Chapter 41: Jackpot and the Forest of Evil Spirits

Inside Ahn Hyeji’s recording studio.

Joyful chatter continued to flow from there.

“Jackpot! It feels like a really great song is going to come out!”

“Eunbyeol, thank you so much! Thanks to you, our Daisy is going to be a huge hit!”

“Eunbyeol is the best! No, Composer Eunbyeol is the best!”

“Our Eunbyeol is going to become the world’s greatest composer!”

“Eunbyeol, if our Melo chart ranking goes high, the unnies will give you gifts!”

Excited voices from the Daisy members kept leaking out from inside the recording studio.

Things like the single would be a massive hit.

Or that it would climb high on the Melo charts.

Or that they’d repay her if it became a big success.

All sorts of rosy predictions poured out.

“Is it going to be a jackpot? What nonsense.”

On the other hand, there was someone outside the recording studio pouring out complaints.

His name was “Kwak Daesu.”

He was a composer on Daphne Entertainment’s A&R team and the one competing with Eunbyeol in the music chart rankings.

“Why are they getting so excited over a song made by a little kid?”

To Kwak Daesu, all the sounds coming from inside the recording studio felt like nothing but noise.

Why were they making such a fuss?

It was just a song made at a child’s level at best.

No matter what, it was obvious it wouldn’t even enter the charts and would flop spectacularly, so why were they overreacting like that?

It was truly absurd.

“Let’s see. Whether that kid’s song wins, or my masterpiece <Ultra Marine> wins…”

Kwak Daesu recalled the faces of the father-daughter duo he despised and headed to his own recording studio.

Grinding his teeth, he waited earnestly.

Only for the day when the girl group Daisy’s singles would launch.

***

The recording of <Darling> was successfully completed.

Although it was a bit tiring having to focus solely on recording for several days, it was for a good song, so everyone worked hard.

Not only Ahn Hyeji but also the Daisy members and Eunbyeol approached it with real passion.

Nam Seungha, who stopped by the recording studio from time to time, cheerfully treated them to late-night snacks as well.

Thus, the recording wrapped up triumphantly, and Ahn Hyeji said she would entrust the mix and mastering to the sound engineer.

Now the song had left our hands, and everything Eunbyeol and I had to do was finished.

After that, our father-daughter duo returned to our respective daily lives while waiting only for the day the single would launch.

Eunbyeol went to kindergarten, and I returned to my hunter life.

And today.

I came out to conquer a gate with our Nova team members.

However, the gate’s occurrence location was somewhat awkward.

“Wow! It’s hunters from the Myth Guild!”

“Wow, jackpot! They’re totally cool!”

“Huh, that unnie seems to be the leader?”

“Unnie! You’re totally cool! Marry me!”

Today’s gate occurrence location was none other than a “girls’ high school.”

Because of that, as we passed through the hallway, high school girls in uniforms cheered continuously.

Not only to Team Leader Cha Jihye but also to our Nova team members.

But the surprising part was.

“Huh, oppa. Aren’t you the one who appeared on TV last time?”

That one high school girl recognized me.

“Yes? Do you know me?”

“Yes! You appeared conquering that Red Gate or something, right?”

“Wow, thank you for recognizing me. Haha. It’s an honor.”

I scratched the back of my head with an embarrassed expression, and the Nova team members poked my sides enviously.

“Over there, oppa. Can you give me an autograph?”

“An autograph? Why my autograph?”

“Why not! I’m getting it in advance because oppa seems like you’ll become a super famous hunter later, hehe!”

At the high school girl’s words, I felt both embarrassment and joy at the same time.

It was because it was such a novel experience for a cute, smiling high school girl to recognize me and want to keep my autograph saying I’d become famous.

After holding an impromptu autograph session(?) like that.

Our Nova team arrived at one classroom.

A classroom with a blackboard, desks, chairs, and a few textbooks placed around.

In the very center of it, one blue gate was open.

“Huh, a gate opening in a classroom.”

“Man, if we were late, it could’ve been a disaster?”

