Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Conscription (2)
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Seo Dae-hyun had taken down the pack of wolf magical beasts.
He extended his hand toward the wolf corpses scattered across the cornfield.
'Conscript them.'
Seo Dae-hyun drew the lingering souls of the dead wolves back into the mortal realm.
"Gasp!"
May jumped in shock as the dead wolves came back to life.
It was an eerie ability no matter how many times she saw it.
'It's not a skill?'
She tilted her head, sensing no mana from it.
'Shame to head back just like this.'
Monsters weren't exactly raining from a clear sky, and as he was about to retrace his steps...
One-Eyed approached Seo Dae-hyun.
It nodded its head, pointing out a path.
Not yet. It meant they shouldn't go back.
The other wolf soldiers stared intently in the direction One-Eyed had indicated.
'Something's there!'
Seo Dae-hyun halted, sensing faint demonic energy.
"What's over there?"
May didn't seem to sense it.
His senses were as sharp as an animal's instinct.
It wasn't a side effect of his reawakening.
Just a kind of obsession.
On the battlefield, even the tiniest detail could prove fatal, so he'd learned to keep his eyes and ears wide open, fully focused.
Missing a monster's demonic energy could mean life or death for him and his comrades.
"Hunter. Time to head back—"
"There are still more of them."
A D- to C-Rank dungeon held at least thirty magical beasts.
He only had 23 soldiers.
Excluding Kim Hyun-jun and the Bear Wolf still out in the field, it was just 21.
What if he could push his soldiers past 30?
'Exactly!'
Following One-Eyed led them to a gate.
This dungeon had been the soldiers' home in life.
Seo Dae-hyun patted One-Eyed's head in praise.
"Good job."
Without One-Eyed's guidance, he might have missed it entirely.
Stopping the search now could lead to far greater losses later.
Even with the dungeon break cracking the rift, the gate remained open.
A gate that wouldn't close meant monsters still lurked beyond.
Dungeons were monster nests; they emerged only to hunt humans.
This worked out perfectly.
If remnants lingered inside, he wouldn't need to scour the vast farmlands.
"Planning to go in alone?"
May grabbed his arm.
"Nope."
Seo Dae-hyun shrugged.
He wasn't alone.
Undying warriors stood by his side.
There couldn't be more than a dozen monsters inside.
Even if there were more, no worries.
Normally, you'd assemble a full team before entering.
With no radio, his phone barely got signal.
"St-still, report to the Association first..."
May trailed off, her face saying, Is this right?
The corner of his mouth twitched upward.
If no one finds out, it never happened.
One of the few lessons from the army.
A perk of incompetent commanders, really.
Raiding a dungeon gate required Association permits and a full team.
It'd take too long, and Association agents might handle it instead.
Seo Dae-hyun's summoned soldiers entered the gate first.
The soldiers vanished inside like a mirage.
"Uh... uh..."
May reached out blankly, speechless.
"Once you're in..."
Monsters aside, wasn't this fine? The thought crossed her mind.
Just three months into her Hunter Association agent gig, she was still green.
This whole situation was pure chaos.
Not even on the written exam.
The real world was nothing like training.
Better than boring desk duty at Association HQ, though...
Now she got why seniors called uneventful days a blessing.
"If you're scared, wait here."
No point forcing someone who didn't want in.
"I-I'll go too—"
Before she finished, she stumbled into the dungeon.
"Oh!"
One-Eyed headbutted her from behind, shoving her through.
May toppled toward the gate.
Seo Dae-hyun followed with One-Eyed.
Inside the dungeon.
A frigid forest, near-blizzard harsh.
Snow fell; small plants and animals frozen solid.
Harsh enough to kill any life.
Made sense why monsters tried escaping.
Didn't excuse attacking humans, though.
The sudden chill made May shiver violently.
"If it's too cold, head back—"
Too late. The gate sealed shut.
"This is a pain."
Killing the monsters inside would reopen the exit gate.
He'd entered to fill his manpower shortage.
Even at full strength, without a lieutenant's rank, platoon leader stayed locked.
First goal: forcibly conscript the dungeon's monsters.
"Today..."
Clack, clack!
"we'll find..."
Clack!
"the monsters?"
May's teeth chattered with every word from the cold.
Seo Dae-hyun had two wolves circle her protectively.
It felt like wrapping up in two thick blankets.
"Aren't you cold, Hunter?"
