Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Ejection
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Moments after Kim Do-yoon was first invited to the Boss Mob Gallery.
The moderator named Paper Enthusiast hadn't guided him much.
Just said it was a place to share various tips related to "ejection."
And now.
Only after reaching this point did the truth behind it all start to come to light.
💬 Comments — Paper Enthusiast Was gonna tell you originally, but you seemed in a rush so I helped with that first lol; — Me (my post) Then tell me now — Anonymous Obvious to us lol — Anonymous Newbie lives outside the tower so didn't know — Anonymous Why'd it take so long to find out? 📰 Breaking News Hoe~! It's this lady's turn to step up! — Aged Wine is... Now that the newbie has entered my tower! As the tower's owner, I have the right to guide and support the newbie personally...! Other mods, don't covet it—envy this lady's rights...! — Paper Enthusiast That true? — War God Squeak boop! — Short-Eared Goblin Doesn't matter who explains it~ Newbie getting stronger is all on him anyway~ — Anonymous Look at the mods getting pissed and rising up lol — Anonymous You know there's a mod who hasn't even joined yet? — Anonymous For real lololol — Anonymous Returning mods looking confused af lololol One of the gallery's moderators made that claim.
A moment later, posts started flooding in right away.
📰 Breaking News Tutorial for Newbie Entering the Tower! — Wine is Aged Apologies for momentarily losing my beginner's mind for the newbie...! Now, let the explanation begin. Newbie. You've just become a hunter. A hunter's lifelong wish and goal is to conquer the tower. And for that, you must defeat the "boss monsters" stationed on each stage. — Anonymous What is this. Is this the Wine Lord I know? Why the speech pattern? — Anonymous I'm scared — Anonymous She's been doing the cutesy concept till now, but this is her real self — Anonymous For real lololol — Anonymous Suddenly grabbed this weird concept and turned into an aggro magnet ㅇㅇ; Do-yoon already knew all this.
It was basic knowledge even for his life as a brand-new hunter.
What he hadn't known until now was about to begin.
— Wine is Aged So, what do you think is the origin of these boss mobs? Wine Lord continued her explanation.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Inside the tower dwell monsters—and above them, boss monsters.
They are the stage's masters, beings on a whole different level of power.
But in truth, despite possessing such might, they were unstable entities.
"...Ah."
There was a woman.
Her hair, infused with pale moonlight, tousled carelessly.
She rose blankly from her throne, unable to remember who she was or where she came from.
"Hoo, this boss mob's humanoid."
"Finish it quick."
"Pretty face for a boss mob? What a waste."
"Heh heh heh."
Across from the awakened her stood uninvited guests, their eyes brimming with greed.
Challengers and hunters who had just broken through the stage into the boss room.
Their goal was her neck.
As always, as a matter of course.
To hunters, boss mobs were mere stepping stones—accessories to claim without question.
Instinct.
From that core tied to their nature, she too learned.
"Wh-what is this! What the hell...!"
"Fuck, stay back! I said stay back!!"
"Gaaahhh!!"
Several agonized screams echoed through the vast chamber.
Of course, not hers.
Standing aloof amid a pool of the hunters' blood.
The woman, freed from the system's constraints, blankly surveyed the scene.
She had killed them. As naturally as breathing.
Their lifeless faces still bore etched terror toward her.
Yet she gazed upon them indifferently.
"..."
Time passed like that.
No matter how long—not short by any means—not a single attack reached her.
Her status rose naturally, and before long, she ascended to the tower's lordship.
Progenitor.
One day, a hunter had shouted that upon seeing her.
Better ring than monster, demon, or blood-crazed bitch—
She accepted the epithet, becoming the hunters' terror and progenitor.
'Familiar.'
Perhaps a sentiment from her forgotten past.
But she knew nothing.
Guarding her floor and repelling climbers was all permitted to her—
So the woman simply waited endlessly in her solitude.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 【Boss Mob Gallery】 "...?"
The one time her body was free.
Alone in the boss room, a mysterious light flickered.
Turning her head, a translucent window floated in the air.
【Boss Mob Gallery】
— Anonymous [Fuck, tell these hunter bastards to stop coming] — Anonymous [How many raid points you all at?] — Anonymous [Don't wanna get ejected fuck please] — Anonymous [So is graduation actually real?] — Anonymous [Top floor hunters today.jpg] Thus began the fateful connection between her—who would later be called "Wine Lord"—and the Boss Mob Gallery.