“A gate in the classroom where students take classes. The location is total crap.”

The Nova team members each said a word while looking at the blue gate.

The high school girls outside were still looking inside with sparkling eyes, but the gate was truly dangerous.

Especially since the monsters in today’s gate were even more dangerous.

“Alright, everyone. We’ll enter in a moment, so gather around!”

At Team Leader Cha Jihye’s words, our Nova team members lined up.

And while listening to her briefing, I thought about how to conquer today’s gate.

“Then the explanation is over, so let’s go in! As I said, it’s a dangerous gate, so don’t let your guard down, everyone! Absolutely not!”

At Cha Jihye’s words, our Nova team members answered vigorously.

After that, guided by the Hunter Association staff and amid the fervent cheers of the high school girls, we entered the gate.

It won’t be easy.

As always, this gate wouldn’t be easy either.

But for some reason.

Amid the tension, I felt an inexplicable excitement.

It’s a chance to test the item bestowed by the Guild Master.

I looked down at my forearm.

There, a “bracelet” that hadn’t been there before was worn.

[Bracelet of Thunder Wolf].

The name of this item was “Bracelet of Thunder Wolf,” an epic-grade item bestowed through Guild Master Shin Daeho.

A reward received for winning the spar during the Night of the Transcendents event.

Looking down at this item, I felt an inexplicable hope.

How should I put it.

The hope that with this item, I might be able to navigate this gate without much difficulty.

Let’s go, Seo Juwon. 

This time too, come back looking cool.

Feeling an inexplicable sense of reliability, I pushed my body into the blue gate.

***

My abruptly cut-off consciousness returned.

And the place I saw next was a very dark, gloomy space.

It wasn’t a metaphor.

Truly, the night sky was pitch black without a single star, and darkness had settled over the land as well.

“Whew, the atmosphere is creepy.”

“There are things like gravestones? What the hell is this place?”

“It feels like we’ve entered a horror movie.”

“Sigh, it looks totally like ghosts would appear. It feels unnecessarily cold too. Don’t you think……?”

The Nova team members each said a word.

In fact, this place had a truly eerie atmosphere.

As the senior team member said, it felt like entering a horror movie.

“Don’t get overwhelmed by the momentum. Anyway, monsters come out whether it’s day or night, so act calmly!”

Cha Jihye shouted, but the team members still answered in disheartened voices.

Cha Jihye tried to boost morale, but the horror movie-like atmosphere seemed to have intimidated them.

Nevertheless, our Nova team members walked across the dark land.

And entered between the bare trees.

Cha Jihye said this place was the “Forest of Evil Spirits” and to be careful as monsters would appear from now on.

As everyone held their weapons and advanced tensely.

“It’s here!”

Team Leader Cha Jihye, walking at the front, pointed to the top of a tall tree and said.

The gazes of all team members, including me, focused there.

And there stood one monster about the size of an elementary school student, giggling creepily.

“Kikikik!”

A chilling voice.

The name of that monster, resembling a small demon, was none other than “Imp.”

“Everyone, be careful! You never know when or where it might ambush!”

As Cha Jihye shouted, the imp was indeed a terrifying monster.

In fact, just looking at its appearance, it seemed considerably weak.

Its size was similar to a goblin’s.

But its terror lay in its attack pattern.

Slither!

The body of the imp on the branch disappeared.

As if melting into water.

At that sight, the entire Nova team tensed up.

A few seconds later like that.

“Kyaaah!”

One female team member screamed.

Turning my head immediately, an imp that had suddenly appeared was stabbing sharp claws into the female team member’s abdomen.

“C-catch it! Quickly!”

The team members rushed toward the imp.

But the imp, having pulled out its claws, immediately disappeared.

And what remained there was only the female team member gushing blood profusely from her stomach.

“D-damn it! Too fast!”

“Insane! They’re telling us to catch something like that?”

“Everyone, focus! You never know when it’ll lunge again!”

Cha Jihye and the team members showed confused reactions.

