Chapter 30

▶ Chapter 30. Not a Battle, but a Walk (1)

+ Chapter 10. Not a Battle, but a Walk

As promised before, when I visited Wish Guild, Han Yonghwan first fed me a home-cooked meal.

Delicious.

Afterward, we moved to a meeting room.

“First, I’ll tell you who will receive the Rank 7 Sudden Gate Alarm skill. It will be the second brother, Han Junggeun.”

“I’m a crafter class, so my physical stats aren’t very good. My level is also the lowest among the three of us, so it would take me a long time to reach Level 50.”

Han Dongju explained his own situation, then pointed at Han Yonghwan.

“Our oldest brother has the highest level among us, but he’s the guild master, so he has a lot of work. He’s also a healer, meaning even if he reaches a gate quickly, he can’t eliminate the monsters himself.”

“I have very high physical stats. I can reach gates quickly, and since I’m a swordsman, I can immediately eliminate monsters after entering. I’m the most suitable person.”

Han Junggeun spoke in his usual heavy tone.

I nodded to show that I understood.

“We decided the order for the bonus experience targets like this.”

Han Yonghwan showed me a PPT screen.

, When HunterAnham reaches Level 10 = Han Junggeun

, When HunterAnham reaches Level 15 = Han Dongju

, When HunterAnham reaches Level 20 = Han Yonghwan

“Normally, gates are cleared in parties. Party members with similar levels create the best synergy. We chose this order so that the three of us can keep our levels relatively close. Junggeun, who needs to reach Level 50, comes first. Dongju, who currently has the lowest level, is second. Then I, with the highest level, come last.”

“Yes. That makes sense too.”

“For now, we decided that Junggeun and Dongju should aim for Level 30. That’s when they’ll gain new skills.”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll explain the most urgent matter, HunterAnham’s leveling process.”

The screen changed.

Ⅰ. HunterAnham Leveling

└ 1. Candidate gates for reaching Level 10 as quickly and efficiently as possible

└ 2. Level 11 to 15....

└ 3. Level 15 to 20....

I had never even stepped inside a university, but somehow reading this PPT felt like reading a research paper.

Han Yonghwan actually began explaining the information about every single gate candidate one by one.

....He really is thorough.

I was impressed.

But honestly,

I, I’m sleepy....

Thankfully, I was using the meal mode that made me look like an upside-down fork.

Nobody could see me yawning.

But I’m seriously sleepy.... If I doze off, they’ll notice.... Maybe it’s because I ate so much? That food really was delicious....

“HunterAnham.”

“Y, yes?”

“Stop thinking about other things and concentrate.”

“....Yes.”

“And don’t fall asleep.”

“....Yes.”

Beside me, Han Dongju snickered.

So annoying!

I had already been planning revenge on him.

When Han Yonghwan turned around to change the PPT slide, I threw the pen Han Dongju had given me for taking notes straight at his back.

Han Dongju was a crafter with low physical stats, but because of his level, he was still much better than me.

He easily caught the pen between his thumb and middle finger, then openly smirked at me.

That annoyed me a little.

“Han Dongju.”

“Yeah?”

“Go outside.”

“Yes....”

After driving Han Dongju out, Han Yonghwan looked at me with slightly cold eyes.

“Please concentrate.”

“Yes....”

The PPT finally ended thirty minutes later.

“We prepared a printed version so you can read it when you return home.”

He handed me a thick file.

“Memorize all of it.”

“....”

“All of it.”

“....Yes.”

I almost asked, Will there be a test too?

But if I asked that, I felt like he might actually give me one, so I firmly kept my mouth shut.

“Would you like to head to the gate immediately, or go another time?”

I honestly felt as exhausted as if I had just worked overtime.

But,

For an early retirement!

“Let’s go now.”

“Then let’s leave. Would you like to travel by car to save stamina?”

“Yes, sounds good.”

I followed Han Yonghwan and Han Dongju.

When we took the executive elevator to the underground parking lot, Han Junggeun appeared in a car.

It was a fairly large SUV, so even with all four of us inside, there was plenty of room.

It had been modified, and the seats were soft like sofas.

“Comfortable, right?”

Han Dongju asked with a grin.

“Yes.”

“These seats were specially made so you can sleep comfortably during travel. They can even lie completely flat. Try pressing that button.”

“Yes. It really does go completely flat!”

“It should take around thirty minutes, so you can sleep. Dongju, give her a blanket.”

