#258. Good Hunting.
“Move! Move!”
At the on-site controller's hand signals, the hunters moved with crisp precision.
As the red flag fluttered, one party took position in front of the tunnel discovered in the basement of the building construction site.
Five per team.
One tank, two melee dealers, one ranged dealer, one support—the party placed their left hands on the left shoulders of the hunters ahead, lining up in a row.
The lead tank raised his shield. Then the melee dealer, support, ranged dealer, and final melee dealer gripped their weapons firmly.
The air was thick with breaths laced with equal parts tension and excitement.
As the curtain blocking the entrance lifted, the party charged into the narrow passage.
Thud, thud, thud, thud.
Passing the tunnel entrance where only the sound of their wordless, rhythmic footsteps echoed, they emerged into a small chamber.
It was the Gunpowder Guild's forward outpost for the hive raid. Hunters who had entered ahead were there, guarding the three branching paths.
The outpost manager approached the new party and quickly issued orders.
“Paths numbered 1, 2, 3 from the left. Number 1 is cleared. Your party takes 3. Here's the newly mapped layout. Memorize it and head in. Clear the surrounding sections thoroughly. Mark cleared paths on the map, and if you find a downward route, hold position and report immediately. Return the map on withdrawal. Good luck. Good hunting.”
The party echoed “Good hunting!” and plunged into path 3.
Even as multiple parties departed for hunts, the outpost buzzed with activity.
The raid leadership was especially hectic, operators relaying new intel via message skills and barking orders.
“Once route 2 is cleared, advance the supply post.”
“Set up the new forward outpost on line 3.”
“What? Found a diagonal new path off 3? Keep existing numbers and assign 3-3 to the new one.”
“Seal off the connection from 3-2-4 to 3-2-4-6. Focus on 3-2-4-4 and 3-2-4-5 instead.”
“Out of the way. Laying external comms line here.”
“Once phone's connected, notify route 2 they're low on potions. Send in the supply team.”
Soon the outpost brimmed with gear and hunting supplies. Follow-up parties shouldered the loads and moved to the next outpost. With the new forward base established, this one would serve only as a waypoint.
As the swift, systematic hive assault pressed on, a sudden shout echoed through the tunnels.
“What? Hold?! Hey, Mr. Kang! What the hell does that mean?!”
It was Dwight Hill, the guild master out personally commanding for the first time in ages.
He quickly realized his voice had carried too far, reined in his excitement, and continued the call.
“We've secured the passages. We're clearing from the west, Call My Name from the north. The bees we've found are few in number but more evolved than first-gen. If second-gen are spilling out, that means third- or fourth-gen inside. Doesn't that mean we need to strike fast before they evolve further? You're the one who was just screaming to start the raid now, aren't you?!”
Dwight figured Kang Moo-hyuk was playing some scheme. He'd done the same to opponents himself.
To win postwar spoils disputes, solid achievements were key. He knew he couldn't beat Joo Se-ah's raid performance for queen bee shares.
So he'd chosen to maximize the overall raid's success instead.
'They barely have enough for one party. We'll overwhelm with numbers short-term. With Joo Se-ah around, the raid won't drag. To claim unique item shares, we need better justification than mobilized forces.'
He was convinced Kang Moo-hyuk was stalling the raid to counter that ploy.
—As I explained earlier. The bees may have evolved to high generations far sooner than expected. If fifth-gen are already dominant, their numbers won't be small. Dividing forces section by section like this is dangerous.
“Who's dividing forces? We're just clearing up to the main hive, then committing elites, right?”
—Carnivorous wasp later generations have significant intelligence. Their actions are unpredictable. Even if Guild Master Joo Se-ah confirms the depths first, it won't be too late. Please halt advances for now. I'd prefer to resolve this at my level without guild master talks.
Kang Moo-hyuk's words pressed Dwight, who had firsthand experience getting burned by Joo Se-ah.
Dwight swallowed his boiling rage and replied.
“Fine. You're in charge, after all. But not for long. You know the scale of resources we've committed? Factoring opportunity costs from other gates, money's bleeding out by the second. As guild master, I can't just sit on this.”
—Of course. I'll contact you as soon as possible.
No sooner had the call ended than Kayren Fisher, Gunpowder's general manager, approached. He'd overheard from the side and asked cautiously.
“Master, halt the assault?”
“No. Push on.”
“But you just promised Director Kang we'd wait.”
“What choice do I have when he threatens with S-rank every time? Just words, that's all.”
“He could use this against us later. I've met him a few times—he's extremely cunning.”
“This is America. Not some place where S-ranks duke it out without contracts. Even in emergency, post-raid, not even Joo Se-ah settles with fists. If they cry foul, tell 'em to sue.”
“That's what I'm worried about—us getting sued.”
“Hmm……”
America, land of lawsuits.
Hunters couldn't settle disputes with fists, true. But with iron resolve, disputes ended permanently. No party, no case.
