Near Andong, the Nakdong River flows, and there’s a luxurious hotel with a peaceful atmosphere.
The hotel is called Yeongwoljung, a somewhat historical establishment built by the Hunter Association in 2062 for the welfare of hunters.
Currently, thanks to the Hunter Association leasing the place, the hotel is only hosting 20 guests, excluding the staff.
During the last briefing, there were nine A-grade hunters, along with Isia. Including additional hunters summoned for raid dungeons, there were a total of 20 hunters enjoying their time at Yeongwoljung.
Right now, 20 hunters are being sent into the raid dungeon called Mutation. Among them, everyone besides Isia is an A-grade hunter.
Everything was fine.
The meals served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all of excellent quality. In addition, the room service and the size and cleanliness of the assigned rooms would put any average three-star hotel abroad to shame.
The directive from the association was clear.
Before the dungeon could mutate any further and cause an abnormal event, they had to capture the dungeon boss and collapse the dungeon.
However, there were many points of concern about this dungeon.
One major issue was that once you entered a gate dungeon, you couldn’t get out. Until they defeated the dungeon boss, they could be trapped there for a week or a month.
So, gathering preliminary information before entering a gate dungeon is essential.
What kind of terrain it has, whether it’s a desert, snowy field, jungle, or forest.
Is it a temperate climate or a subarctic one? Or is it a dungeon with thin air?
While monster information is important, dungeons can be dangerous enough just with their irregular terrain, threatening lives.
So usually, the Hunter Association would send monitoring drones to gather and analyze dungeon information before dispatching hunters.
“Seriously, this is my first time facing such a thoughtless gate dungeon raid.”
“What can we do? I heard the monitoring drones couldn’t return…”
The drones dispatched by the Hunter Association typically have an AI system installed that continues collecting information from inside the dungeon even if communication is lost, and once data collection is complete, it opens the gate coordinates to exit.
The unique aspect of gate dungeons is that they prevent ‘living beings,’ including hunters, from exiting. Drones can manage to leave the dungeon under certain conditions, but…
The mutated raid dungeon near Andong Dam seemed intent on blocking not just humans but even inanimate objects, as none of the drones returned despite sending dozens of them.
Ultimately, unless a person went in and manually controlled the drones, it was impossible to gather information externally, leaving 19 A-grade hunters and Isia with no info about the dungeon.
Because of these circumstances, the Hunter Association kept a humble attitude, promising to cover transportation, accommodation, and meal costs for hunters participating in this raid. They also pledged to provide free rental of any equipment requested by the hunters, vowing that if the raid dungeon ended successfully, they would transfer ownership and maintenance rights of the equipment to the hunters.
Considering that each piece of equipment was absurdly pricey, the association’s support was quite exceptional.
“If we end up submerged as soon as we enter the dungeon, that’d be a headache…”
“We’re fine, right? That guy is an A-grade, but he can’t hold his breath for more than 20 minutes underwater?”
“No, it’s not us being the problem here, you idiot.”
One hunter glared at the silver-haired girl who had been hogging the dining hall for the past two hours.
Hunter Isia.
Actually, she was Isia with a temporary hunter license.
“Ha, this is ridiculous. Am I supposed to keep an eye on her?”
“Is she someone important or something?”
The task assigned to hunters called to this raid was to tackle the ‘mutated raid dungeon’ and collapse it if possible. If that wasn’t feasible, they were to survive until additional hunters could be sent and set up a base camp.
These were the basic rules for entering a gate dungeon.
However, this time the association added one side mission.
“Keep an eye on Isia, who holds a temporary hunter license.”
According to the agents from the association, whether you monitored her or not was up to you. But hunters generally consider protecting fellow humans to be fundamental.
Even if it was a side mission, if Isia is with them, it’s only natural to protect her.
Still, bringing along that burden into a mysterious mutated raid dungeon where they couldn’t guarantee their own lives was quite bothersome for the hunters.
“But you never know. They said to keep an eye on her, which doesn’t mean we have to. Maybe she’s a skilled hunter who got assigned alongside us.”
“If someone had been promoted recently, we would’ve known. But to my knowledge, the only one who recently received a hunter name is Yeonseo’s granddaughter.”
“Then is she a Returnee?”
