Chapter 48
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Painful Persuasion
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Soon enough, the two brothers who had awakened refused to believe a single word of Yeon Sung-hun's patient, gentle explanations.
Instead, they charged straight at him, but since they had only just woken up, he subdued them with ridiculous ease.
Even after that, Yeon Sung-hun continued explaining to them calmly, as if dealing with mischievous children, but the brothers couldn't grasp a thing he was saying.
They kept venting their frustration, so he soon gave up on further explanations.
There was no need anyway—the effects of the drug were about to kick in.
'A hundred words of explanation can't compare to experiencing it firsthand.'
Shortly after, the two brothers began writhing in agony, crying out in pain.
The pain struck suddenly, without any warning.
The two brothers rolled grotesquely on the floor as the torment coursed through their bones and wracked their entire bodies.
Even for A-Rank Hunters who dismissed most pain as insignificant, this was agony they couldn't endure without screaming.
Yeon Sung-hun leisurely sipped the coffee Choi Yeon-ah had brewed and watched the scene unfold.
Once the pain began, it didn't fade easily.
The ordeal lasted over five minutes, but to the brothers, it felt like more than five hours.
As they gasped for breath, drenched in cold sweat, Yeon Sung-hun spoke flatly.
"Do you believe me a little now?"
"...Ugh... Uuuum...."
The two brothers couldn't muster a proper reply.
It wasn't so much disbelief as a lack of mental capacity to respond.
Understanding their state, Yeon Sung-hun continued.
"The pain will only intensify from here. I guarantee it—the initial agony will seem like a joke by comparison. The cycles usually run from two hours down to one, getting shorter each time. Toward the end, it won't stop at all; it'll just keep coming relentlessly."
At Yeon Sung-hun's matter-of-fact words, the brothers finally reacted.
If nothing else, the mention of pain worse than that horrific first wave perked up their ears.
"I-I believe you! I'll believe anything, so please, just give us that antidote...!"
"Your words are a bit curt."
"...I believe you! Please, have mercy!"
Yeon Sung-hun nodded slowly as the two prostrated themselves desperately, begging like they were offering prayers.
"Obviously, I won't give you a complete antidote. You'll need to come to me regularly for doses from now on."
Their minds weren't working sharply amid the pain, but Song Myeong-hun wasn't too dull to understand what Yeon Sung-hun meant.
He nodded vigorously over and over.
If it meant avoiding more of that hellish torment, he'd lick the man's shoes if asked.
Of course, Yeon Sung-hun wouldn't want that.
With that, he handed the antidote to the pair.
"I'm warning you in advance: behave yourselves. If word of today gets out..."
"We'll stay silent! We won't breathe a word to anyone!"
"Hm. We'll see."
Song Myeong-hun pleaded with utter sincerity, but Yeon Sung-hun merely nodded lightly.
Humans were forgetful creatures; the brothers might forget today's pain and try to rebel again someday. Still, he wasn't too worried.
If they did, he'd just cut off the antidote.
In truth, he secretly hoped the brothers would seize an opportunity to rebel.
They'd need to experience it once or twice more to never even think of crawling back up again.
Once they were battered hourly by the pain and plagued by side effects like hair loss or constipation, they'd learn to grovel on their own.
Yeon Sung-hun turned to the brothers, who even after taking the antidote still trembled anxiously, haunted by the prior suffering.
"Since it's your first time, the next dose will be in about a week. I'll have our team leader pass them along periodically, so don't worry. We'll gradually extend the intervals, so let's get along from here on out."
The brothers could only nod endlessly at Yeon Sung-hun's sly smile.
To them now, he seemed more terrifying than the king of hell himself.
While Yeon Sung-hun was reaching an amicable agreement with the Song brothers about their future, the Guild Alliance's expedition into the rift was underway.
An exploration of an S-Rank rift.
There was Choi Yeon-ah's case in the past, and this wasn't the first time.
Including South Korea, expeditions were constantly conducted worldwide whenever the opportunity arose.
They simply weren't publicized to the world due to fears of the chaos an S-Rank rift's existence would cause.
Without any ceremony or press coverage, the Guild Alliance's joint exploration team entered the rift.
Seong A-reum and Korea's other S-Rank Hunters watched the scene impassively.
They planned to guard the rift's perimeter until the expedition concluded, in case of any emergencies.
"I should've said a proper goodbye to Jun-young oppa..."
Lee Ye-rang murmured glumly, gazing at the team vanishing into the rift.
Seong A-reum glanced at her and spoke up.
"You already said plenty. Was that not enough?"
"Yeah... But this is the last time."
Lee Ye-rang's use of "last" presupposed the expedition's failure.
