Chapter 54 : Damn Raid 3

Near Andong, the Nakdong River flows past a serene and elegant luxury hotel.

The name of the hotel is Moonlit Pavilion of Yeongwol, built in 2062 by the Hunter Association for the welfare of hunters, making it a relatively prestigious establishment.

Currently, thanks to the Hunter Association booking the entire hotel, the only guests aside from the staff were 20 hunters.

As of the last briefing, there were nine A-rank hunters, Shia, and additional hunters summoned for the raid dungeon, making a total of 20 hunters currently enjoying their time at Moonlit Pavilion of Yeongwol.

A total of 20 hunters, including Shia, were preparing to be deployed into the raid dungeon, which was still undergoing mutations.

All except Shia were A-rank hunters.

Everything was good.

The food served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner was of excellent quality, and even the room service and the cleanliness and size of the rooms assigned to each individual rivaled that of three-star hotels abroad.

The association had given only one directive.

Before the dungeon mutated further and caused an emergency, capture the dungeon boss and collapse the dungeon.

However, this dungeon had many uncertainties.

The fact that, once inside the gate dungeon, one couldn't exit until the boss was defeated—whether it took a week or a month—was one of the concerning factors.

That's why pre-raid information was essential before entering a gate dungeon.

Whether the terrain was a desert, a snowfield, a jungle, or a forest.

Whether the climate was temperate, subarctic, or if the air was thin inside the dungeon.

While monster information was crucial, dungeons were dangerous enough to threaten human life just through their irregular terrains.

Thus, under normal circumstances, the Hunter Association would first send surveillance drones into the dungeon to gather information, analyze the data, and then dispatch hunters.

"Ah, damn. This is my first time seeing such a reckless gate dungeon raid."

"What can you do? They said the surveillance drones couldn't return."

Surveillance drones dispatched by the Hunter Association were designed to collect internal information even when communication was lost, using AI embedded in the drone.

Once the data collection was complete, the drones would pass through the gate coordinates and return.

The unique feature of a gate dungeon was that it prevented living organisms, including hunters, from escaping.

However, with some difficulty, drones could exit the dungeon.

But the mutated raid dungeon near Andong Dam blocked not only humans but also inanimate objects, so none of the dozens of drones sent in returned.

As a result, unless a person went in and manually controlled the drones, gathering information externally was impossible.

Therefore, the 19 A-rank hunters and Shia were forced to enter the dungeon without any information.

Due to this situation, the Hunter Association took a submissive stance, covering all travel, accommodation, and meal costs for the hunters participating in this raid.

Additionally, they promised to lend any equipment hunters requested for free and even guaranteed ownership and maintenance rights of the gear if the raid was successful.

Considering that each piece of hunter equipment was incredibly expensive, the association's support was quite exceptional.

"If we're unlucky and the dungeon's underwater as soon as we enter, it'll be a nightmare…"

"Hey, we're fine, right? You're A-rank and can't hold your breath underwater for 20 minutes?"

"No, it's not about us, you idiot."

At one hunter's remark, his companion glared at a silver-haired woman who had been sitting in the restaurant for the past two hours.

Hunter Shia.

No, to be exact, Shia, who had a "temporary hunter license."

"Ugh, this is driving me crazy. 'Keep an eye on her'?"

"Is she the daughter of someone important?"

The mission given to the hunters summoned by the Hunter Association was to clear the mutated raid dungeon and, if possible, collapse it.

If that wasn't feasible, the instruction was to survive inside the dungeon until reinforcements could be sent, establishing a base camp in the meantime.

This was the basic rule for entering a gate dungeon.

However, the association had added one more side mission.

"Keep a close eye on Shia, the temporary hunter."

According to the association's agent, this was a side mission that didn't necessarily have to be followed.

Still, hunters generally considered protecting human life a priority.

Although it was framed as a side mission, if Shia were accompanying them, it was only natural to protect her.

But the idea of bringing this burden along into a mysterious, mutated raid dungeon where even their own lives weren't guaranteed was understandably irritating for the hunters.

"Still, you never know what could happen. 'Keep an eye on her' doesn't mean we must do it strictly. And who knows, maybe she's skilled enough to be assigned with us?"

"If someone new had been promoted, we would've known. As far as I know, the only recently registered hunter is Lady Yeonseo's granddaughter."

"Then could she be a Returnee?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not that well-versed in that area."

