Chapter 28: Raid on the Rakios Dungeon (3)

“There’s something about that guy.”

Kim Inho thought so.

At first, the rumors about Lee Hyunbin weren’t good.

A useless Trainer without even a Hunter license.

But when he actually met him, he was different.

Kang Seonsu had said, with his level of potential, he could be the best rookie of the year.

The Guild’s evaluation was good, and Inho himself was confident.

But the moment he encountered Kim Taeyang in the dungeon, he realized how petty his own thoughts had been.

Taeyang’s overwhelmingly fast hunting speed and his confident attacks—

Though he didn’t want to admit it, Kim Taeyang’s hunting ability was on a higher level than his own.

At first, he was furious at how quickly Taeyang had dragged him down beneath himself.

Taeyang and he had different styles. Taeyang had a regeneration ability, giving him a very aggressive attack style.

Meanwhile, Kim Inho was an all-rounder type, someone who calculated and optimized the effects of his abilities to the maximum.

The decisive difference between Kim Taeyang and himself boiled down to one thing: the Trainer.

Lee Hyunbin was a porter Awakened Hunter with overwhelming close-combat strength.

Usually, because of the HP System, damage taken would offset damage dealt.

But Lee Hyunbin’s strikes were on a whole different level.

He had knocked out that company employee—the worst villain—barehanded. And on the very first day of his Awakening.

Not only that, but he saved and led those who were flustered this time, preventing any casualties during their dungeon escape.

It was extraordinary.

On his first day of Awakening, without proper equipment, he had hunted an Orc Champion all alone.

Unconsciously, Kim Inho kept tracking Lee Hyunbin’s movements.

Whoosh!

A two-handed sword glowing faintly blue drew an elegant arc through the air.

Crack!

The boss’s front paw was severed. Lee Hyunbin climbed up the snarling beast’s leg, leapt high, and with a single strike, brought down its neck.

It was unbelievable agility—he seemed so relaxed, as if he anticipated every attack and dodged with ease.

The reason he initially supported the Hunter was this:

He wanted to be the butcher of those damn monsters spilling out of the Gate.

More than that, he wanted to be a Hunter who eradicates monsters to save people, not one who sees monsters as just money.

Despite being branded a mere porter by the System, he broke through that limit with his own power—a strong driving force.

That’s the image he desired.

The severed boss’s head rolled on the floor, but its torso still twitched.

The mantis boss lunged at the unsuspecting Lee Hyunbin, exposing its back.

“Danger!”

Kim Inho rushed out to support him. If the timing was right, he could alter the trajectory of the attack.

He infused his weapon with magic, preparing to throw a spear—

Crack!

Lee Hyunbin’s foot crushed something.

The long mantis howled painfully, raising its body.

– Boss Rachios has been defeated.

The boss stopped moving.

“Hmm…?”

“Why?”

“Hmm…”

Olivier’s reaction was underwhelming.

They’d killed the boss, and items were dropping rapidly. So what was the problem?

“Did anything come out?”

“You should analyze it.”

“Hmm… just take a look yourself.”

“Ah, got it.”

There it was.

I stomped on the dead boss—the mantis—and on the parasitic worm inside, Rachios.

Though already lifeless, Rachios wriggled its long body and sprayed a viscous fluid reflexively.

“Ugh…!”

Olivier’s reaction intensified.

“Look closely. Why? You can see the Justice Armor clearly, but can’t see this? Huh? An item dropped. Analyze it, Olivier.”

“Ugh, T-Transmission cut off!”

Why would a demon in another world be so squeamish?

There were far uglier monsters in the Demon King’s Army, and they had survived alongside those beasts.

“T-Those disgusting ones were sent to other squads…”

Ah, I see.

Even among demons who lead monsters, some things are just unacceptable by nature.

“Alright, fine. Tough is tough. I won’t do this anymore, so analyze the item.”

With that, I stopped stomping on Rachios’s corpse.

