Chapter 103

With plenty of coins left, I bought one more skill.

What would come up? Hopefully something useful like Afterimage—

“Huh?”

I squinted at the skill for a moment. Su-woon-ggan-gasok?

It wasn’t a bad skill. As an SS-rank, it boasted solid performance.

The problem was that “unable to move for 5 seconds” tacked on at the end.

That 2x effect even applied to other buffs.

In other words, if you used a 50% speed buff and then this, the 50% buff would become 100%—a total cheat skill.

…As long as you didn’t freeze up for those 5 seconds afterward.

“Not bad.”

Anyway, when teamed up, 5 seconds wasn’t an issue. That’s why it was a skill I used often.

I leaned forward and stood from my seat.

“Time to stretch my legs anyway.”

A dealer gets rusty if they don’t move.

When on vacation, our team’s reactions split into three types.

The Joo Yian faction that quietly reads books at home.

The So Yeri faction that goes out, acts like a social butterfly enjoying trends, and brews weird stuff like Dalgoona coffee.

And…

The Shin Jae-heon & Shin Yuri faction that relieves stress in easy dungeons.

“Oh.”

The duration’s longer than I thought?

Despite being made of wood, the puppet doll staggered into my simple bedroom connected to the office and flopped down.

Anyone who saw it… would think it was me.

Better performance than expected?

“Alright then.”

There were monsters swarming in the nearby forest, apparently.

Going into a dungeon would cut off hunter chat, which was risky.

Unlike Korea, this place had monsters outside gates too—a blessing—so no issue for a quick workout.

Then Joo Yian-ssi chatted. I shrugged.

Shin Jae-heon asked too.

So busy? I glanced at the work schedule sprawled on the desk and smiled benevolently.

So Yeri the hunter replied instantly.

That’s because you dump emperor work every day and wander around outside, right?

But wait, shouldn’t wandering around pile up more work?

Why is that guy so free and I’m swamped?

Of course! I clenched my fist. That guy…

Either way, I had to rest before this hellish schedule returned.

Today was the end of October. Hell gates open in November, so play hard for these three days!

Then Joo Yian-ssi’s healing chat popped up. I clutched my forehead like So Yeri hunter after a stock crash.

I miss you, Joo Yian-ssi… ★

—Click.

I cracked open the window.

Not a tall building—just four stories. Jumping down was easy.

And it was night, perfectly.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m an assassin or a dealer.

Anyway, in the darkness, I could slip past the knights’ watch and head to the forest anytime.

As I chatted while leaping out the window, I realized I’d forgotten something important.

No way the team didn’t know what that was.

As expected from people who’d seen me use the Heavenly Greaves properly—their reactions were different.

But?

The next message was met with silence.

Then Joo Yian-ssi cautiously chatted.

Unlike my other skills like Afterimage, Instant Acceleration (SS) directly affected the body.

In short, Joo Hunter Yian was politely saying not to rampage with an SS skill on a B-rank body and die.

Whether B-rank or S-rank originally, Instant Acceleration wasn’t a solo skill.

Am I crazy? Go blank for 5 seconds in the middle of battle after 3 seconds of rampage?

After a pause long enough for Joo Yian-ssi to sigh in relief, chats resumed.

I understood their worry. An L-rank dungeon’s hidden route, no less.

Not even what changes it brought or how it got harder.

I asked just in case. I’d investigated, but…

Meaning the E-rank monsters in the forest near the mansion were the same.

Reaching the forest was quick.

“You really need this light workout.”

People misunderstand S-ranks.

Thinking we only like hunting strong monsters.

Sure, instinctually thrilled by strong foes.

But preferences vary.

I love conquering tough ones for the thrill (and rewards), but occasionally slicing easy ones is another fun.

Life’s never easy—might as well have some easy clears in dungeons to feel alive, right?

“What was this called again?”

I ignored the macro name and recalled Joo Yian-ssi’s words.

‘Challenges are good, but light studying when you want to rest isn’t bad either.’

Stu…dying…is…good…?

I’ll never understand a healer’s brain.

—Shing!

The last remaining monster in front of me toppled sideways.

With a thud, the forest fell silent.

“Hmm.”

I scratched my cheek watching it.

“Were there always this few?”

Or did I clear them all?

Nah.

I’d started hunting right away, but hadn’t counted precisely—maybe dozens at most.

This was the Zitara colony forest.

Monsters with high breeding and aggression—needed periodic sweeps.

But gone after dozens?

Cleaned out like this?

“…?”

I narrowed my eyes.

A strange sensation prickled my body.

No Zitara in a Zitara colony, no other monsters or animals’ presence.

Not even insect chirps in the forest.

“Hm.”

Just my imagination?

…Normally you’d brush it off, but this was an L-rank dungeon.

Better share suspicions in chat even if overreacting.

Total flag, right?

…shit happens, isn’t it?

No time to finish chatting.

—Shk!

A sharp sound cut the air.

—Clang!

…

The sword I’d instinctively blocked belonged to a black-haired man.

It was him. The guy I’d brushed past at the mansion.

Proof: no hunter rank above his head.

“!”

He charged at me with blinding speed.

And a system window appeared before my eyes.