#88
“Huh?”
“Ability?”
The atmosphere stirred as if disturbed by Daniel’s words.
“Daniel, what grade is the item you’re wearing?”
Everyone quieted at Choi Do-jun’s voice. Daniel closed his mouth for a moment before answering softly.
“S-Class attribute-specialized armor.”
Many hunters stirred at his answer. S-Class items were difficult to obtain, so even S-Class hunters sometimes didn’t have them. Yet this acid was strong enough to melt even S-Class armor. At this rate, it was as good as having no protection at all.
“But what were you talking about that made you use your ability?”
“Hmm? Oh, that.”
When someone asked, Daniel and Tony came to their senses and answered.
“Well, using abilities seems to have become a bit strange.”
“Become strange?”
“What do you mean? What’s strange about it?”
“Argh, I can’t explain it well, so just try using your abilities yourselves.”
As Tony spoke with a frown, the hunters around him also frowned and muttered.
“You could just explain… …Huh?”
“What? What is it? Ugh…!”
One or two hunters who actually tried using their abilities made surprised noises. Among them, Kim Sung-hyun’s test shockwave flew toward Choi Sung-woo’s face. Though he barely avoided it, Choi Sung-woo, who had received this bolt from the blue, shouted at Kim Sung-hyun with an agitated face.
“You crazy bastard!”
“No, that’s not it! It’s fine when moving, but when trying to use abilities, they go in the opposite direction. It wasn’t on purpose! Are you okay?”
Kim Sung-hyun spoke quickly in confusion, and Choi Sung-woo frowned.
“You’re saying abilities move in the opposite direction when used?”
The noisy sounds quickly diminished at Choi Sung-woo’s voice.
“What is this?”
“Why? What’s going on… huh?”
“Why is this happening? Is it a debuff? Nothing shows up on the status window.”
“It’s not a debuff, there must be something strange about this place. You know, when we came in earlier.”
“…Ah, damn…”
Just as the murmuring sounds were gradually getting louder, the sound of water came from the direction of the lake. A jet of water shot like a cannon toward the hunters.
“This little thing, huh? Ah! Shit…!”
“Hey, you crazy bastard, don’t use abilities!”
“Shit! It can detect from this far away?”
Hunters who had been testing their abilities immediately stopped.
It was chaotic, but befitting S-Class hunters, they barely avoided casualties with their superior physical abilities. Though splashed water droplets damaged their armor and caused injuries, they could be quickly healed with Seo Yi-young’s ability. As a result, it wasn’t life-threatening, but the facts that armor was useless and abilities couldn’t be used as intended were enough to instill fear. It was understandable, as it was essentially the same as having the abilities they used freely like their own bodies completely sealed off.
While everyone maintained silence, someone opened their mouth.
“What’s with Hunter Seo? Hunter Seo just used his ability, didn’t he?”
Everyone’s gaze converged on Seo Yi-young. Indeed, that was true. Seo Yi-young hadn’t felt anything unusual when using his ability earlier. The exact reason was unknown, but it was just like normal. And Seo Yi-young wasn’t the only one who had used his ability. Seo Yi-young looked toward Choi Do-jun.
“Choi Do-jun, what about you?”
At Seo Yi-young’s question, Choi Do-jun silently stared at him. But only for a moment. Choi Do-jun took his gaze away from Seo Yi-young’s eyes and opened his mouth.
“So the only useful hunters on site right now are me and Seo Yi-young.”
“Aren’t you the same as us?”
“I think it’s been sufficiently proven by my use of abilities earlier.”
Choi Do-jun’s words were certainly right. It’s a waste of time to question the causes or reasons for what happens inside a dungeon. After all, dungeons are places where the standards and common sense of reality can’t be applied.
No one raised any objections to Choi Do-jun’s words.
“Shall we go then, Seo Yi-young?”
At Choi Do-jun’s words, Seo Yi-young looked around. It seemed no one had any objections to Choi Do-jun’s words.
“Wait. If you take away the only healer, what about the remaining hunters? It’s obvious the conquest difficulty will increase without Hunter Seo. Will you take responsibility for that?”
No, there was one. It was Lee Chung-mo.
With some kind of grudge, he expressed his opposition as if ready to pounce. Though some hunters shook their heads, thinking Lee Chung-mo’s words were just nitpicking, others suddenly agreed with his opinion, like dropping paint into water.
“That’s right. The dungeon conquest is important now, but this might not be the end. Leave Hunter Seo behind.”
“…Right. Can’t Hunter Choi Do-jun manage on his own?”
“If you can use your abilities, you should be able to manage without Hunter Seo.”
“Aren’t you just trying to find a way to survive on your own, cowardly?”
