The Way of Life for a Terminal S-Class Hunter - C10
$10
It was a typical reaction shown by hunters with little experience.
“Those kids are done for.”
Seo-heon clicked his tongue. I swallowed a sigh and raised my hand, drawing in the air.
[A-rank skill, Fire Wind is used. The wind becomes a shield to protect allies at your request.]
A shield made of fire wind appeared in front of each of the children. Unlike ordinary shields that block or deflect attacks, the shield using fire wind protected people by burning away all approaching threats. This could block most attacks from the giant centipede.
However, the panicked students, even upon seeing the shield, mistook it for the giant centipede’s attack and stepped back in surprise.
“I will block the giant centipede’s attacks for you. Please think slowly about how to handle it.”
I had no intention of dealing with it directly unless absolutely necessary. Although the giant centipede was a B-rank monster, if you found the right technique, even three C-rank hunters could catch it. Moreover, I didn’t want their first dungeon conquest to be remembered as a defeat.
The problem is they have no technique at all.
“Kind Baek Woo-hyun.”
Seo-heon muttered.
“You’re too kind. That’s why weird guys keep getting attracted to you.”
Seo-heon whispered while watching me control the fire with a slight eye movement.
The weirdest thing in my life is you. You kindly bad guy.
I only thought to myself. Until the day I die, I won’t show even a shred of my feelings to Seo-heon. I was prepared to hide all words that could be hints.
“You’re too unkind.”
“I’m kind to my people, aren’t I?”
Tragically, Seo-heon’s words were true.
“Hiyah!”
“How on earth can we inflict damage?”
Unlike us who were calm, the children were fighting desperately. Thanks to the shields, none of them had received additional injuries, but they were starting to pant due to excessive mana consumption.
“Observe where the centipede is trying to protect.”
I finally raised my voice to give advice. This advice didn’t have an immediate effect of the children finding the weakness at once, but the children who had been swinging their swords or using magic attacks randomly started to move while thinking. That was my purpose.
“It’s the mouth! After attacking with its legs, it always curls up to cover its mouth.”
That was correct. I took a breath, thinking there was at least one person with good observation skills. Watching the battle while protecting newly awakened children was more tiring than fighting directly myself.
“I’ll pierce it with my spear after you weaken it with magic attacks first.”
The children started to coordinate according to Kim Ji-soo’s instructions. It was a good sign that they were starting to work together on the spot. Higher-rank hunters tend to be more self-centered and find it difficult to cooperate, so it was admirable that they were taking the initiative to work as a team.
Luckily, a magic attack went in when the giant centipede’s mouth opened. Taking advantage of the stiffened mouth, a lightning-wrapped spear pierced the giant centipede, followed by various attacks. The centipede, which hadn’t budged before, flipped over in pain.
“Now’s the time!”
A simultaneous all-around attack occurred. Unlike me watching nervously, Seo-heon wasn’t even looking in that direction, turning his body completely towards me.
I don’t understand why he came along if he’s going to be like this.
[You have defeated the B-rank monster, Giant Centipede. Rewards will be distributed according to contribution.]
“What have you been looking at instead of the kids all this time?”
“I’ve been looking at you.”
I didn’t expect him to say it so directly.
“You know I’m only looking at you, so why do you ask?”
Seo-heon often spoke such embarrassing words as if testing me. I turned my back awkwardly to hide my reddened neck.
Most of the children collapsed from exhaustion after defeating the centipede. It was visible that they had wasted too much mana, being unfamiliar with using it.
“You shouldn’t let your guard down just because you’ve dealt with a big monster.”
Monsters that had been hiding because of the giant centipede were now staring at us. There were at least twenty of them.
However, the children were sprawled on the ground, exhausted. Even the few who managed to stand up shakily didn’t look in good shape.
Still, they’ve done enough for their first conquest.
[A-rank skill, Fire Rain is used. The blessing of flames is bestowed upon the rain you make fall.]
Rain made of flames dripped from the ceiling. The dark cave was filled with light. The firefly-like flames burned only those I judged as enemies, while the rest fell to the ground and seeped in. The monsters surrounding the area disappeared, melting away without even making a sound.
[You have defeated 15 C-rank monsters and 10 D-rank monsters.]
The rewards were all cheap and unnecessary, so I didn’t even collect them. When I turned around after finishing like that, the children lying on the floor had their mouths wide open.
“Wow, that’s awesome.”
“What was that?”
I ignored the murmurs mixed with slang.
