I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter Chapter 85

Purification (5)

 

At Kang Ian’s words, Lim Gayeon, who had been about to leave, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Shim Junseok also spoke in surprise.

“Pardon? You want to join? Fight villains?”

“Yes.”

“No… why would you take on such a dangerous request…”

Shim Junseok couldn’t understand.

Hunters did not need to fight villains.

They weren’t soldiers belonging to the state. That was the government’s job.

Most hunters just wanted to earn money safely.

Fighting villains was something they only did when forced by the Association… something they hated but reluctantly accepted.

‘As expected… it must be Hunter Kang Ian’s personality…’

However, having observed Kang Ian for a while, Shim Junseok roughly figured out the reason.

Surely he couldn’t just stand by, thinking about the civilians suffering under villains!

“……”

Lim Gayeon also looked at Kang Ian with a curious gaze.

“As I heard… you’re interesting.”

She smiled faintly.

She had heard a lot about Kang Ian in the news lately.

Back then, she didn’t think much of it… But seeing this in person was quite fascinating.

Shim Junseok let out a sigh.

“Haah. Please don’t say things like that, Hunter Lim Gayeon. It gives me a headache.”

Then he looked at Kang Ian.

“Hunter Kang Ian, please think about it for a few more days. Fighting villains is extremely dangerous. It’s completely different from entering gates. At minimum, you need to be a B-rank hunter.”

As soon as he said that, Shim Junseok realized his mistake.

Kang Ian was already more than capable of being a B-rank hunter.

He had simply chosen to remain at his current rank because he didn’t want special treatment and preferred to advance slowly.

In truth, he was already fully qualified.

He could go to the Association and rank up anytime.

So Shim Junseok quickly changed his words.

“And I’ve also prepared a list of good requests that might suit your preferences. Please take a few days to review them carefully and reconsider.”

“…Alright.”

Since Shim Junseok was so serious about stopping him, Kang Ian nodded.

It wasn’t like he could stubbornly insist on hunting villains when someone was opposing it this strongly.

‘That’s a shame. I thought I could earn quite a bit of Nobility from that.’

From the looks of it, Lim Gayeon could handle it alone.

He had hoped to tag along and gain some Nobility, but it didn’t seem possible.

Still, Shim Junseok had selected some good requests, which pleased him.

Better to just take on some decent jobs.

After saying he’d review them, Kang Ian left the office.

Lim Gayeon also finished her business and left with him.

As they walked out, she casually spoke.

“Don’t take villain hunting lightly. It’s completely different from monsters.”

“Isn’t that what the representative just said?”

“I’ve experienced it firsthand, so I can explain it in more detail. I’m currently at war with a villainous organization. They’re horrific. They’ll try to retaliate in any way they can.”

Villains weren’t called villains for nothing.

They possessed both great power and cruel, vicious minds.

It was best not to get involved with them at all if possible.

“But I’m a sniper.”

Lim Gayeon tapped the sniper rifle on her back.

“I fight through ultra-long-range sniping. That’s why I can take on requests involving villain organizations. I rarely reveal myself.”

“I see. But it’s still more dangerous than hunting monsters. Why do it?”

“Because it pays well.”

She answered simply.

“After completing one request, I usually rest for a year. This is the most efficient type of job.”

Requests involving villain organizations usually came from governments or large corporate alliances.

Naturally, the rewards were enormous.

The problem was that hardly anyone was willing to take them.

‘That’s only possible because she’s a sniper.’

Kang Ian felt envious.

How easy would hunting be if you could just shoot from afar?

‘I should really get a ranged skill.’

Throwing only shields clearly had its limits.

Thinking that, they stepped outside and were about to part ways.

At that moment…

Whoosh!

Out of nowhere, a figure wielding a short dagger rushed toward them.

Clearly targeting the two of them.

“!”

The opponent was a hunter.

The speed at which he dashed from behind a tree was beyond human limits.

However, Kang Ian and Lim Gayeon responded smoothly, like flowing water.

Even though he was a hunter, he was slower than they were.

That slight difference was an insurmountable gap.

Thud!

Lim Gayeon instantly drew her pistol and struck the attacker’s temple with the grip.

The assailant rolled his eyes back and collapsed unconscious.

‘And this side…’

She glanced over and was quite surprised.

Boom!

Kang Ian had also pulled out his mace and smashed his opponent.