“Hunters here are beasts caged by the system. Break free, and it stops working. I'm advising you to at least pretend to listen.”
“Fair point. But this is dungeon turf. What happens underground stays underground. Continue the assault as ordered. Tell them to push faster.”
“Understood. We'll commit more forces.”
* * *
“He's complying surprisingly well.”
No Song-rin, gripping the wheel of the FBI-issued black special ops van, remarked in surprise after eavesdropping on the call.
Kang Moo-hyuk shook his head from the passenger seat.
“They'll keep assaulting.”
“Thought I heard you tell them to stop.”
“A guy who dragged in rivals for unique gear won't be swayed by words.”
“Then why call?”
Go Eul-ji piped up from the back seat.
“Warning and justification. Hole to escape through if issues arise.”
“Words won't help.”
“They know my words as a foreigner and non-hunter carry no weight. That's why they ignore.”
“They'll get wrecked if they cross our guild master……”
Joo Se-ah chuckled at Go Eul-ji's words.
“Even I can't throw weight around in America.”
“You already did once.”
“That was a monster attack emergency. Outside anarchic spots like South America or Africa, S-ranks aren't outlaws. Look at the Tyrant—fugitive dodging Siberia for ages. Hunters are human; can't survive solo. Unless double S-rank.”
Go Eul-ji latched onto Joo Se-ah's last bit.
“Double S? S isn't the top?”
Kang Moo-hyuk answered.
“S is the top. For now. Double S is a dream grade no one's reached. Feels like something's beyond S, but unconfirmed—pure fantasy.”
“Director knows more than me, a hunter?”
“Urban legend stuff even hunters ignore. I just overheard.”
“How'd you know, Guild Master? S-rank intuition?”
“Me? Desperate to hit S, I studied everything. Near-miss drives you mad—clutching straws, even superstitions.”
“Superstitions? You? Like what?”
Joo Se-ah let out a hollow laugh, memories from years ago surfacing.
“Nothing much. Heard dragon bones boost rank-ups, went wild hunting dragons. Never saw a pseudo-dragon, let alone real.”
“Ooh! Dragon bones! Note note. For me, Zmey Gorynych? Boil or grind the bones for S-rank?”
“It's superstition. Eating dragon bones doesn't make S-rank.”
“How do you know? You haven't tried.”
Go Eul-ji pressed; Joo Se-ah fell silent, glancing at Kang Moo-hyuk. He met her eyes in the rearview.
Reading her cue, he explained.
“If food made S-rank, Zmey Gorynych would've been hunted. Chinese and Russian hunters would've swarmed. Even S-ranks gunning for double S.”
“Aha, makes sense. Director explains simply. Eye-level teaching?”
“Kindergarten level.”
“Old man No. Want ground-level?”
“……We're here.”
Arriving saved No Song-rin from Go Eul-ji's wrath.
Without orders, the group grabbed gear upon exiting.
Joo Se-ah wore only her armor coat and sword at her waist. She hefted a massive black box onto her back. It loomed two spans above her head and reached her calves.
“Sorry we couldn't find fitting armor, Guild Master.”
“It's fine. My body's tough. Hard to wear anything but maid orders back home anyway. And this replaces it. Stealing this from Aila was huge. Unique weapon, no less.”
Joo Se-ah patted the box confidently.
“Aila said it's a rough one—handle carefully. Restrain in tight passages.”
“Queen bee only.”
The rest, led by Jang Deok-gu, donned World Hunter Federation vault gear.
They moved briskly, though one equipped reluctantly.
“Why am I even in this raid?”
Johanna had joined half-forced, unable to complain. She'd refused repeatedly, but Joo Se-ah's nudges killed her exits.
“How do you refuse an S-rank's request?”
Thomas, helping with gear, replied.
Johanna glared.
“Scariest request in the world. Tch! You're guild, why not hunt?”
“C-rank. I'd just be baggage.”
“A C-rank torching hundreds of monsters? This guild defies common sense.”
“I hate missing the raid too. But Director's orders. I'll pray for safe return from outside.”
Johanna found glib Thomas annoying. Joo Se-ah signaled departure.
“Ready? Let's go.”
Johanna stuck to the party's tail, ignoring Thomas.
Kang Moo-hyuk, trailing to the south entrance, whispered to Joo Se-ah.
“Fifth-gen. Maybe sixth. If identified, halt raid and surface. Don't kill queen before other bees.”
“Worried survivors scatter and make new queens?”
“Yes. If fifth-gen hives spread, catastrophe.”
“Tough order. I'll manage.”
“Good luck. Good hunting.”
After Joo Se-ah's party entered for south assault, Kang Moo-hyuk took Thomas back to the van.
“Regretful?”
“Yes, but can't help without ability.”
“No need. Thomas Hunter has another plan.”
“Another?”
“Details later. First, teach me every spell you know.”