Ch 185: The Length of Four Days and One Second （2）
"Cough."
"Kyaaak!"
Esther, upon seeing her companion continuously vomiting blood, was horrified.
But, as always, that confusion didn't last long.
The young Guild Master, though her hands trembled, took swift action.
Whoosh!
Immediately, Esther forcefully splashed the recovery potion she took out from her pocket onto her companion's face.
◈◈◈
『Sacred Tree Sapling』.
An Epic-grade reward that appears with a very low probability in certain gates.
But in fact, that item was referred to as "Spy Coral" in its home planet.
Resembling a terrestrial plant, it was suddenly treated as a sapling, but its origin was in the Anthozoa class.
Yes. Coral. That coral that comes from the sea.
Two years after the item's appearance, Earthlings, through microscopic observation, have realized that the Sacred Tree is an animal.
However, the certain ability that this coral conceals has not yet been revealed.
And neither has its danger.
Perhaps, unless some Alpha Uri native opens their mouth, Earthlings will not be able to uncover the truth even after decades.
Then how did that alien know the secret of the Sacred Tree branch?
Originally, the Spy Coral was a friend of the ancient Alpha Uri people.
If the outside of the Spy Coral was scraped and applied, the tentacles would become glossy and look good, and furthermore, its blood could protect the body without using a single bit of mana.
━Wow! What is this coral?
━If you cut your arm, blood comes out?
━And if you get exposed to it, something protects me? My body becomes tough!
A useful creature that helps with life.
That's how the ancient people of the ocean planet used the blood of the coral they discovered.
But this, like the fishermen who first ate pufferfish, was an act that was waiting for a truly dangerous end.
A few days later.
A strange phenomenon occurred in a village on Alpha Uri. The young and healthy warriors that the village was proud of began to suffer and die from an unknown disease.
Of course, the ancient people were shocked by this mass death and tried to determine the cause of the accident, and after numerous studies, the culprit who killed the warriors was soon revealed.
━No, damn it! They're using this coral magic!
Spy Coral.
In fact, the 『protection』 effect created by its body fluid was hiding a sinister secret.
When the set incubation period ends, it destroys the organs of the target who has been covered in its blood!
What a kind-faced assassin.
This was its own survival strategy.
If it produced beneficial effects in the blood that is continuously generated only when it is alive, there was a high possibility that a predator would protect it.
And if a beast lacking intelligence fell into its trap, they would die without knowing why and never return to the coral colony.
"Cough."
To summarize, the 『Sacred Tree Sapling』 was a magical creature that collected the debt of the wounds it received with compound interest.
That's why that alien is continuously coughing up blood like this.
Sunday.
Now, 16 days later by the calendar, is the moment the incubation period ends.
For reference, once this chaos starts, the protection effect also wears off quickly, so to maintain a certain level of defense, it was necessary to repeat the previous process from the beginning and restore the function of the blood.
The activity of the Spy Coral is affected by water temperature, so you have to awaken its blood at a low temperature, and bathe in water diluted with it.
In many ways, the truth about the sapling is not permanent and cumbersome.
'Maybe I should have just stayed holed up at home today.'
On the first day of revealing its true colors, it turned the digestive system, such as the intestines and stomach, into a mess.
And then, all the major organs, such as the eyes.
Even if it was an enemy who broke his body, to torment a creature so cruelly.
Someone might be astonished by the Alpha Uri ecosystem, wondering how something like coral could handle such dangerous magic, but in fact, this was not just a problem of an alien planet.
It's just that the time hasn't come yet. If you think about it, the animals on Earth are already exposed to the mana of the Dungeon Shock along with humanity, aren't they?
'This place will also be quite a sight in the future....'
Giryeo briefly imagined a new species of dolphin hunting sharks with high-pressure water jets.
"Giryeo Hunter! Quickly move your hand! Here, here! This time it's an antidote! Drink it! Or maybe you need holy water...!?"
Thud.
But in this situation, it seems like it was not a very appropriate thought. I was still violently vomiting blood, and next to me, a big shot who was the leader of the Korean Magic Tower was staring at me.
'This is bad.'
Losing one's life to a lower species was only an incident that happened in ancient times.
Fortunately, modern Alpha Uri people no longer used Spy Coral, and even if they were covered in its blood, they knew how to safely resolve it.
In other words, Giryeo can also manage the side effects he is experiencing.
However, this process takes a lot of time, so the hemoptysis cannot be stopped right away. And to be caught in this state by someone else.
Thud. Thump.
The blood that I couldn't block from my mouth flowed down.
Giryeo didn't want to show his weakness to an Earth sorcerer, so he was displeased with the current situation. But he can't erase the witness's memory, so what can he do now?
"Hoo, hoo...."
He quickly caught his breath in the gap where the hemoptysis briefly stopped.
And he clearly conveyed the words he had been trying to say to Esther.
"I'm fine."
It seems like the first button was already messed up. If I don't stop now, I'm going to get a second water slap from that person.
"I'm fine, so put down the potion, Esther-ssi. It's not like it's going to get better if you do that...!"
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
Inside a dark cave.
A storm has passed.
"Hmm."
There was a bit of a commotion, but now, after a rational conversation, the situation has ended.
After our discussion, we took some time to rest, leaning against the cave wall to regain our lost composure and recover our strength.
"Tsk."
By the way, blood is still coming up from inside, but why did Choi Jinhee like this body fluid that only tastes like iron?
I shifted my posture with a brief, absurd thought.
Even at this moment, a certain gaze was fixed on me.
I don't know if someone's going to get a hole in them like this.
'To be caught by an S-rank hunter of all people....'
The apricot-colored eyelids covered the bloodshot eyes.
I quietly closed my eyes and thought.
First of all, the Sacred Tree Sapling.... the countermeasure is simple.
These side effects are only threatening for the first few hours, and after that, the symptoms subside rapidly.
'If I fix the damaged organs once every 12 hours and endure it for two days, it's over.'
In a way, it's similar to the Vibrio cholera on Earth.
It used to be a bacteria that killed people in an instant, but now, if you just get the IV fluids, everything is fine.
Okay, so now I just have to wait for the side effects to subside.
But the problem is that I showed all this mess to a colleague in the industry.
"Giryeo-ssi."
At that moment, a woman's voice echoed through the quiet air.
"Yes."
I answered with my eyes closed, only opening my mouth.
Then, Esther cautiously continued the conversation.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes."
"By the way, how is it possible that the bleeding isn't stopping even with that expensive potion...."
If the representative of a large guild is saying it's expensive, that says it all.
Esther had used a recovery potion earlier to try to heal me. But it didn't really show any results.
Because while the blood of the Sacred Tree is glowing, it's like pouring water into a bottomless pit, no matter how many times you try to heal it.
I tried to explain something, then closed my mouth again. And I got up from my seat and vomited blood a few steps away.
Splatter.
I've been spitting out body fluids on the street since a while ago, so it's not a very good sight.
When I returned to my spot after tidying up my disheveled clothes, Esther was already looking at the ground in silence.
"For reference, it's not contagious, so don't worry...."
"-Since when have you been feeling unwell?"
A brief silence. After awkwardly waiting, the conversation starts again.
"Why are you sick?"
"....."
"If it can't be cured with a recovery potion, it usually means it's not a minor injury, but Giryeo-ssi looks perfectly fine on the outside, so I didn't notice at all until now."
"....."
"Or maybe it's a curse, something like that. Not the skills I use. Something like a ring that sticks to your skin and doesn't come off. There are a lot of strange phenomena in gates. Is it because of your hunter work?"
Once Esther opened her mouth, she kept asking questions.
The rapid-fire questions seemed as if she was expressing her current anxiety in a different way.
I took a breath and fell into contemplation.
Since when has my body been.
Or why was it bad.
First of all, I have to hide the information related to Alpha Uri as much as possible, so I have no choice but to gloss over these questions.
But as I was working hard to come up with an excuse, at some point, I started to feel a bit ridiculous.
The Great Magician is trapped in the feeding box of a lower being that he unilaterally massacred, and now his internal organs are being butchered by magic.
A little later.
After finishing my thoughts, I leaned against the wall of the cave and told a short story.
"Yes. It happened while working."
