Chapter 144. Kagoshima Dragon Raid (7)

The eventful Dragon Raid has come to an end. I booked a flight to Korea as if I were fleeing. And now, I've safely returned home.

"Whoo."

First of all, the events that happened in Japan were incidents that took place inside the dungeon, so there's no evidence. I barely managed to escape, and if I were to make a fuss about it, there's no telling what kind of problems might arise. In that case, what could I possibly do as a follow-up?

I just took a deep breath and slept. I wanted to find some peace of mind, even if only for a little while.

And soon enough, evening came.

"Hmm."

When I woke up, the sun was setting. I instinctively picked up my phone by my bedside and checked the internet, as I always do.

"Cough!"

But I almost passed out again as soon as I woke up. That's because an unexpected piece of news appeared on the portal site.

[Japanese Forum Translation] ************

ID: wqXSLW

I can't believe a no-death clear...

ID: zsNOgC

Imabari the strongest!!

ID: XG0Wav

I was really worried because my grandfather lives in the Kyushu region. I'm so relieved that everything has been resolved.

****************************

First, Japan was in a festive mood with the good news that the S-rank gate had been dealt with. However, at that moment, the Imabari Guild made a surprising declaration during an interview.

[The success of the raid was largely due to the contribution of Hunter Kim Giryeo, who came all the way from Korea.]

Guild leader Moritake Ito passed the credit for clearing the gate to a foreign dispatcher.

[Therefore, we have decided to repay him for his help.]

[What kind of decision was it?]

[In the future, if an S-rank gate occurs in Korea, all of our top-ranking Awakened members of Imabari will participate in the raid without pay. Of course, this is something we can definitely promise with our Knight's Oath.]

No! Why are they coming to Korea? At this point, I'm so curious about what kind of discussions took place within the guild while I was asleep. But that wasn't the end of the surprises. After stepping onto the stage, Ito took a brief pause to catch his breath, then, looking directly at the camera, he spoke.

[Hunter Kim, are you watching this broadcast?]

[...]

[The reason my guild members and I are alive is all thanks to Hunter-nim. We will never forget this fact. Please, kindly overlook the trouble we have caused.]

Still, as I watched the video to the end, I started to get a sense of it. The dull complexion, the hunched posture, and the slightly trembling, anxious eyes.

I remember my first meeting with Ito. That man used to look at me with a relaxed gaze, as if looking down on me. But in the recorded video, what I saw was an expression close to discomfort. I could easily tell, as I had encountered that emotion often in my past life.

"Fear."

Ito was currently afraid of me.

"Wait, fair? Ah? Could it be... he actually fell for my bluff...?"

With this, I realized that the Japanese hunters had fallen for the lie. And if that's the case, then it's definitely understandable that an interview like that would come out. After all, I had been threatening to smash their skulls while keeping Imabari's S-ranks tied down.

"They must be regretting it now!"

Although they received forgiveness verbally, this is a serious matter where they've touched an unknown powerhouse. From their standpoint, there was really no way to settle it except by bowing low in apology. They had committed a crime, so they couldn't brazenly try to negotiate. After all, they would want to restore their relationship with me, even if it meant offering all their top-tier hunters, something that could never be bought with money.

"That kind of bowing must mean that you want me to keep a secret."

By the way, is it okay to say something like that on a public broadcast? If they keep this up, the fact that Imabari was threatened in the dungeon will come out...

****************************

ID: rkXqQ7

You survived thanks to that?

ID: 0HacBY

How much did he contribute in the dungeon for them to be that grateful?

ID: QIf381

Moritake seems to have taken a humble stance. W, no matter how things go, Korea is a powerhouse of hunters. They even lend awakening people to other countries.

ID: TwKWcI

Was there a dangerous pattern during the raid?

ID: 78JX7r

Maybe he saved them from a monster or something like that.

****************************

Looks like I won't get caught. Now that I think about it, if they don't know the details of the incident, Ito's statement would just be a thank you for clearing the dungeon. So, the people of Japan wouldn't be able to know our exact situation.

ID: 78JX7r

Thank you for willingly helping with the S-rank gate that everyone else turned their back on. Hunter Kim is our benefactor.

****************************

At least it was revealed that a Legendary had appeared, there might have been some other speculation. Was it because they wanted to keep it as a trump card? Or perhaps they were hiding something? Since Imabari hadn't announced that they had acquired the Legendary, the situation was becoming strange in many ways.

[Did you hear? Just now, the number one guild in Japan announced that if an S-rank gate appears in Korea, they will definitely come.]

[Diplomatic skills are top-notch.]

[Wow~ This is national pride.]

[Really == ]

[Hunter Kim Giryeo, what on earth were you doing over there...]

On top of that, because of Ito's excessive flattery, even the Korean community was turned upside down.

._.

I checked the internet and then dropped my phone on the floor.

"Huh."

Now, let it be what it will be. I really don't know anymore. I'm hungry, so let's just eat.

***

After the Dragon Raid in Kagoshima Prefecture.

[Korean S-ranks are scary w]

[I shouldn't say this, but honestly, his appearance is totally like a Yakuza (gangster).]

[Not all Koreans are flower boys like Jung Haeseong...? ㅠ_ㅠ]

With this incident, Japan's interest in hunters from neighboring countries skyrocketed. Jung Haeseong had already been world-famous, so everyone knew him, but thanks to the newly emerging hunter, the neighboring country was once again brought into the spotlight.

[Seo Esther. This person is ranked 2nd in Korea.]

[Did you bring the wrong K-POP idol photo!?]

[What a beauty!!]

[Please tell me the immigration process to Korea]

When a common enemy arises, even rivals will unite. Japan showed a rather favorable reaction to Korea's hunter industry. Moreover, some people went beyond simple admiration and were desperately asking, 'Kim Giryeo doesn't even belong to a guild, is there no way we can bring him to our country?'

