Goblin Cave (1)
There was an unusual commotion at the Hunter Association.
"What's going on?"
In the midst of the frantic bustle, the head of the gate-related complaint reception team turned around at the familiar voice. It was Yoon Dong-soo from the gate management department, his old colleague from the same class.
"Oh, it's you, Dong-soo."
"Why does it look so hectic? Did a gate break or something?"
But the news was quiet if that were the case.
The team leader let out a sigh at Dong-soo's words and showed him the documents.
"What is this, a wanted poster?"
"Yeah, the International Hunter Federation (WHG) just sent over the identities of a human trafficking ring made up of ethnic Koreans from China."
Looking closely at the wanted notice from the WHG, aside from a few peculiarities, there didn't seem to be any reason for the complaint reception team leader to be this busy. After all, their team only handled reports related to gate access, nothing to do with wanted criminals like these.
"They entered a gate, and right after the association office got the wanted list broadcast, we got an urgent call."
"Tsk..."
If that was the case, association agents had to mobilize immediately for a search inside the gate. Entering a gate meant they were likely with some victim.
"Even so, is there reason for the whole department to be in an uproar?"
Gates across the country numbered in the thousands, not a dozen, and criminals hiding in them wasn't a daily or twice-weekly occurrence. There was no reason for an entire department at association HQ to be thrown into chaos over one wanted criminal—unless there was something special about the person who entered with them.
"Take a good look at the special note on the one who entered with them down there."
At Dong-soo's casual reply, the team leader sighed and pointed to the special management note on the documents for the person who had entered the gate with the criminals.
"Lover of Hunter Kim Tae-hoon... ...Huh?"
"It's a note the association president personally added."
Who was Kim Tae-hoon? One of the less than ten true S-rank hunters in Korea. Vice raid leader of the number one Byeolbit Guild, which boasted two S-ranks.
Though called vice raid leader, considering that guild master and S-rank hunter Lee Seo-ran rarely participated in raids, he was effectively the raid leader.
And his lover was now...
"She entered a gate with these wanted criminals...?!"
"And right now, Hunter Kim Tae-hoon has been inside the Chuncheon A-rank gate for 11 days."
Assuming it took the average two weeks, he'd clear the A-rank gate soon and come out.
"He busts his ass clearing that provincial A-rank gate the association begged for, comes back, and finds out his lover met with trouble in an association-managed gate? What would you do?"
"..."
Kim Tae-hoon, called the God of War's Spear. His spear might blow up the association building.
"Gulp... This is an emergency."
"Yeah, an ultra-ultra-ultra emergency. That's why we're scrambling to recall all agents dispatched to other branches to that D-rank gate."
"Uh, yeah. Good luck."
"Haa... Yeah. Let's grab a drink if you survive."
As he prayed for his colleague's soul and tried to slip away—
"Team leader!! Big trouble!!"
"What now! What is it!!"
"No, it's not—not that it's not big trouble, but..."
The flustered complaint desk employee finally spoke up.
"The A-rank gate in Chuncheon City. Byeolbit Guild just announced they've cleared it. And the entire guild is currently heading to Seoul by vehicle..."
"...And of course, Hunter Kim Tae-hoon is in there, right?"
"Pr-Probably...?"
The team leader's hands went slack. He'd hoped to resolve it before Tae-hoon returned. But the employee's report wasn't over.
"And also..."
"...Out with it."
"Hunter Kim Tae-hoon got a direct call through the association president."
"..."
"The president personally apologized and ordered us to hurry and resolve it."
Dong-soo quietly slipped away from the now icy atmosphere in the complaint team. He desperately hoped his colleague and friend would survive.
In the luxury limousine bus transporting Byeolbit Guild, Lee Seo-ran couldn't bring herself to nag Kim Tae-hoon as usual, with his leg jittering noisily. She might have scolded him before, but she knew he was doing his best to stay calm right now.
"...How much longer to Seoul?"
