The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log Chapter 43

“C-Could I perhaps go in together with you as well?” 

 

It was Lee Haechan.

 

However, Haechan’s suggestion was immediately dismissed by Choi Kwon.

 

“Why would an S-rank enter a D-rank gate? Let’s just stay here and quietly guard the garden.”

 

“B-But…”

 

Leaving behind Haechan, who was murmuring something softly, Hana stared intently at the system window floating before her eyes.

 

【SYSTEM】

 

<Acquire a new item to mix with ‘Oyster Mushroom with Depression🍄’.>

<Hint: Polluted Rock-type Gate (D-rank)>

<Reward: 3,500pt EXP>

 

Should she call this good luck?

 

A high-reward mission that hadn’t appeared this whole time was suddenly given to her now of all times.

 

Even the fact that it was a rock-type gate perfectly matched the gate that had been prepared.

 

However, the expression ‘Polluted’ was somewhat unsettling.

 

The Gate’s blue swirl bore a stable wavelength that looked no different from usual on the outside. 

 

It was an exquisitely timed coincidence.

 

Hana readjusted the bag she always carried to make it more secure.

 

Inside were various crops she had packed just in case.

 

Of course, the oyster mushrooms were in there too.

 

Before entering the gate, Hana quickly went through her to-do list for the week in her head.

 

She had already handed over all the crops to be delivered to the Haechi Guild, and the date to help Kanghyun with his sleep was still a long way off.

 

The rice seeds were growing smoothly, and Lee Haechan was now mostly out of his depression and recovering his self-esteem.

 

In many ways, there was not a single thing that could be called a problem. 

 

She just had to do her part well.

 

“Well then, I’ll be going now—?”

 

Just as Hana was about to step into the gate with a light heart, she was caught by Kanghyun.

 

When the captured Hana tilted her head back, Kanghyun was looking down at her.

 

“What is it?”

 

“I thought you only lacked wariness, but it seems you also lack caution as well.”

 

Kanghyun began to personally fit beginner hunter protective gear onto Hana.

 

Since the protective gear was layered with basic defense skills, even if she were to be hit by a monster, the damage would be reduced even if only by a little.

 

Of course, the goal was for her not to get hit at all.

 

“Even if it’s a D-rank gate, the monsters are too difficult for someone like Yoon Hana-ssi to handle, so don’t stray from Taegyeom’s side. Don’t go off to strange places for no reason, either.”

 

“Are you worried about me?”

 

When Hana asked that, Kanghyun wore an expression as if he had heard something preposterous.

 

“Well. I suppose I am worried.”

 

Kanghyun cocked an eyebrow.

 

“Worried that you might get hurt and I won’t receive my crops on time, or that I won’t even get to properly try the insomnia remedy I finally found.”

 

Honestly, would it kill him to say things nicely for once?

 

Hana replied while shaking the protective gear that was fitted tightly to her wrist.

 

“If you’re that worried, would you like to come in with us, Seo Kanghyun-ssi?”

 

“Do I look that free to you?” 

 

After fastening the gear on Hana’s other wrist, Kanghyun gave her back a light, encouraging tap.

 

“Anyway, thank you. I’ll go in and come back safely.”

 

Hana waved her hand toward Kanghyun, who was standing with his arms crossed, and then scurried over toward Taegyeom.

 

“Shall we enter then?” 

 

Taegyeom, who had finished putting on his protective gear just like Hana, nodded with a strangely determined attitude.

 

“Yes. Shall we?”

 

As Hana and Taegyeom entered the gate, the blue whirlpool billowed gently and began to close.

 

Kanghyun stood in that spot without moving a single step until the figures of Hana and Taegyeom completely vanished from his sight.

 

Only after the indicator appeared showing that the gate’s wavelength had stabilized did Kanghyun turn around.

 

In his hand was the artificial gate core recovered from the previous gate.

 

An artificially processed crystal.

 

Kanghyun slowly rolled it with his thumb.

 

By such a Kanghyun’s side, Choi Kwon dragged Haechan and tagged along shamelessly. 

 

“And where is our Haechi Guild Master planning to go now? If you don’t have a separate schedule, would you like to go to the garden with us?”

 

“The way you talk, anyone would think it was your garden. It belongs to Yoon Hana.”

 

Kanghyun looked at Haechan, who was hiding behind Choi Kwon.

 

The abnormal gate core.

 

And the Strategic Planning Office that had approached Lee Haechan.

 

The ends of both incidents were leading to a single person.

 

The Vice Chairman.

 

Kanghyun turned his steps toward the Association headquarters.

