I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter Chapter 61

Light and Darkness (6)

 

He destroyed the source of evil and obtained 250 points each of Soul of Evil and Nobility.

‘…Looks like each source of evil gives different points.’

This time, the essence that appeared from the Skeleton Tiger was slightly larger than the one he had seen before.

Maybe because of that…

The Soul of Evil and Nobility, which had previously given 200 points each, had increased.

It seemed that the larger the essence, the more points it granted.

As the source of evil was destroyed, the deathly energy spreading around the Skeleton Tiger began to disappear.

The black fog that had blanketed the surroundings gradually thinned out.

“Brother!”

“Kang Ian Hunter!”

He could hear the hunters outside shouting.

Kang Ian slightly turned his head to look toward them.

As the fog cleared, his vision opened up, allowing him to see what they were doing.

Song Sangmin seemed to be preparing some kind of magic, chanting a spell, while Kang Hoopung and Oh Youngjun looked ready to rush in at any moment.

“I’m fine!”

Kang Ian shouted.

He had seen Song Sangmin’s magic before.

It had instantly burned to death that strange creature that tried to escape from inside the Giant Mantis.

He was afraid they might fire him here, so he quickly spoke up.

“…What? Why is he fine?”

And the three of them narrowed their eyes as they looked at Kang Ian.

Of course, it was a relief that he was unharmed, but… he was too fine.

The mass of deathly energy formed from black fog had been horrifying.

Even the three of them, with their long experience, had taken a step back.

And yet Kang Ian had been right in the middle of it.

Even they would have had to brace themselves properly to endure it.

But how was a C-rank hunter this perfectly fine…?

“…Maybe he just has incredible mental strength?”

“Mental strength?”

“Yeah. They say he’s a weirdo who goes volunteering after clearing gates. Watching him, he also seems to have a strong sense of responsibility.”

He had a strong spirit of service and a great sense of responsibility.

That meant his mind was solid.

Only with a firm mentality and steadfast mindset could the goodness that helps others bloom.

“He must possess a noble mental strength. Enough to endure being at the center of that kind of deathly energy.”

“…That…”

At Song Sangmin’s speculative remark, Oh Youngjun muttered, unable to continue.

Didn’t that mean his mental strength was at least A-rank?

How could that even be…?

Kang Ian approached them.

“Brother! Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

“Really? Nothing’s wrong? Headache? Sudden violent tendencies… tell us anything. Breathing in that kind of deathly energy usually causes problems. We’ll fix you.”

“……”

Kang Ian’s gaze naturally drifted toward Kang Hoopung’s fist.

A massive fist, like a chunk of rock.

‘If I say there’s a problem… how exactly are you planning to fix it…?’

He wasn’t going to fix it by punching him with that, right…?

He had already been fine, but Kang Ian now asserted his condition even more strongly.

“I’m really fine. In fact, I feel even better now that everything’s over!”

His words were filled with sincerity.

After hearing that, they couldn’t keep asking if he was okay.

Instead, the speculation Song Sangmin had made earlier gained weight.

‘He really does have incredible mental strength.’

‘I thought so before… but seeing it directly is impressive.’

What would he become in the future?

They couldn’t help but feel anticipation.

Saaaah…

At that moment…

The deathly energy that had been spread around completely dissipated.

Moreover, the feeling itself changed.

“Hmm…”

“This is…”

Kang Hoopung and Song Sangmin muttered.

Danger zones, whether big or small, had an ominous atmosphere.

It always felt like stepping into a place where something was wrong.

A constant, unpleasant sensation that stimulated survival instincts.

But that feeling disappeared.

More precisely, it was fading.

It was a subtle difference, but both of them, being A-rank hunters, could sense it clearly.

As if the land itself was being purified…

Song Sangmin explained it to Oh Youngjun and Kang Ian, who didn’t fully understand.

Kang Ian flinched.

‘Could it be… because I destroyed the source of evil?’

Was the source of evil connected to danger zones?

But he had never heard that such sources had been found in danger zones around the world.

Oh Youngjun added,

“If the land is being purified… does that mean if we clear all the monsters inside, it could be restored as human territory?”

“Well… maybe.”

“Then who gets the land rights? Us, since we restored it?”

Oh Youngjun muttered curiously.

As a businessman, his thoughts naturally leaned that way.

“Who knows. We’d have to discuss it with the government… but what would you even do with Yeobong Mountain’s rights? It’s probably not even worth 1,000 won per pyeong.”

“That’s true.”

The two chuckled as if it were a pointless thought.

“……”

But Kang Ian couldn’t laugh.

He felt like he had just heard something incredibly important.

‘I should look into this later.’

He needed to test whether destroying sources of evil in danger zones could purify the land.

If it worked, it would be a massive discovery.

How much land had been taken by monsters during the early days of the Gate crisis?

Even now, there were countless areas yet to be reclaimed.

Among them were many prime locations.

If those could be recovered…

It would be a jackpot.

 

***

 

Somewhere in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, where Kang Ian used to live.

In the middle of an undeveloped old residential area filled with old villas along a hillside, two men were walking.

“This should be the place, right?”

“Yeah. The address is correct.”