"Eek, about... about an hour left."
"Tae-hoon, we haven't even been on the road five minutes. Don't scare the driver and just wait."
"Haa..."
Tae-hoon kept urging every minute. The other guild members, who would normally chatter about their exploits, stayed silent because the usual mood-maker was on edge.
"We've already sent the hunters on standby at Byeolbit Guild, so calm down a bit. The association's mobilizing all available personnel to the Gwanak-gu D-rank gate too."
"Haa, how does it even make sense they couldn't properly check those criminals' identities?!"
Tae-hoon, always polite to Lee Seo-ran, snapped without the leisure for it before bowing his head.
"The association president apologized personally. We have to trust them for now."
The raid members fought off sleep from accumulated fatigue in the frigid bus atmosphere—if they snored, it'd be a lifelong grudge.
In the silent bus, Lee Seo-ran nailed it down preemptively.
"Just in case, Tae-hoon."
"Yes."
"No killing. We'll hand the criminals straight to the association."
"..."
No firm reply came from Tae-hoon as the bus headed to Seoul.
Lee Chang-woo, the clean-cut member of the ethnic Korean trio tasked with luring victims, signed to his comrades behind the summoner who was massacring goblins.
They'd done plenty in Korea, so they'd have to ditch their identities soon. This was their last trafficking gig before sneaking to China via Incheon port.
Wyverns smashed with stones or dove like birds of prey. But the black baby wyvern(?)'s breath evoked dragons.
Dragon Knight Aegis. America's S-rank #1, world rank #1. Ten years ago, he slayed the SS-rank special entity evil dragon Raguna, awakened a second time, and was said to have dragon blood flowing in him. When dragons from an S-rank gate met him, they lost will to fight, bowed, and he tamed one to battle while buying land for the rest with his own money from the US government—a famous tale.
The other two smiled. Silent agreement.
"Mir-El! You've gotten so strong!"
"Pii!"
"Wow... What are we even doing here? Haha."
Lee Chang-woo approached Seol Yun as she picked up magic stones, smiling amiably and helping gather the dropped ones.
"Boss, pick up magic stones."
"Aigoo, my back."
"Ah, boss!"
"Thanks. Puhehe."
Oblivious to what was coming, she just smiled brightly.
Oh my god, all these magic stones...!! I screamed internally at the low-grade magic stones filling my shoulder bag.
'Rough guess, 10kg...?'
Earned in just three hours of hunting. Compared to the few kilos last time, an insane haul!
The party members contributed too.
—Five goblins ahead~!
—These tracks mean it's their path. Wait, and they'll come.
—Further that way's the goblin village. One breath could wipe it—profitable.
Especially Lee Chang-woo. Expert tracker or just veteran knowing the terrain, he found goblins non-stop for peak efficiency.
'Mir-El must be tired. Stop here?'
They said no need for profit share, but escorting was huge thanks—give them 30%. Good ties might mean future help.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"I think I should stop around here. Got all your footage?"
"Footage... Oh, right. Yes."
Where's the camera anyway?
"How about we just clear that goblin cave ahead?"
"Goblin cave?"
"Yeah, that's why newbies flock here—honey spots like that cave."
"Really?"
Never heard that... But veterans, so listen.
"Light a fire inside the goblin cave and come out—smoke fills it, goblins rush out panicked. About 30 of them?"
"Yeah, miss. Normally we'd pass, but your summon's breath? One shot. We'll escort back, no worries even if summon tires."
"Hmm, but Mir-El looks exhausted already..."
"Pii..."
Mir-El chirped in agreement weakly. But all three insisted.
"Then how about we hunt, you just watch? Useful knowledge for later parties anyway."
"We need footage too. Simple reactions and demo from the side?"
"Hmm, if that's it..."
They were doing it almost free for footage, so a little help was fine.
At my okay, Lee Chang-woo grinned and took my hand. It felt oddly cold and sticky.