ALL NOVEL Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Ranking matches are usually managed by the Guild Association, so to officially request a ranking match with another hunter, one must go through the Guild Association.
Of course, I had no intention of booking a ranking match through official channels. I got up from my seat and walked to the window with the phone to my ear. Fortunately, given the urgency of the situation, the call connected quickly.
– What is it?
The other party asked coldly as soon as they answered the phone.
“My one and only friend, Do-woon! Are you busy right now?”
I asked in an overly cheerful voice, and the other party cursed under their breath in disgust.
– Shit…
“Why are you cursing? You’re hurting my feelings.”
– Shut up. Why are you calling and making a fuss again? I’ve already done everything you asked for.
Hyun Do-woon demanded in an exasperated tone. I had expected this kind of reaction, so I spoke calmly.
“Just help me with one more thing. It’s urgent. And it’s something I can’t do on my own.”
– Haah…
Hyun Do-woon exhaled roughly and spoke again after a long pause.
– What is it?
“Submit a ranking match request to the Yeseong Guild Master for me. The date should be within a week, and any time at night is fine.”
– You mean Hunter Kwon Tae-hyuk, the Yeseong Guild Master?
“That’s right.”
– As far as I know, he’s currently ranked first. You want to have a ranking match with him? Suddenly?
“Do you think I want to do this?”
– What nonsense are you talking about? You’re saying you’re doing this against your will?
“I have my reasons.”
– No, what reasons could make a supporter like you want to have a ranking match with an S-rank dealer?
As expected, this kind of reaction.
This is troublesome, I can’t honestly explain my situation either.
“I’ll explain the details later, just do it for now.”
– I’ll do it because you want it, but…
Hyun Do-woon trailed off with a troubled tone, then asked as if he couldn’t understand.
– You don’t need to come to me for this kind of thing. Since you’ve established a guild, can’t you just submit the application yourself?
“How did you know I established a guild? It hasn’t even been an hour since I sent the text. Are you stalking me?”
– Stalking my ass. I’m the one who made it possible for you to establish a guild, of course I know! And you gave it such a crappy name.
“What’s wrong with the name? Wasn’t it cool?”
I asked sincerely, and Hyun Do-woon openly mocked me.
– Your sense of style…
“To be criticized for my sense by you, I must be past my prime.”
– Keep talking nonsense and I’ll hang up.
“Don’t be like that. If I could apply under my own name, I wouldn’t be asking you. Submit the application anonymously.”
Of course, there was no such thing as an anonymous application feature. That’s why I needed Hyun Do-woon’s help.
Whether he hacked the Guild Association’s system or messed with Yeseong Guild, as long as the application reached Kwon Tae-hyuk.
Hyun Do-woon, immediately understanding my meaning, groaned.
– So, to summarize… You want me to submit an anonymous application for a ranking match with Kwon Tae-hyuk within a week?
“Yeah. The time should be at night. It must be at night.”
– You’re really driving me crazy.
“Don’t make such romantic confessions. Will you do it?”
– Fuck!
Amidst the energetic curse, I could hear the sound of vigorous keyboard typing. As I listened to that, I reviewed my current situation.
The hidden skill I gained through regression changes my appearance when used. It alters everything from my physique to my hair color, making it impossible to recognize me as the same person.
However, since the laboratory staff saw my changed appearance, it would be better to hide the fact that I’m that blonde S-rank hunter more thoroughly.
‘If they were able to operate an illegal laboratory of that scale… They must have remaining forces elsewhere.’
If my identity is discovered, and as a result, information about Cha Sahyun by my side is passed on to those bastards again.
“……”
Just imagining it made my heart sink.
Such a situation must absolutely not happen. It’s a place full of crazy bastards who wouldn’t hesitate to inject pain-inducing drugs into that young child.
‘…Wait, pain-inducing injections?’
I turned my gaze to look at Cha Sahyun’s back as he ate his lunch box at the table.
As if answering that my guess was correct, a new status window appeared.
[User Information: Sahyun (Villain)]
Special Note▼
└Seed of Calamity (35% progress)
[Seed of Calamity]
The being implanted with this seed will become a great calamity in the future.
Anxiety, pain, and anger are the best fertilizers for the seed. When the seed germinates and blooms, it awakens as a great calamity.