If it wasn't for that overwork, I wouldn't have tried to reincarnate, so if you trace it back to the root, it's not a wrong statement.
The conversation that followed sounded like an excuse to hide the item's ability, but it was also a sincere piece of advice for a primitive sorcerer.
"So, Seo Esther, if you don't want to end up like me, be lazy in advance."
"Lazy?"
"I used to live very diligently to achieve what I wanted."
I continued, looking down at the bloodstains left on my sleeve for no reason.
"When I focused all my life on my goals, of course the results were good, but now that I think about it, I think I was the biggest failure."
"Failure."
"Sleeping in until the afternoon, or spending two hours eating a meal. Unexpectedly, life is more about those wastes. In the end, even if you achieve something, well...."
It's only joyful for a moment, and then there's no emotion.
After mumbling for a while, I slowly tilted the corners of my mouth. I didn't bother to stop the rising expression of emotion.
And what flowed out was someone's hollow laughter.
"Anyway, I'm worried. Looking at you, Esther Hunter-nim, it seems like you're overdoing it. You're managing the guild, hunting, and among the S-ranks, you're the one who does the most interviews."
"…Did you watch my interviews?"
"No matter how I look at it, your schedule seems a bit excessive."
After regaining my body's memories, my facial expressions are naturally more natural.
I spoke the sentence with an unbalanced smile that Giryeo from his previous life would not have made, and Esther, who saw this, flinched and stiffened her shoulders. It seems that she's acting like that because she's not used to it, since she usually keeps her facial muscles in a neutral state.
"I appreciate your concern, but you don't need to worry about that."
But I didn't expect her to answer like this with that look.
"I've already lived a life where I've been as lazy as I could be. Now, it was time for me to slowly stop."
"Huh?"
"Kim Giryeo Hunter, do you know what? Actually, I used to be that. That."
A hikkikomori.
After mentioning that word, Esther sat on the ground and hugged her knees. Since there were only two speakers here, it was easy to focus on her words.
"I didn't step out of my trashy room and just played games for several years."
It would have been better if there was a suitable prey.
Is it because this is a place where only F-rank, trivial enemies appear, that she felt bored? Esther, who started the topic, began to reveal her past like that....
Dropping out of high school.
GED.
Refusal to go to university.
And living as an unemployed person while sucking the marrow out of her family.
"Unfortunately, my family is a bit rich. And the people in my family are all too kind, so they even covered up for their pathetic youngest daughter, so I lived quite well like that."
Esther exaggerated her tone as if she was explaining a major incident, but I just became more indifferent as the conversation continued.
'As expected.'
A curse is the power of hatred.
If she naturally awakened such a technique, it's natural that she would be inherently sensitive and angry. She must have always hated and been uncomfortable with something. Especially places like school where she had to mingle with things she didn't want.
So how can I be surprised by an explanation that she couldn't mix with society when she was young?
"....."
When I listened to her dark past as if it was nothing, Esther changed her expression as if she hadn't expected it. Her languid eyes seemed to widen for a moment, and then she fell silent again.
Perhaps because she's an Earthling with distinct features, the woman's small emotional changes were often very noticeable, and the sorcerer, who had her eyelashes lowered, soon brought up a new topic.
"By the way, what was Giryeo-ssi like during his childhood?"
Esther, who had regained her smile.
"Now that I've talked about it, I'm curious. I also want to hear Giryeo-ssi's old stories. Especially when you were very young."
But as soon as she heard the following sentence, that subtle smile disappeared in an instant.
"Childhood? If you dig into that time, there's not much to talk about."
"Why?"
"Because I'm an orphan, I don't have a lot of experiences."
The atmosphere became chilly.
The curse sorcerer apologized soon after with a helpless expression, but I didn't feel any emotion for her apology.
Because I don't think it's something to apologize for.
'Even here, orphans are treated similarly....'
As you can see from the ambiguous answer just now, in fact, a certain alien did not have a family to speak of in his past life. Just like someone else.
But unlike Kim Giryeo, I wasn't ashamed of this.
Not knowing my origins felt to me like a divine, extraordinary thing, like Park Hyeokgeose, who fell from the sky.
I was rather proud of my birth. I lived with the pride that I was different from the ordinary people on the street, from the very process of my birth.
Perhaps that's why I reached the current result.
Earlier, I claimed that my body became ill because of work, but if you trace the cause of the cause further, I, in my previous life, was ruined by that arrogance.
Ch 186: The Length of Four Days and One Second （3）
'But honestly, it's unfair. I think I'm quite humble for my talent level…'
Hmm.
Anyway, it's difficult for a capable person not to be arrogant.
This one briefly reminisced about their past life before quickly returning to the present conversation.
"Anyway, for that reason, I'm a bit lacking in common sense. If I say something strange sometimes, please be understanding."
"Ah, I, I will."
On one hand, hoping that this talented sorcerer wouldn't follow in someone else's footsteps.
◈◈◈
What is a life that no one understands like?
At least, the woman in a certain cave could answer this question clearly.
It's like being dropped onto Jupiter in an Earthling's body, she thought.
She dared to think it felt like being swept away in a sea of liquid hydrogen with nowhere to set foot.
Then, why is it that she can't receive understanding?
The first time she felt something was off was in the third grade of elementary school.
That day, everyone changed seats for the new semester, and the sleepy-looking girl happened to become partners with a classmate from English kindergarten.
Seo Esther was a pretty child with lush eyelashes even from a young age. And since the boy next to her also had fair skin and a distinct nose bridge, with a beautiful face.
When the children in the class saw Esther and her partner together, they would tease them, asking if they were dating.
"Hey! Esther! You're not a kid anymore, why do you still come with glitter on your head? It's so childish. And your name is so weird too."
So, the boy, feeling embarrassed, intentionally acted mean to his partner.
"Kyaaaa!"
"Euaaaang."
"Teacherrrr!"
That fresh new semester in class 2 of the third grade soon ended with a shocking scene.
One Wednesday.
The girl with drooping eyes pierced her partner's hand with the metal chopsticks distributed during lunch.
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
"Why did you do that?"
Young Esther wanted to ask herself.
Teacher, why did my partner do that?
Even when I told him not to, he kept picking fights and making fun of my name.
Besides, that kid also conveniently forgot that he had torn up someone else's sketchbook in kindergarten.
Even so, this one endured everything and gave him three chances.
"I couldn't take it anymore."
It was around this time that Esther realized that her threshold for anger was incomparably lower than others.
She learned that normal people don't get vividly angry over things that happened years ago, nor do they stab their classmates just because they're angry.
But what changes even if she learns that?
It's not like her good memory will get worse because of it.
In fact, all the problems Esther experienced were a prelude to her awakening curse-attribute magic.
As a certain Alien Great Magician said, curse sorcerers are born with sensitive temperaments and tend to hold grudges for a long time.
"Our princess~ I left dinner outside your room. Make sure you eat it today, okay?"
Ordinary people would advise Esther that she was being too sensitive and to forget about those old things, but her emotions were inherently insoluble.
The texture of Esther's emotions is cold and hard, not dissolving in the flow of time, so how could she easily say forgiveness like others?
Even though she knows she loves them in her heart, sometimes old memories make her hate her family. If life is this hard, wouldn't it have been better if she hadn't been given the talent of awakening in the first place?
"...."
But Esther was in no position to choose her genetic information.
Therefore, the only thing she chose was to take a step back from society before she stabbed another peer with chopsticks again.
Online game 『SOM』.
Fortunately, the new world she settled into was livable enough for her.
Because there, it was okay to kill those she hated as many times as she wanted.
'Coming to a dark place like this cave always reminds me of those days.'
Seo Esther reflects on her school days before quickly letting them go from her mind.
When you think about it, the Dungeon Shock was a welcome phenomenon for some people.
Before that incident, she was just a bad-tempered mutant, but after gaining power, she was able to express her anger in a somewhat better way.
Despite someone's worries, Esther was already an incredibly arrogant sorcerer.
She had a dream of endlessly growing her power and one day becoming a figure who represents all psychics.
Now that she has a wonderful goal, she no longer gets angry over trivial things like her partner's bullying, and naturally, her life has become more vibrant.
Broadcasting activities to improve the image of the Awakened Ones, the operation of the Magic Tower, death row inmates, dungeon raids, and so on.
"...."
