Chapter 28

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 28

Chapter Title: Doggy's Gratitude

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Right, there's no way the monster actually died just from hearing "Did I finish it off?"

Cha Do-yun Hunter extended his hand, summoning a gust of wind that sent sand-laden smoke billowing into the sky. In the center of the ruins, Hachi glared at us, emitting an eerie glow. Blood tears still streamed from its eyes, and its gaunt, grotesquely protruding spine bobbed up and down with every breath it took.

'Looks like it's still in loyal hound mode right now.'

Waiting out the skill would mean playing with Hachi for a full 24 hours, so I had to find another way.

'A directive in the middle of all this?'

Awooooo―

"Shin Ji-ui Hunter, dodge!!"

Chae Hyun-min Hunter's shout was practically a scream. At the same moment, a massive tree burst through the ground toward where I'd been standing, piercing right through Gwanggaeto.

Sizzle.

"Ow!"

I avoided getting impaled, but my calf got torn open. The dizzying pain made me land unsteadily, and I ended up rolling backward. Chae Hyun-min Hunter rushed toward me, and I conjured a massive shield to block dozens of wooden tendrils with all my strength.

Thwish-crack!

Nice timing!

An arrow sliced through the trees in one shot, leaving only thin splinters to bounce off my shield.

"Ow, that stings."

"Just hang in there a bit. I'll stop the bleeding quick!"

As Chae Hyun-min Hunter's flames wrapped around my calf, I kept my eyes tracking Hachi's attacks. Ji-ho unnie struck Hachi repeatedly with her water dragon, but the golden light pouring from its body absorbed everything. Unnie was pissed, muttering curses under her breath.

'What kind of gift am I supposed to give a dog in this situation?'

Click.

'All I can offer is something like this.'

While unnie kept Hachi's attention, I aimed Ego at it with one hand.

'Hey, let's hit it with a big one.'

'You ask for everything, huh.'

Ignoring Ego's grumbling, I put my finger on the trigger and yanked it hard.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Bang!!

"Gah?!"

A deafening explosion rocked the air as the white orb left my hand, slamming straight into Hachi's heart and vibrating everything around it. Its eyes bulged wide as it started dry-heaving.

Boom!!

Kiiing, kaegang!!

"Ugh, hey...!"

I actually pierced the invincibility skill!

Half of Hachi's body exploded, blood gushing out. Even so, it didn't budge an inch from the gate. The golden light signaling its invincibility skill swirled around its body nonstop, and it glared at me through ragged, heaving breaths.

I'd used up every last bit of voice. With that kind of destructive power piercing invincibility, it made sense.

'Good job.'

'Brute force... Be careful―'

Probably telling me not to go all brute force and to be careful? Felt a little scolded.

"W-Wasn't that invincibility just now?"

Ji-ho unnie gaped at me, mouth wide open. Yi Sang-uk Hunter, Cha Do-yun Hunter, and even Chae Hyun-min Hunter—who'd been healing me—all their faces were filled with shock and awe.

"As expected, you're incredible!"

"We need to neutralize it now. Attack."

Cha Do-yun Hunter snapped back to attention and coldly extended his hand toward Hachi.

Thwish-crack!!

A massive thunderbolt and storm engulfed Hachi, sharp winds slicing into its flesh. The water dragon greedily chomped down on its neck.

Whoosh.

But none of the attacks landed. The water dragon reverted to liquid, and the arrow dispersed into the air.

It was injured, but the skill remained intact. Should I have brought a monster that changed after its owner died?

Thud.

Hachi stomped its front paw, splitting the earth again. This time, a massive wave of dirt surged toward us like a tsunami.

"Raaah!!"

Yi Sang-uk Hunter raised both hands, erecting a towering shield to desperately block the dirt. He gritted his teeth, pushing it back, but dirt piled up terrifyingly fast around the shield's edges.

A way to make Hachi drop its guard. The authority said only its owner could calm it... A gift for a dog that lost its owner...

'No way!'

"H-Hachi's treasure!"

"Huh?"

"Ji-ho unnie! Get that cardigan out of your inventory!"

"Eh?"

Unnie hopped off her water dragon, tossed me 'Hachi's Treasure,' and leaped back toward it.

Now I just had to deliver this to Hachi quickly. Unnie dropping it directly might work, but she'd probably get attacked first. A much faster, surer way... obviously...

"...Why are you looking at me?"

"Cha Do-yun Hunter, make me one arrow."

"An arrow?"

"Anyway, hurry."

Cha Do-yun Hunter flinched at my words, then gathered wind into an arrow and handed it over. I stabbed the cardigan onto it and held it back out.

"This is the item left behind when the owner vanished. If we give it this, Hachi will end its ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠invincibility skill!"

"...You sure?"

"Hey, nothing to lose. If it doesn't work, I'll smash it in myself!"

Cha Do-yun Hunter looked dubious but took the arrow and nocked it, smoothly drawing his bow toward Hachi's head. Wind gathered around him, and as he released, the arrow cleaved the air.

Piiiing.

A gale enveloped Hachi, hurling nearby debris into the sky. The dirt wave scattering everywhere, the cardigan fluttered down onto Hachi's bloodied back. Barely hooked on its nose, it dropped to the dirt, drawing Hachi's gaze downward.

Poof!

White smoke poured from Hachi's body, filling the area like fog.

