The SSS-Class Hunter’s Garden Log Chapter 46

“Mmm!”

 

Contrary to its appearance, the taste was quite good.

 

The bitterness of the polluted lettuce and the subtle savory flavor of the oyster mushroom blended surprisingly well. 

 

Just as Hana’s jaw, which had been chewing the wrap slowly, began to move faster, the system window popped up again.

 

Staring at the system window with such focus that she looked like she might be sucked into the blue screen, Hana covered her mouth with her hands.

 

“I-It hit!”

 

Jackpot!

 

【SYSTEM】

 

<You have successfully mixed ‘Hop Over Your Limits, Mushroom-Lettuce Wrap🥬 (A-rank)’.>

 

<Reward: 3,500pt EXP distributed.>

 

<Current EXP: 7,500/7,500pt>

 

<Preparing to distribute Special Mission Completion Reward…>

 

Combined with the indirect experience points gained through Kwon and Haechan’s labor, it hit exactly 7,500pt.

 

“Yes!”

 

Hana tightly clenched her fists in sheer joy. Then her eyes widened round. 

 

“A-rank?”

 

It was the first time an item rank had come out this high.

 

In her shock, Hana swallowed the half-chewed wrap in one gulp.

 

“Ahem, cough—!” 

 

After thumping her chest to finally force down the wrap stuck in her throat, Hana opened her eyes wide and re-read the system window carefully.

 

<‘Hop Over Your Limits, Mushroom-Lettuce Wrap🥬 (A-rank)’>

 

<This is lettuce containing the essence of a golem whose rank surged abnormally due to a ‘modified’ Berserk item.>

 

<Effect: Draws out hidden potential by boosting self-esteem. There is a slim probability that the consumer’s rank will significantly increase.>

 

“My rank increases?”

 

Hana hurriedly checked her status window, wondering if she had escaped her F-rank status.

 

However, the ‘F-rank’ displayed next to the name ‘Yoon Hana’ remained unchanged.

 

【SYSTEM】

 

<Oh, by the way! The effects of the Mushroom-Lettuce Wrap do not apply to the item’s creator! ꒰>؂•̀꒱>

 

“What, that’s discrimination!” 

 

Hana’s lips pouted.

 

It couldn’t be like this. 

 

She made it, but she couldn’t benefit from the effects? Then how was she supposed to verify them?

 

“Should I try feeding it to Yoon Taegyeom-ssi?”

 

Hmm.

 

After a brief deliberation, Hana decided to go look for Taegyeom, who hadn’t returned yet.

 

It had been a while since he left, and she was starting to get worried, so she figured this was perfect.

 

“Why is he taking so long? Did he run into a golem or something?”

 

Considering she was able to handle them, fighting a golem should be a piece of cake for Taegyeom, but—

 

“You never know what might happen to a person, right?”

 

Muttering to herself, Hana wrapped the newly made Mushroom-Lettuce Wrap in some plastic wrap she had brought just in case.

 

* * *

 

At the same time Hana was heading out to find Taegyeom with her new item in hand.

 

Choi Kwon and Haechan, sitting on a sofa, were busy shifting their gazes back and forth between Kanghyun and the Red Moon Guild Master, who were sitting opposite them.

 

Weighed down by the aura of the two top-rank Hunters, Haechan and Kwon shrank down, increasingly sinking into the backs of their chairs. 

 

Just then, Kanghyun, who had his long legs crossed at a sharp angle, pointed toward Haechan and Choi Kwon.

 

“So.”

 

His cold, light-gray irises fixed on the Red Moon Guild Leader.

 

“You’re telling me to return these two people.”

 

The corners of the Red Moon Guild Master’s mouth twitched upward.

 

“Quick on the uptake, aren’t you?”

 

He leaned back in his chair and continued slowly.

 

“There are ethics in this industry. It’s troublesome for us if you just snatch away two high-rank hunters like this, isn’t it?”

 

Kanghyun let out a scoff.

 

“Let’s get the facts straight. I didn’t snatch them; they walked in on their own. You should have treated them better if you wanted them to stay.”

 

“What?”

 

“Just how terrible must the guild have been for them to run out?”

 

Crack. Beneath the Red Moon Guild Master’s hand, the sound of an armrest shattering echoed out. 

 

“Does Red Moon really have so little to do that you’re wasting my time with such useless matters?”

 

“So are you giving them back or not? Just answer that.” 

 

“I tend not to let go of things once they’re in my hands. So, I can’t return them.”

 

At that moment.

 

The watch on Haechan’s wrist let out a vrr— vibration.

 

Haechan, who had been checking the watch while nervously glancing at both Guild Masters, suddenly leapt to his feet.

 

Clatter!

 

As the chair fell backward with a loud noise, Choi Kwon stood up as well.

 

“What? What’s wrong?”

 

“The, the gate……! The gate rank has ch-changed!”

 

<The rank of ‘Polluted Rock-type Gate, Rocky Tomb (D-rank)’ has been changed to S-rank.>

 

At Haechan’s urgent cry, Kanghyun immediately checked his watch.