Even if the being implanted with the seed is killed, the seed does not disappear but transfers to another host.
Anxiety, pain, and anger are the best fertilizers for the seed.
This meant that the more the child was exposed to a bad environment, the faster the seed’s progress would be and the sooner the awakening could be.
In my confused mind, the voice of the director I met in the central laboratory echoed.
[This is perfect. It’s the version I just completed yesterday. With this, they feel the pain but their body remains immobile as if asleep.]
The syringe filled with red liquid that the director took out. A drug whose sole purpose was to inflict pain.
They kidnapped many awakened ones, including me, to conduct human experiments to create this drug. And the intended recipient of this drug was Cha Sahyun.
[No sleeping drug works on this test subject, so this is the only way to take him with us.]
The director didn’t give up on Cha Sahyun even when the hunters were at their doorstep. She was going to use the newly completed product to take Cha Sahyun and escape.
I had an ominous feeling. There were too many matching parts for this to be just excessive worry.
‘I need to find out more, just in case.’
If those targeting Cha Sahyun move in an organized manner, it would be difficult for me to protect him alone. Even with the hidden skill, I couldn’t be at ease since it’s only effective at night.
– Hello? Why aren’t you answering?
“I’m listening.”
– I’ve submitted the application as you wanted. But you know, right? It’s up to them whether they accept it or not. There’s nothing more I can do.
“Just submitting the application is enough.”
If Kwon Tae-hyuk ignores it, then there’s nothing I can do. The only option would be to follow him around shamelessly and beg for just one fight.
Still, since Kwon Tae-hyuk is famous, it should be easy to find out his whereabouts.
– You disappear for months, then show up with some kid, and now you’re trying to embarrass yourself publicly. Did you hit your head somewhere?
“Unfortunately, I’m fine. And let me ask for one more favor.”
– Do you really want to die?
“Just one more! You can look into this one slowly.”
– Cursing at you only hurts my mouth. This is really the last one. From next time, I’ll charge a million won each time, damn it!
Only a million won? The most he could say is charging a million won?
‘Is he stupid?’
It was ridiculous that someone with his skills would only charge a million won. Is this some kind of friend discount? It’s a gain for me, though.
“I’ll send you the details by text.”
It would be easier for me to explain over the phone, but Cha Sahyun was listening, so a text was better. I wasn’t tactless enough to talk about the laboratory in front of the child, who was an even greater victim than me.
‘Moreover, if there really are forces related to the laboratory still remaining… I need to keep it from Cha Sahyun.’
He would inevitably feel anxious if he knew that the people who had subjected him to pain were still around. I need to be careful because I don’t know what impulsive actions a mentally cornered child might take.
After ending the call with Hyun Do-woon, I looked up to see that Cha Sahyun had finished his lunch box and was cleaning up. Watching him, I sent a message to Hyun Do-woon.
Last week, there was an incident where several guilds, led by Yeseong Guild, raided a laboratory
It wasn’t made public, but related documents should be circulating underground
Look into whether there are any forces connected to that laboratory
Hyun Do-woon
This is out of the blue..
I really don’t know what you’re up to
Let me know if you find any useful information
Hyun Do-woon
Sigh
Alright, I got it
I smiled faintly, amused by Hyun Do-woon who always ends up doing what I ask despite his complaints. Just then, a small white hand suddenly appeared from the side and covered my phone screen.
Cha Sahyun, who had approached without me noticing, was covering my phone with a blank expression. What’s with him?
“Did you finish eating?”
Thinking he might need attention, I asked, and he quickly nodded. Somehow, he’s been approaching me first more often lately. Has he gotten used to me?
“Good job.”
As I patted the child’s head, I thought about the ranking match.
It would be a problem whether Kwon Tae-hyuk rejected or accepted the ranking match. If I go for the ranking match, I’d have to leave the child alone here. But I don’t have anyone to leave him with either.
At times like this, the reality of having to do everything alone felt suffocating.
‘Can’t be helped. I’ll have to finish it as quickly as possible and come back.’
[Main Quest: Defeat the current Rank 1 Hunter ‘Kwon Tae-hyuk’ and claim the Rank 1 position (Time remaining: 6 days 23 hours 12 minutes)]