NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 24
Chapter 24
While being held by Kwon Tae-hyuk, I turned my gaze to observe the Ronic Guild members. The ones who had been approaching me turned away, clicking their tongues when they noticed I was with Kwon Tae-hyuk. I knew I made the right choice coming here.
“…What are you doing right now?”
Kwon Tae-hyuk narrowed his eyes as he looked back and forth between me and the Ronic Guild members. I straightened up, licking my lips under his cold gaze.
Geez, his perception is unnecessarily sharp.
“I don’t want to use my skills on those guild members.”
When I answered honestly, Kwon Tae-hyuk gave me a look of contempt.
“Then you could have just refused. Didn’t Hunter Cha Seo-hu announce in the earlier meeting that you’d be in charge of Circle Guild?”
“Well, I don’t think those guild members care much about my opinion. You know that a weak B-rank supporter like me can’t easily refuse such requests.”
Occasionally, trashy hunters would show off their strength and force others to support them.
I’ve experienced such situations countless times, so it didn’t faze me anymore, but ordinary supporters often couldn’t refuse when damage dealers asked for help, fearing they might get hurt.
“If that’s the problem, ask Hunter Ryu Sunghyun for help.”
Understanding the meaning immediately, Kwon Tae-hyuk gestured towards Ryu Sunghyun, who was talking with Kim Su-ho on the opposite side.
“You don’t need to come to me. Ryu Sunghyun is also an S-rank damage dealer, so he should be able to solve that kind of problem. You said you’d act as Circle Guild’s supporter during this dungeon raid, so it’s right for Ryu Sunghyun, as the person in charge, to help you.”
“Hmm… well, yes, that’s true.”
Kwon Tae-hyuk frowned, seemingly displeased with my lukewarm response, and turned his back.
I watched him leave without hesitation, then turned my gaze to Ryu Sunghyun.
‘Kwon Tae-hyuk is right.’
It was only natural for a damage dealer to protect their assigned supporter.
The number of hunters with supporter skills was small, and those with useful ranks were even fewer. For dungeon raids where you have to face monsters for days, supporters were essential.
Many people needed them, but there weren’t enough supporters. So, naturally, there were underground battles to secure supporters, and once obtained, they were fiercely protected to prevent them from being taken away.
Kwon Tae-hyuk meant that since Circle Guild brought me, they should also protect me. But…
‘It’s not like I don’t know that.’
I had experienced Circle Guild’s efforts to protect me countless times in my previous life. Ryu Sunghyun, being the only S-rank in the guild and holding the position of vice guild leader, especially struggled.
To be honest, I wasn’t a very good supporter in my previous life. I was only B-rank, my skill efficiency wasn’t great, and my physical condition was average, so I tired easily.
It pained me every time I saw Ryu Sunghyun and the guild members, who accepted and encouraged even someone like me as a supporter, being disrespected by other hunters.
There were even those who blatantly asked me to join their guild right in front of Ryu Sunghyun.
Those bastards couldn’t have really needed me. As I said, I wasn’t that good of a supporter. They probably thought they could easily snatch me away because I was in a weak guild.
‘If there was such a fuss when I was B-rank, if it were to be revealed that I’m S-rank now…’
It would be a real mess.
No matter how I thought about it, using Kwon Tae-hyuk seemed like the best option. I didn’t want to burden Ryu Sunghyun again, and honestly, Ronic Guild wasn’t afraid of Ryu Sunghyun, so he wouldn’t be much help.
Should I ignore Kwon Tae-hyuk’s warning and push forward? He wouldn’t be able to openly push me away with others watching.
As I stared regretfully at Kwon Tae-hyuk, who had gone far away in that short time, someone grabbed my finger with a small hand.
“Huh?”
“…”
It was Cha Sahyun, who had somehow approached me. I had briefly left to shake off Ronic Guild, but he couldn’t wait and followed me.
“Come here.”
As I bent down, Cha Sahyun reached out with both arms, familiar with the gesture, and clung to me. I couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of Cha Sahyun hugging my neck tightly.
“What am I going to do with all this clinginess? I’m busy now and can’t stay by your side.”
Well, I haven’t been able to pay much attention to Cha Sahyun since we entered the dungeon.
It was a golden opportunity to make an impression on Kwon Tae-hyuk and Ryu Sunghyun, who were the targets of the main quest, and I hadn’t expected Ronic Guild to participate in the raid.
Cha Sahyun’s shoulders trembled, perhaps hearing my playful mutter. Soon, a low voice was heard.
“…Don’t go.”
“What?”
Cha Sahyun, resting his head on my shoulder, stared at me intently and said,
“Don’t go.”
“…!”