No one— not Seong A-reum or the other S-Rank Hunters present— objected to her words.
A few survivors might make it, but given Yoo Jun-young's personality, he'd undoubtedly stay until the end and die heroically in battle.
Jeon Hae-ryong, who had been standing with arms crossed in silence, suddenly clicked his tongue.
"That stubborn fool... Holding out to the bitter end..."
"He didn't listen to your advice at all, did he, sir?"
"It's that damn greed of his. He could've just let go and lived moderately... I admit his potions are good, but there's still a limit. We're not ready yet."
Seong A-reum asked Jeon Hae-ryong, who sighed lowly.
"You went inside during Unnie's rescue, right? What was it like?"
"Hm. You weren't around back then, were you, A-reum?"
"No, I was still A-Rank at the time, so I stayed outside on standby. I handled the occasional monsters that leaked out, but..."
"The ones near the entrance aren't a big deal, really. They're just a bit stronger than monsters from other rifts—still only A-Rank level, ultimately. But the interior is a whole different story."
Seong A-reum listened intently to Jeon Hae-ryong's quiet account.
"That different?"
"There's no demon realm like that demon realm. It was crawling with S-Rank monsters like wyverns and drakes."
"...Just imagining it is horrifying."
"What's even scarier are the ones deeper inside... Those are just monsters."
"...Beyond S-Rank?"
"We couldn't pin down their exact rank, but the Association's already preparing a new grade above S-Rank because of them."
"...Above S-Rank."
Seong A-reum murmured softly.
Jeon Hae-ryong, not missing her tone, warned flatly.
"Just in case, don't get curious. No amount of potions will let you stand a chance."
"Don't worry. I have no plans to charge in recklessly."
"...Good. I might be an old man who can afford to go, but you young ones need to hold out for decades more. No matter what happens, leave it to me and focus on staying alive."
"How could I leave you behind? We'd fight together then."
"I'm not just saying it. If those things from deep inside burst out, you run no matter what. Survive somehow and bide your time for revenge later."
Seong A-reum nodded heavily at Jeon Hae-ryong's resolute words.
If even he spoke so gravely, there had to be good reason.
She was curious about the new grade herself, but she had no intention of acting foolishly.
"It'll be quiet for the next few days, right?"
"Aside from a few startled monsters at the entrance popping out, nothing much should happen. That's business as usual anyway. The real problem comes when the expedition fails."
Jeon Hae-ryong murmured lowly, recalling Choi Yeon-ah's case, now nearly two years old.
"If it fails, the survivors will scatter every which way to live. Many will die in the chaos, and the inside will get extremely rowdy."
"That commotion will rile up the monsters big time."
"Exactly. A bunch might pour out chasing the escapees."
"...What about those deep ones? What happened last time?"
"Fortunately, they don't stray from their territory. They don't bother pursuing escapees. It's like they're guarding something even further in."
Seong A-reum's eyes sparkled unwittingly at Jeon Hae-ryong's explanation.
"Something those monster-like things are guarding... That's intriguing."
"I'm telling you again: don't get curious. That's what got Jun-young that fool and Yeon-ah into trouble."
"...I'll be careful."
"Good. You're smart; you'll get it."
Jeon Hae-ryong nodded slowly before turning his gaze to the rift entrance.
"For the sake of the future, he can't go down this easily... Yoo Jun-young, you fool."
Regret filled him as he sighed once more.
For the advancement of Korea's Hunter community, Yoo Jun-young was someone who couldn't afford to die so easily.
Jeon Hae-ryong steeled himself to mount a rescue like they had for Choi Yeon-ah, depending on the situation.
Thus, time passed as the S-Rank Hunters steadfastly guarded the rift's exterior.
Exactly ten days after the joint team entered, an anomaly struck around noon.
Seong A-reum, who had been reluctantly indulging Lee Ye-rang's constant clinging as usual, suddenly whipped her head around.
Lee Ye-rang did the same, staring at the rift entrance.
Something burst out from the rippling entrance.
A Hunter covered head to toe in bright red blood.
Before anyone could react, more things came charging out in succession.
"Krrrrrr─!!!"
A ferocious roar echoed like thunder, its dinosaur-like form savage and brutal.
An S-Rank dragon-type monster: a drake.
"Fall back!"
Seong A-reum shouted at those frozen by the beast's menacing bellow.
At the same time, she charged straight at it.
Lee Ye-rang was already moving.
She intercepted the drake as it lunged to devour the blood-soaked Hunter she had been pursuing.
Seong A-reum followed, aiding her.
"Don't dawdle—save the people first! Contact Elder Jeon and Hunter Joo too! We're at emergency status!"
The standby Hunters sprang into action at Seong A-reum's barked orders.
