“It’s been a while, Elder.”
Hyeon Il-hwan hurriedly ran over and respectfully greeted Jang Yu-chan.
“I’ve seen you from a distance a few times, but this is truly the first greeting in a long time, isn’t it?”
Jang Yu-chan replied with a warm smile that hadn’t been seen all day.
However, inside, he bore a hint of skepticism.
‘Of all times, this guy shows up… Isn’t the timing just too perfect?’
He vaguely sensed that Il-wol, the summoned creature, was about to unleash a tremendous ability, which could potentially plunge Hyeon Woo-seok into great danger.
So even though Hyeon Il-hwan was known to be prudent, it made sense that he could easily obliterate another hunter’s belongings.
‘Hmm… Just to be safe, I should give a warning.’
Jang Yu-chan thought it necessary to inform the young hunters that there was no one in the world they could truly trust.
Jang Yu-chan and Hyeon Il-hwan exchanged warm greetings like old friends, but soon Hyeon Il-hwan bowed at a 90-degree angle and said,
“I apologize. I came rushing here after hearing from a master that Woo-seok might cause some trouble since I dropped by the main base after a long time. I’m sorry for being late…”
“Oh no, it’s fine. We were already wrapping things up, so there’s no need for that. I’m just a spectator, after all. The real parties involved are these people over here.”
Upon hearing this, Hyeon Il-hwan rushed over to Baek Ah-rin, who clearly possessed the aura of Ilseom, and bowed again.
Although he seemed to understand the situation to some extent, his contrition while starting with the premise that Hyeon Woo-seok was in the wrong was enough to bewilder those watching.
“I’ve heard bits and pieces. It must have been tough… It’s all my fault…”
“Ah, no, Master, you’ve done nothing wrong…”
“No, I promise to fix that guy’s rotten mindset.”
“T-Thank you…”
People found it hard to adapt when faced with someone like Hyeon Il-hwan, a great man, after watching a petty individual from another world.
“By the way… what exactly was that monster I faced in the end? I’ve encountered countless monsters, but I’ve never felt such an alien force.”
“Oh, that… um, that was my summoned creature.”
Lee Yeon-hee raised her hand to identify herself, and Hyeon Il-hwan approached her, bowing his head once more.
‘This man also has his quirks…’
Lee Yeon-hee thought to herself.
People who leaned too far to one side instinctively made her uneasy.
Was that the reason?
Even as Hyeon Il-hwan approached, her mind wandered elsewhere.
‘What the heck? Why can’t Il-wol be caught? It’s supposed to stick around, right? He said he couldn’t escape from me! What’s happening, System!’
…
But the System had no replies.
‘Ah, I’m really going crazy…!’
She was just too curious about Hyeon Il-hwan and what was happening with Il-wol.
* * *
‘Ugh, I’m going to die…! It’s going to blow up, right?’
I unconsciously squeezed my eyes shut the moment I activated the skill. It always amazed me that I could feel something even without eyes.
It was a skill I hadn’t intended to use, and it was one that should never be used.
But what could I do now that it was activated?
The future me would have to sort it out.
But then, I felt two massive powers descending upon me almost simultaneously from the sky.
Just as the skill was about to activate, I couldn’t help but be thrown into a panic.
Both powers were much mightier than Hyeon Woo-seok’s attack, yet I could feel them clearly because of the rising sense of danger as death drew near?
Among them, one was an incredibly warm and nostalgic force.
‘Huh… I’ve felt this somewhere before?’
The other power was a new sensation, but it had a familiar essence to it.
However, there was a distinct will within that force to eliminate me.
If I even brushed against that colossal strength, I would disappear without a trace.
‘Who the heck is this? It’s at least an S-rank Hunter’s power!’
As those thoughts crossed my mind, a gigantic sword fell and swallowed me whole.
No, in that moment of being consumed, another force shot me away somewhere.
In that split second, darkness enveloped my mind.
…
[Why does my Master keep worrying about such an individual? ─ I just don’t get it!]
‘Who?’
It was a voice I think I’ve heard before, but strangely, my memory was hazy.
Something rectangular briefly appeared in my sight but vanished without a trace.
After a moment, even that voice faded away, and I sensed my consciousness returning.
‘Am I alive? My forehead feels slightly cracked, though?’
I reached up to smooth over the cross-shaped split in my forehead and stood up.
‘It’s not cracked completely; I’m not dead either. The [Blast of Madness] didn’t activate, huh?’
If it had, a message about defeating Hyeon Woo-seok would have definitely appeared.
‘During the moment I activated my skill… did someone transport me somewhere? What on earth is going on?’
My current memories could either be accurate or not.
I refocused my senses and looked around.
The eerie atmosphere, with gnarled trees, uprooted ground, and gravestones strewn about. In the distance, the sounds of dreadful screams echoed.
‘Is this… Abandoned School No. 1?’
It was undoubtedly the D-rank dungeon ‘Abandoned School No. 1’, where incorporeal monsters swarmed.
‘Why am I suddenly here?’
I was even more flustered because I had fallen alone without Yeon-hee. If I got too far, I should have been magnetically drawn back to her!
At that moment, an unusual message appeared.
– You have escaped from the [Hidden Dungeon Entrance] by ‘The Woman Who Hides Her Name.’
– Miraculously surviving at the confirmed point of obliteration.
– The weight of existence increases slightly.
