Chapter 168

Near the mana stone mine mansion.

I rushed here the moment I got a reply from the phoenix.

This meeting was officially between Count Edelweiss and the Tower Master.

But what formality was there between us?

The moment So Yeri the hunter put up her Soundproof Barrier, we naturally started chatting away without a care.

“What brings you to send a messenger bird?”

That was the first thing So Yeri the hunter asked.

I scratched my head.

“Didn’t want to make a racket in the chat window for no reason.”

At my words, So Yeri the hunter blinked.

“It’s already a racket even without doing anything?”

That was true. Jokes popped up in the chat window at all hours.

But I couldn’t bring myself to say it.

‘The best defense is a good offense!’

It was because of my past self who’d said that!

Shin Jae-heon would surely tease me if I said I was training defense skills!

Of course, it’d be in jest.

…Well, even aside from that, being alone with that guy was a bit… awkward.

And I couldn’t ask Joo Yian the hunter, who had no attack skills, to help.

“…So I quietly reached out to you, Yeri Hunter.”

After hearing my situation, So Yeri the hunter clutched her stomach laughing.

“In other words, you thought I wouldn’t tease you!?”

Her golden eyes sparkled with mischief.

No way!

“I trust you, unnie!”

I shouted boldly.

But So Yeri the hunter, smiling prettily, said in a soft voice,

“The~ best defense~ is a good offense~?”

“Gah!”

I must’ve come to the wrong person.

Maybe it would’ve been better to give Joo Yian the hunter a weapon!

My scream was brief. I tried to regain my composure.

Right, I had to train my skills anyway?

And the opponent was So Yeri the hunter.

If it was her, not anyone else, I could talk a bit more… seriously.

“Honestly, I still think the best defense is a good offense in most cases.”

If you smash the guy trying to attack you first, isn’t that the best defense?

I scratched my head again, and So Yeri the hunter blinked.

She was the type to listen intently even mid-jest when serious talk came up.

“But after going through that mansion dungeon, I felt it bone-deep. Sometimes, offense isn’t the best defense.”

Of course, the preemptive strike mindset of hitting first was important.

But what if a boss monster appeared that was so overwhelmingly strong it made that impossible, like in this dungeon?

Such cases wouldn’t be common.

But what if, even once in a million, we faced the same crisis again?

No matter how top-tier S-rank hunters we were, we only had one life.

I never wanted to be in danger again.

Especially, I never wanted to be protected from behind again.

Even if someone like me in that dungeon had their rank drop, I wanted no gaps felt. I wanted to grow stronger.

For that, relying only on offense wouldn’t cut it.

I needed to be an all-weather dealer who could attack, defend, and support.

“Hmm.”

Sensing my seriousness, So Yeri the hunter nodded.

“Alright. I’ll help you out specially!”

She winked, pressing a pretty finger to her lips.

“Shh, but quietly.”

Meaning, no mentioning it in hunter chat.

I threw my hands up and cheered.

“Long live Yeri unnie!”

We headed to a forest near the mana stone mine for training.

[Monster Activity Detected. No Entry]

We’d just passed a rickety old sign like that.

The sign had clearly been removed multiple times, crudely stuck into the ground.

With gate outbreaks, scout forces had increased across the empire, so even major monster zones people avoided were now patrolled.

“People come every other day.”

Noticing me eyeing the sign, So Yeri the hunter said,

“They came this morning, so no one for today or tomorrow!”

She winked.

“It’ll get noisy blocking attack skills, but okay?”

At my words, So Yeri the hunter nodded.

“They’ll just think monsters are stirring again?”

In truth, humans more monstrous than monsters roamed, but truth often hurt.

“Good enough for practice?”

The spot So Yeri the hunter led me to was a clearing midway up the mountain.

Surrounded by dense forest, but here trees were uprooted, trunks alone left—clearly site of a massive fight.

“This clearing should work.”

I wasn’t expecting flat ground anyway.

Few solid footholds, but that made it better.

The skills I was practicing were ‘Deflect (A)’ and ‘Counter (C)’.

The goal: combine them with others into a defensive macro.

Like ‘Monster Flying At You, So What? (C)’…

…Of course, I’d name it properly this time. No more weird ones like Butter Soybean Paste, Is That The Problem?!