Stunned momentarily by the sudden roar, they were still veteran high-rankers who could handle their roles without further instruction once they snapped to.
"Kraaaah!"
The drake spewed rage at the two who had interrupted its meal.
Thick, murderous mana poured forth.
"Buy me a moment. I need to down a potion first."
"Got it...!"
While Lee Ye-rang held off the furious drake, Seong A-reum quickly pulled out a potion and drank it.
Naturally, it was one of Yeon Sung-hun's.
"Move!"
Seong A-reum growled roughly, taking over from Lee Ye-rang to confront the drake.
No S-Rank Hunter could easily fell an S-Rank monster of equal rank, but Yeon Sung-hun's potions changed the equation.
In an instant, she began overwhelming the drake.
Lee Ye-rang assisted her in battling it.
With two S-Rank Hunters pressing relentlessly, even an S-Rank monster couldn't hold out.
Just as Seong A-reum's spear pierced the drake's heart, the rift entrance rippled again.
"Kraaaaaa─!!!"
"Krrrra─!"
And from within, a horde of monsters poured out.
Starting with drakes and wyverns—S-Rank monsters—down to A- and B-Rank ones, they all surged forth at once.
"What the hell...!"
Seong A-reum's face twisted in horror.
She didn't need to hear from the fleeing Hunter to know.
The expedition had failed.
"Ye-rang. Got any potions?"
"No. I gave the ones I had to Jun-young oppa."
"...Why'd you give something that precious to—!"
Frustrated, Seong A-reum yelled, then leaped aside to dodge another drake lunging at her.
Her face grimacing, she pulled another potion from her pocket.
"Drink this first!"
"Thanks, A-reumie!"
"Shut up and focus!"
Seong A-reum bellowed, rolling across the ground to evade a wyvern diving from the sky.
A drake then exploited her opening and charged.
Lee Ye-rang cried out urgently.
"A-reum!"
"Ngh...!"
Thankfully, as an S-Rank Hunter, Seong A-reum managed to evade even in the crisis.
She took a gash on her arm in the process, but it wasn't immediately life-threatening.
The problem was the drake and wyvern now closing in on her as she retreated.
Even doped on potions, one was manageable, but two was too much.
Lee Ye-rang and the other Hunters were tied up by the swarm of emerging monsters.
Seong A-reum was in peril in a flash.
And just then, a saving hand arrived for her.
Jeon Hae-ryong, who had been resting nearby, reached the scene.
"Kraaaang!"
His massive axe cleaved through the drake's hide.
Seong A-reum sighed in relief as Jeon Hae-ryong landed with a thud.
"Sorry I'm late."
"No, sir. You arrived right on time."
"Hm."
Jeon Hae-ryong nodded once, then finished off the drake writhing in fatal agony.
"Survivors?"
"One. Pulled him back for now. He's in bad shape, but potions should stabilize him."
"...More might escape."
"I don't know the inside situation, but isn't it tough?"
Seong A-reum's gaze flicked to the rift entrance.
It continued rippling, vomiting monsters.
Not a full break, but close enough.
Jeon Hae-ryong's face darkened as he looked too.
"...I need to go in."
"To rescue Hunter Yoo Jun-young?"
"That fool, and as many others as possible."
"Then let me come too. We can assemble a team..."
Jeon Hae-ryong shook his head at Seong A-reum's words.
"No. You handle these first."
With that, he swung his axe at a wyvern ambushing from a blind spot.
The heavy yet swift strike tore its wing clean off.
Nothing was more crippling to a flying beast than losing a wing.
Seong A-reum thrust her spear into the neutralized wyvern.
"Isn't it dangerous alone? At least Hunter Joo..."
Seong A-reum scanned for the other absent S-Rank Hunter.
"I deliberately sent him to the outskirts. A few flying monsters slipped out in the chaos earlier."
"...I see. What kind?"
"Wyvern kin, A- to B-Rank."
"That much is fine, then..."
"The issue is one wyvern got out too. Ji-won will be busy chasing it."
"...That's bad. A wyvern..."
Jeon Hae-ryong continued to the murmuring Seong A-reum.
"Anyway, I'll go in solo. You and Ye-rang handle the outside. Once things stabilize a bit, go help Ji-won."
"...No other Hunters?"
"Mobility-wise, alone is better."
"...Be careful."
"I came back fine from Yeon-ah's time. I'll be quick—hold the fort till then."
As Seong A-reum nodded gravely, Jeon Hae-ryong shouldered his massive axe and advanced toward the still-spewing entrance, pulverizing monsters in his path.
He soon vanished beyond the rift.
Seong A-reum watched him go, then began aiding the other Hunters against the monsters.
With confirmed escapees among them, she had no time to dawdle.