[We will now begin the strategy eting for the unranked Ginnungagap Dungeon.]
Park Yoon-sung’s calm voice echoed through the conference hall. The low murmurs imdiately fell silent. With his commanding charisma, he swept his gaze over the audience from the podium. Seated at the front were the mbers of the Odin Guild, while the other major Korean guilds occupied the surrounding tables. Behind them, the Alliance guilds were gathered together.
As I looked around again, I was struck by the fact that the Association hadn’t shown up for this eting. In the center was the table reserved for the Association’s hunters, but the seats remained completely empty. Park Yoon-sung glanced at it briefly before turning his head away.
What was the Association thinking? Were they really siding with the Laufey Guild? Even if we cleared the final dungeon and prevented the apocalypse, it seed there would still be plenty of problems. I held back the sigh that almost escaped.
[First of all, we’ve assembled raid teams based on the abilities of hunters from each guild.]
Still, the eting proceeded smoothly. Korea had long been used to guilds coordinating raid strategies on their own. By contrast, the hunters from foreign guilds—accustod to coordinating closely with their Associations whenever attempting a high-ranked dungeon for the first ti—seed taken aback by this approach. But, well… they’d just have to get used to it. That’s just how Koreans are. Everyone here knows how to handle things on their own.
I stared at the screen indifferently. My position was, as always, on the support team. From the way they were speaking, and since the Ginnungagap Dungeon was assud to be of the highest difficulty ever, they probably wouldn’t use my auxiliary skill actively from the very beginning. That was sothing I agreed with as well.
I had leveled up a lot in the anti, and my stats had improved considerably, but even so, I could only use my auxiliary skill about four tis in a single day. With a mana potion, maybe five. Any more than that, and my ntal strength would reach its limit. Rembering the ti when my mana had run dry and my ntal strength had maxed out made feel uneasy. As I placed a hand over my chest, where a wave of discomfort was rising, soone grabbed my shoulder.
“Yi-jin-ah, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
“Uh… no, I’m fine.”
Eden was staring at with wide eyes. After assuring him I was fine, I turned my head away. Even so, his persistent gaze stayed on . Co to think of it, Eden didn’t actually have to take part in this raid, but his presence felt so natural that I hardly even questioned it. I had simply grown too used to having him by my side wherever I went.
Instead of worrying about Yong-sik or Do-gyul, wasn’t Eden actually the bigger problem? This dungeon was on a completely different level from the ones I’d entered before, relying on my S-class auxiliary support skill and the main characters. If sothing were to happen to Eden this ti…
The thought sent chills down my spine. It felt different from imagining Yong-sik or Do-gyul in danger. Deep down, it was… sothing worse—more unsettling and uncomfortable. Was it because Eden had stuck to like glue ever since I got possessed here? Even after leaving the Loki Guild, he hadn’t tried to leave my side.
Maybe that was why I felt so uneasy. Even with an old friend, I’d never felt this strange. I thought of Jin Myung-seop, my inseparable buddy from before the possession. Sure, I’d feel sad if he were about to die, but I don’t think my heart would plumt like this.
“Yi-jin-ah?”
“I said I’m fine.”
I shook my head vigorously. How strange it was to be having thoughts like this about a man. Now was definitely not the ti for such pointless musings.
[Then, if any guild representatives wish to speak, now is the ti.]
Before I knew it, Park Yoon-sung’s speech was coming to an end. He would now coordinate with the other guildmasters to adjust the raid formation and schedule. Of course, with so many guilds gathered here, it would probably take a while to work everything out.
My throat had gone dry, so I lifted the glass of water on the table. Just as I was about to take a sip—
[I understand that we must conserve Han Yi-jin’s S-class auxiliary skill as much as possible for this dungeon raid. However, isn’t it excessive to withhold information about the skill from the other guilds? I would also appreciate it if you could share the exact duration, number of uses, and any other possible ways it can be utilized.]
“Phhhffft!!”
As soon as Liu Haoran, the Guild Master of the Vali Guild, took the microphone, he suddenly called out. The unexpected remark nearly made spit out the water I was drinking.
What is this all of a sudden…? Aren’t there plenty of other points we could be discussing?
Why bring up my S-class auxiliary skill if it’s only going to be used for the main characters…?
