Chapter 38

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Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 38

Chapter Title: First Expedition (1)

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Training at the Rio had finally wrapped up, and we were granted some rest.

The moment it ended, I dragged my exhausted body back and unfolded the Yoon Family Mana Manual.

The mid-grade Yoon Family Mana Manual.

That vast rocky mountain range.

It had been quite a while since I'd gotten any real downtime.

I couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

"View."

This was up to what I'd saved.

And right after came the hidden quest reward details.

"Oh...!"

Division.

That wasn't a foreign word to magic-wielding hunters.

There were spells that summoned clones or duplicates.

The most common were elemental clones or assassin-type ones.

Among clones, the assassin variants were top-tier.

But this one didn't consume mana when cast.

"Why? What's that? Tell me too."

Yoon Ji-yeon sidled over, peeking curiously.

I dodged her and moved away.

She stubbornly followed.

"The activation method's similar, right?"

I was itching to test it right away.

Splortch-.

"Whoa! Wow!"

The slime detached from my body, gathered in one spot, and soon summoned a perfect copy of me.

Exclamations poured out nonstop.

"...Pfft! Haha! This is insane. For real."

"What's that?"

"What're you doing?"

"Oh, a clone?"

"But not an elemental one?"

"Just one?"

Suddenly, Yoon Ji-yeon was everywhere.

The area crawled with Yoon Ji-yeons.

At least twenty of them.

'Ugh... monster woman...'

To a woman at the pinnacle of magic, this was nothing.

But the thrill of pulling off a clone was exhilarating.

Clones were among the hardest skills to acquire.

In my past life, I'd envied hunters fighting with clones on the battlefield.

Swish! Swish!

I swung my sword a few times alongside the clone.

Controlling it wasn't easy.

As a form of simultaneous casting, it demanded deep skill mastery.

"Hey, hey. No simultaneous casting?"

"You'll be stuck with me till you're an old geezer~"

"Ugh, that's not ideal. My style's kinda... dinosaur vibes. But that one's... hmm... not a dino... Roland Gorilla?"

"Pfft! Roland Gorilla... heh..."

"Still~ better than being alone, right?"

Blah blah blah.

Yoon Ji-yeon's clones chattered among themselves.

"Ah~ so annoying. Just watch."

I spawned two more clones.

Casting clones cost no skill use, but maintaining them drained mana.

The payoff was worth it.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

With four finger formations possible now.

Three clones meant I could train skills four times faster.

"Oho~ using your head?"

"Roland Gorilla's got brains."

"Oh, that turd shape turned out perfect."

'Good. This'll work.'

I could master five simultaneous casts before CDT.

Right now, I was barely holding five.

A bit more, just a little faster training.

Shhrrk-.

Yoon Ji-yeon's clones vanished in an instant.

"Hmm..."

Yoon Ji-yeon gazed at me fondly, like a mentor proud of her disciple.

Creeeak-.

I opened the door.

No physical drills yesterday, so morning felt refreshing.

Two hours before class, but I headed there to practice simultaneous casting.

Popped in my earbuds.

The recorded magic formula audio played.

Memorizing formulas beat any music.

Bright morning sun filtered in.

Full spring now—birds flying, flowers blooming.

C-Class dorms.

Heading down the path, Irina Delebayne stood at the entrance.

She'd joined C-Class the day before yesterday and finished moving over the holiday.

Seemed like she was waiting for someone—tapping her foot, scrolling Hunter Network.

'...What?'

Assuming she was waiting for someone else, I walked past.

She grabbed my wrist.

"Wh-what?"

I yanked out my earbuds and turned.

"Why ignore me? You clearly saw me here."

"Uh... hi."

Tried to leave again, but she held on.

A bit irritated, I snapped back.

"What? You stalking me?"

"...S-stalker? Wh-what nonsense! Why would I do something so tacky?"

"Then what."

"...Well... I had something to say..."

Irina mumbled awkwardly.

Finally spoke up.

"...Thanks..."

"...What?"

"Ah! Thanks! For everything!!! There, happy? Scram."

Irina spat it out and stormed back into the dorms.

Then stopped, turned, exited the gate, and headed to class.

"...What was that? Coulda just messaged."

Checked messages.

Dozens from Irina already saying thanks.

"Ah..."

Ten minutes before class.

Classmates trickled in.

I was deep into finger formations.

Finish skills fast for next week's CDT.

"Bro! Good morning!"

"Yeah. Morning."

Mitsuda greeted as he passed.

Glanced back.

Girls clustered around Irina Delebayne—Yoon Ah-young and Lucy too.

"For real? Sonic Group? Awesome."

"What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠training you like? Wanna do it together today?"

They looked like normal high school girls.

But they were warriors.

Flowers that would one day bloom and wilt in blood.

"At ease!"

Ha Dong-hwan entered; everyone stood at attention.

"Eh, good. Sit."

We returned to seats.

Ha Dong-hwan spoke as cadets settled.

"Next week's CDT, right? No one here doesn't know what that is."

"Sir!"

CDT.

City Defense Tactics.

Like the First Gate, a key event for freshmen.

Determined your official rank, not provisional.

