The Otherworldly Magic Swordsman Who Disciplines the Hunter World Chapter 22

Even before he could grasp the intent of the question, Gong Siyoung stepped forward. He spun a brazen lie.

“I didn’t know.”

Choi Jaeguk raised an eyebrow.

“That can’t be right. Didn’t you report it yourself, Hunter Gong Siyoung?”

“I just gave it a shot.”

“…Pardon?”

Even after giving an answer that sounded suspicious to anyone, Gong Siyoung looked up as if asking what the problem was.

“I didn’t know it would appear. I just had a nasty feeling, so I contacted you. Just in case. Since things have been so chaotic lately, I figured it was okay to be a bit sensitive when it comes to dungeons.”

“A feeling… you say.”

Choi Jaeguk stared at him intently. He didn’t look like he understood, but he didn’t follow up with any more questions.

It felt less like he was backing down and more like he was waiting for an opening. He pointed at Julian, who was standing next to Gong Siyoung.

“And this person’s name is? It looks like a face I haven’t seen before…”

Julian’s lips parted as he tried to answer. However, Gong Siyoung’s actions were faster. He naturally blocked the space in front of Julian.

“He’s a rookie. He’s a friend who doesn’t know anything yet.”

“For someone like that, you certainly keep him close by your side. An S-class Hunter and a rookie, just the two of you.”

An unyielding staring match followed. Julian, who was caught in the middle unintentionally, just scratched his head with an awkward face.

Just then, one of Choi Jaeguk’s subordinates approached. He glanced at Gong Siyoung as he delivered the message.

“Team Leader, the Yeollak Guild has arrived. Shall we proceed with the Gate entry?”

From the cars that pulled to a stop, Hunter Park Ildo and others from the Yeollak Guild appeared. Recognizing him, Choi Jaeguk clicked his tongue.

“…Well, I see. I’ll send the briefing through the guild, so Hunter Gong Siyoung, you may head out now. Holding onto such a busy person makes me feel, well, a bit self-conscious.”

“Then we’ll be going.”

Gong Siyoung turned around coldly. Choi Jaeguk waved his hand at Julian, who gave a slight bow. The gaze staring at him was somehow significant.

“Don’t make eye contact. That man is quick-witted as it is.”

Gong Siyoung muttered while looking ahead. When Julian turned his head, he whispered like a sigh.

“Of all the people to meet…”

“Who is he that you’re acting like this?”

“He’s the guy who goes around picking fights whenever he sees our guild. There’s nothing to be gained from it being known that you’ve been going in and out of Gates without a Hunter registration card, so just keep your mouth shut for now.”

Choi Jaeguk was a leading proponent of the opinion that Hunters must absolutely belong to the state. He himself was a Hunter registered with the Bureau.

He had been on bad terms with the Yeollak Guild for a long time, and even more so recently.

Gong Siyoung basically distrusted the Hunter Management Bureau. Since the other side was also looking for any excuse to pressure the guild, he didn’t want to give the Bureau any more leverage.

What if Choi Jaeguk noticed Julian’s abilities? He would flip out and come charging in. Having experienced similar recruitment competitions for Hunters with the Bureau, he couldn’t let his guard down.

If one could predict outbreak dungeons, a great many things would change. Lives that were meant to end could be saved, and the Hunters entering the dungeons would become safer.

Then, many more innocent people could be protected.

He didn’t want to leave that opportunity and engage in a competition with the Bureau. That was truly a useless fight.

“What kind of trouble have you caused in the meantime, huh?”

Park Ildo, who had spotted the two, approached immediately. His fingertips, brushing back his disheveled hair, were full of annoyance.

Checking his vibrating cell phone, Park Ildo irritably pressed the end button. He muttered curses while following the distantly standing Choi Jaeguk with his eyes.

“That bastard showed up again.”

His low-voiced manner of speaking, as if practicing ventriloquism, was sharp. Gong Siyoung fully sympathized with those words.

“We were out of luck. I contacted them through the hotline, but I didn’t know that man would be the one dispatched.”

“Right, well. Putting that aside… is it true? You discovered an outbreak dungeon?”

It was closer to a confirmation than a question. The writhing Gate on the other side of the restricted line was visible even to Park Ildo’s eyes. He let out a sigh.

“If things are like this, I have no choice but to believe it. That you really came from somewhere over there.”

He glanced at Julian. A gaze as complex as his thoughts became entangled.

Gong Siyoung felt the same way. Julian, who had suddenly popped out of a dungeon one day, was the embodiment of chaos itself.