“What do you need me to do?”

So Yeri the hunter asked. I held out my hand.

“Last time, I overlapped Afterimage skills multiple times to make a ‘macro’…”

As I explained my attack macro, So Yeri the hunter’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“The system has a feature like that? Wonder if I have combos worth using.”

While she checked her skill window, I dropped the key fact.

“But it’s great, except once you name a macro, you can’t change it.”

“Name?”

So Yeri the hunter blinked. I froze for a second.

Did I have to say… that embarrassing name?

“Why the name?”

But she didn’t grasp the name’s gravity.

Never heard of the hunter.net nick ‘Should’ve Lived Like That, Huh?’?

Hunter.net had returnee events if you were away long, but the problem was character ‘Hunti’ using casual speech for friendliness.

So the guy who made that nick…

[283 Days Later, Should’ve Lived Like That, Huh!]

Got hit with facts by Hunti and changed his hunter.net nickname.

Names matter that much.

And my macro?

[Monster Flying At You, So What? (C)]

Reality check every time I used it.

I smiled wistfully.

“…Anyway, naming it right this time.”

Think of a good one when the naming window pops!

So prep in advance!

At my words, So Yeri the hunter stroked her chin.

“Names? Leave it to Yeri Naming Service.”

“For real?”

For real? Well, she did name every houseplant.

Names are best left to pros.

“Yep!”

She said confidently.

“Alright, I trust you!”

I drew my sword.

Real training began.

“I don’t have many attack skills, but I can send some your way.”

So Yeri the hunter spread her hand.

From her fingertips came sharp ice crystals of Ice Prison.

—Shing!

“Whoa.”

Usually saw them hitting monsters or blocking kids like Kim Cheon-jae. Up close, intimidating.

Faster than expected?

—Crackle! Clang!

Even with skills, the impact felt heavy in my hands.

But A-rank made a difference; manageable.

“Doable?”

I nodded at So Yeri the hunter.

“Yes!”

This much was fine!

Then she smiled prettily.

“Then, for real~!”

“You were holding back?!”

No wonder it was easy!

—Crash! Crackle!

Soon, Ice Prison skills overwhelmed my surroundings.

Can’t keep up without speed!

I didn’t forget to drop an important note in chat while dodging.

Saying that, she unleashed a barrage of Ice Prison skills before me.

Whoaaa!

While desperately avoiding grazes, a sub quest popped up.

Percentage stat boosts a dungeon feature?

L-rank generosity?

Good for me anyway.

Smiling, I activated skills.

Multiple skills stacking at once, system windows cluttered my view.

—Clang!

Ice crystals clashed with my afterimages, echoing around.

“Who knew the dungeon would be this tricky.”

Meanwhile, while Shin Yuri trained hard.

Ricas Forlang barely crawled out of the swamp dungeon.

Edelweiss knights with him looked relatively fine, but not him.

Mud caked his hair, clothes torn everywhere.

Shoes, clothes—even inside, no spot mud-free.

“You did well.”

Even Edelweiss rookie knights pitied him.

“Ahem, I’m fine.”

He tried maintaining dignity, but dried mud clumps falling from his hair with every word ruined it.

“Pfft.”

He spat out mud nearly entering his mouth, struggling with his expression.

No warning, ground turned swamp; woke sleeping bag fully submerged in mud!

Truly the worst of the worst gate.

“First, wash up and report to Senia.”

Back at the mansion, Ricas said.

Edelweiss butler Helen bowed.

“The Family Head is out briefly.”

“Out?”

Ricas’s eyes widened. Helen nodded.

“Yes. Orders to serve you well in the meantime.”

Servants treated him deferentially, so true.

“Oh? Far away?”

“No, within territory. Meeting the Tower Master at the mana stone mine.”

Ricas slowly nodded.

“I see… Hope she rests a bit this time. Senya works too hard.”

Pretending concern, back in his room, he dismissed servants and smirked.

Finally, the moment.

Time to search Senia’s room.

Meeting the Tower Master? Surely records or papers in her room.

“I’ll uncover every secret you have.”

How she gained favor from Tower, imperial family, temple in short time!

Evidence in documents—perfect chance.

…Unaware of hunter chat, Ricas was convinced.