…It’s getting ridiculous.
The conversation had escalated to a level where it was hard to listen any further. Who’s the coward here? These selfish bastards. They were treating Seo Yi-young like some novel item.
Of course, taking care of one’s own interests is one’s own business. For S-Class hunters, it’s obvious that waiting for someone else to look after you would yield nothing. But to show such selfishness even during a disaster-class dungeon conquest.
No, it might be precisely because it’s a disaster-class that they’re being more selfish. They’re in a situation where they could die if they make a mistake. One can’t blame them for being selfish when survival is at stake. But at the very least, causing team division like this wasn’t a good idea.
Just as Seo Yi-young was taking a breath to speak.
“Then tell me. Is there another method for dungeon conquest?”
Choi Do-jun was truly a fearsome guy.
There was no emotion in his voice. Even in this situation, what was felt from his voice wasn’t anger or mockery, but extreme calmness. When the objective and emotionless demand to suggest a method was dropped, everyone momentarily closed their mouths.
“If there’s a more efficient method than me and Hunter Seo Yi-young, who can properly use our abilities, going to conquer, suggest it.”
The hunters had nothing to say to Choi Do-jun, who was demanding opinions in an emotionless state. By now, they must know themselves. That their words were just unnecessary stubbornness and nitpicking.
“W-well, we should at least check if there’s a way back. There should be a way back other than that direction.”
Hearing this, it was truly nitpicking for the sake of nitpicking.
S-Class hunters with extensive dungeon conquest experience couldn’t possibly not know the current situation of the dungeon. There was only one path. Side paths to avoid or go around weren’t seen even in lower-grade dungeons. Despite this, raising this issue was intended to cause unnecessary waste of time.
“Alright.”
Contrary to Seo Yi-young’s expectation that he would mercilessly reject the proposal, Choi Do-jun accepted their suggestion. The hunters examined the area near the lake alongside Choi Do-jun. But after only going forward with the lake on their left, they ended up back where they started. This could only mean one thing.
They had to break through the acidic lake to get out. There was no other way.
Choi Do-jun couldn’t possibly not know this fact that even Seo Yi-young knew. The same was true for other S-Class hunters. Not choosing to pressure or embarrass them seemed to be a decision made because the dungeon conquest couldn’t proceed safely without them resolving the doubts they had expressed themselves. It was also a means of letting them confirm with their own eyes.
Everyone seemed to have realized why Choi Do-jun had gone to such lengths. No more complaints emerged. After a tumultuous affair, the hunters retreated to a place that felt like a barrier, where a strange sensation was felt. And the two, Choi Do-jun and Seo Yi-young, headed toward the lake.
Seo Yi-young softly asked him beside Choi Do-jun.
“Hey, I still think it would be good to have at least one combat hunter with us. Even if their powers work in reverse, couldn’t they help somehow?”
“That’s nonsense.”
Choi Do-jun cut him off sharply. Seo Yi-young swallowed his curse, wishing Choi Do-jun would treat him even half as well as he treated other hunters.
“It’s worse for skilled S-Class combat hunters. S-Class hunters move by instinct, not by thought. If they react as they’ve always done to mob attacks, they’re likely to die miserably. A hunter getting hit would just mean more work for you to deal with.”
He’s really merciless. Seo Yi-young inwardly clicked his tongue. But his cold judgment was correct. In urgent moments, reacting as before could lead to dangerous mob attacks.
“…But how come you’re in this place and the reverse effect doesn’t apply to you?”
Choi Do-jun didn’t answer Seo Yi-young’s question. Well, this was a problem that Choi Do-jun probably had no idea about either. Just as Seo Yi-young closed his mouth, thinking this wasn’t the time for such questions.
“I want to ask you something.”
“What?”
“How can you use your ability as usual?”
“Huh? Me?”
It was unexpected that he would ask such a question. Wouldn’t Choi Do-jun, like Seo Yi-young, not know the reason?
“It’s the same as you.”
“Me?”
“I don’t know the reason.”
Seo Yi-young answered with a shrug. The two had now reached the lake. It looked beautiful at a glance, but it was a terrifying acidic lake.
“…Are you confident?”
“Your words were wrong.”
“Huh? What?”
At the sudden remark, Seo Yi-young asked again.
That’s when Choi Do-jun’s hand glowed brightly. As he used his ability, the lake’s surface began to ripple as if responding, and then jets of water shot up from below. There weren’t just one, but dozens. It wouldn’t be easy to evade all of this while attacking. Above all, the target to attack wasn’t even clear.
“My ability was originally supposed to be used in reverse.”
“…What?”
“So now, for the first time since awakening, I’m using it the way it was meant to be.”
Choi Do-jun smiled.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
