Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: E-Rank Gate (4)
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"Just a little further, and we'll reach the boss room! They say family traits run deep—can Lee Ji-hyun really match the feat her sister Lee Ha-eun recorded three years ago? Time is still on our side. But this gate's boss won't go down easy!"
The announcer's commentary drew everyone's attention to the screen.
For freshmen from Hunter Academy to clear an E-Rank Gate was an incredible achievement. This practical training featured a strict time limit, designed so only teams of higher-rank hunters could succeed!
That explained why guild hunters and reporters swarmed the academy, turning it into entertainment like this.
"Creator Lee Hye-ryeong... You've been avoiding me lately. Is something wrong?"
It was only natural for Lee Jun-hyeok to show up to watch his beloved little sister shine, and just as natural for Lee Hye-ryeong—Park A-jun's bitch—to be there too.
Before entering the boss room, as his sister made final preparations, Lee Jun-hyeok used the break to pursue some business.
He approached Lee Hye-ryeong, who hadn't sought him out lately.
"Don't talk to me anymore."
"Oh... If I've done something wrong... I truly apologize. I'll honor the deal we made before, anytime you want, no refusals."
Incestuous sex disgusted Lee Jun-hyeok, but he had no choice. Lee Hye-ryeong was one of only three S-Rank Creators in the country.
He needed to build that business connection.
So, even if it was humiliating, he could bow his head to her as much as needed.
"Sorry, but don't even talk to me. You're annoying."
"!!!"
Even after Lee Jun-hyeok yielded first, Lee Hye-ryeong remained ice-cold. Miracle might only feel like a cigarette to an S-Rank hunter, but she'd been a heavy smoker before awakening.
No way could she quit smokes—drugs—like that easily...!
That's why Lee Jun-hyeok clung stubbornly. To figure out what she really wanted...
"Come on, don't be like this. If it's money you're short on, I can provide more. Or maybe the frequency..."
"Shut your mouth..."
Unable to bear Lee Jun-hyeok dredging up her past she wanted buried, Lee Hye-ryeong grabbed his jaw.
She was Master's bitch now.
Yet this man—not even a man with his erectile clit, nor a proper woman—kept bringing up their relationship. It pissed her off.
"You bitch, how dare you touch the young master?!"
Even as a non-combat class, Lee Hye-ryeong was a full S-Rank.
More than enough to overpower a mere A-Rank like Lee Jun-hyeok. Her guards rushed toward her, ready to intervene.
A powder keg ready to blow.
"Tch. Just don't talk to me again and get lost. Got it? You're pissing me off."
As reporters and hunters gathered, mistaking the scene for a fight, Lee Hye-ryeong roughly released him, defusing the tension.
'Jackpot...'
One reporter had been snapping photos since she grabbed his jaw. By tomorrow, headlines like 'Star Cloud Guild Heir Rejected After Flirting with Lee Hye-ryeong!' would hit the papers.
Of course, that reporter wouldn't live long after publishing it.
"Why is she acting like this?"
Released by Lee Hye-ryeong, Lee Jun-hyeok couldn't understand her hostility but moved on to his next target.
"Professor Kim Se-yeon. Dr. Kim Yun-ji... Professor now, right? Nice to see you."
"Ah... yeah. What brings you here?"
"Just wanted to chat with SL Guild's founding members. Others won't even talk to big guilds like ours."
"Ah..."
Professor Kim Se-yeon glanced uncertainly at Professor Kim Yun-ji beside her, unsure how to respond.
"Those damn bitches wagging their tails...? Even in the week I was out cold? That bread was definitely cum-stuffed...!!"
But no help there. Professor Kim Yun-ji had been muttering incoherently in analysis mode since earlier.
"Star Cloud Guild wants to collaborate with SL Guild to avoid excessive competition over gates."
"You mean absorb us?"
