Chapter 242: The Gastronomic Incident (6)
[[Web Origin] Hunter Kang Chang-ho, we are informing you about the appearance of an abnormal mutation in the S-Class Gate. Below are reference materials related to the Gate strategy plan, and if you are able to take action, please reply to the institution number.]
The S-Class present at the scene didn’t seem to be in a hurry.
Just after finishing up with the Unknown Cave Gate.
He turned on his mobile phone, which he had turned off, and received some information from the Hunter Association.
Looking around, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t spot the flashing light of his contractor, so Kang Chang-ho quickly realized that the Blond Hunter had entered the problematic dungeon.
Yet, despite that, the atmosphere was strangely calm.
“Hey!”
“Mark the exit right now! The exit!”
“Hunter Jeong Ha-seong!”
“Those are the conquerors.”
“Oh, thank God! Our Neo Guild members are safe…!”
He had already known that Kim Gi-ryeo was alive, albeit indirectly.
If the contractor dies…
[Knight’s Pact] would immediately inform all related items of that fact.
Of course, this was assuming the artifact had been applied correctly.
Anyway, Kang Chang-ho was well aware that the other party was not dead.
“Ah! Mr. Kim Hunter has come out too!”
After a brief wait, sure enough.
From the exit, someone confidently walked out, confirming the survival status even more.
“Uh?”
Wobble wobble.
Kang Chang-ho moved his hands in a very Earthling way to greet him.
And while Jeong Ha-seong and Seo Esther, among other top Hunters from South Korea, were explaining the situation to the crowd…
He waved to Kim Gi-ryeo to start a separate conversation.
“Hello.”
“Ah, yes. Hello, Hunter Kang Chang-ho…”
“By the way, I’m sorry, but I didn’t receive any report about you coming here.”
The alien being replied as if waiting for that.
“It was an accident that I entered. I was standing near the passage when I got caught and dragged in by a monster inside.”
Ah, so it was an involuntary entrance to the Gate?
“Really?”
“Of course, how could I lie about something like this?”
Kim Gi-ryeo asserted his innocence based on the conditions of the Knight’s Pact and the witness Lee Cheong-ryong.
However, even though he knew these pieces of evidence would make it structurally impossible for the towering figure to be there, he silently scrutinized the person before him.
Something seemed off in his mind.
‘Look at that size…’
Anyway, he was quite a formidable build.
Gi-ryeo avoided eye contact with the superhuman who could create shade with his empty hands.
He had already caught on to what the other party was displeased with, so he involuntarily began to explain to somehow prevent any violent incident.
“I understand. No matter that it started as an accident, I should have been able to defeat a Tentacle quickly and escape, but an S-Class Hunter dawdled, so this happened, right?”
“….”
“I’m sorry. To be honest, I knew you would react like this, but I didn’t leave the dungeon intentionally. At that time… I really thought there wouldn’t be any time to negotiate separately.”
“….”
“By any chance, you might not know, but the friend Ahn Yoon-seung who was stranded is an acquaintance of mine. But when I actually entered, there were traps in the dungeon, and I happened to have the [Emotion] skill.”
One sentence led to another.
“Oh dear, just hit me a few times out of frustration. I did genuinely deceive you, so there’s really nothing I can say to defend myself. I’m sorry.”
In his previous life, how many times had he uttered the words “I was wrong”?
He didn’t remember it in detail, but still, he recollected he had been a soul that was stingy with apologies since childhood.
Thus, it was indeed very unusual for the Great Mage to express such remorse.
Yet, even though that arrogant soul had bent down first.
“Um…?”
The other party remained unresponsive.
Swish, Kang Chang-ho stood still with his arms crossed, his expression frozen.
The silence of the S-Class Awakened. Somehow, this felt even more unsettling than a punch would.
“Are you really angry?”
Should he intervene?
With so many eyes watching, could it be that the Enhancement Heart would explode here?
Was today the day that the ex-convict would officially violate Article 250 of the criminal law?
“Not really, but as you can see, I’m in good shape… The truth is I was confident I wouldn’t die and could dodge everything, that’s why I went in there. I never fought with an S-Class monster…”
“….”
“…What are you doing right now?”
The alien being, expressionless and unable to attempt Earth-style emotional expression, pointed to his magically maintained appearance as if to plead.
Look here. In simple terms, I came back with my suit unscathed, isn’t that a win?
Kim Gi-ryeo, who said that, had already coordinated with relevant parties even in the dungeon, knowing that such a situation would arise. He had earnestly requested everyone not to leak his serious injuries to the outside for any reason.
Yet, Kang Chang-ho still provided no response to his passionate struggles, and unable to bear the unnatural silence, the alien soon asked what he was doing.
The contractor answered.
“Thinking.”
Merely a single phrase evoked a chilling fear.
Thinking.
Again, while Kim Gi-ryeo had yet to restore the magic of unfolding another person’s thoughts…
He clearly saw what that S-Class Hunter was contemplating at that moment.
In Kang Chang-ho’s mind, there were probably only two choices: whether to activate the skill or not.
Predicting the flow, Gi-ryeo hurriedly attempted to say something.
Yet, it was at this point that the psychic finally began a proper conversation.
“Did you ask if I was angry earlier?”
Kang Chang-ho tilted his head to look down at his subject.
“I have not truly gotten angry at anyone since I awakened.”
“Excuse me?”
“Whether it’s Jeong Ha-seong or Choi Jin, or even a taxi driver. There have been instances where we briefly clashed over opinions or positions, but I rarely feel blood rushing to my head like I did in my student days.”