"What, are you well-versed in anything related to the hunter world? You didn't even remember my face until a month passed, you idiot."

"Screw you."

Because of this, there was an unspoken distance between the hunters and Shia.

While she was certainly beautiful, the hunters gathered here were people who had faced life-and-death situations countless times, and pretty looks weren't something they'd be swayed by.

What was important to them now wasn't Shia's appearance but whether her presence would be a variable in clearing the dungeon.

That said, no one openly criticized or picked a fight with her.

These hunters had all earned their hunter names through significant accomplishments and were recognized for their decent personalities.

Even though Shia, with her temporary hunter license, might be bothersome, they had the patience to tolerate her.

"Hehe, more, please!"

Meanwhile, Shia, having just emptied her 29th buffet plate, cheerfully requested more food, leaving the other hunters dumbfounded as they watched her.

While they were stressed about the impending raid, they couldn't help but feel a hint of envy toward Shia, who seemed carefree, mindlessly eating for hours.

"Look at her. She might die tomorrow, but she's just sitting there, shoveling food down her throat like she doesn't have a care in the world."

"Leave her be. Maybe she's nervous too…"

"But that Shia person… Even if she's not a hunter, she must at least be an Awakener, right?"

"Why?"

"Well, she's eaten 20… No, she just passed 30 plates now. For a regular person, unless they have a specific condition or constitution, that appetite would be more than most hunters could handle, wouldn't it?"

Some of the hunters nodded in agreement.

Hunters generally consumed more energy than regular people.

They needed to eat well, given that they burned far more calories than even athletes or martial artists.

The Hunter Association had provided mountains of high-calorie emergency rations for this raid.

It was enough food to last nearly a year if rationed, which made the hunters feel a bit overwhelmed, but the association had already sent transport drones to the front of the hotel, just in case.

"Now that I think about it, that makes sense. If she weren't an Awakener, that amount of food would be ridiculous."

"When I asked the Hunter Association about that Shia person, they said they couldn't disclose any details. They only assured us that she wasn't someone who would harm us."

"Harm us? How could anyone feel reassured with a temporary hunter license? If she were truly skilled, they would've given her a proper hunter license, not a temporary one!"

"Could she be a Returnee? I mean, it's odd for someone we've never seen before to be among us A-ranks. Maybe the association couldn't assess her skills accurately, so they're sending her with us."

"That's nonsense."

"Is it?"

"Should I just go ask her?"

"What? No need for that… Hey, hey! Stop!"

One hunter began walking toward Shia's table.

Although his companions tried to stop him, they were also curious, so they kept an ear on the conversation, watching intently.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Han Jinseong."

"Munch munch… Ah, hello."

"First time meeting and already talking casually? Well, never mind. Sorry to interrupt your meal, but do you have a moment?"

"Sorry, I like big chests."

"…What?"

Jinseong's face momentarily froze in disbelief.

Sure, it was weird to approach so suddenly, so such a reaction wasn't entirely unexpected.

Considering her looks, Jinseong thought it wasn't unusual for her to have been hit on countless times, probably even on the streets.

Jinseong tried to keep his composure and responded as calmly as he could.

"I have a girlfriend."

"Oh, so you're cheating?"

What nonsense was this?

For a moment, Jinseong was at a loss for words.

Before he could reply, Shia wiped her mouth with a napkin and jumped in.

"That's not it, so stop misunderstanding…!"

"Not it? Then what is it? You weren't planning on coming to me earlier, but now suddenly you're here?"

Since she'd been sitting alone at the buffet for hours, he had assumed she was completely oblivious, but apparently, she wasn't entirely clueless about reading the atmosphere.

"Sigh, our hunters have been talking about you. I came to ask you a few things. It's important to gather information on our allies before entering the dungeon."

"Ah, I get it."

"Great, glad you understand…"

"You were trying to hit on me, but when it didn't work, you're using the hunter business as an excuse to get out of it, right? It's okay, I understand."

"No, what the hell…"

"By the way, isn't it dirty to have two-timers? Does your girlfriend know? Or does she maybe even allow you to hit on me? Oh! Or are you aiming for a threesome?"

What kind of nonsense is this, damn it.

Honestly, it wasn't like it didn't cross his mind, but as Jinseong listened to the absurd words pouring into his ears like a rapid-fire barrage, he felt a headache coming on.