He seemed mostly fine.
"I am."
Just used to it.
Seo Dae-hyun had served in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province.
The battlefield was colder, hungrier.
Commander's trait gave resistance to heat and cold.
One-Eyed clambered onto his shoulder with a front paw.
He brushed off the clinging One-Eyed and got back to business.
"They won't have gone far."
"How can you be sure?"
May asked out of pure curiosity.
Instead of answering, Seo Dae-hyun stroked One-Eyed's head.
His soldiers were natives here.
They knew every hiding spot.
One-Eyed took point, leading to its kin.
Former packmates in life, but death and rebirth severed old ties.
Now bound to Seo Dae-hyun by a bond thicker than blood.
Ten minutes in, they found a cave.
Beyond the dark mouth, pale blue glimmers flickered.
Wolf eyes reflecting in the gloom.
Grrr!
Nine wolves inside.
Baring fangs at their once-kin.
The pack's former No. 2 and 3 stepped forward.
No Bear Wolf alpha meant these cave wolves ruled now.
The leader charged first.
Michael blocked Seo Dae-hyun.
Even promoted to Private First Class, he couldn't take a D-Rank alone.
Boom!
But Michael's passive was enough to kill.
To rank up faster, they had to roll the dice.
The wolf's jaws exploded as it tried to chew Michael, flesh shredding.
It spat him out, but Michael clung on.
One hand gripped the throat, the other slashed face and neck with a dagger.
"Rise."
Seo Dae-hyun conscripted the fallen wolf.
Eight left.
No limit to soldier intake!
Room for more, no sweat.
May gaped at the scene.
Speechless for a while.
Hard to believe this was real.
An E-Rank hunter beating a D-Rank one-on-one!
Badly wounded, but the injuries healed fast.
Only Seo Dae-hyun could pull that off.
Seeing their leader corrupted, the wolves retreated deeper into the cave.
No advance? Fine. Seo Dae-hyun stepped forward.
'No way?'
May blinked as he took the lead.
"H-Hey."
She grabbed him as he headed in.
"Going in alone!?"
Flustered, she dropped formalities.
"Don't you have summons? Send them!"
Not won't. Can't.
Soldiers' passive Corpse Explosion was a deadly double-edged sword.
They exploded on death.
His goal: bolster ranks.
A cave collapse would damage or bury corpses.
Michael's kill bumped Seo Dae-hyun's rank.
A power he hadn't anticipated.
'Soldiers' kills count toward my EXP?!'
S-Rank sooner than expected.
Wolves surrounded May, pinning her feet.
"Be back soon. Stay put."
He could handle a dozen D-Ranks solo now.
With May, EXP might split.
He took only Michael.
Pre-Corporal, so promote him first.
With that, he vanished into the cave.
"W-Wait! Me too—"
She tried following, but wolf soldiers pressed her down warmly.
Cozy, but immobile.
'He's doing this on purpose?!'
......
Yelp! Eek! Eeeeek!
Eerie wolf screams echoed from the cave.
Wolves emerged.
Seo Dae-hyun didn't.
May's pupils shook like a blizzard.
Wolves out, him missing long...
'Something happened to him?'
Ominous thoughts crept in when—
Boom! Bang!
Explosions rang out.
Yelp!
A death cry leaked from the depths.
Seo Dae-hyun, Michael, and the freshly slain wolf emerged.
"Kept you waiting?"
Casual, oblivious to her panic.
Just delayed by Michael's promotion ceremony.
Two beasts left, but no more slots.
"Rise."
Even "infinite" had limits.
Platoon leader unlock's manpower condition met. Good enough.
Now needed lieutenant ranks.
Only one Squad Leader title available.
Michael's Corporal rank didn't restore sanity.
Squad Leader might.
Needed more dungeons.
'If only I had endless corpses.'
A mad thought: missing the warzone.
Soldiers' (Iron Wolves) promotion conditions aligned.
Coincidence? Clearing their dungeon unlocked it.
'Promote.'
The soldiers bulked up slightly.
May's eyes widened.
"They look bigger?"
"Just your imagination."
May squinted at One-Eyed.
'No, they definitely grew.'
She tilted her head, unsure.
'Hallucination?'
He unsummoned all but one, then headed to the new dungeon gate.
"Wait for me!"
She trailed after like a duckling.
Out the gate, he rode One-Eyed back the way they'd come.