Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Encounter (1)
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The area now known as the Abandoned Village, formerly Chuncheon City, had been divided into three main sectors after it turned into a dungeon.
Sector A: the Abandoned Factory Facility, the origin of monster outbreaks and home to mostly venomous beasts.
Sector B: the Amusement Park, a vast open space where larger monsters roamed.
And Sector C: the Residential Area outskirts, filled with weaker monsters that hunted in packs.
These three sectors were each owned by one of Korea's top three hunter guilds: the Ariel Foundation, Silver and Jade Corporation, and the Hunter Autonomous Guild.
Of course, "owned" only meant control over the gates themselves, not the entire dungeon, so moving between sectors inside was entirely possible.
During large-scale subjugation operations, the guilds even teamed up regardless of boundaries. The Abandoned Village was sealed off by a temporary holy barrier around old Chuncheon City—if that ever broke, it would spell total disaster.
That's why dungeons like the Black Forest or Peregrine Plains were exclusive to their guild members only, but places like the Abandoned Village had prior agreements allowing each guild to dispatch hunters for monster extermination.
And since it wasn't exclusive, running into hunters from other guilds inside was technically possible.
That said, there was rarely any reason to hunt in a distant sector when a closer one was available, and the Abandoned Village itself was an unpopular dungeon with low traffic, so encounters with other guilds were practically nonexistent.
'No profit in it. Not from the monsters here.'
Sector A's monsters had venomous abilities, so hunters without resistance needed specialized gear rentals to hunt them safely.
Sector B's beasts had massive health pools and tough durability, dragging out fights with each one.
Sector C's were mostly C-rank but came in huge swarms, making it riskier than other C-rank dungeons for similar rewards—better to just hit a standard B- or C-rank elsewhere for efficiency.
My reason for coming today wasn't to make money off hunts anyway. I was here solely to target and kill a Trerallodon.
What I actually needed to watch for was the 'other guilds' bit I'd mentioned earlier. This dungeon had warp gates for corporate guilds too, after all.
'Hye-eun and Cha Yu-ri are both A-rank hunters. No way they'd randomly show up in a B-rank dungeon like this.'
Even if there was a risk, it wouldn't have stopped me. The burning desire to face a Trerallodon head-on was unstoppable now.
It was the shortest-term goal I'd ever wanted to try since becoming a hunter. Risky for a C-rank like me, sure, but worth a shot.
'Worst case, I bail.'
Sectors A, B, and C had a rock-paper-scissors dynamic where each countered the others, which was why hunters stuck to their zones.
If things went south trying to kill a Sector B Trerallodon, I could just flee back to the C-sector warp gate I'd entered through.
With my goal firmly in mind, I headed toward the Amusement Park in Sector B. It wasn't long before I spotted a massive iguana-like beast—identical to that one from back then.
'Graaaaaah!!'
The chilling roar I'd last heard nearly twelve years ago almost froze my legs, but thankfully, my hatred for the thing overpowered any fear.
I was about to charge with my greatsword to settle that ancient grudge when—
-Thud!
"Grk!!"
I realized the Trerallodon I'd found was already in the middle of a fight with another hunter.
"......"
...Well, yeah. There wasn't just one Trerallodon around.
I'd thought my long-awaited chance had come, but apparently, it needed a bit more time. Stealing someone else's prey was one of the biggest taboos among hunters.
'Who'd have thought there was another weirdo hitting the Abandoned Village at a time like this besides me.'
As I moved deeper, scanning for another Trerallodon, a dull thud reached my ears, followed by a piercing scream that halted me in my tracks.
-Thwack!
"Aaaaaaagh!!"
"...Huh?"
I whipped my gaze toward the hunter. What I saw was a blonde female hunter arcing through the air.
Or more like plummeting. She'd been smashed by the Trerallodon's massive tail mace, wounds blooming across her.
Hitting the ground like that would mean serious injury, and I wasn't the type to just stand by.
"Ah, damn it!"
-Tadak!
I stowed my greatsword in my subspace pocket and sprinted full-tilt toward her fall path.
Up close, her injuries were stark. Her clothes were already torn in spots from prior damage.
And worst, the Trerallodon's next swing was aimed right at her exposed body.
40 meters. 30 meters. 20 meters.
When she was about 10 meters from impact, I leaped into the air and caught her in both arms.
"Hey, you okay?!"
"Hea... head..."
"...Huh?"
Wait a sec, looking closer—this woman wouldn't be...
"Duck your head, you idiot!"
"...!"
-Whoosh!
Her shout reminded me we were still mid-battle. I immediately crouched low, and a massive tail whistled just over my back.
I'd snatched her midair, dodged the attack, and landed. Without pause, the blonde in my arms barked her next order.
"Trerallodon's weak spot is its eyes! Get me in front of it, quick! Hurry!"
...Honestly, her bossy tone right off the bat grated, but finishing this beast came first, so I played along without complaint.
And frankly, I wasn't expecting much. Foundation girls were all the same.
"I know the eyes are the weak spot. So, what's your attack plan?"
"Are your eyes buttonholes or something?! Think I carry this bow around to strum harps?!"
"It looks like you're out of arrows, though..."
"Who the hell still loads arrows manually these days, idiot?! Secret arrows, obviously!"
Man, not even a minute in, and she's calling me an idiot every other word.
Seeing the infamous Foundation girl attitude up close made my head spin before ten seconds were even up.
"You—how high can you jump while holding me?"
"About five meters, I guess."
"You just leaped over ten!"
"Be realistic. Added weight means I can't hit that."
"A-Are you calling me a fat pig right now?!"
"Never said that."
Okay, certain parts might qualify as piggish, but pointing that out would just drag this out uselessly.
So I swallowed the quip about her chest or ass and politely repeated myself.
"Anyway, five meters. No more."
"Then get close to that monster and jump! I'll drop it with a point-blank shot!"
"Why don't you rest nearby, and I'll handle the monster instead?"
"A-Are you saying I can't even land a single arrow, you moron?!"
"Haa, seriously..."
Summoning superhuman patience, I scooped up the blonde and dashed toward the giant monster's face.
Catching it off-guard, I slipped into its blind spot.
-Twang.
The bowstring in her hands drew taut.
A secret arrow gleamed at her fingertips, ready to fire. I followed her plan and leaped to max height.
-Twing!
At half the Trerallodon's body height, her secret arrow launched on elastic force.
It flew in a near-straight arc, nailing its right eye perfectly. Clean hit.
'Graaaaaagh!!'
The Trerallodon shrieked forward from the point-blank weak-spot strike, crashing to the ground with earth-shaking force.
...Well, we got it somehow.
"H-Hey, gonna hold me all day?! You idi—!"
-Plop.
"Ow! That hurts! Can't you set me down gently?!"
I dropped her on purpose. This fat-pig archer princess.