Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Raid (3)
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Cha Su-ho stared at the Sterion sliced clean as if a cake had been cut into pieces, his mouth agape in astonishment.
'Telekinesis isn't visible. But Clark draws it out from his body like threads. Just like that.'
He thought he understood what that meant. He'd clearly seen the fishing-line-like threads extending long from Clark's fingers.
'Is... is that even possible?'
'I haven't tried it myself, so I don't know. But it's more than enough to serve as a weapon.'
'Doesn't that make Clark stronger than Kai Qing?'
'Kai Qing has insane destructive power. There are only a handful of SS-grade Hunters who could rip apart an Evil Zone boss-grade monster in one hit.'
Jin Seong-hyeok drew in a short breath before continuing.
'In the end, they're both strong. So you need to surpass those two.'
Su-ho silently stared at Clark. It was a situation where staying up all night training wouldn't even be enough. To keep up with them. Possessing Jin Seong-hyeok's power and the advantage of not needing Cleansing, it didn't make sense that he wouldn't put in the effort.
Heat boiled in Su-ho's eyes as he quietly clenched his fist.
'I will surpass them.'
Su-ho's gaze fixed on the Hunters. They were all focused on slaughtering the Sterions without a moment's rest. The Sterions were such easy prey for the Hunters that it might even seem boring.
It was right then that Su-ho thought an Evil Zone boss-grade monster might actually be stronger.
'I told you.'
'Yes?'
'Sterions are the weakest monsters in the Dead Zone. They're not for fighting—they're for warming up.'
The area around them had already been cleared. The ground, which had been crunching under the blood from the Sterion corpses, was now soaked and muddy.
“Kyuuuuk!”
The last Sterion thrashed desperately, then convulsed as if electrocuted before its neck snapped.
Scarlet placed a hand on her hip as she spoke, and Clark nodded in agreement.
The Hunters and Helpers followed behind Clark as he took the lead. Ji-young fell into step beside Su-ho as he moved along with them.
"You look serious."
"Ah... no, it's nothing."
Su-ho glanced at the Sterion corpses as he continued.
"I was just surprised by the skills of the 5th Branch Hunters."
"Hmm, well, the 5th Branch is impressive. But you'll keep seeing more. The 3rd and 2nd Branches have plenty of skilled Hunters too."
Ji-young's eyes darkened, as if lost in memories.
"Honestly, I'm SS-grade because I can use both physical and mental abilities, not because my skills are overwhelmingly superior. In fact, among the 1st Branch Hunters, I'm on the weaker side."
"...But you have control abilities, which are among the best in mental powers."
"Yeah, well, the duration has shortened a bit, probably due to the overload influence."
Su-ho flinched inwardly. After all, he was the one who had absorbed Ji-young's ability.
"...Still, skill doesn't just disappear. You can get it back."
With that, he sought out Jin Seong-hyeok.
'Is there no way to restore An Ji-young's ability?'
'No.'
Su-ho's face fell at the firm response.
"What's with that look on your face?"
Ji-young smiled as she continued.
"I'm not too bothered by it. My teammates will cover for my shortcomings."
"Teammates?"
"Yeah. The 1st Branch Hunters. And..."
A flicker of regret passed over Ji-young's calm expression.
"Cha Su-ho."
"Yes?"
"Right now, I don't know the extent of your power."
The "power" she referred to was a Hunter's power.
"...I'm the same."
It was only natural, since even after inheriting Jin Seong-hyeok's power, he couldn't control it perfectly.
"If you get stronger than now, and if..."
"...If?"
Ji-young lowered her voice.
"You become as strong as Jin Seong-hyeok..."
At the mention of Jin Seong-hyeok's name from Ji-young's lips, the Jin Seong-hyeok in Su-ho's consciousness perked up his ears as well.
"Don't try to do everything alone."
In Ji-young's memories, Jin Seong-hyeok preferred to operate solo. Even when deployed with other SS-grade Hunters, he would slip away alone. While the others struggled against monsters up front, he'd venture deep inside, take down the boss-grades, and return.
"That's how Jin Seong-hyeok was. He couldn't receive Cleansing properly, but he went alone so the other Hunters and Helpers wouldn't get hurt."
'What nonsense.'
No sooner had Jin Seong-hyeok spoken than Ji-young continued.
"I once told him that, and he called it nonsense? The guy who always checked if anyone had died whenever he returned."
Ji-young snorted in disbelief.
"If you reach Jin Seong-hyeok's level, learn to rely on your comrades. If you're struggling, say so. 'I need a break today, help with Cleansing.' Like that."
Scarlet, ahead of them, looked around as if searching for Ji-young.
"If you die alone out there... well."
Ji-young gave Su-ho a light smile.
"But it's a relief. I was worried he'd die wandering alone, but now you're here."
Ji-young called out to Scarlet before continuing.
"Ah, I should go. See you later."
Watching Ji-young head toward Scarlet, Su-ho spoke to Jin Seong-hyeok.
'She's a good comrade. An Ji-young the Hunter.'
