Chapter 51
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: [Zanjerko Who Plays Death]
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"The Chairman's on his way soon too... I can't wait to see him."
"They say Chairman Han thinks the world of you, Miss Ru-ri."
"He's the pillar of my life."
Kim Tae-woong gazed warmly at Lee Ru-ri as she blushed and bowed her head deeply, then continued.
"Dae-hee, you sure we can trust these folks?"
"Of course. They're the ones Chairman Han sent to protect us."
"In that case, I can finally stretch out and sleep easy!"
At Ham Dae-hee's words, Kim Tae-woong lit up with excitement, chatting amiably with everyone and ramping up the festive mood even higher.
"Ru-ri."
"Yes, Instructor Ham."
"Tae-woong hyung here will be a big help to you. He might seem a bit flighty, but I vouch for his skills. Knows a ton of stuff, too, surprisingly."
"Thank you so much."
"Let's do our best from here on out."
"Yes!"
The core members of Light partied hard into the late hours, drinking and bonding through a long night together.
Kwon Dong-nyeon and Yang Jeong-hyun headed to the re-evaluation room, chatting along the way.
"That sounds like the right move, doesn't it?"
"Having an Awakener not just in Han, but on our side too—it's like unlocking infinite potential to max out the guild's attack power."
"We'll go by the numbers for the group re-eval, then get the Awakener's help afterward."
"Dae-hee'll handle Han's re-eval. Since a Taster did the initial one, no funny business possible."
"Yeah. With you prepped for everything, Jeong-hyun, nothing should go wrong. What about Director Han?"
"Landing at the airport in three hours."
"Han wanted one of their guild members assigned as re-eval support staff."
"Yep, got the call this morning. Told them no other guilds, just handle Han Guild's re-evals, so I stuck him with Dae-hee."
"No issues, right?"
"Dae-hee's been around the block forever—total operator now. No worries."
As they entered the re-evaluation room, an unfamiliar man approached and greeted them.
"Hello. I'm Park Joo-hyung."
"Instructor Kwon, this is the guy."
"Chairman said to handle all of Han's re-evals? Gonna be a grind with their numbers."
"No problem. It's what I should do."
"Alright then, looking forward to working with you."
Park Joo-hyung bowed once more in greeting, then returned to the re-eval room marked with Han Guild's logo.
Ham Dae-hee, checking documents, spotted Yang Jeong-hyun and Kwon Dong-nyeon and strode over.
"Jeong-hyun."
"Yeah, Dae-hee. Keep an eye on that Park Joo-hyung guy."
"I am. Something off about him."
"Why?"
"Keeps staring at Ru-ri every chance he gets."
"Ru-ri?"
"Yeah. Makes me wonder if it's on Chairman Han's orders. Watching quietly for now."
Kwon Dong-nyeon asked,
"Why would Chairman Han be after Ru-ri..."
"This is confidential, but Chairman and Vice Chairman started watching Ru-ri after the An Young-hoon incident. The surveillance kicked up after Tokyo Tower Gate."
The three turned toward the voice.
It was Choi Si-jin.
"For real?"
"Yeah. During the Tokyo Tower Gate raid, I think Chairman really believed the Director and Ru-ri had died. But they came back fine, and the gate clear felt super shady. From what I know, that's when he started monitoring her every move."
"Monitoring? Jeez. So he knows everything we know about Ru-ri?"
"Not at all."
"He's tracking her every move—how could he not?"
"There's ways."
"Wait, Si-jin, how do you know all this?"
"Director had me do it, obviously."
"Seung-woo?"
"Noona, you've known our Director a while. Ru-ri's so unguarded and soft-hearted, Chairman slipped tons of his watchers in around her. Director countered by planting our people among them."
"Soft-hearted, sure, but she stresses everyone out. Anyway, so you've already got the scoop on Park Joo-hyung?"
"Of course. Chairman sent him to figure out Ru-ri's position. He must've heard Dae-hee started at Light. Hasn't caught wind on Teacher Kim yet, though."
"Guy can't deviate an inch, huh?"
"You and Teacher Kim watch out too, Instructor Ham. Anyway! Director's got people around Park, so no big issues. Just hold out till he arrives."
Everyone's faces hardened at Choi Si-jin's words.
After the Inex Gate failure, they'd assumed Han Ho was agonizing more over Han Gyeol's inevitable paralysis than his own injuries.
They'd been wrong.
Lee Ru-ri was busy handing out waiting tickets to hunters at the re-evaluation entrance.
Yang Jeong-hyun watched her quietly for a moment, then called softly.
"Ru-ri, why not knock out your re-eval first and hit a gate?"
"Huh? That okay?"
"Yeah. Everyone's assigned already—no need for you to grind it out."
"Well, honestly... I kinda wanted to run a couple B-ranks before Seung-woo gets here."
