Chapter 134. Growth
While Gi-ryeo was tracking the Nachalsawon, what was Ahn Yoon-seung up to?
Needless to say, Yoon-seung had been engrossed in hunting all winter long.
After all, being a Hunter meant eliminating the monsters that posed threats to citizens.
“Is everyone here?”
With injuries that could crush bones and the betrayal of a team member.
A-Class Awakened Ahn Yoon-seung had experienced terrible failures during his newbie days, but over time, he had safely returned to his original line of work.
“Then, let’s do a final equipment check and briefing before entering the Gate!”
However, lately, there had been strange rumors swirling within the Neo Sisters Guild.
The once inexperienced newbie Hunter, after taking a few months off, suddenly returned like a different person…
“Uh-oh, just this one healing potion won’t be enough. Let me lend you mine. You should take this too.”
“Yes, sir!”
At this point, Ahn Yoon-seung looked just like a kind college student.
But why were there rumors that this Hunter had become strange lately?
The new newbie Hunter participating in the strategy for Neo Sisters fiddled with a potion, lost in thought.
Hummm…
Before her, a corridor emitting unpleasant sounds glimmered with light.
“The Gate we’ll be entering today has an A-rank difficulty, [The Deepest Place].”
Four A-Class Hunters and one B-Class Healer.
In the past, with this team, they would have thought they could wrap things up quickly, but now the situation was different.
Ever since the great upheaval, unfamiliar dungeons had begun to emerge on the surface.
“As you all know, this place is divided into three floors.”
Unlike the initial dungeons where clearing within half a day was normal, the new dungeon required camping and overnight stays.
Entering such hunting grounds was undoubtedly a burden for the Hunters.
Who would want to spend two days in a place where monsters could jump out unexpectedly?
“Shall we set off?”
“Yes.”
“Okay! Ahn Yoon-seung Hunter, you’ll lead the way; everyone else, tighten up once we enter.”
Honestly, why did such nuisances have to exist in the first place?
The new guild member of Neo Sisters grumbled internally while firmly gripping her weapon.
Ugh.
The interior of [The Deepest Place] they had entered was a chilling cave.
It was dark and damp, like being inside a whale’s belly. The newbie guild member shivered in this new world she was experiencing for the first time.
“Those with detection skills, please keep an eye out for monster movements.”
“Three are coming soon.”
However, the leader, Yoon-seung, calmly proceeded with the strategy.
This dungeon was a high-level magic cave that even A-Class Hunters couldn’t guarantee their safety in, so why wasn’t he getting nervous…?
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
“Ah!”
At that moment.
A noise resembling clashing pottery echoed from the front.
Monster!
Skeleton Hound.
The four-legged creature entwined with bones lunged at the sight of humans, attacking like a vicious dog.
Ughhh.
Although she was also an A-Class Awakened like her teammates, she had no real experience as a Hunter, and she was momentarily panicking under the fierce attack.
“B-Binding! Binding!”
She attempted to restrain the monster before her using the support skill she had learned.
However, the Skeleton Hound nimbly dodged her light threads, moving swiftly from side to side.
Ugh, these things are too fast…!
As she panicked, her vision began to blur, and her accuracy dropped further.
Bang!
But suddenly, the Skeleton Hound barreled over, crashing to the ground.
The creature slammed its head against a translucent blue wall and fell.
If there was a Hunter with a skill similar to the barrier, then…
“Calm down, newbie~ Take a deep breath and watch the enemy properly before trying the skill again.”
Thud!
A metal mace pierced through the monster’s ribs.
Yoon-seung calmly issued commands through the crumbling bones.
Using protective skills to time the Hound’s charge, he promptly took down the fallen monsters one by one using his magic power.
“Ah, got it, senior!”
Was [Shield of Protection] a skill that could be applied in such short intervals?
She was astonished by his prowess but diligently followed the senior’s instructions.
“Binding!”
Then, strands of light shot out from the air, capturing the monster, and at that moment, other team members hit their skills as well.
Bang!
In the end, the enemy’s corpse scattered into the air, leaving only magic stones behind.
“Did we get it?”
“Well done. Let’s keep this pace moving forward!”
Hearing the praise made her feel good.
Moreover, this first success seemed to boost the newbie Hunter’s confidence.
“Yes! I’ll do my best!”
The new member of Neo Sisters tried to calm the adrenaline rushing through her body as they continued their strategy.
Of course, being a newbie, she made various mistakes now and then, leading to occasional crises…
“Ugh!”
Bang!
Thanks to Ahn Yoon-seung, the multiple collapses were restored again and again, keeping the overall front stable.
By this point, one might even doubt whether he was truly an A-Class like them.
After all, he maintained perfect distance with his teammates. Plus, whenever a monster attempted a ranged attack, he would promptly lay down defensive skills right where they needed to be.
Do, does he have eyes in the back of his head?
Eventually, they arrived at the last cave of the first floor.
While facing the Skeleton Mage, the newbie guild member couldn’t help but gasp as she saw Yoon-seung deploying skills behind her.
Skills like [Shield of Protection] could leak magic if the width was even slightly off.
But Ahn Yoon-seung wasted no magic at all when using his abilities.
Every action was precise, as if measured with a ruler. Just how much practice would a Hunter need to attain such mastery?
“I think we’ve cleared the first floor.”
Swipe.
