Chapter 16

‘Without a doubt, this is a B-class rift.’

Do-jun clicked the ‘Select Rift Class’ button, scrolled down, and selected B-class.

For the emerging monsters, he inputted Orcs and Trolls. After confirming, the border of the registered rift turned red.

– The registered Rift is ranked as B-class and is now considered as a Great Rift.

– The map is less than 5% complete.

He took his eyes off the Space Tab and looked ahead.

The party leader Choi Ho-jun put the steel shield as large as his own body in front of him. Then, light began to flash from his shield.

“Kereureuk!” 

Afterwards, three trolls turned to Choi Ho-jun and charged at him with their heavy bodies.

‘That’s a provocation skill.’

The Troll’s fist cut through the air and hit the shield.

Wham!

Choi Ho-jun furrowed his brows at the booming sound.

Excluding Cha Yeji, the remaining two party members started attacking as if they were already familiar with the routine.

Currently, three trolls were attacking Choi Ho-jun.

“Go for the one on the right!”

Park Seung-min quickly drew his bow.

At that moment, a target mark, which only he could see, was trying to aim at the Troll.

Pyong!

As soon as it locked on the monster, he then released the arrow.

Tuk!

The arrow successfully pierced through its body.

However, he still didn’t stop shooting arrows.

It was because he knew about the Trolls’ troublesome trait, their fast recovery.

That kind of wound would just quickly heal in a blink of an eye.

Pyong!

Pyong!

This time, two target marks appeared on the Troll’s body.

Park Seung-min fired the arrows towards the center of the targets.

Tuk! Tuk!

B-class skill, Striker’s Mark.

It is a skill that drastically reduces the target enemy’s defense capabilities and increases damage dealt by 50%.

Park Seung-min was a former member of the national archery team, and thanks to his honed skills, he was promoted to B-class despite being a Hunter for only less than a year.

“Kuuuu!”

The Troll pierced with three arrows roared and turned towards Park Seung-min.

Stomp! Stomp!

Afterwards, the Troll quickly charged at him.

At that moment, Cha Yeji assisted Park Seung-min.

Whoosh!

She rotated in the air and through the rotational force, the central weight of her body transferred and concentrated into her sword, the ‘Skeleton Soldier’s Sword’.

The Mana that flowed in the dungeon surged into her sword and aggregated at the tip.

Cha Yeji then moved to cut the Troll’s throat.

Slash.

“You guys are pretty good.”

“Well, we work pretty well together.” 

Choi Ho-jun grinned as he successfully provoked the Trolls to himself, and let his other team members attack it.

As he was slightly injured, Kang Tae-seung used his cane and healed him.

A green light then flashed from the cane and circled around Choi Ho-jun’s body.

“Manager! Are you alright?”

“Don’t worry, I was just spectating.”

“Stay back, 50 meters. No, 200 meters away.”

“Ms. Yeji.”

“What?”

“Behind you.”

A Troll that was attacking Choi Ho-jun was now charging towards Cha Yeji as his provocation skill had now worn off.

Do-jun then stepped back so as not to bother her during the battle.

Swoosh!

Cha Yeji leaned back, avoiding the fist of the Troll by a hair’s breadth.

Then she stabbed the Troll that attacked her with great fury.

It wasn’t because she almost got her.

‘If Manager gets hurt…’

He wasn’t even wearing a suit.

If Lee Do-jun, an “ordinary” person, was hit by a Troll’s fist, it would’ve given him a fatal wound.

Cha Yeji was furious at that thought.

And her emotions got the best of her.

‘I will kill you.’

Thud!

Stepping on the arms of the Troll,

She executed the second movement of the Scholar’s Swordsmanship, which she pictured in her head.

And the Troll was immediately sent to the afterworld.

“……”

Park Seung-min, who was drawing his bow, was captivated.

Cha Yeji was leisurely avoiding the attacks of the Trolls while killing them.

For him, that movement was like a dance.

Shwook!

As she pierced the Troll with her sword, its body began to expand and in an instant, Mana burst out like an explosion from its body.

Thud!

And the Troll fell to the ground.

Everyone’s jaw dropped as they watched the scene.

“T-that’s…”

“Come!”

A technique rarely used among A-class Hunters, where only S-class Hunters can execute it properly.

The ultimate weaponizing mana method, Shik.

“There’s still one left.”

At Do-jun’s words, Choi Ho-jun immediately lifted his shield and swung towards the remaining Troll.

Subsequently, Park Seung-min drew his bow and fired concentrated shots continuously at the monster.

Tuk! Tuk! Tuk!

Thud!

Finally, the last Troll fell to the ground.

The group sighed with relief and paused to catch their breaths.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Do-jun walked towards Cha Yeji.

She lost grip of her sword and it dropped on the floor.

He then held her trembling hands.

“Why did you overdo it?”

Cha Yeji exhausted her Mana in the final blow.

It was the so-called ‘Mutual Destruction’ technique, which puts a huge burden on its caster.

It is a final blow that is certainly fatal to the enemy but could also kill the caster. If it weren’t for Choi Ho-jun, Cha Yeji would’ve also died.

“…I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize. Just please refrain from doing it next time.”

Nod.

‘But still, she certainly has grown.’

What Cha Ye-ji showed at the end was definitely the ‘Mutual Destruction’ technique.

Even in Murim, only a few can ever be truly known to execute such skill.

Despite only having a small mana pool, it was already quite an accomplishment for her to be able to do it.

“Let’s take a break.”

