Chapter 24
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: A Story You Don't Know
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Su-hyeon had not only scored a part-time gig from the professor but also scarfed down a hearty late lunch before heading out.
Traces of jjajang sauce she couldn't quite wipe away still clung to the corner of her mouth.
Wearing the evidence of her feast right on her face, Su-hyeon passed through the main gate and stepped out onto the bustling main street.
As she walked along the sidewalk blocks, trying to sort out her tangled thoughts, a voice from one side snapped her out of it.
"Do you all desire a new life? The true world, the miracle of healing, is right here!"
A man was shouting at the top of his lungs.
A few others who looked like his comrades were handing out flyers to passersby.
Su-hyeon glanced over absentmindedly, only to lock eyes with the man.
The moment their gazes met, he shot her an intense look and hurried toward her.
'Argh, seriously.'
Thud thud thud.
She quickened her pace to escape, but hardware limitations meant he caught up in no time.
"Hey, little friend, don't you want to witness a miracle? From your face, I can tell your solar energy is overflowing."
"No, no, I'm good..."
"Just hear me out? Listening for a bit won't hurt. If you help a friend, you might save a ton of people!"
"No, I'm kinda busy..."
Su-hyeon mumbled softly and picked up her pace.
In truth, she wasn't busy at all. She had nothing to do.
Her plan was to stroll around, soak up some sun, grab a snack, and head back to game.
"Come on, just once. If you're in a rush, we can talk while you walk?"
Why was this cultist so persistent, even proselytizing to kids?
But someone stepped in to stop the cultist.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing, even harassing a kid? Can't you see she's scared?"
The citizens, who had ignored him before, were now surrounding the man, frowning.
"N-No, it's a misunderstanding, brother. I..."
"Who's your brother? Get lost!"
"Yeah, we'll call the Guards!"
"Shameless jerk."
Thanks to the—righteously indignant?—citizens, Su-hyeon slipped away from the man's attention unscathed.
'? He's not following anymore.'
Hoping someone would report him to the Guards or police, Su-hyeon darted into an alley leading to her studio apartment.
'Phew, cults still a thing these days?'
When Gates first opened and Awakeners started appearing, doomsday cults had flooded in with all sorts of nonsense.
Of course, it was only brief.
High-rank Awakeners were rare, and most could be subdued with firearms anyway.
Plus, stronger Awakeners kept emerging over time.
If the neighbor's dog poop or the kid down the street was stronger than their self-proclaimed messiah, faith naturally crumbled.
So running into a cult preacher like today was extremely rare.
Even the now-endangered cultists seemed to sense the bad vibe and started retreating.
"Haha, the people of this land still lack desperation, it seems."
"Yeah, if only they'd meet Lord Gilliyon soon and be enlightened."
The cultists sounded genuinely regretful.
And trailing quietly behind them was a helmeted figure.
A sinister creak came from leather gloves gripped tight in fists.
Tap tap.
Tiny footsteps echoed through the alley.
Under the reddening sky, Su-hyeon walked with eyes full of melancholy.
Anyone watching would wonder what troubles a kid like that had, trudging along with such a poignant expression.
In reality, she was just lost in thought, slowing her steps.
Of course, nearly getting proselytized was nothing compared to messing up a lecture by misusing her powers.
Anyway, Su-hyeon quickly forgot it and resumed her earlier musings.
'I was only gonna give a tiny bit.'
That morning, she'd meant to drip just a grain of sand's worth of energy into the plants for the lab but accidentally gave a whole handful.
Lately, her powers felt easier to control.
Like the sheer volume of energy surging through her had massively increased.
Her strength had grown without any real effort.
As if she'd woken up to find someone stocked her fridge full.
She stopped and stared intently at some nameless weed growing on the wall.
Moments later, a faint spark of life bloomed in its leaves.
She still needed focus, but now she could infuse plants with energy without touching them.
Though too far seemed tricky.
There wasn't any grand reason for practicing like this.
Just curiosity!
She might get bored and quit anytime.
But for now, it was super fun, so whatever.
Checking the beans daily for changes was part of the joy.
'Maybe now?'
She pulled a bean from her pocket and cupped it in both hands.
Nngh.
"...Phew, not yet."
The shell looked a bit swollen, like it was close...
But no awakening vibe yet.
Time to head home.
Su-hyeon hurried along with quick steps.
And the gaze watching her...
"Isn't that the brat?"
Three men in sloppily worn suits.
