Chapter 84
Chapter 84
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Alone
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“What? You handled it alone—you mean those Lycan Slopes?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What about a gas mask? They said toxic gas was coming out too.”
“I happened to be on leave, so I didn’t have one with me. I held my breath while dealing with them. I didn’t inhale any of the gas.”
“…What?”
The platoon leader scanned Kim Min-jun’s body from head to toe.
His combat uniform was only splattered with monster blood.
Not even a single scratch.
“What weapon did you use?”
“I had my gear on me, but the gate that just spawned was leaking toxic gas. I judged that speed was the priority, so I didn’t use it.”
He took down six Lycan Slopes without a weapon, and came out unscathed…
All by himself?
“You’re Kim Min-jun, sergeant, right? I’m not in the mood for jokes, so report properly!”
The platoon leader raised his voice, angered by the implausible report.
No matter how you sliced it.
What?
Taking down mid-to-high-grade monsters barehanded, solo?
Did he think that made any sense?
“I’m just reporting the facts. I waited for them to cluster together and took them all out with my shoulder in one go.”
Kim Min-jun tapped his shoulder casually as he answered with a straight face.
That gesture only fueled the platoon leader’s rage.
“Is this guy nuts? The Invincible Hunter Unit—that’s the front-line unit in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, right? Even a grunt saying crap like that would be a problem, but a sergeant….”
“P-Platoon leader, sir!”
In the meantime.
The squad members who’d been securing the scene chimed in.
Claiming Kim Min-jun’s story checked out.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“There’s a witness who saw that sergeant fighting the monsters!”
“What?”
The platoon leader’s eyes went wide at the soldiers’ words.
Toxic gas leaking out, and civilians nearby?
“How’s the witness’s condition? Forget this—we need to get them to the hospital now….”
“I’m fine. And he’s the one who saved me.”
As he was barking urgent orders to the soldiers.
A red-haired foreign woman pushed through them.
“I-Is that true? More importantly, you need to get to the hospital right now!”
“I’m really fine. He got me to safety first.”
The red-haired foreign woman was Kim Seo-hyun.
She’d sensed things going sideways and come back.
‘Kim Min-jun took down the monsters solo and secured the civilians’ safety. But now the military brass won’t believe it.’
That’s just because Kim Min-jun was too exceptional.
Thinking of it that way, she wasn’t really mad.
“That soldier got me and the other people passing nearby to evacuate first. Then he held off the monsters alone so they couldn’t leave the area. I saw it all with my own eyes.”
“S-So… he really took on the Lycan Slopes by himself?”
“Yes. All six, barehanded.”
“Whoa… mid-to-high-grade monsters, taken down barehanded?”
“No, wait—killing them all with his shoulder? For real?”
The platoon leader stared blankly at the Lycan Slope corpses.
The squad members approached Kim Min-jun cautiously and asked questions.
They’d normally report to the command center per protocol, but they’d forgotten for the moment.
That’s how shocking the situation was.
“Yeah. Why would I lie?”
“But how are you without a single scratch?”
“Beast-type monsters like those move on instinct. Dodging their attacks shouldn’t be that easy.”
Prioritize civilian evacuations, then hold the monsters until backup arrives.
Standard procedure for the Hunter Corps.
But if that situation actually hit…
How many could actually hold the line?
‘Out of ten, seven—no, eight would run.’
Facing mid-to-high-grade monsters unarmed.
Not one, but six.
It was basically charging a tank barehanded.
“Incredible….”
Before long, most of the Hunter Corps members were looking at Kim Min-jun with eyes full of respect.
“What are you idiots doing? Not following protocol? You think we can slack off right now?”
“Oh.”
“S-Sorry, sir!”
Of course, it wasn’t long before Kim Min-jun chewed them out.
‘Damn it. I had it under control—why’d you come all the way here? That gas is nasty. Even you’d drop if you inhaled it.’
‘I figured it’d be easier with me here. And I’d never get in your way, Kim Min-jun.’
After a brief exchange of glances with her, Kim Seo-hyun left the scene.
‘Perfect. Absolutely perfect.’
Kim Min-jun slowly surveyed the area.
Hunter Corps from the nearby unit were wrapping things up and reporting to command.
No injured civilians, no major building damage.
Could a gate have been handled any cleaner?
‘After all this, the staff sergeant promotion’s in the bag, right?’
If Hunter HQ didn’t deliver.
He’d send Night Walkers to harass them every night until they couldn’t sleep.
**
An officer from the 104th Division’s Invincible Hunter Unit had stopped Gangneung’s worst gate outbreak.
He’d stumbled on it purely by chance while on leave.
The impact was even bigger than Kim Min-jun had imagined.
“No way. Sergeant Kim Min-jun blocked a gate solo? While on leave?”
