TL: Hayath

Chapter 23

Episode 3: The Inevitable Battle (6)

“Hmm? What’s going on? Why are so many people gathered there?”

“Isn’t that where the C-rank dungeon is? They look like hunters.”

“Hunters are gathering in such numbers for just a C-rank? Maybe a new dungeon has opened.”

“I haven’t heard anything about that.”

In Gwanak-gu, Seoul, a male student and a female student walking down the street had such a conversation as they looked at the crowd gathered at the foot of the mountain.

Buzzing sounds of the crowd-

As the students said, there were over fifty hunters gathered at the foot of the mountain, an unusual sight that made not only the students but also the locals, who came to see, tilt their heads in curiosity.

The place where the hunters had gathered was where C-rank No. 223, nicknamed the Ice Fortress, was located, not a high-grade dungeon that would require such a number of hunters.

But contrary to the thoughts of the students and residents, the situation around the dungeon was tense.

‘What the hell is going on?’

In front of the Ice Fortress dungeon, Shin Dae-hoon looked around and rubbed his forehead.

There were the dungeon team from the Hunter Bureau, the support team, the security team, and even the arrest team.

The number of people gathered in front of a mere C-rank dungeon was akin to the size one might expect for an S-rank dungeon raid.

It wasn’t just the number of people.

The hunters gathered were all high-ranking, B-ranks or higher.

“It’s incredible. It reminds me of the time we arrested S-rank hunter Bang Shi-hyun of Luminous.”

Seo Sang-jae also looked around and clicked his tongue in amazement.

It was rare for so many people to be dispatched at once.

But this incident involved a guild member who had habitually attacked other hunters, and there were still victims, making it a serious crime. Furthermore, there was suspicion that Luminous was behind it, necessitating a large-scale dispatch.

The seriousness of the matter was evident from the number of personnel dispatched.

“Chief Shin Dae-hoon, how long has it been since the dungeon raid started?”

Lee Eun-ha, the leader of the Hunter Bureau’s No. 1 Dungeon Team and an S-rank hunter, approached Shin Dae-hoon and asked.

With her wavy black hair down to her shoulders, a dark blue uniform, and striking feline features, she was a well-known star of the Hunter Bureau.

But more importantly, she was one of the few S-ranks in the Bureau, and her capabilities as a hunter and her proficiency in official duties were highly regarded.

Given her various responsibilities, from hunter activities to internal and external tasks, it was said her schedule was planned down to the minute. Her presence at the scene indicated how seriously the Hunter Bureau viewed this incident.

Shin Dae-hoon kept his eyes on the Ice Fortress dungeon portal as he replied to Team Leader Lee Eun-ha.

“It has been about half a day. Two hunters are still inside the dungeon.”

“And the escaped hunters?”

“They’ve all been transported to the hospital, accompanied by the arrest and security teams. Also, the culprit, C-rank hunter Kang Doo-shik, is undergoing a detailed mana inspection. If a spade symbol is found on his body…”

“It would indicate Luminous.”

Shin Dae-hoon nodded at Lee Eun-ha’s response.

A spade, with clouds above and bushes below.

It symbolized the pursuit of power beyond death, a mark known to be imprinted on the body upon joining Luminous.

A destructive belief etched onto their bodies, serving as both a personal reminder and a means of mutual recognition.

Shin Dae-hoon pulled out his phone and looked at the personal details of Lee Kyu-jin and Kang Doo-shik provided by the Ashin Guild as he began to speak.

“Though we need to wait for the results, if there’s any place that would commit such acts, it can only be Luminous.”

“The probability seems high. The Ashin Guild hunter inside is B-rank, right? What about the mercenary’s rank? The data I reviewed had it marked as confidential.”

“Well…”

Shin Dae-hoon hesitated to answer Lee Eun-ha’s question.

He couldn’t bring himself to mention Han Sang-woo’s rank, who was inside the Ice Fortress.

But given the situation, it couldn’t be hidden anymore.

Shin Dae-hoon took a deep breath and whispered to Lee Eun-ha as he stepped closer.

“F-rank.”

“What…? Chief, this isn’t the time for jokes.”

Zap.

Lee Eun-ha frowned and glared at Shin Dae-hoon.

But he wasn’t joking.

“It’s the truth. Here… These are the mercenary’s details.”

Shin Dae-hoon showed Lee Eun-ha the personal details of Han Sang-woo on his phone.

The reaction was, of course, not good.

“Unbelievable… Why was an F-rank sent to the Ice Fortress? Judging by the issue date of his hunter license, it hasn’t even been long since his awakening.”

“It’s my fault. I thought he’d manage since he had experience working with high-rank hunters and resolving overlapping dungeon incidents, but this mess…”

Shin Dae-hoon admitted his misjudgment without hesitation.

Regardless of the process, the outcome was as it was, and he had no excuses.

However, Lee Eun-ha didn’t press further.

“What’s done is done. More importantly, when is the dungeon entry stone arriving?”

“We’ve secured it and it should be here soon. However, we could only get approval for one in a hurry…”

The dungeon entry stone, an item that allows entry into the dungeon before the hunters inside return, was exceedingly rare and hard to obtain, even more so in emergencies.

The penalty of having only one person enter was substantial.

Lee Eun-ha spoke indifferently.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll go in myself.”

She clenched her weapon. As an S-rank, entering to subdue a B-rank like Lee Kyu-jin wouldn’t be difficult.

‘But for now, we can only wait.’

All they could do was hope the mercenary inside survived until the dungeon entry stone arrived.

Based on the survivors’ accounts, the F-rank mercenary seemed to be quite extraordinary.

But the gap between an F-rank and a B-rank was vast.

