Chapter 8
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: The Raid Leader Retires
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Park's Raid Team, including Yeon Sung-hun, had gathered again after a long time.
Park Kwang-yeol, Lee Ha-na, Kim Jun-su.
All three looked like they'd fully shaken off their aftereffects.
But their complexions were still far from healthy.
Lee Ha-na and Kim Jun-su looked especially rough.
It seemed the shock of Shin Jae-jun's death had hit them harder than any potion side effects.
Honestly, it wouldn't be strange if they quit hunting right then and there.
"Everyone doin' alright?"
Lee Ha-na and Kim Jun-su responded with faint, hazy smiles instead of words.
Park Kwang-yeol gave a bitter smile at their expressions.
"I called you all here today 'cause I got somethin' to say."
Maybe because the mood wasn't right for jokes or chit-chat, Park Kwang-yeol cut straight to it.
"I'm quittin' hunting."
"Huh?"
"Uncle?"
Under the raid members' stunned gazes, Park Kwang-yeol continued flatly.
"My wife was cryin'. Didn't say a word, but it broke my heart... I just can't keep doin' this hunter gig."
"Uncle..."
"I've thought about it plenty before. Huntin' is dangerous as hell. I was plannin' to quit once Sung-hun awakened anyway. Guess the time's come."
No one jumped in with a quick reply this time either.
Yeon Sung-hun quietly watched Park Kwang-yeol with his mouth shut.
As the atmosphere darkened instantly, Park Kwang-yeol chuckled softly.
"Don't look so down. I'm not dead or anythin'. One phone call, and we can meet anytime."
"...What're you gonna do now that you're quittin' hunting?"
"Dunno. My wife's a great cook, so maybe open a restaurant? Got some savings, and whatever it is, I'll aim for somethin' stable."
"...Let me know when you open up. I'll head right over."
"M-Me too!"
"We'll all go!"
"...Yeah. Thanks, everyone."
Park Kwang-yeol smiled faintly.
He hadn't said it outright, but it clearly weighed on him to abruptly retire and leave his much younger comrades behind.
With that, Park Kwang-yeol wrapped up his announcement and turned to Kim Jun-su and Lee Ha-na instead of Yeon Sung-hun, who looked perfectly fine.
His gaze seemed to ask what they planned to do now.
"...I dunno."
"Me neither."
Lee Ha-na and Kim Jun-su couldn't give a clear answer.
They definitely wanted to quit like Park Kwang-yeol, but they also wanted to keep hunting.
"...Got it. Take your time, think it through so you don't regret it later... And Sung-hun, you're stickin' with it, right?"
"Yeah, I plan to keep going."
"...Figured. It won't be easy for you to quit. Give it your all."
Maybe because he knew Yeon Sung-hun's family situation well?
Instead of worry, Park Kwang-yeol patted his shoulder in encouragement.
"Call if you need anythin'. Hell, call even if you don't. Keep in touch regularly. You ain't cuttin' ties just 'cause I'm not raid leader anymore, right?"
"No way. I'll visit often."
"Good. And don't come empty-handed. Bring somethin' nice."
"Stuff your wife and kid would like?"
"Heh, our Sung-hun knows how to play the social game."
The heavy mood lightened as the two bantered and joked like always, chuckling together.
Lee Ha-na and Kim Jun-su, who had been mulling seriously, looked a bit more at ease too.
Smiling at them, Park Kwang-yeol whispered to Yeon Sung-hun.
"Look after the kids."
"Huh?"
"They don't seem like quittin', so take good care of 'em."
"...Got it."
"Straight shooter, I like it. Alright, you're the new raid leader of Park's Raid Team from now on."
"No Uncle around, and it's still 'Park's'?"
"Don't like it? Change it to 'Yeon's Raid Team' then."
Yeon Sung-hun smiled quietly at Park Kwang-yeol's casual shrug.
Though he'd lose Park Kwang-yeol, the man he'd relied on as raid leader for so long, it didn't feel all bad.
At least they could meet anytime he wanted.
A hundred, a thousand times better than never seeing him again.
With that, Park Kwang-yeol's retirement talk ended, and everyone parted ways.
The other two hadn't decided yet, but with the raid leader retiring, Park's Raid Team was effectively disbanded.
Yeon Sung-hun felt a deep pang of regret about that, if nothing else.