When I lifted my foot, the sticky fluid stretched long from the body to my shoe and didn’t fall off.

“You bastard!”

With those words, our Elder Succubus, Lady Olivier, cut the communication.

I had found this guy’s weakness. I smiled contentedly.

It felt good to return the favor for teasing her earlier about Justice Armor.

“Impressive…”

“Whoa, you startled me.”

When did this guy get here?

I hadn’t even realized there were people nearby because I was busy teasing Olivier after beating the boss.

“I’m Kim Inho from the Fighting God Guild.”

Kim Inho had a dazed look on his face, as if he’d been watching my fight.

Really.

His mouth twitched.

Why is he like that?

“You know you didn’t steal the boss, right?”

“Yes. We failed, so that’s clear.”

Kim Inho answered plainly and approached me.

Thanks to Olivier cutting the communication, I checked the item directly.

Two data USBs—also known as Skillbooks—and Rachios’s Shield dropped.

One unique item and two rare skills.

While I stored the items in my inventory, Kim Inho spoke again.

“Excuse me… I’m curious about something.”

I looked at him, sensing he hesitated.

“Can I train like Taeyang?”

“Train?”

I thought maybe he was about to ask for a share of the loot since we had fewer bosses or something, but this was different.

Honestly, I’m lost right now.

I feel like I’m becoming a Hunter who’s neither this nor that.

Yes, I want to get stronger.

The desire to grow stronger as a Hunter was natural.

Kim Inho was already considered one of the best rookies of the year, having surpassed Kim Taeyang.

He was brimming with talent.

But it seemed he was aware of his own limits.

An all-rounder is called a versatile Hunter, but that just means they’re not the best at anything.

An all-rounder has to accumulate much experience to be truly effective.

“Won’t it be difficult?”

“Is that so?”

Upon hearing my words, Kim Inho’s hopeful eyes hardened.

He gave an awkward smile.

“There should be separate training in the Fighting God Guild.

If you train under another Guild’s Trainer, there would be problems.

Especially since I’m a newly debuted Hunter.

Getting training from a Trainer in another Guild rather than from my own Guild’s system would ruin the Guild’s pride.

The Guild wouldn’t like it.”

“Unless you quit the Guild, it’s impossible, right?”

I stood up, speaking as he mulled it over.

“Guild…”

Kim Inho muttered quietly, his eyes burning with determination.

I was about to warn him that he might get into trouble when a loud voice came from the entrance.

“Oh. The boss really got taken down?”

“Which Guild?”

About a dozen people entered the boss field.

At the front was the Fighting God Guild, their faces twisted with displeasure.

Their party leader approached me and looked down at the boss’s corpse.

“Did you get the last hit on the boss?”

“Last hit?”

That was such a predictable question that I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Laugh?”

I laughed with my own mouth. “Is that a problem?”

When I spoke bluntly, murmurs spread around.

“Didn’t you steal the kill just now?

No matter how much you want the money, there are rules. You can’t steal like that.”

A burly man from the Special Task Force, who had taken the interview with me, scowled fiercely.

“Oh, so you were the one holding the boss? That explains it.

Fighting God runs away shaking their hips without looking back when they kill a boss.

Is that a strategy? A tactical retreat?

You should’ve told us.

They ran off so frantically, I didn’t even know it was a plan.

I was fooled, the monsters were fooled, even the heavens were fooled.”

The party leader’s face reddened at my words.

Honestly, they had failed to kill the boss.

Since they thought I stole the kill, they couldn’t back down easily and started this quarrel.

But thanks to me, the party leader had saved his life.

If he had any conscience, he’d be ashamed.

Of course, he shouldn’t have started the quarrel in the first place.

“Yes, Hunter Lee Hyunbin got the kill.”

Kim Inho spoke up then.

His words, bearing the Fighting God Guild emblem, silenced the surrounding people.

Everyone except one.

“Kim Inho, why are you butting in now?”

“If Hunter Lee Hyunbin hadn’t helped, we would have been in danger.

You know that.”