Everything was done by her own will, so there were no regrets.
"Cough."
Somewhere, a cough is heard.
Esther tightly closed her eyes and stopped walking.
It was the middle of a cave of unknown length. Moreover, it had been about 30 minutes since she and her companion had gotten up from their rest and resumed the raid.
The sight of a cold-blooded person who seemed like they wouldn't shed a single drop of fluid even if their flesh was torn apart with a dagger, now bleeding profusely, unfolded in reality.
'That's a side effect from working? So, something really did happen at that Japanese S-rank gate…'
Normally, she would have been slyly happy to have found out the weakness of a strong person, but for some reason, her mood has been strangely sinking since earlier.
Why doesn't she feel that way now?
━Anyway, I'm worried. Looking at you, Esther Hunter-nim, it seems like you're overdoing it.
Because Kim Giryeo said these words?
━Childhood? There's not much to talk about if you dig into that time. I'm an orphan, so I don't have a wide range of experiences.
Or is it because she felt pity after hearing those words?
Probably none of the above.
In fact, her attitude changed after seeing the look in his eyes when she was telling her story about her school days.
When people heard that the Guild Master of the Magic Tower was a reclusive hikkikomori, they would usually give answers mixed with flattery and embarrassment, such as, 'That could happen,' 'You seem bright now, so isn't it okay,' 'I also like games.' etc.
But Kim Giryeo was different.
He…
He had a gaze that was too dry, one that even the family of a certain curse sorcerer couldn't give.
It's just a hunch, but somehow, unlike countless other humans, he seemed to genuinely understand someone's failed school days.
"Cough, cough."
Then, was Esther moved by Giryeo's understanding?
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Of course, Esther often wondered about her own prickly personality, but it wasn't like she wanted someone to understand her.
Esther actually felt unpleasant because of the conversation earlier. She felt strangely exposed and wary whenever she stood in front of Kim Giryeo, as if her weaknesses were being revealed.
Maybe that's why.
That man doesn't seem like a weakling at all, even with his unique, monstrous insight. Even seeing him coughing up blood, she doesn't feel like he has any weaknesses.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm fine now, so you can start walking again…"
Esther proceeded with the raid again with a complicated mood.
One hour, two hours, and even after five hours of walking, there was no sign of an exit, so she started to worry about other things.
'I came in with light luggage without thinking, but if the isolation period gets this long, it's going to be a big problem.'
Grumble.
As expected, hunger has already started.
These days, the length of dungeons is increasing, so it's trendy among hunters to carry emergency rations, but she was careless because it was an F-rank gate.
Maybe she'll end up starving to death without even seeing the boss's face?
"Esther Hunter, are you perhaps hungry?"
"W, well…"
That's when it happened.
The man who had been quietly following behind increased his pace and then took something out of his pocket.
It was a packaged chocolate snack.
"I don't remember when I bought it, but I found it when I searched my pockets. I think I bought all the discounted ones at the convenience store and put them here because I didn't want to waste the bag."
"Oh my goodness! That's a relief. By the way, is it really okay for me to eat this?"
"Of course. I have quite a lot. But just in case, save some for later."
"Thank you."
Grumble.
Esther ate the snack he gave her little by little to calm her rumbling stomach. She felt better after getting some sugar.
◈◈◈
…But a day later.
"Aaaargh! This is so annoying!"
Thud!
A loud noise erupts in the dark cave.
"Esther-ssi, I understand how you feel, but if you keep thrashing around like that, you'll just use up more energy…"
After marching for over 20 hours, the raiders trapped in the cave realized that this cave was incredibly long.
And this posed an immediate threat to the S-rank hunter's life. In fact, the high-rank awakened ones of humanity were creatures with higher caloric consumption than ordinary people, meaning they had poor fuel efficiency.
'I'm hungry! My stomach hurts so bad. How far does this cave go? How far!'
Esther vented her anger on the bone monsters blocking her path and moved forward.
Since Giryeo's body was not in good condition and he had to refrain from strenuous activities, she even used the tactic of carrying her companion and running at full speed.
S-rank hunters don't use much stamina just by running. So, Esther had been sprinting for a full two hours with only water in her system.
"Ughh…"
As you can see, they still haven't found the exit today.
She has no idea where the end of this cave is, and now she's even starting to feel a vague sense of fear.
But it's still okay. This place has fountains placed at certain intervals. In other words, she wouldn't die from a lack of water.
━Pop!
Esther decided to try supplying energy with the potions she always carried with her. It would probably be more nutritious than water, after all.
First, the relatively cheap antidote potion.
Next, the mana potion.
…And when she opened the last of her precious, high-grade recovery potion, it was about two days and seventeen hours after entering the dungeon.
"Huh."
Esther, who was now moving her legs mindlessly like a machine, thought through her hazy eyes.
She wants to kill them.
She doesn't know what the subject of this sentence would be, but if the person who created this dungeon exists, she will tear them to pieces and kill them.
"Ah, this fountain also has clean water. Please drink with peace of mind."
There's a limit to how much water she can fill her stomach with!
'I'm low on sugar. It feels like my brain is tightening.'
As she became deficient in nutrients, her body began to cut away at its own flesh to maintain life, and the pain created by this act was truly beyond imagination.
Is she going to become the first S-rank to die in an F-rank gate?
Feeling dizzy, Esther endured it for a while before speaking in a trembling voice.
"U, um, Giryeo-ssi. I'm really sorry, but could I have just one more of those cookies now? Ugh, of course, I already got my share for today, but then I'll take it from the next portion…"
The companion raider next to her had been sharing chocolate snacks once every 12 hours, but no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't endure it with this amount.
"They're almost all gone now."
"Huh?!"
"Calm down. There's still enough for you to last a day."
It can't be helped.
The man muttered briefly and then emptied his pockets, giving all the remaining snacks to the other person.
"Here. This is the last of the evening and tomorrow morning's portions."
It's already the last one.
Come to think of it, it was a huge stroke of luck that he even had biscuits in his coat in the first place…
"Oh."
That's when it happened.
Esther suddenly came to her senses and said to her companion.
"Wait a minute. What are you doing giving me both of these? You don't have any left, Giryeo-ssi. You have to eat one."
Then, the calm voice of the fourth S-rank slowly filled the cave.
"It's okay. That was a lie."
"Huh?"
"I was only calculating your share anyway. I never thought of it as mine from the beginning, so eat it."
"…?"
"It's tiring to argue over this kind of thing every meal, so I just said I was dividing them roughly… No, wait. What are you doing wasting salt for no reason…"
Ch 187: The Length of Four Days and One Second （3）
'But honestly, it's unfair. I think I'm rather humble for someone with my talent…'
Hmm.
Anyway, it's difficult for a capable person not to be arrogant.
This one briefly reminisced about their past life before returning to the current conversation.
"Anyway, for that reason, I'm a bit lacking in common sense. If I say something strange sometimes, please be understanding."
"Ah, yes, I will."
On one hand, hoping that this talented sorcerer doesn't follow the same path as someone else.
◈◈◈
What is a life that no one understands like?
At least, the woman in a certain cave could answer this question clearly.
It felt like being dropped onto Jupiter in an Earthling's body.
She dared to think that it was like being swept away in a sea of liquid hydrogen with nowhere to set foot.
Then why was she not understood?
The first time she felt something was off was in the third grade of elementary school.
That day, at the start of the new semester, everyone changed their seats, and the sleepy-looking girl happened to become partners with a classmate from English kindergarten.
Seo Esther was a pretty child with lush eyelashes from a young age. And since the boy next to her also had fair skin and a distinct nose bridge, a beautiful face.
Whenever the children in the class saw Esther and her partner together, they would tease them, asking if they were dating.
"Hey! Esther! You're not a kid anymore, why do you still come with glitter on your head? It's so childish. And your name is so weird."
So, the boy, embarrassed, deliberately acted mean to his partner.
"Kyaaaa!"
"Uwaaaang."
"Teacher!"
The fresh new semester of that third grade, class 2, soon ended with a shocking picture.
One Wednesday.
The girl with drooping eyes pierced her partner's hand with the metal chopsticks distributed during lunch.
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
◈◈◈
"Why did you do that?"
Young Esther wanted to ask herself.
Teacher, why did my partner do that?