No other team had ever suited him as well as Park's.
At least Kim Jun-su and Lee Ha-na seemed likely to keep hunting, which softened the blow a bit.
Especially since Yeon Sung-hun was an alchemist.
As a Battle Alchemist, he could fight on the front lines like other hunters, but his true role was crafting.
That made reliable comrades to fight in his place all the more crucial.
Trustworthy allies would be a huge boon for his future plans.
After parting with the raid members, Yeon Sung-hun walked quietly down the street.
No other plans, so heading back to the workshop to brew new potions sounded good.
Using Earth-exclusive ingredients for fresh recipes, beyond his past life's staples, seemed promising.
"Of course, swing by home first."
He'd been out nonstop lately, and both his sister and mother must be worried sick.
Other things mattered, but family was Yeon Sung-hun's top priority.
It might sound late to say it now, but his past life as Faust had been an orphan.
Orphan wasn't quite right, actually.
Sold into slavery was more accurate.
In the bitter winter cold, Faust had been sold as a slave by his own parents.
It was common enough in the empire back then, but that didn't change the fact that Faust had been sold.
By some stroke of luck, he'd become an old alchemist's disciple and learned the craft, but most sold kids weren't so fortunate.
Most lived as slaves worse than beasts and died that way.
With no family in that life, Faust had none.
The old alchemist had never married or taken a disciple till old age, so aside from one longtime friend, he'd lived a lonely life alone.
That was why, having reclaimed Faust's memories, Yeon Sung-hun cherished family above all.
As he pondered what to bring home, he suddenly shuddered.
He hadn't awakened, but his mana sensitivity rivaled any hunter's, letting him sense the ominous mana.
His gaze stiffened, turning toward the distant cityscape.
Bzzzzt-!
His smartphone blared abruptly.
And it wasn't just his—every phone on the street rang out noisily.
Everyone, Yeon Sung-hun included, checked their devices.
"...Emergency disaster alert?"
[A-Rank Rift Break detected. Citizens urged to evacuate to nearest shelter immediately.]
Yeon Sung-hun's face hardened.
First thought: his family's safety.
Thankfully, the break was downtown, far from home, but he couldn't relax.
"An A-Rank Rift Break right in central Seoul? What the hell are the Association and hunters doing?"
He clicked his tongue and moved to hurry off—
Boom!
A short explosion rocked the air, flames erupting beyond the buildings.
The break site was closer than he'd thought.
"Kyaaah!"
"Run!"
Nearby civilians screamed and fled in unison.
Chaos engulfed the bustling city center.
"......"
Amid the pandemonium, Yeon Sung-hun alone stood calmly detached, assessing the situation.
Rush to the break and take out monsters?
Tempting, but not an option.
He had no intention of stepping up for strangers.
An A-Rank Rift Break was tough enough to survive solo.
The Association or other hunters would handle it soon enough without him.
Yeon Sung-hun chose evasion over intervention.
Soon, the street emptied—everyone but him gone.
If anyone had been trapped, he'd have helped, but no need for the hassle now.
Kaboom-!
As he relaxed and turned to leave, a nearby building collapsed in a roar.
And with it, someone slammed into the road's center.
Yeon Sung-hun's eyes narrowed involuntarily.
"...Shoulda bailed sooner."
With a quiet sigh, he started walking over.
He wasn't heartless enough to ignore someone in plain sight.
"Ugh..."
A high school girl, looking fairly young, lay embedded in a sizable crater.
She wasn't just young-looking—she really was a high schooler.
Han So-yul. The famous A-Rank high-rank hunter and high school girl hunter.
Same age as his sister Yeon Hae-eun; he'd seen her on TV plenty.
A familiar face brought a flicker of emotion to Yeon Sung-hun's.
The situation aside, it felt oddly serendipitous.
"You okay?"
"Ugh... Who're you...? It's dangerous here... You gotta run..."
Even groaning in pain, Han So-yul didn't forget her hunter duties.
Worrying for him over herself.
Yeon Sung-hun let out a soft exclamation.
"Hurry, get outta here... This ain't good."
"I'm a hunter too. Can't just walk away."
"Hunter? What's your rank...?"
"D-Rank."
Han So-yul groaned inwardly.
This was an A-Rank Rift Break with unknown new monsters—even top hunters besides her had fallen.
