Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Figure Who Revitalized Korea's Hunter World
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The figure who revived Korea's hunter scene.
Three days had already passed since the Black Portal incident in Yongsan-gu.
Fortunately, since it happened right near the Hunter Association branch, the crisis was resolved in just one day without any major casualties.
And according to the news...
The top contributor to this incident was the eldest daughter of Korea's premier hunter family—the leading heir to the Supreme Lee Clan and Seolgi's big sister, Lee Gok.
"You've worked hard, Princess."
"I only did what was expected of me as a hunter family."
I knew a fair bit about Lee Gok, of course.
Not that I'd met her in person, but anyone who studied hunters during school days couldn't help but learn about her.
Her achievements alone were astounding—she was the one who breathed new life into Korea's virtually nonexistent hunter community right after the Korean War ended.
If Branch Chief Im Eonnyeon laid the groundwork, Lee Gok was the one who danced upon it and scored the first big hit.
Korea was already one of the last Asian countries to adopt the hunter system, thanks to wars and colonization.
Even during the days of the Korean Empire, they kept dispatching armies to probe dungeons, which led to a lot of disdain from Western powers until the mid-20th century.
But as always in chaotic times, a hero emerges.
Asia's last to embrace the hunter system, yet the first to produce a hunter family with a millennium of history.
Lee Gok, Seolgi's big sister, laid the foundation for that proud title.
Thanks to her, it wasn't an exaggeration to say Korea now flew high as a hunter superpower.
"Come to think of it, doesn't that mean Seolgi has to compete for succession against a sister like that? ...I'm worried for her."
Following the branch chief's orders to rest for the time being, I'd spent exactly the minimum three days lounging at home.
Then today, when I finally got the notice that my dungeon exploration cooldown was up, I caught sight of Princess Lee Gok on TV and bolted upright.
As the saying goes, the early bird gets the worm—this was finally my long-awaited time to clock in.
"Alright, time to make a killing?"
"A party... I guess I still need one, right?"
Of course, I was the apex predator of the lower floors.
I'd taken down an Alligator Warrior—even if it was on its last legs—and soloed a chunk of the orc pack on floor 8.
But every book on dungeons starts with the same warning.
Never get cocky in a dungeon.
Dungeons teleport you straight to floor 8 on your first run and lust after your body more than gold as payment for rescues.
Charging into solo clears now that I'm a bit stronger? That'd be like advertising far and wide, "Please rape this careless guy~."
Utter madness.
Last time was just luck. And I don't have much dungeon experience anyway.
Even if leveling slowed a bit, prioritizing steady clears from floor 1 to build experience was key.
With that in mind, I'd come down to basement level 1—where the portals are—to link up with a hunter party that had maybe cleared a dungeon three or four times at most.
Fresh hunters like me.
But what was this?
"Ah, Hyunjun!"
"Yongchan~!"
"...?"
Two women holding signs with my real name and alias, calling out alternately.
Everyone around shot jealous glances, but no one else could squeeze into this party—clearly intimidated by their 'veterancy' and 'pedigree.'
Instructor Kwon Sora and Seolgi waved enthusiastically to greet me.
"Uh... why are you two together?"
"I've been waiting to enter the dungeon with you, Hyunjun!"
"Me too! I heard your dungeon clears are just your second time? What if something big happens partying with noobs?"
Wait, hold up.
I was only planning to run floor 1 and bounce today?
You're both veterans who've cleared way higher than me.
Is this for real?
"...Excuse me, Princess Lee Seolgi."
"Yeah?"
"You've been nagging since earlier, but this man isn't your childhood friend—he's my charge, Kim Hyunjun."
"Ugh! He is my childhood friend! And what are you doing clinging to my Yongchan from the start?"
Poke, jab, poke.
Even the party vibe was total sausage fest tension.
In a dungeon where teamwork is life or death, starting with this bickering was worse than going solo.
You could wipe to infighting before monsters even showed.
Of course, for just floor 1, with a D-rank genius princess my age and a B-rank Beginner Course instructor, nothing bad would happen.
Which was exactly the problem.
They won't feel even a hint of danger... If I take them like this, they'll probably spend the whole day sniping at each other.
