Gun Flower (6): Goblin Slayer's Farewell
The Full Bloom (Custom Ver.) bullet crafted by Gun-hwa. Its power was far too overwhelming for a mere pistol round. It vaporized the goblin, leaving only a pair of scrawny green ankles behind—need I say more? Total overkill. The Full Bloom bullet's destructive force was so immense that I felt ashamed for unleashing it on some pathetic goblin.
"Even though I fired it myself, this is ridiculous. What the hell?"
Staring down at the Gun-hwa's barrel, where white smoke still curled lazily into the air, I couldn't help but let out a hollow chuckle. To think that gaining just one unique ability had granted me this level of firepower. The past ten years I'd spent scraping by as a half-baked hunter felt utterly pointless.
But bygones were bygones—you can't turn back time. And I'd earned this unique ability precisely because I'd survived this long. So instead of dwelling on lost years, I decided to focus on the here and now.
"Can't properly gauge the power here, anyway."
I'd come to this goblin burrow to test the might of Full Bloom (Custom Ver.). And I'd just realized that goblins were too weak to measure its true potential. No point wasting more time in this dump.
"Better wrap up the request and get out."
I holstered Gun-hwa, then drew my hunter knife from the sheath on my belt.
Shing!
"Kreek!"
"Kirerek!"
"Kiiik!"
The deafening roar from that last Full Bloom shot must've stirred them—goblin cries echoed from the small holes dotting the walls.
Thud thud thud thud!
Goblins charging from their burrows to defend their nest from the intruder. Gripping my knife lightly yet firmly, I savored that cool, familiar grip against my palm. Been a while.
"Hoo."
Tat tat tat!Whoosh!
"Kieeeek!"
"Kirirerek!"
"Kyaaak!!"
I exhaled sharply to steady my breath, and at that exact moment, three goblins burst out from a burrow. Humanoid monsters, 110cm tall, clutching crude daggers sharp enough to pierce human flesh. A crisis that would rattle newbie hunters.
Even Yoo Seo-ah, fresh out of the academy back then, had nearly gotten caught off-guard by their sudden rushes.
But I didn't flinch at their group assault. Why? Because I'd hunted goblins so many times it bored me to tears—I was the goblin-slaying expert.
Slash!
I swung the knife horizontally, slicing the throat of the first leaping goblin.
Whoosh—thunk!
Twisting from the momentum, I drove the blade into the second one's chest with a hip-powered thrust, piercing clean through.
Crack!
Reversing my twisted hips, I smashed my fist—packed with full power—into the last one's face, shattering it skull-first.
Thud thud!
The decapitated one and the face-smashed one crumpled to the ground. The stabbed one dangled limply from my hand.
Schlop! Thud!
"Hoo."
I yanked the knife free, tossed the corpse aside, and caught my breath. Three in one breath. Still got it, Kang Jinseong.
Memories flooded back from before I met Yoo Seo-ah, when I couldn't land a proper team and spent my days butchering goblins nonstop. I'd even earned the nickname "Goblin Slayer."
In hunter society, goblins were newbie training dummies and warm-up sandbags. So "Goblin Slayer" was a mocking slur for someone barely scraping by on goblin bounties.
"This is the last time I step into a goblin hole."
But no more getting called that. I'd decided to aim higher now. No time to waste on goblins.
"Kiruk! Kreek! Kieek! Kirirek!"
More cries erupted simultaneously from countless burrows. I readjusted my stance.
"Goblin Slayer retirement party. Come at me easy."
Today, I'd leave the old goblin-slaying me behind in this place.
"Yeah, you too."
I turned in ten goblin ears, pocketed the 100,000 won bounty, and headed out. Nostalgic memories of scraping by like this surfaced, but I shook my head to clear them. No time for sentiment—I had priorities.
"Hmmm... this is a problem."
I hadn't come out here just to sell goblin ears. It was to test my new ability, Full Bloom's true power. But goblins were too weak; the bullet vaporized everything above the ankles. Its overwhelming strength was the issue.
To gauge it properly, I needed higher-grade monsters.
"But the highest dungeon I can solo right now is E-rank."
As a solo D-rank hunter without a team, E-rank was my limit. Given my experience and the bullet's demonstrated power, even E-rank monsters probably wouldn't cut it.
"Nothing more crucial than accurately assessing a unique ability's power. What now?"
I wanted to benchmark it before starting streams. But to do that properly, I'd need at least a D-rank... no, C-rank dungeon. Problem was, I couldn't enter C-rank solo.
For C-rank or higher, you needed a solid team. And no one would slot me in just to "test my ability."
"Ha... guess no choice."
Only one option left.
"Alright, time to bite the bullet and ask. No other way."
Yoo Seo-ah chance. I pulled out my phone and texted.
She'd mentioned sudden business earlier, so it'd probably take time. Yoo Seo-ah was swamped—might be days. Head home, plan the stream in the meantime, I thought, taking a step.
Bzzz—[Seo-ah]
"Huh?"
The phone rang instantly. Five seconds after the text? Was she just waiting for my call?
...Nah, probably just happened to check her phone during a break.
I hit accept and connected the call.
"Jinseong! What's the favor? Anything, just say it!"
Her voice burst through the moment she picked up, brimming with excitement for some reason. Lately, she'd seemed way brighter than when we were on the same team. Cheongmyeong Guild perks must be top-tier.
"Not busy? Weren't you called away earlier?"
I asked, impressed by whatever guild welfare had her this hyped.
"Oh, it was nothing! Just follow-up on that incident from before. Oh! Not bad news! They got punished—it was good stuff! Don't worry!"
"Glad to hear it. Good stuff, huh? Lucky."
"Ehehe... yeah, really good. So, what's the favor? Hit me!"
After some chit-chat, she dove straight in without me prompting. Grateful, I took a deep breath and laid it out—starting with the Full Bloom bullet.
Went to the goblin burrow to test it, but it was too strong; goblins couldn't gauge it properly. Needed higher-grade monsters for a real measure. But solo, E-rank max.
"So... to test on stronger stuff, I need a higher-rank dungeon, which means a team. That's why I'm asking you."
"H-huh?! D-does that mean...!"
After my rambling explanation, her voice filled with eager anticipation. No clue what she was expecting, but steeling myself with a thick face, I made the ask.
"I hate to impose like this, but you're the only one who can help."
"Ugh! I'm the only one you can rely on?! Then that favor must be...!"
The one favor only Korea's hunter supernova, Cheongmyeong Guild's Sword Flower A-rank hunter Yoo Seo-ah could grant:
"Could you slot me into one of Cheongmyeong's B-rank teams, just once...?"
A request to pull strings for a spot on a Cheongmyeong sub-team.
"...What?"
For the first time, a chilling voice from Yoo Seo-ah echoed through the speaker.