Chapter 52:
Why, why are you apologizing
At this point, it is impossible to tell who had the accident. Jung Haseong hurriedly searched his pockets with a pale face. It was to get the recovery potion.
Haseong-ssi! Your back!
Yes?
Monster behind you!
However, due to the sudden scream that followed, Kiryeos treatment was ultimately postponed.
Kaaaaaagh!
The roar of the Minotaur echoed through the forest. Haseong couldnt help but break into a cold sweat at the sight, which somehow overlapped with the reaction when someone was about to die. However, Kiryeo stopped it.
My body will handle it, so just keep the recovery potion. Lets focus on getting out of the gate for now.
Hunter Kim Kiryeo.
And since my eyes are still useful, I can provide assistance from the side. Cant you protect me?
Ah
Im asking one more time.
As the blonde man asked politely, Haseong nodded in reply. In fact, he wasnt even sure what he was answering right now. He was half out of his mind.
Heeup, whoo
Jug Haseong took a deep breath belatedly. What followed was an S-rank one-man show that needed no further explanation.
Thats the last one.
Boom!
Not long after, the final boss fell. After defeating all the bosses that appeared, a familiar exit appeared before them.
Kiryeo and Haseong were worried that even this passage might suddenly disappear, so they hastily escaped through the gate. Fortunately, the feared event didnt happen.
Phew!
As soon as the F-Class hunter came out, he took out his cell phone and went through the reporting process. His complexion seemed brighter, as if he was happy that he had survived safely. However, Jung Haseongs face remained pale even at this moment.
.
His gaze was still on someones arm.
***
As soon as the F-Class hunter escaped through the gate, he suddenly disappeared without a trace.
Recovery medicine? Im fine. I can handle this much on my own.
Having suffered such a severe burn without blaming him, Haseong felt very sorry. By now, all sorts of thoughts had crossed his mind.
At first, he thought the lazy hunter was trying to deceive the association by lowering his rank. But was he really just a powerless person? If that were the case, he would wish he had just protected him from the beginning. But in such a chaotic dungeon, wouldnt sparks have flown anyway?
Whoo
It would have been better if that F-Class had gotten angry and told him to take responsibility for hurting him. However, it seems like Kiryeo really doesnt want anything. There wasnt a single word of blame. Ironically, that was what bothered him the most.
And after clearing the gate
The Korean Hunter Association.
Oh my, youve really been through a lot! For the gate entrance to suddenly disappear like that. Dont worry, Haseong-ssi. The association will mobilize all resources to thoroughly investigate this matter.
Haseong, who stopped by the association to explain the situation, sat down on the sofa and quietly lowered his eyes.
Are there any other problems?
The association manager, who saw this, carefully looked inside Haseong. The manager was surprised when the S-Class hunter explained the accident that had occurred.
So, a hunter got tangled up in your skill? And that too, an F-Class whos practically an ordinary person?
Yes.
This could potentially lead to a bad label If the reporters catch wind of it, it could be a big problem.
An S-Class Hunter that couldnt control his power and harmed a fellow hunter. Isnt this a perfect incident to tarnish the name of the nationals hero?
You said that hunter didnt even talk about compensation? This is clearly going to be a laughingstock all over the place!
Yes?
This isnt right. Lets start by immediately taking care of the victim. What was his name again? Something like Ki?
Jung Haseong was momentarily taken aback by the behavior of the manager who treated the victim in such an unscrupulous manner, but he quickly expressed his approval in the words that followed.
After all the image weve built up, we cant afford to let it all go to waste here.
.!
While it might be different for other hunters, if Haseong-ssi gets caught up in a scandal, honestly, there wont be anyone in Korea who can sleep soundly.
Yeah. When an S-Class has a flaw, many people become anxious. He finds himself in such a position.
Haseong muttered softly, repeating the sentence he always said.
Thats right. As expected, we must avoid anything that could cause trouble
And in this voice, there was a sense of indebtedness.
Haseong soon succeeded in contacting Kim Kiryeo using the associations contact network.
Hello.
Anyway, he had to come here to listen to the situation, as he was also involved in the incident.
I heard Hunter Jung Haseong looking for me?
Ah! Welcome. Please sit here.
Kiryeo felt extremely uncomfortable in this situation. Why is he suddenly forced to face the S-Class Hunter when hes already in trouble due to his illegal entry?
I somehow managed to deal with what was inside in the B-Class gate for now, but
Kim Kiryeo sat on the opposite sofa, nervously tapping his legs. He was anxious about what would be said next.
The reason weve called Hunter here is none other than Now, Haseong-ssi, please, go ahead and speak.
But he couldnt have imagined that the call was for this reason.
I couldnt tell you properly because theres no time to think at that time. However, I want to properly compensate for the burns.
Kiryeo tilted his head for a moment.
The burns?
Ah, that? Its already healed by now.
He casually lifted his arm to show it. However, Jung Haseong spoke with a serious tone.
Even though the burn has healed there might have been psychological damage or expenses incurred during the treatment process, right?
Hmm.
I will give you compensation.
It doesnt feel quite right, does it?
Its fine. A person should have some shame. Ive survived thanks to Jung Haseong-ssi, but what do you mean by compensation?
