15 – The Beginning of War [EPISODE – 1]
Rank S Hunter 5th, Guild to which the Saint belongs [Cult]
Now that Yoo Eun-ha’s guild, [Frozen Heart], which was the undisputed No.
[Cult] is also one of those large guilds.
The church’s guild chief.
A saintess, Reitana, who serves as the guild leader there.
A hunter of Korean nationality and mixed blood, she was praying every day at this time.
“… Reitana-sama. Are you there?”
During that time of prayer, Reitana’s secretary burst open the guild room and entered.
The secretary had a very flustered face.
“I thought I told you not to come in during prayer?”
When the secretary came in, Leitana’s prayer was interrupted.
Reitana opened her ax eye at her secretary.
The fact that her prayers were interrupted made Leitana very displeased.
“I’m sorry. I have to report it urgently.”
“What is it? Tell me.”
The secretary bowed her head and apologized to Reitana, and Reitana had no choice but to forgive him.
“Failed to secure Park Jin-su, the older brother of Hunter Park Jin-ha, who had just risen to the top 10 S-rank Hunter.”
The secretary told Reitana what had happened yesterday.
It means that the attempt to capture Park Jin-soo alive by mercenaries failed.
Securing Park Jin-soo, which is necessary for the recruitment of Park Jin-ha.
It was all [Cult’s] strategy.
“Haa… This is why subcontracting is not allowed.”
Reitana heard that and put a hand on her forehead.
And let out a long sigh.
“I can’t even do a simple job…”
Reitana clicked her tongue and looked out the window.
Now, Reitana’s [Cult] was struggling to become the number one guild among the large guilds.
In such a state, securing Park Jin-ha, who had just become an S-class this time, was in a very desperate situation.
Having failed at such an important thing, Reitana couldn’t help but be disappointed.
“sorry…”
Reitana’s assistant once again bowed her head deeply and apologized.
“So what’s causing the failure?”
However, further apologies were meaningless to Reinata. From now on, all she had to do was a thorough note of incorrect answers and a plan based on it.
Reitana continued to stare out the window and questioned the secretary.
“An unexpected Hunter intervened.”
“Are you subordinate to another large guild?”
“no.”
“sure?”
“I did some research, and in the past, it was an A-class, but now it’s a B-class retired hunter.”
The secretary informed Reitana of all the information he had investigated.
Reitana turned her head slightly surprised to hear the secretary’s words.
Reitana thought that if this task failed, it would surely be another large guild’s operation to secure Park Jin-ha.
However, it seemed quite surprising that he was just an ordinary hunter, not another large guild.
It was certainly no ordinary thing.
However, that was the only problem.
“okay.”
Reitana’s slightly surprised expression faded again.
I was surprised, but that meant I wasn’t interested anymore.
“Laytana-sama… Then how now…”
After hearing Reitana’s words, the secretary asked Reitana a question.
“How long will it take for the Heretic Questioner to move again?”
“About three days left.”
“Okay. Call the Heretic Questioner in 3 days. And solve it.”
And Reitana answered such a secretary.
The answer was to leave it to the solver who is in charge of all sorts of troubles in the [Cult].
“If not… how to solve it…?”
“It’s the way we always do. The cleanest and most trouble-free way. And this time, secure Jin-ha Park.”
“All right.”
After hearing Reitana’s words, the secretary nodded as if he understood.
Then, he turned around and left the guild room.
“Goddess… I’m sorry. But… I will soon bring judgment upon the ungodly.”
When the secretary left, only Reitana was left in the guild manager’s room.
Reitana knelt down once more and closed her eyes.
“Goddess… Today, I live for you.”
Then he continued the prayer he had prayed before the secretary came.
ㅡ ㅡ ㅡ
After parting with Park Jin-soo, I headed straight home.
Come to think of it, I had a lot of work today, but I wasn’t tired at all.
The steps back home were light.
However, I couldn’t help but worry a little.
Come to think of it, I had so many things to do that I forgot what I had to do.
That is, he did not tell his sister Lee Si-eun that he would be late.
“I’m scared to think I’ll get scolded by Si-eun…”
The time is 2:00 in the morning.
It was a time that was very far from 9:00 PM to 12:00 PM, which is the time I usually go home.
It was obvious that Lee Si-eun would be angry like fire.
“Ehh… it’s hard to want him to sleep…”
I hope Si-eun Lee is asleep and I open the front door.
As expected, as always, Lee Si-eun was not sleeping.
At first, it was actually intuitive.
