Chapter 41: Chapter 41

The tale of the man imprisoned was undeniably tragic.

He had accumulated significant debt due to his brother’s hospital bills, resulting in him taking on various menial tasks for the guild.

And now, he found himself facing the consequences of it all right here.

If he completed this mission successfully, he could earn a hefty reward, but the thought of offering someone as monster fodder was intolerable.

In the end, the man attempted to set the Alraune ablaze in the middle of the night.

However, his screams alerted the other hunters, and he was caught.

Now, just before death, the man hadn’t had a single sip of water in three days, imprisoned without mercy.

“It’s surprising that they’ve kept you alive, given that you’re part of the ones who sacrifice people to monsters.”

“It’s because of my skill…”

“Skill?”

“Yes… The illusions set up outside, like the surveillance, are all creations of my skill…”

Once the illusions disappeared, the annoyance of having to stand guard personally would arise.

That was the reason why the hunters from Tyrant had opted to leave him alive rather than eliminate him.

Such a simple and selfish reason made Kang Jin-hyuk let out a small chuckle.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Please save the people… If we continue like this… all the women trapped here will become fodder…”

Rather than his own safety, the man was more concerned about the sacrifice of others.

His demeanor was one that didn’t give off the vibe of a typical hunter from a large guild.

Through the visible Karma value, Kang Jin-hyuk was able to assure himself it wasn’t a façade.

“What’s your name?”

“Jeong Dae-yun…”

Upon hearing the man’s name, Kang Jin-hyuk gripped the bat tightly with both hands.

“Alright, Jeong Dae-yun. Let’s break out of here together.”

“W-what do you think you’re doing… If you hit that cage… it’ll make noise…!”

Jeong Dae-yun panicked, fearing the alarms would sound with the noise.

But Kang Jin-hyuk had no need for such worries.

The bat gripped in both hands emitted a mysterious energy that Jeong Dae-yun had never witnessed before.

Surrounded by a crimson aura, the bat easily cleaved the metal bars of the cage.

Witnessing the silent and cleanly cut bars, Jeong Dae-yun stood with his mouth agape.

“You cut the bars with a bat…? What on earth…?”

“Less chatter, more consuming.”

Kang Jin-hyuk shoved a potion he had taken from his inventory into Jeong Dae-yun’s mouth.

Thanks to the potion flowing down his throat, Jeong Dae-yun’s energy was rapidly restored.

Once he drank it all, he coughed and spat out the empty bottle.

“Cough! You could have been gentler with it!”

“Stop whining; you’re a grown man.”

Kang Jin-hyuk swung the bat again, cutting through the chains restraining the man’s hands and feet.

Now freed, Jeong Dae-yun wiggled around, gradually easing the stiffness from his joints.

“Thank you for saving me. So, what’s your name?”

“Kang Jin-hyuk.”

“Oh, you’re the hunter who allegedly hunted that new type of monster! I always suspected you were quite extraordinary.”

Kang Jin-hyuk felt surprised that Jeong Dae-yun recognized him.

He was aware his actions had garnered attention online, but he hadn’t expected even members of the Tyrant guild to be interested.

Not wanting to waste time on such trivial matters, he feigned indifference.

“It’s merely luck.”

“No way! If it were just luck, we wouldn’t be trying to recruit you.”

“Tyrant? That’s news to me.”

“It’s just an ongoing internal discussion. Many are opposed to it, so it seems a decision can’t be reached easily.”

According to Jeong Dae-yun, the guild only accepted B-ranked hunters who had proven their worth, so there was significant backlash against inviting in a C-ranked hunter.

That meant nothing to Kang Jin-hyuk.

“While they don’t even think of offering a rice cake, they’re busy drinking kimchi soup.”

“Hahaha, indeed.”

Kang Jin-hyuk had no intention of entrusting his life to a group that did nothing but trivialize matters.

He’d refuse even if the guild leader came to bow before him.