Everyone nodded at Do-jun’s words.

＊ ＊ ＊

“…He’ll like it, right? Hehe.”

Seol Yoon-hee looked at her smartphone and checked the ingredients she bought from the supermarket.

A monkfish, bunch of bean sprouts, mugwort, and tofu.

Along with some seasoning ingredients as they completely run out of it at home.

– Top 10 Winter Seasonal Cuisines to boost Strength.

– Let’s make Steamed Monkfish which is rich in vitamin C and protein, and is excellent for attaining healthy skin and avoiding cracks in the skin during winter.

When he comes back home from work and see the delicious Steamed Monkfish at the table,

Do-jun would be pleased for sure.

As she imagined the scene, the corners of Seol Yoon-hee’s mouth went up.

“Let’s clean up the house first.”

She wore an apron and took out the vacuum cleaner.

Seol Yoon-hee then carefully opened the door to Do-jun’s room and entered.

His room was very simple.

There was only a bed, desk, and a large bookshelf inside.

There wasn’t even a computer.

On the shelf, were various books. Most of which are topics related to living normally in the modern world.

– 100 Common Sense Things Everyone Should Know

– Understanding 2030 Trends

“It seems that Father is also working hard.”

Amnesia.

Do-jun felt like an old man who couldn’t adapt to modern life.

He wasn’t totally ignorant, but sometimes he would do odd things.

“I didn’t know how to turn on the hot water for the shower, so I just kept it as it is…”

Seol Yoon-hee laughed as she reminisced.

Maybe because they didn’t have much of an age difference that there were times when she thought he was cute.

– 50 Ways on How to Be a Good Dad

“……”

There was a book placed on the desk.

Seol Yoon-hee picked it up and opened the book.

And she could tell…

“He underlined a lot…”

That Do-jun studied this book everyday before going to bed.

Thinking that way, Seol Yoon-hee’s face suddenly heated up unknowingly.

In all honesty, Do-jun could have lived comfortably by himself.

But now that he had a daughter he didn’t want, it would surely be bothersome for him.

“He even went through so much but still studied this for me…”

She carefully then set the book back to its original place.

And made up her mind. She decided to be a good daughter for him and become a successful Hunter so that she can pay him back a hundred, no, thousand times more.

At that moment,

Seol Yoon-hee found the desk drawer slightly opened.

As she opened it, she saw some items inside.

“What are these?”

A sword with no blade, only a handle.

Nine small blue stones.

A white mask, and…

“…A Hunter ID Card?”

F-class Hunter.

Kim Hyun-woo.

＊ ＊ ＊

[Rift Break is currently in progress.]

[Remaining Regular Monster(s): 171]

[Remaining Champion Monster(s): 3]

[Remaining Boss Monster(s): 1]

After killing one remaining troll in the area,

Choi Ho-jun confirmed the number of monsters left.

‘What crazy speed.’

In just two hours, they killed 109 Trolls.

It was thanks to Cha Yeji that they were able to hunt that much.

As he provoked the trolls through his <Shield Howling> skill, Cha Yeji slaughtered the Trolls speedily.

Of course, Park Seung-min’s long-distance support played a part, but Cha Yeji always hit the final blow.

“Manager, are you alright?”

“I keep telling you, I was just watching from afar.”

“Yes, I know. So go 300 meters further.”

Do-jun sighed and checked the Space Tab.

– The map is currently 30% complete.

The mapping of the Rift was going smoothly.

At this rate, he thought he could fill the map up to 100% today.

All of the Hunters, including Cha Yeji, were also in good condition thanks to the healer in the party who quickly healed their wounds.

‘Besides.’

Swoosh.

Do-jun turned to Cha Yeji, who was wiping blood from her sword.

He took a look at Cha Ye-ji and examined her body.

The amount of Mana in her body had drastically changed from before.

‘At the very least, it has doubled ever since we entered the Rift.’

Of course, for Do-jun he just viewed it as a rising number, but for others, this growth rate could already be seen as monstrous.

In addition, her steady rise in Mana despite not taking <Body Strengthening> constantly can already be considered as a fraud from the perspective of ordinary Hunters.

‘I wonder how much her level improved. Her other stats must have risen too…’

At that moment, Do-jun sensed something of a great amount of energy.

Its level was different from the Trolls they had met thus far.

“Get ready for battle.”

“What? Let’s take a break first, commanding officer.”

Park Seung-min shook his head and laughed.

“200 meters ahead…”

Do-jun, who was speaking, immediately shut his mouth.

At a distance of 200 meters away, the atmosphere was condensing.

And he could see it.

A Troll with three heads.

Qi was gathering in its three mouths.

Afterwhich, that energy assembled at one point, and…

Boom!

It was fired.

Whirr!

In Do-jun’s eyes, everything was in slow motion.

The trajectory of the shot from the Three-headed Troll was directed at Cha Yeji, who was cleaning her sword.

‘Cha Yeji will die at this rate.’

Even though her Suit is sturdy, it doesn’t protect the head of its wearer.

‘If I use my “Defense Barrier” skill on her, she can live.’

However,

If he does that, his efforts to conceal his identity up until now will all go down the drain.

If only the target was not Cha Yeji, but another hunter, he would have stayed put.

Tak.

Do-jun ran towards Cha Yeji and pushed her far away.

At the same time, a shield of blue light formed around his body without them noticing it.

BOOM!

Following it was a tremendous explosion.

Do-jun’s body rolled and was blown away in a distance.

“…Manager?”

Cha Yeji murmured blankly.