However, before Jinseong could get angry, Shia looked at him with a bright, innocent face.

It seemed that she hadn't meant her words seriously, as there was a playful glint in her eyes from the start.

"Haha, just kidding."

"No, there are jokes you should and shouldn't make…!"

"But now we can speak comfortably, right? Isn't that so?"

"Did you make that kind of joke just so we could talk comfortably?"

"Yup. You didn't come here to ask me something good, right?"

At those words, Jinseong realized that Shia already knew that the air surrounding her and the opinions about her were not exactly favorable.

Was it not that the hunters were distancing themselves from Shia, but rather that Shia had distanced herself from the hunters?

"It may not be a pleasant conversation, but if one has to be honest, it's best to remove the vague, ambiguous lines and pretenses between people. Self-deprecating jokes like those work best to break down such pretenses."

"…"

"Was what I said too harsh? If you're really upset, I'm sorry. It's just that adjusting the limits of jokes is hard for me. Maybe it's because I'm old."

Indeed, with those words, the mysterious image Jinseong had of Shia, and the sense of distance he felt toward her, completely vanished.

"Anyway, speak freely. If there's something you're curious about, I'll answer as much as I can."

"…Phew, fine. Then I'll ask right away. Are you an Awakener?"

"An Awakener…"

For a moment, Shia wondered if she should be classified as an Awakener.

In her previous world, as soon as she regained consciousness and opened her eyes, she had become the body of the "Saintess of the Dead."

It wasn't her original body, and as someone who wielded miracles and holy power, was it right to classify herself as an Awakener?

"I don't think I'm an Awakener. But I do have power."

"You're not an Awakener, but you have power?"

"To explain it in detail, I'd have to go on a bit, but to put it simply, I have strength, just like an Awakener. It's fine."

"All right. Understood."

Realizing that Shia had enough power to at least protect herself, Jinseong was satisfied with that.

She had gone from being a useless burden to someone who could at least take care of her own safety—a step up in his eyes.

"Then, are you a Returnee?"

"Yes, the association told me not to share too many details, but I am a Returnee."

"I see…"

A Returnee…

At that, Jinseong began to piece together some of the Hunter Association's intentions.

Returnees typically returned to this world with power ranging from C-rank to B-rank.

The most famous of the Returnee hunters, Yujin, was the only one to receive an S-rank immediately upon her return.

A-rank Returnees appeared rarely, maybe once every few years.

If Shia was a Returnee evaluated at around A-rank, it made sense why the Hunter Association issued her a temporary hunter license.

'They must be trying to evaluate her abilities or have her build some achievements through this raid.'

Normally, Returnees wouldn't be given such dangerous and uncertain missions.

They'd be told to clear an appropriate dungeon near their home. To have her join other hunters in tackling an unidentified mutated raid dungeon was quite unusual.

"All right, I understand. Then let me ask you one last thing. Do you have a specific reason for participating in this raid?"

There could be many reasons.

It could be for money. It could be to earn a higher hunter rank.

Maybe she wanted to get stronger…

"To stream!"

"…What?"

"Streaming! I'm a hunter streamer, and my viewers told me to do it."

It wasn't a lie.

Regardless of the internal circumstances, Shia had indeed decided to participate in this raid dungeon after receiving donations from her regular viewer, "KawaiiHorned."

However, Jinseong had no clue about Shia's internal motivations.

To him, her sudden mention of streaming left him dumbfounded.

'She must have seen the glamorous side of celebrity hunters or popular hunter streamers and decided to come here thoughtlessly.'

"…Okay, I get it."

Until a moment ago, Jinseong had thought he needed to reevaluate his opinion of Shia, but now he let out a deep sigh as he stood up.

He didn't know why, but the longer he talked with this woman, the more he felt like something was slowly eroding his mental stability.

Could she possibly be doing this on purpose?

From the look of her perpetually innocent expression, it didn't seem like it…

"Sleep well! Let's do our best tomorrow."

Behind Jinseong, Shia's voice sounded bright and playful.

"Hey, hey, hey, what did she say? What did she say?"

"I couldn't hear well, but it seemed like things were going smoothly."

"…I think it's better to just ignore her."

"Why?"

"She's a Returnee. She seems able to take care of herself, so let's not worry about her."

The fellow hunters could only send puzzled glances toward Jinseong, who let out a sigh.