Chapter 88: Midnight Confessions
Unlike the scorching daytime heat, the midnight hour in the Desert Zone after sunset was bitterly cold.
The entire investigation team consisted of seasoned hunters armed with all sorts of gear, so there were no real issues.
Even so, with the temperature plummeting, they decided to set up camp right in the middle of the desert.
Camping in a typical desert spot far from a relatively safe warp gate was extremely dangerous.
But for this team—with SA-rank Kwon Je-na and two S-rank hunters—it was hardly a concern.
Yoon Myung-ho, having pitched his own tent early and even set up Kwon Je-na's, let out a quiet sigh.
I should've pitched Ha-na's tent for her...
His heart wanted one thing, but reality had him putting up the tent for his vice-guild-master-like nemesis.
Yoon Myung-ho felt inexplicably stifled.
"Hey, Myung-ho."
"Yes? Yes! I didn't say a single curse word!"
His reflexive, booming response made Yoon Myung-ho flinch for a moment, but fortunately, Kwon Je-na didn't seem to mind it at all.
Or rather, her attention was completely elsewhere?
Kwon Je-na looked at him with a sly, wicked smile.
"You were pretty funny earlier, you know?"
"...D-did you hear everything? No way?"
"Nah, I wasn't trying to eavesdrop or anything... You know my hearing's pretty sharp, right? It just kinda carried over."
She flashed a toothy grin, and Yoon Myung-ho's face twisted in despair.
His cheeks burned with shame and embarrassment.
"Our Myung-ho's grown up so much? Even charming girls now."
"...The guild master told me to give it a shot."
In his fluster, his old habit slipped out—"guild master"—but neither he nor Kwon Je-na paid it any mind.
If anything, it felt more natural to both of them.
"Nah, I was just curious what kinda dumb thing you'd pull. But I didn't expect you to actually go for it like that."
"...Didn't you just say you weren't eavesdropping at first?"
"Eh, whatever, not important. Let's skip it."
"...It's extremely important."
Even as Yoon Myung-ho shot her a glare, Kwon Je-na ignored it as always.
"So, how is she? Lee Ha-na the hunter—total babe, right? Gonna make a move?"
"...It wasn't her looks that drew me in. It was her heart."
"Pfft... Heart? Her boobs aren't even that big."
"...I said heart, not boobs...?"
Kwon Je-na breezily ignored Yoon Myung-ho's quiet retort.
"So, she's to your liking anyway?"
"...Yes. So please, just don't interfere. I'm begging you."
"Oh, come on. Anyone'd think I've messed with you before. Wasn't this your first time chatting up a girl like that?"
"...The right connection just hadn't come along until now."
Kwon Je-na finally burst into laughter at Yoon Myung-ho's earnest tone.
As he scowled in response, she waved him off with a playful hand.
"Anyway, happy news. Our Myung-ho's finally losing his V-card?"
"...? What the hell are you talking about?"
"Huh? I said our Myung-ho's finally gonna lose his V-card?"
"Guild master... You're vice-guild-master now, so pretty please, watch your words... No, wait—I'm not a virgin."
"What bullshit. I know every damn move you make. You little virgin boy."
"......"
Yoon Myung-ho's face crumpled miserably. Kwon Je-na grinned, savoring it, then teased further.
"If you'd made it to thirty like that, I'd have hit you with Meteor... Kinda disappointing."
He said nothing, just stood abruptly, mood soured.
Kwon Je-na waved lazily at him.
"Night, cutie Myung-ho."
"...Sleep well."
Even sulking off, he still gave a proper goodnight—adorable. Kwon Je-na chuckled, watching him vanish into the distance.
Then, in a slightly bitter tone:
"...Kinda disappointing."
Swallowing her own quiet regret, Kwon Je-na settled into bed alone.
Meanwhile, at the same time as Kwon Je-na and Yoon Myung-ho's light banter...
Lee Ha-na, about to unroll her sleeping bag in her pitched tent, sensed a gaze.
A stranger's stare, fixed on her.
Grabbing the sword by her sleeping bag, she sprang up in a flash.
With S-rank hunter agility, her blade was at the intruder's throat in an instant.
In the pitch darkness, a man stood silently, watching her.
"Who are you?"
Any ordinary woman would have screamed bloody murder, but Lee Ha-na asked calmly, as befitted an S-rank hunter.