Lee Si-eun won’t sleep unless I come back.
It always has been.
“Brother. Why are you here now?”
“Somehow.”
“Didn’t I tell you in advance that it will be late?”
Lee Si-eun was standing in front of the front door, waiting for me.
He put his hands on his waist and glared at me with his eyes wide open.
Usually it’s not this late, but he seems quite angry.
“Ahaha… I’m sorry. I’ve got some work to do.”
I apologized to Lee Si-eun.
“Now. This is the teddy bear you wanted the other day.”
Of course, a bribe was also prepared.
It was a cuddly teddy bear that Lee Si-eun always wanted to have.
“Ehh… It’s strange that oppa is so lively these days.”
Lee Si-eun received a teddy bear from me, but it seems that her anger has calmed down.
He sighed for a moment and cleared his face.
“is it?”
“Yeah… I can’t sleep every night these days.”
“Huh? Did you know that I don’t sleep at night?”
It is not Lee Si-eun’s misunderstanding that I feel energetic.
It’s probably because my [Hero] skill made my body incapable of feeling fatigue.
Lee Si-eun is also worth noticing.
However, it was a little surprising that Lee Si-eun noticed that I was not sleeping.
So I was a bit surprised.
“…just. I know. Somehow.”
Lee Si-eun sighed at my question and, of course, showed an expression of knowing.
After all, since we live together, it seems like we can’t hide that.
“What, isn’t there something wrong with your body?”
Lee Si-eun made a gloomy expression. It seemed like everyone was worried about me.
In fact, not sleeping is not doing what you are supposed to do as a human being.
Of course, it seems that there is nothing to worry about.
“It’s nothing special. It’s just that I’m not tired.”
“Isn’t there a real problem?”
“Yeah. Not at all.”
I replied with a smile to Shi-eun, who was worried about me, that there was no need to worry at all.
Not sleeping was obviously a dangerous thing for a normal person.
However, I don’t have to sleep because of the [Hero] skill, and there’s nothing wrong with my body.
Rather, they are much healthier than others.
“.. Okay brother. Good night then. I think I need to sleep now.”
Si-eun listened to my words, looked at my expression as if she were dumbfounded, and smiled as if she was glad.
And now, as soon as his body was exhausted, he yawned.
“Oh and… do it in moderation every night.”
And before going into his room, he talked to me as if he was embarrassed.
It was quite embarrassing, her face flushed red.
“Huh? What?”
“… Nothing.”
“Okay. Good night Sieun.”
I didn’t understand what Shi-eun said to me at all.
Even though I didn’t sleep at night, I was definitely quiet.
So I asked Si-eun Lee, but Si-eun Lee avoided answering.
It was the end of a slightly bland conversation, but well, how is it?
I also went into my room leaving Sieun behind.
“after…”
It was a neatly tidy room, as if Si-eun had cleaned it while I was away.
I didn’t lie in bed.
I sat in my chair and stared at the ceiling for a moment, thinking about what had happened at the gate today.
The story of fighting for life with Kim Jong-pal’s party at the gate.
“ha…”
I sighed.
As a result, I won the battle, but in fact, the battle was very dangerous.
To be honest, it was something I could have lost.
It was possible because the opponent was careless, but if I had fought properly from the start, I might not have been here.
“You must become stronger…”
If there is something I realized after returning to Hunter after 3 years, it is that the gate is still dangerous.
Nothing has changed from 3 years ago.
No, perhaps even after years, as long as there are hunters and gates, that will be an immutable law that will never change.
So, somehow I felt the need to become stronger.
In the end, there was only one way to survive, to do hunter work safely.
I had to be strong enough that no one could touch me.
“I have the warrior skill… but I need to be a little more impatient.”
I have the warrior skill. And practice swordsmanship every day.
To be honest, the [Hero] skill’s [4. All growth rates increase by 3 times.], so my growth rate makes no sense.
In addition, there is no growth limit that would normally exist, so I believe that as long as this pace is maintained, S rank can be reached within 2 years.
This is honestly a very fast achievement, and it is possible because of the [Hero] skill.
However, I have a hunch that somehow it will be too late.
To be strong after two years means, in other words, that you will always run into danger during those two years.
“If…if I were to die, the remaining Sieun…”
I kept bumping into ominous thoughts.
That kind of thing that happens to be terrible while working as a hunter.
So, I had no choice but to make up my mind.
“For now, let’s aim to become stronger than I was three years ago.”
I kicked off my chair and stood up.
And in order to practice more severely.
I left the house to be sure to survive.