Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Mistake (1)
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Training Team 4 from the Milky Way Guild gathered at Gwanghwamun Square.
But what was this?
Team Leader Choi Da-eun was nowhere to be seen.
She was the type who always arrived thirty minutes early, earlier than anyone else, and waited patiently.
'Is it because of the aphrodisiac I applied yesterday?'
While Training Team 4 exchanged puzzled looks, I came up with a plausible explanation.
The 'Super Potent Aphrodisiac' I'd smeared on her nipples must have completely wrecked her condition.
Five minutes past the assembly time.
That's when Choi Da-eun finally showed up.
Since Training Team 4 was formed, this was the first time she'd ever been late.
"Ugh, damn it..."
She looked like she hadn't slept a wink last night—her face was pale and haggard—and every few steps, she flinched sharply, as if something was seriously bothering her.
On top of that, she was dressed completely opposite to her usual dress code. Instead of her familiar semi-formal attire, she wore baggy casual clothes and appeared in a loose hoodie.
She had a large backpack slung over her back.
"Yaaawn."
Choi Da-eun let out a massive yawn right in front of Training Team 4.
As a C-Rank Hunter, skipping one night of sleep shouldn't tire her out this much, but her reaction seemed a bit over the top.
It wasn't just lack of sleep making her exhausted—it was the aphrodisiac putting her in an even more fatigued state. That had to be it.
"...We're heading up to the 4th floor today."
"The 4th floor?"
Lee Eun-seo widened her eyes like a startled rabbit and stared at Choi Da-eun.
Then she shot me a sidelong glare and asked in an anxious tone.
"Wouldn't that be too tough for just us?"
"No choice. The guild's pushing us to grow faster."
Everyone glared at me.
All of them, like I was the problem.
This was unfair.
I've been giving it my all up until now, and this is the trash-tier treatment I get?
'Just you wait.'
Thanks to the Taming App, I'd grown by leaps and bounds.
At this point, I wasn't just an F-Rank Hunter—I was on par with an E-Rank.
The 4th-floor dungeon?
I could clear it even without Choi Da-eun.
"We have to reach the 10th floor in a month. To keep getting government subsidies, we need to show results..."
The Milky Way Guild was a mid-to-small guild.
Nothing prestigious enough to flash their name around, but they had a unique trait that made them somewhat famous.
Guild Master Hwang Deok-su's skill.
He had a skill that boosted hunters' growth.
I didn't know the exact effects, but hunters in the Milky Way Guild could level up quickly to a certain point.
'Everyone except Training Team 4.'
They hadn't cherry-picked F-Ranks with rock-bottom potential on purpose...
But Training Team 4 was the only one lagging behind.
For the past six months, we'd been stuck in place—no progress at all.
While other hunters advanced from E-Rank to D-Rank, we were the only ones floundering at F-Rank.
I could almost understand why the Training Team 4 bastards kept blaming me.
But that humiliation ends now.
I'll show them my changed self and soar spectacularly.
Starting today.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
We entered the Tower's 4th floor through the Gwanghwamun Square portal.
You could go straight to floors you'd visited before.
The 4th floor resembled a large modern city, bigger than the 1st floor.
Unlike the 3rd floor's mountainous backdrop, this one had facilities so well-equipped you could stay a short while.
Even so, no hunters lived inside the Tower.
This place was close to a lawless zone, outside the protection of the law.
Only major criminals who ignored the outside world's laws holed up here.
Most hunters kept their homes outside the Tower.
Training Team 4 headed straight for the dungeon.
It was a sewer located on the city's outskirts.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Dungeon: 'Polluted Sewer F Zone' has been discovered!] The city was vast, so the sewers were impressively grand.
Eerie atmosphere, damp humidity.
The stench was foul—it wouldn't be easy.
A quick glance at the flowing water...
Made me want to retch.
"Ugh, the smell."
Lee Eun-seo, the supporter trailing behind, wrinkled her nose.
Lee Jin-seong, the F-Rank Hunter secretly crushing on her, fussed over Lee Eun-seo.
"Poison Rats will come out once we're inside. If you get bitten, pull back immediately and get 'Cure.' F-Rank level can't withstand their venom for long."
