Chapter 11
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Befriending the S-Ranks
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"What the hell is this ordeal?"
Just as the mission dictated, my goal was to start by befriending the S-Rank Hunters to recruit them as allies... but it wasn't easy from the get-go.
Shivering in the biting midwinter chill, I pulled my phone from my inventory and checked the messages.
[Let's meet at the Gyeongpodae A-Rank Dungeon around 9 a.m. today. ―Cha Do-yun Hunter]
Cha Do-yun, Korea's fourth S-Rank Hunter. He was 26 now, and until Se-bin awakened, he'd held the title of the youngest S-Rank Awakener in the country.
Among the S-Rank Hunters with their overflowing personalities, he was the most ordinary. He didn't appear on broadcasts as often as the idol Han Jin-woo Hunter, nor had he ever stirred up scandals over his private life like Ha Mi-jun Hunter.
Just a handsome guy with an S-Rank offensive skill. That was it.
'I did say I'd come to him, but this feels a bit much.'
I sipped on the yuzu tea I'd bought from a nearby café, staring blankly at the sea.
The East Sea really was pristine.
Clunk.
Then came the sound of the container box door opening. I turned my head and saw a man with golden hair leading, followed by about two others.
'That's the blond guy.'
His golden hair, slightly visible on his forehead, and his sharp, refined features drew the eye.
That hair must be from his attribute contagion too, right? I knew it was wind affinity, but gold was a little unexpected.
I shifted my gaze from his hair to his face. Long eyelashes and slightly upturned eyes gave him a catlike look. With his tall frame, lean build, and massive bow in hand, he resembled an elf straight out of a movie.
I glanced back and forth between his profile and the real thing, then tossed my yuzu tea cup into the trash. Hurrying toward the Gate, I caught his eyes turning my way.
"You're Cha Do-yun Hunter, right?"
"Ah, that DF..."
"I'm Shin Ji-ui. Nice to meet you."
"...Yeah."
I flashed the most professional smile I could muster and offered a handshake, but Cha Do-yun gave a half-hearted shake—up and down a few times—before pulling away.
'Is he shy, or just rude? How am I supposed to know?'
Cha Do-yun Hunter looked me over quietly before slowly parting his lips.
"I heard about you during the dispatch. SS-Rank, huh..."
"Yes! Offensive type."
"Offensive..."
Cha Do-yun Hunter's head tilted slightly toward me, then he pointed at my ear.
"Is that your weapon?"
"Yeah. Want to see it?"
I pulled out Ego and gripped it, and Cha Do-yun blinked, staring at it for a long moment.
Here I was trying to make friends, and I felt like a door-to-door salesman.
"It's okay, I guess."
"...Pardon?"
Did I hear that wrong?
I asked again, and Cha Do-yun averted his gaze.
"I said it's okay."
'This jerk?'
I nearly bashed his head in with Ego right then, but the last shreds of my social graces held me back.
No, he'd just come out of a dungeon—must be exhausted. And maybe it doesn't look special to everyone else, but saying that to my face, you rude bastard?!
"Hahaha... yeah, I guess it could seem that way~"
I ground my molars and pressed on with the conversation.
I had to start with Korea's S-Ranks and win them over one by one. I couldn't burn out already. Plus, if that mysterious passive—Words Become Seeds or whatever—kicked in, it'd make things easier.
"Ahaha~"
I forced a smile so hard my mouth twitched.
"You must be tired. Maybe later..."
"I don't really like eating out."
"Dinner... oh, right."
Damn, he had a knack for cutting me off.
While I boiled inside, Cha Do-yun stayed calmly aloof. When I didn't say anything else, he turned toward his dispatch team.
"See you at the next dispatch, then."
"Yeah, bye~ you asshole~"
"Pardon?"
He walked off without looking back, and my nape prickled oddly. The other Hunters from his dispatch team glanced my way and gave bright greetings.
'Those team members must've had it rough with that attitude.'
I slipped my precious Ego back into my ear and took a deep breath. The salty air stung, but the sea breeze filling my lungs felt good.
'What was up with Do-yun acting like that?'
"Whoa, shit, you scared me."
Ego, who'd been quiet lately, suddenly spoke up.
'You don't have to pop out to talk, you know?'
'Yeah, but the quality drops a bit.'
Now that I listened, Ego's voice was full of static.
'Anyway, Do-yun's personality has changed.'
'How so? What was he like before?'
'Not super nice or anything, but not this rude. He had a sweet side, in his own way.'
Daah? That attitude from earlier was about a billion light-years from sweet. Had my regression and SS-Rank awakening rippled out, changing others a little too? Too much change would be a problem.
'Still, be good to Do-yun.'
'I'll try. I need allies anyway.'
'...At least until Hell Path opens.'
'What?'
Ego gave a bitter tsk.
'He actually died before the apocalypse even started.'
'...How?'
'Trapped in a dungeon. Don't remember details, but they couldn't find the exit Gate. His whole dispatch team got wiped out.'
'Rescue attempt?'
'Rescue team went in right after comms cut off, but the dungeon itself was gone.'
Horrifying. Swallowed by the dungeon entirely.
I glanced back at where Cha Do-yun's team had been, but they'd already left, of course.
'Don't let anyone slip away before Hell Path opens.'
'...Got it.'
Ding.
My work phone in my inventory buzzed. The Hunter intranet messages showed a little "1". Tapping it brought up a familiar face and message.
