The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log Chapter 33

Heading towards the end of where the black lines spreading across the floor connected, Lee Haechan could be seen crouched tightly.

 

He had squished his body into a corner, wrapping both arms around his head. 

 

His shoulders were drawn in completely, and his entire body was shaking noticeably. 

 

“No…”

 

A hoarse voice leaked from Lee Haechan.

 

“I didn’t look on purpose, I was wrong… I’m sorry for making you feel bad.”

 

Crouched in the corner, he was grabbing his head with both arms.

 

The black lines extending from his wrists had attached themselves thickly to Haechan’s neck before he knew it, wrapping around it as if strangling him.

 

“Th-this is why I didn’t want to enter a Gate.” 

 

Lee Haechan muttered tearfully.

 

Ever since his mental-type skill manifested, the images of his teammates turning their backs on him in disgust came to mind, tormenting him. 

 

The accusations his teammates had poured out in his previous guild when they entered a Gate clearance with Lee Haechan, simply because their nightmares and weaknesses had been exposed. 

 

The moment he ultimately couldn’t endure those accusations and left the guild. 

 

Those memories were making Lee Haechan’s mind extremely unstable.

 

And the deeper that anxiety became, the more fiercely the black lines stretched out from under Lee Haechan’s feet.

 

“Doesn’t his condition seem a bit strange?”

 

At Hana’s question, Kanghyun nodded his head.

 

“It looks like the symptoms right before a rampage.”

 

As Hana took a step toward Lee Haechan, Kanghyun quietly raised his hand to stop her.

 

“Wait.”

 

His gaze fixed on the back of Lee Haechan’s hand.

 

There, lines extended from the black dot were stuck fast. 

 

Adhering closely to his skin, it was wriggling minutely as if it were alive.

 

Kanghyun recalled the item that had been secretly spreading recently.

 

It was an item said to induce a rampage in Hunters by triggering memories that cause trauma or fear.

 

He roughly understood what the situation was. 

 

That item was likely triggering Lee Haechan’s rampage. 

 

Kanghyun reached out his hand, but the item showed no sign of falling off.

 

“…Damn it.”

 

If Lee Haechan couldn’t come to his senses like this, they might end up trapped in this gate without finding the exit.

 

Just as Kanghyun’s expression was turning serious.

 

In Hana’s vision, another system text popped up.

 

【SYSTEM】 

 

<Rewards obtained from the Surprise Mission have been granted: 

-Manifestation of the ability to connect gates 

-The existing managed area and the current area are connected.>

 

As Hana inadvertently recognized the text, a spot inside the gate opened up roundly like a doggy door.

 

Just like when she activated the shortcut skill.

 

And through that gap, a ball of white fur popped out.

 

“Kkyang!”

 

“Popcorn?”

 

It was Popcorn, whom she had hidden in the garden patch inside the Gangnam Station Gate just in case anyone saw it.

 

Popcorn ran around on its small paws sniffing as if it were its own home, then headed straight for Lee Haechan.

 

“Uh-uh?”

 

“Woof!”

 

Then it leaped up at once and bit exactly onto Lee Haechan’s hand, that is, the item stuck to the back of his hand.

 

“Ack!”

 

Letting out a sharp scream, Lee Haechan felt the back of his hand.

 

It definitely felt like something had been ripped off, but the skin he touched was smooth.

 

Not only that.

 

The unpleasant sensation that had been crushing his mind had also disappeared.

 

“…Huh?”

 

Lee Haechan raised his head with a bewildered expression.

 

The gloom and fear that had been suffocating him until a moment ago had vanished like a lie. 

 

Instead, what spread before his eyes was cracked and overturned ground, black lines spreading in all directions, and himself crouching in the center of it.

 

Plus a puppy like a white cotton ball wagging its tail wildly at his feet as a bonus.

 

With emotionless eyes, Kanghyun looked down at the confused Lee Haechan.

 

“We’ll talk about what happened after we get out.”

 

* * *

 

Called to the Guild Master’s office after coming out of the gate, Lee Haechan slumped down like a person who had a pillar pulled out from inside his body.

 

His scared gaze remained fixed on the floor and rarely came up.

 

Like a child who had made a huge mistake, Lee Haechan hugged Popcorn tightly in his arms and continuously stroked its fur.

 

“Excuse me, Hunter Lee Haechan. So you’re saying you don’t remember what happened?”

 

“Hic…! Y-Yes! It’s true. I didn’t do it on purpose, please believe me!”

 

As Choi Kwon called out aggressively, Lee Haechan curled his body completely round like a ball.

 

Two items were placed on the Guild Master’s office table. 

 

The Gate core in the shape of a hollow seed that Hana had set down.

 

And the other was the remains of the item that had been stuck to the back of Lee Haechan’s hand and nape until a moment ago.

