Chapter 401

Kim Giryeo spoke to the figure he had spotted.

“Hunter Kang Changho. What on earth is this?”

But the response he received was underwhelming.

“Casual chatter inside a dungeon is considered bad behavior.”

After the [Knight’s Oath] had been nullified, nearly an entire season had passed without any contact, and yet the very first greeting exchanged between two Koreans upon meeting again amounted to nothing more than that.

“By the way, Hunter Kim Giryeo, why did you come in here? I clearly said in the interviews outside that I’d be fine on my own.”

“You might be touched when you hear the reason.”

“Oh.”

“I heard this [Sin Classification] dungeon was powerful, so I came in just in case there was anyone who needed rescuing.”

“Then get going. I’ve already confirmed that the raider is fine, so stop standing around.”

For reference, Kang Changho looked much the same as usual. If one wanted to nitpick, the only surprising thing was that his clothes were cleaner than expected.

He was reportedly in a state where he could no longer even use his skill stones. Well, I suppose it makes sense that he’d still have a few techniques capable of killing enemies without even touching them.

The first challenger had greeted him with an openly hostile attitude, but Kim Giryeo paid it no mind.

“Strictly speaking, this Castle of Sloth doesn’t exactly have a specific owner, does it?”

Since Kang Changho had practically forced his way in with what amounted to a threat, the esper who had arrived first could easily have been accused of unlawfully monopolizing the hunting ground. Kim Giryeo stood his ground confidently. Perhaps realizing that he had no justification, Kang Changho said nothing more about the additional entrant.

“Fine. Then just make sure you don’t touch the boss monster behind that door.”

“The boss?”

“I went through all the trouble of setting the table, and if an S-rank who showed up late simply snatched away the guaranteed epic item... that wouldn’t exactly be ethical, would it?”

His argument was certainly understandable.

“Yes. I understand.”

But there was one thing Kim Giryeo could not simply accept and let pass.

After a brief silence, Kim Giryeo began organizing the facts he had just realized and laying them out one by one.

“Let’s say the matter of the boss is settled. But I came in here intending to help, and seeing all of this leaves me somewhat dumbfounded.”

“Really?”

“Why is Hunter Kang Changho so powerful?”

“Suddenly praising me, huh.”

“The status ailments caused by the Castle of Sloth are set far too harshly, even by my standards. Yet despite suffering such severe hindrances, you’ve brought the gate to the verge of being cleared in just a few minutes without suffering so much as a scratch.”

“It doesn’t really sound like praise, does it?”

“So during the Kagoshima raid, you didn’t fail to protect the contractor because you thought your own life was in danger, did you?”

The questions that followed were reasonable.

“The more I think about it, the stranger it seems. How can a superhuman who has stayed holed up in Korea handle his abilities so flawlessly? And all that information you had about dungeon generation... why is Hunter Kang Changho the only one who knows these things?”

But as expected, the person being questioned provided no useful information.

“But you know, Kim Giryeo.”

What followed was a sentence difficult to comprehend, whether with the soul of an Alphaurin or the flesh of a mammal.

“You know me?”

The person known as Kim Giryeo showed no particular change in expression.

“I thought our involvement ended with what happened in the U.S. I don’t understand why you’ve kept talking to me ever since.”

“Hunter Changho.”

“Now, trying to intimidate me by flaunting your mana like that won’t have any effect...”

Even if he concentrated his mana as though preparing to unleash a powerful spell at any moment, there would be no reaction. Kim Giryeo therefore briefly examined the area around his opponent’s eyes. There was clearly no sign of any eyewear on Kang Changho’s face.

“By the way, the inconvenience [The Dragon’s Eye] caused me in daily life was recently resolved.”

“How?”

“There are plenty of skilled technicians in this country. As long as you pay them properly, custom lenses like that can be made in no time.”

Lens, lenses...

So what he meant was that he had already obtained custom-made contact lenses capable of physically regulating the effects of [The Dragon’s Eye].

“Humans really are peculiar. Who was the first person to think of putting something like that directly on the cornea?”

It was regrettable in many ways that the option of blinding his opponent during a fight had been taken away. But before the alien could properly complain, the other man spoke first.

The monsters of [Castle of Sloth] lay strewn everywhere. Kim Giryeo had been somewhat concerned, but contrary to his expectations, the conqueror had not suffered so much as a scratch. And the speed at which he had cleared the dungeon was utterly incomprehensible.

Kang Changho nodded at the blond Korean. Considering all those factors, it was only natural for a latecomer to be puzzled. However...

“To get straight to the point, I’m not going to explain how I did it.”

That was the point.

“Tch. And on top of that, you’ve been spouting nonsense to the public about being a water-element Awakener, yet here you are taking a jab at me for refusing to reveal my abilities...”

Unlike the natural mutation before him, Kim Giryeo’s blond hair had been artificially dyed. With that hair adorning his human body, he quietly listened to the other man’s words before pausing for a moment in thought.

“If Kang Changho’s hidden abilities are this significant, then I can’t help but take a fresh interest in every move he’s made so far.”

But just as he sank into thought, the Awakener before him, who looked as though he had just survived a dungeon disaster, unexpectedly spoke.

