Chapter 154

Zhixuan made a tearful face. Cho-i Hyeon thought as she watched him. This guy seems a bit more air-headed than I remember. Don’t you think so? Cho-i looked at Taehyeok Sa as if seeking agreement, but Taehyeok Sa didn’t understand the hidden meaning and merely raised an eyebrow. Cho-i Hyeon clicked her tongue and said nothing more.

“So, when do we see the other Hunters’ faces?”

“Is there a need to see their faces? There aren’t just one or two of them, to begin with.”

“Oh, then.”

“They enter on a set date and each clear their own dungeon. Do you think all those people came to help Korea?”

Taehyeok Sa said with a look of ignorance.

“I’m coming to be the first hunter to clear an EX-Rank dungeon. If I do that, becoming the world’s #1 hunter and guild is only a matter of time.”

“So you can surpass Paehyeok?”

“That’s right. They’ll mostly be trying to benefit themselves by leaving the most dangerous front lines to us, so why should we even look at their faces?”

“When you put it that way, it makes me want to see their faces.”

“Stop it. You won’t see anything good if you go.”

“It’s a bit of a shame. But it can’t be helped.”

Cho-i Hyeon readily agreed. In fact, she wasn’t sure if all the Hunters who came here had the same thought, but the greater intention was to minimize contact between Cho-i Hyeon and other Hunters to prevent any incidents that might occur beforehand. However, Cho-i Hyeon, completely unaware of this, only grew more hostile towards the unknown Hunters. Did I do the right thing? Just then, a call came in from Taehyeok Sa’s secretary’s office.

-Guild Master, the American hunters have arrived. “I don’t think we had any appointments today.” -Should I send them away?

Taehyeok Sa turned his gaze to Cho-i Hyeon. He thought it might be okay since they had already seen the American hunters once. After all, Cho-i Hyeon wouldn’t pick a fight.

“Let them in.” -Understood.

Not long after he hung up, the American hunters soon came up in the elevator. As expected, the Guild Master couldn’t make it, but S-Rank healer Jane was there. They each had translator devices in their ears. The earrings made of Blue Magic Stone twinkled.

“It’s been a while.”

“Indeed, it has!”

Cho-i Hyeon stepped forward to greet them. Jane greeted Cho-i Hyeon, then turned her head to Taehyeok Sa.

“Are your preparations going well?”

“They’re proceeding without any issues. All we really need to prepare is food and potions anyway.”

“The Entity too. We’re also preparing mainly for the Entities.”

“Right, what did your Guild Master say when he sent you?”

“He said not to come back if we don’t make it into the newspapers as hunters who cleared an EX-Rank dungeon.”

Jane smiled. Taehyeok Sa also gave a faint smile and said,

“Then you won’t be able to go back. After all, it’ll be our Paehyeok that graces the front page of the newspaper. If you can’t return to the USA, Paehyeok is willing to take you in.”

“You’re very confident. Well, you have to be that confident for us to trust you and enter the dungeon, don’t you?”

“You make it sound like you’re only trusting us.”

“Haha, everyone’s probably saying that right now!”

“While thinking something else deep down.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

“Still, I appreciate your honesty.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“So, what’s the purpose of your visit?”

“We came to say hello. After all, there’s the goodwill from when you came to the SS-Rank dungeon.”

“If that’s the case, I’m relieved.”

“Why?”

“I thought you had another matter to discuss.”

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing else. I’m too busy taking care of myself with regard to the EX-Rank dungeon right now.”

“I see. The hotel we booked isn’t bad, is it?”

“No, I like it.”

“That’s good. Rest comfortably during the preparation time.”

“Thank you.”

While the two finished their conversation warmly, Cho-i Hyeon was watching the situation, almost lying on the sofa. So, the Americans didn’t come to say anything strange, she thought. Zhixuan, who was sitting next to her, soon got bored and began braiding Cho-i Hyeon’s hair. Cho-i Hyeon gave him her hair and said,

“The Americans are more well-behaved than I thought?”

Since they had translator devices, everyone could hear. A few American hunters looked back at Cho-i, but Cho-i didn’t mind it at all. Zhixuan was the same.

“Hasn’t the sentiment towards Korean Hunters become quite favorable since the SS-Rank dungeon incident? That’s probably why.”

“You’re different from you Chinese bastards. Right.”

“If you say it like that, I have nothing to say… But you didn’t help China either.”

“What do you mean I didn’t? I let you live.”

“Do you count that as help?”

“Then what is it? Should I kill you here?”

“No, I’ll decline.”

Zhixuan talked back precisely while braiding Cho-i Hyeon’s hair, and Cho-i Hyeon, finding it funny, kept poking him. Taehyeok Sa watched the two and then greeted the American hunters who were about to leave.

“For now, go back to your accommodation and rest today.”

“We intend to. There will be a lot of headaches, so we should at least behave ourselves.”

Taehyeok Sa’s brow furrowed slightly. It felt like there was a hidden meaning in that statement. Was it just his imagination?

