Chapter 204
Translator: uly
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: Part 2 Chapter 67
Today, I decided to sneak into a C-Rank Gate and tag along. It was a bit risky, but I figured it’d be fine.
I needed to keep clearing gates around C-Rank level if I wanted to awaken. Maybe staying too long in the low ranks was why it hadn’t happened yet.
When I arrived at the gate, members of the Gusang Guild were already gathered.
You didn’t have to join the Association to form a guild and raid gates.
But there weren’t that many guilds out there.
The Association had tons of hunter-related resources, so the benefits of being affiliated with them were huge.
They handled everything meticulously, and the profit share from selling gate loot was high too. So if you had the skills, most people stuck with the Association.
That’s why guilds tended to attract hunters who lacked the talent to advance or those who didn’t want to be tied down by the Association’s strict rules and restrictions.
The Gusang Guild was one I’d often joined when raiding higher-rank gates before.
They were recruiting the minimum numbers needed to enter this C-Rank Gate, so I slipped in just for the entry.
For a guild, they were pretty organized and solid fighters.
“Wow, Ina! Long time no see!”
The Gusang Guild Master spotted me and broke into a big grin.
For reference, Kim Ina was my unofficial alias.
If I went around openly as Lee Saebyeok, there’d be no end to the people digging into my personal life, so I’d made up this extra identity.
“You finally thinking of joining our guild?”
I shook my head.
Being tied to a guild made it hard to hit the gates I wanted, so I’d never signed up.
The guild master looked disappointed, then introduced a woman standing behind him.
“Here, this is my daughter, Shin Surin. She just got a B-Rank mana rating—real promising stock!”
Shin Surin seemed flustered by the sudden intro but quickly smiled shyly and extended her hand in greeting.
I gave her a casual handshake in return.
As I exchanged hellos with a few familiar guild members, I checked over my weapons.
In the meantime, the guild master came over and sat down beside me. He let out a sigh.
“The economy’s been rough lately... Even my buddy just shut down his shop.”
Made sense—it was tough to keep anything running in this mess. I nodded.
“My daughter lost her job too. She was prepping for marriage, but with no way to make money, she decided to try hunting. And she’s got a five-year-old at home...”
From there, the story just kept going.
“So?”
It reeked of an agenda, jumping straight into his daughter’s sob story, so I asked what he wanted.
“You might be F2 Rank, but you’re sharp at reading situations and drawing out talent. Guide her well, and I’ll give you a bonus after the raid!”
“You want me to funnel performance her way?”
Plenty of guilds had tried to steal my contributions before.
They’d ignore me at first because of my low rank, then swoop in to claim the results once I delivered.
For someone who wanted to lay low, it was actually convenient, so I never stopped them.
Instead, I’d leave evidence and just demand payment.
Keep my identity secret, pay up. Truly grateful folks.
I hadn’t expected the relatively mild-mannered Gusang Guild Master to pull this.
Still, him being upfront like this was way better than sneaky theft. No need to overthink it.
When he started beating around the bush to hide his intentions, I cut straight to the point.
He looked shocked and waved his hands.
“No, no, ah... I get how it could be misunderstood. That’s not it—I mean guide her properly. Help her grow as a hunter. Share gate info you know, watch her back. That kinda thing...? If her ranking shoots up without the skills, it’ll just bite her later. What I’m saying is...”
His flustered explanation was something to see. Looked like that really was his intent.
I’d only ever been dismissed as an unawakened hunter, so having a guild master acknowledge my abilities—even partially—felt kinda good.
“I can’t promise anything since I don’t know what’s inside the gate. There might be situations where I can’t focus on her. But I’ll keep it in mind.”
“...Yeah, thanks!”
He beamed at my response.
Time to grab our gear and head into the gate.
I walked over to Shin Surin, who I’d met earlier. She was on a video call with someone—loud, cheerful voices spilling from her phone.
《Mommy! When you coming home?》
“My baby girl, Mommy’ll be back soon. Don’t worry, play nice with Grandpa at home~”
《Okay! Daddy coming!》
《Hey! Put some pants on before talking to Mommy!》
《Yes sir!》
“Listen to Grandpa, okay~”
It was a heartwarming family scene, from what I could tell.
Staring at the peaceful home on the screen, something twisted in my gut for no reason. I felt jealous of that innocent kid.
My own home? An empty trash heap. Theirs looked warm.
Sure, I’d ended up alone because of my flimsy pride and incompetence. But it still bugged me.
To shake it off, I tried recalling my days packed in with the Abyss kids.
No family, always used, coming home hurt, life on the line as I grew up...
‘Stop thinking about it.’
I deliberately called out to her loudly to distract myself.
“Time to gear up.”
“Ah, yeah!”
The one called Shin Surin wrapped up her call and stood.
* * *
[Keek!]
[Kiiieeeek!]
