How to Win Over an S-Rank Hunter with Bungeoppang Chapter 104

<Episode 104>

 

Fortunately (?), I wasn’t entering the gate alone with the Director. An improvised team had been assembled consisting of the Director, her chief secretary, and three or four hunters assigned to combat support.

“It’s an honor to carry out a mission together with you, Hunter Haneul.”

“I look forward to working with you too, Chief Secretary… no, Hunter Kim Binseo.”

How was the chief secretary’s name actually Kim Binseo? Had her parents put their hopes for her future career into her name? Thinking such pointless thoughts, I lightly greeted the assembled hunters before beginning a brief briefing. (TL. Note: secretary in Korean is 비서 [biseo])

“The gate we’ll be entering today is called ‘Sharp Cliff.’ Since our objective is gathering materials for item crafting, I’d appreciate it if everyone focused on protection rather than combat.”

Everyone nodded with solemn expressions. Then one hunter raised his hand and asked a question.

“Excuse me, but what rank is the gate?”

“Uh… I don’t know.”

“…Pardon?”

Well, I’d only ever sneaked in, stolen the materials, and left. I vaguely brushed it off by saying we’d find out once we entered and held out my hand.

“Only those in physical contact with me can enter together. Please grab onto my arm.”

“Stop dawdling, nya. Any human who gets left behind will be abandoned, nya!”

Hanyang threatened them from my arms. After confirming everyone was connected to me, I immediately pressed the gate-entry button.

The air rippled, the sensation of the ground dropping away beneath my feet struck me, and the world flipped upside down.

‘Being awakened as an SS-rank really does make this much less dizzying.’

In the blink of an eye, we arrived inside the gate.

Living up to its name, “Sharp Cliff,” the place was a bizarre landscape where gigantic rocky mountains floated above a bottomless abyss. Countless cliffs hung precariously in the mist-filled air, making it resemble the celestial realm where immortals lived.

‘To find the materials, we’ll have to climb up there, won’t we?’

I looked up at the towering cliffs and thought it wouldn’t be easy.

Strangely, however, the surroundings were unusually quiet.

When I turned around, every hunter who had entered with me was sprawled across the ground with pale faces.

“Ah! Is everyone okay?”

“W-we’re fine. It’s just our first time entering a gate in such a violent manner…”

It felt like only yesterday that I’d suffered from motion sickness too.

Fortunately, after calming their nauseated stomachs, they quickly formed up and began surveying the area.

“Temperature: 17 degrees. Humidity: 40%. No airborne toxins detected. All clear.”

“No lifeform reactions within a one-kilometer radius.”

They even took out a precious Return Stone and embedded it into the ground.

‘We’re just supposed to pluck some weeds from that cliff and leave…’

Furthermore, once material collection was complete, anyone touching me could leave the gate through the same method we had used to enter.

‘I only discovered that by accident while reading the manual provided by the system.’

But despite my explanation, the hunters insisted that once inside a gate, proper procedures had to be followed, and they thoroughly inspected the surroundings.

Compared to me, who always rushed in, gathered materials, and rushed out, they were completely different. I felt slightly embarrassed, but not enough to actually say anything.

Hanyang, however, was different.

“Good grief, they’re making such a fuss over–mmph!”

“Haha! Then shall we get moving?”

After hurriedly covering Hanyang’s mouth, I strode forward.

The biggest issue was climbing that absurdly high cliff.

‘Luckily, my inventory contains rock-climbing ropes!’

The same incredibly durable ropes I’d used to tie up both the NP Investment Partners president and Park Seongcheol.

“Anyone need one of these?”

I pulled out spare ropes and smiled brightly. The hunters, already preparing to leap upward, stared at me strangely.

“Uh… you’re not seriously planning to climb the cliff, are you?”

Chief Secretary Kim Binseo looked at me as though begging me to say I was joking.

The Director, who had been watching from the side, chuckled and turned her back toward me.

“Climb on, Hunter Haneul! I’ll safely carry you to our destination.”

“…Thank you.”

Holding back tears, I obediently climbed onto the Director’s back.

It was depressing that even after becoming SS-rank, my durability and physical strength were still at the level of a paper doll.

Whoosh—!

Without even taking a running start, the Director and the hunters leaped into the air.

Feeling the dizzying speed as they bounded up the cliff as though gravity didn’t exist, I squeezed my eyes shut.

Once this whole incident was over, I was definitely going to start physical training.

After several leaps, we finally arrived at the edge of the cliff where the Immortal’s Beard Grass grew.

“So that bizarre bundle of threads is the material you’re looking for, Hunter Haneul?”