 

Although its shape was mangled because Popcorn had bitten into it, an unpleasant energy still lingered. 

 

Yoon Taegyeom picked up the one Popcorn had bitten off.

 

“So what you’re saying, Kanghyun, is that someone deliberately made Hunter Lee Haechan go on a rampage? By attaching this?”

 

Seo Kanghyun, who was resting his chin in his hand, nodded his head.

 

“And it also means this gate core has a different shape from naturally occurring cores.”

 

Choi Kwon, who had been silently listening to Yoon Taegyeom and Seo Kanghyun’s conversation, dropped his jaw.

 

“Then are you saying someone even created the gate on purpose?”

 

Yoon Taegyeom also answered seriously.

 

“We’ll only know that after investigating.”

 

Kanghyun, who had been silently watching the situation all this while, shifted his gaze to Lee Haechan.

 

“This. It seems an explanation is needed regarding how this happened.” 

 

Lee Haechan’s shoulders flinched.

 

He hugged Popcorn tighter and shook his head vigorously.

 

“I-I don’t know. It’s the truth. I didn’t even know something like that was attached.” 

 

Lee Haechan’s voice grew so small it sounded like it was crawling back in.

 

“Is there anyone you’ve come into contact with separately recently? Someone suspicious, for instance.”

 

At those words, Lee Haechan hesitated for a moment, then soon raised his head as if he remembered something.

 

“Ah! Come to think of it, t-this morning someone from the Association came by and shook my hand. They said they were from the Strategic Planning Office…”

 

The moment they heard those words, Yoon Taegyeom and Kanghyun’s eyes met briefly.

 

The Strategic Planning Office. 

 

An organization that the Vice President practically commands as his own hands and feet.

 

Even without explaining it in words, the meaning was conveyed sufficiently.

 

“Hunter Lee Haechan. You may leave for today. I’ll call you again later if necessary.”

 

At those words, Lee Haechan continuously nodded his head and stood up.

 

He was about to put down Popcorn he was holding in his arms, but after a moment’s hesitation, Haechan hugged Popcorn tightly again.

 

“…I’m sorry.”

 

It was impossible to tell who the quietly left apology was for.

 

Taegyeom, who had been staring at such Haechan, also stood up.

 

“I’ll head out too. Looks like there’s a lot I need to look into.” 

 

Then he took Choi Kwon, who was next to him, and went outside together.

 

Lee Haechan followed behind him, trudging along with his head bowed deeply.

 

Watching their retreating figures, Hana spoke lowly.

 

“He must have received a big shock.”

 

“Why. Are you perhaps worried about Hunter Lee Haechan?”

 

Kanghyun’s question was calm.

 

However, subtly, his gaze never left Hana.

 

“Yes, well… Because he looks dispirited.”

 

When Hana answered without much thought, Kanghyun’s eyebrows rose slowly. 

 

“I was the one who cleared the gate and got caught in Hunter Lee Haechan’s skill. Your worry is bouncing off in the wrong direction.”

 

His tone was calm, but the end of his sentence was slightly pressed.

 

As if he were expressing dissatisfaction.

 

At that reaction, Hana blinked once.

 

Then her gaze ended up locking squarely with Kanghyun’s.

 

Staring into those mysterious gray eyes, the face of Kanghyun shedding tears came back to mind, and Hana’s eyes rolled over to the side. 

 

She felt awkward for no reason.

 

Like she had seen something she absolutely shouldn’t have seen.

 

“I think I’ve finished saying what I had to say too, so I’ll get… going?”

 

But Kanghyun’s voice caught Hana’s steps.

 

“I don’t think so. Don’t we still have something left to talk about?”

 

Hana stopped and raised her head.

 

She made eye contact with him.

 

“Yoon Hana-ssi.”

 

Kanghyun asked quietly.

 

“Earlier, did you see my nightmare?”

 

Hana was momentarily speechless, then let out a small breath and agreed.

 

“…A little bit.”

 

Honestly, Seo Kanghyun always asked like that even though he already knew everything. As if he would only be satisfied hearing the answer directly.

 

“I didn’t look at it in detail or anything. Just roughly?”

 

Kanghyun looked at Hana in silence for a moment before speaking.

 

“Why aren’t you asking anything? Usually people ask this and that.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Hana scratched her cheek.

 

“It’s just that I peeked without permission, so I feel a bit uncomfortable asking whatever I want.”

 

Hana scratched her cheek, feeling awkward in the somewhat serious atmosphere.  

 

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep what I saw today a secret.”

 

At the sight of her clamping her mouth shut, Kanghyun rested his chin in his hand again.

 

There was no particular need to keep it a secret.

 

That reaction of considering his feelings wasn’t entirely bad.

 

Letting out a soft chuckle, Kanghyun changed the subject.