Enchant
Enchant. In simple terms, it’s the concept of imbuing magic into an ether blade. Typically, mages or supporters with buff abilities cast spells on the ether blades of dealers or tanks. But I never expected to be able to enchant myself using cards and strengthen my own ether blade.
Shhhk! The [Mad Butcher] gleamed far sharper than before. Ether poured from it, and I could tell its power had increased dramatically even without testing. It was strong—strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the Count.
‘Let’s test it.’
Gripping the [Mad Butcher], now reinforced by the [Luck] and [Full Moon] cards, I charged at the Count once more.
“You filthy, insignificant worms!”
“Ghhk!”
The Count thrashed violently, dragging Choi Yoo-ra along the ground. Even a 4-star hunter like her seemed unable to withstand the raw strength of an enraged Count.
“The price for invading the lord’s domain is nothing but death!”
Wrapped in crimson ether, the Count yanked hard on Choi Yoo-ra’s chains.
“……!”
Just as she was being pulled toward him—
Crack!
The enchant had worked. The [Mad Butcher] cleaved deep into the Count’s shoulder.
“Graaah!”
The Count screamed and swung his arm wildly at me. Whoosh!
‘If that hits, I’m dead.’
His arm was old and withered, yet the power behind it was monstrous. As a 2-star hunter, even a single gesture from him would be fatal. But that didn’t matter. I just had to not get hit.
Clang!
Choi Yoo-ra tightened her grip on the chains again, and right on cue, Captain Im’s team joined the fight, drawing the Count’s attention away from me.
‘Now.’
Before he could unleash another shockwave, while his focus was split—this was the perfect opening.
‘End it in one strike.’
I poured every last drop of my ether into the [Mad Butcher] and drove it straight into the Count’s exposed flank.
‘Now.’
From below, upward. The axe blade of the [Mad Butcher] carved a diagonal line across the Count’s neck.
Thud.
His head flew off.
Whoosh!
Black, dead blood erupted like a fountain.
Thump. The Count’s head rolled across the floor.
[Count] has been defeated!
[Cursed Fortress] dungeon has been cleared!
Ether absorbed!
A portal has been generated!
With the Count’s death, a portal leading outside the dungeon appeared.
“You all did an excellent job!”
“Well done, everyone!”
Captain Im’s team rushed over, offering their thanks.
“You all worked hard as well.”
I expressed my gratitude to Captain Im’s team, who had also fought hard.
“You’re pretty good, huh?”
“You too.”
I grinned at Choi Yoo-ra’s remark.
“The promise……”
“I’ll keep it the moment the time comes. Just wait a little.”
“Got it.”
Perhaps because of what I had shown her, Choi Yoo-ra nodded without protest.
“Then let’s tend to the wounded and recover the bodies before we leave.”
“Yes, that’s the plan.”
Captain Im glanced around and tightly shut his eyes, his expression grim. Nearly a dozen Boraemae Clan members lay scattered across the floor, their corpses strewn everywhere.
“Ghhhk!”
“My arm—my aaaaarm!”
Many others had suffered severe injuries.
“What happened? Most of you are only 1- or 2-star hunters. Why were you here?”
“Hic!”
While wrapping a tourniquet around the thigh of a female hunter whose leg had been nearly severed, Choi Yoo-ra asked the question. Tourniquets were standard gear for hunters; most carried two or three at all times.
“Kgh, the clan seniors…… hic…… said they’d carry us……”
“Bear with it. If I don’t tie it tight, you’ll bleed out.”
“Sob, sob!”
“Don’t look at your leg. Don’t worry either. With proper treatment, this will heal quickly.”
“Th-thank you, unni.”
Choi Yoo-ra applied the tourniquet with professional efficiency and kept talking to keep the woman conscious. She even administered a shot of morphine to ease her pain.
“So why were you all here? You need to answer when someone asks.”
“The clan seniors said they’d bus us…… just follow and it’d be fine…… hic!”
“……”
Choi Yoo-ra closed her eyes tightly, as if she understood exactly what had happened.
* * *
Incidents like this were common. They happened often enough that they no longer surprised anyone. Many people assumed that clans made up of Awakeners were some kind of elite superhuman group. Half right, half wrong. That only applied to clans with proper hunters. Clans like Boraemae, which only cared about numbers, were closer to hobby clubs than actual hunter organizations. That was why accidents kept occurring—exactly like this one.