At the Director’s dubious question, I awkwardly nodded.

Immortal’s Beard Grass was a root plant that grew hanging from cracks in rocks, characterized by its soft roots that looked like snow.

‘Though I didn’t expect it to cover the cliff this densely.’

Honestly, it was kind of disgusting. It looked as if giant white mold had consumed the entire cliff face.

“But aren’t plants, animals, and minerals from gates impossible to bring outside, aside from magic stones?”

The chief secretary beside me asked cautiously.

Before I could answer, another hunter smacked him on the back.

“Come on, Chief Secretary! That’s only impossible for ordinary hunters like us. Surely things are different for an SS-rank production hunter, right~?”

“Ahaha, well… materials that appear in my system window can be taken outside.”

More precisely, only materials used for crafting special effects.

I’d tested all sorts of things before. Ordinary rocks and grass disappeared the moment they left the gate.

“Then we’ll gather them for you. How much do you need?”

“Hmm… I can’t really estimate how much five roots amounts to. For now, please gather as much as possible.”

Since I couldn’t move freely while clinging to a cliff, the other hunters began collecting materials in my place.

But gathering five roots turned out to be harder than expected.

The roots were scattered in thin beard-like strands. They had to scrape together huge amounts before they could form even one root’s worth.

“I think we’ll have to check the other cliffs too.”

“This isn’t enough?”

“No. We’ll probably need at least five times this amount.”

The Director ordered the hunters to spread out and gather more materials.

The hunters immediately dispersed in all directions.

“By the way, I was worried when I heard it was gate duty, but it’s surprisingly peaceful.”

The chief secretary, assigned to protect me, sighed in relief.

‘…Wasn’t that a dangerous thing to say?’

It was like saying, ‘”Business is slow today,”‘ at the shop and then suddenly being overwhelmed with customers.

The moment I looked at him anxiously…

Kyaaaak!

A sharp cry echoed from the distance.

The Director grumbled and pulled a bow from her inventory.

“Honestly, your mouth is a curse. Who says things are peaceful inside a gate?”

“…Sorry.”

The chief secretary looked miserable.

What emerged through the mist was a gigantic bird-type monster.

“Oh, dear. An Iron-Eating Bird. A rather troublesome monster due to its aggressive nature.”

The Iron-Eating Bird lived up to its name, possessing a body entirely covered in steel feathers.

‘And despite all that weight, it flies just fine.’

“Hunter Haneul, don’t worry. Fighting flying targets is my specialty.”

The Director drew her bowstring taut.

Blue magical power shimmered around her before gathering at the arrowhead.

Pang!

With an explosive sound like a gunshot, the arrow shot forth like a beam of light.

Kieeeek!

“Oh, direct hit, nya.”

Just as Hanyang said, the arrow pierced straight through the Iron-Eating Bird’s head.

The creature twisted in agony before tumbling into the abyss below the cliff.

Kyaaaaak!!!!! Kyaaak! Kyaaak!!

“Uh… that’s not calling for its companions, is it?”

“Tsk! Must you keep saying ominous things?”

But this time, the chief secretary’s bad premonition was correct.

Not long afterward, something resembling a black cloud emerged from the distant mist.

It was a flock of dozens of Iron-Eating Birds.

‘There are way too many of them.’

I instinctively stepped backward.

No matter how skilled the Director was at long-range combat, dealing with that many monsters was close to impossible.

Watching the approaching flock, the Director turned to me and spoke.

“It can’t be helped. Let’s retreat first!”

“Yes, Director! I’ll activate the Return Stone!”

And before I could say anything…

A blinding white flash filled my vision, and the sensation of space twisting swept over us.

Pop!

When I came to my senses, we had been transported back to the safe zone where we’d originally installed the Return Stone.

From far above, the furious cries of the Iron-Eating Birds echoed through the sky.

The Director smiled while wiping cold sweat from her forehead.

“Whew, we almost died there. Good thing we brought a Return Stone, right?”

I really couldn’t argue with that.

I never knew Return Stones were this important.

Fortunately, the hunters who had gone collecting elsewhere returned safely without encountering any monsters.

Their backpacks were stuffed full of white Immortal’s Beard Grass.

“Perfect! We’re returning immediately, so hold on tight.”

And so we left the gate.

Material collection was complete. All that remained was unlocking the new menu needed to synthesize the special effect.

However…

“Whaaat? The new menu is Gongjindan? Weren’t we running a snack shop?”

Yeah, Ari.

Things just sort of turned out that way.

(Another TL.Note: Gongjindan is a type of herbal medicinal pill)