Because of the imp’s surprise attack, the instantly injured female team member, and the potential next attack.

It’s a monster that uses teleport. What kind of gate is this?

Watching the female team member screaming horribly, I gritted my teeth.

A monster using teleport, no less.

Teleport skill that even mages have to level up quite a bit to use.

It was truly a damnable gate.

That was when.

“Ugh!”

A scream from a team member came from the left.

Turning my head, the imp was stabbing its claws into a male team member’s neck.

Cha Jihye quickly rushed in upon seeing that, but the imp had already disappeared.

“Cough, heuk……!”

The male team member sprawled out, screaming.

I hurriedly reached out and clamped his neck.

Bright red blood flowing out between my fingers.

Seeing that, I felt sorrow.

“T-Team Leader! What do we do?”

While tightly clamping the team member’s wound, I asked Cha Jihye.

What to do about this damn imp’s attacks.

But Cha Jihye was just moving her lips with a troubled expression.

It seemed she hadn’t expected the imp to be this agile either.

“E-everyone! First, form a circular formation so we can watch all directions!”

At Cha Jihye’s command, the team members moved quickly.

Centering me and the patients, the team members quickly formed a circle and watched all sides.

To avoid any blind spots.

That was when.

“Kikikik!”

The imp’s cry rang out, and it appeared in front of Cha Jihye.

Cha Jihye thrust her characteristically fast sword.

But…….

Slither!

The imp had already disappeared.

Not only Cha Jihye but I was surprised too.

It dodged Cha Jihye’s lightning-fast sword.

Truly astonishing.

If it could dodge the fastest sword in the Nova team, wielded by Cha Jihye, then other team members would find it hard to respond……

“Kyaaah!”

In the midst of that thought, a male team member’s voice was heard.

Turning around, a senior who had been particularly kind to me was collapsing.

Splatter! Blood spraying out.

Beside him was the imp.

“You fucking bastard!”

One fellow team member fired a fire sphere toward the imp.

But the creature had once again slithered away.

“Damn it…….”

With another patient added, I gritted my teeth.

Moreover, the imp repeatedly appeared in different places, instantly collapsing the formation where gaps had formed.

Just one imp…….

Watching the team crumbling to a mere single monster, I felt misery.

Crumbing to just one imp.

The Myth Guild’s Silver attack squad team crumbling to one monster.

It was truly a hopeless situation.

There’s no time to respond.

Honestly, the imp’s claw attacks weren’t that strong.

The imp’s strength was “speed.”

It was a terrifying being with mobility that quickly approached using teleport, attacked, and disappeared.

The team members were also losing their minds because of that speed.

Wait a minute.

While listening to the team members’ screams, one thought flashed through my mind.

Yes.

I had a way to deal with it.

A way that only I, not others, could handle.

“Team Leader!”

“Y-yes?”

Cha Jihye, who had been watching all directions with a pale face, answered.

“Please gather the team members.”

“Huh? Gather them?”

“Yes. I’ll handle the combat, so please pull the team members into one place. Gather them tightly together.”

“What do you mean……..”

At the sudden words, Cha Jihye made a bewildered expression.

“No time to explain. Quickly gather the team!”

“A-alright……!”

At my words, Cha Jihye used her authority as team leader to gather the team members.

The team members huddled in one place, bringing the patients along.

I summoned skeletons around them.

Clatter! Clatter!

Blue-green skeletons surrounded the team members.

Like bodyguards, the blue-green skeletons encircled the team members.

As they watched all directions.

“Kikikik!”

The imp appeared.

At the same time, the blue-green skeleton attacked.

But the imp easily dodged even the skeleton’s bone sword.

It’s okay.

However, it didn’t matter.

This was just one test.

“Kik! Kikikik!”

A few seconds later, the imp appeared again.

This time on the opposite side.

I ordered the blue-green skeleton to stay still this time, and the imp smirked as it thrust its claws.

The moment its sharp claws touched the blue-green skeleton.

Crackle!

Electricity starting with a dazzling spark enveloped the imp.