 

It wasn’t Kanghyun’s style to just sit around and let his mind race.

 

If he had suspicions, he could just go and check for himself.

 

“Hmm, it seems the Guild Master isn’t interested in the garden after all. Let’s just go by ourselves.”

 

“Y-Yeah.”

 

Haechan bowed deeply toward the back of Kanghyun’s head.

 

Just as the three of them were about to part ways, Kanghyun’s steps suddenly came to a halt.

 

Sensing the subtly changed atmosphere, Choi Kwon and Haechan also turned their heads back toward Kanghyun.

 

“…!”

 

And then they saw him.

 

A man standing tall right in the middle of the road.

 

Short-cropped silver hair and a blunt, heavy build.

 

It was the Red Moon Guild Master.

 

“Hiek……!”

 

Haechan instinctively took a step back, and Choi Kwon fell silent.

 

The Red Moon Guild Master slowly moved his gaze.

 

The look in his eyes as he scanned Haechan and Choi Kwon in turn was blatantly sharp.

 

As if checking the condition of goods, Kanghyun looked at him without any expression and then tried to brush past him.

 

“…”

 

However, the Red Moon Guild Master took a step and blocked the path again.

 

Kanghyun’s eyebrows twitched minutely.

 

“What is it.”

 

“Why are you acting so sharp? I just came by to have a little chat since it’s been a while.”

 

The Red Moon Guild Master bared his teeth and stretched the corners of his mouth into a smirk.

 

Then, he jerked his chin toward Haechan and Choi Kwon.

 

“You snatched two of my guild members, and now you’re just going to keep your mouth shut?”

 

As he said that, the Red Moon Guild Master’s gaze shifted toward the gate for only a split second, but Kanghyun saw it clearly.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, upon entering the gate, a system message appeared in a corner of Hana’s vision.

 

【SYSTEM】

 

<You have entered the ‘Polluted Rock-type Gate, Rocky Tomb (D-rank)’.>

 

Sssip.

 

Hana took a breath, unable to shake off the unsettling feeling.

 

The air itself was ordinary.

 

The smell of rocks and earth, the damp humidity—nothing seemed out of the ordinary at a glance.

 

Still, the word ‘Polluted’ written in the system message bothered her strangely.

 

Hana looked at Taegyeom, who was walking ahead.

 

Taegyeom was carrying a backpack just as large as Hana’s.

 

For a quick trip into a D-rank gate, it looked excessively heavy.

 

‘What on earth is in there?’

 

Hana, staring at Taegyeom’s back as if he were prepared for a long march, called out to him.

 

“Excuse me, Hunter Yoon Taegyeom-ssi.”

 

Taegyeom approached with a playful face.

 

“Hey, ‘Hunter Yoon Taegyeom-ssi’ feels so distant. Please just call me by my name too.”

 

“…Um, alright. Yoon Taegyeom-ssi.”

 

“Yes, Hana-ssi. Why did you call me?”

 

Hana hesitated for a moment before asking.

 

“About this gate. There isn’t any problem with it, right?”

 

Taegyeom wrinkled the bridge of his nose. It was the reaction of someone who had been asked a random, out-of-the-blue question.

 

“Of course. Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

 

“Because it says on my system window that this is a polluted gate.”

 

“Pollution?”

 

Taegyeom waved his hand in the air to summon his own system window.

 

Immediately after, he tapped the guild watch on his wrist to check the official gate information.

 

“That’s strange. There’s no mention of that on my system window or in the guild data.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

Hana scratched her temple.

 

Was there an error in the system window?

 

“Don’t worry too much. As you heard, it’s a D-rank. It’s a place used for training new guild members, so the monsters aren’t even threatening.”

 

And, as if perfectly timed, as soon as Taegyeom finished speaking, a clatter-clatter sound of small stones colliding echoed from between the rocks.

 

【SYSTEM】

 

<Monster: Little Golem (D-rank)>

<Characteristics: Expands size using surrounding rocks>

 

Small stones, barely reaching halfway up a person’s calf, were crawling out from the crevices, pushing pebbles aside.

 

It looked as if stone dolls roughly fashioned by someone were moving on their own.

 

“Oh, they’ve just come out.”

 

Taegyeom said in a relaxed voice.

 

“These are the main monsters here. Little Golems.”

 

The golems were picking up pebbles and rocks scattered around and struggling to attach them to their bodies.

 

As if stone were swallowing stone, they made thudding and clattering sounds as their size gradually increased.

 

Hana watched the scene as if observing a spectacle.

 

“They look cute.”

 

“Everyone says that at first.”

 

Taegyeom grinned and lightly snapped his fingers. Snap.