Chapter 7
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Death and Keres
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Lee Ru-ri stared at the favorability increase message in her status window and thought.
'It seems like Chairman Han really did sense something.'
She didn't even have the energy left to glance around.
All she could do was keep watching Han Seung-woo's health bar.
His HP hadn't dropped at all since she'd started healing him, but hers was still steadily decreasing.
The follow-up team heading to Japan would arrive at Narita Airport ten minutes before entering the gate.
That meant Han Ho's group had been handling important matters outside the gate and preparing for emergencies while they took down the gatekeeper.
Japan's first gate.
Just like in Korea, stabilizing the gate phenomenon required them to return and clear this place.
If Han Ho escaped safely and hurried back, at least Han Seung-woo might survive.
'I'm not scared of dying. What terrifies me is if Han Seung-woo can't hold on.'
Her eyelids grew heavier.
Lee Ru-ri planned to keep healing him until her very last breath.
Suddenly, she recalled hearing that the most painless death was from excessive blood loss.
"This is exactly how I look right now... Han Seung-woo, you at least survive. It was nice seeing you after so long."
Everything was starting to blur together.
She could instinctively tell she didn't have much time left.
Then, through her hazy vision, something darker and more ominous than the gate's gloom slithered closer.
Flaming, eerie eyes.
Staring into those eyes, she thought, This must be death.
—Kuhuhuhuhuhu.
The owner of those eyes laughed with a creepy sound.
Then it asked in a massive, ear-splitting voice that sent chills down her spine.
—Human, why do you seek death?
"Go away... I have no strength left....... You can't kill me because of the favorability. But Han Seung-woo... you can."
—You mean that human with the severed leg? He'll die soon anyway.
"Severed leg...? No! Ugh, cough."
Her outburst made breathing even harder than before.
—Human, you will die. How about begging me to spare you?
"No, save Han Seung-woo instead. I'll... die."
—Kuhahahahahaha! How amusing.
Lee Ru-ri, having squeezed out every last bit of strength to reply, stared blankly at the void with unfocused eyes.
Death no longer frightened her.
Thud, thud.
Those eerie eyes still blazed right in front of her nose, yet footsteps approached.
"Not just one, then."
—Kuhahahaha, every word is entertaining. I'll give two gifts to the human who amused me. If you truly wish to die, survive and come find me. I'll kill you as you desire.
The eerie eyes, the chilling voice, her barely clinging consciousness—all faded into haze and vanished.
Lee Ru-ri closed her eyes limply.
The last thing she heard before losing consciousness was an alarm.
You have acquired Keres's Gift. Would you like to check it? Y/N
After experiencing peak terror from being assaulted and torn apart by goblins, facing death no longer scared her.
But after witnessing a crew member's agonizing death with one leg ripped off, the fear of failing to prevent a meaningless death haunted her far more.
A dream where she fled from some unknown entity, gripped by that fear.
Watching Han Seung-woo die terrified her more than her own death.
"Ah, no! Han Seung-woo!"
"Ru-ri! I'm right here! Are you okay?"
"W-where...? S-Seung-woo?"
Her blurry vision cleared, revealing Han Seung-woo on the opposite side of the room, his legs in casts, wearing a dazed expression.
"H-how?!"
"Thanks to you, I survived."
"Thanks... to me?"
Still confused and struggling to grasp the situation, a nurse spotted her awake and hurriedly called the doctor.
"Lee Ru-ri? Let me check you over."
The doctor examined her carefully.
"Your condition looks stable. But the Association requested full checks, so we'll run the rest. Stay nil by mouth until tomorrow morning."
"O-okay. Got it......"
Lee Ru-ri watched the doctor and nurse leave the room, then asked Han Seung-woo.
"What happened?"
"I don't remember the details, but when the follow-up team entered the gate, the monster that attacked us was gone."
"Did it die?"
"No remains, so probably not. After clearing the drake debris, the gate closed. That means no more monsters generated there."
"Seung-woo, your legs......"
"I definitely felt them get severed, but it seems only the bones were badly shattered."
"Ha....... That's a relief......"
"In that moment when I thought I was done for, I felt your heal. Even then, on me......"
"Saving an A-rank hunter is way more useful than an F-rank......"
"I'll repay you properly."
"No! I didn't do it expecting anything!"
"You're awake."
Han Ho and Han Gyeol entered the room.
Han Ho's face, alternating glances between Han Seung-woo and Lee Ru-ri, was heavily shadowed.
"It was quite embarrassing. I feel ashamed to face you two."
"N-no! It was a wise choice!"
"I'm grateful you say that. I have many questions, but focus on recovering first."
After a few light words and a brief sit, Han Ho forced a smile and left with Han Gyeol.