Even though I told him not to, he kept picking fights and making fun of my name.
Moreover, that child conveniently forgot that he had torn up someone else's sketchbook without permission in kindergarten.
Even so, this one endured everything and gave him a total of three chances.
"I couldn't take it anymore."
From around this time, Esther realized that her threshold for anger was incomparably lower than others.
She learned that normal people don't get vividly angry over things from years ago, nor do they stab their classmates when they get angry.
But what changes by learning that?
It's not like a good memory would get worse because of it.
In fact, all the problems Esther experienced were a prelude to her awakening to curse-attribute magic.
As a certain alien said, curse sorcerers are naturally sensitive and often hold grudges for a long time.
"Our princess~ I left dinner outside your room. Make sure you eat it today. Okay?"
Ordinary people would advise Esther that she was being too dramatic and to forget about such old things, but her emotions were inherently insoluble.
The texture of Esther's emotions was cold and hard, not dissolving in the flow of time, so how could she easily say "forgive" like others?
Even though she knew in her heart that she truly loved them, sometimes old memories made her hate her family. If life was this hard, wouldn't it have been better if she hadn't been given the talent for awakening?
"....."
But Esther was not in a position to choose her genetic information.
Therefore, the only thing she chose was to step back from society before she pierced another peer with chopsticks.
Online game 『SOM』.
Fortunately, the newly established world was livable for her.
Because there, she could kill people she hated as many times as she wanted.
'Coming to a dark place like this cave always reminds me of those days.'
Seo Esther, while reminiscing about her school days, soon lets them go from her mind.
Looking back, the Dungeon Shock was a welcome phenomenon for some individuals.
Before that incident, she was just a nasty mutant, but after gaining power, she was able to express her anger in a somewhat better way.
Despite someone's worries, Esther was already an extremely arrogant sorceress.
She had a dream of constantly increasing her power and one day becoming a figure representing all the psychics.
Now that she had a wonderful goal, she no longer got angry at trivial things like her partner's bullying, and naturally, her life became more vibrant.
Broadcasting activities to improve the image of awakened ones, the operation of the Magic Tower, death row inmates, dungeon raids, and so on.
"....."
Everything was done by her own will, so there were no regrets.
"Cough."
Somewhere, a cough is heard.
Esther closed her eyes tightly and stopped walking.
It was the middle of a cave with no end in sight. Moreover, it had been about 30 minutes since she and her companion had gotten up and resumed the raid.
The sight of a cold-blooded person, who looked like they wouldn't shed a drop of fluid even if their flesh was cut with a dagger, was now bleeding profusely.
'That's a side effect from working. I guess something really happened at that S-rank gate in Japan…'
Normally, she would have been cunningly happy to have discovered a strong person's weakness, but the situation had been strangely depressing since a while ago.
Why doesn't she feel that way now?
━Anyway, I'm worried. Looking at you, Esther Hunter-nim, it seems like you're overdoing it.
Because Kim Giryeo said this?
━Childhood? There's not much to talk about if you dig into that. I'm an orphan, so I don't have a lot of diverse experiences.
Or did she feel pity because of those words?
Probably none of it.
In fact, her attitude changed after seeing the look in his eyes when she was telling her school days story.
When people heard that the Magic Tower Guild Master was a reclusive shut-in, they usually gave a mix of flattery and embarrassment, saying things like, 'That can happen,' 'You're bright now, so it's okay,' or 'I like games too.'
But Kim Giryeo was different.
He…
He had a gaze that was too dry, one that even the family of a certain curse sorcerer couldn't send.
It was just a hunch, but somehow, unlike countless humans, he seemed to genuinely understand someone's failed school days.
"Cough, cough."
Then, was Esther moved by Giryeo's understanding?
Unfortunately, that was not the case. Of course, Esther often questioned her own prickly personality, but it's not like she wanted an understander.
Esther actually felt unpleasant from the conversation earlier. Whenever she stood in front of Kim Giryeo, she felt like her weaknesses were being exposed, so she was wary and cautious.
Maybe that's why.
That man didn't look like a weakling at all, even with his unique monster-like insight. Even seeing him spitting blood, she didn't feel like he had a weakness.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm fine now, so you can start walking again…"
Esther resumed the raid with complicated feelings.
After walking for one hour, two hours, and a total of five hours without seeing an exit, she started to have other worries.
'I came in with light luggage without thinking, but if this isolation period gets longer, it's going to be a big problem.'
Grumble.
As expected, her hunger had already begun.
These days, the length of dungeons is increasing, so it's trendy among hunters to carry emergency rations, but she was careless because it was an F-rank gate.
Maybe she would end up starving to death without even seeing the boss's face?
"Esther Hunter, are you perhaps hungry?"
"W, well…"
That was the moment.
The man who had been quietly following behind increased his speed and took something out of his pocket.
It was a packaged chocolate snack.
"I don't remember when I bought it, but I found it when I checked my pockets. I think I bought all the ones on sale at the convenience store, and then put them here because the plastic bag was too precious."
"Oh my god! That's a relief. But really, can I eat this?"
"Of course. I have quite a lot. But just in case, try to save it."
"Thank you."
Grumble.
To calm her rumbling stomach, Esther ate the snack he gave her little by little. The sugar made her feel better.
◈◈◈
…However, one day later.
"Agh! This is so annoying!"
Bang!
A loud noise erupts in the dark cave.
"Esther-ssi, I understand how you feel, but if you keep thrashing around like that, you'll just use up more energy…"
The raiders trapped in the cave, after marching for over 20 hours, realized that this cave was truly enormous.
And this was an immediate threat to the life of an S-rank hunter. In fact, the high-rank awakened ones of humanity were creatures with high caloric consumption, meaning they had poor fuel efficiency.
'I'm hungry! My stomach is burning. How far does this cave go? How far!'
Esther took out her anger on the bone monsters blocking the path as she moved forward.
Since Giryeo was in poor condition and had to refrain from strenuous activity, she even resorted to the tactic of carrying her companion and running at full speed.
An S-rank hunter doesn't expend much energy just by running. So, Esther had been sprinting for two hours on a body fueled only by drinks.
"Ugh…"
As you can see, she still hadn't found the exit today.
She had no idea where the end of this cave was, and she was even feeling vague fear.
But it was still okay. This place had a structure with fountains placed at regular intervals. In other words, she wouldn't die from lack of water.
━Pop!
Esther decided to try to supply herself with energy using the potions she always carried with her. It seemed like it would be more nutritious than water.
First, a relatively cheap antidote potion.
Next, a mana potion.
…And the moment she opened the last, most precious high-grade recovery potion was about two days and seventeen hours after entering the dungeon.
"Huh."
Esther, who was now moving her legs blankly like a machine, thought through her hazy eyes.
She wanted to kill.
She didn't know what the subject of this was, but if the person who made this dungeon existed, she would tear them apart and kill them.
"Ah, this fountain also has clean water. Please drink it without worry."
There was a limit to filling her stomach with water!
'I'm low on sugar. It feels like my brain is tightening up.'
As nutrients became scarce, her body began to consume its own flesh to maintain life, and the pain created by this act was truly beyond imagination.
Would she become the first S-rank to die in an F-rank gate?
Feeling dizzy, Esther endured for a long time before speaking in a trembling voice.
"U, um, Giryeo-ssi. I'm really sorry, but is it possible to have just one more cookie now? Ugh, of course, I already received today's portion, but then I'll take from the next portion…"
The fellow raider next to her had been sharing chocolate snacks once every 12 hours, but no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't endure it with this amount.
"There's almost none left."
"Huh?!"
"Calm down. There's still enough for you to last a day."
It couldn't be helped.
The man, after muttering briefly, emptied his pockets and handed all the remaining snacks to the other.
"Here. This is the last one, including dinner and tomorrow morning's portion."
It was already the last one.
Come to think of it, it was a huge stroke of luck that he even had biscuits in his coat…
"Uh."
That was the moment.
Esther suddenly came to her senses and spoke to her companion.
"Wait a minute. Why would you give me both of these? You don't have any left, Giryeo-ssi. You have to eat one."
Then, the calm voice of the fourth S-rank slowly filled the cave.
"It's okay. That was a lie."
"Huh?"