Guilds and Hunter HQ scouted based on results.

Your choice where to go, but CDT scores mattered.

Like finals for high schoolers.

Life-or-death finals.

"This CDT has varied monsters and scenarios. Handle wisely."

"Sir!"

"...Yeah. I'm just the instructor, no special tips. But office anytime if needed."

"Sir!"

"Good. Listen well today, see you at CDT."

"Company, attention!"

Ha Dong-hwan turned to leave; Lee Jae-yeol called.

"Nah. Cut that out."

"Ah... sir..."

He left.

Ha Dong-hwan seemed down.

Linked to the recent A-Rank hunter ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠murder.

Different posts, but they knew each other.

Class buzzed after he left.

'CDT, huh...'

Match last event, snag top ranks.

No.1 ranking from sophomore real combats.

Fastest, surest path.

Top three grads get S-Rank review from HQ.

Displace one of twenty S-Ranks.

S-Rank: pinnacle, only twenty worldwide.

"Displace" was a joke.

Newbie toppling veteran S-Rank? Near impossible.

Except Aphren.

'Goal: S-Rank right at twenty.'

Kill the black mask, become strongest.

Build equal society under me.

'Training's the only way.'

Swish-. Swish-.

Finger formations.

Weekends, I went out.

For real combat experience, test skills.

"Yes, 22 million won paid in full. Points?"

"No."

"Enjoy your trip, sir~"

Warp pod.

Stared at Unknown Guild emblem.

Dungeon raids required affiliation: hunter, knight, priest.

As academy cadet, joined 'experience dungeon' parties.

Cadets barred from level 4+.

'Bit of a shame.'

Combat XP always key.

-Arrival in 3 minutes. Please check belongings.

Academy to Zambia, Africa: 10 minutes.

I stood.

Africa.

One of four warzones: Australia, South America, West Asia.

Since New Age declaration AG 31, world split.

'Safe Zone' with New Age defense lines, 'War Zone' beyond.

Post-Primeval Gate, humanity lost vast lands, people.

Australia, South America, West Asia, Africa: lost assets.

Endless warzones with fiercest battles.

Residents in constant peril.

"Whew..."

Exited warp zone, looked skyward.

Weird flying monsters everywhere.

Hunter-defended, so none reached here.

Africa Base 3, walled giant.

Surviving Africans, hunters built village.

Streets: armed hunters, white knights, praying nuns, rifle NCOs.

'...Been ages.'

Africa Base 3: where I was shipped as F-Rank newbie grunt.

Cleared trash mobs, did senior hunters' laundry, helped civilians farm.

Residents lived in fear.

Couldn't relocate to New Age safe zones.

World gov banned moves to curb overpopulation.

Straight to guild hall.

No bar, but served booze.

Hunters already boozing hard.

Live like dying tomorrow.

Wary of outsiders.

"..."

"..."

All eyes on me.

Hood low, to counter.

"Welcome. What can I do?"

Clerk smiled brightly.

Marfia...

Long time.

Church priestess, longtime friend here.

Her kindness, big-sis warmth lingered.

One of few real friends in past life.

"Ahem... uh..."

Cleared throat, lowered voice.

"...Joining expedition. No. 3-496, level 3 dungeon, Tomb Rats Expedition."

"Ah~ Kang Tae-hyun??? Saw you on news. Handsomer in person?"

"Ah, th-thanks..."

Scratched head sheepishly.

Couldn't stay cool around Marfia.

"Here you go."

Got expedition pass.

Lists name, date, host guild, leader, vice.

Checked leader.

'Hm... David Ghandira.'

Signed, pocketed.

"Oh, leader's a bit prickly. Forgive him, Tae-hyun."

"...Sure."

She clasped hands politely.

Still warm-hearted.

Bowed, exited.

After Tae-hyun left guild hall.

Silence broke into murmurs.

"Damn, Marfia! Don't coddle that brat."

"Just a first-year cadet. Cocky."

To them, Kang Tae-hyun was rude junior.

Seniority gap: at least two years.

Bad habit, maybe.

Opposed cadets in dungeons unspoken rule.

Saplings stay saplings till they bloom.

Senior hunter creed.

"Still impressive? Eighteen and raiding."

Marfia calmed the fired-up crowd.

"Hmph. Dies in dungeon, then what? Cocky punk."

Middle-aged hunter chugged beer.

Eyed memorial corner.

Dog tags of countless comrades.

"Hunter Academy cadet Kang Tae-hyun reporting."

"...Year?"

"Freshman."

Leader Gandhi's face twisted.

Party members sour too.

Eyed my sword at hip.

Sighed faintly.

No need for sword, but without, they'd boot me.

Grumbled low.

"...Don't be dead weight."

"...See for yourself if I am."

Brows furrowed.

"Cocky... brat."

Turned to party.

'...Fun.'

This vibe: familiar.

Dead weight in parties.

Twenty-two years of it.

Comfortable, even.

Gripped hilt.

Gate opening soon.

Leader Gandhi aligned ranks.

"Tanks to position! All hold! Advance!"

Roars echoed.

Gate portal opened.

(Continued next chapter)