Right after clearing all the monsters on the first floor, Yoon-seung checked his analog watch and suggested,
“Shall we have lunch before heading to the second floor?”
And with unanimous agreement from the team members, they decided to take a quick meal in the cave…
*
“Senior, can I ask you something?”
Bubble, bubble.
As Yoon-seung boiled water in an aluminum pot, he lifted his head at the sound calling him.
“Yes, feel free to speak. We’re both A-Class anyway.”
“Uh, well, that is…”
Ahn Yoon-seung smiled amiably at the newbie, who seemed so tense after only seven days in the company.
“It’s just that you fight so well…”
The newbie Hunter trailed off before asking again with determination.
“How do you use your skills so well? No matter how much I practice, I can’t seem to activate them quickly… Do you have any good training methods?”
How to master skills?
Receiving this question, Ahn Yoon-seung expressed sincerity as he gave advice.
“Well, if I were to say what I learned, it’s to use them as much as possible. Even if it feels obligatory, if you drink recovery potions and perform at a weak intensity 100 times daily…”
“100 times?!”
Clang!
The newbie Hunter’s exclamation echoed through the cave, and she was startled by her own outburst, swallowing her words shortly thereafter as a thin voice slipped out.
“W-who told you that? Come to think of it, the guild doesn’t provide skill training separately, right?”
“Oh.”
“After all, you know your own skills best… They only teach in a very vague manner.”
But once the identity of the instructor came up, the newbie’s voice grew louder.
“Who did I learn from? Hm, you’d probably know if I said the name. It’s the S-Class Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo… Uh, ahem.”
“Huh! No way, you mean the S-Class Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo?”
Gulp.
Unless one lived on an isolated island cut off from the world, it would be hard not to know him.
The newbie guild member was astonished to learn her senior was on friendly terms with the top-ranking Awakened, and then Yoon-seung added a short phrase.
“That person was the one who helped me with my rehabilitation.”
If it hadn’t been for that S-Class, he probably wouldn’t even be here now.
Somehow, he managed to survive, but at that time, he had lost his confidence so much, and there was uncertainty about returning in one piece.
“Wow, an S-Class Hunter helped with your rehabilitation… How did you get to know him? School? Or was it while working?”
Since they couldn’t watch dramas in the dungeon, this was a good chance to slowly bond with the new member over lunch.
“It’s a long story. Do you want to sit down?”
Thump.
Ahn Yoon-seung took out some pre-packaged food from the water and continued speaking.
“And try this meatball.”
“Uh, you’re giving this to me?”
“I warmed up five to share with the team.”
So that’s why Yoon-seung was carrying such a big backpack.
His hunting skills were excellent, yet his support skills were flawless. What kind of A-Class Hunter was this…!
.
.
.
“The first time I met Brother Gi-ryeo was also in a cave like this.”
… Yoon-seung began, explaining to his junior.
How brutally his team had collapsed at that time and how overwhelming Kim Gi-ryeo’s performance was.
“He crushed a golem and ripped its heart out. Seeing that in front of your eyes genuinely sends shivers down your spine!”
Of course, Yoon-seung’s explanation was based on his subjective perspective…
“Did you know? He doesn’t use skills when he clears Gates. He shies away from powers that come easily, like Awakening.”
“Then how does he catch monsters?”
“He usually uses his brain. For example, he lures the boss into the terrain to kill it.”
There were some discrepancies with the actual events, but…
“Moreover, I heard even Kang Chang-ho praised him.”
“Kang Chang-ho? The S-Class Kang Chang-ho?”
“That guy even said he doesn’t know if he can keep up with Brother’s pace and stepped back.”
This is the characteristic of rumors.
Even when elements are distorted by subjectivity, witnesses often mistakenly believe that there is no falsehood in what they saw.
“My brother is that kind of person.”
Ahn Yoon-seung confidently spread the praises of his benefactor.
But the greater issue was that there was no one present to correct the facts.
“Ah.”
Ultimately, the newbie of Neo Sisters ended up believing Ahn Yoon-seung’s outrageous claims…
So, the Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo kills golems effortlessly and handles grids with his bare hands while earning recognition from fellow S-Class Hunters. What an amazing person!
Nod!
The newbie quickly absorbed the explanations.
In her mind, Kim Gi-ryeo’s image was gradually establishing itself as a transcendent powerhouse.
“Honestly, compared to Brother Gi-ryeo, I’m nothing. It’s like saying A-Class and F-Class are the same when measured against him.”
“Oooh.”
At this point, the newbie seemed to idolize Gi-ryeo like Nachalsawon when they built their influence.
While imagining Kim Gi-ryeo’s real form, the newbie focused on Yoon-seung’s words, and while the conversation flowed, a Hunter approached them walking snugly.
“Senior, you mentioned earlier that you temporarily teamed up with S-Class Hunters. How was that?”
“Oh, that was at Mermaid’s Cove, right? At that time, my brother…”
The woman holding a crossbow overheard their conversation and interjected.
“Friends.”
Yoon-seung and the newbie looked up, surprised by her voice.
However, her expression remained unchanged. The marksman merely pointed toward the second floor with a blank face.
“Is there really a need to express how amazing S-Class Hunters are?”
It’s about time to stop the useless chatter and get moving, right?
Under the team leader’s pressure, Yoon-seung and the newbie jumped up and tidied their spots.
