Chapter 17
Chapter 17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: E-Rank Gate (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Su-hyeon!”
Someone was calling my name. It was Yu-jeong sunbae. She kept yelling my name to draw the monster's attention. Her eyes stayed fixed on me, but she didn't have the spare moment to rush over. I forced myself to my feet. My legs were trembling, and nausea was rising in my throat.
My right arm throbbed. It was shaking like electricity was coursing through it. My left arm felt broken. Gasping raggedly, I hauled myself up. What should I do? What the hell was that monster? I hadn't gotten a proper look at the bestiary, so I had no idea what it was.
“Su-hyeon! Get out of there!”
Yu-jeong sunbae shouted. The Strong Boar reacted to the noise, rolling its eyes back as it charged at her. Veins bulged on its massive, intimidating thighs. The monster stopped right in front of her, twisted its body sharply, and slammed its head into the ground like a hammer. Yu-jeong sunbae rolled forward swiftly and drove her fist toward the monster's knee.
“Uoooooh!”
The monster grimaced from the hit and kicked Yu-jeong sunbae away with its foot. Seeing her fly off like a bullet, I gasped for breath.
“Yu-jeong sunbae!”
“I'm fine!”
Yu-jeong sunbae, flung into the woods, sprang right back up and waved her hand. She flashed me a grin as if to say not to worry. I could even see the wound on her face healing. The Strong Boar stomped again, targeting her once more.
Yu-jeong sunbae was breathing hard, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
What should I do? Where's the monster's weak point? It was a big-headed beast standing on two legs. Yu-jeong sunbae had just targeted its knee. The legs must be its weakness. I glanced at my still-throbbing right arm.
My left arm kept screaming in agony, while my right arm surged with the urge to fight, as if begging me to swing it.
I stared at the monster. It was still facing off against Yu-jeong sunbae. She seemed to know how to handle it, but her firepower was lacking. I remembered how my left arm had clashed with the monster in that earlier shockwave.
Could I land a real hit on it now? It looked like a D-rank, but with the impact I'd absorbed and my reinforced punch from the strength training, maybe I could do some damage. Yu-jeong sunbae charged in the same way again. The monster timed its head slam to her approach, and she rolled, putting all her power into striking the knee.
Each time damage landed on its knee, the monster bellowed in pain and stomped. Yu-jeong sunbae tried to pull back quickly to avoid its feet. But the monster halted its stomping mid-motion, leaned suddenly, and swept its head diagonally in a wide arc.
“Kyaa!”
Yu-jeong sunbae screamed as she was sent flying. She crashed into a tree trunk, clutching her head and curling up. The monster didn't miss the opening. This filthy boar-like beast charged at her, ready to kill.
“You fucking bitch!”
I had no time to think. Flailing my broken arm, I charged forward. The monster halted its rush at Yu-jeong sunbae upon hearing my voice and turned. Just before it could look back, I raised my right arm with all my strength.
[Your hips are twisting too much. Your movement's fast, but it lacks weight. Your fist is off-target, and instead of stepping like that, try stepping like this...]
Just as Yu-jeong sunbae had taught me, my body moved naturally. Deep breath in, step forward, maximize the rotation of my slightly twisted torso, and punch straight at the knee.
Bam!
The joint and my fist collided with a thunderous boom. I shook out my numb hand and collapsed right there. Pain surged through my body again.
“Uwaaaaaah!!”
The monster's knee was completely shattered. The result of three accumulated impacts. Its twisted leg could no longer support its body. The monster slumped down, and Yu-jeong sunbae jumped up and rushed over.
The monster struggled to rise on one leg but couldn't manage it. How the hell had it even evolved like this? One broken leg and it was done. Was this why people farmed E-rank gates?
Yu-jeong sunbae leaped high and smashed her fist into the remaining leg. With both legs damaged, the monster fully collapsed. It writhed on the ground, unable to move properly. Yu-jeong sunbae stepped back a bit to catch her breath, then looked at me.
“You okay, Su-hyeon? Are you hurt bad?”
Her worried expression made my pain seem to fade away.
“Aaaah! Ah, it hurts...”
But when she grabbed my broken arm, I couldn't help letting out a frail scream, just like the pathetic F-rank hunter I was. She checked how my left arm dangled like a dead eel, then fired a flare into the sky.
“Hang in there just a bit. Ha-yeon unnie will be here soon.”