There were many others in the same plight as her.
Trapped on their floors, fated to endlessly face incoming hunters.
Through these kindred souls, the progenitor drew slightly closer to her own purpose.
For boss monsters, "ejection" meant death.
Upon reaching "certain conditions," they entered a frenzy state immediately.
Ejected from the tower, rampaging madly.
Their infinite lives within the tower vanished upon frenzy—no resurrection, just oblivion.
— Aged Wine is... Hoe~...! That's what "ejection" is...! Listening to Wine Lord's explanation, Do-yoon felt dizzy.
"Gate break."
The process they described through ejection matched exactly what he'd experienced.
A sharp pang stabbed his head.
To think his tragic past had such a backdrop.
The dark emotions and longing for his family from then had faded as aftereffects—
Yet the occasional hollow void in his chest was still hard to bear.
"Hoo..."
Regaining his composure, Do-yoon posted again.
📰 Breaking News But what's that got to do with me? — Me (my post) Whether you die and respawn inside the tower or get ejected. Isn't it totally unrelated to me, a hunter...? — Anonymous How is it unrelated — Anonymous Damn this guy's dense af fuck — Short-Eared Goblin Hng~... Newbie's underrating himself too much~ 📰 Breaking News Newbie's existence alone is cheat-mode; — Paper Enthusiast Unlike us trapped here fending off hunters, you can move freely inside or outside the tower. We can pass floor info to you, And you can give us the "key to graduation." That's the deal. — Anonymous Kya~ — Anonymous Just imagining it makes my mouth water lol "Key?"
He still couldn't quite grasp what they were saying.
— Aged Wine is... Newbie, in our world, it's called this...! — Aged Wine is... "Hidden Piece" A familiar term popped up, one he'd heard before.
— Paper Enthusiast That's the reason we're helping. — Paper Enthusiast We'll help you survive as a hunter, — Paper Enthusiast You help us avoid ejection. The gallery's bait—the so-called "newbie seduction op"—
Was only just getting started.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Choi Geon-woo walked through the Hunter Association's interior with a blank expression.
His mind replayed vividly the conversation he'd just had with the assigned hunters.
A man with the "Ally" skill, plus absurd adaptability.
What this implied was something Handler Choi Geon-woo understood best.
"Handler, this... it's unbelievable."
"Mobilize every resource for Do-yoon and get him to our level, no matter what."
Korea's two highest-level hunters had said that.
Han Ji-hyeok and Jo Ha-rin.
They'd given such high praise to a rookie they'd just met.
"..."
"Cleared 1st floor stage smoothly. Shows outstanding combat adaptability and potential."
"Plus, possesses a skill unparalleled even among other hunters."
In the quiet room, a middle-aged man slowly read down the report.
"..."
Across from him stood Handler Choi Geon-woo.
"Skills. Nice skills. Finally, a hunter to shine for Korea."
"...If provided a proper growth environment, his value is undoubtedly—"
Korea suffered a talent shortage.
Not the fault of active hunters.
Just bad luck, plain and simple.
Korea's tower lagged in difficulty-adjusted rewards compared to others.
Growth speed inevitably differed.
"No need to repeat what we both know."
"...Sorry."
Choi Geon-woo bowed as the words cut off.
He was just an employee before being a handler.
And before him sat a man of undeniable power and position in the Association.
"Handler Choi Geon-woo, if even you say so, he's trustworthy talent."
"..."
"At least you distinguish public from private clearly."
Few knew the secret behind his warm smile.
"Keep up the good work. And ideally, let him shine ASAP. Pressure from above is no joke."
"I'll do my best."
"You know it too. Our Korean hunters are still immature compared to other nations."
"...Yes."
"That's enough. Good work."
-Thud.
Choi Geon-woo exited the office.
Essentially permission granted.
They'd provide maximum support, so focus on the hunter's growth.
It also meant a key Association figure now had Kim Do-yoon squarely in sight.
'Hunter Kim Do-yoon.'
A bit much baggage for an unripe rookie, perhaps.
But with potential Rank S achievements, he qualified to bear and enjoy it.
'Must help him spread his wings ASAP.'
And for that.
The hunter's value—his "level"—mattered most.
'At least before the exchange meet.'
To protect himself from those foreign monsters—
Handler Choi Geon-woo resolved to support Hunter Kim Do-yoon with all he had.