"I was just calculating Esther-ssi's portion anyway. I never thought of it as mine from the beginning, so eat it."
"…?"
"It's tiring to bicker over this kind of thing every meal, so I just said I was dividing it roughly… No, wait. What are you doing wasting salt for no reason…"
Ch 188: Daily Life （1）
'Hmm.'
A few minutes later.
My body was fully recovered, and after a brief goodbye to Esther, I stepped onto the stairs of the Korean Magic Tower's main gate when a familiar sensation flowed into my senses.
A violent mana that could easily overwhelm a weak, ordinary person.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
An SUV parked in front of the main gate signaled its presence with its turn signals. Soon, a large man in the driver's seat opened the passenger window, leaned out, and spoke.
"Hello, Kim Giryeo."
"...."
"『I'm just going to take a quick look at the Blue Gate that appeared at the Magic Tower Guild. It's F-rank, so you don't need to come separately.』 It's been exactly four days and five hours since I reported it in a text message."
"I'm sorry."
"Want to get in? If you haven't eaten yet, we can grab lunch too."
"I'm sorry."
"Sushi is okay for the menu, right?"
"It wasn't intentional, so please, at least have the desire to improve..."
◈◈◈
Saturday afternoon.
Two people are talking in a quiet gym.
This was a training facility exclusively for awakened individuals located in Seoul.
To be honest, it wasn't like the training facility had any great equipment.
Still, the fact that you could use magic without worrying about other people's eyes was a significant advantage. This place had been a popular spot for awakened individuals for a while now.
For example, like the famous hunters in this place.
'Looks like our rental time for today is almost up.'
Jeong Haseong and I were currently going through our usual schedule in the gym we had rented.
But when our skill instruction reached its sixth week.
We faced our first small problem. Haseong was having trouble grasping the application of Complete Combustion, which I had taught him in the fourth week.
'He's kind of dragging his feet.'
Fire magic, besides increasing power by consuming mana, can also increase the flame temperature by changing the combustion method itself.
Jeong Haseong was surprisingly struggling with the process of turning the magic blue. But it's okay. I actually welcome this slump.
'Looks like I can milk the lesson fees for longer than expected?'
However, unlike the instructor's positive outlook, the primitive sorcerer in front of me looked more and more dejected as the days went by.
"Haa...."
Now he can't even hold back the sighs that are bursting out of him, so it seems like his situation is quite frustrating.
'Hmm.'
I know from meeting many students like him in my past life, Jeong Haseong seems vulnerable to these kinds of trials because he's someone who achieved high success in the past – I just found out recently that he dropped out of veterinary school –.
If you live that kind of life, you can't help but subconsciously learn that you're superior to others. So, if you suddenly experience a series of setbacks, you'll be doubly shocked by the unfamiliar failure compared to others.
A stiff expression. Tense shoulders.
Even a national hero is still just a person, so if he doesn't see results, he might lose interest one day and try to give up everything.
So, for the sake of future job security, I need to coax him a bit with praise in this situation.
"Jeong Haseong."
Actually, despite everything, that S-rank is always a good person who sides with the weak, so I felt sorry for him. So, I spoke to Haseong with consideration.
"You know what?"
"Yes?"
"Your awakened ability. That thing you call Pyrokinesis."
"Yes."
"The media often undervalues it, saying it's the most common type on Earth."
Fire.
A primal concept that symbolizes the origin of civilization on Earth.
These people here are just doing some cute fire play, but since I've already seen the pinnacle of fire magic in my past life, I can say this with certainty.
"But in my opinion, it's actually one of the best types, as long as the person has enough mana. If you keep training, you might not even need armor later on."
Jeong Haseong tilted his head at those words.
"Armor, you say?"
It's probably absurd to suddenly talk about not needing armor when his magic seems focused on attack.
But the residents here will all know it someday.
No matter how trashy an attribute may seem, if you refine and polish it, you'll eventually achieve a balance between offense and defense.
Throwing a rock at the sun won't change anything.
I don't know if Jeong Haseong will be able to reach the level I'm thinking of.
"Anyway.... your potential is still far from exhausted. So, don't be so happy or sad about it right now, and let's proceed a bit more calmly."
I did my best to encourage him and patted his shoulder.
But Haseong was someone who rarely changed his expression, almost as much as I do, so he still had a stiff face. I can't tell what he's thinking just by looking at him.
"Anyway, shall we start packing up?"
Still, this is a great improvement.
To be honest, the moment when that hero-sama suddenly unleashed a slash with his 『Sunset Sword』 is still vivid, but after struggling so hard, the day has come when I can face the number one hunter like this.
"Yes. Thank you for today."
But a thought suddenly occurred to me. When my hidden rank is revealed, will this guy dismember me?
Leaving aside the fact that I'm slowly taking his assets, I've been slandering him while pretending to be an S-rank, after all?
'I hope I don't have to experience the sharpness of a legendary weapon firsthand....'
I glanced at the red sword hanging on my disciple's waist and left the gym.
But what do you know.
Usually, the empty lot would come into view, but today, an unexpected scene unfolded outside the back gate.
"Hmm?"
There was a human standing there stiffly at the exit.
"Excuse me."
It looks like they were waiting for us to come out....
'What is it?'
The person who spoke was an Earthling I had never seen before.
A woman in her 30s, wearing glasses.
I became curious about the person's identity and fixed my gaze on her, and soon the woman spoke her next words.
"This is what...."
"I apologize for suddenly coming to see you. But since I couldn't reach you at all, I heard that you train here on the weekends, so I had to come in person."
Couldn't reach me?
Hearing that, I took my phone out of my pocket. But there were no missed calls or anything like that. If a new call had come, I would have answered it.
"I haven't received any calls."
"Really? I left a text message, but it didn't go through?"
"It didn't."
"Oh dear, then the number the agency gave me must have been wrong...?"
Anyway.
The person then took out a business card from their wallet.
『Korean Dungeon Resource Research Institute』
『Kim ○○』
『Senior Researcher / Ph.D. in Science』
But before I could even finish reading the letters written there, an additional explanation burst out.
"Anyway! The reason I came to find you like this is that I wanted to request national research cooperation from Hunter Giryeo! Specifically, it's a bodyguard job!"
What kind of situation is this?
The Earthling who suddenly appeared said that they came to ask me to be a bodyguard. Of course, the hidden meaning behind it wasn't hard to guess.
Dungeon resources.
If an ordinary person were to explore such otherworldly materials, they would naturally need to find someone to protect them.
"Our research institute has recently started researching a Gate called 『Sanctuary of Verdure』, which has a difficulty of A-rank. I am the interim project manager."
"So?"
"So, we need an awakened individual to help with the research, but the A-rank hunters we hired last time had a lot of difficulties. It seems like we need the power of an S-rank hunter."
The researcher continued.
"Originally, we weren't going to ask you so urgently, and we were planning to inform you slowly through official documents. Ah, this is a mess. The magical beast proliferation in the dungeon we had already secured is progressing faster than expected...."
Okay. I've understood that much.
But the problem is the next part.
"Um, but why did you specifically come to find me?"
I understood that they wanted an S-rank bodyguard to safely explore the dungeon. But if it's an S-rank hunter in Korea, there are many good options besides me, aren't there?
There's that number one ranker standing right next to me, and that purple-haired sorceress who lives in the tower.
Well, the other one is....
'Yeah. Let's pretend that one doesn't exist.'
He has some flaws, though.
Anyway, I couldn't understand why this person skipped the number one and two rankers and came all the way to find the ninth ranker.
Shouldn't they have tried Jeong Haseong first?
'He has a good public image.'
I turned my head and looked at the S-rank standing dumbfounded behind me.
The national hero with his neat parted hair and likable impression was awkwardly observing the situation with a slightly flustered look.
"If you needed a strong awakened individual, wouldn't Jeong Haseong Hunter be a good option?"
But when I suggested it, the Earthling shook her head.
"No, that won't work."
"Yes?"
"That dungeon has a structure where small rooms, about four pyeong in size, are connected like train cars. It's difficult to cooperate with other types of awakened individuals whose secondary damage from their abilities is significant."
"Hmm."
"But Hunter Kim is already known for being competent in bodyguarding VIPs. And I heard that your actual personality is very good as well...."
Wait, what is that now?