“In A-rank and above dungeons, the boss monster’s control over the dungeon is perfect. So if you deal with just the boss monster, the rest of the monsters scatter, but in C-rank dungeons where such rabble are gathered, that’s not the case. There might not even be a boss monster room, and you should always be prepared for the next enemy, the next attack, even after defeating the strongest monster.”
“Hunter Baek Woo-hyun! Can we use skills like that too?”
“If you have related skills, it’s not difficult with practice. I recommend reviewing how to utilize your skills while recalling today’s battle when you go back.”
“Yes!”
Despite being thoroughly exhausted, the children answered with sparkling eyes. That alone made this conquest worthwhile.
Without such cute moments, it would have been difficult to continue the tiresome and exhausting education of newly awakened individuals.
“Then let’s go back.”
***
In front of the dungeon entrance where we returned, uninvited guests were lined up.
“Hunter Kang Seo-heon, Hunter Baek Woo-hyun! Please give us an interview about your participation in the C-rank dungeon conquest and newly awakened hunter education.”
There was no reason for so many people to come for an interview about a mere C-rank dungeon conquest. It was clear that information about Kang Seo-heon participating in this conquest had leaked.
I should tell them to pay more attention to security. Although there’s no guarantee it would improve even if they paid attention, I wanted to do my best before leaving.
“It’s unprecedented for two experienced S-rank hunters to enter a C-rank dungeon. Can we know the reason?”
It was a predictable, trite question.
“There’s no special reason.”
Seo-heon answered in a gentle but firm voice. The reporters, thinking the answer would continue, hesitated before hurriedly throwing a new question.
“Is there perhaps a newly awakened individual you’re eyeing? If not, did you need an opportunity to recruit the five hunters who awakened as A-rank abilities to your guild?”
Although they put it roundabout, the implication was whether we were trying to monopolize the newly awakened A-rank hunters for guild competition, rather than focusing on their education. Knowing that newly awakened hunter education is tacitly accepted as a venue for recruitment, the question was even worse for trying to tarnish Ihwa Guild’s reputation.
The glasses of the reporter asking sharp questions kept sliding down due to nose grease. The microphone being thrust forward was so sweaty I didn’t even want to touch it. It was a situation Seo-heon detested.
“There is someone I’m worried might be snatched away.”
If you speak like that, everyone will misunderstand. I knew you’d do this.
When Seo-heon’s mood soured, he tended to say whatever he wanted. I stepped forward, trying to calm the reporters who were frantically trying to churn out articles.
“I requested the guild leader to come along because it’s not easy to control spirited students. It also happened that he had no guild leader duties at the moment. I hope there are no misunderstandings, as it wasn’t said with any particular intention or to express a desire to pick up anyone specific.”
At my boring answer, the reporters’ hand movements slowed dramatically. The article titles would probably be along the lines of ‘Kang Seo-heon Enters C-rank Dungeon, His Shocking Statement…’, ‘The Identity of the New Awakened Hunter Chosen by Ihwa Guild Leader?’, ‘The Dark Intentions of Large Guilds Trying to Monopolize Even Newly Awakened Hunters’. When people actually read it, they’ll probably just curse at the nutritionless article.
“Everyone, please step back!”
The education staff arrived belatedly and pushed back all the reporters. They took the tired children, saying they would finish the education, and left after greeting us.
“Were there any good kids?”
An employee of our guild who arrived with the staff asked discreetly. There were no children who showed qualities that would exceptionally upgrade them to S-rank, or who seemed to have special skills. At most, Kim Ji-soo, who had pulled herself together at the end and led the children, caught my eye.
“There’s no one we need to bring in urgently, I’ll let you know through the report.”
I need to hand over the report and rest quickly. There was less than an hour left until the dawn notification window would appear. If I showed a nosebleed in front of Seo-heon twice, I would surely be suspected.
“I’m going in. You should also…”
Before I could finish my greeting, I heard hurried footsteps hitting my ears. We turned our heads simultaneously, and at the end of our gaze was a small doll-like man.
“Seo-heon!”
Kwon Ho-jun, who had somehow found out and come here, ran up and clung to Seo-heon. Usually, I would have just passed by or quickly left the place, but today my eyes were drawn to Kwon Ho-jun’s strangely sparkling wrist.
“Ah…”
I let out an exclamation without realizing it. And I hurriedly hid my arm behind my back, afraid Kwon Ho-jun might see. A bracelet of the same design, though with different jewels, was hanging on Kwon Ho-jun’s arm. My eyes hurt from the bracelet reflecting the sunlight.