Kim Kiryeo waved his hands as if he werent interested in the conversation. This action seemed to confuse not only Jung Haseong but also the association staff who had prepared the meeting.
Um Hunter-nim. If you dont need compensation, how about something else? Like entrance tickets to the rare gathering dungeon owned by Haseong-ssis guild!
Yes?
Of course. Just let us know, and well prepare anything you need.
To be honest, Kiryeo was only becoming more and more awkward.
Whats wrong with them?
Its not just about lingering over a mere burn. In the first place, this wasnt really Haseongs fault, because he was the one who arbitrarily intervened in the magicians battlefield.
Is there a need to appear in such a low tone to someone like F-class? Why?
Thats strange.
Kiryeo places his hand over his mouth and thinks for a moment.
Hunter Kim Kiryeo. If you are interested in high rank gate I can introduce you to a good hunter team.
As he remained silent, the topic of conversation gradually shifted.
You said you entered that B-class gate yesterday out of curiosity.
Ah, well.
So, in the future, we could arrange for a professional security team to inspect the gates more safely
Seeing Kiryeos discomfort with the topic of money, Jung Haseong sweated nervously before finally bringing up another suggestion.
Rare dungeon entry.
Competent team member.
Gate transfer.
These are topics that any hunter would be interested in.
Youre attaching security to me?
But as soon as Kiryeo heard those words, he was rather horrified.
This is because the other persons proposal was accepted with a different meaning.
Why are you suddenly so anxious that you let people into the dungeon when you usually dont? Is this b*stard trying to quietly get rid of me somewhere?
A truly fast-developing idea!
However, there were reasons behind his misunderstanding.
Hiik!
How many days has it been since he came to Earth? In just over a month since his arrival on Earth, he has experienced not only kidnappings but also daytime assassinations, terrorism, and various other incidents. This meant that there was a high level of distrust among humans.
Right. These guys have been persistently pushing me to enter rare gates since earlier!
Amidst all this, Jung Ha-seongs attitude suddenly changed drastically. Yesterday, he was a human who was so cold. Now, he suddenly wants to compensate for the massive damages and even talks about transferring dungeons. It was too much for just the burns.
Earthlings cannot be trusted.
So Kiryeo thought.
Did I get caught trying to shift the blame onto monsters inside the dungeon? No, it might have been fatal to fabricate evidence over an EX-Class gate incident.
He might not know what exactly it is, but I must have really touched a nerve with Jung Haseong.
So now, this open-minded guy is probably trying to quietly bury him.
Then why did you bother to save me once? Aha, I guess there was CCTV near the gate?
This cunning guy!
So youre saying you wont leave any evidence!
Moreover, this absurd idea became more solid as the conversation continued.
I dont need money or a dungeon.
Yes? But
Its because Im really fine.
Then cant you at least accept the offer of security personnel?
What?
Ive heard that Kiryeo-ssi is an appraiser, but judging from today, it seems like youre alone
Yes.
Or at the very least, to ensure that you dont get hurt again
Jung Haseong was extremely obsessed with compensation. Normally, if someone refuses something like this, they will back down.
It was strange. Where in the world can you find something for free? But the person who is giving the money is behaving so poorly.
A, as expected it must be some kind of scheme. There is no way that the people of Earth would be so meaninglessly friendly!
Kiryeo was paranoid and his hands were shaking. The water in the glass he was holding quivered finely.
Hunter Kim Kiryeo?
Jung Haseong briefly puzzled over the others actions, but it was just for a moment.
Ill take my leave now.
Yes?
Ive said it multiple times already. I dont need any compensation.
Tak.
Kiryeo put down the cup and stood up from his seat. Then, he turned to Haseong, who was sitting there, and spoke firmly.
Everyone makes mistakes in life. Do you know how strange it seems to be shaking over something like this?
This was some kind of warning.
Ive figured out your intentions, so dont try any tricks.
Surprisingly, Jung Haseong closed his mouth tight after hearing those words.
Im so scared
Suspicion turns into certainty. Kiryeo quickly left the room before his shirt could become a mess of cold sweat.
Bang!
Then the door closed with a loud sound due to the wind.
Ahem, Im not sure if it was wise to leave any room for doubt. But he shouldnt talk nonsense later.
.
Oh, dont worry. Ive recorded our entire conversation. Itll be difficult for him to stir up any strange public opinion on that end.
The associations manager whispered as soon as the other person left, but there was no reply.
That much money and a precious dungeon.
Jung Haseong was simply shocked that the negotiation had failed. Until now, nothing like this had ever happened. Whenever his abilities were even slightly exposed, everyone would lie down and demand compensation for the damage.
What made you angry?
He briefly reflected on the situation from earlier. The ripples in the cup, along with that cold gaze. It seemed like Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo had been momentarily displeased for some unclear reason. And to top it off, he chose to utter such a sentence right after that moment.
Do you know how strange it seems to be shaking over something like this?
This is his first time hearing this in his life. But why does it refuse to leave his mind?
This is not a trivial matter.
Jung Haseong muttered again what the other person had said.
Do I seem strange?
Each time he repeated that sharp phrase from the F-Class, an inexplicable doubt crept into his mind.