Chapter 36
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Run Away
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“Yawn. How long has it been?”
“About 30 minutes since they went in.”
“Hmm. Halfway there, then.”
The instructor and assistants were lounging around, yawning lazily in the temporary structure by the gate. Someone came running up in a hurry, shouting.
“Instructor! We’ve got a support request from Hunter Management.”
“What? Who did what?”
“From Hunter Management…”
“What brings those big shots to us?”
“All-Kill Guild finally caused an incident.”
“Huh? An incident?”
“Yes. There’s been a hunter-on-hunter murder right in the middle of the city.”
The instructor’s expression changed. Anyone in the know was aware of the tense atmosphere brewing lately.
That’s why they’d pushed up the gate practical early, but of all days, this had to happen today… What a coincidence.
“What do they want us to do? Give me the details.”
“Looks like All-Kill Guild was surveilling De Marin’s people. Things escalated when their members got into it, and someone from De Marin mocked an All-Kill member’s fingers, calling him ‘finger cripple,’ sparking a fight.”
“A murder over something that petty?”
“Turned out the guy was a recently demoted executive. Apparently, he lost those fingers as punishment for the gate disappearance.”
“An executive would be a 2-star hunter. No way some small fry jumps him without getting wrecked. And?”
“It’s on the verge of all-out war now. Hunter Management’s trying to stop the fight, or at least minimize civilian casualties if they can’t. They’re requesting a healer just in case…”
“So they want me to come. Damn it. Of all days.”
The instructor clicked his tongue, glancing at the gate. It’d probably be fine, but dungeons were unpredictable unknowns. As the on-site lead, he should stay and monitor.
But this was an emergency. Regular folks with no powers could get hurt—or worse. He needed to provide support ASAP.
Plus, it was an official request from Hunter Management. Plenty of cover if anything went wrong.
“Tch! You all watch things here. I’m off to save civilians.”
No sooner had he decided than another person came sprinting up. So urgent, he was yelling from afar.
“It blew up! All-Kill Guild and De Marin are finally clashing!”
“Shit! Let’s move!”
The instructor grabbed just a single sword and rushed off. At that moment, ripples spread across the gate.
Woooong—
It shimmered like waves crashing, then settled. But on closer look, faint ripples continued across its surface.
An ominous sign. Any veteran hunter would recognize it as a precursor to gate promotion.
But the remaining assistants paid the gate no mind. They pulled out a hidden go board to kill time.
“A game of gomoku?”
“No 33-4. Got it?”
“Wanna bet dinner?”
“Deal.”
A sharp *tak!* echoed from the board, and the gate’s tremors began to grow.
* * *
*Whish—thwack!*
“Guh!”
A steel ball whistled through the air, and another goblin hit the dirt without fail. The goblins finally spotted us and charged.
While the squad formed up, I fired my slingshot again, dropping one more goblin.
A fight kicked off with two easy kills. Only nine left. One per person—nothing tough.
The trainees were still suffering gate aftereffects, and these goblins were stronger than Earth’s, but as the weakest 1-star monsters, they went down easy.
“One slipped behind!”
“Yeah, bro. I got it!”
I gripped my spear in reverse and smashed down on the lunging goblin from a low stance. Even as a throwing spear, it was over two meters long.
The goblin’s dagger? Barely 30 cm. That reach gap meant it couldn’t even get close.
“Keeek!”
“Phew. All done?”
“Yeah. Everyone do the mercy kill?”
“Confirmed!” came shouts from all around. I nodded once the fight was fully over.
“Good. Quick maintenance, then let’s move.”
The assistants just watched from afar, never joining or advising. Leading the squad was all on me as squad leader.
*Phew. Tough.*
Combat was easy; communicating with people? Not so much. Not age or experience—just personality.
I like being alone. Holed up in my room watching anime or gaming—that’s my hobby, my routine.
Directing others in battle on top of talking? Exhausting.
*Moemoe-chan and the goblins were easy to chat with, though…*
Still, I was trying. Spotting goblins early from range and sniping a couple with the slingshot. Darts to save teammates in a pinch.
Even with minimal chit-chat, we were starting to sync up.
Synced, we got hyped naturally. I must’ve picked up the pace without realizing. Silent Assistant Song finally chimed in.
“How about a 10-minute break?”
“We can push further, right?”