Pitbull Guild members.
Under Chang-hoon's orders, they were tracking victims of the department store incident.
A sort of fact-finding mission.
They were prying detailed accounts from those caught in it.
People reluctant to talk usually opened up when the men acted like big shots, feigned gravity, or got snippy.
No one brave enough to challenge active Hunters with 'You're not cops, who are you?' yet.
...Truth be told, while it sounded diligent, they dumped most areas on their slave-like underling Chan-seong and cherry-picked easy spots.
They'd come for Su-hyeon too.
"What business do you have with her?"
"...Huh?"
A high, melodic voice from behind the men. But its stiff tone made it sound like an emotionless machine.
No presence at all until now.
"Why are grown men crowding around a cute kid like that? Though I suppose her cuteness makes it hard to look away."
A pitch-black helmet and suit, blending so seamlessly into the alley shadows that you'd miss her right in front if not paying attention.
"What the hell? Crazy bitch? Why the helmet?"
"Nah, we're working here. Got it?"
"Mind your business, miss. We're Hunters. You'll get hurt."
They tried threatening her off, as usual.
Bullying low-rank corpse disposal or transport crews in their zones for perks was daily life for Pitbull Guild. It came naturally.
"I see. Pitbull Guild... The trashy thugs handling Gwangjin-gu. Got it."
"What?"
"This bitch just—"
Grab.
Before he finished, a man was seized by the jaw at invisible speed.
The one who'd called Su-hyeon a brat.
Tall for a woman, but lifting a head-taller man one-handed left them all stunned.
"Hunter!?"
"You fucking bitch, what the—!"
Brüel didn't even scoff.
"Lots of Gate entries on record, but no PvP experience? Or maybe you've only fought weaker foes."
Crack, crunch.
"G-Gaaah!?"
The man afloat howled at the ominous sound.
His scream muffled uselessly in her grip.
He flailed, slamming her arm holding his jaw. His hands flashed with ability use, but she ignored it.
Brüel roughly hurled the foaming, unconscious man whose lower jaw she'd shattered.
The helmeted woman knew their guild, one comrade with a crushed jaw in her hand.
Realizing things were serious too late, they charged—but it was futile.
"Fuck!"
'Pile on!'
They rushed in shouting.
Crack—
"Gurk—!?"
Suddenly, his view was skyward.
Wall and pole in peripheral vision.
"Skill aside, isn't your judgment way too slow?"
Does this country assign zones even to small fry like you? Weird.
The calm voice from below made him realize his neck was gripped.
Desperately lowering his eyes, he saw a comrade with limbs twisted backward, head embedded in the wall.
Just twitching, alive or dead unclear.
'B-Breath...!'
He struggled to pry the hand off.
But his fingers dangled limp, turned against him.
Unable to comprehend, heart pounding wildly—
"Kuhuk—!?"
Pain exploded in his knee.
Knees are hinge joints, front-back only.
Kind Brüel stomped the outer knee, expanding range sideways.
"You haven't caused real trouble yet, so I'll spare your lives. But."
The helmet drew near, her terror-twisted face reflected on its glossy surface.
"There won't be a next time."
'D-Don't... know English.'
Sudden fluent English.
Feeling a bit wronged, the man blacked out.
Having delivered her line, Brüel choked out the last one via carotid.
Clean finish, cool line.
Reenacting her fantasy perfectly lifted her mood.
She admired her handiwork in the alley, satisfied.
"Heard this country had good public safety, though."
Brüel dusted her hands and muttered.
Sirens wailed in the distance.
"Guess I'll have to stick closer."
Brüel looked oddly pleased.
They'd handle the rest.
Apparently, they'd illegally intimidated others too. They'd pin something.
Suspicious backers, but who'd be impressive enough to command such trash?
She could protect Su-hyeon from any hell.
She recalled getting the mission.
Beings with auras like their world's two World Trees: Dryads.
Living in unknown Korea, resembling their gods.
And for youngish her, a chance to serve a young god directly!
First meeting her owner Su-hyeon, she seemed ordinary human. But...
'After recent Awakening, seeing her again...'
Hair brimming with life force, moist eyes drawing you in endlessly. Stout limbs, chubby fingers.
"Hee hee..."
Nose tingling, Brüel reached for it, then remembered her helmet and sheepishly lowered her hand.
Anyway, with safety this iffy, she had to stay close.
Brüel headed lightly to Su-hyeon's studio.