“I’m not sure about the Returnees. I’m not particularly well-versed in that area.”
“Then what are you well-versed in the hunter world? You only remembered my face after a month, you dumbass.”
“Shut up.”
Thus, a subtle distance formed between the hunters and Isia.
On the surface, she looked remarkably outstanding, but the hunters gathered here had been through countless life-and-death experiences. They were not swayed by mere good looks.
What mattered to them now was whether her presence would serve as a variable in clearing the dungeon.
That said, no one outright criticized Isia or started a dispute with her.
They had earned their hunter names from the government and had passed the bar on their character, so even though Isia’s temporary hunter license made her presence annoying, they had the patience to deal with it.
“Hey, give me more!”
Amidst all this, Shia was clearing her 29th plate at the hotel buffet, making the other hunters stare in disbelief.
While they were all distracted by impending dungeon raids, they couldn’t help but feel a bit envious of Isia, who was mindlessly shoveling food.
“…..Look at that. With a face that seems to have no idea about the world, she could die tomorrow, yet she’s been mindlessly eating for hours.”
“Leave her be. Maybe she’s just nervous…”
“But this Isia is a hunter… Well, at least she’s an Awakened One, right?”
“Why do you say that?”
“I mean, she just devoured 20… no, now it’s more than 30 plates of buffet food. Isn’t that more than what regular hunters could eat?”
At this point, several hunters nodded in agreement.
Hunters consume far more energy than the average person.
They require a hefty supply of food, as they consume significantly more energy than most athletes or fighters. This time, they even received massive amounts of high-calorie emergency rations from the Hunter Association.
If they were to save it, they could probably last nearly a year. While it was a significant burden for the hunters, the association sent transport drones in case of emergencies at the hotel entrance.
“Now that I think about it, you’re right. If she weren’t an Awakened One, she wouldn’t have such an appetite.”
“The Association told me that they couldn’t disclose much about Isia either. They just assured us she wouldn’t be a harm.”
“Assured? What’s there to assure? If she really had skills, she wouldn’t have just a temporary license, but a real hunter license!”
“Maybe she’s a Returnee? Suddenly appearing among us A-grades is odd. Since the association can’t accurately assess her skills, they might have sent her with us to figure it out…”
“Stop talking nonsense.”
“Eh?”
“Should we just go ask her?”
“What? No, do we really need to… Hey, wait! Stop!”
One hunter walked over to the table where Shia was seated despite his companions’ attempts to stop him. But they too, out of sheer curiosity, tuned in on Shia’s table.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jinseong.”
“Mumble mumble… Oh, hi.”
“Are you speaking casually on the first meeting? Well, it doesn’t matter. Sorry to interrupt your meal, but do you have a moment?”
“Sorry, but I prefer big chests.”
“…What?!”
Jinseong’s face turned incredulous.
Sure, it wasn’t entirely out of the blue for him to react that way suddenly.
Given her looks, it was obvious she’d had her share of attention on the streets.
Jinseong composed himself as best as he could and offered a polite response.
“I have a girlfriend.”
“Oh, you’re playing both sides?”
What is she even talking about?
Jinseong began to ponder what on earth he had just heard.
Before he could respond, Shia wiped her mouth with a napkin and cut in.
“That’s not what it is, so stop misunderstanding…!”
“Not what? Then what? You seemed uninterested before, and now you just stroll over?”
Having seen her eat alone at the buffet for hours, he assumed she was clueless, but she didn’t appear to be entirely hopeless socially.
“Ugh, among us hunters, rumors about you are floating around, and I wanted to ask some questions. Knowing the capabilities and information of allies is crucial before we dive into a dungeon.”
“Ah, got it.”
“Good, if you understood…”
“Are you trying to pull something on me and then use ‘it’s a hunt’ as an excuse if it fails? It’s okay; I understand.”
“No, for crying out loud…”
“By the way, ‘playing both sides’ sounds filthy. Does your girlfriend know? Or is she in on it? Or are you aiming for a 3P?”
What kind of nonsense is this?
To be honest, it wasn’t unacceptable, but the rapid-fire nonsensical words ringing in his ears made Jinseong feel a headache coming on.
However, before he could even get angry, Shia looked back at him with a cheerful expression.
