Chapter 215

Wyvern.

One of the high-tier monsters classified as dragonkin, along with drakes.

Its body was larger than an airplane’s, its hide was tough, and its intelligence was high enough for it to use magic.

It possessed enough power to be called a small dragon without exaggeration.

The creature I had encountered three years ago was something that could not—and should not—have emerged from an E-Rank Gate.

Kyaaaaaaar!

I opened my eyes at the monster’s roar, echoing in the distance.

Instead of a dark, humid cave, I saw a clear sky and the familiar faces of my Guild members.

“Mr. Jin Taekyung, are you all right?”

“Taekyung.”

Their voices were full of concern. I forced my rigid expression to relax.

“Yes. My stomach felt a little queasy. I guess I got motion sickness.”

“Motion sickness? You?”

Motion sickness in a Peak master—or rather, an A-Rank Hunter. Even I knew it was a pathetic excuse.

Even Song-i, who had been keeping her distance from me lately, looked concerned as she asked, “Would you like me to cast a healing spell?”

“No, I’m fine.”

I gave her a feeble smile like the protagonist of The Last Leaf¹ and added, “Just having you beside me is healing enough, Song-i.”

“…Ah. Yes.”

Im Kkeokjeong leaned close and whispered in my ear, “You bastard. How the hell did you come up with a line like that?”

“Was it bad?”

“No, it was insane. The moment I heard it, electricity shot through my whole body.”

Was it really that effective?

My mind had been completely blank, so I’d just blurted out the first thing that came to me.

But judging by Song-i, who had frozen like someone struck by lightning, it did seem to have worked.

Why does it feel like I landed a critical hit?

Meanwhile, the throbbing in my temples and the nausea in my stomach had both subsided.

Just as I was taking a deep breath, the door of the limousine bus we had been riding in opened, and someone appeared.

“Everyone’s here. But…”

Won Myunghoon trailed off at the tense atmosphere inside the bus, then turned to Team Leader Choi.

“Did something happen?”

“Yes. Something serious enough that we need to talk.”

Team Leader Choi answered firmly, then turned toward me.

“You too, Mr. Jin Taekyung.”

“The Star Guild got here ages ago. Where’s the Peace Guild?”

“Wait, isn’t that Jin Taekyung?”

“It is. Won Myunghoon’s beside him, so it’s definitely him.”

“Take pictures quickly. Get ready to interview him in a little while.”

Team Leader Choi, Won Myunghoon, and I moved toward a secluded corner.

The reporters and Hunters who had flocked here after hearing the news stared so intently that I could feel their gazes burning into my face.

Once their persistent attention finally drifted away, Team Leader Choi spoke with a grim expression.

“Why was the location suddenly changed?”

“Changed? What do you mean?”

“Wasn’t Manticore’s Jungle supposed to be today’s raid location?”

“What? That can’t be right. Do you have the contract with you?”

“Here. It’s stated clearly.”

Won Myunghoon hurriedly examined the contract Team Leader Choi handed him. His face twisted violently.

“That bastard, the leader of Team One.”

Judging by his reaction, there seemed to have been a mistake somewhere along the way.

After muttering several curses—unusual for him—Won Myunghoon spoke with an awkward expression.

“I’m sorry. One of our employees made a serious mistake. I don’t know what to say.”

“A mistake. I see.”

Team Leader Choi continued in a dry voice.

“I think it would be best to call off today’s raid.”

“What?”

“This isn’t just any Gate. It’s an A-Rank Gate. Entering without perfect preparation could lead to an accident. And…”

Team Leader Choi trailed off for a moment, his gaze flicking toward me.

He had already investigated my past.

He knew I was the sole survivor of the Sangdong Station Mutated Gate incident three years ago. He also knew I was still suffering from the aftereffects.

“Wyverns are still too much for our Guild members. We appreciate the offer, but I think it would be best for both sides if we withdrew here.”

“Team Leader!”

Despite Won Myunghoon’s flustered cry, Team Leader Choi’s attitude remained as sharp as a blade.

“Wyverns are out of the question. At least for now.”

“…”

That was when I abruptly spoke up after watching the situation in silence.

“Let’s do it. The raid.”

“Mr. Jin Taekyung.”

“Plenty of articles have already gone up online, and all these reporters are here. If we call it off now, won’t people start talking?”

I stared past Team Leader Choi and Won Myunghoon, who stood side by side.

Reporters with cameras hanging from their necks were already watching us carefully as they edged closer.

They’ve got one hell of a nose for a story.

They had clearly sensed the tension and were coming over to investigate.

Before Team Leader Choi could say anything, I quickly cut him off.

“It’s not that I particularly care about the articles. It’s just that I’m all right now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Half of that was true. The other half was a lie.

I still wasn’t fine. For the past three years, I had relived the same nightmare over and over, remembering the creature’s roar and my teammates’ screams.

Then I would wake drenched in cold sweat, pretend nothing had happened, and go through another day just like all the others.

But not anymore.

“I can do this. I’m not the same person I was back then.”

I was no longer the utterly powerless F-Rank Hunter I had been. I was a Peak master and an A-Rank Hunter—someone who could stand tall anywhere and call himself strong.

“So it’s fine. No, I want to do it.”

Team Leader Choi stared at me for a long moment, then let out a deep sigh.

“All right. Let’s do it.”

A short while later, we stood before a doorway of ominously rippling mana.

Rolling cameras and incessant flashes captured the members of both Guilds as we began our joint raid.