“…”
But the way the other guildmasters fixed their eyes on Park Yoon-sung made uneasy. Liu Haoran might have been the first to speak up, but the rest wore determined expressions, as if they had all been waiting for this mont. The only information publicly disclosed about my auxiliary skill was what had been revealed at the start. As for the number of uses, he set it on a whim—it wasn’t a precise number.
On top of that, unlike back then, the other guildmasters must have clearly realized that my stats had increased. Naturally, they couldn’t help but be curious about how much my S-rank auxiliary skill had grown since then.
Still, to press on it here of all places? That only made feel more uncomfortable. Park Yoon-sung cast a glance, then opened his mouth to speak.
[I’m afraid Hunter Han Yi-jin has, for so ti, been targeted by the Laufey Guild as well as other villain guilds. Therefore, I must ask for your understanding that his information cannot be disclosed in a public setting.]
[In that case, are you saying that even a written disclosure under a nondisclosure agreent would not be possible?]
[…The individual himself does not wish it.]
[But… isn’t the intent of this eting to exchange information for the successful clearing of the dungeon?]
Park Yoon-sung and Liu Haoran engaged in a heated confrontation through their microphones. The mont Liu Haoran’s exclamation ended, every hunter in the conference hall turned their eyes toward . This was troubleso.
The only person who knew the details of my auxiliary skill was Park Yoon-sung—well, and Kang Yoo-hyun, who had received the stats amplification.
In fact, this information was known only to the Odin Guild. So it was understandable that the other guild masters might be dissatisfied. After all, even Sung Yoo-bin had been kept completely in the dark about , and there was no denying that so of the actions taken under the guise of protection had been a bit excessive.
"Ahem ahem."
Clearing my throat, I had no choice but to rise from my seat. Almost imdiately, soone handed the microphone, as if they had been waiting for this.
I glanced at Park Yoon-sung and Kang Yoo-hyun on the podium. Kang Yoo-hyun’s eyes were sharp, as if he were about to reprimand the other hunters at any mont, but Park Yoon-sung was different.
Could he really not have anticipated this? Of course not. By now, it was probably becoming difficult for him to keep information about from the other major guilds. If it were sothing he could easily handle, he wouldn’t have called here in the first place. I felt like I could almost see right through Park Yoon-sung’s true intentions.
[Ah… ah.]
My voice that ca through the microphone sounded so awkward. The focused gazes of the hunters were also overwhelming. Still, I steadied myself and opened my mouth again.
[Um, I’m Han Yi-jin, the owner of an S-class auxiliary skill. Since my na has co up, I’d like to take a mont to speak directly, and I ask for your understanding for this brief interruption.]
The room fell completely silent. Was what I said worth such focused attention? Slightly taken aback, I montarily lost my words. Still, I continued speaking.
[The reason Guild Master Park Yoon-sung of the Odin Guild has not disclosed the details of my auxiliary skill is, as he ntioned, because I did not wish it.]
[And why is that?]
[Um…]
The atmosphere felt like I was being formally questioned. Feeling uneasy, I continued speaking.
[That’s because, if this information were ever leaked, villain guilds could exploit it.]
I openly revealed the vile deeds committed by the ticulous Laufey Guild. The villains who had tried to kidnap inside the Muspelheim Dungeon hadn’t cared in the slightest whether others lived or died. The guildmasters couldn’t hide their astonishnt when they learned how a major guild that had once stood alongside them had collapsed.
Even without knowing the full scope of my auxiliary skill, those bastards had already gone that far. If this information were to spread and Raisu ca up with a more calculated plan, both the people around and I could be in real danger. With the final dungeon looming ahead, I had more than enough on my plate already.
[…So I kindly ask for everyone’s understanding.]
I finished speaking in a low voice, but the room stayed completely silent. The guildmasters still looked dissatisfied. Were they really that determined to get the information they wanted? This was troubleso. I sighed inwardly.
[I ca here today thinking this was a eting to discuss the final dungeon the Prophet foretold.]
[…!]
[Or am I mistaken?]
Liam White spoke with a relaxed deanor as he held the microphone. He slowly scanned the room before settling his gaze on . As soon as our eyes t, he gave a mischievous wink with his clear blue eyes.
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