“To conclude from the start, among the Awakened currently here, only about twenty percent have perfectly acquired the Optimization Skill. Most are Combat types, and it is comparatively easy for Combat-type Awakened to obtain the Optimization Skill, so the percentage isn’t particularly high.
In the end, Dan Unbi and Sister Park Ha-yul are not the sa person. Who on earth could it be? Surely not an undisclosed Innate S-Rank. An Innate S-Rank with the ability to foster others’ growth... that scarcely seems to fit.
‘To be honest, among those who care for others... aside from , only Yerim shows any attentiveness.’
Even if the chance is nil, should my sister ever have a child, I’d rather raise it myself. Riette made an effort but was too rough. Seong Hyunjae had that inclination too, but only out of short-term curiosity.
...If all three of them had kids, I’d take them in no matter how much it drove mad. Of course, the husband or wife might be perfectly fine. ...Fine, but why those three? Feeling unsettled, I summoned Peace onto my lap and stroked him.
“Lately I’ve been thinking: if soone wants to date Yuhyeon, I should be running around with lunch boxes to protest.”
“Congratulations, sir! You’ve finally peeled off one layer of the bean pod goggles.”
Yerim paused mid–mooncake, clapping her hands.
“You’ve still got nine hundred and ninety-nine layers left, though.”
“But isn’t Yuhyeon a bit better than Riette?”
“Why? Riette gets along splendidly with Sister Soyeong. She’s close to Hyuna-unnie too, with many friends.”
...Even if I give up on romance and marriage, can’t I at least be friends? I’d had a nice outing earlier with Noah.
“Yerim, could you call yourself Yuhyeon’s friend?”
“Um... more like a quasi-registered family mber?”
“Registered family mber?”
“Think of it as oscillating between mortal enemies and best friends.”
“But best friends ans very close friends. Thank you, Yerim.”
“...I’ll just tell others we’re moderately close.”
Why does she look at with such pity? I avoided her gaze and reviewed the Martial Alliance’s list again.
“Apart from the elder you ntioned, there was another A-Rank Healer in China. A relatively young one.”
Still unawakened, perhaps. Currently there are only two A-Rank Healers in Korea. One belongs to Sesung, the other to the now-defunct MKC. With MKC collapsed, they must transfer affiliation—but neither Breaker nor Hanshin will let go easily.
The Hunters’ Association even tried to slip the Healer into joint affiliation with the Association. It was galling, but actually having an unaffiliated A-Rank Healer isn’t bad.
“If Breaker gains an A-Rank Healer, Hyuna-ssi will be delighted.”
“Of course. What, you intend to concede her?”
“It’s ideal to have many Top-Tier Healers, but first let’s et the elder. The MKC Healer is younger, but we can negotiate with her and Hyuna-ssi later.”
Even among Healers, skill types and grades vary. To qualify as a Healer one must have Healing, Detoxification, and Aid skills; their grades determine the Healer’s rank. Since I cover Aid and Detox, it’s best to bring in whoever has the highest Healing grade to Haeyeon.
“Yerim, is there any Hunter you’re interested in?”
“Not Chinese-speaking, please. I borrowed this translation item from Hyuna-unnie. Even if I owned one, it wouldn’t help with my own teammates.”
That was an issue. Non-item translation devices can’t be used in dungeons. Translation items are too scarce to give out to A-Rank Hunters.
“When we return ho, focus on the team’s dungeon runs for a while.”
“Don’t worry. Oh, I haven’t decided on Suryong’s na yet! Which do you like—Haerang, Sanho, Suri, Mar, Doran, Parang...? No, forget it.”
Yerim shook her hand hastily, wounded pride showing.
“Parang or Blue seem similar.”
“It doesn’t an blue—it ans wave.”
...Better if I’d kept quiet. I swiftly changed the subject back to Hunters.
“There was a B-Rank Healer where Yuhyeon and Noah went. Should we bring that person too? The more Healers, the better. Any high-grade Curse-Aid types? If we could craft our own contracts, it’d be convenient.”
“There’s Riette-unnie and Noah oppa.”
“You an Haeyeon’s affiliates. Curse support also has good prospects—versatile usage. Outside the dungeon there are interpreters and translation devices, so foreign Hunters aren’t a problem. I’d like to bring that Reinforcent-Support Hunter too. Where’s Guangzhou located?”
“Near Hong Kong.”
Eun Sesun said as she entered through a circular doorway.
“Won’t you really take the hot spring bath? It eases fatigue and relieves pain.”
“Not now. Honestly, I’m reluctant to go in alone.”
How could I fully trust the Martial Alliance? With teleportation skill, if Yerim were by my side, even if S-Ranks sward, escape would be easy. Peace could join , but I’d still be uneasy.
“Your Majesty—”
“No, I don’t know anything about royalty.”
Another royal preamble?
“Do the Martial Alliance people like quoting old stories?”
“Precisely they are Chinese, but I heard our Master was a bit overzealous.”
Eun Sesun apologized.
“I understand your caution. Still, why not at least soak your legs?”
I felt tempted. A lingering ache from overexertion pulsed occasionally. Yet I couldn’t turn off Detox and take painkillers.
When I agreed, Eun Sesun guided behind the mansion. Inside a high-walled enclosure was a large open-air pool. Peace trotted onto the wet floor, lifted a forepaw, and disdainfully shook himself.
—VVVVrr.
“Oh dear, it’s too damp for my taste.”
—Kyaaang.
“Peace is such a drama queen.”
