Chapter 96
With that unpleasant feeling I had experienced before, I entered the Gate completely. As I had seen in Yu Dohyun’s memories long ago, S-class Gates had more convincing backgrounds than artificial Gates or low-level Gates. There were crude trees, wind blowing, and dust swirling. Soon after, other expedition members entered the Gate one after another.
“Yu Chanhee, are you crazy? What the hell are you trying to do?”
“What can I do? I’m already inside.”
Lee Joohyun looked bewildered by my nonchalant answer.
“This is S-class! Everyone has trouble just taking care of themselves.”
“I’ll take care of myself. Don’t worry.”
“How are you going to protect yourself?… Ah, forget it. Do whatever you want.”
“Everyone, please don’t worry too much about me.”
My head was already aching thinking about what the news would say about this, but I had no choice. The “reward” set by the System had never been wrong. Even if I became cannon fodder and got my head chopped off by a monster right away, I still had to do this. Whether it killed me or not, I focused on gathering mana and sharpening my senses.
[Event starting!]
The System suddenly appeared, displaying text right above my field of vision.
[Two A-class monsters charging from 100m ahead, estimated arrival within 20 seconds. 20, 19, 18, 17…]
“What is this?”
Lee Joohyun glanced at me after my muttered question. There was still nothing visible around us. Something should be visible at 100 meters, but it seemed true that S-class Gates had many variables. I concentrated mana at my fingertips anyway. Fortunately, the claim that I was getting better wasn’t a lie—I no longer experienced dizziness or nosebleeds.
“They’re coming!”
[3, 2, 1.]
A monster’s form suddenly appeared from thin air. Fortunately, I was able to immediately cut down the one right in front of me. The hunter standing beside me only then adopted a defensive stance and supported me.
“These bastards will all come while invisible, so stay alert!”
The hunter next to me nodded reflexively at my words. It had been a while since I’d activated my mana, but it didn’t feel unfamiliar at all. My body moved freely as if I’d frequently engaged in combat. Maybe it was thanks to the System continuously briefing me from the side.
[Appearing 1m ahead at 2 o’clock.]
“Wow, fuck.”
I barely managed to throw myself forward and blast away a monster just before it revealed itself.
“Hey, Joohyun. Throw me any spare weapon you have.”
Lee Joohyun wasn’t stupid. I immediately caught a gun he threw to me and maintained my distance.
[Two will appear at 1.6m at 3 o’clock. 10, 9…]
“Lee Joohyun, your right!”
“What?”
[…2, 1.]
I fired my gun loaded with condensed mana at the monster that appeared beside Lee Joohyun. He quickly jumped back and took care of the next monster that appeared.
[Three A-class monsters at 8 o’clock, followed by four B-class monsters.]
Though I had never participated in actual combat, I knew the information the System was giving me was far from ordinary. Instead of thinking about why this was happening, I decided to just use what I was given. Naturally taking the lead, I continued briefing everyone about the monsters’ movements.
[Entering a temporary lull. You have 3 hours and 45 minutes of rest.
Time remaining: 3:44:59]
As soon as I saw those words, I sat down. The hunters who had been on constant alert looked at me with surprised expressions.
“Nothing will appear for the next 4 hours.”
“…What? How do you know that?”
“The wave detector is calm, right?”
Lee Joohyun looked down at the wave detector wrapped around his wrist. Since it was indeed quiet, he didn’t say anything more.
“What are you?”
“Let’s talk outside.”
“…If you don’t explain properly, I’ll really put you in a place like the National Mana Research Institute.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been to the National Mana Research Institute.”
“You’ve been strange since school.”
“Me? How so?”
“Always clinging to Yu Hyunjae’s side and overprotecting him. Being wary of all other kids.”
“What’s wrong with that? Is that strange?”
“It’s not normal. Being so sensitive while hanging around another guy.”
“Did I ever cause you trouble? If anything, it was better for you, right?”
“That’s true. Your actions were so predictable that it was easy to observe you.”
“How much did my father pay you? Did he really just cover your tuition? No pocket money?”
“…Is that what you want to ask?”
“I’m curious. I think the overprotection wasn’t from me but from my father.”
“Right. Even if you were the son of someone important, I did wonder why he needed to plant someone to protect you like this. Hansung doesn’t have any issues with the Combat Division either.”
“Really?”
“Of course, after that… incident, I sort of understood why he gave those instructions.”
“Then you probably have some idea.”
Lee Joohyun looked at me with a puzzled expression. I whispered softly into his ear.
“Hansung killed my parents.”
Lee Joohyun’s expression hardened.
“Why are you asking me about that?”
“Just curious.”
“Curious about what?”
“After that incident, I thought a lot.”
“…”
“About who would remain by my side unconditionally.”
“And that’s Yu Hyunjae?”
“Yes.”
“He went to England and hasn’t even returned.”
“That’s why I trust him more.”
“What?”
“I told him not to come. I told him to go. So he really went, right? And he came back when he really thought he could be by my side. So I have no choice but to trust Yu Hyunjae.”
“I don’t really understand what you’re saying.”
“There’s something like that, Joohyun.”
“I still don’t get you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Nothing’s changed since then. You’re still the same, always going on about Yu Hyunjae.”
“Was I that bad?”
“You’re using your abilities properly now, but did you pretend you couldn’t just because of Yu Hyunjae’s return?”
“Am I that stupid?”
“Aren’t you?”
“I’m not! I don’t know when I might become useless again.”
“What?”
“I could collapse coughing up blood again and become a burden.”
“…So your mana really is unstable.”
“Of course. So if I suddenly collapse, please take me somewhere safe.”
“I’m not sure I’ll have the capacity for that.”
“If I die, you’re the only one who loses.”
“…Well, I do owe a debt to your family, so I’ll try.”
“Thanks.”
“But it’s your fault for jumping in here with such unstable mana in the first place.”
“That too,”
“You have your reasons?”
I smiled and drank the water I was holding. After finishing my conversation with Lee Joohyun, I looked at the System’s text still floating in the air. The remaining time was steadily decreasing. Why was the System suddenly giving me these functions? It seemed like it recognized me as the “Administrator,” but I wasn’t sure. If that was the case, had Yu Dohyun been using these functions to maintain his position as a top Ranker all this time? Of course, having basic mana was essential, but with the support of this nearly perfect System, he definitely had a different starting point than other hunters.
“Really…”
The more I learned about him, the more absurd he seemed. Pretending to be the most upright and rigid person, yet being so contradictory. Enjoying privileges from the System—from who knows where—while hating his brother and pretending to sacrifice himself to the end. Yes, the more I learned about Yu Dohyun, the more he was simply a bastard to me.
As I thought this, my stomach suddenly began to feel queasy. I put down the water I was drinking and flopped onto the ground. The gravel that wasn’t quite soil irritated my head and back, but I didn’t care.
“Living the good life, huh?”
“Let me know when those monster bastards appear.”
“Going to sleep?”
“My stomach doesn’t feel good, can’t sleep.”
I closed my mouth, fearing that if I continued talking, I might vomit even the water I had drunk.
