Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Sparring Victory and Emergency Quest
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"It's over."
I brushed the dust off my butt and stood up from the spectator seats as I said it.
I'd never worried that Jang Su-ho might lose the spar.
He'd just been holding himself back because of the handicap he was imposing on himself, but now that he'd broken free of those self-made shackles, the outcome was obvious.
I approached Jang Su-ho, who was still standing there stunned, and praised him.
"You did great. See? You can do it when you try, Jang Su-ho."
"Nayeo-ju-ya."
Jang Su-ho turned to me with a face full of emotion.
"Good job, Jang Su-ho. But no hugs."
"No?"
"Nope."
Jang Su-ho froze mid-embrace, his habitual move halted by my words.
What meant nothing between us might look different to outsiders.
Who knew what rumors might start?
As Jang Su-ho looked a bit dejected at the failed hug, Kang Han stamped the agreement with Gwak Ho-young.
"We'll consider the front line covered by Jang Su-ho Hunter during joint assaults."
"...Very well. Then we'll trust the Justice Guild completely?"
Gwak Ho-young's attempt at a magnanimous smile despite his bruised pride was almost amusing.
Why pick a fight you can't win?
Even if he saw Jang Su-ho as a pushover.
The guy rips monsters apart barehanded when he's mad.
Even veteran Kim Han-kwon couldn't beat a clear-headed Jang Su-ho.
It was obvious with a moment's thought.
"Then let's end the training here."
Gwak Ho-young turned away first after saying that.
I was thinking it was a shame to let him off so easily—maybe tease him a bit more—when I overheard a hushed conversation near the exit.
"How can you just say Jang Su-ho won like that! If he'd gotten back up and fought, we had a real chance!"
Kim Han-kwon, face flushed with frustration over a clear mismatch, was venting at Yu Jin-rok Hunter.
Embarrassed by the loss, he was blaming everyone else.
But Yu Jin-rok Hunter, who'd been listening silently to the nonsense, fired back straight at him.
"If a shielder goes down like that in real combat, everyone behind them is in danger, Han-kwon. A shielder has to hold their position no matter what."
It was flawless logic, not a single wrong word.
"Anyone would think you're still Taesan Guildmaster, Yu Jin-rok Hunter. Quit acting like hot stuff all by yourself."
Out of retorts, Kim Han-kwon spat that snide remark and followed Gwak Ho-young out of the training hall.
He looked even more pathetic than when he'd lost to Jang Su-ho.
"Hoo."
Yu Jin-rok Hunter let out a deep sigh and just shook his head quietly.
It seemed less anger at Kim Han-kwon's mockery and more worry that his advice was going unheard.
Once the rest of Taesan's people had left the training hall, I approached Yu Jin-rok Hunter, who was left alone.
"Yu Jin-rok Hunter."
"...What is it, Nayeo-ju Hunter?"
He looked puzzled that I, someone he'd only met once, was approaching him.
"Could you spare a moment?"
I pulled out a box from my sub-space containing ten bottles of Cheong-su's 'Stamina Boost Elixir' right away.
"I remembered you mentioning your daughter was hospitalized at the Awakener Hospital last time. Please take this."
"What... is this?"
"See that guy over there who looks like a squirrel? He's an S-rank Potion Master despite appearances—Im Cheong-su. It's stamina potions he made."
"S-rank..."
Yu Jin-rok Hunter glanced between the box I offered and Im Cheong-su still sitting in the spectator seats, then waved it off.
"No, I can't accept something this expensive."
It was a very reasonable reaction, even involving his daughter.
Of course, I hadn't expected him to take it right away.
I pushed the box forward again and persuaded him.
"I know your position makes gifts tricky with Taesan and Justice Guild's situation. But it might help your daughter's condition."
Made by an S-rank Potion Master, no less.
Yu Jin-rok Hunter, who surely knew that, started wavering after I offered once more.
"That's true, but..."
"No one from our side will mention this gift to Taesan Guild. Just take it, consult her doctor, and try it. It might not even work."
Yu Jin-rok hesitated for a moment.
But it didn't take long for him to squeeze his eyes shut and accept the box.
No parent could hold out forever when it might ease their only child's pain even a little.
"Thank you... for thinking of this, Nayeo-ju Hunter."
"No need. I heard you stuck by Jang Su-ho Hunter through his troubles back then. Consider it a belated thank-you gift."
A new number appeared above Yu Jin-rok Hunter's head.
But that wasn't the end.
I looked around, wondering what was going on, and saw round favorability bubbles popping up above the Justice Guild members' heads too.
They must have gone up after seeing me look after Yu Jin-rok Hunter.
When did they sneak up and listen in?
Jang Su-ho and Kang Han's went up by two each.