Her opponent was merely unconscious, but Kang Ian’s was practically pulverized.

It was questionable whether he was even alive.

‘…He really is strong.’

That response alone was far beyond a C-rank hunter.

“Hm. So this is the kind of danger you face when dealing with villains recklessly. I understand now.”

Kang Ian nodded as he resummoned his mace into subspace.

These were likely killers sent by the villain organization Lim Gayeon was targeting.

Even if she fought through sniping, her identity might have been exposed somehow.

Even a strong hunter could be in danger if caught off guard like this.

“…These guys aren’t from the organization I’m dealing with.”

However, after checking their belongings, Lim Gayeon tilted her head.

They openly carried items marked with their organization’s insignia.

It read: “Belfam.”

The villain organization Belfam.

Not the one she was targeting.

But it was familiar to Kang Ian.

‘…Wait, did they come after me?’

 

*** 

 

On the day Kang Ian filmed an advertisement as a model for the Monster Ceramic Suit, a villain suddenly appeared nearby.

At the time, Kang Ian had been excited, thinking he could earn some Nobility… but it turned out the one he dealt with was a rookie villain from Belfam.

The incident was resolved smoothly, and Kang Ian later left for the U.S.

But there was no way Belfam would just let it go.

Hadn’t it even made the news?

“Boss. The killers have failed.”

“I see.”

The boss of Belfam showed no reaction despite the report.

Even though they had failed.

That was because those men had been sent with failure in mind from the start.

They weren’t even official members.

More like interns hoping to join.

But sending them had its benefits.

“He dared to touch our organization. We’ll torment him so he trembles in fear and can’t even sleep.”

The anxiety of not knowing when the next attack would come would slowly wear a person down.

Even a superhuman hunter would grow exhausted without proper rest.

He could request protection from the Association or his office, but could he ever truly relax?

They would slowly erode him like that… and finally, take his life.

That was Belfam’s method.

That’s why they even deliberately marked the killers with their organization’s insignia.

“Let’s attack a few more times and see how he changes. I’ll decide when to finish him later.”

“Yes, boss.”

The subordinate bowed and stepped back.

At that moment…

Thud! Thud!

“?”

Noise erupted from outside.

As the boss tilted his head…

Bang!

“Freeze!”

“Get down on your hands and knees!”

The door burst open as heavily armed figures rushed in and surrounded them.

They moved like a special forces unit, but wore armor and carried melee weapons.

Some extended their hands, flames swirling around them.

They were hunters.

“W-What? What organization are you from?”

For the first time, the boss sounded shaken.

But no answer came.

When he refused to kneel, they simply kicked him down.

Even the boss of Belfam was a fairly strong villain.

He wouldn’t normally submit so easily… yet he stayed still.

‘If I resist… I’ll really die.’

His instincts screamed at him.

These hunters were no pushovers.

B-rank… and even A-rank hunters were among them.

Still, something puzzled him.

Why had such powerful hunters come for them?

Belfam was just a minor villain organization.

They kept a low profile among larger groups.

So where did these people come from…?

 

***

 

CIA Korea Branch.

Branch Chief James was on the phone.

“Good work. Take them all and hand them over to the Korean government.”

The call was from the team leader who had raided Belfam.

Hearing the mission succeeded, James nodded as expected.

After hanging up, he sighed.

“How dare a small-time villain group target someone like him?”

Recently, Kang Ian had become a top-priority person of interest for the CIA.

Specifically, after they suspected he had purified the Land of the Dead.

If he truly possessed the ability to purify dangerous zones, his importance was beyond measure.

The CIA’s goal was clear… confirm it more thoroughly, and make him act in a way beneficial to the United States.

Then suddenly, Kang Ian was attacked.

When the agent assigned to him sent an emergency report, it had been shocking.

Fortunately, Kang Ian handled it just fine… but they couldn’t ignore such risks.

They requested cooperation from the Korean government and the Hunter Association,

then immediately tracked down and launched an operation to wipe them out.

The Korean government was confused at first, but since the U.S. was offering to eliminate a villainous group, they approved it right away.

Korea lacked many powerful government-affiliated hunters… but the U.S. was different.

The CIA even had A-rank hunters.

So wiping out a small group like that was easy.

‘I should tell them to pay more attention to Kang Ian’s safety.’

Increase his protection… and maybe even assign CIA agents to guard him from a distance.