"What did you say? Where did you hear that?"
I've never done human escorting in my life. Where did this suspiciously good reputation come from?
"Oh, uh, well, to be specific, it's from my father. Actually, my father has a wide network in the hunter industry, and he said he's been hearing good things about Giryeo-ssi these days? So, if I was going to hire a bodyguard, he suggested I talk to that person...."
"Could you tell me your father's name?"
"It's Kim Beom-sik."
Who is Kim Beomsik now....
Anyway, the more I hear the answers, the more I get lost in the maze. Someone was going around saying that my personality was very good.
'Did the strange rumors that An Yunseung spread get distorted?'
I tilted my head.
However, the middle-aged person in front of me was just smiling brightly.
"Actually, whenever I saw the hunter's impression, I always imagined that you would be very neat in your work, but to hear such good reviews in the difficult bodyguard industry."
"…."
"After thinking about it several times, I still want to request cooperation from the professional Hunter Kim! If it's okay, could you make some time around Monday for negotiations?"
It feels like spitting on a smiling face, but....
"I'm sorry, but I'll refuse."
"Yes?"
I guess it's time to tell them the reality.
I expressed my refusal to the person's request.
Why? Because I'm a trash-level awakened individual who can barely take care of myself, let alone be a bodyguard.
I'm the one who should be protected, but suddenly I'm being asked to protect a researcher, it's absurd.
"Oh? But I thought hunters are supposed to cooperate with national investigations...."
"I don't know where you heard that from."
Thud.
I cut off his sentence in the middle and continued.
"I've never done anything like protecting researchers. In the first place, my awakened ability isn't suitable for that kind of work."
Actually, it's because I'm just F-rank, but whatever.
"Oh, is that so?"
The researcher soon made a surprised face.
Judging from that reaction, it seems like the person was absolutely certain that I would accept the request.
"Oh.... I see. It seems like there was some… misunderstanding on my end? I think I need to double-check. Uh, well, thank you for taking the time. Have a good afternoon."
Fortunately, there was no need for any hassle.
The researcher was surprisingly quick to give up, and even though he looked bewildered and tilted his head, he soon made way.
Stumble, stumble.
I spoke while looking at the researcher's back as he walked away listlessly.
"Jeong Haseong, have you heard any strange nonsense lately, like me being good at bodyguarding or something?"
To that, the Great Magician's disciple replied in a clear voice.
"…No. But I think I heard rumors that you used to run a loan shark business."
Yeah. I could at least expect something like that.
Ch 189: Daily Life （2）
Tuesday, back again.
"Hello? Oh, Yunseung-a. It's me…"
I picked up my phone and continued the call with a familiar acquaintance.
The past few days have been a series of peaceful moments.
Though a mysterious researcher came and left me with a strange, unsettling feeling for a while, there were no noticeable changes in my daily life after that.
'Even when I searched for that person's father, there wasn't anything I could find out.'
But in this monotony, even my only schedule was left hanging in the air.
Originally, I had been having lessons once on the weekend and once on a weekday that Jeong Haseong wanted.
━Kim Giryeo Hunter-nim. I'm sorry, but would it be okay to postpone the weekday schedule to the weekend this week?
━You want to do Saturday and Sunday consecutively?
━Yes.
━I don't mind, but why all of a sudden?
━Actually, a few days ago, my mother's caregiver suddenly quit due to personal reasons. So, this week, I'll be busy hiring a new person and handing over a few things in person.
Well… as you can see, there's a reason.
So, I decided to take advantage of this long-term free time that I had gained.
I decided to try out some cultural activities that I had been curious about for a while.
"Yunseung-a. I'm sorry for asking this all of a sudden, but if you have time, could you help me with something?"
Of course, I had been interested in alien cultures since before my reincarnation.
Regaining my power and all that. Honestly, I haven't been able to go out and have fun because I've been chased by busy schedules.
So, this time, I made up my mind to go to a place called an aquarium.
But, sadly, Kim Giryeo's brain doesn't have any information about such activities.
'Actually, I don't even know how to buy a ticket… What if they don't do on-site ticketing?'
I got help from a local so that this rare attempt would not fail.
━You're going to the aquarium on a weekday?
◈◈◈
…And so, I arrived at this aquarium.
'It's all blue.'
In the cobalt blue water, small life forms were swimming in groups.
At the bottom of this artificial ecosystem, pale pink corals and seashells, along with other sea-smelling substances, filled the space.
Overall, the indoor lighting was dim, so the currents generated in the tanks were clearly visible.
Scales of tropical fish swimming, catching people's eyes.
"Hyung-nim! According to my research, this aquarium has performances every 30 minutes starting around 2 PM. There's a penguin ecology explanation, a Little Mermaid-themed show, and! I also found out that they recently renovated the VR experience center—."
Anyway, I didn't ask for this much help…
I just wanted to learn how to make a reservation so that I wouldn't miss any discounts by accident.
No, as soon as An Yunseung heard that I was unfamiliar with these outings, he was so surprised that he volunteered to be my guide himself.
And that came with a plan that was 3 pages long on A4 paper.
If I were to watch all the performances according to this guy's plan, it would take a whopping 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Even so, I feel a bit burdened to take up an A-rank hunter's precious time like this.
"But Yunseung, you… didn't you have any other raid schedules for today?"
I carefully asked the local of this planet, who had come running out barefoot.
Then, the hunter answered without even taking a breath.
"Ah, don't worry about that! I took a day off as soon as I heard you were having trouble, Hyung-nim!"
A day off?
I don't know much about taking time off since I never had a proper vacation in my past life, but seeing him say it so brightly, it must be okay.
"Okay, I understand. Thanks."
If that's the case, then I shouldn't hold back either.
I started a pleasant tour with Yunseung's guidance.
First, the tanks with tropical fish that are commonly found in the media.
Next, the underwater tunnel, which is the shark's territory.
And after passing through the species that live attached to the bottom, like starfish, I finally arrived at this glass wall.
"Wow~ Jellyfish."
As you might know from my frequent related remarks, mammals weren't exactly an evolved species in my home planet, Alpha Uri.
And the variety wasn't as diverse as it is here.
To put it simply, the relationship between mammals and me was like the difference between Earthlings and those fish.
"So, aquariums are really just places where animals are kept alive and put on display."
"Well, yes?"
Then, what species did the Alpha Uri people originate from?
The answer to that could be found in the tank right in front of me.
'My ancestors…'
Flutter, flutter.
I was lost in a strange feeling as I watched the jellyfish swaying and moving in the huge tank.
Marine creatures with gelatinous bodies.
That's right.
In fact, if we were to trace our roots, we would have come from the phylum Cnidaria…
'No matter how I look at it, this looks too much like our ancestors.'
There are many taxonomic differences between Earth and Alpha Uri, so in a way, we might have to consider the phylum Mollusca, like octopuses, as our origin.
Moreover, modern Alpha Uri people have many structures that they cannot naturally have due to various body modifications, so this analogy itself is highly likely to be meaningless.
'Anyway, as I see it, my ancestors seem to be either jellyfish or octopuses.'
I thought as I looked at the tank filled with primitive forms of life.
But how can Earthlings be so cold-blooded?
It wasn't that keeping creatures in cages and observing them didn't exist in my home planet.
But that was something that scholars like me did for research purposes, and honestly, there were hardly any cases where life was publicly displayed as a playground for citizens.
'If you keep marine life in such cramped places, they're highly likely to develop mental illnesses.'
Swish.
'But to have a whole family hold hands and laugh while looking at that…?'
When I turned my head, I saw a young child smiling brightly in front of the beluga tank nearby.
Her family was taking pictures of their offspring with the same bright smiles.
This heartwarming scene seemed somewhat frightening to a certain tentacled creature.
That's how bizarre zoos and aquariums felt to an Alpha Uri person.
'They're like scary aliens.'
But anyway, all of this was the sightseeing that I wanted.
Maple-colored fish.
Convict Blennies. Water horses. Even reptiles with regular, bumpy shells.
The life forms I encountered after crossing the distant universe felt like a fantasy to a stranger.
It was mysterious.
Even though I had run away for a bad reason, seeing this scenery as a result of my reincarnation made me feel new emotions.
'It's a wonderful planet.'
Due to my innate scholarly nature, my mind was gradually changing.