"Did it vanish...?"

"No. Over there."

Stepping out from behind Yi Sang-uk Hunter's shield, I cautiously approached the gate. Whining animal sounds echoed. Cha Do-yun Hunter swept the smoke away with wind, revealing Hachi huddled before the gate.

Not the monster Hachi, but the loyal hound faithfully waiting for its owner.

Awoo―! A, awoo!

Hachi lay draped over the cardigan, sobbing endlessly. It didn't care that we surrounded it.

This was the moment its unwavering belief—through all four seasons—that its owner would return shattered in an instant. Now Hachi knew: the day its owner would wear this cardigan and pet it would never come again.

We all held our breath, watching silently. No one stepped up to say we had to kill it. We just stood there, like witnesses to a solemn rite.

"...We have to kill it, right?"

Cha Do-yun Hunter spoke first, staring down at Hachi, lips twitching. As we exchanged awkward glances, Yi Sang-uk Hunter tentatively raised his hand.

"I'll just bury it in earth..."

"Please do."

Yi Sang-uk Hunter spread his hands, gathering surrounding dirt and piling it over Hachi. It offered no resistance, simply vanishing under the soil.

Soon, fresh white smoke seeped from the mound.

Crunch.

Ji-ho unnie kicked the dirt away, leaving only a green dog collar.

Clunk.

'Ah.'

I opened my inventory to find an old rotary phone inside.

What kind of item is this that they gave it so sneakily?

'Is it... good?'

S-Rank for sure, and knowing summons' true feelings sounds incredibly unique, but honestly, the uses felt vague.

"Ji-ui, hurry up!"

"Ah, unnie. Wait a sec! Coming right now!"

I'll think about it later.

I slowly stepped toward the gate, glancing back at where Hachi was buried.

The man in the green cardigan and the beaming Hachi were turning to dust, drifting into the air. In this dungeon, they'd repeat their endless farewell. Yet even so, they seemed happy to have each other.

I could only watch them, bound in a cycle of separation for eternity.

"Can't you send more Nokdu pics?"

"More? The rest are all shaky."

"Reporters are waiting outside. Get ready."

Ji-ho unnie clicked her tongue regretfully at Cha Do-yun Hunter's words. We'd chatted about Nokdu on the flight, and she'd been on about it ever since.

I'll have to let her meet him in person later.

Turning forward, I glimpsed a horde of cameras beyond the glass doors. Seemed like just yesterday Se-bin was doing airport interviews, and now it was my turn. Feeling dazed, I stepped out, and flashes erupted like crazy. Even at dawn, tons of reporters were waiting.

A drone buzzed over, handing me a mic, and questions exploded from all sides. Cha Do-yun Hunter grabbed it, cleared his throat, and spoke first.

"The collaborative dispatch with the Japan Hunter Association was to the Shibuya S-Rank Dungeon. It was a story dungeon by local standards, cleared in about seven days and thirteen hours."

"What items did you acquire?!"

"That's classified. Already sold to the Hunter Association."

"Shin Ji-ui Hunter, first S-Rank dispatch—any thoughts?"

Thoughts? What thoughts do you have after risking your life killing monsters in a dungeon?

Cha Do-yun Hunter passed me the mic. I gave an awkward smile and took it.

"Uh... definitely tougher than A-Rank or below. There were moments I'd have been in big trouble without the other hunters' help."

"Big trouble?!"

"Where and how bad were you hurt?!"

"Even as SS-Rank, were there difficulties?"

Whoa, look at them swarm.

My words set off a shutter storm that shook the whole airport. Every reporter zeroed in on my injuries.

Shouldn't have mentioned it.

"Nothing major. Chae Hyun-min Hunter's healing skills fixed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it all. I want to become a hunter who helps others going forward."

Ended with a stock interview wrap-up line.

No big slip-ups, so should be fine.

The others chimed in one by one, and after Chae Hyun-min Hunter finished, association staff led us out.

Ji-ho unnie, Yi Sang-uk Hunter, and Chae Hyun-min Hunter boarded the same bus, leaving me and Cha Do-yun Hunter waiting for our personal limo.

'Awkward.'

Cha Do-yun Hunter stared at his phone, occasionally letting out near-sighs. It scratched at me a bit, but no huge issues. Plenty to learn as a hunter.

"...Something to say?"

"No. Just... let's get along as colleagues."

"Sure, whatever..."

He nodded awkwardly. Right then, two limos pulled up smoothly, rear doors auto-opening.

As Cha Do-yun Hunter moved to get in, he paused, looking back at me like he'd remembered something.

'Did he open up?'

With a flicker of hope, I waited.

"An amateur's wild instincts are fine, but solid judgment based on evidence matters more. See you."

His limo pulled away first, vanishing from sight.

"That rude jerk!! Hey!!"

Unbelievable...

Swallowing my bubbling rage, I climbed into mine.

"We're off."

The driver's car glided out of the airport.

'Might as well check that weird item.'

The sudden ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠directive reward—I hadn't examined it properly. Reaching for the ordinary-looking rotary phone in my inventory...

'What?'

I tried pulling the 'Inner Thoughts Phone' out, but it wouldn't budge, accompanied by a warning window.

Can't even take it out of inventory—how am I supposed to use it?

I shoved my hand in my pocket and reread its info for a while.

'...Maybe try it on Nokdu.'