Chapter 388

Chapter 388

The fight was getting more heated the more they talked.

“M-Meyer, you stupid... That hunter! I... Cough, I told you!” Gilbert stammered and gritted his teeth.

As a healer, Gilbert was limited as to what he could do when fighting in such close proximity against another A-grade hunter. However, he was afraid that if he really attacked Isabella Meyer, she might kill him on the spot. She was crazy enough to shed blood in a fit of rage.

“I was threatened and forced to do it!”

“...”

“...”

The A and B-grade hunters burst into laughter. To think he would use such a ridiculous excuse...

“Gerrity, I don’t mean to interfere, but couldn’t you at least come up with a half-plausible lie? Hunter Choi Yeonseung isn’t the kind of person to do that,” said Joseph Grant. He wasn’t any less of an asshole than Gilbert—he was actually one of the most notorious hunters out there—but even he found Gilbert’s excuse absurd.

He assumed that Gilbert wanted to drag Choi Yeonseung into the mud because he had embarrassed him last time in South Korea, but Gilbert had really picked the wrong fight.

Choi Yeonseung was a generous and kind hunter that many rude individuals called him a pushover. It took a lot of patience for a hunter to receive that nickname.

“I think so too, Hunter Gilbert.”

“You nut jobs! Did he pay you off?”

Gilbert was furious. He didn’t know about anyone else, but Joseph Grant wasn’t the type of guy who would side with someone for no reason.

It was clear that Choi Yeonseung had bribed him!

“What nonsense...? I just pointed out your lousy lie.”

“Are you going to just watch?!” Gilbert shouted to his subordinates. However, none of them dared to come to his aid. It looked like Isabella would break their necks as well if they intervened.

Besides, they weren’t on the territory of the Western Shields, Gilbert’s clan. There were also a lot more hunters on Isabella’s side here. Even if they tried to help him, they would just face a miserable death.

BAAANG! “!!!”

“?!?”

It was the explosion of the mechanical dragon that saved Gilbert’s life.

The massive explosion startled everyone, and it sounded like the dragon had self-destructed. Or rather, it was more like a volcanic explosion, with huge subsequent explosions following after the initial one, the mechanical dragon being in the center of it all.

“Raise your shields!”

The hunters were astonished and quickly prepared to defend themselves. Even hunters who weren’t experts in tanking used their 1st-circle Shield spell in order to add an extra layer to their defenses.

The explosion was so massive that they couldn’t even see the monster properly. As if there had been an earthquake, everything shook, and cracks appeared in all the fortifications.

[The ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ is astonished!}

[The ‘Fighter of Sweat and Flesh’ shudders at the power of the mechanical dragon.]

[...]

[...]

[...]

The hunters present were all lost for words. Everyone, including the constellations, thought the same thing at the same time.

At this point, the team would refuse to take the lead in the raid no matter what order the US government gave. Who would still fight after seeing this?

Joseph Grant watched the explosion as if he were possessed. He then gave a start as though he suddenly realized something and said, “Gilbert, don’t tell me... Is this why Hunter Choi Yeonseung threatened you? Was he trying to somehow reinforce the order to retreat?”

“I told you so, you damn Brit!”

“Hey, that’s too much! Anyway, I’m taking your side.”

“What do you mean, you’re taking my side? Don’t try to seem like a good guy by helping just this once!”

“The two of you, stop fighting and focus on the defense!” snapped an agent as he stepped in to separate them.

Gilbert was forced to back off with a huff. In the end, he still didn’t get an apology from the hunters who had doubted him.

“Damn, I almost got screwed over because of those crazy people...”

“I knew the clan leader was crazy about money, but I can’t believe he would go first against a monster like that. Isn’t he a bastard?”

“I can’t stand this! What a bunch of lunatics!”

The hunters had gone out without knowing anything and almost died, but now they were gritting their teeth. If Choi Yeonseung hadn’t given the order to retreat, they could’ve been wiped out. The A-grade hunters might’ve been able to survive it, but the others with lower ranks...

‘Tensions are running high.’

‘I have to report it...’

The agents at the scene picked up on the atmosphere and sent a report to those from above. The raid hadn’t even started and the hunters were already divided and at each other’s throats.

***

-Yes, I can see it from here. What a crazy monstrosity...

Russell Landon, the deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, clicked his tongue as he was watching the explosion from the rear.

He was an official with a lot of experience when it came to monster raids, but it was the first time he had seen an explosion of this magnitude.

However, that initial explosion was just the beginning.

-?

Other Korean hunters would’ve been shook by Choi Yeonseung’s statement, but fortunately none of them were here.

Han Seha was moved by his words and asked with tearful eyes, “Oh, am I like that...?”

[The ‘Hound of Instinct and Liberation’ wonders if there is something wrong...]

-Shut up.

The Hound of Instinct and Liberation yelped and went quiet.

Han Seha was so excited that she kept bashing the robots.

“Haha, wouldn’t you have all turned into liquid cans? On Earth, even insignificant people know how to express gratitude. Do you even know what gratitude is?

-...We are going to return the favor.

“How? Be more specific. You are very intelligent, so let me hear your detailed explanation.”

-That...

The robot looked at Choi Yeonseung, befuddled. Even though there was no noticeable change in the robot’s expression, Choi Yeonseung felt the desperation in the robot’s eyes. They were saying, ‘Please help!’

“The robots have weapons, so they will use them to help.”

-That’s right!

“If there’s anything we can use, they’ll lend it to us.”

-That’s right.

“They might even help us collect resources by lending us a usable mining area.”

-...Uh, I understand...

“Maybe they can teach us more about technology. Their technology is apparently far more advanced than ours.”

-......

The robots were speechless. Having excellent intelligence and logic was one thing, but negotiation skills were something else entirely!

This was very strange...

“I’m joking. I have no intention of intruding on your precious territory.”

-...Thank you!

[The robots in the realm have started sending you faith.]

[The power of existence has risen!]

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is impressed by your insidiousness in this negotiation.]

‘It wasn’t like that...’

***

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung, we want to help you!”

“!”

Choi Yeonseung had mostly given up getting other hunters to help him, so he was very surprised to see hunters from the other group come up to him and tell him that they would side with him.

-That’s because you were genuinely trying to save them!

The goddess of sloth thought that was the reason. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense. Like a drop of water piercing a rock, Choi Yeonseung’s sincerity had touched the hearts of the hunters.

“My master said this is an opportunity.”

“Mine too...”

[The ’Fighter of Sweat and Flesh’ supports his household member.]

[The ‘Monk Pursuing Glory’...]

[The ‘Arrogant Light Elf’...]

[...]

The constellations decided to give up on winning this raid by themselves and start cooperating. It no longer seemed feasible for one household member to defeat the mechanical dragon by themselves!

‘...They didn’t mean it...’

-I’m sorry...

‘Nah, I didn’t really believe them anyway.’

However, it wasn’t just the household members of other constellations. Other hunters came up to him and said cautiously, “Hunter Choi Yeonseung, we didn’t come at the orders of a constellation...”

“Then at someone else’s orders?”

“Rather, we want to repay you for helping us...”

“That’s right. Our clan wants that as well.”

“Don’t lie. Which constellation is it?”

“We don’t serve constellations! Really...”

[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ is perplexed about why you are trying to push away these prospective believers.]