Chapter 57
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Double Dungeon Crisis
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The disappearance of Yoo Byung-jun, an S-Rank Hunter.
To confirm his survival and rescue him safely,
Cheonglim Guild, where he belonged, dispatched an elite party composed entirely of A-Rank Hunters.
But more time passed.
Even at the point when the raid should have been completed by now,
the elite party had not returned, just like Yoo Byung-jun.
In the end, with the elite party confirmed missing as well,
the Korean Hunter Management Bureau went on high alert, convening an emergency meeting.
"Examination results confirm this A-Rank Dungeon is a special dungeon."
"Reports have come in from reconnaissance-specialized Hunters."
Information poured in one after another.
As it began to coalesce, the atmosphere in the conference room grew heavy.
"This A-Rank Dungeon has a high probability of being a double dungeon."
"Mana levels inside the dungeon are steadily rising! In the worst case, it could escalate to S-Rank!"
More intel kept coming in via field communications.
"High-grade undead are starting to spread inside again! No more reconnaissance is possible..."
"Damn it!"
Bam!
A middle-aged man, unable to contain his anger, slammed his fist on the table.
But no one said a word to him.
They all felt the same way.
"A double dungeon out of nowhere! These are so rare in Korea you could count them on one hand, and it happens now?!"
"This is bad... We wasted too much time trusting Cheonglim Guild."
The time to detect the dungeon's emergence and recruit Hunters for the raid.
The time wasted due to Yoo Byung-jun's reservation.
The delay from waiting on the dispatched rescue team.
All of it added up to now.
"Dungeon Break is right around the corner..."
"Shit!"
The Gate's rampage loomed in real time before their eyes.
An A-Rank Dungeon rampage, one of the highest grades among them.
Handling a rampaging Gate meant countless casualties.
It also required massive manpower.
Because you had to fight hordes of monsters pouring out all at once.
If they failed to clear this A-Rank Dungeon now and the Gate rampaged?
Everyone shuddered at the imagined scenario.
"We absolutely cannot let that Gate rampage!"
"Exactly! We can't delay any longer. We need to issue mobilization orders to all guilds!"
"Contact every high-rank Hunter!"
In the urgent situation, the Bureau sprang into action.
They reached out to all guilds with high-rank Hunters, major ones included.
Naturally, this extended to independent Hunters as well.
It was time for the Hunters, who had enjoyed countless benefits, to fulfill their duties.
However, not every Hunter could join this incident.
Dungeons were endless, and many were already in progress.
Plus, some were deployed overseas.
"Dawn Guild has agreed to cooperate! They're sending an elite party!"
"As expected of Dawn Guild! What about the others?"
"Cheonglim Guild says they'll provide additional personnel!"
"Night Guild has also expressed willingness to cooperate!"
Confirmed forces began piling up one by one.
The grueling overtime continued late into the night.
During a brief respite amid the all-nighters,
the team leader from the management division, who had attended the meeting, chatted with Section Chief Jang Hansu in the break room.
"Whew... I'm beat."
"Can't be helped with the situation. How much manpower have we gathered?"
"Advance team: 13 high-rank Hunters, including 3 S-Ranks. Rear guard still recruiting."
"A bit short, but it's the best we can do."
"Yeah."
The situation was so dire that the Bureau was recruiting a rear guard in addition to the advance team.
The pre-assembled advance team would head out first, pushing at max speed,
then the rear guard would join to stabilize and finish the clear.
It was the best plan available now.
"By the way, what rank is that Returner from before now? It's been a while."
"Ah, she's still D-Rank."
"Figured as much. Won't be much help."
The team leader clicked his tongue bitterly.
Watching him, the section chief pondered silently.
'Sihyun could match an A-Rank, so she'd definitely help... but.'
The question was whether she'd even agree.
As an independent with no guild and a registered D-Rank,
she had few benefits—and thus few obligations.
