Party Formation! (2)
Han Mu-yeol had accomplished quite a lot in Korea.
First, he had set the record for Korea's first A-class hunter. He was the man called the Iron Wall who had protected his party members far better than any other A-class hunter. Even if he had retired to the backline now because of his age, he was also famous as the president of the Korean Hunter Association for doing his best to prevent domestic hunters from leaving the country.
It was he who had raised the hunter welfare to its highest level possible and created proper treatment for them, so he was an individual who commanded the respect of many hunters. When Do-hyeon's party was finally forming, he had come here for a reason.
Of course, he had enjoyed visiting promising newbies as soon as they appeared, but this situation was his first time like this.
Hana Rin—again, as before, I had been startled once by the magic talent that seemed unbelievable for someone who had come to Korea, but now that I was seeing it with my own eyes, I could feel it once more.
‘Is she controlling my surrounding aura to the maximum?’
She was desperately trying to endure Han Mu-yeol's naturally emanating aura with mana control, but it was clearly insufficient. Watching her body tremble from the pressure, I couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
When had a mage ever controlled their own aura with mana control in Korea?
And I looked at another young man who was handling his aura with a level of ability comparable to Han Mu-yeol's.
He seemed to be carrying a sword, so he was probably a swordsman. And Ji Yu-chan, who had once caused quite a stir with the association, possessed both physical strength and magical power. I sighed in admiration for him too.
While Hana Rin was gently loosening the pressure with her delicate and immense mana control, Ji Yu-chan was doing the opposite. He was emitting his own aura to neutralize Han Mu-yeol's.
Of course, he hadn't completely erased Han Mu-yeol's aura, so it was obvious he was struggling. But a swordsman was always like that.
While Han Mu-yeol was admiring these two who had far surpassed him, he gazed at the last young man, Do-hyeon, with meaningful eyes. He swallowed something he had seen as if it were a miracle.
‘This must be Lee Do-hyeon.’
I didn't need to say it.
When Hwang Ha-na reported the arrival, she had called them monsters. I had come to see just how monstrous they were and had released my aura while planning to test them. Yet, unlike the other two, Do-hyeon showed no reaction at all. I couldn't help but be startled.
Even if Han Mu-yeol hadn't released his full aura in earnest, it was an aura that would have made an F-class hunter faint.
Yet, despite receiving it, he didn't seem bothered. No, on the contrary, while admiring the aura, he was looking up at Han Mu-yeol as if it were nothing. It was exactly as Hwang Ha-na had described.
“Truly… he truly deserves to be called a monster.”
At those words, Do-hyeon's face turned bewildered, but Han Mu-yeol looked at him with an odd expression.
Anyone would say Han Mu-yeol was now in the realm of superhumans. From a normal person's perspective, he was a monster. But Do-hyeon was still an apprentice who had never entered the Black Gate except in the tutorial.
Receiving his aura and yet showing that expression— it was too much even for bewilderment.
“Haa, since I confirmed it, it's fine.”
With Han Mu-yeol's words, the aura passed through the air like a fleeting fragrance and vanished. His considerate staff, who had been spared exposure to the aura, stared at them with a puzzled look.
Looking at the staff, Han Mu-yeol said, “Explain it well. If you're planning to enter today, guide them properly. All three, good luck. It would be nice to see you again. I'll be going now.”
With those words, he left the party waiting room and chuckled softly.
For now, they were all F-class. But if they entered the Black Gate this time, their ranks might change, right?
It was more than possible even for the other two, not just Do-hyeon. So Han Mu-yeol smiled as he thought.
‘An interesting party has appeared.’
Seeing the birth of a party that would stir Korea once more, he headed toward the association president's office with expectations.
He was certain a report would come to him soon.
* * *
With the storm-like Han Mu-yeol gone, the pressure had lifted. Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan, who had been sitting on the floor, looked blankly at the spot where he had disappeared.
Even though he had already left the room, his presence felt as if it were still there. The strange pressure lingered.
Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan were still in a daze when they turned their heads at the voice from behind.
“Why did you suddenly come here? Huh? Why are both of you…?”
Do-hyeon stood casually, while the other two sat.
The subtle distance between their eyes made Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan sigh in bewilderment.
“…Haa.”
“…Hoo.”
Do-hyeon tilted his head curiously at their appearance, but the two, who had just come to their senses, stood up. And as they rose, the association staff quietly explained.
“When the president's favorite party forms, we come like this once in a while. And he's famous for leaving without a word… but today he even told us to go.”
It meant Han Mu-yeol had been satisfied, but neither Ji Yu-chan nor Hana Rin could be happy about it.
He hadn't said anything about them, only mentioning Do-hyeon. That made sense.