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, indicating she hadn’t meant what she said seriously.
“Haha, just kidding.”
“Seriously, there’s a time and place for jokes…!”
“Still, we can talk comfortably now, right?”
“You thought that sort of joke was a way to get comfortable?”
“Yep! You didn’t come to me to have a pleasant chat, did you? Right?”
At that, Jinseong realized that Isia was already aware that her presence and how she was perceived weren’t exactly favorable.
The hunters weren’t the ones shying away; it seemed Isia was maintaining her distance from them.
“In conversation that may not be pleasant, if I want to be sincere, it’s better to eliminate vague boundaries and facades between people. To remove facades, self-deprecating jokes are usually the most effective even if they appear crude.”
“…..”
“Did I go too far? If you genuinely feel bad, I’m sorry. It’s tough to gauge where to draw the line for jokes. I guess age does that to you.”
Jinseong felt that the somewhat mysterious and distant image he had previously held of Shia had now dropped to zero.
“Anyway, let’s talk comfortably. If you’re curious about something, I’ll answer to the best of my ability.”
“…Okay, then I’ll ask right away. Are you an Awakened One?”
“Awakened One…”
Isia pondered if she should be classified as an Awakened One.
In her previous world, she found herself as the ‘Mangja Seongnyeo’ right after opening her eyes and achieving consciousness.
As the Mangja Seongnyeo using miracles and sacred power—not her original body—was it right to classify that as an Awakened One…?
“I don’t think so. But I have some power.”
“Not an Awakened One, yet you have power?”
“I’d have to ramble on to explain in detail, but I possess a force like an Awakened One. It’s fine.”
“Okay, understood.”
Realizing she had a minimum level of power to protect herself satisfied Jinseong.
From a useless burden, she had been elevated to a burden capable of taking care of her own safety.
“Then are you a Returnee?”
“Yes, the association told me not to disclose detailed stories yet, but I am indeed a Returnee.”
“Got it…”
A Returnee…
At that moment, Jinseong felt he could grasp some of the inner workings of the Hunter Association.
Returnees typically return to this world with average capabilities between C and B grades.
The most famous Returnee, Yujin, was the only one to receive an S-grade instantly upon arrival. And A-grade Returnees are exceptionally rare, appearing only once every few years.
If Isia were a Returnee worthy of an A-grade evaluation, it somewhat clarified why she had been issued a temporary license by the Hunter Association.
‘It seems like she’s aiming to prove her worth or gain new achievements through this raid.’
Normally, a Returnee wouldn’t be assigned such a risky and uncertain task. They’d be instructed to take on a nearby moderate Erosion Dungeon, making Isia’s assignment to tackle an unidentified mutated raid dungeon alongside other hunters quite unusual.
“Okay, understood. Then just one last question. Do you have a specific reason for participating in this raid?”
There could be numerous reasons.
It could be for money, to earn a higher hunter rank, or simply to grow stronger…
“I’m doing a broadcast!”
“…What?”
“A broadcast! I’m a hunter streamer, and my viewers asked me to join.”
This wasn’t a lie.
Regardless of the internal circumstances, Isia actually participated in this raid dungeon due to the donations from her regular viewer known as KawaiiHorned.
However, Jinseong was completely unaware of Isia’s backstory.
Suddenly mentioning broadcasting struck Jinseong as absurd.
‘She must have come here thoughtlessly, enamored by the glamorous lives of popular hunters or streamers.’
“……..Alright, got it.”
Just a moment ago, Jinseong had thought Isia warranted some positive reevaluation, but now he sighed deeply, rising from his seat.
For reasons unknown… talking to her felt like slowly draining something from his mentality.
Could she be doing this on purpose?
From her eternally cheerful expression, it didn’t seem like it…
“Goodnight! Let’s do well tomorrow.”
Behind Jinseong, only her playful voice resonated in the air.
“Hey, hey! What did she say?”
“I couldn’t hear clearly, but the mood seemed nice?”
“….It’s best to just ignore her.”
“Why?”
“She’s a Returnee. She seems capable enough to take care of herself, so let’s completely ignore her.”
His fellow hunters could only exchange looks of confusion as they exhaled a sigh directed at Jinseong.