Veterans would drag rookies into high-level dungeons under the pretense of “bussing” them, only for everything to go wrong. And the people they usually offered to bus were almost always clueless new female hunters.
“What the hell were you thinking, trusting those trash? Did you really believe those womanizing bastards would take responsibility for your life?”
“Hic, hic, sob.”
“Just looking at your gear, it’s obvious you have no basics. You’re an unregistered Awakener who hasn’t even finished the Special Operations Training Center, aren’t you?”
“Y-yes.”
“Why didn’t you register? And why didn’t you sign a government contract? If you wanted to be a hunter, you should’ve at least completed the training center course.”
“The clan seniors said…… if you contract with the government, they monitor your every move…… and if you don’t listen, you might disappear without a trace…… they said you’d be worked like a slave and eventually die…… they said the training was nothing…… that they’d teach me themselves……”
“You call that an excuse?”
Watching from the side, I could tell Choi Yoo-ra was on the verge of exploding. I wasn’t much calmer myself.
‘Idiots. They really take it too far.’
Rumors that contracting with the Strategic Defense Department meant constant surveillance, assassination, or being used as a tool were unavoidable. Some of it was even true. But claiming the Special Operations Training Center was “nothing” was complete nonsense. It seemed they thought that just by awakening, they could instantly start slicing through monsters. That was a massive misconception. No matter how talented an Awakener was, without basic survival knowledge and tactics, they were nothing more than meat to be ground up. It was the same principle as handing a rifle to a strong monkey—you still couldn’t use it as a proper soldier.
Awakeners also needed to learn how to fight. That was why the [Special Operations Training Center] existed. It taught marksmanship, tactics, survival skills, weapon handling, helicopter rappelling, motorcycle operation, navigation, first aid—everything a hunter absolutely had to know. Even then, people complained that cramming years of material into just three months was superficial. Of course, with humanity’s limited time, accelerated training was an unavoidable choice.
“Anyway. They think just awakening makes them hunters. Tch.”
Simple Awakeners and actual hunters had to be strictly distinguished. Not just anyone could call themselves a hunter. Only those who had undergone rigorous training and gained sufficient real combat experience could claim that title.
“Once you get out of here, don’t even dream of being a hunter. If you really want to, sign a proper contract with the Defense Strategy Department, complete the training center course, and then think about it.”
“Yes, unni……”
“One more thing.”
Choi Yoo-ra added firmly.
“From now on, don’t entrust your life to those idiotic ‘clan seniors.’ Your life is your own responsibility to judge and protect. Understand?”
“Yes……”
“Lie still. Don’t move an inch. Hey, you.”
Choi Yoo-ra pointed at one of the half-dazed clan members.
“Even an idiot like you should at least carry a stretcher, right?”
“W-well……”
“I don’t even know why we saved trash like you. You deserve to die.”
Choi Yoo-ra hurled insults at the clan member while tossing him the portable stretcher from her backpack. Made of high-strength plastic, it was normally rolled up and carried inside the bag, only to be unfolded when needed. It was the kind of equipment former rescue workers or special forces operatives used.
Captain Im’s team, true to their active-duty military background, skillfully checked on the injured Boraemae Clan members. While doing so, one of his subordinates spotted something and pointed.
“Over there. There’s something.”
A sphere floated gently above the Count’s corpse. A rune. With five shimmering particles of ether around it, it was clearly 5-star grade.
‘Jackpot!’
Even before confirming it with my eyes, I instinctively knew the rune was extremely valuable. The Count, boss of the [Cursed Fortress], had an extremely low chance of dropping a rune. I hadn’t calculated the exact odds, but it was roughly one drop per thousand Counts. Yet every rune he dropped was exceptionally powerful. I knew of seventeen different types, and among runes obtainable from 3- to 4-star dungeons, they were undeniably in a league of their own.
‘Is this because of the Luck card?’
The 3-star [Luck] card boosted luck by 25% by default, so it was a plausible theory.
‘Let’s see what it is.’
As I approached the rune as if entranced, a group of hunters blocked my path.
“Wait.”
A Boraemae Clan hunter spoke to me.
“You’re not planning to hog the rune for yourself, are you?”
“……?”
“I’m sorry, but our Boraemae Clan also has rights to the rune. Please step back.”
When had I ever gone deaf? I doubted my own hearing. Was what I just heard correct?
“Could you repeat what you just said? My ears must be failing me.”
“I said our clan also has rights to the rune.”
“……?”
“Step back while I’m still asking nicely.”
Click. Their gun barrels swung toward me.