Chapter 7

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 7

Chapter Title: Clown's Amusement Park (1)

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I logged into the Hunter Gallery, and the first thing that popped up was, predictably, talk about me.

I slurped down a long sip of my caramel macchiato as I scrolled through them.

Sitting before me were two burly men in suits...

...and a white-haired old man who seemed to be under their protection, staring right at me.

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

The old man was the first to break it.

"...Congratulations on your return, Mr. Baek Seon-woo."

"No big deal."

"You must have suffered in that other world..."

"Not at all."

I shook my head and slowly sized up the old man before me.

His hands, scarred and visible beneath his suit cuffs.

They looked like they could tear apart anything they grabbed.

The frame and muscles beneath his clothes had long surpassed human limits.

I knew it on instinct.

He was several levels above Han Su-hyeon.

This man was the one who commanded and led all hunters in Korea...

Hunter Association President Han Dong-woo.

Honestly, I hadn't wanted to come here.

But since I'd basically demolished the building...

I did have a duty to make amends.

If I'd decided to live within society's framework, I had to follow the law.

That said, the room was originally built to take a beating, so they should cut me some slack.

I was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mulling over how to negotiate when...

"Would you ever consider joining forces with the Association?"

A sudden recruitment offer.

But I had only one answer.

"I appreciate the offer, but I have no desire to work under anyone."

That went for Han Su-hyeon too.

Cooperation or alliances were one thing, but serving under someone...

My ego would never allow it.

That's not why I'd busted my ass in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.

"Then, will you start your own guild...?"

"Not planning to right now, but maybe if I feel the need later."

"...I see."

His downcast expression clearly showed disappointment.

"...Actually, most returnees give the same answer shortly after coming back. The Association's doors are always open, so if you ever change your mind, please reach out."

"I'll think about it."

I gave a casual nod.

And finally, the Association President said the words I'd been waiting for.

"That said... as you know, the rating measurement room is a resource-intensive facility."

"It looked that way. I'd be lying if I said I didn't expect it to break, so I'm willing to make some compensation."

He shook his head at my words.

"Money's fine."

"Then...?"

"Instead, I'd like you to clear a gate for us."

Han Dong-woo's proposal was completely out of left field.

"A gate..."

"All byproducts from it will be yours, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Mr. Baek Seon-woo. Just close the gate for us."

"Offering terms like that means it's no easy gate, huh."

Han Dong-woo nodded with a bitter expression.

"Yes. Both the scouting team and the assault team failed to return. Except for one."

"One survivor..."

"Here's the gate's information. An assault team is set to depart tomorrow. Just let us know if you'll join them."

"What if I refuse?"

"Well..."

A faint smile tugged at his lips.

"That'd be a shame."

He didn't mention taking money instead.

I stared at him silently before picking up the documents from the desk and standing.

"Then, see you later."

For some reason, a thrilling premonition crawled up my spine—like something fun was about to happen.

I skimmed through the contents of the document.

From behind me, Baek Seol-hwa's voice rang out.

"...You going?"

"Yeah."

"Why...? It looks like a brutal spatial gate. Just leave it to the others...?"

"The tougher, the better. But spatial? Is that a category?"

Baek Seol-hwa answered my question.

"Gates fall into three types: open, spatial, and dungeon."

"I saw open last time... Dungeon's self-explanatory. What's spatial?"

Baek Seol-hwa tapped the papers with her finger.

"This kind. Gates with special rules across the entire space, where entry and exit aren't free."

"Ah."

One more bit of common knowledge gained.

Anyway...

"Guess I'll head out then."

"...Wait, you're seriously going? Spatial gates aren't just about brute force. Mess up, and enemies pour in endlessly—literally infinite."

"Sounds fun."

"You're insane."

"True masters are all a bit crazy. You too."

"I'm normal."

"Crazy people don't know they're crazy."

"Hey."

Bickering back and forth—

Her little fists thumped against me playfully.

My gaze shifted to Aselin nearby.