'If I die without knowing all these places, I think I'll regret it.'
Unlike the past when I thought it was okay to die anytime, I have now become a little attached to life.
At the very least, I'd like to look around this land called Earth to some extent before I die.
I wonder if I'll be able to achieve all that I wish for in this life.
"Anyway, thanks for making time for me today."
I finished my thoughts and said to Yunseung.
"As I said on the phone, I've never been to a place like this in my life."
"You said you've never been once."
"And the reservation. I really had no idea how to do it on my own."
When An Yunseung heard that, he burst into laughter, which was rare.
"I feel surprised every time you say you can't do something, Giryeo Hyung."
"Why?"
"Well, you're so amazing usually! I get the feeling that you can do anything."
"....."
"Anyway, I'm personally very happy that the day has come for me to help Hyung-nim like this. So, please don't worry about me!"
Following that, the kind alien cheerfully pointed the way with a smiling face.
"Well, should I continue the tour? I think the next area is the prairie dogs!"
And so, we moved to the new abode of the beast.
"But I've been wondering since I was little, why are prairie dogs in an aquarium?"
"They stand on two feet."
"What's the connection with water…?"
Click.
While An Yunseung took out his phone to take a picture of the animal in front of him.
I turned my head for a moment to look around.
For some reason, there were far fewer visitors than I had expected.
'At this rate, isn't this almost like renting the whole place?'
Thanks to that, even the famous An Yunseung and I could enjoy a peaceful day without any problems.
It's an anticlimactic ending considering how nervous I was since yesterday.
There were so few people that there was almost no one but us in the habitat of this rodent called a prairie dog.
"Hmm?"
But at that moment.
I sensed the presence of someone new from afar, starting from the underwater tunnel.
'Awakened ones…'
To be precise, I sensed the mana within the bodies of awakened ones.
But it wasn't anything unusual.
Today is a weekday, not a holiday or anything. Therefore, most of the visitors would be people like hunters who have the freedom to adjust their work hours.
"Hmm."
But if there were a few noticeable things, it would be that the people approaching were of a different race than us.
Moreover, when I looked closely, they were quite high-ranked.
'B-rank and A-rank.'
To have so many awakened people gathered in one aquarium, I wouldn't even have to worry if a dungeon break happened right now.
"Yunseung-a, by the way, aren't you getting hungry?"
"Oh, don't tell me you came without eating lunch?"
"I did eat, but I'm a little hungry."
"Hah! Yes! Then, I'll take you to the dining area right away! By the way, there's a sea-themed cafe inside here…"
A sea-themed cafe?
'Why are there so many places called cafes on this damn planet?'
I turned my head back towards Yunseung and continued the conversation.
And I followed his lead.
As they say, "Even Mount Geumgang is best seen after a meal," so I thought I should fill up my energy so that I could continue the rest of the tour.
"Hmm."
But a few seconds later.
I slowly reduced my stride as I was walking.
"An Yunseung."
"Yes?"
"But suddenly, something I'm curious about came up."
"Yes, yes."
"Here… I mean, in Korea, using mental manipulation techniques like brainwashing on people is a serious crime, right?"
What followed was a rather sudden remark.
That's because until just now, Yunseung was only talking about peaceful topics, like how a certain beverage store puts dolphin-shaped straws in their drinks.
"I know it's a serious crime, but how do they catch the person who used the skill?"
"Uh, uh…"
"I mean, how do they prove the perpetrator?"
"I don't know much, but in the news before… I think it was in England? They said they somehow did it with Justitia?"
"Justitia?"
"It's the name of a dungeon item."
Click.
An Yunseung folded the aquarium guide he was holding and stopped in his tracks. And he asked with a puzzled face.
"But why are you asking about that all of a sudden, Hyung-nim?"
Why am I asking this? Well, it's because.
"I didn't want to ask it suddenly either."
"Yes?"
"But since earlier, those things using mental skills have been following us."
I said that and naturally grabbed the item box in my hand.
"It makes you wonder, just in case."
According to Kim Giryeo's brain, two awakened ones who feel somewhat Hispanic.
They had been steadily following us from the underwater tunnel where I first sensed their mana, all the way to here.
It would be nice if they were just following us because they were curious about a famous hunter, but unfortunately, their awakening power also puts them at the top of the pyramid.
'It doesn't seem like those kinds of people would be stalking someone just to get an autograph.'
I grasped the situation and told a certain defense-type hunter in the quietest voice possible.
"An Yunseung, listen to me carefully from now on. If you have an item box with you, grab your equipment at your fingertips."
And.
"If necessary, use the 『Shield of Protection』 to block that tunnel…"
It was a fleeting moment.
Just as we arrived at the huge central tank that was 8 meters high, I could hear the worrying sound that I had been dreading from behind.
━Clang! Clang, clang, clatter.
Someone who had been following me had noticed the anomaly and launched a preemptive attack.
"Take back what I just said. Just hold your breath and run!"
And it was in a way that Yunseung couldn't block.
Ch 190: Collapse （1）
Turning my head towards the sound, I saw a metallic cylinder with abstract patterns carved all over it, lying on its side.
And from the cylinder, a light bluish-green gas was constantly flowing out at a rapid rate.
Seriously, why are there so many crazy bastards in this country…
'No, on closer inspection, they're not Korean after all.'
Let me correct myself.
This planet seems to have an excessively high ratio of crazy people.
It was only three minutes ago that I thought Earth was wonderful, but now I'm already regretting my reincarnation.
I've been living quietly these days without bothering anyone, so why is it that only I have to face such trials?
'I just wanted to see the fish of Earth today.'
Yes. That's really all I wanted.
"What the hell is…!"
"Never mind that, run! Hurry!"
Unfortunately, An Yunseung's barrier is still in its primitive stage and cannot filter out harmful gases.
But perhaps because this isn't the first or second time I've experienced a sudden attack, my composure was automatically maintained.
I pulled An Yunseung's shoulder and shouted, telling him to hold his breath as much as possible and get out of this place.
However, it seems that even that simple struggle is not going to be easy.
'Damn it!'
In movies, the villains ramble on and give you time, but…
These guys who suddenly appeared rushed in with a professional attitude.
◈◈◈
Blink.
The eyes of someone with dark eyeholes blink in sequence.
Female and male.
They were awakened errand runners who had been working as a team for a while.
The word "errand" usually brings to mind trivial tasks like grocery shopping, but the work they did was much broader and deeper.
Background checks. Intimidation. Retaliation.
Among them, the job that paid the most was, of course, the one that risked their lives.
The seniors in this industry used to use tools like guns and knives to do their jobs, which always made the cleanup troublesome, but in today's modern society, a more sophisticated method of killing has emerged.
Awakened abilities.
That's what brought change to the market they were in.
『me: You're really asking us to do this job with these conditions?』
『Client: Yes.』
Anyway, this request is still very unique even after thinking about it again.
This hunter duo, also known as 'Alai', had recently received a request from a Korean.
The content was to harm Kim Giryeo, a top-tier hunter.
"Even so, an S-rank is a bit…"
They were originally going to refuse the mission.
But what do you know? The Korean client readily sent them an interesting contract shortly after.
It wasn't exactly to kill Kim Giryeo.
Just touch him lightly with your abilities and get out, OK.
Escape is allowed.
But if they fulfilled the request, they would receive an enormous reward in full.
Reward.
Yes. In the end, the reward that the Korean offered was what stimulated the foreign errand runners.
About 670,000 euros in cryptocurrency.
That's a whopping 1 billion won in Korean currency.
If they could get that just for the "challenge," there was no one who wouldn't consider it.
These days, the errand business isn't exactly booming either.
Unless it's a case with high legal risks like murder, requests that could earn them a large sum of 1 billion won are quite rare.
Besides, if it weren't for the uniqueness of the target being an S-rank, the seniors would have taken this job and they wouldn't have even gotten a glimpse of it.
'When you think about it, it's a pretty good deal.'
Team Alai exchanged a few more messages with the client after that.
Through this, they finally decided to accept the request.
Even if they assumed the worst-case scenario of failing the mission, South Korea has low legal penalties for random assaults, so there were safety nets in place one way or another.
"With that money, I can buy the building I've been eyeing."
Some people call awakening a blessing.
