NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23
“Who’s behind you?”
“The new S-class Hunter. I brought her here because she wanted to tour our guild. What’s the problem?”
Geranium, who looked at me and tilted her head briefly, clung to Busan Milk and started explaining the problem.
I slipped into the corner, avoiding the awkward atmosphere. I’ve seen her before, but I don’t really know her, so it’s kind of funny to continue to stand there.
“Come here.”
“What?”
“Wear this with us and wait. You came to experience it,” said the plant Hunter in the same school uniform again today as she gestured to me.
I followed her words and sat down next to her. Was her name Minju?
“We meet again, Miss Hunter.” Another member of the 3rd raiding party, who was sitting next to her, greeted me with a bright smile. He was the chick Hunter from the other day who introduced stinker as his older brother. The thick helmet obscured his face, but I could identify him by his voice.
“You can just wear it and wait. We were lost because we’ve never used it before, but Yeri and Sanghyeon have, so it should work soon.”
“What happens when it works?”
“It’s the same as an actual game. The only difference is, if you die inside, you can’t even leave a rank and will bounce right out.”
“Are there any errors?”
“I heard that sometimes there’s a bug where you must clear the dungeon to get out. It is said that such an error occurs when two devices access the same server simultaneously, but it is not common, so it should be okay.” Minju, who helped me wear a helmet, called Geranium, who only interfered, let alone helped, near Busan Milk.
Geranium insisted she could do it herself but was eventually hit on the back by Busan Milk.
Her gloomy face made the helmet look shabby.
“Hello, Miss Hunter. You’re the newly awakened high-class Hunter, right? I’ve heard so much about you. They say you’re a legendary Hunter who dumped the Paradise Guild’s leader,” Geranium, with gray hair close to white, constantly chattering.
I stammered and avoided answering because I felt drained just by mixing words.
What the hell does it matter whether I dumped Paradise Guild’s leader or not?
“I was so curious that I asked him directly, but he denied the fact that he was dumped. Then he said that you would come to Paradise one day, and I told him to wake up because you will come to Daybreak.”
The chick Hunter, listening beside her, looked surprised at Geranium’s words.
I shook my head as if nothing had happened, but I was just as surprised.
How could you say that in front of Polar Night? The strongest person in this worldview might be this talkative person.
“Daybreak is a bit strange for a guild, but there’s no guild that is as good as Daybreak. Of course, considering our guild leader’s personality, it’s no joke, but if Miss Hunter joins—”
“Shut up.” Minju, who had been sitting quietly, kicked Geranium with her foot as if she couldn’t stand it any longer.
I clicked my tongue inwardly as I looked at Geranium, who only shut up after she’d been kicked. Yeah, you shouldn’t have talked like you had a motor in your mouth.
Choco Milk and Busan Milk, who had been struggling in the back, cheered at the next moment.
I tried to turn my head to see them cheering, but something hit the back of my head! I leaned forward at the feeling of being hit.
A slow blinking vision, a feeling of a stiff tongue. It even felt like the hairs on my skin were rising.
I was about to curse when I felt like I was going to throw up, but I opened my eyes as I felt someone grabbing me.
There were moans everywhere, so I wasn’t the only one.
“Oh, my head is about to crack.”
“Hold it in.”
“Are you okay, Miss Hunter? What’s wrong with this? I heard it doesn’t hurt or feel uncomfortable when you connect.”
Minju got up before I knew it and caused Geranium to roll on the floor.
I stood with the help of the chick Hunter who supported me.
I had my feet on the ground, but I couldn’t see the floor; it was only black all around us.
“Is it supposed to be like this?”
“No. We’re supposed to set the rating of the gate before entering… Wait a minute, did we set the rating of the gate?” Minju asked Geranium with a firm face.
What? What’s the situation now?
After hearing the two’s conversation, the chick Hunter stomped his feet. I didn’t know what was happening, so I just rummaged through my pockets.
Is there any Capri Sun left?
Mm, no. All I can grab is my wallet, my cell phone, and my terminal.
I can’t rip the terminal and eat it.
“What do we do now? Are we going to be stuck here?”