However, this trend wasn't much different in someone's country of origin.

[Real-time trending search ▲ 1st place: Kim Giryeo]

With this raid as a turning point, Korea also began showing great interest in a specific hunter.

However, unlike Japan's trend of casually praising awakened individuals, the response here was much more serious and involved deeper, more complex reflection.

[So then, why did Kang Changho go out with them?]

[A translation of an interview at the Japanese airport has been released, and it says that he went there to assist Kim Giryeo]

[What]

[Yeah, okay, let's say he needed a team member because there's a long delay when using his skills. But are you telling me Kang Changho stepped up to take that role?]

[What the heck?]

[Could it be that Hunter Kang is into gambling? If he borrowed money from Kim Giryeo, it would explain a lot.]

However, it's impossible to monitor every move of the hunters, so how could ordinary people know the truth? Netizens speculated for a long time on why Kang Changho was cooperating with Kim Giryeo, but when they couldn't find an answer, they moved on to a different topic.

[By the way, how much did the S-rank hunters get paid for this raid?]

[I'm not sure about the distribution, but it seems they brought back epic-grade items.]

[Wow, epic-grade!]

Rare equipment that occurs in dungeons. Even if it's not necessarily a dragon from a legend, people are always interested in flashy treasures.

[So epic items really do drop, huh? < <][Will it show up?]

~ (As a current appraiser, I know that epic-grade items are extremely rare, and there are only a few people capable of fully analyzing them, so information is usually not disclosed. There might be a classification name for them, though.)

Then what could it be that they're so curious about the item Kim Giryeo acquired? The long sword, which the blonde S-rank hunter received, was an epic-grade weapon named [Hydra].

Hydra. A snake with many heads.

Why is that clean blade called by the name of a monster?

***

Slash!

The sharp blade slices through the flesh of the creature. As the narrow, sharp blade passed by, drops of blood formed on the split skin. But the wound didn't stop at a shallow scratch, but gradually began to create jade-colored waves within the blood vessels.

"Keugh, kiiik."

Soon, the monster in front of me dies.

Thud!

I looked down at the pig-shaped beast that fell with the same sound as a human corpse falling.

Let's see. The item effects seem to be working well. I straightened the longsword I was holding and checked its effects once more. If I had used the Earth Analyzer, it would probably have displayed something like this.

[Hydra]

[Grade: Epic]

[Description: A Western-style sword with a sharp blade. Those struck by it will fall into the state of [Poison that Kills Immortality].]

[Additional Description: [Poison that Kills Immortality] - A top-tier poison. Kills enemies of C-rank or lower.]

Hydra. As expected from its name, it has a strong poison effect. This was the reward I had earned from this dragon hunt.

'A wizard doing something as lowly as sword fighting.'

I really don't like the primitive form of a longsword.

"---Still, I'll give it a try and use it well"

Now is not the time to be complaining like that. This [Hydra] was an extraordinary weapon, powerful enough to completely change a hunter's life.

Enemies of C-rank or lower die instantly with just a graze. B-ranks will be poisoned, and if you wait for just 3 minutes, they'll die from weakness. And does it even have some effect on A-ranks?

"This is amazing!"

Hahaha! The problem with my lacking attack power has been solved in an instant. And with the armor strengthened by the Seohyeong, I might just be able to hold my own against B-ranks with just my gear from now on.

Now that I have such a weapon in my hands, all sorts of thoughts are running through my mind.

"Should I just live like this?"

Honestly, just hunting C-rank monsters would be enough to make a fortune! This is the best reward. With this, I could probably get by even with my F-rank body.

"Hmm."

Still, I should make sure to secure my future. I'm smiling now, but living with magic restricted, there will inevitably come a day when I'll regret it.

"The contract with Kang Changho is also a problem."

Srrmk.

I sheathed the Hydra's blade, which glowed with a sinister green light, and tucked it into my side as I walked briskly toward the gate.

Clearing a C-rank gate all by myself. I'm satisfied and proud. It looks like I'll have to throw a feast to celebrate this achievement.

"Hello? Yoonseung-ah, if you have time today, would you like to have dinner together? I'll treat you."

Of course, there was only one guest at the banquet.

.

.

.

"Thank you for the meal. I really appreciate you treating me!"

"Yeah."

A barbecue restaurant in Seoul. The events from the past suddenly come to mind. When I was first reincarnated on Earth, I didn't even have enough money for a bowl of soup and would get caught for it. Now, I can freely buy 1++ Korean beef to my heart's content.

"This is a huge step forward."

It was tough during this dragon raid, but... still, this is far better than I expected. I left the restaurant with a light step.

"Oh, by the way, I just remembered—what do you usually do when you get home, Hyung-nim..."

Tiring? Tiring?

However, at that moment, Yoonseung's voice was drowned out by a notification sound. More precisely, by the ringtone of my phone.

"Sorry, just a moment."

"Heup! I'm sorry! Please, go ahead and take your call."

I raised my index finger, signaling to wait a moment, and then answered the phone.

"Hello?"

I put the receiver to my ear, I heard a strange woman's voice.

"Is this... Hunter...Kim Giryeo...? Is this the correct number?"

I answered the other person's question as usual.

"That's right."

"Yes. I'm Kim Giryeo. Who are you?"

By the way, it was clearly an unfamiliar number, but why did this person suddenly speak informally to me?

"Giryeo Hyung?"

Stopped.

I opened my eyes wide and froze in my seat, holding the phone. It was an inevitable reaction.

"... Giryeo-ya, this is Mom."

Of course, this sentence flowed out of the speaker right away.