They had already acknowledged Do-hyeon, but their pride was hurt all the same. And Hana Rin and Ji Yu-chan looked at each other with strange eyes and thought.
‘…Even if it's not second place.’
‘Third place is impossible.’
Both of them thought they couldn't be the worst in the three-person party at the same time, and they glared at each other. Meanwhile, Do-hyeon, unlike them, was lost in thought as he looked at the spot where Han Mu-yeol had vanished.
‘No way… it costs 3000 AP to check the status window? How much does it cost to acquire a skill….’
Even B-class Hwang Ha-na could now afford to analyze with 500 AP thanks to Do-hyeon's growth and discount, but A-class Han Mu-yeol had a sixfold difference.
For now, his goal was the Dark King's Speed of Hwang Ha-na, but if they grew this fast, he planned to set a small goal of analyzing Han Mu-yeol's status window too.
It seemed there really were a lot of strong people in this world.
At that moment, Do-hyeon suddenly asked the staff, “So what do we do now?”
The staff, who had been watching the sudden situation, was briefly startled by the question before recovering and explaining to them.
“The party consists of these three. When entering the Black Gate, a guide will be attached. You already know, but even in the safe zone inside the Black Gate, don't let your guard down. And don't trust other people, especially non-humans. They're not to be trusted.”
It was content they had been fed until they were sick of it at the training center, but Do-hyeon, Ji Yu-chan, and Hana Rin nodded their heads.
As the party members all nodded, the association staff explained more.
Mostly, he explained the branch points owned by the Korean Hunter Association in the safe zones.
After the explanation, the staff asked the ones who had nodded as if they had memorized it, “Are you planning to enter right away today?”
To that, Do-hyeon answered as if it were obvious. “Yes, that's right?”
The answer seemed casual, but Ji Yu-chan and Hana Rin both turned their heads to look at him. Then, something passed between Ji Yu-chan and Hana Rin as they looked at each other and at Do-hyeon.
They were ready to go right away. It depended on the situation, but they had come prepared just in case. But to go like this suddenly…
Feeling that it was truly Do-hyeon, both of them stayed silent and thought at the same time.
‘If I say no here, it might be a problem.’
‘I can't fall behind in the ranking.’
Since both recognized Do-hyeon as their leader, the party leader was essentially him.
In that situation, both thought that if either one opposed Do-hyeon, they might fall behind in ranking, so they both nodded at the same time.
“I was planning to enter right away today, but if we're not ready, we can postpone?”
Without knowing about the fierce mental battle beneath the surface, Do-hyeon looked at the two as if he had forgotten.
Feeling that his answer had been too immediate, he asked for their opinions. The two answered nearly immediately.
“I was thinking about entering right away too.”
“Once the party is formed, we should enter right away.”
Looking at the two's immediate answers, Do-hyeon nodded in satisfaction. The two shot each other a glance and had already begun competing with each other.
The association staff, seeing that, looked a little surprised but soon adapted and said, “I'll call the F-zone guides right away.”
The staff said that, and not long after, three association-affiliated hunters appeared.
Do-hyeon analyzed them as soon as they appeared, and since there were no skills that stood out, he skimmed through their names and traits.
Cheon Seon-min
Trait: Warrior [F]
Bang Yoo-ri
Trait: Thief [F]
Han Yoo-jin
Trait: Buffer [F]
[Analyzed the status windows of the three.]
[Acquired 30 AP in total.]
It felt like I had recovered 30 out of the 50 AP I had spent.
Watching them like that, they said to Do-hyeon, Ji Yu-chan, and Hana Rin, “I assume you have been explained, but we must enter the Black Gate after we identify the two parties as followers. Only then can the Korean Hunter Association's personnel move to a large safe zone.”
The three nodded at the explanation.
Even though the inside of the Black Gate was F-rank, it was larger than the African continent of Earth, so an escort was needed to move to the designated safe zone.
Most escorts formed parties with their own groups and entered together, allowing them to reach the last safe zone they had been in. That was the method they were using.
Everyone said they were ready, but Ji Yu-chan and Hana Rin looked a bit tense, while Do-hyeon smiled with excitement.
Following the escorts, they reached the association's designated viewing window in front of the Black Gate, and at the same time, the escorts shouted, “If you think about entering right now, you can enter.”
Even though they had learned it all at the training center, Ji Yu-chan and Hana Rin felt a slight tremble as they thought about entering, while Do-hyeon could see the message thanks to Analysis.
[Will you enter the Black Gate with the ‘Escort Party’ and your party members ‘Hana Rin’ and ‘Ji Yu-chan’?]
‘Of course.’
To the obvious question, Do-hyeon answered, and another message popped up in front of his eyes.
[Entering the F-rank zone of the Black Gate.]
[Moving to the designated safe zone—‘Mool’ in the ‘Escort Party’.]