Minutes after the flare went up, Seong Ha-yeon appeared, cigarette dangling from her lips. Ichie followed behind her. Seong Ha-yeon said,
“What the hell. You said it was an emergency, so I came running. You got it?”
“Y-yeah. But Su-hyeon got hurt pretty bad.”
Seong Ha-yeon smirked at that and glanced at my left arm. She wasn't a doctor, but she seemed to know basic first aid.
“Yeah? Oh, damn, it's broken. Splint it up and let's get out. Did you guys get any hides? I didn't snag a single one.”
I nodded, but Yu-jeong sunbae shook her head. The hides we'd collected had spilled from the bag and were trampled into the dirt by the monster's feet. They looked more like rags now, and Seong Ha-yeon let out a sigh of regret.
“Ah, fuck. These go for 80,000 won a pop.”
“Th-that expensive?”
I yelped in surprise even as Yu-jeong sunbae splinted my arm. Seong Ha-yeon nodded and explained.
“Once they hit C-rank, it's hard to take 'em down without damaging the hide. Their bodies are too fragile and just shatter. And practicing to control your strength for clean kills? Total pain in the ass. So no one below D-rank bothers, which makes 'em pricey.”
Yu-jeong sunbae looked at me with a gloomy face. I waved my newly splinted, rigid arm in the air and said,
“Whoa, that's super neat. You're amazing, Yu-jeong sunbae.”
Yu-jeong sunbae didn't respond to the praise. She chewed her lip, furrowed her brow, and finally spoke with effort.
“Sorry, Su-hyeon. This is because I'm too weak.”
“No way. You took it down, Yu-jeong sunbae.”
“That's not...”
“Let's head back.”
Seong Ha-yeon cut her off just as Yu-jeong sunbae was about to say more. She scowled at Yu-jeong sunbae, who nodded as if understanding and fell silent again.
Ichie asked,
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Not too hurt. Just a bit sore...”
“The academy infirmary will fix that right up. They've got a healing Awakener there. You're still an academy student, and this happened on an apprentice hunter run, so treatment's probably free.”
Seong Ha-yeon said that while clapping my shoulder. No treatment cost and it'd heal fast—small relief. Yu-jeong sunbae still looked down. Once we exited the gate, Seong Ha-yeon started reporting to the client.
Before the report, she explained the procedure briefly: the lead hunter had to share the client conversation openly with everyone who'd entered the gate. She pulled out her phone, called the client, and switched to speaker.
“Ahem. During gate exploration, we encountered two Strong Boars and engaged. One injury, two Strong Boars hunted. Jungle Cats all fled upon encountering the Strong Boars, so loot is just two Eldio ores.”
“Strong Boars? They showed up there?”
“Yes. That's correct.”
“Damn, that's weird. Alright, got it. We'll buy the Strong Boars. Mission success. Head home. Good work.”
The client approved without fuss. Seong Ha-yeon nodded, then said to me and Ichie,
“Give me your account numbers. Strong Boars fetch a nice price. 150k each. I'll wire the payout once it's settled.”
150k each? The money had just skyrocketed. Noticing my look, Seong Ha-yeon explained.
“These guys are special. Huge hides plus sellable tusks make 'em pricier than their rank suggests. Hard to find too. Normal D-ranks only net 20-30k even with byproducts.”
D-rank golden goblins, basically. But after seeing that overwhelming size and power, I had zero desire to hunt them. Seong Ha-yeon said,
“I'll calculate and send the amount once settled. Got it? You two... what're you gonna do?”
Yu-jeong sunbae said,
“I'll take Su-hyeon to the infirmary.”
Ichie glanced at me. Before she could speak, Seong Ha-yeon jumped in.
“Ichie. Wanna hang out? You any good at bowling?”
“Bowling? Never tried.”
“Come try it with me.”
“But Su-hyeon sunbae. He's hurt. As teammates, we should go together.”
Ichie shook her head. Yu-jeong sunbae gripped my arm and said tensely,
“Don't worry. It was a tough day, so you should unwind. I'll take responsibility and get Su-hyeon home safe.”
Ichie gave Yu-jeong sunbae a strange look and asked,
“Su-hyeon sunbae. You like her?”
I laughed awkwardly, glancing at Yu-jeong sunbae. She was frozen with an awkward smile.
What the hell is this atmosphere.