A Public Servant Hunter Who Exploits Skill Combinations – Chapter 29

Translated by: Hanzo

Chapter 29: Insurance (1)

Near the academy, unfamiliar faces began to appear.

"Now, thanks to you, I can't even come to the snack bar to eat chicken anymore."

With the release of midterm exam results, interest in me had surged, and naturally, the chicken shop associated with my name as a search term also gained attention.

Thanks to its sudden rise as a must-visit eatery, it had become difficult for us regulars to eat there properly.

It took us a full 30 minutes of waiting just to get a table.

Though there were people who recognized me, it hadn’t escalated to the point of them asking for autographs or anything.

At most, they'd whisper, "Isn't that Jung Tae-sung?"

Though the murmuring around me was a bit burdensome, I didn’t entirely dislike the situation.

Did I, unexpectedly, have a bit of an attention-seeking streak?

While eagerly eating the chicken we ordered, Jun-hyuk asked a question.

"How did you manage to kill all the monsters in just four minutes?"

"That's what I’m wondering too."

"How can you wonder about something you did yourself?"

"Exactly…"

Why did the Association suddenly decide to intervene in the exam?

It felt like there was something behind it, but I couldn’t guess what it might be.

"So, what are you doing this weekend?"

"This weekend? Nothing much."

"Then some of the guys and I are planning to go to the amusement park to celebrate the end of exams. Want to come with us?"

"Amusement park?"

"Yeah. A few of our classmates are going, and you should join us."

"I’m not even in your class… Well, you guys just go ahead without me."

"Don’t be like that. Come with us."

"I'm not going..."

In the past, there was a time when Jun-hyuk had also begged me to go to an amusement park.

I didn’t go back then either, and I remembered what he had said when he returned.

A gate had opened nearby, and monsters had appeared. At the time, he said he hid because he thought it would be too difficult to fight them.

"Are you really not coming?"

"Yeah. Have fun without me."

Jun-hyuk popped the last piece of chicken into his mouth.

"Alright. Then we’ll just go by ourselves."

"Okay."

Looking at Jun-hyuk, I gave him a warning, just in case.

"If a gate appears, don’t try to fight. Just run away."

"If a Hunter sees a monster, they should fight it. Why run away?"

"I mean if it looks like it’s going to be difficult to handle."

"I'm officially a Class 9 student now, you know."

Yeah, I guess…

***

The next day.

Inside the quiet dormitory.

Jun-hyuk headed to the amusement park with his friends.

Having some alone time for the first time in a while, I sat on the floor, closed my eyes, and circulated my mana.

‘Twisted mana pathways…’

Even though I thought I had a decent grasp of mana, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t sense that my mana pathways were twisted.

"Hey, Snake."

<Hmph.>

For days now, it had been sulking and ignoring me because I renamed it "Snake."

It coiled up on my pillow, refusing to even look at me.

Still, since it was a creature that was useful to me, I couldn’t let it keep sulking forever. So, I decided to bait it with a small incentive.

"I was thinking of going out to hunt for some mana stones…"

Hearing my words, Snake slightly opened its eyes and slithered toward me with a displeased expression.

It coiled around my wrist and muttered one thing.

<Can I get an extra serving?>

‘Alright. Just this once, I’ll be generous.’

I was preparing to head out, thinking I’d take a simple trip to a field gate.

‘I could use some fresh air too.’

As I reached out to close the window, which I had left open for ventilation, a noise from the dormitory entrance caught my attention.

"Ma Jung-seok is here!!"

Looking out the window, I saw Ma Jung-seok, the father of Ma Tae-ho and an S-rank Hunter, standing in front of the dormitory.

Dressed in a tight suit that seemed to emphasize his broad shoulders, Ma Jung-seok stepped out of his car and entered the dormitory building.

‘Is he here to see Tae-ho since it’s the weekend?’

Thinking it wasn’t a big deal, I finished dressing and left the dormitory.

While heading down the stairs, I heard voices coming from the second-floor hallway.

"So, you didn’t come in first again this time?"

"I’m sorry, Father…"

"Hah."

Feeling an odd sense of guilt, I couldn’t help but pause.

Looking down discreetly, I saw two people talking in the hallway.

‘This is an awkward time to walk past them…’

"For now, don’t even think about coming home. Hand over your car keys and your card. If you make the same mistake again next time… Hmph."

Ma Jung-seok brushed off his sleeves and turned away without even glancing at Ma Tae-ho.

Shortly after Ma Tae-ho was out of sight, a loud slam echoed through the hallway.

‘Being a rich kid doesn’t seem so easy either.’

As I stepped out of the dormitory, I saw Ma Jung-seok standing at the entrance, his hands in his pockets, staring straight ahead.

‘Surely, he’s not waiting for me… right?’

I tried to walk past him as if I didn’t notice, but Ma Jung-seok called out to me, making me stop in my tracks.

"Are you Jung Tae-sung?"

After hesitating for a moment, I answered.