Since they belonged to the same Guild, that argument lost all weight immediately.

All eyes turned to Kim Inho.

The party leader approached him and whispered something.

“You need to go to the Guild and explain this.

You’ve tarnished Fighting God’s honor.”

With that, the Fighting God Guild members glanced at me briefly, then turned and left.

The man who had interviewed me cleared his throat, spat on the floor, and stepped back.

Kim Inho bowed to me and followed the Guild members.

It was clear what was going to happen.

They’d try to pin the failure on Kim Inho.

I had gained plenty of experience, and because we succeeded in the boss raid, I took all the items.

If I just left the dungeon like this, it would be over.

“Hey.”

The Fighting God party leader and his group turned back.

“Won’t you apologize?”

“What?”

At my words, the Special Task Force member’s face crumpled like paper.

He seemed to be holding himself back, like “Are you crazy?”

“You should be ashamed.

You almost wiped out the raid by blindly stabbing at the boss without knowing its traits.

I saved you, and now you’re treating me like a thug?”

I spoke openly to the Fighting God members.

They started the quarrel and left without a word?

If you want to start a fight, that’s your choice.

But leaving like that requires permission.

The boss wasn’t a mantis but a parasite inside it.

You should have anticipated this from the moment the boss attacked without any sensation.”

“Big deal. You caught a mid-level boss and act all high and mighty.

They got wrecked by that mid-level boss, so who are they to talk?”

“That bastard!”

Just as I expected, the provoked Special Task Force member took a big step forward and lunged.

Before his comrades could stop him,

I lightly dodged to the side and grabbed his arm and neck.

Thwack!

I delivered a knee strike to his face.

He clutched his face in pain.

I followed up with an elbow blow to his neck and swept his leg.

The Special Task Force member collapsed to the ground, groaning.

Kim Inho’s eyes widened at the sudden fight.

Hunters nearby stopped in their tracks and watched.

Your hearts, everyone.

There’s nothing more entertaining than watching a fire or a fight.

Currently, the Fighting God Guild ranked 2nd.

They had many skilled Hunters and boasted an overwhelming force of 141 Hunters.

The party leader approached me as all eyes focused on us.

Whatever the reason, Fighting God had been stirred up.

The fight was unavoidable.

“Get up, Kim Changyeol.”

The party leader who walked up to me spoke quietly.

Kim Changyeol—the Special Task Force member who had been hit—rubbed the bridge of his nose and got up.

Clap! Clap!

The party leader slapped Changyeol twice.

Changyeol bit his lip in shame.

The party leader then turned to me and spoke heavily.

“It was a mistake to assume uncertain facts.

But creating problems between Guilds like this isn’t good for anyone.”

If you didn’t want to cause problems between Guilds, you should’ve stopped your members before they started.

At my words, the party leader’s face twisted like he had just tasted something bitter.

“We will send an official complaint.”

“Do as you please.”

The Fighting God party leader’s words drew murmurs from the Hunters.

“What’s this? They failed but are clinging on awkwardly?

I heard Fighting God’s doing well, but guess not.”

The party leader’s cold gaze darted to the wrong people but found no words.

We had failed the raid and retreated.

They insulted me for killing the boss alone and got beaten.

I wonder what kind of manager would be pleased with this.

The Fighting God party leader left without looking back.

The Special Task Force member licked his lips, spat a saliva-stained spit, and followed.

Kim Inho bowed to me again and turned away.

When the fight ended, the curious onlookers also left.

Now I feel a bit relieved.

I had been annoyed by those Fighting God guys who took the interview with me before entering the dungeon.

At least Kim Inho, who was friendly toward me, helped because he might have been in trouble.

It was satisfying just to show that Special Task Force guy—the one who openly ignored me—the power of a failed interviewee.

More importantly—

I have a feeling—

Kim Inho, who’s steadily climbing the ranks with great results, is wavering within Fighting God.

Kim Taeyang and Kim Inho.

I want them.

I want to put them on my team.