What could a mere D-Rank do?
Still, she understood his intent and swallowed a groan to speak.
"...My arm won't move. Can you grab a potion from my bag?"
"Sure thing."
Yeon Sung-hun gladly fetched a potion from her bag with ease.
Then he clicked his tongue shortly.
"What the hell is this garbage...?"
"Huh? What're you saying?"
"Han So-yul, don't you make good money? And you're using this crap?"
"Crap? That's top-grade potion. Quit joking and hand it over."
"...This junk is top-grade?"
Yeon Sung-hun sighed in disbelief.
He really wanted to see the shameless faces selling this trash for profit.
"Stop spacing out and give it here—it's urgent. Casualties are piling up by the second..."
Han So-yul whipped her gaze away.
Yeon Sung-hun, lamenting the garbage potion, did the same.
A monster exuding sinister mana had appeared down the road.
The cause of this A-Rank Rift Break.
A new species never reported to the Association.
Snake lower body, human torso, goat head—a massive monster.
Han So-yul's face hardened as the beast that had chased her here loomed.
"How'd that thing get here?! The others...? Don't tell me they're all...?"
She blurted desperately, then hounded Yeon Sung-hun.
"Potion, now! And you run!"
Unlike her frantic shout, Yeon Sung-hun intently eyed the monster.
New to her and other hunters, maybe, but he knew what it was.
"Widow Maker, huh. How'd a beast from southern continent enclaves end up here?"
He'd thought it before: rifts were profoundly mysterious.
They brought beasts and plants from his past life.
What even were rifts?
A scholar's faint curiosity stirred, but he shook it off.
He knew the monster, but had no way to fight it now.
"Meeeh-."
With an incongruous bleat, it approached them.
Han So-yul yelled at its leisurely pace—not slow, not fast.
"Gah... Potion, now! Wanna die together?!"
"Drink this, and you can beat it?"
She clamped her mouth at his calm question.
As he'd implied, her potions were just recovery ones.
Healing now wouldn't win the fight.
"...So what? Just sit and die?! We gotta buy time till other hunters arrive!"
Han So-yul shouted in frustration.
Just a young girl his sister's age.
Yeon Sung-hun eyed her silently, then tsked and rummaged in his pocket.
He quietly offered a potion bottle.
Utterly unlike hers.
Han So-yul's eyes widened watching him.
"That's...?"
"Recovery plus body enhancement. I guarantee the effects."
"...Recovery and enhancement together? No such potion exists. You expect me to believe that?"
"Or be that thing's lunch."
"......"
Yeon Sung-hun shrugged blandly, pointing at the nearing beast.
"...Fine. If I'm dying anyway... Gimme that!"
"Smart choice."
Han So-yul took the potion and popped the lid.
"Ugh...! What’s with the smell?! This safe? It's spoiled?"
"Good meds always stink. Boosted effects mean some side effects, but nothing major."
"What the—?!"
As she yelled in shock, Yeon Sung-hun forced it down her without delay.
The foul liquid poured down her throat.
Tears welled as she glared resentfully at him.
"...Tastes like crap too."
"Good stuff always does."
"...Quack."
"How's the body feel? Wounds healed?"
Han So-yul rose slowly and nodded.
Not just healed—her whole condition felt better than ever.
Exactly as he'd boasted.
No—even better, judging by the instant stat surge.
Habitually checking her status window, she gasped in shock.
"All stats up this much? Impossible!"
Most enhancers gave fixed boosts, max 10%.
Single-stat ones topped under 50%.
This was revolutionary.
"No time to gawk. Gotta drop that thing."
"...Thanks. With this, I can..."
"Save the thanks till it's down. If you fail, I'm in trouble too."
Han So-yul nodded at his matter-of-fact words.
"I'll be quick, so stay put. Proper thanks after."
Yeon Sung-hun shrugged instead of answering.
She watched him a beat, then turned.
Toward the monster now nearly upon them.
As she strode confidently, Yeon Sung-hun spoke up.
"Take out the horns first. They manipulate ambient mana to disrupt senses. Without 'em, its physicals are weaker than most A-Ranks."
"...How do you know that?"
A never-before-seen species.
Absurd as it was, she'd trust him.
He'd already shown the impossible.
Questions and thanks could wait till after.
Han So-yul launched at the beast.