“Anyway, that’s not the point right now.”

“Exactly. We have to save the trapped people and escape from here.”

Jeong Dae-yun believed they had to escape quickly and expose the tyranny of the Tyrant guild.

However, Kang Jin-hyuk’s plans diverged from his.

“Running away won’t solve anything.”

“Running away? We can’t do this alone; we should call for help from the outside!”

“Who do you think will help us? Calling the police, perhaps?”

Jeong Dae-yun couldn’t respond to Kang Jin-hyuk’s question.

As a member of the Tyrant guild, he had a deep understanding of the formidable strength their guild possessed.

“The police will most likely try to cover this case up.”

“You do know that, don’t you? Did you not think of just getting out of here?”

“I can think of another option. Outside, members of the Titan guild are currently on standby.”

“Titan? What are they doing here?”

“I requested assistance from their guild leader.”

Though he was informed that reinforcements were on the way, Jeong Dae-yun’s expression remained anxious.

“Is the Titan guild leader here, too?”

“Seo Sang-ho is abroad on a mission, so he couldn’t come.”

“Then facing these guys will be a problem…”

“Even with thirty Titan members here?”

“Yes.”

Jeong Dae-yun maintained a certainty that felt like having seen the exam answers in advance.

Kang Jin-hyuk reasoned there had to be a valid reason for this behavior.

“Are the hunters here hiding some secret weapon or something?”

Jeong Dae-yun nodded and explained why.

“The hunters guarding this place all possess Alraune’s elixir.”

“Elixir? This isn’t a chemical-free compound?”

“Correct.”

The elixir was crafted for the guild’s executives and leaders.

What the regular guild members had gotten their hands on was merely the leftover by-products of its production.

However, these remnants could enhance the ability to a level that would slightly exceed that of the elixir used by the command staff.

“This elixir, although temporary, provides a significant boost in stats.”

“So, if they take that and engage the Titan members…”

“The Titan guild members will likely be annihilated.”

There were only twenty members from the Tyrant guild stationed here.

While they were outnumbered, amplifying their capabilities with Alraune’s elixir would require calling in an equivalent force of at least a hundred.

“So we need to reduce their numbers first.”

“Is there any way to do that?”

“I do have one idea.”

Kang Jin-hyuk pulled out several items he had prepared from his inventory.

He then relayed a plan he had concocted in his mind to Jeong Dae-yun.

Concentrated on hearing the plan, Jeong Dae-yun looked at him with a wavering gaze.

“Is that really the only way?”

“Even if it feels wrong, we have no choice.”

After a moment of contemplation, Jeong Dae-yun’s expression hardened as he clenched his fists in resignation.

“Well, there’s no helping it. The ones here deserve whatever comes their way…”

“Good choice.”

Kang Jin-hyuk commended Jeong Dae-yun’s resolve as he handed over the items he had prepared.

“Kang Jin-hyuk, are you planning to deal with Alraune during all of this?”

“Right. I can’t let a monster grow by feeding on people.”

“Then, I have one thing I’d like to ask of you.”

“A request?”

“Yes, it’s very important.”

Faced with Jeong Dae-yun’s serious expression, Kang Jin-hyuk glanced at the air in contemplation.

“So will you whisper it to me?”

“Huh? There’s only you and me here, why would I have to?”

“It could be bugged… you never know.”

“If they had, they would have long since made their move by now…”

“Enough with the debate. Just do as I ask.”

Unable to handle Kang Jin-hyuk’s insistence, Jeong Dae-yun moved closer.

Though still skeptical, he complied with the suggestion.

* * *

The hunters from Tyrant, leisurely enjoying board games in the waiting room, abruptly snapped to attention at the thunderous noise.

The intense sound had enough power to shake the entire building, signaling something was amiss with the wards.

“An intruder?!”

“Who the hell would come here?”

The hunters hurriedly threw open the door and rushed outside.

