Quiet Exit Interrupted
Skill ‘The Eye That Judges All’ activated.
Reporting living beings that deviate from the designated criteria.
Designated criteria: Stay inside the building. No threat to life.
Those deviating from the designated criteria.
Deviation from designated criteria. Not staying inside the building. Life is in danger.
In short, people who had slipped out of the building were being chased by monsters.
“Aaaagh! Uwaaaah!”
“To the side! Go to the side! Hurry… Aaaagh!”
Two civilians sprinting while screaming filled her retinas.
‘What the—no, why did they come outside……!’
She’d pretty much wiped out anything that could approach nearby. Pushing aside the question for later, Yul kicked off the ground right away.
The surroundings whipped past her, and only when she reached near the gate’s entrance did Yul spot them. A man who looked like he’d tripped while fleeing, and a woman reaching out to him from the corner right beside him. And in front of them, two spider monsters.
Kieeeek!
“Uwaaaah!”
The spider and the man screamed in duet. The moment they shrieked at each other, a silver object wedged itself between them.
Thwack.
The silver baseball bat sent one of the screaming duo—the spider—flying far away.
Boom!
The spider’s body slammed into a stone wall with a thunderous crash. Dust and pebbles rained down from the ceiling.
The man pried open his tightly shut eyes.
“……Huh?”
“……”
He stared up at Yul in a daze. His gaze flicked back and forth between her trademark bandages and the bat in her hand, and his mouth fell open.
N-no way.
The trembling woman recognized Yul too and gasped.
‘……Ugh, come on.’
Yul thought to herself. Why were they spotting her so damn fast?
An uncanny silence fell.
Constellation ‘Blind Sovereign of the Sky’ reports that other lowly creatures have just arrived.
‘Ah. Looks like they’re finally here.’
The hunters had arrived at last. Yul gave the man and woman a quick once-over. Their clothes were a bit tattered, but no major injuries.
“O-over there!”
“Hey, over there! Wait, is that her? It is her, right! LeeSunjwaKiller!”
Yul nodded awkwardly. Yup…!
Their faces lit up. Yul quickly took the lead.
“The hunters just arrived. You’ll be fine now, so head back to where the others are.”
“Ah. Well, the café collapsed……”
“……Oh.”
Yul sighed. So that’s why they’d scattered.
“Sorry, but if you could help……”
“……”
The man asked cautiously. Yul hesitated, then let out a silent sigh.
“Follow me.”
For now, she’d have to round up all the scattered civilians and hand them over to the hunters.
* * *
Thud.
Thud.
Thud.
Only dry footsteps filled the air. The trio lined up with Yul in the lead looked downright comical compared to their surroundings.
The two behind stole glances at Yul’s back.
‘The real LeeSunjwaKiller…….’
‘She came back yesterday, so is this her official return to action? The Management Bureau must know too, right?’
Bandages peeking through her softly wavy black bob, dark blue tracksuit. Baseball bat slung over her shoulder. An incredibly sloppy outfit that screamed nonchalance in a whole different way.
It looked downright shabby compared to the flashy gear of other hunters, but Yul’s presence overshadowed all that. She was, after all, the world’s number one ranked hunter.
Four years ago, on that day when the world’s first S-rank gate exploded in astonishment. Not content with absorbing nearby civilians, it periodically spewed out hordes of monsters like a flood. The damage to the city was indescribable.
Countless hunters died or were injured that day. Even as news broke of top-tier hunters and spatial transfer specialists being urgently dispatched from overseas in response to the unprecedented crisis, everyone had given up hope.
The one who single-handedly closed that gate was the woman right in front of them.
Yul’s figure—captured by media cameras documenting what might have been the nation’s apocalypse—was broadcast live across the globe. Her unique ‘distortion’ passive that even worked on cameras, her overly casual outfit. None of it could erase the overwhelming pressure she exuded, drenched in blood and dragging out the boss’s head.
It was only natural that the tracksuit and shoes she wore in what became known as the ‘World’s Strongest Edition’ sold like hotcakes afterward.
‘What’s she thinking right now……?’
‘How’d she know we were in danger? Did we get in the way of her boss hunt……!’
Unlike their mix of worry and awe,
‘My bird got totally smashed… It’s only been three months since I got it…’
Constellation ‘Blind Sovereign of the Sky’ says it’ll gift you as many as you want and fidgets restlessly.
