#30
It wasn’t an object imbued with any special ability.
Although Seo Yi-young had simply brought it with him, there were no special restrictions from the security team.
He also checked with other hunters who participated in the conquest to see if it was something they had dropped, but they all shook their heads.
Wondering why such items were inside the dungeon, he searched on YouTube, but there were no related stories. He casually asked other hunters too, but they just said they’d seen such things occasionally and didn’t seem particularly interested.
Perhaps Seo Yi-young had assigned meaning to it unnecessarily.
Anyway, he left home today, wishing for a safe return from the dungeon conquest.
The dungeon they were entering today was classified as S-Class by the first preliminary investigation team. As a result, the hunters entering the dungeon were also high-ranked, and Choi Do-jun was among them.
This was the first time meeting Choi Do-jun since that day.
Seo Yi-young had repeatedly resolved to remain unmoved and ignore Choi Do-jun if he saw him, to treat him completely professionally. After all, what happened is something only Choi Do-jun and Seo Yi-young know about. There’s no need to show any reaction.
Should I have reported it after all?
…No.
S-Class hunters are rare not only at the national level but globally, so they reign as supralegal entities. Especially someone like Choi Do-jun, who is unrivaled in combat ability, would face no consequences whatsoever.
In such cases, it’s only Seo Yi-young’s position that becomes awkward.
Seo Yi-young took a deep breath.
He has to endure and move on.
If Choi Do-jun has any sense, he won’t bother him.
—or so he thought.
There was one fact he overlooked.
The fact that Choi Do-jun follows his own way without giving a damn.
Seo Yi-young, who had arrived first and was guarding the waiting room, couldn’t help but be shocked at Choi Do-jun approaching him as soon as he spotted him. What kind of nerve does he have?
As Choi Do-jun came closer, Seo Yi-young’s expression stiffened.
‘Mm, mmm… ah. Haa.’
‘Yes, good… you’re doing well.’
The embarrassing acts they committed in the car flashed through his mind. Choi Do-jun’s thrusting hips, his hot and rough breathing, their skin slippery with sweat, and even their mingled scents—all of it.
Who turned on the heating? It suddenly got too hot.
“…”
This was the first time meeting him after fleeing like that. In this unexpected encounter, he was confused about what expression to make and what to say first.
Choi Do-jun was behaving exactly as he normally did. That’s probably for the best. If both of them keep quiet, no one would know what happened, so openly ignoring Choi Do-jun wouldn’t be a good choice either. There’s no need to act awkwardly in a way that would raise suspicions. With this decision, Seo Yi-young’s agitation quickly subsided.
“There’s an interesting rumor going around lately.”
Seo Yi-young’s eyebrow twitched. They say rumors reach the person involved last, don’t they? He didn’t know what kind of story was circulating, but it wouldn’t be good. Because he couldn’t imagine that Choi Do-jun had approached and spoken to him deliberately to share good news.
“They say you’re acting like a beginner who just awakened.”
See there. As expected.
It was within the range of his predictions.
But what does “like a beginner who just awakened” mean?
“They say you use your ability to the point of needing mana potions.”
Choi Do-jun immediately clarified that doubt as well.
Seo Yi-young wondered if that was meant to be an insult. Is it strange to use abilities to that extent? What’s wrong with using abilities that are available?
“The story is that you’ve been using your ability to the point where your mana is depleted and you have to drink potions. Doesn’t that make you think you should first check your own inefficient usage?”
The waiting room fell silent.
While none of the hunters in the waiting room had the guts to openly stare at them, he could tell that everyone’s attention was focused on them. Seo Yi-young frowned. He couldn’t read the intention behind these words.
Was he simply trying to pick a fight? Seo Yi-young had intended to ignore whatever Choi Do-jun said, but this was different.
“What are you talking about? It’s fine since I recover after drinking the potion.”
“What if you, with healing abilities, use up the potions that other hunters without healing abilities need? Don’t let strange rumors spread. Don’t forget that the title ‘Korean S-Class Hunter’ is attached to your name.”
He wasn’t simply nitpicking. So, it seemed that Choi Do-jun was displeased with Seo Yi-young’s excessive use of his ability. It felt a bit unfair. Of course, he had used potions, but wasn’t that unavoidable? After all, if his strength recovers, they can complete the conquest faster.