Upon exiting, they quickly saw the women making their escape alongside Jeong Dae-yun, whom they had previously captured.

“How can that brat be free?!”

“Did he have some hidden potions?!”

“I told you we should have just killed him!”

The hunters visibly panicked at this unforeseen development.

However, not all were in a state of chaos.

A-rank hunter Ha Jin-hwan took the lead, quickly assessing the situation with a level head.

“Regardless of how he got the potions to those women, it’s clear Jeong Dae-yun has aided them in escaping. If we don’t stop them, they’ll flee.”

“What do we do?”

“What do we do? We catch them!”

No sooner had the command escaped Ha Jin-hwan’s lips than his fellow hunters sprinted towards the exit, driven by urgency.

Hunters could run at speeds that far surpassed ordinary folks, and given the current momentum, it wouldn’t take long to catch up to the escaping women.

“Maintain your course; don’t veer off!”

Jeong Dae-yun observed the hunters barreling toward them from behind and pressed the switch in his hand.

Small embers ignited near the entrance, drawing Ha Jin-hwan’s attention.

“Stop!”

Opening his mouth to command, Ha Jin-hwan’s shout fell short as he noticed a sea of scrolls surrounding the flames.

Realizing the implications, he hurriedly called for the others to halt.

“I said stop all of you!”

His frantic warning echoed, but only half complied.

The others, delayed in their reaction, suddenly endured the scrolls’ explosive effects.

Boom!

The scrolls etched with the explosion skill used the flames as a catalyst, igniting a chain reaction.

With the force of an explosion akin to dynamite, an overwhelming billow of fire and smoke shot up at the entrance.

The hunters’ screams were drowned out by the deafening roar of detonation.

“Damn it!”

The surviving hunters, including Ha Jin-hwan, numbered just eleven.

At the very least, it was fortunate that all who had perished in the blast were B-ranked hunters.

The crucial A-rank hunters had narrowly escaped with their lives intact, so it wouldn’t be deemed a complete failure yet.

“Catch that bastard!”

Without needing Ha Jin-hwan to shout, the enraged hunters charged toward Jeong Dae-yun, who had caused the chaos.

“You save our lives and then betray us, huh?!”

“Dammit! I’ll kill you!”

Jeong Dae-yun had managed to make an escape with the captured women, but the hunters were swiftly gaining ground.

Seeking to prevent being caught, Jeong Dae-yun gave it his all and dashed out of the barrier.

The hunters pursued with vengeful fury, their eyes lit with anger.

As Jeong Dae-yun and the women broke free from the barrier, they gained their first view of the outside world.

“Shit…”

In the previously desolate rural area, a staggering thirty figures gathered.

The Tyrant hunters discovered emblems of the Titan guild upon their attire.

“Did Jeong Dae-yun summon them?”

“How on earth could he have done that?”

Ha Jin-hwan shook the notion from his mind, uneasy at how Jeong Dae-yun might have managed it without notifying them.

“Forget that! We need to take him out!”

“Don’t wait; we must attack!”

“Those bastards are the ones who’ve been disrupting our operations!”

Each harbored frustration deep-seated enough to condemn Jeong Dae-yun.

But he had already escaped the barrier alongside the women and would now easily flee their grasp.

“Everyone take your pills!”

“Right this moment?”

Ha Jin-hwan’s furious command left the Tyrant hunters bewildered.

“Is that really a question?”

Responding to his fierce call, the hunters pulled out small bags containing yellow powder they had concealed in their pockets.

That powder was Alraune’s elixir, as Jeong Dae-yun had indicated.

“All of you are aware of the side effects, right? If you don’t want to die, be fully prepared to end this in one hour!”

Ha Jin-hwan and the hunters swallowed the powder at once.

As the contents coated their throats, the immediate surge of power raced through them.

At that moment, they shared a riveting feeling that made them confident they could take on even an S-ranked opponent.

The power surged through each of their bodies, reigniting their resolve against the Titan hunters that lay ahead.