'Jang Su-ho makes sense since he was your old guildmaster. But why Kang Han?'
His face was expressionless as always, but his eyes seemed to be smiling.
...Who knows.
Good is good.
I turned back to Yu Jin-rok Hunter and said,
"If it works, let me know. I can give you as many more potions as you need."
"...Why are you doing this?"
"Hmm."
Obviously to recruit him to Justice Guild.
But given Yu Jin-rok Hunter's personality, spilling the truth might make him return even the gift he'd accepted.
I smiled and replied,
"Can I explain the reason after the dungeon raid's done?"
Yu Jin-rok was a seasoned hunter.
He'd probably already guessed I had an ulterior motive for the lavish gift.
But nothing could outweigh a father's love for his daughter.
"...Understood."
Yu Jin-rok Hunter nodded.
"Thank you, Nayeo-ju Hunter."
...I've been hearing "thank you" a lot lately.
The day of the Justice Guild and Taesan Guild's regular dungeon joint raid.
Despite the 4 a.m. hour, the quiet residential neighborhood in Ansan City, Gyeonggi Province, was buzzing.
I muttered as I eyed the swarm of Taesan affiliates around the Awakener Association's civilian barrier line.
"Why'd they bring so many unnecessary people? Don't they just need the raid team?"
Lee Yu-eul, who'd been clinging to me from behind insisting the dawn air might give me a cold, answered.
"Gwak Ho-young loves showing off. He always makes his staff suffer like this for dungeon entries."
"...Gwak Ho-young's even more low-class than I thought."
"You saw how he treats Su-ho oppa every time. I was dying holding back my anger. I did good, right, unnie?"
Lee Yu-eul nuzzled my shoulder, fishing for praise.
"Yeah, yeah, you did great. But there's more press than I expected."
"That? That's just six people."
"Camellia Guild's hitting an A-rank dungeon this morning. Six is a lot."
"Huh."
"Live stream chat's got a decent crowd too. Two thousand viewers."
I pulled out my phone to check the YouTube live viewer count.
But Lee Yu-eul snatched it and said,
"No, unnie. That's Taesan Guild's stream. Ours is this one."
"Huh? Two streams?"
"Look, two cameras too."
Following her finger, I saw two cameras indeed—one on us, one on Taesan.
"Joint raids are always like this. Separate cams, separate streams."
"Even last time with Nakseung Guild?"
"Yep. We watched Taesan's channel."
The live channel labeled Justice Guild that Lee Yu-eul pulled up had just over a hundred viewers waiting.
Unlike Taesan's, where chat flew fast, theirs was quiet.
No big deal.
"The real fans came early for the holy pilgrimage."
Once the real raid started, way more people would flock to Justice Guild than Taesan.
I planned to make it happen.
As I pocketed my phone, Im Cheong-su—who wasn't entering today's dungeon—approached and started nagging.
"You packed the wound potions, right?"
"How many times are you gonna check, Im Cheong-su? I told you I did. You're the one raising flags."
"Flags? What's that?"
"You know in movies? The side character about to die goes, 'When this war ends, I'll propose to her.'"
"Eek! Words can jinx you!"
"No, you're the one planting the jinx right now?"
As I protested, Im Cheong-su smacked my arm with his palm.
Just then, Kang Han returned after finishing with the Association staff to collect me.
"Time to go in."
"Already?"
I turned in surprise, and the gate was already rippling into existence, the rest of the guild waiting by it.
Moments later, the blue barrier separated us from Im Cheong-su.
"Everyone be careful and come back safe."
"It'll be fine, so head back to the guild and wait."
I turned away from the more nervous Im Cheong-su and clapped my hands, stopping.
I'd forgotten one thing.
"Oh, right. Cheong-su-ya."
"Yeah."
"After this gate, we're finally grilling meat on the rooftop for real this t—"
"Ah! Noona! Shh!"
Cute kid.
I giggled at Im Cheong-su's horrified face and followed Kang Han through the gate.
As always, entering the dungeon was easy.
The gate swallowed us welcomingly, nothing blocking our way.
But the change came right after.
Precisely when Taesan Guild's last raider—their healer—stepped onto the dungeon floor.
Defeat all monsters to earn the right to challenge the dungeon master.
A quest window popped up before everyone's eyes.
"Emergency... quest?"
Someone muttered in confusion.
In the dead silence, not even a breath to be heard, I screamed internally.
I'd watched countless raid videos from other guilds preparing for today, but the system had never issued a quest like this.
They'd just killed the boss monster as per protocol and shattered the dungeon core to close the gate.
In other words, the dungeon—stagnant for decades—was finally changing.
"Of all times, now."
I smacked my own mouth, substituting for Im Cheong-su's hand, for raising that flag before entry.