Chapter 29

Inside the Rift was a cave with a humid atmosphere.

Do-jun pulled out the Space Tab from his briefcase and ran the <Rift Management System> app on it.

– Mr. Lee Do-jun, Welcome to the Rift Management System.

This was a Great Rift.

A place handled by the Hunter Management Agency.

In principle, Do-jun did not have to do his work here.

He just wanted to help Cha Yeji in the hunt tomorrow.

– You have registered a Rift in Yongsan-dong #6-001 in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

– Please select a rating for the Rift. If you enter the rating of the emerging monster, the rating of the Rift will also be automatically entered. Also, select the ‘Exception’ option if the Rift is measured to have a higher grade.

Do-jun walked around while looking at the screen of the Space Tab.

Limestone stalactites protruded from the cave’s ceiling, and a thick liquid flowed along the floor like the mucus of a snail.

Drip.

Do-jun dipped two of his fingers in the liquid.

‘It’s poisonous.’

It wasn’t that dangerous unless it were to come into contact with a wound.

Do-jun looked at the monster’s information registered on the Hunter Management Agency’s official site.

There, it was stated that of all variations of Merfolk, none had venomous mucus.

It was then,

A Merfolk appeared with an upper body of a female human and a tail of a fish on its lower body with only one eye and sparse sharp teeth.

“Keureeooo.”

The monster in front of him was the kind that was not included in the Hunter Management Agency’s Monster Index.

It slithered on the ground and moved quickly.

And Do-jun had confirmed that the mucus came from the monster.

Bam!

The monster opened its mouth and was about to bite Do-jun.

Whoosh.

Do-jun scattered his qi while looking at the monster.

And the monster was frozen for a moment.

The monster then slowly took a step back, but…

“If you move, you’ll die.”

Do-jun muttered.

The monster stopped moving as if its body was paralyzed.

Do-jun wasn’t using any paralysis skills in particular.

However, the monster instinctively realized it.

Stomp.

Do-jun approached the monster, opened its mouth, and examined its teeth.

A drop of green liquid fell from its sharp molars.

Do-jun then touched the liquid with his fingers without any hesitation.

‘Is it paralytic poison?’

This time, he looked at every corner of the monster’s body.

He confirmed that the sticky mucus flowed throughout its body, thus rendering normal attacks useless. Of course, the story would be different if the attack power is superior, but just swinging a B-class sword wouldn’t do any damage to it.

Scratch. Scratch.

He tore off a couple of scales from its lower body.

The monster groaned painfully, but Do-jun didn’t care.

The scales were quite hard, concluding that attacking its lower body is not effective.

[The Merfolk is no longer hostile towards you.]

A message appeared before his eyes.

Nonetheless, Do-jun didn’t care and continued on with his research.

[The Merfolk now feel fear towards you.]

About half an hour later.

Even if he didn’t exude a menacing aura anymore.

The Merfolk was stuck to the ground.

“Keureo…”

The floor was a mess with dozens of Merfolk scales, mucus, blood, and etc.

And minor wounds were all over its body, and blood was flowing from its closed eyes.

At that time, the Merfolk’s palm came into Do-jun’s sight.

The only area where mucus didn’t flow.

Slash!

The Merfolk’s right wrist was cut off.

“KEUREOREOOO!!!”

After a while,

The mucus secreted by the Merfolk’s body stopped.

Do-jun lifted the severed palm and checked inside.

‘I see, so you were making it here.’

A profuse amount of mucus burst from a section of the severed wrist.

[The Merfolks have become hostile and wary of your presence. If a Merfolk within a 50-meter radius detects you, your stats will decrease by 30%.]

“Good job.”

Do-jun reached for the Merfolk, who was in a mess.

Suddenly, the Merfolk’s body burst into flames.

<Sacred Fire>

It was a skill that burned a target using inner qi.

＊ ＊ ＊

Tap tap.

After inputting the monster appearance and Merfolk information into the Rift Management System,

Do-jun walked further into the cave while continuously mapping the area.

Midway, he encountered a herd of Merfolk.

“Keureoreooo.”

The Merfolks looked at Do-jun and hurriedly avoided him.

It was rather a good thing for Do-jun, as he was no longer interested in them.

Do-jun checked the map shown in the upper right corner of the Space Tab.

– The map is currently 99% complete.

Stomp.

Do-jun stood in front of a tightly-closed bronze door.

Using his skills, he sensed a huge monster lying beyond the bronze door.

It wasn’t hard to tell that it was the Boss Monster of this Rift.

Rumble.

He opened the door without a second thought.

The sound of the heavy bronze door dragging on the floor resonated through the cave.

As he opened the door, he saw a 15-meter long giant shark.

It was swimming around in the air within the large cavity in the cave.

And when it noticed Do-jun, it stopped moving.

[View Special Quests in progress.]

[Special Quest – Sacrifice]

– If the challenger crosses the marked red line on the floor, ‘Sharktooth’ will attack you. The ‘Sacrifice’ value will be counted if the challenger holds out for 5 minutes upon crossing the line. When the target number of sacrifices has been met, Sharktooth will be sealed for an hour. In addition, the challenger can open the Sharktooth’s reward chest at that time.

– Number of Sacrifices: 9/10

Do-jun looked at Sharktooth as it also looked at him.

Beneath it, he saw a long red line on the floor. He could also see the reward chest in the corner beyond the red line.