"Yes, I am."

"Could we have a brief conversation?"

As I hesitated, a good idea suddenly came to mind.

I had been wondering how to get to my destination, and this was perfect.

"I have an appointment to get to. If it’s not too much trouble, could you give me a ride? We can talk in the car on the way."

"…Very well."

And so, I found myself riding in Ma Jung-seok’s car.

‘Wow, how much does this car cost? Isn’t this one of those ultra-rare models? The back seat feels as spacious as a stadium.’

"Where to, sir?"

The driver turned to Ma Jung-seok and asked.

"The amusement park, wasn’t it?"

"Yes."

"Then let’s head there."

A free ride.

And not just any ride, but an S-rank chauffeur service.

"I heard you placed first in the recent exam."

"Yes, that’s how it turned out."

It was true—I hadn’t aimed for first place at all.

"Physical enhancement and the lightning attribute, is that correct?"

"Something like that."

Ma Jung-seok looked at me with a knowing gaze.

I had a sinking feeling that he might see through my abilities.

Was it because those with elemental attributes often had a unique mana quality?

In my past life, people with the same elemental abilities sometimes recognized each other, but Ma Jung-seok wasn’t adept at lightning attribute… was he?

"What are your thoughts on the Magma Guild?"

"It’s a fine guild. But I have no intention of joining any guilds."

"I wasn’t asking you to join."

"Weren’t you about to recruit me?"

"Kids these days are so straightforward."

Well, kids these days have always been like that, past or present.

"It’s a solid guild. Why wouldn’t you consider joining?"

The Magma Guild was undeniably a top-tier guild.

A guild that any Hunter would aspire to join.

Because it paid well.

But that was only if you didn’t know the inner workings of the guild.

They worked you to the bone.

No breaks, working like a slave. Naturally, you’d earn a lot of money.

But I wasn’t interested in that anymore.

"I just want to live comfortably."

"Isn’t it a waste to use your abilities like that?"

"Just because I’m good at something doesn’t mean I have to overwork myself doing it."

Hearing my words, Ma Jung-seok let out a dry laugh.

"You’re quite bold. You’re currently… at B-rank level, I’d say."

As expected. Being able to assess my level just by looking at me—that was the capability of an S-rank.

"No wonder Tae-ho couldn’t beat you."

"Sorry?"

"You heard him being scolded earlier, didn’t you?"

He was implying he knew I had been there the whole time.

That’s why he had been waiting for me.

"There are only two kinds of people in this world in my opinion."

It was something he said so often that I was already well aware of it.

"My people and those who aren’t."

In other words, if you're not an ally, you're an enemy.

Of course, it wasn’t as if he’d show hostility to a friend of his son.

When Ma Jung-seok pressed a switch in front of him, a compartment opened on the left side, revealing a bottle of whiskey and two glasses.

Though it was my first time seeing such a scene, I calmly observed without overreacting.

"Care for a drink?"

It felt like he was asking if I wanted to be one of his allies.

"No, thank you."

"This is expensive, you know."

Hmm...

"Well then, just one glass, please."

Even if I didn’t plan to become an ally, it wouldn’t hurt to try something expensive when given the chance.

I didn’t know much about whiskey, but the tangy, lingering taste in my mouth was surprisingly appealing.

‘Ah... so this is what money tastes like.’

I placed the glass on the holder in the middle, making sure not to show my thoughts outwardly.

"How does it taste?"

"Um... to be honest, I’m not really sure."

"Of course, you wouldn’t know the taste. You need to drink it regularly to understand it."

He poured himself another glass and continued speaking.

"If you joined Magma, you could savor that taste every day."

This guy... he’s watched too many movies.

The cringe-worthy lines came effortlessly to him.

I was reminded of a time in my past when I drank excessively.

I’d tried all kinds of alcohol back then, but in the end, getting drunk felt the same no matter what I drank.

The reason I drank wasn’t to enjoy the luxury of it but because I wanted to escape reality.

I had never drunk to simply savor life.

And besides, I didn’t even like alcohol that much.

"I’m not really a fan of alcohol."

"···"

I hoped time would pass quickly.

Talkative people like Hong Pal-gwang were exhausting, but those who tried to be weighty and solemn were equally draining.

When we arrived at the amusement park, there was a large crowd.

‘A gate will open here.’

I only remembered that a field gate would open, but I couldn’t recall exactly what kind of monsters would emerge or what events would take place.

I vaguely remembered that they were strong.

Maybe having Ma Jung-seok stick around could help, just in case…

But I couldn’t exactly ask him to wait around without a reason.

"Is this where you need to be dropped off?"

"Are you leaving right away?"

"Why? Have you changed your mind?"

"No."

"Then I’ll take my leave."

"Thank you for the ride."

"Until next time."

I watched as Ma Jung-seok’s car disappeared into the distance.

The Magma Guild, huh…

I bought an admission ticket and entered the amusement park.

Where would Junhyeok and his group be…?

