Third Broadcast (3)

Mary….

Seolhwa kept turning the name over in her mind, the one from the diary. She was certain she had heard it before.

The horrific memories passed before her eyes, vivid as ever.

Countless battlefields swept through her head. When she blinked and opened her eyes again, she was standing on one of them.

Her hands were drenched in blood. She couldn't tell whether it was her own or her enemies'.

"You killed all of my children, didn't you?"

The woman before her whispered.

"I suppose I did. You judged that you alone would be enough to face me."

Seolhwa drew the string of Aurora as she spoke.

"Coming to deal with me all by yourself. I suppose it's time to find out whether that's confidence or arrogance."

"That's hardly something you should be saying, Witch of Pride. Or should I say, Mary Hermetica."

At those words, Mary smiled and made a gesture in the air — and from the blood-soaked ground, things made of blood began to crawl upward.

"Then entertain me."

Just as battle was about to begin on that remembered battlefield, someone shook Seolhwa by the shoulder.

"Seolhwa!"

Yuri was shaking her vigorously, worry written across her face.

Seolhwa caught Yuri's hands in her own.

"I'm fine, Yuri. Thank you."

"You suddenly went so quiet. I thought something was wrong with the book."

"There was nothing there. Just an old memory surfacing."

Seolhwa forced a smile and began awkwardly glancing around the room.

What the strike team brought back wasn't something like this.

What the strike team had recovered was a small, pendant-like ornament.

Did it shatter when everything else did?

Yuri leaned in beside her.

"Looking for something else?"

"Yes. I have a feeling there's more than just this diary."

Hearing that, Yuri smiled and started searching the room alongside her.

"Places like this usually hide things under the floor, you know."

Yuri pressed her ear to the ground and went around knocking.

"I think I found something!"

When Yuri pried open the floor, a small box sat inside.

"Glad we found it, but your clothes are all filthy. Are you okay?"

Yuri's outfit was covered in blotchy dust.

"I'm fine. Clothes can be washed. Let's open it first!"

Yuri lifted the box out and slowly opened it. Inside lay a small pendant.

"Mental defense. That's a rare effect."

Seolhwa checked the pendant's properties and then looked at Yuri.

"I think you should be the one to use it."

"Me?"

"If the tank shielding my front collapses, we're finished."

Seolhwa said with a smile.

When Yuri hesitated, Seolhwa picked up the pendant and stepped behind her. She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠swept aside the pink hair that had come loose from its tie and spilled down past her neck, revealing a nape as white as snow. Then she loosened the pendant's cord and fastened it gently around Yuri's neck.

"It's the dealer's job to deal with the monsters before the tank ever breaks, after all. And I've long since gone numb to that kind of thing."

Yuri nodded at Seolhwa's words.

"Shall we get moving, then?"

Seolhwa took Yuri's hand and walked into the forest.

Pendant acquired. Now let's go find the last thing.

Seolhwa made for the spot the strike team had described. When they passed through the forest, a broad plain opened up before them.

"Whoa!"

And across that plain, sky-colored flowers were blooming in full glory.

"It's gorgeous!"

"It's a plant called the Sky Lily. It only ever grows inside gates."

"But this is the first time I've seen so many in one place."

Seolhwa plucked a single flower and read its description.

For now, people probably only know how to use it in mind-recovery potions or diffusers.

Seolhwa picked several petals and slipped them into her inventory.

The Sky Lily's true value is as the core ingredient of Heaven's Tears — the elixir that permanently raises mana sensitivity.

She hummed a little tune as she plucked the flowers, and Yuri watched her with something like wonder.

"Why do you think no other hunters ever reported this place?"

Seolhwa answered.

"They probably did report it. But since nobody knows what it's used for yet, no one's paid it any attention."

"But isn't this a gate managed by the Association?"

"The Association only did its job properly during the first five years, right after gates started appearing fifteen years ago."

Yuri laughed out loud at that. Seolhwa decided she'd harvested plenty, and rose to her feet.

"Shall we go get the real boss now?"

"Yes!"

Seolhwa and Yuri crossed the field of Sky Lilies and entered the forest once more.

"Do you need fire?"

Seolhwa swapped Aurora into its flamethrower form and advanced, melting every slime in her path.

After clearing out every last trash slime, they arrived at the boss's chamber. A King Slime, several times the size of its ordinary kin, wobbled and oozed its way toward them.

"Let's finish this quickly."

Seolhwa put on her mask and strode forward. Riding the attack-boost buff from Yuri's skill, she unleashed the flamethrower's ability.

"For slaying slimes, this has always been the best there is."

Instead of the crimson flames from before, a white fire tinged with silver — the same silver as Seolhwa's hair — poured from Aurora. The slime began to melt, slowly, in the searing blaze.

And in the corner of her vision, the ammo counter ticked down in real time.

Back in the day, it practically was endless, though.

Seolhwa kept hunting the King Slime with that thought in mind. Normally she'd have had to dodge a whole roster of attack patterns, but against this overwhelming damage output, none of it mattered. The King Slime's HP melted away in no time.

Having slain the boss, Seolhwa and Yuri walked out of the gate. The Association staff they'd seen earlier were standing there waiting.

The staff checked their watches and spoke.

"That took longer than expected."

"Ah, we found a hidden boss inside the gate."

"A hidden boss was found. I see… wait, a hidden boss?"

The staff member froze mid-shuffle of paperwork, eyes going wide. It was the first report of a hidden boss ever to come out of a C-rank gate — a slime field, no less.

"Yes. The proof ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is right here."

At Seolhwa's glance, Yuri showed the pendant hanging at her neck. The staff member hurriedly produced a portable appraisal device and pressed it against the pendant.

Beep—

"Confirmed. This is indeed the first piece of equipment to come out of this gate."

"Though I doubt it'll respawn, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unlike the slimes."

The staff member nodded at Seolhwa's words.

"Hidden bosses usually only appear once."

Glancing between the two of them, the staff member checked their tablet.

"Hunters Yu Seolhwa and Jeong Yuri — gate clear confirmed. Thank you for your hard work."

The Association staff member said with a smile.

"Keep up the good work."

"You too, thank you!"

Seolhwa exchanged the habitual farewell and headed out toward the parking lot.

"Great work today."

"You too, Seolhwa."

Seolhwa took off her mask and looked at Yuri. Then she opened her inventory and held out a single Sky Lily.

"Let's raid together again sometime."

"Yes!"

"Well then, go on ahead."

"Oh? You're not coming with me?"

"I have someone to meet nearby."

Seolhwa said with a soft smile.

"Got it. Then see you next time."

Seolhwa waved after Yuri as she walked away.

And the moment Yuri vanished from view, Seolhwa let out a long sigh.

"Finally over."

She turned her gaze toward the chat window.

"Did you all enjoy the show?"

"Well then, that's it for the game — I'll be heading off now."

The moment Seolhwa said it, the viewers' chat came flooding in.

Seolhwa snickered at the viewers' reaction.

"How is a broadcast with people like this even entertaining? Fine — next time I go live, I'll chat with you all before we get into the game."

At that, a wave of disappointed messages rolled up the screen.

"And like I've said a dozen times, I'm not a professional streamer. So — see you next time."

With that, Seolhwa ended the broadcast.