The chances of an F-rank surviving a life-or-death battle with a B-rank were nearly zero, in Lee Eun-ha’s judgment and in the thoughts of the other hunters gathered, who could only watch the portal with pity.

Then.

Buzz-buzz-!

Behind Lee Eun-ha’s voice, the portal of C-rank No. 223 dungeon flickered.

“Someone’s coming out…!”

The hunters guarding with their weapons tensed.

It signaled that someone was exiting from inside.

And then.

Step- step-

As the figure emerged from the portal, the Hunter Bureau hunters flinched again.

Because the one who came out was none other than.

“…!”

“What, it’s not Lee Kyu-jin…?”

It was a young man with an unfamiliar appearance.

“…”

Silence fell.

Despite the presence of over fifty hunters, no one could speak due to the unexpected situation.

But nothing lasts forever.

Even the silence was short-lived.

“H-hunter…!”

Shin Dae-hoon, who had been watching the portal anxiously, ran over with tearful eyes and grabbed the young man’s hand.

“Wh-why are you doing this all of a sudden?”

Han Sang-woo stood there dumbfounded, not understanding how anxious Shin Dae-hoon had been.

Although he had expected support from the Hunter Bureau when he sent the three public hunters out of the dungeon, he hadn’t imagined that Shin Dae-hoon would run to hold his hand as soon as he emerged.

Moreover.

“Hello, I am Lee Eun-ha, the leader of the No. 1 Dungeon Team at the Hunter Bureau. What happened to the B-rank hunter?”

Meeting the Hunter Bureau’s star, Lee Eun-ha, was also unexpected.

With a tense expression but eyes shining like stars, she looked at Han Sang-woo.

Han Sang-woo gently pushed Shin Dae-hoon aside and answered.

“I took care of him. Couldn’t recover the body, though.”

“Really? Did you really…?”

“You defeated the B-rank hunter…? How?”

Shin Dae-hoon and Lee Eun-ha exclaimed in unison, shocked.

An F-rank hunter defeating a B-rank hunter from the Ashin Guild?

It was an incomprehensible feat, so they asked simultaneously, but they couldn’t get an answer.

At that moment, as Lee Eun-ha wore a disbelieving expression.

Shuffle- shuffle- shuffle-

Dozens of people in the Ashin Guild uniforms climbed up the mountain path.

Like a large guild, they ascended in rows and columns, centered around a hunter in his forties.

But the public hunters from the Hunter Bureau, who had arrived first, weren’t welcoming.

“What took you so long?”

“Look at them strutting like they’re something special.”

The public hunters, guarding and searching the dungeon surroundings, grumbled.

Sensing the unfavorable atmosphere, the leading hunter looked around and approached Lee Eun-ha, bowing his head.

“Apologies for the delay. I am Seong Sang-hyun, the deputy guild leader of the Ashin Guild. Could you update me on the situation?”

“We notified you long ago, and now you show up?”

“I apologize again. Most of our key members were on raids, and it took time to gather them.”

“You should have sent an advance team… sigh…”

Lee Eun-ha sighed, deciding further rebuke wouldn’t change anything.

It was clear they had been delayed by internal discussions.

It was better to address the main issue first.

“All right, I understand. But how do you explain this incident?”

“Regarding that…!”

At that moment, Seong Sang-hyun stopped mid-sentence.

His eyes were fixed on the young man standing next to Shin Dae-hoon.

Realizing the situation, Shin Dae-hoon proudly introduced Han Sang-woo to Seong Sang-hyun.

“This is Hunter Han Sang-woo, the hero who saved the Ashin Guild members from the dungeon.”

“Ah, nice to meet you.”

Han Sang-woo awkwardly extended his hand to Seong Sang-hyun.

But Seong Sang-hyun didn’t extend his hand in return.

Instead, his eyes narrowed.

“What’s going on?”

“The expressions on the faces of those public hunters don’t look good.”

Seong Sang-hyun was an experienced B-rank hunter who had survived many battles, giving him keen instincts.

The public hunters surrounding him seemed slightly apprehensive.

If this young man had done something wrong.

No, if this young man had committed a crime against the Ashin Guild, it could escalate to the level of inter-guild conflict.

Seong Sang-hyun’s mind raced.

Seeing Seong Sang-hyun’s reaction, Lee Eun-ha spoke calmly.

“That’s not the situation. From what I know, Hunter Han Sang-woo handled the B-rank hunter from your guild who committed a crime inside the dungeon.”

“…!”

Seong Sang-hyun’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Then, did you take care of Kyu-jin?”

“Yes, he’s dealt with. The dungeon survivors will testify as well.”

At Han Sang-woo’s calm reply, Seong Sang-hyun’s eyes sparkled.

“Then you…!”

“Indeed. This is our hero.”

Shin Dae-hoon answered on Han Sang-woo’s behalf, and the surrounding public hunters nodded in agreement.

Realizing his earlier assumption had been wrong, Seong Sang-hyun extended his hand and laughed heartily.

“Haha, so you were the hero, our guild’s savior! Forgive me for my earlier rudeness!”

“Not at all.”

Han Sang-woo shook Seong Sang-hyun’s hand.

In an instant, the atmosphere brightened.

Feeling relieved, Lee Eun-ha glanced at Shin Dae-hoon.

Despite their relaxed expressions, they both knew the severity of the situation.

“Though the situation ended well, it was due to the extraordinary actions of one F-rank hunter.”

“Indeed. There will be many tasks to address in the future.”

“Yes, especially with Luminous involved…”

For now, the priority was to ensure the Ashin Guild handled the aftermath well.

Lee Eun-ha and Shin Dae-hoon nodded to each other, feeling an unspoken understanding.