The Otherworldly Magic Swordsman Who Disciplines the Hunter World Chapter 18

Do you know how expensive summons are? Just as he was about to ask if they were that rich, Gong Sijin approached with a serious face.

“Does Mr. Yuri know what that monster is?”

“I told you, it’s not a monster.”

Exactly how many times did he have to correct them. To be treated the same as a monster—the already deceased Custos might wake up and beat the ground wailing.

“Whether it’s a monster or not, do you know it well?”

Gong Siyoung pulled the back of the chair. The chair spun around. Julian opened his eyes wide, as if wondering how they could not know that.

“I told you, a Custos is a summon? It’s like a magician’s pet. Actually, it’s not really a pet but more like a working slave… anyway, it obviously looks reliable, doesn’t it? Usually, they are utilized as gatekeepers. For the purpose of standing guard at a basement where you’ve stashed a bunch of secrets you don’t want others to find, or a warehouse where illegally amassed money is hidden.”

A Custos could only be controlled by the magician designated as its master. Since ownership could be changed by engraving it onto a mana stone and transferring it, it was practically safe to say they were beings that obeyed the designated mana stone.

They were strictly different entities from monsters. Even if they attacked according to the master’s command, they were closer to spirits or beasts than monsters.

“The way to neutralize them isn’t difficult either. You just have to break the mana stone embedded in the eye.”

The screen happened to be capturing the front of the Custos. Julian approached the monitor and poked, pointing at the face area.

“See here? If you split this, it stops operating. It stays stopped and on standby until a magician retrieves it and refills the mana stone. That’s when you rob the warehouse.”

He shrugged his shoulders. Gong Siyoung frowned.

“Why didn’t you help us when you knew that?”

“I said the method wasn’t difficult; I didn’t say the doing wasn’t difficult. And you disarmed it on your own before I could say anything.”

The fact that the Custos broke meant there was a high possibility its master had set it up that way. So that the Custos would be counter-summoned when the conditions were met.

“I don’t know whose work it is, but they seem like a very skilled magician.”

At least 8th circle? He said so, but it didn’t seem like everyone was listening.

Looking around at Park Ildo and Gong Sijin exchanging whispers, as well as the silent people, Julian scratched his chin.

“This much is common sense…”

“I don’t particularly want to hear about lack of common sense from you.”

Gong Siyoung shot back without losing ground. Julian quietly approached his side. As soon as he sat in an empty chair, Gong Sijin finished his conversation and clapped his hands.

“Alright. Let’s get things straight here. Mr. Yuri, you said the status window wasn’t visible even inside the dungeon, right?”

Julian nodded.

“Hmm, then you handled the monsters inside without a status window too? Never mind that friend called the Custos, but what about the spider? You even called it by name, Coldweb. You were even quite domestic, lighting a campfire to warm your hands.”

“That’s… that’s also common sense. You don’t know the Coldweb?”

“Not at all.”

It was rare for the exact name of a monster to appear on the status window.

The rank could be looked up, and for monsters that appeared frequently, Hunters knew their names and attributes, but more often than not, that wasn’t the case.

It meant they couldn’t pinpoint weaknesses instantly like Julian did.

“Coldwebs are easy to handle. Except for the part where they shoot icy webs and swarm in groups, they can be exterminated even with 2nd circle magic. There’s no problem if you burn them. It’s very easy—”

Park Ildo, who was listening to the explanation, slammed the table.

“Who asked for the method? I’m asking how and why you know such information. Right now!”

“What do you mean how… I said it’s common sense. Killing monsters was my job, so I should at least know that much. It’s not like I have two lives.”

Julian had even once created and distributed a monster encyclopedia. This was because rare species appeared as one got closer to the canyon, and since it was his third time in the subjugation wars, he knew more monsters than his comrades.

The encyclopedia created by recalling combat experiences and eyewitness accounts received quite good reviews. To such a Julian, the Coldweb could only be common sense.

“Fine. Since it’s common sense to Mr. Yuri but we don’t know it. Perhaps we can be of help to each other. We know things Mr. Yuri doesn’t, and conversely, we need Mr. Yuri’s information.”

Gong Sijin cut in abruptly. Sending a glance to Park Ildo to stop, he wore a fox-like smile.

“Since we’re on the subject, I’d like to make a formal proposal. Mr. Yuri, won’t you join our guild? I want to receive help from Mr. Yuri in the future as well.”