Choi Da-eun issued orders more calmly than expected.
Based on what she knew, she instructed Training Team 4 on how to hunt safely.
It was like directly inputting commands.
"Got it, Park Sun-woo?"
"Yes."
Choi Da-eun glared at Park Sun-woo.
She already had a cold demeanor, but narrowing her eyes made her look even fiercer.
Park Sun-woo replied in a dumb, monotone voice.
Choi Da-eun didn't like that about him.
"Do you understand, you fucking moron?"
Why did she lose her temper just looking at this guy?
His face practically begged for a punch.
The urge to beat him boiled up, hard to suppress.
"I understand."
"Yeah, it's what you're best at, so you better."
Choi Da-eun sneered at Park Sun-woo with a sidelong glance.
The rest of Training Team 4 snickered from behind.
They agreed with her and mocked him.
A tank was supposed to hold the front line for the party.
Even if it meant facing death from monsters, they had to hold position for the backline to deal damage safely.
But a tank who fled the moment they were in danger?
Abandoning their post because it looked bad?
Even "trash-tier" was too kind.
If he weren't in the Milky Way Guild's Training Team 4—if this were just a normal party hunt—Park Sun-woo would've been kicked out long ago.
'Hwang Deok-su, that fucking asshole keeps protecting Park Sun-woo...'
Choi Da-eun couldn't understand Hwang Deok-su.
Was there some connection between Hwang Deok-su and Park Sun-woo?
Distant relatives? A friend's son?
Otherwise, it made no sense.
Hwang Deok-su defended Park Sun-woo to an incomprehensible degree.
Choi Da-eun never imagined he'd assembled this team just to torment her.
"Poison Rat venom isn't a big deal if you detox right away... So don't fuck around, please."
"Yes."
"You die to a Poison Rat or get beaten to death by me—your choice. If you wanna die by my hand, go ahead and bolt."
"...Yes."
Choi Da-eun kept hounding Park Sun-woo.
It was less briefing or advice—more like outright harassment.
'I need to kick this bastard out.'
Before reaching the 10th floor, she'd make sure Park Sun-woo dropped out.
She'd show him that everything so far had been child's play.
Choi Da-eun set down her backpack.
Before the hunt, she handed out boots one by one.
They weren't high-defense gear—just boots to keep water from soaking up to the knees.
Training Team 4 put on the boots and finished prepping.
Time to head in for real.
"Heading in."
Park Sun-woo took the lead.
The modern-style sewer tunnel was wide enough for echoes to bounce off the walls if you shouted.
A narrow channel was carved down the center.
The deeper they went, the dimmer it got.
Visibility dropped to zero.
To secure sightlines, Park Sun-woo pulled out a lantern.
One for the front, one for the back.
Lee Eun-seo would hold the rear lantern.
"Rats hate light. Keep the lanterns steady."
"Yes."
Shield in one hand, lantern in the other.
No means to attack.
Squeak-. Squeak-.
Monster cries echoed.
Hard to pinpoint direction or distance.
Lee Jin-seong, tense as hell, stuck close to Park Sun-woo's back.
'Why's he walking so damn fast?!'
Park Sun-woo was moving at his usual pace.
But he shouldn't be.
With limited visibility in the dark, normal speed made it hard to react to ambushes.
He should be moving much slower.
Yet Park Sun-woo barreled ahead like he had no worries.
'Team Leader, rein him in!'
Lee Jin-seong couldn't speak up.
He didn't want to look scared in front of his crush, Lee Eun-seo.
What was Choi Da-eun thinking?
'Good, keep it up.'
She was letting Park Sun-woo's actions slide to build a case.
A justification to legitimately beat him.
Waiting for him to screw up.
But that didn't last long.
"Ngh..."
Her rock-hard nipples made even walking a chore.
Park Sun-woo's faster-than-expected pace kept brushing them against her T-shirt...
Each time, involuntary moans slipped out.
Sounds she couldn't control.
"...Walk slower, you fucking idiot. Are you conquering a dungeon or jogging?"
"Sorry."
"Ugh, your speech is so annoying."
Dealing with Park Sun-woo gave her a headache.
Just sharing the same air exhausted her beyond measure.
