The Otherworldly Magic Swordsman Who Disciplines the Hunter World Chapter 41

“Positions are deeply related to the characteristics of one’s weapon. Take Hunter Woo Yujin, for example. Since his weapon is optimized for close-range combat, he naturally tends to take the lead. Conversely, because of my skill characteristics, long-range attacks are my primary focus, so I attack from the rear. My cool-downs are also on the longer side, so a healer like Hunter Gu Jayoung needs to restore my health.”

“Aha… Then it must be important who uses which skills.”

“That’s right. There are cases like Hunter Gong Siyoung, who has a high rank and wanders alone without a team, but that’s actually not very common. Usually, people enter dungeons by forming a fixed team or recruiting members according to their positions. It’s much safer that way.”

“It’s much more systematic than I thought.”

“That’s why skills and ranks are important. You need to understand each other’s power to some extent to be able to coordinate.”

Woo Yujin, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between Myeong Haejin and Julian, wiggled his way closer. His expectant eyes were fixed on Julian.

“Um, but… I’ve actually been wanting to ask since earlier. You said you went to the Bureau and got tested. Speaking of which, so what rank did Hunter Yuri get? As expected, A-rank? Or could it be… S-rank?!”

It was a question, but it sounded more like a query filled with certainty. Expectation and respect were mingled in Woo Yujin’s expression as he chattered about how he thought it would be S-rank.

“Is it S-rank? It is, right? Gasp, then our guild gets one more S-rank! Our ranking will go up too, right?!”

Julian slightly turned his head away to avoid the fussing Woo Yujin. On behalf of Julian, who was blatantly feigning ignorance, Myeong Haejin appropriately changed the subject.

“If the introductions are over, shall we move immediately? We don’t have much time, so let’s hurry.”

When he mentioned the remaining time, Woo Yujin also had the sense to shut his mouth. There was only about 1 hour left until the reset. Time was tight if they wanted to reach the area where the boss monster was located within that timeframe.

Gong Siyoung, who had been standing silently until then, tilted his head at an angle. He lightly grabbed the scruff of Julian’s neck as Julian was moving to follow Myeong Haejin.

At the sudden contact, Julian faltered and looked back.

“Are you really not going to tell me? What the rank is?”

It was a stubborn look, as if he wouldn’t back down until he heard an answer. Julian looked at him with a face that didn’t understand at all.

“Is the rank important?”

What changes if you know whether it’s a rank or whatever? Having just come back from receiving long stares of pity at the Bureau, an irritable reaction popped out unintentionally.

Had he not just experienced a change in attitude that would make even non-existent self-consciousness sprout? He didn’t want to repeat that here again, and to be honest, he didn’t understand it either.

Whatever the rank was, nothing changed because of it. So why was he so curious? As if it actually meant something.

“Regardless of what rank I am, all that matters is that I can fight. I’m telling you, I’m still perfectly fine.”

It wasn’t because he was F-rank; he was more offended by the reaction of Gong Siyoung, who kept persistently prying. What if Gong Siyoung changed his attitude too, like back at the Bureau? Then it was certain his mood would truly be ruined.

Better to leave well enough alone; rather than going through something like that, it was better not to mention it from the start and just move on. Myeong Haejin had also said there was no need to speak if he didn’t want to reveal it.

“I don’t want to tell you.”

Gong Siyoung’s eyes narrowed at the sharp reaction, which was unlike him. The face that always had a gentle smile was now nothing but pouting.

He didn’t understand the deliberate avoidance of eye contact, or the fact that Julian specifically pointed out he didn’t want to tell him.

Gong Siyoung let out a ha, a hollow laugh. The words Julian spat out circled his head like a spell.

“To me… you don’t want to tell?”

Just how important is it that you’re hiding it? It’s not something I can’t ask, and even Myeong Haejin already knows.

It’s not a secret to him, so why are you acting like it’s a secret only to me?

“Are you serious right now?”

“If I’m not being serious, then what am I?”

The atmosphere turned cold in an instant due to the sharp confrontation. A flustered Myeong Haejin and Woo Yujin exchanged looks. In the end, Myeong Haejin stepped forward as the mediator this time as well.

“Shall we all calm down a little? You both remember that we are still inside a dungeon, right?”

Woo Yujin and Gu Jayoung chimed in and approached Julian’s side. They naturally separated the two and hurried their steps.

Checking the three people walking ahead, Myeong Haejin glanced back at Gong Siyoung.

“Hunter Siyoung, you should calm down too. I know you’re curious, but the person themselves says they don’t want to reveal it, right? Weell… I know, but… if the party involved hates it, what can you do.”

Myeong Haejin shrugged his shoulders. Before an indignant Gong Siyoung could say anything, he quickly ran toward the group. Staring at the back that was growing more distant, Gong Siyoung muttered.