“Master!”

“Hyung!”

Park Ildo and Gong Siyoung jumped up from their seats at the same time. Even at the two’s dissuasion, Gong Sijin didn’t even blink.

“If you’re thinking of returning to your original world, then even if it’s just until then. If Mr. Yuri joins our guild, we will not abandon you under any circumstances.”

Gong Sijin reached out his hand. Before the kind smile, Julian couldn’t help but deliberate.

Usually, the worse the person, the more they approached with a kind face. Gong Sijin’s proposal was sweet, but that was all. Julian knew well enough that kindness doesn’t put food on the table.

“I get that I might be helpful. Those people over there don’t seem to agree, but let’s assume that’s the case for now. So if I join the guild… then what happens?”

“It’s simple. Like other Hunters, Mr. Yuri just has to run dungeons for the guild. Your rank hasn’t come out yet, but seeing as you entered the dungeon, Mr. Yuri must definitely be a Hunter. You would provide monster information or enter dungeons together to handle monsters, just like you did now.”

It wasn’t a difficult task. They were asking him to kill monsters, and that was what he had been doing anyway.

When Julian seemed to be contemplating, Gong Sijin lowered his voice suggestively.

“I will take responsibility for all other conveniences. Food, clothing, and shelter—everything. Our guild has good welfare as well. Just tell me the annual salary you want, and I’ll match it as much as possible. I’ll provide anything else you need too.”

“Hmm…”

The gazes of Gong Siyoung as well as Park Ildo were murderous. He looked back and forth between the two glaring at him and Gong Sijin, who was smiling with his eyes curved like a fox.

Then suddenly, the sword leaning against the wall at the back of the meeting room caught his eye.

The person who brought that was Gong Siyoung. He acted like he didn’t, but seeing how he had stashed it away quite thoroughly, it seemed he had been concerned after all.

The image of Gong Siyoung he saw as soon as he entered the dungeon also came to mind. Since he was called a Sword Master level, Julian had gone to find him with high expectations, only to see him falling ridiculously.

‘What on earth is a kid who doesn’t even know a Custos going to do all by himself…’

Whether it was a Gate within a Gate or whatever, he didn’t know exactly, but the energy he felt was vivid. Even if it wasn’t visible to the eye, it was certain that monsters would be swarming inside there.

He didn’t know how to read mana and seemed to have nothing he could do without skills. Was it okay for Gong Siyoung to go into such a dangerous place alone?

Was he not a benefactor who had taken care of Julian’s sword? Besides, watching him was subtly fun and provided some eye candy.

Most of all, Julian needed help to adapt and live in this other world. If he was going to have someone by his side, maybe a cute kid like Gong Siyoung would be good?

Julian, who perceived the S-rank Hunter as something of a stray cat, nodded readily.

“Fine. I’ll join. Instead, I have a condition of my own.”

Park Ildo sneered, “What kind of condition for someone like you?” Julian ignored him and pointed at Gong Siyoung.

“Let me live with Gong Siyoung.”

∞ ∞ ∞

Dozens of articles appeared on the main page of the portal site. Provocative headlines claiming breaking news and emergency alerts were updated every few minutes.

[Shock in the Hunter World… Controversy over ‘Gate within a Gate’ Overlapping Dungeon Heats Up]

[Questions Raised Over Gate Clear, Inquiries Pour into ‘Yeollak’ Guild for the Initial Raid]

[Emergency Meeting of Major Guild Masters within the Hunter Management Bureau Underway]

It was less than half a day since the existence of the overlapping dungeon was revealed. Gong Sijin was away for the guild masters’ meeting, and since then, the Yeollak Guild had been operating on emergency status.

An overlapping dungeon—it was understandable that people were surprised by a new form that had never been reported before.

And Gong Siyoung also checked his phone with a more serious face than ever. As soon as he flipped the screen with his index finger, a new piece of news occupied the main window this time.

Articles numbering exactly twice the number of those about the overlapping gate theory poured out.

[S-rank Hunter Gong Siyoung, Dating Rumors Break Out… Who is the Person Who Melted the ‘Ice Princess’?]

[Hunter Gong Siyoung, Captured in an Affectionate Moment with an Anonymous Civilian… ‘Lovers?’]

[Netizens Abuzz Over Hunter Gong Siyoung’s Dating Rumors… ‘Exactly Who Is It?’]

“What the fuck?”