Her voice was steady, but her eyes on the midnight intruder were anything but gentle.
The stranger said nothing.
He just stared at her, unmoving, unresponsive. Her delicate features furrowed slightly.
"Not gonna answer? Guess getting your throat slit here is fine by you, then."
Shring— Her blade tip pressed sharply against his neck.
She meant only a shallow cut to draw a little blood, but it didn't pierce his skin at all.
Not even a scratch.
"What...?!"
Her wariness spiked toward the man.
At first, she'd thought she could handle him alone, but a sword that wouldn't even nick him changed everything.
"Someone out—?!"
As she shouted for the others, the silent man finally moved.
Before she could react, his hand clamped over her mouth.
"Mmph...! Mmmph...!"
"Don't make a racket, Lee Ha-na. I've got someone out there even I'd rather not tangle with right now."
Someone troublesome. No doubt Kwon Je-na.
Despite his warning, Lee Ha-na thrashed harder, hoping the noise would alert Kwon Je-na.
Then, the man's eyes flashed red as they met hers.
"Don't misunderstand. 'Troublesome' just means I don't want the fuss. Things are noisy enough without an SA-rank hunter dying here and making it worse."
His words were unbelievable, yet his flat tone made them sound like plain fact.
He genuinely believed he could kill Kwon Je-na—an SA-rank hunter.
Lee Ha-na hesitated, then lunged.
Slash— Her sharp blade aimed for his gap.
An S-rank attack from point-blank was impossible to dodge.
Even Kwon Je-na couldn't evade at this speed and range.
And sure enough, the man couldn't dodge it either.
But...
Clang!
It rang out like striking hard steel, not flesh.
Her wide eyes checked his abdomen.
Smooth. Unmarked.
"My durability's pretty high, huh? Best stat I've got right now. Someone trained it well."
He spoke calmly, tightening his grip on her mouth—now more like strangling.
Pain surged, and she writhed.
"Get it now? No more pointless struggling. Even if you make noise, it'll just mean more deaths."
Her body froze at his quiet voice.
Only then did the pressure on her mouth ease.
"Surprising. I figured you wouldn't care about other lives."
"Mmph...! Mm...!"
She tried to speak, but his hand garbled it.
"Calmer now? One more time: no pointless resistance. I'll let go, and we'll talk."
He released her mouth. Gasping, she sucked in air.
"Hah... Haah... Wh-who the hell are you?"
"You'll learn that in time. You answer. I ask."
"What the—!"
She clamped her mouth shut, recalling his warning—and that red flash in his eyes.
Keep talking, and she'd die for sure.
"First question. Why'd you go to France?"
She seemed calmer, so he spoke.
Curious why he'd ask that, she answered anyway.
"To get stronger. Charlotte Hunter gave me a good opportunity."
"That's all?"
"...What do you mean?"
"Just asking if that's really all."
Lee Ha-na stared at him.
His impassive eyes gave nothing away.
She bit her lip, then spoke quietly.
"...Truth is, I ran away."
"...From what?"
"...Everything. I couldn't stay here anymore."
"Why?"
She looked at him again.
Those cold, indifferent eyes.
They flashed red for a split second, and she spoke, entranced.
Words she'd shared with no one but Charlotte Michelle—who'd cared for her three years—poured out to this stranger.
"I... three years ago, I abandoned a teammate."
She buried her face in her hands. A sob leaked through.
"I shouldn't have... I had to bring him out somehow... He was diligent, always cheerful... Handled the dirty work without complaint... Endured all the scorn with dignity... And I..."
"......"
"He begged for help... To be saved... And I... I did nothing..."
Hic... Sob... Her quiet cries filled the tent. The man watched silently, then rubbed his eyes.
"...Some mental resistance? Enough to counter the Magic Eye..."
He muttered, shaking his head.
He wasn't naive enough to misjudge if his power worked.
Which meant everything she said was pure truth...
"This is awkward. The one I came to avenge... actually regrets it."
—Unlike the other two.
He muttered bitterly.
Thinking back, yeah.
Lee Ha-na had been different from the others.
Unlike the hunters who despised and insulted him, or those who hid their contempt.
And that's why her betrayal had hurt more.
"Hic... Sob..."
He watched her quiet tears for a long while.