Choi Si-jin, whom they passed at the door, bowed stiffly with a grumpy face, then rushed to Lee Ru-ri upon seeing her awake, grabbing her hand.
"Ru-ri? You okay?"
"Y-yes! I'm f-fine!"
Han Seung-woo scowled and stopped him.
"Choi Si-jin. What are you doing."
"Ah, s-sorry! I got too excited! You're really okay, right? Man, what a relief."
"What happened? Seung-woo doesn't know the details either."
"It's top secret."
"Top secret?"
Choi Si-jin lowered his voice so only they could hear.
"The first gate the Chairman failed to clear properly."
"That'll leave a stain for sure."
"But they cleared it......"
"They don't even know what hit them, the attacking monster vanished, the two they thought dead survived, and now it's just embarrassing."
"I don't quite......"
"Anyway, right after the gate closed, gates started popping up faster in Japan too. Same pattern as Korea."
"Korea's first gate had a massive magic stone. Here?"
"Yeah, same. They moved it to the strongest reaction site and are building temporary structures now. Once the HQ's done, hunter awakenings will start in Japan."
"More stable than we feared. Good."
Both sighed in relief at Choi Si-jin's explanation.
"Ru-ri. For a second, I thought I saw you talking to someone."
Han Seung-woo asked cautiously.
"I'm not sure either... but you know how hallucinations or auditory ones happen before death? I saw something weird, and it spoke to me."
"Weird? Explain in detail."
"Um... All I remember is a monster with an aura darker and more sinister than the gate itself."
"A monster capable of communication... If true, that's horrifying."
While Han Seung-woo and Choi Si-jin pondered, Lee Ru-ri replayed the events.
'Those eyes, the voice, and... definitely some entity's favorability went up.'
Slowly recalling, she opened her status window.
Seeing the new message alarm, she opened it—and froze like stone.
'What is this?'
Han Seung-woo noticed her odd expression.
"Ru-ri, you okay?"
"Huh? Oh! Yeah! I'm fine."
"Whew, you two are NPO, so I can't bring snacks......"
"I'm good. Have you eaten, Choi Si-jin?"
"Not yet. It was crazy busy. With the director laid up here, all the grunt work fell on me."
"Choi Si-jin, you complaining?"
"Heh, no way! I'll finish up and come back after work. Rest well!"
Choi Si-jin grinned playfully and left.
Lee Ru-ri pondered the message she'd just seen.
'That's definitely the monster whose favorability rose. Keres, Keres's Gift....... But its rank was weird. If I didn't missee, it was SS-class.'
Her head throbbed as she tried piecing together scattered memories.
Rubbing her temples hoping the headache would ease, Han Seung-woo asked again.
"You sure you're okay?"
"Yes. Just replaying what happened in the gate."
"S-rank tank and dealer, plus me. Top hunters couldn't even swing once."
A woman's scream brushed Lee Ru-ri's ears.
"Any other casualties in that gate besides us?"
"One B-rank healer... right there."
"Ah......"
Heavy silence filled the room.
'Han Seung-woo, how much can I trust him?'
Lee Ru-ri was special.
Or rather, she hadn't been, but became so by chance.
To fellow hunters, she was a useless healer unable to provide proper healing or regeneration.
But her heals made monsters feel favor toward her.
Gaining full favor from a monster granted its unique ability.
And that wasn't all.
She had one more unparalleled ability by chance: knowing monster info.
Just reach out to look, and her status window activated with its rank and name.
Was revealing this hidden power to Han Seung-woo wise?
She hesitated.
But if what she saw was real, this was a gravely dangerous sign.
The highest known monster rank was S.
An SS-class surpassing that threatened civilians and hunters entering gates to protect them.
As if resolved, she licked her dry lips and called to Han Seung-woo.
"Seung-woo."
"Yes?"
"My abilities suck, but my memory's sharp."
"Yes."
"That monster was definitely SS-class."
"Yes. Wait, what?"
Han Seung-woo, replying dryly, jolted in shock.
"First I've heard of SS-class monsters. We couldn't even see its form—how did you know it was SS?"
"Hard to explain. I know it's unbelievable... but it was an intelligent SS-class monster."
Han Seung-woo's face showed massive shock.
"But it's not confirmed, so can you give me some time?"
"Time for what?"
"You're big in the Association, right?"
"Well, my orders carry weight."
"After discharge, help me out."
"How?"
"I'll solo some gates for a bit. I know it's against your nature, but look the other way."
"Absolutely not. Cheon Ye-jong's crew issue isn't resolved, and we both nearly died."
Han Seung-woo was firm.
'He might think I'm crazy. But after sharing life and death, maybe a little......'
Lee Ru-ri called strongly.
"Seung-woo."
"No."
"That's not it."
"No."
"No, I can use monster skills!"