For a moment, I had the illusion that a strange light flickered in Cha Sahyun’s green eyes fixed on me. Simultaneously, loud notification sounds rang out.
Ding, ding, ding, diing!
《Warning! There has been a change in the progress of the Seed of Calamity!》
《Warning! The progress of the Seed of Calamity has increased!》
《Warning! If the progress of the Seed of Calamity exceeds 50%, please be cautious for your safety!》
《A sudden quest has arrived!》
《Sudden Quest: Prevent the Progress of the Seed of Calamity》
[Sudden Quest: Prevent Additional Progress of the Seed of Calamity]
You must calm the villain to prevent the progress of the Seed of Calamity. Until then, the effect ‘Villain’s Rage’ will be applied.
*Villain’s Rage: The number of monsters increases dramatically, drawn by the energy of the great calamity.
“This is…”
Just as I was bewildered by the status windows that appeared densely enough to block my view and the sudden quest that arrived, it happened.
Boom!
With a deafening sound, the surroundings shook violently as if an earthquake had occurred. Thud, dust fell from the ceiling.
The hunters who were resting also sensed something was wrong and started murmuring at the sudden vibration.
“Huh, what’s this?”
“The floor is rumbling?”
Tak, tak, tak, tak!
Kiiiik! Kieeek!
Following the sound of something sharp hitting the floor, the chilling cries of monsters approached at an terrifying speed.
“Th-that…!”
“Monsters! The monsters are swarming!”
“There are too many… Ugh!”
Boom, thud!
Amidst the pouring spiders and monsters, a giant foot appeared.
A monster with a huge body nearly 8 meters tall, with grayish skin. Hunters began to flee in panic at the appearance of an ogre that charged like a bull, destroying all the walls in its way.
“No, that one’s supposed to appear only in the boss room!”
“There are too many monsters to handle!”
“Run! Just run for now!”
Dozens of hunters fled in the opposite direction of the oncoming monsters. Among them, I also ran hurriedly, holding Cha Sahyun in my arms.
‘Villain’s Rage? So this kid is angry right now?’
All this chaos because of Cha Sahyun’s mood? What’s this energy of great calamity? Could it be that the reason for the high number of monsters so far was also because of Cha Sahyun?
‘No, more importantly for now.’
I gritted my teeth and ran with all my might, opening Cha Sahyun’s information window.
[User Information: Sahyun (Villain)]
Age: 22
Representative Skill: Living Shadow (B-rank)
Title: The Master of Shadows
Attack Power: B-rank
Attack Speed: B-rank
Movement Speed: B-rank
Agility: B-rank
Special Characteristics▼
└Seed of Calamity (36% progress complete)
Damn it, it only increased by 1%?
I was scared when I saw so many warning messages, thinking it might have risen by 10%. Should I be relieved it’s only 1%, or should I worry that such a problem occurred with just 1%?
I then checked the content of the newly arrived quest again. Does this mean the monsters will calm down if I calm Cha Sahyun?
‘Wait a minute. Drawn by the energy of the great calamity?’
Does that mean monsters will endlessly chase us to where Cha Sahyun is? A chill ran down my spine.
“This way!”
“Hurry, come here!”
Hunters entered a room with a thick iron door. If we go there, we could block the monsters’ invasion with the iron door and escape through another path.
But if Cha Sahyun was with us, it was obvious that even if we went in there, monsters would swarm through other passages.
My heart raced violently. I bit my lip, feeling Cha Sahyun’s body heat in my arms.
‘What should I do?’
Even if Cha Sahyun was the cause of all this, there was no way I could abandon him now. But it would also be wrong to take Cha Sahyun into that room where the hunters were taking refuge.
If so, there was only one option left.
‘Ah, my fate…’
I let out a deep sigh, lamenting as I had done countless times since meeting Cha Sahyun. Then I sharply turned right while running.
Kiaaak! Kieek!
Thud, thud!
The monsters’ cries and the ogre’s footsteps followed closely, not getting any farther. When I turned my gaze back while running, as I had guessed, the horde of monsters was closely chasing me and Cha Sahyun.
“What…!”
“Hunter Cha Seo-hu!”
Kwon Tae-hyuk and Ryu Sunghyun looked shocked when they saw me running straight down the right path instead of into the room.
It’s not like I’m enjoying this, you know?
Swallowing my tears, I passed by Kwon Tae-hyuk and Ryu Sunghyun, continuing to run towards the darkness where no one was.
[Main Quest: Successfully clear a B-rank or higher dungeon with the villain. (Time remaining: 3 days 10 hours 45 minutes)]
[Sudden Quest: Prevent the Progress of the Seed of Calamity]