“Phew.”

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Sticky mana coiled around my body as the familiar System notification appeared.

Ding.

System

• You have entered A-Rank Gate, The Black Wyvern’s Nest.
• Upon clearing the Gate, you will receive a Reward commensurate with your performance.

Ssshhh.

When I opened my eyes again, everything around me had changed.

“Huff. Huuuff.”

Im Kkeokjeong, clad in heavy full plate armor, panted raggedly.

An hour had passed since we entered the Gate, and sweat was already pouring down his forehead like rain.

He wasn’t the only one. Most of the more than twenty members of the Star and Peace Guilds trudged along with sweat streaming from their bodies.

Hardly surprising.

I clicked my tongue and looked around.

Beneath the blazing sun, a jungle of trees dozens of meters² tall and bizarre-looking plants stretched endlessly into the distance.

The sight alone was suffocating, and air hotter and more humid than a steam sauna completed the picture.

A primeval forest.

It looked exactly like something out of a dinosaur documentary.

The weather aside, the scenery itself was spectacular.

“Wow.”

As I let out an involuntary exclamation, someone came over and tapped me on the shoulder.

“Pretty relaxed, aren’t you?”

“Oh, Myunghoon hyung.³ Weren’t you up front?”

Our formation had Won Myunghoon in the lead, me in the middle, and Team Leader Choi and Butler Kim bringing up the rear.

Won Myunghoon flashed his white teeth in a grin.

“You have to check behind you sometimes. Everyone else is struggling, but then I spotted some carefree bastard sightseeing by himself, so I came over.”

“What if a wyvern suddenly jumps out?”

“We’re still in the jungle zone, so we’ll only run into minor monsters here. Wyverns nest on cliffs and mountain peaks. We’re nowhere near them yet.”

“Seriously?”

“It’ll take at least half a day to encounter a wyvern, or a full day if we’re unlucky. Enjoy the scenery while you can.”

I had known higher-level Gates were larger, but I hadn’t expected anything on this scale. I shook my head in disbelief.

“This place is incredible. No wonder they give you raid access for a full week.”

“That’s how long these raids take. Once you’ve been through a few A-Rank Gates like this, you’ll be sick of them too.”

“I don’t know about that.”

I probably wouldn’t.

To me, a Gate had long since stopped being a grueling, tedious workplace. It was a place where I could grow even stronger.

“I’m having fun.”

“…Well, I suppose that’s possible.”

Won Myunghoon gave me an odd look, then handed me something.

“Here. Hold on to this.”

“What is it?”

It was a necklace set with a blue jewel. Before I could inspect the Item, Won Myunghoon continued.

“It has a cold spell enchanted into it, so put it on. You’re an A-Rank, so you’ll be fine for now, but the heat will start draining your Stamina later. You’re one of our main combat assets. You need to conserve your strength.”

“You don’t have to give me something like this, hyung.³”

“I’m not giving it to you. I’m lending it to you, so take good care of it and return it later.”

Even at a glance, it looked incredibly expensive.

I hesitated, but Won Myunghoon kept urging me, so I had no choice but to put it on.

Ding.

System

• You have equipped Yeti’s Necklace.
• A wind from the snowy plains flows from the necklace.

At the same time as the System notification, a chill cold enough to send shivers down my spine wrapped around my entire body.

“It works well.”

“It looks good on you. Keep it on from now on. I need to go deploy the scouting team.”

Won Myunghoon smiled with satisfaction and strode away. The moment his back disappeared from view, I took off the necklace.

I told him I’m really fine.

Won Myunghoon might have taken my words for modesty, but I’d only been stating a fact.

When I opened my Conception and Governor Vessels in the Murim, I had gained something far better than Yeti’s Necklace.

Unaffected by Cold and Heat.

That was why I hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat. It wouldn’t matter if one hour became ten.

This level of heat couldn’t affect me at all.

It would be far better to give the necklace to someone who actually needed it.

“Uncle.”

“Huff, huff. What?”

Im Kkeokjeong, who had been walking a few steps ahead, turned around. Sweat poured from his head as if someone had installed a sprinkler on top of it.

“Why are you sweating so much? Are you all right?”

“…Do I look all right?”

“No.”

“Then don’t talk to me. I’m dying here.”

“You should’ve worn something cooler. Team Leader Choi has plenty of magical Equipment.”

“I thought we were going to fight a Manticore, so I went all in on defense. At this rate, they’ll be holding my funeral.”

“We can’t have that. You have a wife and children.”

I laughed quietly and put the necklace around his neck myself. Im Kkeokjeong’s eyes widened as the cool wind of the snowy plains washed over him.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“A present. Not that I’m giving it to you, of course. I’m only lending it to you while we’re traveling.”

“Whew. I don’t know what this is, but I can finally breathe again.”

Life returned to his exhausted face. Just as Im Kkeokjeong beamed at me—

—Peeeeep!

A piercing shriek rang out from somewhere.

The birds hiding in the dense forest burst into flight, and branches and leaves came crashing down over everyone’s heads like a torrential downpour.

But no one, including me, paid them any attention.

—Kyaaaaaaak!

A bloodcurdling cry rang out as an enormous shadow engulfed all twenty-odd people.

I looked up and spotted a dark shape circling impossibly high overhead.

“Wyvern…”

Won Myunghoon had been wrong.

Not half a day. Not a full day.

After only one hour—

It had appeared.