More than that, partying with them would tank my efficiency.
I wanted to team with hunters fresh out of Beginner Course like me.
Like in games, a vet crashing noob lobbies creates a skill gap—appreciated, but honestly, I didn't need them.
"Heh, right on time as expected, bright and early."
"Huh?"
"You...!"
Then, out of nowhere, a kid wedged between us?
A girl with sparkling purple eyes, an adorable beret, and a matching ribbon smiled brightly at me.
What's this? Lost kid?
This was the dungeon portal entrance—staff only. Security that lax?
As I pondered...
"Miran-unnie? Why are you here?"
"...Unnie?"
"Tch!"
Did I hear wrong?
Had to be.
Otherwise, this was its own brand of chaos.
"Um... did you misuse 'little sister' by any chance?"
"Hey, Kim Yongchan! Don't fall for it. She's twenty years older than me despite looking like that!"
But no, I hadn't misheard.
She grinned innocently at me, then clocked her 'little sister' status—her eyes turning feral in an instant.
Especially glaring daggers at the two up front before swinging back to me...
Those heart-shaped pupils screamed not innocent. Adult confirmed.
"Lee Seolgi and Hunter Kwon Sora! Why are you two here?"
"Well..."
"That's what we should be asking!"
Three women pointing fingers at each other.
Their target? Obviously me.
(They all ignored my input, FYI.)
"Princess Lee Miran. Still haven't learned your lesson after that humiliation?!"
"Hmph! Giving up on a man over a mere cracked skull? Don't mistake me for some weak-willed girl."
No, a cracked skull is 'mere'?
Also, Instructor Kwon Sora and Princess Lee Miran knew each other?
They snarled like they'd crossed paths before—had my head tilting.
And then...
"...Hello, Hyunjun."
Looking up at me with a surprisingly mature demeanor despite her appearance.
"This is our first time meeting face-to-face, right?"
"Ah, yes... that's right."
"Hehe. No need to be so tense. For reference, I once protected you after you collapsed at the Hannam-dong intersection."
"Y-Yes...?!"
The awkwardness faded fast.
Learning this tiny princess saved me right after I blacked out in the Black Portal incident made me jolt.
And since she was my 'benefactor'...
I figured I'd at least say thanks.
But...
"Liar! You tried to drag off the collapsed Hyunjun!"
"Wh-what? Unnie, is that true?!"
"Wh-wh-what nonsense! How vulgar!"
Instructor Kwon Sora charged like wildfire.
"Hyunjun! Don't fall for it! This woman's the one who tried to haul you to her family home for a kidnapping!"
Kidnapping?
...Hold on, with that build?
Apparently twenty years older than Seolgi, so legal... legal.
But still.
Maybe because I'm from old-fashioned, egalitarian Korea on Earth...
That body type was straight-up impossible.
My conscience slammed shut like a Novelpia ban.
"Got proof?!"
"Pr-proof...?"
"Yeah! Hunter Kwon Sora, you might buy the Vietnam vet sob story, but throw around accusations like that and I'll sue for defamation?!"
"No, it's because of what you did first that we have this shitty suspicion!"
"Argh... Hey, Seolgi! You're my little sister—shouldn't you take my side first?"
"Not in front of a guy."
"Ugh... you cock-obsessed bitch...!"
Any second now, these three would bond over hair-pulling...
Or fists, since this world's flipped.
It was early morning with hardly anyone around, but the Hunter Association's basement 1 was noisier than usual thanks to them.
"Hyunjun!"
"So..."
"Who are you going into the dungeon with?!"
The snowball rolled my way.
Can't I just go alone?
...Say that, and I'd be in deep shit from all three in a CCTV-free dungeon.
After agonizing, my pick...
"The air on floor 1 always feels the freshest in any dungeon, no matter how many times I breathe it."
"I-is that so..."
That person... no, that woman was Korea's poster child—the 'super rookie' hyped worldwide in the hunter scene.
"I'll teach you everything about dungeons, so let's start simple: take down some goblins today."
"Ah, y-yes, got it...!"
"Hehe. No need to be so nervous."
The Supreme Lee Clan's eldest heir.
Lee Gok herself.