Han Yonghwan spoke from the passenger seat.

Han Dongju took a blanket from a box underneath the seat and covered me with it.

It was fluffy and extremely soft.

Maybe studying with that PPT made me sleepy....

I fell asleep immediately.

Then I had a dream.

Lu was far away, saying something to me.

, Raise.... level....

, Huh?

, Master, you’re strong, so your pet’s special skill activated at Level 10. The second one is much weaker than you, so the pet won’t gain its special skill until Level 33.

, What are you saying? I can’t hear you!

Lu shouted with all his strength.

, First, raise the second one to Level 33! The pet won’t get its special skill otherwise!

, What?

, Thirty-three! Special skill!

“Special what....”

“HunterAnham?”

My eyes snapped open.

Han Dongju was sitting beside me.

His expression was serious.

“What kind of dream were you having?”

I thought hard.

“Someone familiar was telling me something.... I don’t remember it clearly.”

“Hmm. Do you remember whether it was a nightmare?”

“It wasn’t a nightmare. It was a good dream.”

“That’s a relief. It’s rare, but SSS-rank hunters can sometimes foresee dangers inside gates through dreams.”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

“There are no SSS-rank hunters in our country, so it isn’t widely known here.”

“It may be good for you to meet an overseas SSS-rank hunter once. We’re only SS-rank, so we don’t know much about things unique to SSS-rank hunters.”

Han Yonghwan was the one who said that.

“Hmm, okay.”

“I’ll make a list of SSS-rank hunters who are safe for you to meet.”

He would probably put it in another PPT and make me memorize the entire thing.

“Hunter Han Yonghwan, just choose someone and tell me....”

“All right.”

Han Dongju seemed to understand why I answered so gloomily, because he started snickering again.

He was really annoying.

“We arrived, right?”

“Yes. We cleared people away from the area, but just in case, would you like to use Stealth until we enter?”

“I will.”

We had come to a permanent Rank 7 gate at Giheung Lake.

It was managed by Wish Guild.

Although it was officially Rank 7, its difficulty was said to be closer to Rank 6.

That was why the three SS-rank brothers regularly came here to level up.

Today, I planned to take the experience points.

Honestly, all three brothers didn’t need to come.

They said they wanted to see how I fought.

There won’t be much to see.

I killed everything in one hit anyway.

[Notification: You have entered the Crayfish Den, Rank 7, Permanent Gate.]

[Mission: You may choose one of the following two options.

(1) Eliminate all monsters, including the boss.

If you wish to face the boss, eliminate every normal monster, then shout, “Permanent Gate Boss Appear.”

In this case, the gate will disappear permanently.

(2) Eliminate every normal monster except the boss.

In this case, normal monsters will respawn 35 days after the final monster is eliminated.

After eliminating them all, shout, “Complete As Is,” and your mission contribution will be calculated. You will then return to the original world.]

[Time Limit: Within 35 days of the gate’s creation

Reward: Determined according to contribution.]

[People inside the gate are recognized as members of the same party, so attack skills will not cause damage to one another.]

“Hunter Han Dongju.”

Han Yonghwan and Han Junggeun had entered behind us, but I spoke to Han Dongju.

“Yes?”

“Want to bet on how many minutes I’ll take to finish this?”

“Sure.... Ah, no.”

Han Dongju immediately changed his answer.

Han Yonghwan was glaring coldly at him.

“Under no circumstances should you gamble inside a gate.”

“....Yes.”

“You still seem to know very little about the hunter world. I’ll prepare separate study materials for you.”

This time, he genuinely looked ready to make me memorize everything and even take an exam.

“....Yes.”

Crying internally, I first took Twelve out of my inventory.

Then,

≪Destruction≫

I eliminated the approaching crayfish one by one.

Naturally, there was absolutely no tension.

“Quack!”

Twelve openly spoke now that nobody else was around.

“You think they look delicious?”

“Quack.”

“Now that I think about it, I’ve never eaten crayfish.”

“Quack!”

“Crayfish are small, so there probably isn’t much to eat. Let’s try lobster instead. They’re big. Expensive too.”

“Quack, quack!”

“Yeah, sure. We’ll definitely eat some next time.”

As I chatted with Twelve between uses of Destruction,

“....One hit.”

“Seriously, one hit.”

“Even if these guys are weak for Rank 7, wow....”

The three brothers were beyond impressed.

They were shocked.