Forcing her wasn't impossible, but it would sour relations later.
'Still, I should reach out when I get a chance.'
If she responded positively,
getting her into the raid would be entirely feasible.
One of Korea's major guilds, Cheonglim Guild.
Inside its guild building, a man bellowed with a deeply furrowed face.
"What?! Another disappearance? The rescue team completely wiped?!"
His voice echoed through the entire office.
He was Cheonglim Guild's master and president.
The staff all kept their eyes downcast, gauging his mood.
"Half our core forces are gone! Didn't the advance team do their job?! What the hell are we going to do about this?!"
The reason Cheonglim had risen to major guild status:
They boasted no fewer than two S-Rank Hunters.
Cheonglim was infamous for funneling resources to its top Hunters.
Sure, countless underlings got chewed up in the process, but recruits kept coming.
Many Hunters dreamed of becoming the strongest.
Believing hard work would bring rewards.
That was the core reason talent never stopped flowing into Cheonglim.
Though in reality, only a tiny few reaped the benefits while most were exploited and discarded.
Now, the disappearance of Cheonglim's star S-Rank, Yoo Byung-jun.
And the elite A-Rank party sent to rescue him, also missing.
Cheonglim Guild was in full crisis mode.
"Ever since that damn bitch left, nothing's gone right. Fuck!"
The president's face flushed red and purple as he kept raising his voice.
His outburst dragged up past grievances too.
As the staff stood with lips sealed, waiting for his rage to subside,
his phone suddenly rang.
His expression softened slightly upon checking the caller.
It was Cheonglim's other star: an S-Rank Hunter.
- President, I've wrapped up here. Heading back to Seoul right away.
"Kang Cheol-min! Finally! You've heard the situation, right?"
- Yes. I'll join the rear guard as soon as I return.
He'd been away on assignment, so he wasn't in Seoul.
Too late for the advance team, but he'd jump straight into the rear guard.
To restore the guild's tarnished honor.
"God, I hope the Hunters are still alive..."
- Don't worry. With me there, I'll bring them back for sure.
Kang Cheol-min infused his words with confident force.
His tone bordered on arrogance.
The president let out a sigh of relief.
The next day, amid the chaos everywhere,
Sihyun spent the afternoon in a D-Rank Dungeon.
Sweeping through for some pocket money at a leisurely pace,
she found a suitable clearing and began her hobby.
"Hmm-hmm-hmm~"
Humming the ending theme from Vtuber Momo Bin's stream, she cast magic.
Her toes tapped along to the rhythm.
Krunch, krunch.
Just like with the goblin figurine before,
this time, a skeleton figurine was taking shape.
Once the bone frame was done, Sihyun pulled out her phone and opened chat.
No internet, but she could review saved history.
She scrolled back to her exchange with Areum.
- Thinking of prepping a skeleton figurine this time.
- ...How about making it cute this round?!
- Cute? Why?
- Well, um. To reduce the students' aversion to monsters!
- Oh, that's solid.
- Right?!
- (skeleton sketch)
- Something like this?
- Thanks for the ref! I'll use it.
Sihyun had been easily convinced.
On second thought, the goblin figurine combat drills had definitely split opinions.
Did she really need to push that in a liberal arts class?
Besides, Areum's idea wasn't half bad.
Cutifying it to lower the creep factor.
Something she never would've thought of herself.
Good call asking for input.
She nodded in satisfaction, lost in thought.
This figurine would be pure hobby fun.
The goblin in the professor's office corner was getting a new friend?
One per type, and it might make a decent display.
"Hee hee hee..."
Grinning ear to ear, she resumed her magic.
'Once I'm home, crack open that wine from the bar.'
Home, so no worries about buzz—just enjoy it as a side drink.
Skip dawn prayer just for tomorrow.
Sleep in late, wake refreshed.
"Mm, mm."
A clean, perfect plan.
Feeling the true healing life vibe, Sihyun smiled softly.