But these two awakened ones called Alai didn't particularly like the fact that they had gained magic.
They had a unique condition. While their skill usage was fine, they had a major problem with their immune system.
The mana in their bodies wouldn't coalesce.
So, unlike other awakened ones, their bodies weren't strong. And to make matters worse, the magic they awakened was the power to mess with the minds of living things.
They weren't born overwhelmingly powerful like an S-rank, so they couldn't kill monsters with their skills.
Therefore, they couldn't become hunters.
Then why not make money doing something else?
What nonsense. The country they were born in had a harsh view of those with supernatural powers and even imposed regulations like awakened identification tags. They were now in a situation where they couldn't even do ordinary labor.
Wherever they went, they were glared at like leashed beasts, and ordinary people told them not to even dream of taking their jobs and to just go to the dungeons. What a life of rejection.
"Let's take the request."
They eventually fell into illegality.
At first, it was to make a living.
They crossed the sea and mountains, abandoned their hometowns, and made money as illegal immigrants before settling in Spain.
Later, they laundered their identities and tidied up their appearances, so they no longer needed to cling to errand jobs.
Now, they weren't satisfied with the income they could get from ordinary jobs.
Ten million won, a hundred million, a billion.
They hadn't made any special effort, but their awakened abilities were like a magic jar that constantly generated money.
They now quite liked this industry.
They didn't care that their actions were worsening the perception of awakened ones. In a way, people like Go Byeongdo of the Hunter Association, who had a hatred for supernatural powers, were all caused by people like them.
The sudden arrival of the magic era, coupled with capitalist society, had caused many problems.
So…
◈◈◈
Team Alai accepts the mysterious request to mess with an S-rank hunter.
But why did these two, who had similar builds like a pair of wings, target today?
It was because it was easy to escape.
According to their prior investigation, the skinhead man over there was Kim Giryeo's closest acquaintance.
'A sudden aquarium visit in the middle of a weekday. How unusual.'
Their work requires a certain amount of time.
Therefore, what Alai had been monitoring was not Kim Giryeo, but An Yunseung.
The two errand runners had put their heads together to figure out a way to tie up Kim Giryeo's feet.
'Can we really do this?'
'Don't worry. Trust me.'
Whooosh.
In the space where the mysterious gas burst out.
The female worker with curly hair jumps forward first. It's a provocative choice for an awakened one with a weak body due to a medical condition.
But everything has a cause and effect.
"Ugh!"
As she rushed in, An Yunseung, who was trying to escape, hurriedly turned his body to avoid being grabbed from behind.
This was what the worker was aiming for.
The foreign awakened one pretended to attack the opponent's lower body, and when his shield was facing downwards, she quickly scattered something hidden in her hand.
Unidentifiable silver particles.
It was none other than the powdered dust from the 『Screaming Stake』 dagger. They had ground the pain-inducing part of the unique-grade item into powder and thrown it at their opponent.
"Aaaaaaak!"
"Yunseung-a!"
Then a scream bursts out.
In addition, the several cylinders that Alai had thrown before entering were state-altering items, each with its own effect.
Sleep. Paralysis.
Confusion. Blindness.
This was the second lubrication method that even the torturers of the Nacha Temple had not been able to discover.
In fact, the awakened ones in this world tended to have a sharp drop in their state-altering resistance when they were exposed to several negative effects at the same time.
"Ugh, ugh…?!"
Soon, the Korean hunter named An Yunseung slowly drops to one knee.
Mental attacks like this were a threatening force.
Even if he was a defense-type hunter and had a tougher body than others, if you could break him down just once through a side path, he could be easily subdued.
'Got it.'
As soon as An Yunseung became incapacitated, the person who had been hiding behind started to close the distance.
The male member of this foreign awakened team had a unique ability.
He could push others into a world of illusion, tormenting them as much as he wanted as if they were trapped in a lucid dream.
[Invitation of Dreams]
That was what the supernatural power was called in this place.
No matter how strong the opponent was in reality, once they entered that fictitious space, it was over.
He was like a god in the mental world he had created with his magic.
'It's impossible to kill him through shock, but I can probably knock him out with a high probability.'
The unnamed man pours mana towards his target.
The target is the blonde Korean.
Even now, An Yunseung is being constantly threatened by his companion, so the fourth S-rank of Korea won't be able to run away, worried about his close acquaintance.
Then, all they had to do was pretend to fight and increase the exposure time to the state-altering cylinders.
That was the plan to break down the S-rank's resistance.
'Huh?'
What the hell is going on?
The moment he made eye contact with the blonde man, the sorcerer who activated his skill felt a dizzying sensation as if his consciousness was being sucked into somewhere.
Surprisingly, the mental intrusion had succeeded in just a few seconds.
As if he had attacked a weakling of F-rank!
◈◈◈
A white space with nothing in it.
The awakened one, whom we'll call Errand Runner 2 for convenience, is certain of his victory the moment he sees this pure white blank space.
As I said just now, abilities in the real world don't matter much here.
Even if his rank was very low, he could trample an S-rank hunter as much as he wanted here.
"....."
The blonde Korean was silently looking around, perhaps in a state of confusion.
"Are you confused?"
At that moment, the foreign awakened one spoke his first words to his target.
"There's plenty of time here anyway, so let's talk."
"....."
"Actually, it's my first time facing an S-rank, so I'm a bit curious. About various topics."
"....."
"If you answer well, I might even tell you in advance what you'll be going through."
Anyway, this request was half out of curiosity, but it's a letdown.
I was so nervous because he was an S-rank hunter, but what is this? I succeeded in mental intrusion right away without any resistance.
How can the mind of a top-tier awakened one be so weak? If S-ranks were just beings of this level, maybe I should be more proactive in accepting related requests in the future?
And someday, when I've saved up a lot of money, I'll build a building in Hawaii and enjoy a leisurely retirement.
"Why aren't you saying anything? You can hear me, right?"
The two were clearly of different nationalities, but strangely, Giryeo could hear the other's language in Korean.
Neither of them was wearing a Pixy translator.
The fourth S-rank hunter of Korea stared intently at the Hispanic who was leading the conversation, and Alai's sorcerer shrugged his shoulders at the gaze.
"It feels strange, right? I don't know what your awakened ability is, but you won't be able to use it here. Well, because… I don't want it."
The blonde replies.
"Is that so?"
It was a rather short and concise word.
"That's right. Everything here is as I imagine it. I'm an S-rank hunter, a superhero, and you're a powerless ordinary person in here."
And at this moment.
Suddenly, a blue water droplet, the same as the ones he saw in the aquarium, bursts out in the pure white space.
With this, the foreign awakened one proved that he could create something from nothing.
"So be careful with your words… No, you can even resist as much as you want. It'll be more fun! An S-rank's struggle."
The errand runner maintains a rather arrogant attitude, unlike his timid appearance outside.
It couldn't be helped.
If this awakened ability worked properly, any being would quickly kneel before him.
It was a powerful force that could dominate anyone as long as they passed the first hurdle.
Now, all they had to do was mentally torture the S-rank hunter in front of him until he passed out, and then escape with his partner to complete the mission.
Thud.
He snapped his fingers and created a torrent of water that poured down on someone's head.
…But the reaction was a bit strange.
The blonde man didn't react at all, even though the water was pouring down on his head.
That is, he was really just staring at him without even blinking an eyelid.
"...?"
After waiting a few more seconds, something unimaginable happened.
The man who had been watching him all along suddenly changed his demeanor.
His mouth was open and his eyes were closed. It was as if something that was only human on the outside was imitating the expression of a smile.
"Thank you."
The following words were also very strange.
"Huh?"
"You really use magic in a thoughtless way. This is a skill that pulls a specific target into your mind. Not a meeting in some unknown third world."
"What the…"
"Phew. Honestly, I was terrified when I was attacked, but how could it be that an awakened one like you came as an assassin?"
"....."
"Do you still not understand what I'm saying?"
It feels somehow unpleasant.
The foreign awakened one felt an unknown discomfort in the other's voice and frowned without realizing it.
But Kim Giryeo's expression remained the same.
"You, the landlord, just flung open the front door and called someone in."
Drip. Drip.
Even though the water droplets that fell from his hair swept over his crystalline lens, he kept his smile without any change.