“Do you think we’ll be locked up? I guess the field hasn’t been implemented yet due to an error. Let’s wait.” Minju, who stopped the fussing Geranium, calmly judged.
I quietly approached and stood next to the most reliable Minju here.
Although still young, she was very calm. She’ll grow into something great in the future.
Inside the messed up space, Minju, who suddenly became the leader of our party, repeatedly called the system into the air.
But the stupid lump of metal…
[■$£¥○$■※¿¡■$]
Spouted the same window.
I saw that somewhere before. It’s the same as the terminal’s initial system window.
“What if we can’t get out of here?” I sat down and asked.
The answer came from the chick Hunter, who was staring at the system window with a troubled face. “Don’t worry. There will be no such thing.”
The way he smiled, trying to reassure me, was like Daybreak Guild’s leader.
Once upon a time, that person was left among monsters alone to save civilians during the war.
I was already Awakened then, but that person misunderstood and shouted that he would let me go out safely. In the end, he owed me his life.
I put my chin on my hand, recalling the fairly distant past.
The system window, which had been spouting only crazy things, suddenly spoke human language.
[<I Really Like> has logged in.]
“Ng?”
[<Letter> has logged in.]
[<Loveless> has logged in.]
“Why is Your Highness here?”
[<Sweet Melody> has logged in.]
…
[The number of people waiting to enter (8/8)]
[Difficulty level: Random]
[Connecting with the terminal…]
[Loading device information…]
[Measuring average rank⋯⋯.]
[Checking party member rank.]
[(Leader) <God of War Finger Technique> (S++)
(Player1) <Behind the Scene I Really Like> (S)
(Player2) <Frost Flower Loveless> (S)
(Player3) <Letter> (B+)
(Player4) <Sweet Melody> (A-)
(Player5) <Geranium> (A)
(Player6) <Rururung> (B+)
(Player7) <Seobin> (B+)]
[Measuring party member’s overall ability…]
[Measuring the appropriate gate rank…]
[Difficulty confirmed.]
[Recommended difficulty: SS+]
[Loading the limited special gate information.]
[(Leader) Interlocking with the terminal of <God of War Finger Technique> (S++).]
[Implementing the territory of King of Sloth stored in the terminal.]
[Implement the surrounding environment.]
[Checking data…]
[The 1st Army ‘Hell Goat’ of Belphegor, King of Sloth.]
[Gate rank S++]
[Dungeon rank SS+]
[Monster rank S+]
[Boss rank ?]
[Overall rank?]
[Rank ? Dungeon – ‘Hell Goat’s Burnt Offering’ has been entered.]
There was a cold silence in the dark space. Everyone turned their heads and looked at me.
“Your Highness, why did you bring that terminal?”
The special gate of Pyeongan province, Hell Goat’s Burnt Offering, spread slowly.
I was silent as I saw the imitation of the gate I had entered and destroyed alone.
In the quiet space gradually taking shape, only the complaint of I Really Like resounded.
“Should I be happy that I saw Finger King, the strongest in the universe right now, or sad that I saw a question mark rank dungeon?” the Paradise Guild’s Frost Flower, Loveless, said with a strange face that was neither laughing nor crying.
I don’t know. First of all, I want to escape from here.
The landscape, which had been spreading like oil paint on water, became clear.
No… Wait a minute.
It’s connected to the terminal? Nobody mentioned that.
How could someone not give such a basic explanation? If I had known it would end like this, I would have taken it out!
I glared at the Daybreak’s guild members with resentment. Then they also stared blankly at me.
It’s the same stupid expression.
I tore my hair out in hell again and cursed the day I brought my old terminal.
I can’t even tear the terminal out! Shit.
Hunters, were you surprised by the sudden appearance of Rank 1? So do I.
A super-special party consisting of three B-classes, two A-classes, and three S-classes began a silent public banquet.
I opened my mouth with the feeling of becoming an unworthy child caught eating pork from pork kimchi stew the night before by my mom.
“Actually, I…”
I don’t know what excuse to say, but even if it doesn’t work, I have to say something.
I broke out in a cold sweat in the near-future tense hell.
Oh, so I…
“I stole Finger Technique’s terminal.”
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