It’s true that Seo Yi-young had used his ability to save hunters who were on the brink of death or heal injured hunters, contributing to the conquest, but it was also true that he was using it excessively. If he had been more careful in using his ability, he could have completed the conquest without using potions. In other words, Choi Do-jun was reprimanding him not to waste potions that other hunters, who have to rely on them, would use.
It was frustrating, but what Choi Do-jun said was right.
Seo Yi-young nodded.
“Alright. I’ll be careful.”
When Seo Yi-young answered honestly, Choi Do-jun raised one eyebrow and didn’t say anything more. Seo Yi-young had expected more malicious words, so it was unexpected. Or perhaps Choi Do-jun was also conscious of others’ eyes.
Anyway, it was good for Seo Yi-young that he stopped there.
Preliminary investigation team 2 returned.
This was a new-type dungeon, and the mobs were said to be toy-shaped. Fortunately, they should have an appearance that doesn’t cause much revulsion when dealing with them.
Indeed, the probability of new-type dungeons occurring was higher than original ones. The fortunate thing was that it was roughly predictable where dungeons would appear. It’s said that in the days when dungeon appearances were unpredictable, there were many civilian casualties, but now the accuracy of predictions has significantly improved. In areas where dungeon emergence alerts were issued, all civilians in the vicinity could be evacuated for a certain period, miraculously reducing damage.
This too was the work of a subsidiary of White, where Jo Tae-su served as the head.
One way or another, Jo Tae-su’s influence now was more, not less, than in the previous dimension.
When the time came, they entered the dungeon.
Whenever he enters a dungeon with Choi Do-jun, he always ends up admiring his abilities.
The more he sees, the more he realizes. He can feel it better now than at first.
That he’s progressing through the conquest with minimal movement for maximum impact.
As he had thought several times before, wouldn’t someone at that level be able to enter and conquer dungeons alone?
It would definitely be possible. But the Korean Hunter Association wouldn’t just let that happen. They would surely oppose and rise up against it. If they allowed Choi Do-jun, an S-Class hunter operating without a special affiliated agency, to enter dungeon conquests alone, others would certainly protest. Even now, they’re sending in hunters from different affiliations to distribute NEO-CORE.
The hunters deployed to dungeons are also the result of fierce discussions from each agency about how many from which affiliation should enter. As they say, it’s no different from a company. A company focused on making profits. The only difference is that the business isn’t goods but hunters.
How nice it would be if they could unite their strength and act for the safety and peace of the citizens.
But worldly affairs don’t always go so smoothly.
It’s determined in minute detail through intense coordination, to the point where one might think, “All this for this?”
Of course, the purpose is for maximum profit.
For corporations, dungeons are just a new market. After all, the humans at the very top don’t get hurt. In new territories, planting your flag first and claiming it as your domain is paramount. For that, the lives of hunters working on-site were not much of a consideration.
Of course, S-Class hunters like Seo Yi-young were exceptions.
“Aagh!”
Seo Yi-young rushed to a rear support hunter who had been attacked by a mob while moving carelessly and collapsed with a bleeding arm. The mob that attacked the hunter was dealt with without much difficulty by another combat hunter.
Generally, if injured in a dungeon without a healer, one would take painkillers, use bandages to stop bleeding, or use potions. He knows that this level of injury won’t be fatal. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. He couldn’t just stand by when he could make it stop hurting. Seo Yi-young couldn’t bear to watch.
He immediately treated the support hunter’s injury.
The wound healed instantly.
After receiving thanks from the injured hunter, they moved forward again.
It was no different from what happened in other dungeons.
He deals with mobs at the forefront, but he also doesn’t lose sight of what’s happening in the rear. That’s how Seo Yi-young had seen Choi Do-jun.
Before entering the dungeon, he had received advice from Choi Do-jun. Don’t treat injuries in situations where you don’t need to use your ability. Seo Yi-young had promised to be careful, but then ignored his advice and used his ability. His attention was drawn to Choi Do-jun, who had taken a position alone elsewhere.
He must know this fact, yet he didn’t say a word.
Seventeen hours had passed since they entered the dungeon, where a blazing sun hung in the sky as if time had stopped, not moving anywhere. The party barely found a decent spot and decided to camp out. After setting up and finishing their meal, they fell asleep one by one.
Seo Yi-young was also one of those who lay down, but after lying still with his eyes closed, he tossed and turned, lying on his side. He was tired but couldn’t fall asleep. This was despite having brought a sleep mask thanks to preliminary investigation team 2.
“…”
Choi Do-jun definitely knows what he did.
So why isn’t he saying anything?
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
