“Do you guys think the portal opened in the Realm of Fire?"
"What?"
Evan frowned at my words and shifted his gaze from Baek Si-hoo to . Baek Si-hoo also looked at with a dubious expression. In an instant, their eyes were on .
"Portals usually opened near where the boss monster was killed, right? But what if it's not in the Realm of Fire?"
"…"
The villains were quiet for a mont after my question. It wasn't because I had interrupted them, but because they themselves weren’t sure. It was a passing thought, but I think it’s fairly accurate.
Evan had been with the raid team the entire ti, so he wouldn’t know what happened in the Realm of Fire. And Baek Si-hoo’s mories from that ti were likely clouded by the strange monster that had taken over his mind.
He just followed blindly, which ans he didn't witness Kang Yoo-hyun and Sung Yoo-bin fighting the boss monster in the Realm of Fire. There was a slight change in the expression on his mask-like, pale face.
“What nonsense are you talking about? If it’s not there, then where is it?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t see the boss monster in the Realm of Fire anyway. So you’ll have to figure it out yourself.”
“…”
Despite the heavy pressure from the S-rank hunters, my low-tier passive skills functioned effectively. I spoke smoothly, as if the words flowed like water, without trembling. Rather, I was able to confront the two villains with confidence.
“Hound, is what he said true?”
“…”
"Hey, won't you answer?"
Evan’s face twisted in anger, and his deanour grew even more violent. Even I, who had been pretending to be calm, found myself holding my breath.
The chains constricting my body tightened further. If we went to the Realm of Fire and found no portal, I’d be in trouble. Only one of us can use the ergency return scroll, and it will transport them to a designated return point. The portal is the only way for to escape the dungeon.
Evan disguised himself as Lee Geun-ho and plunged the raid team into chaos. anwhile, Baek Si-hoo used an illegal item to force into a contract and dragged around.
Their plan was to betray the raid team after the boss monster was defeated, kidnap , and use the portal. Now, they only have the final challenge left.
Since they can’t determine the portal’s location from my statents, they must be feeling uncertain. I maintained a deliberately indifferent expression as I observed them.
“Well, if you guys want to waste your ti, feel free to go.”
“…”
“…”
The Muspelheim dungeon was so vast with its undivided zones that it seed imasurable. Although Evan claid to be an all-rounder, he admitted that he had no detection ability.
Since they couldn’t find the paths themselves, they had to rely on items to locate the coordinates they had marked. Soone might co to rescue while I endure here, but I wouldn’t wait passively any longer. I blinked and spoke calmly.
“I’m paired with Kang Yoo-hyun, so I can find out where he is. That ans I should be able to pinpoint the portal’s location as well.”
“Ha…”
“Why? Don’t you want to know too?”
I waved my chained hand in front of Evan's face, and his beautiful face imdiately contorted.
“You expect to believe that? Do you think I'm stupid?”
“…”
‘Yeah, you do seem a bit like an idiot,' I muttered silently to myself and shrugged. Evan’s face still seethed with frustration, while Baek Si-hoo remained expressionless and didn’t say anything.
Baek Si-hoo’s quiet presence was oddly unsettling, but I felt confident I could use it to my advantage. My target was Evan. As an all-rounder, he was soone Baek Si-hoo couldn’t handle with brute force alone. It was likely that Evan had more influence in decision-making than Baek Si-hoo.
“If you can’t use the portal, how do you plan to get out of the dungeon? Isn’t that why you made this big ss?”
“…”
“It’s better to think things through carefully.
Alright. It looks like a bit more pressure will do the trick. I secretly swallowed while watching Evan’s reaction. Maintaining a composed deanour and acting as if nothing was wrong had beco second nature to while inhabiting Han Yi-jin’s body. Then Evan’s lips slowly opened.
“Is this your trick?”
“Kugh…!”
The tightly tightened chain strangled once more. Did I provoke him too much? It seed I had pissed Evan off. I frowned as I stared into his nacing golden eyes.
“Stop it.”
“…!”
An unexpected person stopped Evan. Evan’s furious gaze then shifted to Baek Si-hoo.
“What?”
"I told you to stop."
"Ha, are you crazy?"
