Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Association's Experimental Subject VER.P.NULL
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“Wow… It’s practically mass hysteria.”
Seol Doyun murmured in quiet admiration as he scrolled through the community forums. Reactions to the dungeon were running red-hot.
The fact that information about it kept getting deleted seemed to only fuel its popularity.
Someone had slapped the name ‘Dun’s Favorability’ onto a crumpled sticker item and auctioned it off—for tens of millions of won. That said it all.
“Hey, Seol Doyun. Full A-Class muster. Put this on.”
Lee Sa-byeok, who’d just barged into the room, tossed some clothes at Seol Doyun. A small-sized shirt and pants.
Lee Sa-byeok had already changed into her outing gear somehow.
“Your buttons are mismatched.”
Lee Sa-byeok checked her outfit in the mirror.
“So what? I know. It’s the trend these days.”
“Some ridiculous trend.”
Seol Doyun took the clothes, dampened the wrinkled spots with a bit of water to smooth them out, and neatly rolled up the sleeves.
“I heard the gate that opened this time is fortunately F-Rank. It’s in North Chungcheong Province, so we’ll have to travel a bit.”
“That A-rank Awakener uncle’s coming along too?”
“Nah. He’s Awakened anyway, but I doubt they’ll deploy him to the field until his Hunter capsule stabilizes.”
Seol Doyun pulled out a small notebook and checked the gate info for this op.
“Any results from the Hunter drone gate testing? You know, launching drones to scout the interior.”
“Yeah. Mana reactions similar to assault-type monsters.”
“Are they leaving this gate open or closing it? D-Grade, so probably open?”
“Who knows. Higher-ups are coming to watch, so open, I guess.”
Open gates and closed gates.
Open gates were those deliberately left uncleared—boss untouched—for gate analysis and research.
They were usually low-difficulty gates fitted with ‘gate shells,’ defensive barriers to prevent monster escapes, and kept open.
Closed gates, on the other hand, focused on taking out the boss and sealing them right away. Anything C-Rank or higher with high casualty risk was typically closed immediately.
Clicking sounds echoed.
Lee Sa-byeok was maintaining the guns the supervisor had handed out earlier.
“Feeling good about this. I’m gonna hit first Awakening. You think I’m the fastest in A-Class too, right?”
“Everyone who says that ends up last.”
“Jinx much?”
She was cocky as hell, but Lee Sa-byeok was the most promising kid in all of A-Class.
Stats on gate-Awakened folks showed most had exceptional physical abilities.
Even Association Chairman Kim Woo-sung had been a local ssireum wrestler back in his youth, or so the story went.
Given her top physical scores in A-Class testing, she’d probably nail first Awakening within a year or two.
Association kids who succeeded at first Awakening split into two tracks.
Research subjects and nurture prospects.
Low-mana kids got experimented on to figure out Awakening mechanics. High-mana or high-physical-grade ones got groomed into Hunters.
If Lee Sa-byeok Awakened, she’d likely get the full nurture treatment.
Dorm reassignment was a safe bet too.
Seol Doyun smiled.
“I’ll root for your Awakening success. Can I take over your spot then?”
“Yeah, once I Awaken, we won’t have to see each other’s faces!”
“Amazing. Just imagining it cuts my stress in half.”
“Right? One of us Awakens quick, we split. Being tied to you is such a drag.”
“Yeah! I’ll do my best.”
Seol Doyun and Lee Sa-byeok shared a brief moment of happy laughter.
* * *
The D-Rank gate that appeared in North Chungcheong Province.
Gate entrances twisted based on difficulty—the stronger the boss monster, the more extreme the distortion.
This one’s E-Rank gate entrance wasn’t badly twisted, and detected mana levels weren’t overwhelming. But unlike F-Rank gates even regular soldiers could handle, E-Rank required Hunters, so Association Hunters and trainee kids stepped up.
“…And so, we shall commence the Fifth Open Gate Exploration Ceremony. As Hunters, you pledge to prioritize civilian lives over your own…”
The supervisor who’d come along from the Association opened with a nod to the government officials in attendance.
“…and to never abuse the power gained from rigorous Hunter training and Awakened strength…”
Ugh, so boring. Blah blah blah.
Lee Sa-byeok, rifle slung over her back and hands clasped behind, let out a massive yawn.
Couldn’t grasp the point of this pomp every damn open gate. Monsters were right there inside, waiting to slaughter people.
Big-shot politicians struck fighting poses in front of the gate for photos and cut the ribbon they’d brought.
Once the circus wrapped and they piled back into their vans, it was finally time to enter.