‘So that’s what this was about.’

The class, skills, or even the name of the Hunter didn’t matter to them.

The only thing they needed was for the Hunter to just come.

After which, they are going to offer these Hunters as sacrifices to open the reward chest.

‘Even if the Hunters die inside the Rift, the Hunter Management Agency won’t find it bizarre.’

Plus, it was a Great Rift that just recently emerged.

There was no one even guarding the entrance. They just placed a specially designed iron fence with an installed terminal to control access. So even if the Hunter hasn’t returned for days or weeks, no one will act on it unless the Hunter’s acquaintances would report it.

And even if they were to search inside the Rift after receiving such reports, if they don’t find a body, they will then treat the Hunter as ‘dead’.

‘Nine people have already died.’

Do-jun crossed the red line, clicking his tongue.

[The area will be controlled by the Sharktooth for 5 minutes.]

[Time remaining: 299 seconds]

[Sharktooth recognizes you as a ‘Sacrifice’.]

“CHWAAAK!!!”

Sharktooth opened its mouth wide and rushed towards Do-jun at high speed.

However…

As the Sharktooth had almost reached Do-jun’s nose, it suddenly stopped moving, and its body began to convulse.

It then started to run away from him.

Sharktooth had almost hit his body on the corner as it wrestled itself.

[Time remaining: 285 seconds]

“CHWAAAAA!!!”

It tried to swim beyond the red line.

However, an invisible transparent wall blocked Sharktooth from leaving.

Bang!

Sharktooth tried to escape as it desperately bumped itself against the invisible wall.

Bang!

[Time remaining: 276 seconds]

Although the challenger was trapped inside the barrier, the same also goes for the Boss Monster.

Do-jun smiled. He then took out the Space Tab and took a picture of the Sharktooth.

– The information of the Boss Monster is registered.

And now, he was waiting for the time to pass.

＊ ＊ ＊

[Special Quest – Sacrifice Completed.]

[The Sharktooth will now be sealed for an hour.]

[The red line has disappeared permanently.]

[You may now open the reward chest.]

The Sharktooth disappeared.

Creeaak.

As he opened the treasure chest,

Do-jun found a sword inside.

“Hmm.”

[Sharktooth’s Bone Sword]

An A-class weapon.

With high attack power and penetration functions.

Do-jun smiled as he thought about giving it to Cha Yeji.

＊ ＊ ＊

9:30 AM.

Upon arriving at Seobinggo Station an hour earlier, Cha Yeji looked at the full-length mirror in the station building and looked around the area once.

A white blouse, knee-length tennis skirt, and pink mink coat.

She tried to calm herself as she looked at the full-length mirror.

Inhale. Exhale.

Will Do-jun be pleased with this?

Should she have worn something cuter?

She worried about this and that as she straightened her bangs.

Then she slapped herself in the cheeks to lift her spirits up.

“I’ll definitely make you fall for me!”

It was then.

“…You came early, Ms. Yeji.”

“Uh, eeehhh!?”

Cha Yeji stuttered as she looked at Do-jun in surprise.

“M-Manager! How come you’re so early!”

“I came a bit early to finish organizing the Rift data.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”

Cha Yeji looked at Do-jun’s clothes.

He wore a suit, which was how he usually dressed for work.

With a briefcase in one hand and… a sword in the other.

‘It’s cool, but why are you still dressed for work on a date…’

Cha Yeji sighed.

Do-jun held out the Sharktooth’s Bone Sword in his hand.

“Here. It’s better than the one you used before.”

“…Huh?”

Cha Yeji took the sword from Do-jun.

When she checked the sword’s status, she was surprised.

“A-class… Manager, w-where did you get this…?”

“That’s a secret.”

“……”

“In any case, it’d help you get stronger from now on. There’s still time before the other Hunters would come, so I’ll give you a small briefing on the Rift we’re about to hunt.”

Only then did Cha Yeji realize that something was wrong.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Literally. Just like what I said.”

“We aren’t here to have fun?”

Do-jun’s hand stopped as he was taking out the Space Tab.

Because in Cha Yeji’s hand, he saw a picnic basket.

“……”

A cold sweat ran from Do-jun’s back.

He then realized.

That he had not told Cha Yeji that they would be hunting inside a Rift today.

Do-jun also noticed that Cha Yeji did not have her Suitcase on hand.

“Manager.”

“Yes, Ms. Yeji.”

“This is obviously the manager’s mistake, right?”

Cha Yeji said with an indignant smile.

Do-jun nodded carefully.

“You didn’t even notify me, the Hunter involved, that I’d be working overtime. Isn’t this a clear violation of the terms and rules of the contract?”

“I’m sorry. I should have told you earlier.”

“Take responsibility.”

“…I’ll make sure that you’ll get your overtime pay.”

At Do-jun’s words.

Cha Yeji shook her head.

“No, I don’t need money.”

“Then what…”

“Let’s have dinner next time, and the manager has to also treat me for it.”

“Well, consider it done.”

For him, it wasn’t that difficult.

“J-Just the two of us, okay?!”

Cha Yeji shouted, blushing, and looked at Do-jun’s reaction.

Thinking that maybe he’d think of it as weird.

Her heart pounded anxiously, thinking she’d be rejected.

“Okay, sure.”

To Do-jun’s immediate response.

Cha Yeji smiled brightly.

“That’s a promise, okay?”