“Why only to me…”

To be honest, he wasn’t particularly curious about Julian’s rank. Why would he be curious as if it were some grand secret? Whether it was S-rank or F-rank, why would that matter.

Rather, the declaration that he would hide it only from him was more irritating. Like a hangnail, even if he didn’t want to mind it, his consciousness kept heading that way.

And what about Julian’s expression as he pointedly declared it was a secret only to him?

Just why? What did I do? The more he dwelled on it, the more his insides simmered.

‘What is it, seriously.’

He tightly clenched his fist. Irritation and anger that couldn’t be expressed just kept piling up.

The steps following behind the group thudded with dissatisfaction.

∞ ∞ ∞

Only silence lingered while they passed through the area full of red stones. Gong Siyoung was in a bad mood in his own right, and Julian’s expression was stiff, unlike him.

Since the two were like that, the rest of the party couldn’t easily bring up a conversation.

Woo Yujin was especially like that. He was the first one to ask Julian about the rank. He was busy walking on eggshells as if Julian’s strangely sharp reaction was his fault.

Because the most talkative person, Woo Yujin, shut his mouth, the silence became even thicker. Neither Myeong Haejin nor Gu Jayoung were the types to initiate unnecessary conversation.

Eventually, they entered the deep zone amidst a suffocating silence.

Just because it was called the deep zone didn’t mean anything was particularly different. It was still a space full of nothing but boulders and filled with a pungent smell.

The wind blew enough to make his cheeks sting, causing Julian to hunch his shoulders.

Conscious of him stroking his arms, Gong Siyoung checked the status window.

[ Limited Use: 00:10:07 until <Limbo> Reset ]

Only about 10 minutes left until the reset. Could they handle the boss monster within 10 minutes? Naturally, it would be impossible. No matter how positively he tried to think, he couldn’t erase the sense of foreboding.

He calmly scanned the status window. While staring closely in hopes of getting some kind of hint, the words ‘Limited Use’ suddenly caught his eye.

The word ‘Limited’ must mean that use is possible anyway. If it’s difficult to use in the conventional way, couldn’t the status window be activated in some other way?

There was something within reach if he just stretched out his hand, but when he actually felt for it, nothing could be grasped.

It was frustrating. Surely some hints must be scattered around…

Gong Siyoung bit his lip anxiously. Now was the right time to have a conversation regarding the status window. Since no monsters had appeared yet, there was some leeway.

He scanned the backs of the party walking ahead. Among them, his gaze stayed on the back of Julian’s round head for a long time.

Julian refused to speak about the rank until the very end. It wasn’t even funny. Just what kind of huge secret is that? Why won’t you tell only me when even Myeong Haejin knows?

His thoughts quickly jumped in a different direction. It was because his stomach was twisted with spite over Julian’s attitude rather than the status window.

Actually, it wasn’t something to be that impatient about. Whether Julian liked it or not, he would eventually end up telling Gong Sijin.

If not him, Myeong Haejin would tell him, so he could find out the rank as much as he wanted by hearing it through Gong Sijin.

‘So why are you keeping that kind of lame secret even from me.’

When was it that you were hugging me while sleeping, and flirting with me saying I’m special or whatever…!

The more he thought about it, the more insolent it felt. Gong Siyoung’s eyes gradually began to blaze with intensity.

Eventually, Julian, who noticed that gaze, turned his head. Having met Gong Siyoung’s eyes head-on, he winced and his shoulders trembled.

If he played his cards right, he could kill someone with that gaze. Julian suppressed a sigh at the burning stare, wondering if the guy was trying to start a fight.

It’s not like he was feeling great about the current situation either. No, rather, it was the opposite.

Honestly. What’s the big deal with that rank? To be that grumpy just because I didn’t tell him? He’s not a child; what’s he going to do if I tell him?

Even if I say here that I’m actually F-rank, there’s no way it would pass over smoothly in an atmosphere like this.

the timing to move on gracefully had passed long ago. Even if I told the truth, it would only make it awkward to face each other.

Just thinking about it made fatigue wash over him. If I confessed, ‘You know what, I’m actually an F-rank,’ wouldn’t even Gong Siyoung, who asked, be at a loss? He wanted to decline that kind of atmosphere.

Therefore, from now on, feigning ignorance was the only way to survive. No matter how much you badger me, do you think I’ll tell you?

Julian brazenly turned his head away. He was also the type not to back down when it came to stubbornness.

A strange dynamic continued where one person steadfastly watched only the front, and the other blatantly glared. Woo Yujin poked Myeong Haejin in the side as a sign to do something about those two.

Myeong Haejin, who was finding the current situation somewhat amusing, cleared his throat. “Ahem.”