“Trainee Hunters! No need to shake—stick close behind me!”
B-rank Hunter Kwak Ji-min from the Association soothed the trembling A-Class kids and took point into the gate.
As Kwak Ji-min stepped in, the scenery around the gate rippled like waves.
Following her went a bunch of D-rank Hunters, then several C-ranks, with Association kids bringing up the rear.
“S-Sa-byeok… I-I’m so s-scared. A-And I gotta pee. W-What do I do? Waaah!”
Lee Kyung-seop, one of the Association kids still terrified of monsters, clung to Lee Sa-byeok’s arm, sniffling.
Lee Sa-byeok shook off Kyung-seop’s arm before his snot could smear her clothes.
“F-Fucking wimp. It’s just an E-Rank gate.”
“D-Do-yun… Hic… S-Sa-byeok. If things get bad, y-you gotta protect me, right? Promise? Hueeng!”
“Got it. I’ll protect you, so quit shaking. B-rank Hunter’s here—no major injuries.”
“Y-Yeah!”
Seol Doyun gently disentangled from Kyung-seop’s arm-hug with a smile, words stripped of any real warmth. Kyung-seop beamed in relief at Seol Doyun’s reassurance.
Boom! Kwang!
B-rank Hunter Kwak Ji-min up ahead swung her sword. Mana-infused blade strikes on monsters boomed explosively each time.
With Kwak Ji-min slashing at the center, C- and D-rank Hunters supported by blocking flying rock shards or intercepting ambushes from the flanks.
This gate’s monsters resembled pigs with four eyes. Their backs bristled with porcupine quills.
Kids gasped in awe watching Kwak Ji-min effortlessly stab her sword into the back of a charging, quill-exposed spiky pig monster.
“Wow… B-rank Hunters are insanely strong.”
“Grooooss! Ueeng!”
“Hunter and supervisor’ll report our attitudes. No crying!”
Trained or not, they were still kids. No supervisor around, strong Hunters leading—kids huddled, freely freaking out over the scene.
But they kept fingers tense on rifle triggers, ready to fight if needed.
Amid it all, the notably spineless Lee Kyung-seop shrank to the back of the line, trembling.
“Lee Sa-byeok, vibrations from behind.”
“Kyung-seop? Or spiky pig?”
“Spiky pig.”
Lee Sa-byeok whipped around, raising her muzzle.
Hand to the wall confirmed it—something barreling in from way back.
“Everyone up front—move!”
Lee Sa-byeok bellowed, startling kids into sprinting toward the lead Hunters.
Kyung-seop dawdled, so Lee Sa-byeok irritably booted him amid the fleeing pack.
Hooves of surging spiky pigs from behind grew louder.
“Fuck, rear ambushes start at D-Rank gates, right? Where’s their weak spot?”
“Eyes. Not instant kill—just stuns for 5 seconds.”
Spiky pigs had eyes on opposite sides, so herds meant circling for shots.
Lee Sa-byeok timed it, dashed back, then leaped off Seol Doyun.
Seol Doyun sighed low under his breath, muttering a curse.
Propelled, Lee Sa-byeok twisted midair, jabbing her long gun at the distant ceiling. Sharp hook on the barrel tip fixed it briefly overhead.
Before dropping, she swung momentum to sail behind the charging spiky pig, drew her pistol calmly, and nailed its eyeball.
Bang!
Clean shot from nowhere. One bullet, one eye.
Recoil carried her farther, securing perfect distance from the pig. Acrobatics bordering on art.
Kueeeek!
The spiky pig squealed, foreleg clutching its eye.
As others tried shielding eyes, Lee Sa-byeok shot their soft hand-parts to keep them exposed.
Bang!
Then coolly pegged another pig’s eyeball.
As it stunned clutching its eye, Seol Doyun drew his knife from inside his jacket, found the slight crown depression, and plunged deep for instant kill.
“S-Sa-byeok!! Spiky pig’s turning!!”
With Lee Sa-byeok sniping eyes from the front, other pigs wheeled, quills out, charging her.
Bang, bang!
Seol Doyun drew his pistol, casually popping eyes on the turned pigs.
Lee Sa-byeok whipped her leg knife free, eyed the vital spot Seol Doyun had ID’d, and jammed into the crown depression.
Rear-rank pigs cleared in seconds.
One watching kid piped up in awe.
“You two sync perfectly…”
“Always thought you match so well!”
Bang! Bang!
Two warning shots cracked into the wall.
Lee Sa-byeok recoiled in disgust, Seol Doyun stone-faced.
“Don’t lump us together, fuck off.”