His attitude of acting rude while pretending to be harmless, and the way every action subtly got on one’s nerves—he didn’t like any of it.

As if mocking Gong Siyoung’s thoughts, Julian’s abilities were being revealed one by one. If he wasn’t crazy and really did come from another world…

Julian’s abilities held a value so great that none of them could be simply ignored and passed over.

If you know the attributes of a monster, the battle absolutely becomes advantageous. Gong Siyoung was not unaware of the reason why Gong Sijin coveted him.

He had sold out his younger brother at once just with the career history of writing a monster encyclopedia, so what if he heard that Julian could even predict outbreak dungeons?

He could already picture Gong Sijin’s wide grin. If it were that man, he might even urge them to get married first just to make sure Julian couldn’t say anything else. If it was Gong Sijin, who had sold his soul for the success of the guild, he was certainly more than capable of doing so.

“I’ll take care of the Gate here, so Hunter Siyoung, take Yuri-al or whatever his name is and go first. The Master just went into a meeting, so you won’t be able to reach him.”

“Understood.”

Park Ildo took a cigarette out of his pocket. The lighter clicked, and a spark flared up. Ssssp, Park Ildo, who had taken a drag of the cigarette, noticed Julian looking at him and raised an eyebrow.

“…What? Why are you looking at me like that? You’re going to burn a hole in me.”

Julian, who was following Gong Siyoung toward the parked car, answered a beat late, “Ah.”

“Because it looks delicious.”

“This?”

The cigarette held between his index and middle fingers fluttered.

“It’s my last one, though.”

Julian smacked his lips at the cigarette that had already worn away by half. Watching that scene from behind, Gong Siyoung’s expression soured.

Julian was the type who would usually let things slide or do as he pleased. Why was he looking at a measly cigarette as if he were possessed?

“Do you usually smoke?”

“Me? I like both alcohol and cigarettes.”

“Oh, that’s a bit unexpected.”

Park Ildo, who similarly liked both alcohol and cigarettes, whistled. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly held out the cigarette that was hooked between his fingers.

“How about it, even just this?”

Julian brightened at the cigarette hanging precariously from the fingertips. Grabbing Park Ildo’s wrist, he lowered his head. Putting the end of the filter in his mouth, Julian took a ssssp breath.

The ember of the cigarette, as red as his lips, burned fiercely. At the same time Julian exhaled, the smoke scattered. A smile appeared on his lips as if he were satisfied with the cigarette smoke filling his lungs.

“It’s delicious.”

Park Ildo gave a hollow laugh. Leaving a promise that he would give him a proper one next time, he held out the cigarette. Julian reached out without refusing.

Just before he could put the filter to his lips, Gong Siyoung snatched the cigarette away. The end of the butt froze with a crack.

“Do not smoke in front of a daycare center.”

The frozen cigarette butt scattered into dust. Park Ildo shifted his steps slightly. He moved busily toward the Gate.

Left alone, Julian protested as if it were unfair.

“No, I just wanted one puff…”

“Whether it’s one puff or two, you can’t. You can’t just do it, and you especially can’t do it with something someone else was sucking on. What if you catch a disease? Don’t you know about the pandemic, a pandemic? Do you really not know how important personal hygiene is?”

Gong Siyoung criticized Julian as if he were hunting a rat. He had a determined expression as if he wouldn’t tolerate alcohol or cigarettes.

I really only took exactly one puff. Hearing all kinds of criticism and reprimands for my mouth touching it just once made me feel unfairly treated for some reason.

The actual person who had been happily smoking, Park Ildo, had already run off.

If I had known it would be like this, I would have tried taking about two puffs. I felt like I had lost out compared to the verbal abuse I received.

Julian looked pathetically at Park Ildo’s retreating back as he disappeared into the distance.

“If you do a lot of things like alcohol and cigarettes, your body will only be ruined. Doing stuff like that only makes you age. Don’t even think about doing that in front of me, no, in my house. I’ve warned you.”

“Mmhmm, okay. I completely understand.”

The nagging continued for a long while. Julian made a resolution as he followed Gong Siyoung into the parked car.

I should smoke cigarettes behind Gong Siyoung’s back. Isn’t it true that cigarettes taste best when smoked in secret? The premise of ‘not doing it’ did not exist.

Julian played innocent as if he knew nothing. While Gong Siyoung was driving the car, he subtly changed the subject.

“Then, what happens to that Gate now?”