Chapter 118:

Chapter 118:

On the afternoon of the 28th.

【Gampo Port】

Tak, tak.

The blond man who got out of the taxi leisurely looked around.

Sea bass, snow crab, flatfish. There was no need to go far; here, shops selling food lined up in a row.

‘I’m hungry, so let’s eat something first.’

Kim Kiryeo headed to a nearby raw fish restaurant.

But wait. Why would a Hunter from Seoul suddenly show up in such a remote area?

“I’ll have one monkfish stew here~”

There was an unavoidable circumstance here. Kim Kiryeo, whose relationship with Haseong had become ambiguous due to the recent ‘level difference’ remarks, planned to ignore all future dungeon breaks.

‘It’s not just a matter of one slip of the tongue right now. It’s only a matter of time before Jung Haseong gets angry anyway...!’

The current top-ranked hunter places excessive importance on their duties. However, instead of focusing on protecting the public, they lack the power that matches their status. Isn’t it obvious that conflicts will occur sooner or later?

So Kiryeo had no choice but to move.

In areas with a high population density, such as the capital, the traps tend to be more frequent due to their nature of preferring locations with abundant prey. Consequently, accidents are more common in these regions.

‘Especially the frequency of high-risk gate formations is overwhelming. In fact, about 32% of A-Class gates are concentrated in Seoul.’

S-rank dungeon breaks are more likely to occur in the capital city. Therefore, Kiryeo came to this city to have an excuse for not being able to help due to distance in case something happened. It’s truly an unconvincing reason for traveling.

“Here, the monkfish stew has arrived. Enjoy your meal~”

“Thank you.”

But... Even if he came here like a rat fleeing from danger, this life is still quite imperial in its own way. Food and lodging can be bought with money. And, most importantly, there’s the sea nearby.

‘The ocean!’

Since he had come so far, Kim Kiryeo planned to take the opportunity to explore Earth’s oceans.

‘I’m looking forward to it.’

However, it would be a pity to head straight to the ocean without exploring a bit. According to his online research, the area around this port had quite a few tourist attractions.

‘Should I start by looking around the land first?’

Kiryeo finished his meal with a happy face. From now on, it was time to enjoy the cultural life he had dreamed of.

Oh, right. He realized he had forgotten to inform Kang Changho about his move to the area...

‘Is that okay?’

That stalker would probably check his location anyway.

Well... even if it’s not alright... considering their last conversation, it seems a bit awkward for me to call first...

‘Now that I think about it, Kang Changho has been completely out of touch since then.’

Kim Kiryeo tried to ignore the rising sense of anxiety.

Yeah, he’s the fourth S-rank; surely nothing serious would happen, right? If he doesn’t want to get hurt, he won’t recklessly rush in. No, he has to do just that...

***

Soon after, I visited the nearby tourist attractions I found online. The first stop was right here, the Mural Alley.

‘I don’t know what’s good about walking around the streets, but anyway, it was good to learn about Earth’s culture!’

Next, I went to see the lighthouse that a blogger enthusiastically praised. It was a type of structure I couldn’t see back home, so it was quite interesting to experience.

‘Come to think of it, how do Earthlings’ ships float? Do they not use magic?’

And the third place I visited was this enormous cocoon covered in paint!

Oh~ The way the outside is wriggling makes it look almost alive. How on earth do they make such an impressive landmark...

“....”

But did this appear in the tourist attraction results I searched for?

‘That can’t be’

After checking late, I found out that what I was looking at wasn’t a local landmark but just a disaster site. After all, even here, where people live, it was impossible to completely avoid a dungeon break.

‘What on earth is this?’

The mysterious structure I encountered while heading to the beach was so loosely woven on the outside that I could see inside clearly. For now, I didn’t want to approach it recklessly.

The surface of the structure wasn’t made of threads but rather felt like something... as if animal flesh had been spread thinly.

‘No, it’s not just a feeling—this is really living tissue!’

Thump. Thump.

I frowned as I looked at the pulsating giant cocoon.

‘Hmm?’

That was the moment.

Murmuring.

“Huh?”

It’s only now that it becomes clear. In reality, the enhancement from the Gu Seohyeong wasn’t permanent. The primitive magic of this Earth had absurdly low limits for both duration and damage resistance.

“...Did the enchantment lift?”

With the attack I just received, I realized that Gu Seohyeong’s magic that had surrounded the ring had vanished all at once. If that’s the case, then right now I am...

“Why at this time?”

Without any particular means of defense... am I facing a C-rank boss?

The contemplation was brief. As soon as I felt the enchantment fade, I discarded the corpse and ran forward.

“My luck!”

But the monster’s reaction speed was just as impressive. As soon as its first attack was blocked, it summoned a new weapon from thin air and immediately prepared for a second throw.

“Kwak!”

Whoosh, thud!

Crushed bones. Tearing flesh. In the end, the monster’s spear pierced through my body. The blood that splattered from me only added to the pool within the cocoon.

.

.

.

But... the seemingly life-or-death crisis was surprisingly resolved without much effort.

[Surprise Box!]

[Grade: Unique]

[Description: Gives a strong [Stun] effect to the surrounding area.]

Because I bought a new magic tool the last time I visited the market.

“Damn it! I almost died!”

I originally went to buy an item to be enhanced by Gu Seohyeong, but... when I looked around the shops, this caught my eye.

[Surprise Box!]

A magical tool that can inflict a status condition that has a 95% chance of stunning even B-rank monsters. According to the store staff, it affects even the owner of the tool, so its use might be harder than expected.

‘That’s a concern only for inferior wizards.’

But here, my unique trait shines once again. Since I am unaffected by low-level stun magic, I can use [Surprise Box!] more conveniently. For example, I can stun only my opponent like this and stand tall by myself.

“Ugh...!”

Anyway, I shouldn’t have underestimated it just because it was C-rank...!

I thoroughly took care of the aftermath to avoid repeating the same mistake. To ensure that the boss wouldn’t wake up during my escape, I cut off its breathing while it was unconscious by burning its heart.

-Heukkh!

Without the Pyromancer’s Necklace, even such a simple attack would be impossible for me. Indeed, no matter how many times I think about it, Kim Kiryeo is truly a worthless awakener with no potential for recycling.

Still, it’s okay. There are only a few days left until I live this miserable life.

‘Now that I’ve done my business, let’s get out!’

After the boss was dead, I carried the fallen hunter’s corpse and made my way outside. This time, unlike when I entered, I carefully avoided the monsters.

Yeah. If I can just make it out safely like this, I’ll finally have a D-rank body in my hands...!

-Click!

But at that moment, a familiar noise suddenly hit me as I stepped outside the cocoon.

-Click. Click.

‘Camera sound?’

Moreover, at the end of the creaking gaze, there was now a crowd that I hadn’t seen before.

“Heuk!”

“Oh my.”

“That...”

A murmur.

Association staff.

A woman with a camera.

An elderly man.

And several other non-awakened individuals.

I don’t know why they were there. But one thing was certain.

‘Hmm, how many years is the sentence for theft under the law here?’

I was just caught blatantly stealing.