“…Cough."
That’s right. I was also surprised by Baek Si-hoo’s behaviour. With Evan’s focus now on Baek Si-hoo, the chain around my neck loosened slightly, allowing to let out a small cough. However, they ignored and started bickering with each other.
“This bastard must have eaten rat poison.”
“Watch your mouth.”
“I don’t want to.”
“…”
Their passive skills clashed fiercely. They were truly selfish. But thanks to that, this beca an opportunity for . Because the chains binding my hands and wrists had loosened a bit.
A little more, just a little more…!
“You shut up and just do what you’re told. Huh?”
Evan's aura grew more intense, showing just how bad their relationship was. It was clear they were both extrely worked up over this.
At the sa ti, Baek Si-hoo also exuded a fierce energy without any sign of backing down. Their auras were overwhelming due to the influence of my auxiliary skill. I struggled to move my trembling hands.
‘Finally…!’
This was my chance to divert Evan’s attention and move my hand slightly. I managed to swipe my left thumb through the air.
Park Yoon-sung had planned for many possible situations during battles to keep safe. In case I was left alone without any hunters to protect , he had created a small device to help escape on my own.
It was commonly known as the simple inventory. Unlike the basic inventory provided by the system upon awakening as a hunter, this was a separate inventory.
Typically, it would be used as a skill, but I could access it thanks to an item Park Yoon-sung gave . This inventory was one of the most valuable and useful, though not crafted by Sim Dante.
Although it was small and had limited storage, it had the advantage of letting retrieve items with a single gesture. I had only stored one item in this simple inventory. With a motion of my hand, the object materialised in the air and landed in my hand. I threw it forward without hesitation.
Boom!
"Ugh…!”
“…!”
The chains binding my body fell to the ground. It was a sealing item designed to temporarily neutralise a hunter's powers. Although I had only heard about it before, this was my first ti using it.
I quickly moved backward and opened my system's inventory. Now, I just needed to use the random teleportation item to escape from this place.
"Agh…!”
However, a sharp pain in my wrist caused the random teleportation item I had just taken from my inventory to fall to the ground. I stared in disbelief at the chains wrapped around my wrist.
“Ah, you’re really pissing off.”
“Ugh…!”
I heard the disturbing crack of my wrist bone. I gripped my wrist and bent over.
Already? I had just used the sealing item, and yet he regained his ability so quickly?
“Park Yoon-sung must have spent a fortune on you.”
“You… Damn it.”
As I muttered a curse, Evan trudged over. His golden eyes glowed like those of a wild beast.
"Your skill must be the real deal. It doesn’t hurt much."
"Kugh."
"You must have been looking forward to it."
A mocking laugh echoed in my ears. I gritted my teeth and endured the pain as if my arm might break.
“…Fuck you.”
“Haha.”
Ah, damn these rotten bastards. It’s infuriating how effective my auxiliary skill is. An amused chuckle pierced my ears.
“See? I should have cut off all his limbs from the start. Just give him a little chance, and look at the ss he’s causing.”
“…”
Baek Si-hoo remained silent this ti. Since I had blatantly attempted to escape, he had no words. I hadn't expected anything else. Despair enveloped , and everything went dark.
I imagined a future where I’d be dragged around like a piece of at with my limbs severed and forced to use my auxiliary skill. It seed a fate worse than death. It would be better to die like Han Yi-jin in the original story than to live like that. I even contemplated biting off my tongue right here.
"Hound, you do it. He might die from shock if I do it.”
"…"
"Do it quickly."
Baek Si-hoo approached at Evan’s frightening command. I closed my eyes when I heard him draw his sword. I even had the absurd thought that with Baek Si-hoo’s skill, a quick cut might be less painful.
It was then. I heard the sound of sothing slicing through the air. When I opened my eyes, the chains had been swiftly cut. The sword that had been swung now aid at Evan and Baek Si-hoo simultaneously.
"…Kang Yoo-hyun?"
The familiar scent of cotton wafted past my nose. This ti, I looked up at the man in front of in disbelief.
"Sorry, I'm late."
"…!"
Kang Yoo-hyun, who spoke curtly, stared at them.
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