 

His light-gray eyes slowly darkened.

 

Veins popped out distinctly over the back of the hand holding the watch. 

 

“…Damn it.”

 

With a low-muttered curse, Kanghyun stood up.

 

It was an appearance that looked as if he were about to head to the Gate, no matter who watched. 

 

The Red Moon Guild Master stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

 

“Where do you think you’re going? You and I haven’t finished talking yet, have we?” 

 

His tone was strangely relaxed.

 

As if he had known this would happen.

 

“I thought it was strange. Why the Red Moon Guild Master, who is so busy following the Vice Chairman around, would suddenly come looking for me.”

 

Kanghyun rubbed the bridge of his nose.

 

“And of all times, an anomaly occurs at the gate my guild member entered.”

 

“People might misunderstand if they heard that. Like I had something to do with the gate Yoon Taegyeom entered.”

 

“I never mentioned who entered the gate.”

 

The Red Moon Guild Master realized his slip-up.

 

He had been so intoxicated by the situation flowing smoothly that he let it slip.

 

“Red Moon Guild Master, Han Taeho.”

 

Han Taeho’s shoulders flinched at the sudden mention of his name.

 

“Move.”

 

Kanghyun growled menacingly as he slowly clenched and unclenched his hand.

 

A crimson energy flickered at his fingertips, and soon, a longsword was summoned into his grip.

 

The glowing red energy flowed along the blade, heating the air in the room.

 

Han Taeho also grit his teeth and immediately summoned a massive hammer.

 

“What, are you going to attack me? Are you really going to make Red Moon your enemy?”

 

“There’s nothing I can’t do.”

 

In that instant, Han Taeho, who had been glancing at Kanghyun’s sword, suddenly lunged toward Choi Kwon.

 

It seemed he intended to take a hostage, knowing he had no hope of winning against Seo Kanghyun in a direct confrontation.

 

Swoosh—.

 

But Kanghyun’s sword was faster.

 

As the elegant blade sliced through the air, a red line tore through space itself.

 

Sliiiip. 

 

And without a moment’s hesitation, Kanghyun pushed Haechan and Choi Kwon into the rift.

 

“G-Guild Master!”

 

After sending the two of them to the safety of the Haechi Guild in an instant, Kanghyun readjusted his grip on his sword in one smooth motion.

 

Han Taeho’s face turned visibly anxious now that he could no longer take a hostage.

 

“W-Wait. There seems to be some misunderstanding. Let’s talk this—.”

 

But Han Taeho couldn’t even finish his sentence.

 

Losing his balance as the hilt of Kanghyun’s sword shoved against his shoulder, he suddenly felt his large body being pulled strangely backward.

 

A terrified Han Taeho turned around to find that another spatial rift, created by Kanghyun’s skill, was sucking him in.

 

Realizing that the rift led to the very gate where he had planted the Berserk item, Han Taeho’s eyes bulged.

 

“A-Aaaaack!”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, on Taegyeom’s watch, who had been searching for a stone slab suitable for grilling meat, the notification for the gate’s rank readjustment also appeared.

 

Startled, Taegyeom leapt to his feet, abandoning his stone search.

 

“What on earth does this mean, rank readjustment? That’s right, Hana-ssi……!”

 

Taegyeom immediately turned around. He remembered Hana, whom he had left behind alone. 

 

Realizing he had come much further than he thought, Taegyeom grit his teeth and began to run.

 

However.

 

“Why is a golem—.”

 

Before he could go far, Taegyeom came face-to-face with a Polluted Golem.

 

Taegyeom’s face turned pale as he saw a golem dozens of times larger than the Little Golems he had defeated earlier.

 

Encountering an S-rank monster alone, instinctive fear washed over him.

 

Could he, an A-rank, defeat that thing by himself?

 

Doubt arose first, but there was no time for long thoughts.

 

Taegyeom immediately cast his skill.

 

“If I run away like this, Hana-ssi will be in danger. Let’s at least try to fight.”

 

The rocks floating in the air gathered in a circle around Taegyeom.

 

And simultaneously, they were fired, striking the massive golem.

 

Thud! Bang! Boom!

 

However, even with the continuous strikes, he could only manage to leave minor scratches on the golem.

 

In fact, because the rocks he launched ended up sticking to the golem’s body, the more he used his skill, the more he contributed to increasing the golem’s size.

 

“Damn it!”

 

To make matters worse, the surrounding terrain was moving as if it were part of the golem’s body.

 

The ground beneath Taegyeom’s feet split open, and a stone pillar erupted from the spot.

 

Thump. 

 

Taegyeom, unable to dodge in time, was sent flying and slammed into a rock.

 

His breath was choked right out of him. 

 

Nevertheless, Taegyeom struggled to pick himself up again.

 

‘I can’t. I have to protect Yoon Hana-ssi.’

 

But as soon as he rose, the golem’s arm swung in and struck his legs.

 

Losing his balance, Taegyeom crumpled straight to the ground.