Their skills had improved—they were fighting systematically now.
Shin Surin, a B6 Rank hunter, lacked quick reflexes and judgment, but her mana rank made up for it with raw firepower in her spells.
An ice mage, and her ice spears pierced the tough monster hides like butter.
Suddenly, an attack came from up and to the side.
The ceiling was high and dark, making it hard to spot the monsters’ approach.
One lunged straight at Shin Surin, who was hanging back with area attacks.
“Kyaaah!”
Instead of locking eyes and countering, she ducked her head and curled up.
I clicked my tongue and flung a sharp dagger at the flying monster’s eye.
[Keek!]
As it dropped, I leaped into the air and swung my swords in an X.
No mana meant no strength, so I hit the switch on the wires fixed to my waist and arms.
The wire’s tension supplemented my lacking power.
While the critically wounded monster crawled on the floor, I drew my gun from my waist and unloaded into its head.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Regular bullets don’t kill monsters easily, so I jammed my sword into the dents the shots had made.
That took care of one, barely.
“Th-thank you...”
I nodded and spoke.
“Can you make a thin ice barrier?”
“Ah, yes!”
“When I signal, put a thin frost layer on the ceiling.”
I focused my ears, trying to read the monsters’ footsteps.
Tap tap, tap.
The distance from floor to ceiling was huge, so it was faint, but I could still make it out.
They were carving grooves into the ceiling with their claws, moving stealthily.
One, two.
A bunch were gathering for a big coordinated strike.
After waiting, once enough had clustered on the ceiling, I shouted.
“Now!”
At my call, Shin Surin shot ice magic upward, coating the ceiling in thin frost. Monsters started slipping off one by one.
“Shin Surin! Ice spears!!!”
She conjured spears and hurled them at the falling monsters.
Dozens dropped dead or got pinned to the walls in one go.
The other hunters finished off the survivors that her spears hadn’t killed.
“Ina, you knew this trick? Should’ve said something sooner!”
“Sorry. Was sizing up the monsters and her abilities.”
I rummaged through a dead one, pocketing key teeth and organs for my bag.
These sold for good money.
“Uh, luring them to the ceiling and focusing fire up top might make it easier.”
I added that tip. This guild I’d known a while listened well, which was nice.
After that, they pushed deeper more smoothly.
Further in, there was a cliff with a narrow stone path down the middle.
The guild members hesitated but carefully started across.
“Everyone, stick together and watch your step!”
The guild master bellowed from the front, with members following cautiously behind.
‘Obvious trap.’
I brought up the rear with Shin Surin.
Cliffs on both sides should’ve been terrifying, but she trudged on without looking down. Impressive.
The way she’d fired those spears on instinct earlier, and not panicking much now—she was either hunter material or had her mom’s grit.
‘Cliché, but more dropping from above?’
I glanced up. Way too high now; footsteps were inaudible.
“Monsters likely dropping from the ceiling—stay sharp.”
“Ah, yes!”
She shrugged her shoulders tensely and barked back.
Pushing further, monsters suddenly rained down from above.
I’d seen it coming, so I grabbed the path’s edge and dropped flat against the cliff to dodge.
“Gahhh!!”
I was about to climb back when someone fell off the path.
I shot out an arm and grabbed their falling wrist.
It was Surin—hadn’t prepped properly despite my warning.
I was strong, but holding an adult with one arm while clinging to the edge? Not enough.
“Help!”
My grip was slipping; I yelled for aid. Luckily, just before she dropped fully, another guild member grabbed my arm.
An E-Rank hunter who’d tagged along like me.
“Hang on a bit!”
Not enough mana to hoist her up at once—he’d secured me but couldn’t pull her in.
Worse, a monster was lunging at his right side.
No quick decision, and either he’d let go or we’d all die.
I looked down at Shin Surin. She was sobbing, staring at the abyss below.
‘Mommy! When you coming home?’
‘Yes! Daddy coming!’
That clear child’s voice from the call echoed. I’d envied it a bit.
‘Ah, fuck.’
My gut twisted again. Seeing happy people made me want to shatter it.
Resentment boiled into a choice.
Gritting my teeth, I summoned every ounce of strength and shoved Shin Surin’s hand into the E-Rank hunter’s other grip.
Pulling her up had strained me; my brow throbbed.
I forced a grin at her tearful, shocked face.
She was a decent hunter with potential. B-Rank, unlike me.
That bugged me too.
How’d a normal office worker luck into B-Rank? Easily protecting family—unfair world.
“Live fiercely and protect what’s yours.”
“Nooo!! Wait!!”
I let go of the E-Rank hunter’s hand.
Familiar faces flashed by, but no regrets. They were all living well, probably.
Better I die first than watch them go.
Plummeting into the endless cliff, a strange sense of release washed over me.
Current accumulated mana: 75.5%