Chapter 174

“What?”

“I definitely saw it! A human Shadow in its stomach!”

“Wait… retreat!”

Taehyeok Sa ran through the passage with her, speaking. Other Hunters also frantically started running towards the passage. Taehyeok Sa used Telekinesis to pull the Hunters who hadn’t made it out yet. The Entity still didn’t chase them. It just swung its arms, crushing and cutting whatever got in its way.

“A dungeon break will happen eventually. Is that what it’s aiming for?”

Taeyang Kang followed closely beside him. Behind them, the rest of Paehyeok’s Group and the surviving Hunters were chasing.

“Because everyone will die if the dungeon breaks anyway.”

The Hunters who retreated were fortunately mostly not seriously injured. This was because any Hunter who was caught immediately met their death. However, the remaining personnel were only one-third of the original number. The Entity also had mostly healers in the rear. As they exited through the passage, people urgently gasped for breath.

“Huff, huff.” “W-we’re alive. We’re alive.”

The Hunters collapsed to the ground, panting. Taehyeok Sa surveyed his surroundings. It was a desperate situation. They had lost a third of their people, and everyone’s will was broken. He looked around. The only ones who were relatively unharmed were Paehyeok’s Group, Jihan Kim, Gihyeon Park, and Zhixuan.

“…Let’s rest for a bit and then think of another plan.”

There was no answer. Everyone was exhausted. Taehyeok Sa sighed and prepared to rest for a moment. As he moved, Yeonhan Kim and Dongju Kim also moved to start a fire and look around. And Nara Shim…

“Guild Master, I’d like to talk for a moment.” “Alright. But I’d like to do it after we’ve finished setting up camp. The Hunters are too exhausted right now. …And we’ve lost a lot.” “…Understood.”

A small campsite was set up in front of the passage. The Hunters fell asleep as if collapsing, and only a few were awake. Taehyeok Sa stood in the center and called Gihyeon Park and Taeyang Kang. Nara Shim was also with them.

“So, you saw a person’s Shadow inside its stomach?” “Yes, I’m sure. It was so clear I couldn’t have mistaken it.” “Is the skin on its belly thin?” “…Usually, insects have delicate skin on their undersides.” “We should keep that in mind when we attack.”

Taeyang Kang frowned. Taehyeok Sa didn’t react to him and looked at Nara Shim.

“So, what’s your opinion?” “I think we need to cut open its belly.” “The problem will be how to cut open the Entity’s belly.” “That’s right… It’s excessively strong….”

Gihyeon Park interjected.

“If we could stop it, there would be no problem.” “But would it just stay still? If we try to cut its belly, it would obviously move.”

Nara said, as if she had a headache. Then she ran a hand through her hair, and suddenly her eyes fell on the Watch on her wrist. She widened her eyes. Ah, why had she forgotten this?

“I, I!” “Why, what is it?” “Stopping time is possible! Only once, though!” “Stopping time… are you talking about the hidden item we got last time?”

When Taeyang Kang asked, Nara Shim nodded.

“…Yes, but the problem is that when time is stopped, I’m the only one who can move.” “…That’s a shame.”

Taehyeok Sa furrowed his brow. Even if Nara Shim could move, she wasn’t a dealer, so she couldn’t do anything by herself. But…

“…I think we can somehow get what’s inside its belly out.”

Nara Shim nodded.

“I’ll, I’ll try to make it work somehow.”

At that moment, Taeyang Kang asked.

“Are you sure it’s Choi Hyeon?”

“I don’t know. But I think it’s good to do what we can. We don’t have any other options.”

“…I agree with that.”

Nara Shim nodded.

“He told me to come and rescue him. So there must be a way.”

Nara Shim’s eyes shone with determination. And while they were in the middle of a meeting, Suui Kim came looking for them. Suui Kim opened her mouth to Taehyeok Sa with a serious face, saying that something had belatedly occurred to her.

“Before, I was threatened by a Choi hunter who had lost his reason.”

“Was that during Chonghyeon’s time?”

Suui Kim nodded.

“At that time, Choi Hyeon wasn’t Choi Hyeon. At that time, it was…”

“It must have been the same situation as now. So what do you want to say?”

“There might be a way to bring Choi Hyeon’s reason back.”

“What?”

“So, before…”

Suui Kim briefly recalled that time.

***

At that time, Suui Kim was captured by the Entity. It was a critical moment where her breath could be cut off at any moment, and then a window popped up in front of her.

[Supporter Danger Occurred!][Choose your □!][Choi Hyeon][□□□□□□□]

“Ugh, ugh…”

Suui Kim looked at the window with bloodshot eyes. She didn’t know what it was asking her to choose, or what the unreadable characters below were, but there was only one thing she could choose at that moment.