“Goodbye!”

Cho-i Hyeon waved at Jane. Jane bowed slightly to her and then disappeared into the elevator. Cho-i Hyeon blinked her eyes, watching Jane, who had bowed slightly to her.

“She knows Korean etiquette well.”

It was a voice full of satisfaction. Taehyeok Sa shook his head and then asked Cho-i Hyeon,

“At least the American hunters probably won’t cause any trouble.”

“Well, they owe us, so of course.”

“To say ‘of course’ when they got hurt in an SS-Rank dungeon because of you…”

Cho-i Hyeon immediately started doing something else. Zhixuan was also silently braiding Cho-i Hyeon’s hair. Taehyeok Sa clicked his tongue, as if to say, ‘Never mind.’

“Don’t just hang around here, go back and rest. You too, Zhixuan.”

“I came here to make a suggestion.”

“What is it?”

“Before we enter the EX-Rank dungeon, I want to find more hidden dungeons.”

“Why?”

“Equipment enhancement? Nara Shim doesn’t have any notable equipment, and neither do Hunter Yeonhan Kim or Hunter Dongju Kim. You’re the same.”

“It’s not a bad idea, but can you manage your condition?”

“It’s not hard for me.”

“…Well, alright. I’ll talk about it. For now, go back today.”

“Got it. I’ll do that.”

Cho-i Hyeon said, “Whoops,” and stood up. Zhixuan, having finished braiding Cho-i Hyeon’s hair, also stood up and quickly prepared to leave. But then, a call came in again to Taehyeok Sa’s secretary’s office.

-Guild Master? “What is it?” -The British hunters have arrived. “…It seems we have a lot of unannounced visitors today. Send them away.” -The Entity said… that they have something important to say today. “Something important to say today?” -They wish to meet you in person to tell you.

Taehyeok Sa pondered for a moment, then accepted.

“Let them in.”

And a few minutes later, the elevator doors opened, and the British Hunters began to disembark. They, too, were wearing translator devices, and most of them were very tall. Cho-i Hyeon smiled brightly at the gazes looking down at her.

‘These bastards look incredibly annoying.’

Taehyeok Sa looked at them and smiled brightly, just like Cho-i Hyeon.

“What is it?”

Then, a man who appeared to be the leader stepped forward. Taehyeok Sa knew him well. Oscar Harper of Violent, the only guild whose Guild Master personally participated in this expedition, and the Guild Master himself was an S-Rank.

“I’ll be direct. Hand over the lead of this raid.”

At those words, Taehyeok Sa’s eyebrows shot up.

“What’s that supposed to mean, all of a sudden?”

“Paehyeok has enjoyed too much glory for too long. Isn’t it time to step down from the throne?”

“I don’t know why that’s coming up now. You’re not unaware of Paehyeok’s strength, are you?”

“Our strength is no less.”

“I don’t think your strength is superior to Paehyeok, who has two SS-Ranks. Denied.”

“Still arrogant, Taehyeok Sa.”

“And you’re still annoying, Oscar.”

As a strange atmosphere formed between the two, Cho-i Hyeon, smiling broadly, interjected between them.

“I have a way!”

“What is this now?”

A vein popped on Cho-i Hyeon’s forehead. But she didn’t lose her smile and raised a finger. Taehyeok Sa felt an uneasy premonition and tried to cover her mouth. But she was faster than him.

“The one who wins the fight gets the lead, mmmph!”

“Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

But Oscar Harper let out a hollow laugh and then nodded.

“The Entity isn’t bad either.”

“Ugh, bleh! Hey! He said it’s not bad!”

“This is infuriating. Why is he stirring up trouble?”

“I accept that proposal.”

“I didn’t make any proposal.”

Then Cho-i gently coaxed Taehyeok Sa.

“Hey, let’s just push it once and get it over with. Are we really going to lose? How many S-Ranks are there?”

Taehyeok Sa thought. Literally, there’s no way they could lose against the Paehyeok Side. But for some reason, the British hunters seemed overly confident. Taehyeok Sa scrutinized them and suddenly realized there was an unfamiliar face. Is this a new hunter who just joined? He activated Inspect.

[??? (??)]

Taehyeok Sa frowned intensely. At least the same rank as him.

“I wondered what they were so confident about…”

Taehyeok Sa laughed ferociously. If they were so confident just because they recruited an SS-Rank, he wanted to show them how completely wrong they were. Given that he was a completely unfamiliar face, he probably hadn’t awakened long ago.

“Even if they’re both SS-Rank, you shouldn’t compare me to a rookie like that.”

“Well, is he really a rookie?”

Oscar provoked him with a sarcastic tone. Cho-i Hyeon looked at Taehyeok Sa’s fiercely smiling face and poked him in the side.

“I’ll take care of it. Why do you need to get involved?”

Cho-i Hyeon said with a bright smile.

“Something like that can be handled by me.”

At those words, the British hunters all frowned. Cho-i Hyeon the hunter was known as an S-Rank. Such an arrogant statement.