.
―But now, I cannot beat you.
"You can't beat me?"
The Cursed Drayger ignored her question and slowly stepped aside from the door.
―Do what you originally intended.
"Why the sudden change?"
Instead of answering, the Cursed Drayger gazed at her intently.
Ding.
You have acquired Cursed Drayger's Gift. Would you like to confirm? Y/N
Her status window opened automatically with the alert.
"Keres gave me a 'gift' too. Do you know Keres?"
The Drayger simply stared without answering.
It didn't seem inclined to speak, so she cautiously selected the Drayger's gift.
Cursed Drayger's Gift
Acquired new skill: <Aura of Submission>
"I didn't even gain your favor. How can you give me a skill?"
―That H-mark you see is likely borne by those hidden in this place. What you call gates is a space where the nameless and the named like me coexist. The named have wills, and the monarchs ruling the named have purposes. I have offered you mine of my own will.
"Will and purpose..."
Ru-ri mulled over the Drayger's words as she checked the new skill's details.
Without hesitation, she cast Aura of Submission on the Drayger.
Ding.
Drayger's favorability has increased by 500. Current favorability: 500
"Is it really okay to just take something like this?"
―Trivial compared to the monarchs' purposes. Do what you intended and move forward.
"You know what I'm trying to do?"
The Drayger snorted hot breath in lieu of an answer.
Ru-ri used the skill from the Drayger to max out its favorability in short order.
Ding. Ding.
Cursed Drayger's favorability has increased by 1,000,000.
Total accumulated favorability with target: 1,000,000
(S) Hidden Skill Activated (Success): Completed 1 condition. (Remaining conditions ― Total 7)
(SS) Hidden Skill Activated (Failure): Conditions not met.
The Drayger gazed at Ru-ri, who pondered the still-mysterious hidden skill, and spoke.
―In a short time, we shall meet again. I wish you fortune.
"If I conquer the boss inside safely and keep tackling hidden gates, sure. Thanks for the skill anyway. See you."
She gave the Drayger a small smile.
The Drayger silently nudged her toward the door where the boss awaited.
"Director, you're here?"
"Where's Ru-ri?"
"Hey, Seung-woo. Don't I get a greeting? Straight to Ru-ri the second you arrive?"
"Ah, Teacher's here too."
"What exactly is going on between you two?"
"Noona, there really is something! I was just telling Ru-ri—"
"Choi Si-jin."
"Eep. I'll prep the meeting right away."
"No. Since Teacher Kwon went straight to Teacher Im's room upon arrival, move Teacher's luggage to the guest room first."
"Ah, yes. Anything else?"
"Teacher Kwon's probably hungry. The in-flight meal was awful."
"Shall I prepare the dining hall for the meeting?"
"That'd be great."
"I'll be off."
Yang Jeong-hyun poked Han Seung-woo's side as she watched Choi Si-jin hurry away.
"I haven't told Ru-ri yet, but she's D-rank."
"Pardon?"
"You probably heard from Si-jin, but we've set her as a D-rank raider for now. Though in my opinion, she's a bit over C-rank but not quite B."
"That strong?"
"Her D-rank monster kill speed was brutal."
"Ah, Japan didn't factor kill speed into the assessment. Damn..."
"Better to keep her publicly D-rank and low-profile. Remember Il-won?"
"How could I forget Teacher Yoo."
"Mana control is almost identical."
"Ru-ri and Teacher Yoo?"
"Yeah. I'll need to keep a close eye while healing her myself."
"If you're watching, no worries."
"Guild assignment goes as we planned?"
"Yes. Chairman Han seems done with hunter management entirely. He's thrilled about raking in international cash—couldn't hide his grin, both him and his son."
"Money grubbers. Once guild system announcement drops, won't that bring its own headaches?"
"They'll probably dump guild management on me. Though they'll decide the authority themselves."
"At least if they fill the ranks properly."
"Don't forget we've been handling low-rank hunter management just me and Si-jin for five years straight."
"Annoying bunch."
They moved to Yang Jeong-hyun's lab, chatting away, when Choi Si-jin messaged the dining hall location.
The two headed there.
"Teacher Lee."
Han Seung-woo bowed politely to Lee Sang-chun.
"Director Han, you've had it rough."
"Not at all. How's gate research?"
"This super-large gate's a headache."
Kwon Dong-nyeon watched them briefly before chiming in.
"Sang-chun, I think we need to be cautious about subjugating the gate itself right now."
"I'm thinking the same. Chairman Han seems to have completely forgotten the gate break that hit simultaneously with the first one at Namsan Tower."
Yang Jeong-hyun distributed thick stacks of documents and continued.
"This is the data Si-jin and I compiled on super-large gate control patterns. We cross-referenced info from Japan and Beijing with our own, but this new gate's pattern is entirely novel."
Han Seung-woo flipped through the documents Yang handed him and added,
"With Chairman Han in the US, we should get their data too and run comparisons."
Lee Sang-chun nodded thoughtfully, then seemed to organize his thoughts and addressed everyone.
"For now, let's name this suspicious new-pattern gate 'Inex'."
"Inex Gate..."
"Jeong-hyun Yang, keep investigating Inex Gate patterns with Si-jin."
"Yes, understood."
Han Seung-woo, checking his status window, continued.
"I'll resubmit my opinion on gate subjugation risks to Chairman Han."
Kwon Dong-nyeon turned to him and said,
"Director Han, let me handle that. He ignores Sang-chun anyway—no need to sour your face. After my long overseas stint, it might carry some weight."
"That senile old coot kills my appetite."
Everyone chuckled quietly at Sang-chun's grumble as he eyed his approaching sixtieth birthday.