<The gate.>

Snake, which had been napping, opened its eyes.

‘Looks like the gate is about to appear.’

<That old man from earlier sure talked a lot.>

‘Hehe. You heard that?’

<That human was quite strong, though.>

‘Yeah, we’ll see him again.’

<By the way, how did you know a gate would open here?>

‘Just intuition.’

<You’re telling me your senses were sharp enough to detect the gate’s energy from the dorm to here?>

‘Well… let’s just say I knew beforehand.’

<And you came here anyway?>

‘Hmm? Why?’

<You’re dealing with monsters you can’t handle.>

‘How do you know that?’

<Because I’m stronger than you, and I can roughly sense what kind of monsters will appear.>

‘What? So you can sense where gates will form?’

<I can.>

‘How is that even possible?’

<It’s thanks to regaining some of my abilities after my last shedding.>

The more I learned about Snake, the more mysterious it seemed.

I thought its only skill was sniffing out mana stones, but it could even detect gates?

It was practically a living GPS.

‘So… how strong are these monsters going to be…?’

<They’re ones you could never beat on your own.>

‘They…?’

At that moment, the gate began to manifest.

"It’s a gate!!"

Someone shouted, and the crowd erupted into chaos, people scrambling to get away.

Meanwhile, the Hunters among them drew their weapons, their eyes fixed on the gate.

From the gate emerged ferocious wolf monsters.

‘If they’re wolf monsters, they don’t seem too bad…?’

<These aren’t ordinary wolves.>

‘Huh?’

I looked closer and noticed a red gemstone embedded in the center of their foreheads.

‘That… that’s…’

<You recognize it.>

‘Red Jewel Wolfs…’

The wolves began charging out of the gate.

Since wolves lived in packs, their numbers were much higher than I had anticipated.

Moreover, Red Jewel Wolfs possessed far stronger abilities than normal ones.

They had the power to transform into humanoid forms under the moonlight.

These were basically werewolves.

Typically, animal-type monsters were categorized as D-rank, but wolves with red gemstones were classified as A-rank.

And when there were about 100 A-rank monsters in total…

It was a situation where one wrong move could mean death.

The moonlight would emerge in about 20 minutes.

No matter how skilled I was, there was no way I could defeat these monsters in the remaining time.

The people around me would undoubtedly find themselves in a dangerous situation.

"Are there any Hunters here? I’m a Healer. If anyone needs healing, let me know!"

Before the shout even finished, the wolves began their assault.

No, the battle had already begun.

The wolves’ speed was beyond imagination, and when they swung their forelegs, their claws carried mana. If someone failed to block properly, they’d be sliced apart instantly.

There were eight Hunters present.

From what I could see, the group was practically doomed.

They were all either D-rank or C-rank. What could they possibly hope to achieve?

One of them seemed to be a B-rank, but for a situation of this scale, at least ten A-rank Hunters would be needed.

It seemed they hadn’t noticed the red gemstones.

All they could do was hang on and hope reinforcements would arrive.

Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind me.

"Come at me, you wolf bastards!"

That idiot… I told him to run.

I hurried toward the voice and shouted.

"Hey! Choi Jun-hyuk! What are you doing?"

Jun-hyuk and his group turned and greeted me cheerfully.

"Oh? Tae-sung! Hey there!"

"Jung Tae-sung. Nice to see you in a place like this."

This isn’t the time for pleasantries, you idiots.

Jun-hyuk also greeted me with a smile.

"What are you doing here? Did you come to ride the attractions too?"

I came to feed my Snake.

"Save the greetings for later. Run. Those wolves are dangerous."

"Huh? Aren’t wolves D-rank?"

"Do you not see the red gemstones on their foreheads?"

"What about them?"

"Didn’t you learn about that? Or did you forget?"

"I don’t remember."

I focused on protecting them as the wolves closed in.

Using Lightning Slash, I swung my sword, threatening the wolves and keeping them at bay.

"Tae-sung, these guys are way too fast."

"That’s because they aren’t the wolves you’re familiar with. Just find a safe spot and run."

"We’re already surrounded…."

We were so preoccupied with fending off the wolves that we hadn’t noticed we were encircled.

Twelve Hunters against 100 wolves, backs pressed together in a tight formation.

This was a tactically disadvantageous position.

While keeping an eye on the snarling, drooling wolves, I glanced toward the parking lot.

"He should be here by now…."

"Who’s supposed to be here?"

"An S-rank taxi."

"S-rank taxi?"

"I caught a ride here, but I deliberately left my phone behind in his car."

Just in case. An insurance policy.

It’s not like I’d lose anything.

My goal was mana stones anyway, but if the monsters turned out to be beyond me, I might need someone stronger.

Just then, Ma Jung-seok’s car arrived in the parking lot.

He must have sensed the gate’s energy while coming to return my phone and rushed over.

As soon as he stepped out of the car, he drew his sword and leaped to an incredible height.

Time to let the S-rank powerhouse handle this.

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