“No, this is the limit. Push more and you hit the twenty-plus spawn zone. Gate aftereffects’ll make it rough.”
“Oh, got it! 10-minute break!”
Groans rose everywhere at the news. Everyone had been pushing hard, huh.
My bad. No aftereffects for me, so I couldn’t gauge their fatigue. Gotta remember that for future parties.
“Phew. Brutal.”
Jin-hyuk hyung approached, rubbing his forearm.
“If it was rough, say something. I had no clue…”
“Not just you. We were all too pumped to notice. Makes sense—EXP here’s on another level from outside. I even hit level 4 in that time. Insane, right?”
“Already?”
“Over ten kills in 30 minutes. Way more than I ever got as a regular hunter—in half an hour! No wonder people freak out over gates.”
Jin-hyuk hyung’s face had changed. That cynical edge flushed with excitement.
Yeah, I got that hyped during my fast-leveling phase. I mumbled agreement while checking my status.
[Cha In-hyeok. Lv 10. (92.3%)] [Mana 1/10]
[Strength 32, Agility 32, Vitality 33, Intelligence 28]
No EXP gain. Despite plenty of goblins, just 0.1%.
*Efficiency’s trash. Partying’s a hassle too… Sigh. Guess I’m solo material.*
We moved out after the break.
Formation: High-agility ranged like me up front, melee in single file behind.
Spot goblins, ranged lead shot, form up, then duck back.
So I was at the very front.
Over an hour total, breaks included. Boss room soon.
Maybe one more break? Then the dungeon shook.
*Rumble—!*
*What? Gate closing?*
Felt like when I stole the dungeon crystal. Difference: back then, void borders shrank, sealing paths. Now, they receded, widening them.
We trainees tilted our heads at the mystery. The assistants paled.
“Passage widened. Gate promotion?”
“Meaning this is a 2-star dungeon now!”
Trainees caught on, faces clouding with anxiety. 2-star meant possible 2-star monsters.
My expression soured too. Facing the source of my unease since yesterday. With this stuff always happening around me, maybe I was the cause?
*Moemoe-chan said monsters are drawn to my mana. If that’s it here? Wait, the school gate too?*
Kim Cheol-min blaming me for his arm resurfaced. The dead friend from that gate. His parents grieving at the memorial.
*No. Focus on now. Survive first, emote later.*
I shook off the thoughts. This dungeon linked to the southern gate of Demon King’s Castle.
The wasteland border hit repeatedly by orc raids. Orcs must’ve hit the goblin village, pushed inside, claimed the dungeon.
*Boss room’s swarming with orcs!?*
Assistant Song voiced the same thought.
“Let’s pull back first. Better to check outside.”
“Yeah. Everyone, retreat—”
He didn’t finish.
It wasn’t just the passage. Boss room expanded too, swallowing us whole.
We snapped to—smack in the boss room center.
“Gasp! Th-there…!”
Kim Cheol-min pointed, face ashen. Ahead: black orcs clutching massive battle axes, clustered thick.
Their 2.5-meter bulks? Pressure leagues beyond goblins.
“Snort! Chuff!”
An orc nose twitched, belching steam like an old rice cooker. About to sniff us out.
*Damn. Wanted to hit ’em post-promotion.*
I stayed calm. Not spotted yet. Maybe sneak out? Then—
“Gaaah! Orcs!”
“R-run!”
Squad screamed, bolting. Every orc spotted us, axes raised.
*Real helpful.*
“In-hyeok! Hurry!”
Assistant Song stayed, waving me over. Another assistant fled frontmost, forgetting duty.
Jin-hyuk hyung chased tight.
*Some loyalty.*
Betrayed, I hauled ass. Song guarded the rear.
*No time to hide power.*
I had to book it for him to survive. Full speed—I caught the rear fast.
*Orcs are slow. This pace, we’re golden.*
Caught the last trainee. Then he spun, swinging an arm.
*Shing—*
Blue flash—a sword from his arm. I clocked it: Kim Cheol-min.
“Guh!”
Ambushed. Never dreamed friendly fire mid-orc escape.
“Die!”
Kim Cheol-min slashed, face murderous. Blade’s blue glow screamed danger. Dodge instinct.
Full sprint? Tough. Twisted past the first, but stumbled down.
“You be the bait!”
He swung to finish. Life-or-death.
“What the hell!”
Assistant Song blocked from behind.