"Knew it. I'll have Si-jin push the HQ permit through fast. Head to the room. Eyes'll be on you. We practiced—let's fool 'em all proper."
"Got it!"
Last night.
Yang Jeong-hyun and Lee Ru-ri had practiced late in the lab to rig her rating as C-rank.
Using low-attack weapons, no cubes, dodging monster hits behind rocks.
Then, after dragging it out, hurl a black-mana mana ball to finish the monster—just barely scraping C-rank.
That was their goal for the official re-eval.
The eval room classified black-mana-wrapped balls as dark attribute.
Black mana had been the big worry, but a clear dark tag was a relief.
If it went like practice, the official re-eval would buy time to hide her position from Chairman Han.
'Phew, no mistakes!'
Lee Ru-ri entered the re-eval room tensely, step by step.
All the waiters focused on her re-eval.
Yang Jeong-hyun cranked the mic volume max so everyone heard: generating a C-rank monster for her.
Monster spawned. Ru-ri dragged time per practice, dodging behind rocks.
Faces lit with hype for top guild member's first re-eval, then soured at her pure defense.
Park Joo-hyung, Han's spy, watched with disbelief.
After a good while, Yang Jeong-hyun signaled Ru-ri—it was time. She blasted the monster with a mana ball.
All eyes on the board.
Beep.
Lee Ru-ri (C): Ranged Attacker (Dark — Wizard)
"Dark wizards are pretty rare, right?"
"Yeah, kinda wild."
"Saw the skill go black?"
"First time seeing dark attribute live."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
Lee Ru-ri emerged cautiously from the room.
Spotting the board late, she inwardly sighed in relief and scampered to Yang Jeong-hyun.
"Ru-ri, nailed it. Dark attribute's rare—they'll buzz about it. Go raid now."
"Right! Seung-woo... "
"Already texted him. Go make bank, no worries!"
Ru-ri flashed a bright grin at Yang Jeong-hyun's tease, then bolted from the re-eval room.
'Quick B-rank spin, then snag that contract.'
She checked new gate statuses, grabbed gear from her room.
Headed to the nearest B-rank gate.
Permit request at entrance—approved instantly.
Thanks to Yang Jeong-hyun, for sure.
Gathered skill points easy with Shadow Remnant, entered hidden gate waiting room.
Boss gate difficulty boost with Remnant's help, then sent it back.
'Snag the contract before Han Seung-woo arrives, then stick to C-ranks to dodge lectures. Hurry.'
Pumped internally, she relaxed and rushed into the hidden boss gate.
Whoosh.
Torch flames burst up instantly, jogging a tale from Drayger.
'Another named one awakened 'cause of me. Keres said no re-raiding contracted beasts... Gotta be a new one. Worst case, summon Drayger or Basilan.'
Lost in thought, she hugged the wall, bracing for traps.
Rumble rumble rumble.
'Knew something was coming.'
Gate shook; Ru-ri readied attack.
Moments later, music drifted from somewhere.
"Music?"
Familiar yet new melody.
Boom!
"Gah!"
A massive blast cut through the gentle tune, slamming her eardrums.
Ru-ri clamped her ears, dashed toward the music's source.
Boom boom!
The blast-laced melody seemed to pour from a distant battered piano.
Ru-ri hurled a rock at it full force.
Note-like afterimages circling the piano sharpened, instantly wrapping her rock.
They flung it back hard.
"Tch."
Ru-ri barely dodged; the rock shattered against the gate wall.
"Those notes over there—are they the monster?"
She reached toward the piano-attacking thing to check trap or beast.
A(H) — Zanjerko Who Plays Death
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"A monster, huh. But where?"
No sign despite looking around.
Just the ear-piercing blast-melody droning on.
Attacked the piano again.
Tried scattering note-afterimages with petal rain, blasting Extinction wildly.
No dice.
Monster HP bar stuck at 100%.
'Every time that ear-splitting noise hits, my HP ticks down a bit. Can't cube-heal it—must be a status effect... What the hell?'
Her HP bar looked fine.
Just dropping on each boom.
"Stop hiding and show yourself!"
Ru-ri bellowed at the lurker.
No reply from Zanjerko.
"Playing like that, huh."
Irritated, she chucked a Spear of Lament at the piano.
Aimed to smash it outright.
But a sharp scream pierced from nowhere.
—Hiiik.
Her spear hovered midair over the empty piano stool, bobbing.
"What, hiding there?"
Ru-ri unloaded skills at the stool.
Zanjerko's HP didn't budge.
Reluctantly, another Spear of Lament.
Before it vanished, she poured black mana onto the floating spear with all she had.
Dark energy flowed along it, revealing Zanjerko's form huddled invisibly on the stool.
"You're exposed now—come out!"
She slammed more black mana into the spear. Whatever cloaked Zanjerko shattered.
—Kheuk.
Transparent glass-shard-like bits rained down crashing to the floor.