Chapter 97

Chapter 97

"What... What are you going to do?"

“...”

Baek Si-hoo did not respond to my question. He simply pointed his sword and continued to watch the altar vigilantly.

It took me a while to realise it. I can't see it, but it's definitely a monster. It had a strange aura. Of course other monsters do too, but I find this one more disgusting and unpleasant.

It seemed like I was facing a being that I shouldn't have encountered. I really don't know why I feel this way, but I think it's probably because the monster is that strong.

My thoughts naturally turned to other things. I fidgeted with one hand and stared at Baek Si-hoo's back.

Should I use my auxiliary skill? However, since Catnip skill has a short duration, it will be more difficult if this monster is not a boss monster. Maybe I should observe the situation further before I decide whether to use my skill or not.

But memories from before flashed through my mind. There were times when I was suddenly separated from my skill target, or when things went wrong and I hastily tried to use my auxiliary skill. I couldn't make up my mind and bit my lip.

An offering...

“Kugh...!”

“Baek Si-hoo!”

While I was lost in thought for a moment, the strange monster released hot flames towards Baek Si-hoo. Dark red flames enveloped Baek Si-hoo's body. I flinched because of the sinister energy that I could feel even when I was standing behind him.

It was strange. It was impossible for Baek Si-hoo's passive skill to be inactive, but Baek Si-hoo was attacked helplessly. Could it be that his passive skill isn't triggering? Then, is that monster really the boss monster in this area?

I couldn't think any longer and stretched out my hand. If Baek Si-hoo dies, I will die too. That's the only thought that dominates my mind.

"Ugh...!”

I gritted my teeth in pain as my skin burned. I fumbled around and found Baek Si-hoo's hand. Even in this situation, he gripped his sword tightly and I managed to hold his hand.

Get a grip, you S-rank! I shouted internally.

First, I had to activate Baek Si-hoo's passive skill with my Catnip skill. I tightened my grip on his hand.

“Uh...?”

But for some reason, my vision became blurry. I couldn't even feel the fire getting hotter. Everything just went black.

‘Damn it...’

I could barely mumble with my unmoving lips. My head drooped helplessly. And then, all sounds ceased.

Under the scorching hot sun, there was a tense atmosphere between the two of them.

Sung Yoo-bin looked at the man in front of him. Kang Yoo Hyun. A first generation awakener who was involved in a gate accident with her only family. And the man who shamelessly returned alive alone. A long-forgotten rage burned within her.

During the first disastrous gate incident in Seoul, Sung Yoo-bin lost her entire family. No, she thought she lost them all. Her parents' bodies were identified, but the body of her older brother, Sung Yoon Jae, was never found.

At that time, she heard that those who were caught in the gate accident died so horribly that there was no trace of them left behind, and she thought her brother had also died. As a high school student, it was too much for her to handle alone. But she had no choice.

Thousands of people died in the gate incident at that time, and the number of missing people was even higher. Most of the missing people's families later accepted their deaths because they couldn't find their bodies.

But five years later, one of the missing people trapped in the gate incident miraculously returned. And he had awakened as an SS-rank. The government, which had just succeeded in stabilising the dungeons in each region through the strength of the guilds, was very interested in Kang Yoo-hyun's return.

The fact that he was a survivor of the first gate opened in Seoul also piqued Sung Yoo-bin’s interest. And all of the 300 missing people mentioned by him were officially declared dead. Among them was Sung Yoo-bin's brother, Sung Yoon-jae.

How should she describe her feelings back then? She had false hopes at first. Since Kang Yoo-hyun had returned, maybe others would too. She thought her brother, whose body was never found, was still alive inside the gate like Kang Yoo-hyun, and he would return soon too. She had a vain hope that they would have a heartwarming reunion.

– All the hunters except me are dead. Here's the list of hunters who were with me inside the gate.

When she saw her brother's name on the list, all her hopes disappeared. She felt devastated, and thought that her only family member had died twice.

Level: ??

?? ?? ?? ??, ?? ?? ??

...]

"...!"

Even Sung Yoo-bin couldn't determine its rank. That meant it was SS-rank. That monster was either equal to or stronger than this dungeon's boss monster.

Sssss–

It sounded like the wind was being sucked somewhere. Sung Yoo-bin doubted her ears at the reverberating noise. She had heard this sound before, but it was fainter. It was the sound the sandworm made before inflicting the ‘Panic' status ailment.

"Darn it!"

Before she could react, the sound spread out in all directions.

"Keeeek!"

"Argh!"

Sung Yoo-bin screamed and fell to the ground because of the deafening sound. Her entire body trembled at the sound that quickly made her lose her will to fight.

She couldn't even check the several status windows that appeared before her eyes; she didn't even notice it.

Sung Yoo-bin didn't know what to do because of the fear she experienced for the first time in her life. Only the despair of not being able to do anything took over her body.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die like this. That was all she thought.

“Pull yourself together!”

"...!"

Someone suddenly slapped Sung Yoo-bin's cheek. Sung Yoo-bin came to her senses and raised her head. Her vision was blurry. She must have cried unknowingly.

"Get a grip, Sung Yoo-bin."

"Hunter... Kang Yoo-hyun."

A pair of blazing eyes stared at her, and Sung Yoo-bin bit her lip under that intense gaze. She ended up showing disgrace to that man. She couldn't forgive herself for that. She stood up and looked at the slowly-moving Sandworm King.

"...What are we going to do now?"

"We have to kill it."

"..."

It didn't seem possible. But she didn't dare to utter those words.

"Why? Can't you do it?"

"..."

Sung Yoo-bin, who bit her lips to bleed, shook her head. Flames suddenly flared up around her.

"No. That's what I want too."

Sung Yoo-bin nodded, and Kang Yoo-hyun's eyes met hers. Without uttering another word, both of them exuded their powerful aura.



T/N: The duo that we don't know ????