Felt worse than tackling a 20th-floor dungeon as a C-Rank Hunter.
'...Did this bastard take the wrong meds?'
His vibe was totally off from usual.
Normally, he'd cower or look scared when she yelled.
Why did he seem unfazed today?
Choi Da-eun vowed.
She'd smash that smug face.
The moment he slipped up, rip his mouth and crush his nose.
"Heh heh heh."
Just imagining it improved her mood.
She hoped Park Sun-woo messed up soon.
Squeak, squeak-!
"Monster! Poison Rat incoming!"
A 'Poison Rat' appeared before Park Sun-woo.
Size of an adult cat, sewer rat—bite meant instant poisoning.
Park Sun-woo tucked his arm, pressing the shield to his body.
To counterattack immediately, he lowered his center of gravity slightly.
Squeak, squeak!
The 'Poison Rat' went berserk.
The lantern light enraged it.
Squeak! Squeak!
The charging 'Poison Rat'—Park Sun-woo kicked the lead one away.
Thud-!
Squeak!
One 'Poison Rat' flew off.
It crashed into the flowing channel and didn't get up.
'Since when was that bastard that strong?'
Choi Da-eun's head sprouted question marks.
Doubts piled up.
Park Sun-woo was a loser.
His stats were trash—under 10.
Could such garbage one-shot a 'Poison Rat'?
'Impossible.'
Luck?
Choi Da-eun watched his movements closely.
Squeak, squeak!
Then, a pack of 'Poison Rats' appeared behind Training Team 4.
The rats had ambushed from the rear passage.
'There we go.'
His senses sucked.
That's why he got flanked like this.
Time to stir things up.
Training Team 4 cornered—how would they react?
Squeak!
"Ugh, aaagh!"
A 'Poison Rat' leaped like a missile.
Target: Park Sun-woo's neck.
But short on jump power, it only bit his hand.
Park Sun-woo, arm chomped, accidentally dropped his lantern.
Crash-!
The lantern shattered spectacularly on the ground.
Anyone would've thought he'd thrown it on purpose.
Front light out.
Only Lee Eun-seo's lantern remained.
Squeak! Squeak squeak!
"Kyaaah!"
A 'Poison Rat' lunged at Lee Eun-seo.
Her lantern broke soon after.
All lights gone. Chaos erupted.
What was Park Sun-woo doing?
"Aaaah, aaaagh!"
Running.
As expected, fleeing again.
'Come here.'
Choi Da-eun was C-Rank.
She could see in the dark better than F-Ranks.
Park Sun-woo bolted toward Choi Da-eun.
Blind in the dark, he couldn't orient himself.
Choi Da-eun rolled her shoulders.
Perfect chance to vent her pent-up stress.
"Aaaagh!"
Park Sun-woo, ass bitten by a 'Poison Rat'.
Misstep while fleeing—body tilting.
Right in front of him: Choi Da-eun.
She planned to kick his head.
But.
In an instant, Park Sun-woo twisted his body at an odd angle.
'...He dodged?'
No way.
Park Sun-woo was F-Rank. She was C-Rank.
She hadn't gone full force.
But still, dodging what felt like a full-power roundhouse?
Squelch.
Squish.
"...Haaang!"
Falling Park Sun-woo, flailing arms—landed perfectly.
Right on Choi Da-eun's chest. Her breasts.
"Y-You fucker!"
The moan she'd let out sent chills down her spine.
Choi Da-eun freaked, swinging a fist—a hard punch slammed into Park Sun-woo's gut.
Thud-!
"Guhk!"
Park Sun-woo rocketed away.
Crashed hard into the tunnel corner with a bang.
"Gasp!"
She'd unconsciously gone all out.
Was he dead? Choi Da-eun frantically searched for his body.
This after swiftly clearing the 'Poison Rats'.
"G-Good, he's fine!"
Thank god—he wasn't dead.
Unconscious, but breathing.
Choi Da-eun sighed in relief.
If she'd killed him herself, it'd be murder.
She couldn't become a killer over trash like him.
When she killed him, it'd be by luring a monster naturally in the dungeon.
'Gotta be more careful from now on.'
Not long after, Park Sun-woo woke up.