‘The Woman Who Hides Her Name? Who is she?’
Who could transport me from the main base of Ilseom to here all at once? Especially targeting the exact moment. And why did they do that?
‘Could it be… a Great Being? No way, there’s no way such a tremendous entity would come down to save me.
So, the only remaining candidates are Goddess Irmana or Tanya… A being of that caliber should be able to manifest such a miracle, right?’
However, Irmana was in another world, and Tanya was a being who had observed for a lifetime. Could she interfere with this world?
‘Hmm… Anyway, thanks to that, I gained a life point.’
I stretched my arms toward the sky, repeatedly expressing my gratitude to Irmana and Tanya.
I at least showed minimal respect to one of them.
‘Huh? Now that I think about it, my arms are all healed? Wow – what great service.’
I had no idea what was going on, but I decided to head toward the exit.
Occasionally, ghosts flew toward me, but when I shifted to [Combat type], they spontaneously ignited and were thoroughly obliterated.
‘I’ve definitely gotten stronger. Just standing still in combat mode could earn me a decent daily income…’
After about ten minutes of moving, just as I started sensing the exit, something came to my mind again.
– The small blessing of ‘The Woman Who Hides Her Name’ has been lifted.
– ‘The Woman Who Hides Her Name’ left behind advice to value your life.
‘……Huh?’
– Returning to the Summoner’s side.
‘What?!’
*
“Ah?”
“Uh? What, what is it? Is something wrong?”
“Yes, yes!”
Lee Yeon-hee nodded vigorously at Joo-ah’s inquiry.
‘I don’t know what happened, but I’m back!’
She felt the unique chill of Il-wol within her.
‘Yes… I don’t want to lose this overflowing feeling…’
Though Il-wol had been gone for a short time, it felt like an eternity.
“Ohh! So you were (alive after all?)”
“What happened? (Did you cancel the summoning yourself?)”
Noh Ha-yoon and Bae Joo-ah communicated through notes, asking about Il-wol’s survival.
They didn’t want to inform Hyeon Il-hwan about this surprising situation.
Hyeon Il-hwan had already shown interest in Il-wol, and they feared he might act out like Hyeon Woo-seok if he learned that Il-wol had survived his attacks.
By now, the hunters affiliated with Ilseom had become unpredictable entities.
“I can’t independently cancel a summon… I’m not sure how this is happening either.”
She smiled contently, as if not needing to know the reason, thinking about when they might escape this place.
They were still at the main base of Ilseom.
They had exited the training hall but were left waiting since they hadn’t properly concluded matters with Ilseom.
“I guess Hyeon Woo-seok is still getting scolded inside.”
“Hyeon Il-hwan is quite a bit older… and he appeared to be utterly intimidated.”
“To think someone so fearful could cause such trouble in the Guild…”
“He probably didn’t expect to come today. I heard Hyeon Il-hwan has been frequently venturing out due to monster-hunting.”
While they were gossiping, Hyeon Il-hwan and Hyeon Woo-seok emerged from the training hall.
To be precise, Hyeon Il-hwan was roughly dragging Hyeon Woo-seok by the nape of his neck.
“He looks knocked out… I don’t think he actually hit him.”
Seeing that sight set them on edge.
Yet Hyeon Il-hwan maintained his polite demeanor to the end, suggesting they discuss how to cleanly wrap up this matter.
“I’m still unsure about many things, so I’m sorry I can’t offer more than this.”
“Not at all. We should apologize for making you take an interest in such matters when you’re busy.”
Hyeon Il-hwan, who had been exchanging conversational pleasantries with Jang Yu-chan, cautiously looked at Lee Yeon-hee and asked,
“By the way… about that summoned creature with the mysterious power. Is it not possible to call it back?”
He didn’t hide his interest in Il-wol. This brought up questions about what he wanted to investigate if it could be summoned again.
Did he have a hobby like Kang Yeon-su that involved collecting mana stones?
“Uh? Ah… uh, that, Il-wol is a special summoned creature. It seems difficult right now…”
“I see. Powerful summoned creatures require time to be resummoned… I understand.”
Upon hearing this, Lee Yeon-hee regretted her careless words.
One shouldn’t carelessly use terms that could lead to deductions about abilities; Il-wol would have surely chastised her if he were nearby.
“Anyway, I apologize for this. No matter how incompetent he is, I couldn’t just let him die… I might have acted too hastily.”
“……..No, that’s not true.”
This was already the third time he had said that.
‘I’m suffocating… You can stop apologizing now. I just wish you’d back off a bit.’
While Lee Yeon-hee had met extreme powerhouses like Hyeon Joong-gil, Jo Gi-man, and Kang Yeon-su, they all mastered controlling their strengths, so she felt no overwhelming pressure.
However, Hyeon Il-hwan, possessing incredible power yet still clumsy in concealing it, projected an even more significant sense of oppression than the mighty individuals she had met before.
That’s why she wanted nothing more than to distance herself from him, even with his excessively polite behavior.
Did he sense that discomfort too?
“Ah, I’m sorry about this. I still need to improve my training… I want to talk more, but it feels best for you all if I leave now.”
“That’s not—”
“Haha, if there’s another opportunity, I’ll see you again. The guide will be here soon, so please wait a moment. For now—”
In the end, Hyeon Il-hwan whisked away Hyeon Woo-seok like a burden and vanished somewhere.
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