Han Jin-woo Hunter: Hello, Hunter Shin Ji-ui! It's Hunter Han Jin-woo ^0^ If you're free today, may I come say hi? ―Han Jin-woo Hunter
Fatigue from the morning trip to Gangneung hit me all at once. I'd crashed at home briefly and woke at 12:50. Rushing to HQ got me here at 1:30. I'd texted Han Jin-woo that I'd be late, but guilt gnawed at me.
Keeping promises was basic manners—I'd learned that young and rarely slipped up. Even in school, three years perfect attendance, no tardies.
"Huff, huff."
Bursting into the café, I spotted a round pink head. Even without seeing his face, his celebrity aura hit me. Guilt bowing my waist halfway, I approached slowly.
"Um, Han Jin-woo Hunter...?"
"Ah! Hello! You're Hunter Shin Ji-ui, right?"
His bright, pleasant voice hooked my ears while his angelic face blinded me.
'Idols really are different!'
The S-Ranks I'd met were all striking, but an active entertainer had that extra something. Fist-sized face, long lashes, perky nose, petite lips—all flawless. His skin was baby-fresh.
Cha Do-yun that morning was just ordinarily pretty, but Han Jin-woo looked like a perfectly crafted doll.
"Hunter Shin Ji-ui...?"
"Gah, yes! Be right back—gonna order!"
First time seeing a celeb this close, I was mesmerized. I ordered lemonade at the kiosk and returned to Han Jin-woo beaming and bowing again.
"Hello, Hunter Shin Ji-ui! I'm Hunter Han Jin-woo."
"Shin Ji-ui here. Just call me Hunter, skip the honorific."
"Ah, sure!"
Shouldn't I be calling him Hunter Han? He awakened before me, a senior after all.
Awkward silence loomed, but the serving bot brought my drink, setting it down promptly.
"I was shocked watching the news! Not just S-Rank, but SS-Rank! And #1 DF ranking!"
"Ahaha... yeah, just kinda happened."
"They say big shocks lead to high-rank awakenings. Must've been tough for you too, Hunter..."
Ugh, so dazzling.
Han Jin-woo's big eyes sparkled with pity as he nodded vigorously, desperately empathizing.
'Huh. Jin-woo hasn't changed.'
'Oh, really.'
After Ego's brief comment, Han Jin-woo pouted sadly.
"I awakened during the Yeouido Gate explosion too..."
Gate explosion: Dungeon formation alters internals, monster numbers surge, spilling out. Clear the dungeon, Gate vanishes.
Korea's S-Rank explosions: two total. Han Jin-woo's Yeouido one was two years back. Near offices, many casualties from S-Rank dungeon.
'Only just finished rebuilding.'
"Saw my car flip from monsters, members bleeding out... felt like the world ended."
"Ah..."
"But awakening then was a blessing. Healed my members right away, then others!"
Han Jin-woo smiled radiantly. His awakening indeed minimized Yeouido casualties. His near-miraculous healing—full recovery if alive—slashed Hunter death rates after.
"Ack...!"
Peacefully sipping Americano, Han Jin-woo startled at something behind me, head dropping.
'What'd he see?'
Turning, I saw Mi-rae-ssi—dark circles to her chin—shuffling in with slippers dragging.
"Hey, Mi-rae-ssi."
"Hey. Oh, you dyed your hair."
"Y-yeah..."
Mi-rae-ssi tapped the kiosk a few times, then plopped down beside me. That faint cigarette smell wrinkled my nose again.
Han Jin-woo was...
'Why's he embarrassed?'
Cheeks pink like his hair, his calm demeanor gone. Eyes fixed on his Americano, stealing glances at Mi-rae-ssi.
"What're you two doing here?"
"Just saying hi and chatting."
"S-Rank and SS-Rank cozying up, huh."
Probably only she could call elite S-Ranks "S-Rank jerks" so boldly.
The serving bot placed a strawberry smoothie before Mi-rae-ssi.
Thought she only drank Americano, but she has variety.
"You probably met Ha Mi-jun when he pulled his weapon, and Kang Se-bin's your friend anyway. What about Cha Do-yun?"
"Yeah, met him. Kinda prickly."
"Him?"
Mi-rae-ssi narrowed her eyes, pondering deeply.
"Isn't he pretty compliant? Doesn't do anything annoying."
"He's curt, but not prickly!"
"To the Chairman, he's a belly-up puppy."
Selective rudeness? Insane. Why only me?
"He had his cute side..."
"Mi-rae-ssi!"
"What."
Han Jin-woo suddenly bristled.
"Y-you used to call me cute..."
"Huh?"
'What's this?'
Han Jin-woo flushed again, face full of grievance, then wilted like a kicked puppy, eyes down.
Turning to Mi-rae-ssi, she stared at him with furrowed brows.
'No way...'
'Whoa, same as always. You're thinking right.'
'That angel-like Han Jin-woo likes Mi-rae-ssi?!'
A shock like a hammer to the head rocked me.
"What're you thinking?"
"N-nothing..."
Real shock. For real...
"You met Choi Min yet?"
"Yeah, briefly in the hospital."
Mi-rae-ssi gazed at the ceiling thoughtfully, then shut her mouth.
"What's she like, Choi Min Hunter?"
"Doesn't talk much."
"Acts like an old soul. Impossible to read her mind."
Choi Min Hunter, who'd visited with the Chairman, matched their description—unfathomable thoughts.
I pulled out my work phone and opened Hunter Net.
[Choi Min / S-Rank / Fire]
[Send Message]
[Call]
Simple.
Ding.
"Ack."
"What's up?"
The messages flashed. Checking the sender, I gasped involuntarily.
Choi Min Hunter: Do you have time this evening? ―Choi Min Hunter