I rolled up my trousers to my knees, wiped a flat rock with a towel, then sat down. Imdiately Peace leapt onto my lap.
“This feels nice.”
The warmth soothed my fatigue. Beside , Yerim kicked the water rhythmically. Eun Sesun stepped aside, saying I should relax. Above, clouds drifted lazily across the bright blue sky. Birdsong drifted from sowhere.
“In the dungeon, you once t .”
Yerim toyed with the ring on her finger.
“Do you think I was impressive, sir?”
“Of course. You were famous, Yerim. People hardly rember A-Rank Hunters—there are too many S-Rank Hunters worldwide. Even dostically they number in the tens, overseas into the hundreds. If an S-Rank Hunter isn’t well-known, foreigners won’t know them. A-Rank Hunters are far less known.”
Even on TV they focus on S-Rank Hunters. Their exposure differs.
“But when you said ‘Park Yerim,’ almost no one was unfamiliar. A certain incident made you famous.”
“What incident?”
Yerim’s eyes glead.
“The Snowflake Butterfly of Xinho Group. It might have been right after your Awakening. Xinho Group was breeding dungeon butterflies for research, but they suddenly exploded in number and sward out.”
They weren’t typical monsters but dungeon-dwelling creatures. Their powder withered so crops.
“At that ti, Yuhyeon was in a dungeon run. Seong Hyunjae was abroad. The butterfly swarm had to be contained before escaping Seoul, and no one else had effective area skills.”
They were insect-level, so insecticide failed. They possessed magic energy, making them sturdier than ordinary butterflies. Into this fray stepped none other than Park Yerim.
“I froze them all?”
“There were so many that breathing and pale fear alone wouldn’t do. So water hoses, fire trucks, and helicopters were mobilized. They were wetlands ministers then. Torrents of water rained down, and amid the soaked butterflies, cold spread. The frozen white butterflies covered Lake Seokchon like snow.”
Other Hunters also toiled to herd the swarm into the lake. Since then, dungeon flora and fauna managent grew strict—perhaps even before that.
“That event boosted your renown... though fa brought hardships. You were young with no guardian. But you secured your place in Korea’s Hunter world!”
“Sir, you rember that much?”
“Yes. Oh, but...”
I hesitated.
“I believe I t you before, Yerim. I’m sorry you don’t recall.”
“I heard too.”
Yerim said nonchalantly.
“It’s a pity, but also a relief.”
“Huh?”
“In the end, you sought only for my power. That was reassuring to .”
Blushing slightly, Yerim glanced at .
“Whether you knew before or not, it felt I’d earned it with my own strength. Even if you lose your mory again and we part, I feel we’d et again. I don’t think my place could ever vanish.”
Her difficulty putting it into words showed.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, sir! But I’m happy now. I’m joyful. Still, I sotis feel worry or unease, even without hardship.”
“That’s normal. How many people’s lives are entirely without problems? Seong Hyunjae got bored and acted out, I hear. Riette did care for Noah... to a degree.”
Yet she bristled when Diarma approached.
“Soyeong-unnie said she feared never eting her dragon again—sotis she couldn’t sleep at night.”
“Really?”
“She clung to Hyuna-unnie, crying that the Guild Master could only procure a mid-tier dragon.”
“Mid-tier dragons are rare too. High stats for their rank.”
“But you can’t dungeon-run with them.”
Besides, many are small or rely eel-like, nad dragons in na only. Kkamdungi was far from the common dragon image. Soyeong seed to prefer large, rugged types. Noah liked them, but strictly speaking.
“In any case, I feel so relieved!”
Yerim stretched her arms overhead.
“No one knows what will happen next. New worries or dilemmas will arise. But I think it’ll be okay.”
“Of course it will. But if you struggle, let know anyti, Yerim.”
“Yes!”
I wished for a smooth life, but in this changed world challenges were inevitable. And with Yerim’s big dreams, obstacles would only grow. Should she truly venture abroad, my reach would fall short.
Already my chest felt hollow. But I was sure Yerim would succeed.
“My leg feels more comfortable now.”
“Really? When Yuhyeon returns, soak fully. You can even enter in your clothes.”
“Yerim, take your hand off my back.”
“I wasn’t pushing. I was gently lifting, then dunking you.”
“Don’t—you must greet the Master again, so I decline.”
Clearly not Sister Park Ha-yul. Ti to resu our discussion without straying onto chatterbox territory. In any case, they protect Hunters and people, so they likely won’t side with world-destroying transcendents.
Japan is {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} safe while Shishio’s there. China seems manageable if the Martial Alliance gains strength. As for other regions... perhaps I should visit Russia once.
On the rooftop a golden dragon alighted lightly. Its resplendent form was visible from hundreds of ters away, but stealth skill concealed it.
“Hunter Han Yuhyeon, shall I scout inside?”
Noah, returned to human form, asked Han Yuhyeon at his side. Yuhyeon shook his head slightly and extended his fingertip. A scarlet lizard spirit coalesced around his finger.
“There is only one S-Rank Hunter here. Please lure him out.”
The fire spirit split—two, four, then six—then seeped into the building as if rging with it.
Noah climbed over the parapet, scanned the area, and leapt down. Vanished, he left Yuhyeon closing his eyes, focusing on the spirits’ movents. Sharing the spirit’s vision proved difficult; unless one completely transferred consciousness, only vague impressions were felt.
Yet it was not hard to survey the interior.
Shortly after—
KWAANG!
An explosion thundered from the building opposite.
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