“Dude, it wasn’t just any gate—it spewed gas and monsters together.”
“What kinda insane luck is that? Isn’t the chance of that happening less than 1%? And it actually did?”
“Talk about rotten luck. But that’s not even the half of it. The gas was the deadliest red kind, and six Lycan Slopes came out.”
The barracks of 2nd Platoon, 2nd Squad.
The squad members were stunned by the news.
Kim Min-jun was away reporting on the incident.
“Look, we know Sergeant Kim Min-jun’s strong better than anyone.”
“But taking them down barehanded, no gas mask? That’s insane.”
Hunters relied heavily on gear.
It wasn’t like some webtoon or fantasy novel where gritting your teeth and training made you superhuman.
But Sergeant Kim Min-jun took down mid-to-high-grade monsters barehanded.
With his shoulder, specifically.
Impossible to believe.
“Ah… that time he smashed the training orc. I thought that was nuts too….”
“Dude, that’s not even comparable. Training orcs are weakened. This was Lycan Slopes! Lycan Slopes! Walking muscle wolves!”
At the squad member’s words, Kim Kwang-sik spoke like he had a motor in his mouth.
“Magic bullets don’t work on ’em, their damn fur blocks blades unless you’ve got crazy strength stats, and they dodge special weapons like ghosts. When they show up, it’s hell. Hell.”
He’d once faced a single Lycan Slope in a dungeon—a weaker specimen—and it had been a nightmare.
“If six of those teamed up… you’d need a full platoon in full gear, at least.”
The squad members glanced at Kim Min-jun’s empty spot and spoke up.
“No way… he’s getting promoted to staff sergeant, right?”
“Any other situation, maybe not. But handling a gate with gas and monsters together? Seems likely.”
He’d only been a sergeant for a couple months, and now staff sergeant talk?
The squad members were reminded just how badass their hunter was.
**
At the same time, in the battalion commander’s office.
“Whew… Kim Min-jun.”
2nd Battalion Commander Lee Jun-beom, a colonel, read the news articles with a grave expression.
[A gate appeared right in the middle of Gangneung city.]
[The area was packed with middle and high schools, but not a single injury.]
[104th Division Invincible Hunter Unit Sergeant Kim Min-jun risked his life to evacuate citizens.]
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun.”
“Well done! Outstanding!”
For a moment.
Then he stood, wrapping Kim Min-jun in a bear hug.
Rare for the normally stoic battalion commander.
“See this? All the news—they’re singing your praises.”
Every media outlet was gushing over Kim Min-jun.
Normally, they’d bash the Hunter Corps however they could.
That’s how perfect his response had been.
“No, sir! I just did my duty as a Hunter Corps soldier!”
“Ha… even your answer’s perfect.”
The battalion commander clapped Kim Min-jun’s shoulder heartily.
A big grin split his face, he was so pleased.
“Hunter HQ’s probably in emergency meetings right now. After a feat like this, doing nothing would be a scandal.”
“Merit points are enough for me, sir.”
“It won’t end with merit points. My bet? You’re getting staff sergeant this time.”
Less than two months as sergeant, straight to staff sergeant.
‘It’s about time.’
All the training, emergency responses, irregular monster kills.
He’d racked up serious merits, yet no promotion.
‘Officers have way stricter promotion standards than enlisted.’
All those achievements in record time.
For a typical Hunter Corps officer, that’d take at least two years.
‘That many merits, and no promotion talk….’
Another reminder of how much time-in-grade mattered in the army.
Sure, merits trumped it, but still.
“No need to double-check the report.”
The battalion commander skimmed the after-action report and signed off quickly.
Barehanded monster kills.
Toxic gas? Just held his breath.
Absurd claims, but if it was Sergeant Kim Min-jun, possible.
.
His track record backed it up.
‘Plus, multiple witnesses gave the same statement. Gotta believe it.’
“Oh, right—this.”
Like he’d remembered something, he rummaged through his uniform pocket and desk drawer.
“Here it is. Take it—no pressure. It’s my personal thank-you gift to Sergeant Kim Min-jun.”
A decent-sized box from the closet.
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun! Thank you, sir.”
No idea what it was, but he’d take it graciously.
“I was saving it for when I felt peak condition, but a young hunter like you deserves it more. It’s rare stuff.”
The battalion commander said he’d only gotten it after making colonel.
“Really? Then I’ll put it to good use, sir. Thank you!”
“Yeah. Don’t overdo it, though. Expect a fat bonus and extra leave.”
“Yes, sir! I’ll head out! Loyalty!”
Rare item, huh? Kim Min-jun bolted to the training room.
“What’d the commander make such a fuss about?”
A twinge of anticipation as he opened the box.
“…This?”
His eyes lit up when he saw what the item was.