Curled up on my bed without a care, sprawled out asleep.

Chicken boxes scattered around showed my sister had spoiled her again, calling her cute.

She was so damn adorable like that, I decided to bring her along for tomorrow's gate raid.

The next morning.

"...Can't I sleep a bit more?"

"You wanna sleep forever?"

"...I'm up."

And so...

The next morning, Aselin and I stood before the gate deep underground in the Association building.

The gate loomed at the end of a dark corridor, emanating an ominous red glow all alone.

"Yawn... So sleepy."

"Guess the legends about dragons loving sleep are true."

"Sleep's the only thing that gets me through boring times..."

"Is it?"

She probably hadn't experienced modern entertainment yet.

Once we cleared this gate and got home, I'd show her plenty.

I was tired of seeing her laze on my bed every day.

"One more time: don't lie on my bed."

"No way. Your bed's the fluffiest and most comfy."

"Ugh, it reeks."

"What do you take me for? A dragon like me doesn't smell!"

At that, I leaned down and sniffed the top of her head.

It smelled roughly like a human.

When I pulled my hand away from her hair, she leaped up on the spot.

"...! What do you think you're doing...!"

"Smells plenty. What about my torn bedsheet from your tail and horns?"

"...Tch."

What right did she have to complain?

Just last night, her horns had poked me awake multiple times.

Why the hell did she insist on crawling into someone else's bed while they slept?

Was the floor that cold?

She slept ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fine in her own lair.

"...Anyway, I warned you."

Leaving Aselin pouting behind me, I scanned the assembled party members.

About a dozen in total.

Two tanks, three melee swordsmen, five mages, and two supports.

Easy to tell from their gear.

"Hm..."

The tanks had the strongest auras.

Roughly on par with my sister.

The rest...

In martial terms, peak to first-rate.

Not terribly low, but not exceptionally high either.

As I thought that...

"First time meeting. Song Chan-su."

One of the heavily armored tanks approached me.

"...Ah, yeah. Nice to meet you."

I reached out to shake his extended hand.

But then Aselin smacked my hand away.

"...?"

"You think you can casually touch someone else with the hand that just touched me?"

"What kinda nonsense is that?"

"I don't know how long you plan to keep ignoring me, but don't think I'll put up with it forever."

As her fierce glare hit me, I recalled something I'd heard.

Dragons have immense pride.

They'd choose death over humiliation.

That was the transcendent race, dragons.

Of course, I was baffled.

...I had no idea how that connected to me shaking hands.

I remembered the wisdom my father left me.

Never fight with women.

You only lose.

His constant mantra.

I grabbed her head, shook it, and apologized to the guy who'd approached.

"She spouts nonsense sometimes."

"..."

His face was stiff.

...This party was doomed from the start.

His cold gaze turned on Aselin.

"Arrogant and rude. Even if you soloed an S-rank gate, spatial gates are different inside."

"Mind your own business."

Aselin scoffed lightly.

Song Chan-su frowned and turned away.

"...Whatever. Time to go in."

He muttered through gritted teeth, his voice echoing down the corridor.

"If not for the President's orders..."

...Even without the orders, I'd have stopped Aselin's antics.

One by one, they stepped into the red gate, and I followed.

The moment my foot touched inside.

Whoosh—!

A bright sky welcomed us.

"...Where's this?"

I instinctively turned, scanning the new surroundings.

Brand-new-looking amusement rides everywhere.

And...

"...Ugh, gross."

'Guests' with body parts torn off.

Despite their wounds, they wore cheerful smiles...

...and shuffled toward the rides.

Seeing that, an unbearable disgust crawled over my skin.

The next moment.

A voice came from behind. 'Someone's' voice.

"New guests?"

A bizarre voice, like countless others mashed together.

I turned to see a grotesque clown with balloons for arms, blood pouring from its eyes and mouth, staring at us.

"May I see your tickets? If you haven't bought any, the ticket booth is that way."

Now it made sense.

...So this is a spatial gate.