They say once puberty passes, sensitivity decreases, perhaps that’s it?
The eyes of the S-Class Hunter turned as if recalling the past, glancing skyward.
He took his time choosing his words and finally uttered a sentence.
“Anyway, I want to make it clear that I’ve never really been angry.”
Chang-ho extended an arm towards the opponent’s shoulder.
And gently brushed his palm to calmly remove the remains of the dungeon that was clinging to someone’s suit seam.
“Not yet.”
He pronounced the particular word distinctly as if emphasizing it.
Feeling some sort of pressure from the other party’s words and actions, Gi-ryeo asked with considerable tension.
“Does that mean I might become the first nuisance hunter to anger you?”
Surprisingly, Kang Chang-ho outright denied it again.
“No.”
Thud thud.
Kang Chang-ho dusted off the remains from Kim Gi-ryeo’s shoulder seam and continued speaking.
“What I just said was just a fact laid out plainly. Honestly, I don’t know what will happen afterward either.”
“Uh…”
“At first, I was annoyed, but now it seems I’m just more curious watching people’s actions. Oh, by the way, this reminds me of a question.”
What came next was in a tone of genuine curiosity.
“Does Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo enjoy being in danger?”
“Excuse me?”
“Do you have a risk-seeking syndrome?”
One might see this as a fundamental question.
“When people see others in shock and confusion, do you feel a thrill thinking you’re controlling others’ emotions?”
“What the…”
“Does that sound strange?”
The Fourth S-Class Hunter of Korea. Kim Gi-ryeo.
Always wearing a calm expression, much like a lab rat stared down from beyond an experimental cage.
At twenty-five, he should be bustling with laughter and chatter; instead, he donned a sea-like calmness when interacting with humanity.
Moreover, as an apex-tier superhuman, he was a Hunter whose daily existence in a dire place was utterly unthinkable.
“Yet, from an objective standpoint, Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo seems just like that.”
Kang Chang-ho pointed out the abnormalities possessed by the Blond Man.
According to his evaluation, Kim Gi-ryeo was like an ascetic who had little interest in the mundane world, often diverging onto paths seldom chosen by ordinary people.
Where else in the universe could you find a reckless fellow so nonchalantly stepping into an S-Class Gate?
And all for the sake of saving an acquaintance.
In an era rife with material wealth and advancement today, the existence of such a modern-day person was hard to believe.
Kim Gi-ryeo’s character was exceptional in this regard.
People with pure perspectives like Yoon Seung regarded him as a self-sacrificing philosopher and sent their respects.
However, the majority of ordinary malefactors, including Kang Chang-ho, harbored doubts that such a virtuous being could exist in this world.
What motive could this cold human possibly have?
“Hmm.”
The face of the Blond Awakened was like an iron mask.
Kang Chang-ho examined his industry colleague for a while before opening his mouth. He subtly moved his hand from his chin and gently tapped the shoulder of his suit one last time.
“In any case, since we’re still alive, let’s call it good for now.”
“Excuse me?”
“Lately, I’ve gotten busy with some sudden matters and can’t pay attention to contracts. So if you are still considerate, it would be great if you could refrain from going out for a while.”
Saying that, the Third S-Class of Korea turned and left without hesitation.
Not long after, the sound of an Italian engine echoed. Then, the annoying vibrations typical of a motorcycle.
Once Kang Chang-ho’s magic faded away, the atmosphere near the dungeon exit became much lighter.
A while later…
Having received various warnings from his contractor, the faux S-Class stood there, lost in thought.
‘He let me go after causing this mess, huh?’
Oh dear?
To be honest, it wouldn’t have been strange if Kang Chang-ho had opened the human skill stone on the spot, considering how angry he was.
Yet this awakened delinquent, knowing full well that the Knight’s Pact holder had exploited the occurrence caused by the Tentacle, simply turned a blind eye to everything?
‘Whoa, if it’s like this…’
Kim Gi-ryeo quickly shifted his attitude, which had been submissive, contrary to how it had been seconds ago.
As he rolled his eyes, he began some sort of reflection.
However, as he shifted his gaze, he inadvertently gathered new information.
“…So, for this dungeon… …the outcome… …we should proceed to close it immediately…”
Click click click.
As reporters arrived, bursting their flashlights while focusing on their shots.
The image of the hero grasped in the viewfinder briefly altered.
Jeong Ha-seong observed the direction of his mentor before re-focusing on the camera.
“Reporting concluded.”
An S-Class doesn’t emit radiation from their eyes, so ordinarily, just making eye contact would be no big deal.
‘Drawing unnecessary attention, sparking doubts about good and evil, and merely continuing the contract with Kang Chang-ho has now resulted in too many losses.’
There’s a saying related to association, and it’s not just empty words.
Upon reflection, the Hydra and Divine Branch had bolstered their strength to some degree.
Having amassed sufficient wealth through extracurricular activities, it was no longer as enticing as before to merely enjoy the perks of S-Class protection.
Moreover, one could certainly find even more reasons to pinpoint.
The Nachalsawon, the root of all this relationship mayhem, had long since collapsed.
And now, it was difficult to change identities or shed status…
‘Right. Watching that human act, perhaps it’d be better to go that route.’
A moment later.
Ahn Yoon-seung, who had just completed his testimony to the guild, dashed over.
“Hey, Yoon Seung-ah~ Take it slow. Take it slow. No matter how quickly you arrive, you’ll end up paying the cancellation fee for the beef restaurant reservation.”
Kim Gi-ryeo waved broadly at the Earthling while thinking to himself.
It seems the time has come to swiftly resolve this senseless life span limitation.