"No, not at all. Just share gate management and split the profits. Honestly, isn't it a waste for SL Guild—with two S-Ranks—to handle only B-Rank gates when you can't even touch A-Rank or S-Rank ones? We'll open those for you and take a cut of the gains. What do you say?"
"Hmm..."
Lee Jun-hyeok's offer sounded sweet, but the contract would be riddled with poison clauses.
Professor Kim Se-yeon, expert in hunter work but clueless on guild deals, had to tread carefully.
Plus, she wasn't the guild master.
"Young master. Your coffee."
"Hand it over."
While Professor Kim Se-yeon pondered, Lee Jun-hyeok—who'd pre-ordered via subordinate—took the coffee and offered it to them.
"Here! Fresh luwak from premium beans, still hot. My treat. Take it. I can even hook you up with beans if you want."
Of course, laced with Miracle drug. Mere cigarette buzz for S-Ranks, but intensely addictive for A-Ranks—the worst narcotic around.
"Thank you."
Professor Kim Se-yeon reached for it, figuring coffee wasn't bribery.
Tak-!!
But Professor Kim Yun-ji's mechanical arm smacked it away.
"Hoo. Cut the childish crap and leave."
"...Sorry about that. I just wanted to build ties with SL Guild..."
Whirr-!!
Lee Jun-hyeok backed off as her mechanical arm approached.
'Tch... Too sharp.'
Miracle's scariest trait: unless sealed, its components vanished in 1-2 hours. Even if detected now, no evidence later.
Realizing Professor Kim Yun-ji's scholarly brilliance had sniffed out the spiked coffee, Lee Jun-hyeok retreated for now.
"Yun-ji, was that necessary?"
Professor Kim Se-yeon pulled wet wipes and tissues from her bag to clean the spill, asking Professor Kim Yun-ji.
"Yeah. Be careful next time."
To stay clean...
Professor Kim Yun-ji skipped the rest.
She hadn't known about the drug.
She just hated accepting anything from a man who wasn't Park A-jun. Kim Se-yeon would realize it eventually.
Thinking that, Professor Kim Yun-ji dumped both coffees on the ground. She couldn't handle Park A-jun's lust alone, so her friend Kim Se-yeon would join in...
Though she shot fierce jealousy at her other teammates just for living with him.
Finally at the boss room, we made our last preparations and entered. Even a boss was just E-Rank Gate level.
With A-Rank Black Mage Lee Ji-hyun, it'd be a one-shot kill.
Or so it should have been...
"What the hell! Its magic resistance is insane!!"
We entered the boss room and froze at the monster—nothing like the acid spiders or slimes before.
Gargoyle.
A statue mimicking a dragon, turned monstrous.
Its defining trait: modeled after fantasy's magic lords, dragons, it boasted ridiculous magic resistance.
Way too strong for an E-Rank Gate...!!
Physical resistance was rock-bottom since it was rock, but the problem was...
"Kik... Kik."
"My sword can't reach...!"
It flew.
Baek Hwa's blade couldn't touch it as it spewed fireballs from above.
Her Flying Sword had range, but not magic-level.
"Dodge!!"
Whoosh-!!
"Damn it. Flame Burst!!"
"Dark Rain...!!"
Team members dodged falling attacks while firing spells.
"Yu-rin! Mana recovery bread!"
"Here!!"
We kept blasting magic, but Park A-young and Lee Ji-hyun's mana drained faster than damage output.
We could grind it down eventually, but not in time to clear.
'Gotta ground it... Or at least let me hit it... How...? Ah!'
Dodging attacks while thinking, an idea hit.
"Yu-rin! Gimme that bag!"
"Huh? Why? Hurry! Grab the mana bread and give the rest to me!"
Snagging Cha Yu-rin's bag first, I turned to Baek Hwa last.
"...Are you insane?"
"Hurry! We won't clear like this."
With Baek Hwa's help, I launched my brilliant plan. One shot only.
No room for failure.