‘Choi Hyeon.’

[The supporter’s choice has been made!][The owner of the body is fixed for a certain period of time!]

And after that, Choi Hyeon’s mind returned.

***

After the explanation, Taehyeok Sa’s face was serious for a moment.

“So, that kind of window popped up?”

“Yes. So I think if a similar situation happens this time, the same window might pop up again.”

Everyone had hope at those words. But the problem was.

“It means we have to get close to the Entity…”

Nara Shim said with a serious face. She knew well that Choi Hyeon had a supporter registration. And it wouldn’t be just her. And then Taehyeok Sa, who had finished his thoughts, spoke.

“I’ll go.”

“But it’ll be dangerous.”

“That’s the only way for now.”

He bowed his head slightly. Everyone was speechless. At that moment, Taehyeok Sa was the only one who had a chance of survival even if he got close to the boss monster. Everyone gave their unspoken consent, and Taehyeok Sa, who took it for granted, said,

“Let’s prepare thoroughly and try again. For now, it’s best to let the Hunters rest as much as possible.”

“Understood.”

Everyone returned to their spots to rest for a while. And Taehyeok Sa looked at the entrance once, as if looking beyond to where the Entity, who had taken over Cho-i Hyeon’s body, was inside.

***

Cho-i Hyeon briefly regained consciousness. Her whole body felt stuffy. Something was pressing down on her tightly. She couldn’t open her eyes, and her mind was melting, unable to grasp anything properly. But she knew. Because she was one with the Entity.
They had just fought a battle. And they had failed gloriously, running away once again.

‘I have to get out of here.’

But Cho-i Hyeon couldn’t leave this place. She needed someone’s help.

‘If only I could take over my body for a moment…’

She needed a way. And for that, she needed her supporter. Cho-i Hyeon immediately thought of Taehyeok Sa. That bastard who said he would take care of her. She needed that untrustworthy bastard right now.

‘Taehyeok Sa, hurry… ‘

For the first time, Cho-i Hyeon wished for him. And then, something answered her thoughts.

‘Do you think you can take over the body just because the Entity is coming?’

It was the Entity. The Entity, who had now become the boss monster. Cho-i Hyeon held onto her fading mind and answered the Entity.

‘The body is mine.’
‘It used to be.’
‘I’ll get it back.’
‘It’s useless.’

The Entity showed great confidence, and Cho-i Hyeon held the seething anger in her stomach, unable to do anything. There was nothing she could do on her own now that her whole body was bound. In her gradually fading consciousness, she called out to him once more. Taehyeok Sa, that name.

***

Some time passed. The Hunters who had recovered their bodies one by one began to get up. Their faces were filled with deep despair. Taehyeok Sa gathered them and began to speak.

“We’re going in again.”

“…But we’ve already lost more than half of our Hunters.”

“I’ve thought of another way.”

“…What way are you talking about?”

“It’s hard to explain, but it’s a way to restore Hunter Cho-i Hyeon’s sanity.

Then the Hunters asked,

“Will Hunter Cho-i Hyeon, who has regained her sanity, willingly die?”

“……”

Taehyeok Sa was silent for a moment. The Hunters’ gazes were sharp. They only wanted to kill Cho-i Hyeon, who had become a boss monster. Logically, that was correct. But now that there was a glimmer of hope to save Cho-i Hyeon, Taehyeok Sa’s thoughts were different.

“I’m going to save Hunter Cho-i Hyeon.”

“That’s impossible!”

“No.”

Taehyeok Sa said firmly.

“It’s possible.”

His firm tone silenced everyone for a moment.

“It has to be possible.”

Everyone had no choice but to follow him. Paehyeok, which had two SS-Ranks. And Taehyeok Sa, who was called the strongest there. If it was someone who made such a face when everyone else looked troubled, they would have no choice but to follow.

“Let’s plan the strategy again.”

“How do we do it?”

“I’ll go first. And the rest of you fall back.”

“…You mean?”

“…We have a plan. So don’t be surprised no matter what happens. I can’t explain it in detail.”

“…I don’t trust it.”

“I don’t want to ask for your trust. You just need to know that we have a goal: to defeat the boss monster and get Cho-i Hyeon back.”

Gihyeon Park and Taeyang Kang, and Paehyeok’s Group stood behind Taehyeok Sa.

“We’ll take the front. The rest of you attack from a distance, and healers, prioritize healing those at the very front from the rear.”

“Understood.”

“…There’s no time. So let’s go straight away.”

Taehyeok Sa and Paehyeok’s Group were all ready. Gihyeon Park and Jihan Kim also followed them. The Hunters exchanged glances, grabbed their weapons, and began to follow them. It was the beginning of the second battle.