Yul’s mind was utterly mundane.
With her initial plan of ‘slip out quietly without being noticed’ in ruins, extreme apathy had set in. Ah, whatever. Too annoying. As expected, for her, smashing monsters, closing gates, and going home to rest was perfect.
In other words, she was a human specialized for mindless physical labor. People’s reactions, stares, relationships with the Management Bureau—all that was too complicated.
At least she wasn’t cold-blooded enough to shove saving people to the very back burner, which was lucky for the civilians.
Ding.
Then a status window popped up in front of Yul’s eyes. It was the alert for the new condition she’d just set.
Skill ‘The Eye That Judges All’ alert.
Designated condition: Civilians not yet contacted by other hunters.
Number meeting the final condition: Total 2.
No need to even check her vision—they were the two with her.
‘Whoever they are, they’re pretty quick.’
Yul muttered in admiration.
“Wh-what’s wrong?”
“Is something……?”
She stopped in place, and the two asked cautiously.
“No. Looks like you can head back now. The other hunters……”
“Hey, are you okay over there?!”
A urgent shout rang out then. All three heads turned the same way.
Not far off, a woman with a shield was running toward them. Her dark sky-blue hair tied up in a single ponytail, armored in plate mail.
“Don’t worry. I’m a hunter. All three of you, we’ll get you out immediately……”
The woman approaching fast trailed off. Her eyes widened upon spotting Yul.
Constellation ‘Blind Sovereign of the Sky’ proudly puffs out its chest, boasting about our Yul’s majesty.
‘Star-nim, this doesn’t seem like the time for that…….’
“Y-you’re……”!
Yul cut her off.
“Are you the guild master? Or Management Bureau?”
“G-guild master.”
“Got it. First, evacuate these two. I’ll be heading out. And if possible, keep my presence a secret.”
A guild master should handle cleanup reliably enough. So her job was done here. Yul thought to herself.
She didn’t even need the boss loot that dropped. She just wanted to blend into the crowd and slip away quietly.
The female hunter, stunned by the unexpected words, hurriedly called after Yul.
“W-wait a second. Sorry, but I really need to tell you something……”
“L-LeeSunjwaKiller-nim!”
“Thank you! Thank you so much for saving us!”
But their frantic thanks drowned it out. Yul nodded curtly in acknowledgment.
“Get back safely. I’ll be……”
A faint mutter might have reached their ears. By then, Yul had already vanished from in front of them.
* * *
Guild ReturnMyDailyLifeShoes—shortened to DailyLifeReturn—guild master, Lee Yu-na. An A+ tank, the textbook definition.
‘I couldn’t tell her…….’
She clenched her fist.
The LeeSunjwaKiller who had vanished into thin air. Identical to her signature exit style from four years ago and her active days.
The most certain proof was the palpable presence she exuded as a fellow hunter. A power befitting the world number one title.
Constellation ‘Shield of the Frontlines’ advises you to get a grip.
“……For now, both of you, follow me. Management Bureau hunters will protect you until the dungeon’s cleared.”
Lee Yu-na adjusted her shield and guided them. As they neared the gate entrance, Management Bureau hunters who had entered ahead to protect the remaining civilians greeted her.
“Yu hunter! You’re here. Are these two the last?”
“Yes. I’m counting on you.”
Lee Yu-na glanced over the gathered civilians. Just in case LeeSunjwaKiller had blended in.
But she gave up quickly and turned away. For all those civilians, fast clear took priority.
“Let’s go.”
Her two guildmates followed her deep into the dungeon.
“Guild master. One thing to report—the monster numbers are off.”
He pulled up a system window as he spoke. Lower-rank monsters were virtually wiped out.
The other guildmate who checked the count tilted his head.
“Aside from the boss, it’s basically a clean sweep. What’s going on?”
“……There’s a reason.”
Lee Yu-na, the only one who knew, explained briefly.
And their reactions upon hearing the full story went without saying.
“L-LeeSunjwaKiller-nim?! For real?!”
“She was here……? Did you talk to her?”
“No. I couldn’t.”
Lee Yu-na shook her head gravely. A brief silence fell over the three.
“Let’s head in first. This isn’t the time. We need to close it before it dissipates and get out.”
Lee Yu-na stepped forward. The other two hurriedly followed her deep into the dungeon.