'Because she tried to use her control ability to turn me into a pack mule?'
Jin Seong-hyeok chuckled lowly.
'Well, she could be called a good comrade.'
'If she's such a good comrade, why did you always go alone?'
'It's more comfortable that way. When using wide-area damage skills, it's best if there's nothing around but monsters. No need to worry about hurting anyone.'
No need to worry about hurting anyone. That single phrase seemed to tie everything together.
Learning that even while living with chronic headaches because he couldn't receive proper Cleansing, he went out alone to sweep them for the sake of not letting anyone get hurt—Su-ho felt like he was finally starting to understand Jin Seong-hyeok's mindset, even if just a little.
'That's not it. I just preferred handling it alone. Finish it quick, and done.'
Jin Seong-hyeok burst into laughter, having read Su-ho's thoughts.
'And with Helpers already in short supply, using up five of them just for Cleansing? I had to do that much on my own.'
'That sounds like you're saying you felt sorry for receiving so much Cleansing, so of course you'd handle the sweep yourself?'
'Who said I'm sorry?!'
'They say you get prickly when you're guilty.'
'Hey, Cha Su-ho.'
Su-ho smirked, his lips curving.
'I was overthinking it.'
'What?'
'That as an SSS-grade, you wouldn't understand. That you'd only receive admiration and couldn't possibly know.'
Su-ho's voice turned serious.
'I'm sorry. I was arrogant at first, making assumptions on my own.'
Jin Seong-hyeok, who had been listening quietly, grumbled.
'Just know it now.'
'The problem is I know you too well now.'
'Do you know yourself as well as I do?'
'Reading thoughts from the start is cheating.'
Jin Seong-hyeok seemed to laugh, then his tone suddenly grew stern.
'Cha Su-ho.'
Sensing something ominous, Su-ho lowered his voice as well.
'Yes.'
Jin Seong-hyeok only lowered his voice like this on the field when monsters were around.
'Seems like a new one has appeared.'
Su-ho didn't know how he knew, but no sooner had Jin Seong-hyeok spoken than Clark, who had been leading, shouted.
At his voice, the Hunters and Helpers snapped back into combat stance. It was then that Su-ho, lowering his posture as defensively as possible and scanning the surroundings—
A shadow appeared among the parched trees. A particularly black shadow soon revealed itself.
Su-ho froze. It wasn't familiar, but it resembled something. Tall, pointed ears, short black fur all over, sharp eyes and teeth.
"...Doberman?"
It was a monster resembling the classic Doberman he knew. But it was five or six times larger than a Doberman, and its unnaturally torn mouth revealed jagged fangs like awls.
'It does look like one. Except it's disgustingly ugly.'
'...That's more than just disgusting.'
The Doberman-like monster spotted the Hunters and Helpers and bared its teeth.
Krrrng.
Clark dropped his arms into attack position.
'Pubkill.'
'Pardon?'
'The monster's called a Pubkill. No intelligence left—just instincts, and it has regeneration too. Lives in packs, attacks and devours anything different, monster or human.'
He'd seen monsters eating dead monster corpses before, so that wasn't surprising. But packs?
Sure enough,
'Like wild dogs.'
'Yeah, think of it that way, easier.'
Bam—!
A massive boom echoed.
'Minus the fact it's a monster.'
Su-ho shielded his eyes against the dust storm, straining to open them. Through the dust, he saw the Pubkill standing amid the Hunters and Helpers, as if it had appeared out of nowhere.
"Krrk..."
It wasn't just standing there. Under its human-sized paw, someone was pinned.
Not one person. Two. Neither were Hunters.
Two Helpers from the 5th Branch.
Drool dripped from the Pubkill's gaping lips like strings. It fell onto the blonde woman's hair.
A shadow fell over Stephanie as she thrashed hysterically. She looked up at the sudden darkness, and her face froze.
The Pubkill had lowered its head and opened its jaws. As if ready to devour her whole. Even without opening wide, it could crunch her torso like nothing.
The Hunters moved at once. The first to act were the physical-types, Ronnie and Jacob.
Ronnie's massive axe swung toward the Pubkill's ankle pinning the Helpers, while Jacob's hockey stick aimed for its head.
Kwajik—! Puck—!
The axe and hockey stick struck true into the Pubkill's body.
Kreeeek—!
As the mangled ankle dangled limply, Lenny swiftly moved in. She hoisted Stephanie and Tag, one on each shoulder, and pulled them out as Clark shouted.
The staggering Pubkill shuddered. Its half-severed ankle began regenerating slowly, and the head wound from the hockey stick started healing too.
"Regenerating already...!"
While Su-ho and Kwon Oh looked grave, Ji-young and the 5th Branch moved as if this were routine.
'Cha Su-ho.'
Su-ho snapped to attention at Jin Seong-hyeok's voice.
'Watch closely. Learn what you need to.'
And as Jin Seong-hyeok finished speaking, a fierce barrage of attacks poured toward the Pubkill.
Tremendously so.