Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Rescue Team (1)
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The atmosphere inside the office was unbearably heavy.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
There were over a dozen people in the room, but the only distinct sound was the second hand of the clock. No casual chatter as usual, no outbursts of anger-filled shouts. Just a suffocating silence that spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation.
The door burst open as one guild member entered and strode straight toward the man seated at the far end.
"Vice Guild Master, I've compiled all the information from the gate investigation you requested."
The middle-aged man thanked him for his efforts and began flipping through the thick stack of papers.
Unable to send anyone beyond the gate, they had gathered every scouting ability user they knew and had them examine it. The results were all written down on those sheets.
After skimming through everything, the man rose from his chair.
"Come report."
He moved quickly to a door. Before entering, he took a deep breath. In this moment, even his position as vice guild master of one of the Four Great Guilds meant nothing.
He knocked and spoke toward the door.
"Guild Master, the investigation is complete."
The reply came immediately. He opened the door and stepped inside. The first thing he saw was a man's back.
His graying hair betrayed his age. Yet his naturally robust physique and the traces of a hard-lived life etched upon it made it impossible to call him simply old.
The man spoke without turning from the window.
"Report."
"Yes. It's a one-way gate shaped like a maze with multiple branching paths. Rather than fixed types, it features a variety of monsters, including ones we judge likely to inflict mental damage. Otherwise..."
The detailed report continued. All this intel gathered without ever entering the gate. An outsider overhearing might have marveled at their information network.
But not them. Once the report ended, the man with his back turned asked,
"Any guesses on the cause?"
"...We found nothing."
A heavy silence fell.
It was just more details. In the big picture, it changed nothing from what they already knew.
After Jin Seohyeon nearly died during the last raid, Arang Guild had ramped up pre-raid investigations obsessively, tolerating no variables, however small.
But another accident had occurred. Being a one-way gate, they couldn't know what happened inside. However, with the projected clear time doubled and exceeded, it couldn't be dismissed as mere "delay"—this was a clear incident.
Could they have missed a variable? Any oversights? Ignoring the costs, they investigated again. This was the result.
At minimum, among what could be learned from outside the gate, there were no overlooked variables.
The man by the window spoke.
"Is the rescue team assembled?"
"For now... the lineup is set."
The man listed names one by one. But his voice lacked conviction.
The raid team trapped inside was Arang Guild's core force. Replacements existed, but they'd inevitably be inferior. If even the top-tier unit had an accident, what good would sending lesser members do?
"Hansu."
"No."
Instant refusal. Whenever the guild master called him by name, it never led to good news. And in this situation, the intent was obvious.
The guild master himself planned to join the rescue team.
"You know the association chair won't stop at warnings this time."
It was born of sheer frustration, but he knew it too. He could only sigh.
It meant Arang Guild's power alone could no longer resolve this.
This wasn't a situation for stubborn pride.
"I'll contact the association."
*
The association was in chaos when I arrived after their call. Gone was the usual orderly atmosphere; staff rushed about frantically.
Kang Jiwon pulled me from the hectic lobby into a room. Once alone, she cut straight to it.
"Can Han Yujin defend against mental attacks with your ability?"
Straight to the point, unlike her. The urgency must be extreme. No context, but I nodded anyway.
The elite monster from before, the forest spirit Libea. After her魅惑 nearly wiped us out, I'd pondered countermeasures. Imperfect, but it had worked.
Seeing my nod, Kang Jiwon finally explained.
"As you've heard, there's been an accident with Arang Guild's raid team. Gate properties prevent checking inside, so they're forming a rescue team."
She continued promptly.
"But short-staffed, they requested association support: a few hunters matching specific criteria."
The association wasn't thrilled about top hunters dying on their watch, so they promised aid. But the criteria were precise, requiring careful selection.
Four conditions total. The first named someone specifically, so not really a condition. The real choices were two through four.
2. A-rank or higher hunter able to attack multiple enemies from range (mages excluded).
3. A-rank or higher hunter with support or healing abilities.
4. Hunter able to counter mental attacks.
Hearing Kang Jiwon's rundown, I was impressed inwardly. Two and three were standard, but four? No ignoramus could specify that.
One-way gate, no internal scouting—impressive intel.
Then her initial question clicked.
"Would you join the rescue team, Han Yujin?"
"Big rank gap—sure that's okay?"
"As long as you fulfill the role, rank doesn't matter, they said. Even they know demanding an A-rank for that is excessive."
Mental defense abilities weren't common. Only psychics or rare support types, and expecting high-rank was a stretch.
But why me? The association had hunters fulfilling three and four simultaneously in that "excessive" demand.
"What about Cha Jiye?"
Her "Song of the Heart" was top-tier support. Cha Jiye could buff and block mental attacks—an ideal A-rank supporter.
Perfect fit, so why...?
Kang Jiwon answered immediately.
"No contact; she's filming. Time's critical—we can't wait."
Filming duration unknown, post-schedule unclear even if it ended soon.
Better a sure second choice than gambling on slim hope.
She asked again for my decision.
"What do you say?"
This wasn't a mission—no penalties for refusing.
I wasn't the only match either. They'd call the next candidate, repeat the pitch.
No pressure.
Suppress emotions, think rationally.
Would my presence change the rescue's outcome? A-rank gate, mere D-rank me? Likely useless.
Saving Jin Seohyeon before worked because it was pre-incident. Now, post-accident—maybe irreversible already.
Then I checked my smartphone. Unlocking revealed a chat. I'd messaged her after seeing the news article.
[Me: You okay?]
No reply. The "1" unread mark lingered.
Staring a moment, I replied.
"I'll join."
I might be useless. Too late already.
But... I didn't want to sit idle and regret it.
*
Last to commit, I moved out immediately.
Atop the roof, I boarded the helicopter I'd ridden before. Inside sat the other three support hunters. I exchanged light greetings with two.
"Please take care of me."
Im Ayoung, A-rank healer, bowed slightly,
"Don't go picking fights you can't handle."
Jeon Do-hyeok, A-rank electricity manipulator, smirked and offered a handshake.
Handshake done, I turned to the last member.
Arang Guild's named first-condition hunter. Association exclusive, but closely tied to them.
S-rank Hunter Nam Sowol watched me silently.
"Thanks for last time."
I bowed; she nodded back. No more words.
"Departing."
Whirr!
With the pilot's words, rotors spun. The craft lifted, heading for the gate.