“The roads are complicated. Narrow and inconvenient.”

“Let’s just finish this quickly and leave.”

The two had come all the way to Korea under their master’s orders.

They had come to Kang Ian’s house to meet the one who dared interfere with their master’s plans at the forum.

They didn’t plan to kill him immediately.

First, they would subdue him and take him to their master.

Of course, if he resisted too much, they were willing to cut off a limb or two.

Crash!

The iron door was ripped off.

It wasn’t specially reinforced; this level of security meant nothing to them.

“…No one here.”

“Yeah.”

But the inside was empty.

Kang Ian had moved just a few days ago.

The timing had been such that no new tenant had moved in yet, leaving the house vacant… and they had arrived right at that moment.

“That’s strange. I heard this was updated information from less than a week ago. Why is it empty?”

“He might have moved in the meantime.”

“Hmm…”

If this had been the U.S. or Europe, the information would have been more accurate.

Their organization’s network was far more extensive there.

In Asia, including Korea, it was weaker, hence this situation.

“Then we’ll have to find him. Any places he frequents?”

“He’s affiliated with a place called ‘Happiness Office.’ Other than that, he goes to various places for volunteer work every day.”

“The office is troublesome. I checked the hunters affiliated there… some are annoying. Are the volunteer locations fixed?”

“They change every time. Not precise.”

“We need a fixed location. Makes it easier to target him.”

“There’s a note saying he goes to a gym every day. The time varies, but he rarely skips a day.”

At that, the other man’s eyes lit up.

“A gym… people usually work out alone, right?”

“Yeah.”

“And after working out, they’re exhausted.”

“Exactly.”

“Then let’s go with that. We wait near the place and strike when he’s heading home after working out.”

“Sounds good.”

The plan had changed slightly, but it was even better.

They began moving again.

Their destination: the gym.

They planned to hide nearby and wait for Kang Ian.

 

***

 

After leaving the Yeobong Mountain danger zone, they exchanged farewells.

“Sorry, but let’s grab a meal next time. I’m too busy, I have to go.”

Song Sangmin had to immediately catch a flight to UHN headquarters.

Normally, after a hunt like this, they would at least have a meal together, so he felt genuinely apologetic.

“I’ll pass too. My research lab is eagerly waiting for me.”

Oh Youngjun also headed straight to his waiting car.

Having successfully obtained the Skeleton Tiger, he needed to deliver it quickly and begin research.

Time was money.

“Oh, right. Hunter Kang Ian.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll contact you soon, so please visit the company. We’ll take your measurements and make a sample.”

He was referring to the suit made from monster byproducts that could be worn in daily life.

The one worth over 10 billion won!

Kang Ian bowed deeply.

“Yes! I’ll come right away when you contact me!”

Afterward, he hesitated briefly.

Should he have bowed at a full 90 degrees for something that valuable?

Then Song Sangmin added, as if remembering,

“Oh, right. UHN will probably officially present you with an appreciation plaque. I think I’ll see you again then.”

Since it had been quite a major incident, it would be better to highlight Kang Ian rather than let it fade quietly.

Song Sangmin thought so, and likely UHN’s higher-ups did too.

“Then what about you two? Going to eat before leaving?”

Song Sangmin asked, looking at Kang Hoopung and Kang Ian.

Kang Hoopung shook his head.

“No. Forget food, I’m going to work out.”

“Work out?”

“Didn’t really move properly here. I just feel stiff. Need to sweat it out.”

“Hah… you’ve always been like that.”

Song Sangmin shook his head, still unable to understand.

Kang Hoopung was a man who would go to the gym as an after-party, even after barely surviving deadly gates.

That habit hadn’t changed since his youth.

“Then what about you, Hunter Kang Ian?”

“I’m going to work out with Brother Hoopung before heading home.”

Kang Ian shrugged.

Honestly, he had planned this from the beginning.

Back when they were climbing Yeobong Mountain, hadn’t that quest warning about a servant of evil appeared?

Since he didn’t know what kind of threat it was, he intended to prepare thoroughly.

‘Overconfidence gets you killed.’

What if he got ambushed and seriously injured?

So for the time being, he planned to stick close to Kang Hoopung.

Besides, Kang Hoopung practically lived at the gym all day.

Kang Ian could also improve his physical abilities through training, and after trying it a few times, he found working out enjoyable.

He might as well follow him and learn.

“……”

“……”

But upon hearing this, Song Sangmin and Oh Youngjun were horrified.

“…What a taste.”

“…That’s kind of perverted.”

“Seriously.”

Good heavens.

To think there was another weirdo with tastes similar to Kang Hoopung!

They say the world is vast and full of strange people… but they didn’t expect Kang Ian to be one of them.

‘Well… a person can’t be perfect. It makes sense to have at least one odd hobby… but still…’

‘His personality and hobbies are strangely mismatched.’

He was definitely a kind and capable junior hunter, but sharing Kang Hoopung’s hobby?

In many ways, he was a peculiar guy.

“Still, makes him more human.”

“They say no one’s perfect. Guess that’s true.”

They patted his shoulder lightly and left.

“?”

Kang Ian tilted his head.

…Why did it feel like he had just been insulted?