“Anyway, your lifespan is barely longer than that of a fruit fly. What’s so important that you go around boldly questioning other people all the time?”

The obvious form of address, ‘Hunter Kim Giryeo,’ had been omitted from the sentence. At first, Kim Giryeo wondered whether this was a challenge to fight.

“But actually, I like you.”

But then, what was with this sudden and completely unexpected expression of approval?

“After all, you’re a gifted individual who came to protect Seoul without any particular reason.”

“_ _”

“The more people like you... no, the more heroes like you there are, the easier my life becomes. So honestly, this whole back-and-forth of questioning each other and keeping watch on one another is uncomfortable. What I’m saying is, I’d like to maintain as smooth a relationship with everyone as possible.”

At that point, Kim Giryeo naturally raised a question.

“You said on the phone earlier that you were planning to enrage it if things got out of hand.”

Of course, it wasn’t a difficult question to answer, so Kang Changho responded immediately.

“That was a lie.”

“Huh!?”

“I was just joking. I thought revealing too much of my hand might leave me vulnerable. But seriously, why would I leave this wonderful Korea? Like I’ve said before, if you have money, there aren’t many places more comfortable to live.”

Hahaha.

He laughed in a way that sounded almost mechanical. One could only wonder whether he was truly being sincere this time.

“Are you really staying in Korea purely because you like living here? You’re not keeping some other information to yourself, are you?”

Relying on the instincts peculiar to a long-lived being, Kim Giryeo asked the question. Yet the other man remained completely confident.

“Then what? Even if I had been lying to you from beginning to end, what could you possibly do about it?”

In many ways, it was exactly the attitude one would expect from someone who had sold [Justitia] without a second thought. What Kang Changho did not realize, however, was that the young man standing before him was an alien being.

“_ _”

The Alphaurin mage, capable of extracting memories from the brains of dead animals, maintained an awkwardly tense silence. Fortunately, the situation was not serious enough for him to resort to unethical magic. Kang Changho had stepped forward when necessary, even if only because of the arrangements he had already made, and considering that he had willingly entered [Castle of Sloth] despite the danger, it was difficult to believe that someone with such righteous tendencies would maliciously torment others with lies.

“No...”

Moreover, Kim Giryeo spoke in a friendly tone, pointing out that despite all of Kang Changho’s aggressive words, the man had yet to lay a finger on him.

“He just wasn’t doing anything because he was recovering his mana.”

For a brief moment, Kim Giryeo had misunderstood his character.

In any case, despite speaking quite favorably toward him, Kang Changho seemed entirely unconcerned about maintaining an icy distance from the fourth S-rank. He would laugh openly, enough for the muscles in his cheeks to show, yet whenever he was asked about his abilities, he responded with subtle threats and insisted only that people remember he possessed [Improvement]—the ability of a genuine S-rank Awakener.

“He’s surprisingly audacious for someone who doesn’t even realize he’s standing in front of an archmage.”

Conversely, it seemed that Kang Changho himself held intense contempt for anyone who dared challenge him.

“But if he keeps refusing to say anything, I’ll only grow more curious. What exactly were those twenty skills he had prepared that allowed him to clear the dungeon so quickly? And is his fixation on South Korea really based on something so ordinary...?”

It was at that very moment—just as the alien’s thoughts were beginning to tilt toward, ‘Maybe I should just crack his skull open after all.’

The S-rank Hunter, who had been sitting silently until then, suddenly sprang to his feet. Without hesitation, he opened the iron gate at the rear and immediately finished off the boss monster that had been left on the verge of death.

‘Judging roughly from the wounds remaining on the boss’s corpse, it seems he still relied mainly on his usual [Physical Enhancement] ability while hunting.’

“But why did you suddenly finish clearing the gate instead of getting some proper rest?”

The man in his thirties answered Kim Giryeo’s question.

“Because even breathing was starting to feel like too much effort.”

For reference, this was not some idle joke. The place where they stood was a Sin-concept dungeon. And the sin represented by the gate’s minions happened to be [Sloth]. This was the clearest possible reminder that the status effects had reached a level that could no longer be ignored.

“Wasn’t that supposed to be perfectly countered?”

Come to think of it, even at the Sin Gate, Kang Changho had not seemed particularly affected.

While Kim Giryeo was lost in thought, the boss of the pocket dimension died, and the gate proceeded through its familiar sequence. The castle that had tormented countless humans collapsed, an epic-level reward was granted to the sole contributor to the clear, and every living being remaining inside the now-useless treasure chests was expelled.

‘Before I even had time to blink, I was already outside.’

Of course, even after the surroundings changed, Kim Giryeo’s attitude remained much the same for a while. If anything, he was slightly irritated that a primitive being would act so surly when a grand archmage like himself was speaking to him, and he even wondered whether he might soon have to demonstrate his power.

But the remark Kang Changho suddenly made proved to be an unexpected and devastating blow.

“But you know, Kim Giryeo? In this world, there’s actually a lot of information you’re better off not knowing.”

“Yes?”

“So if there are things I keep to myself and refuse to reveal, just assume I have my reasons and let it go.”

After that, Kang Changho continued attacking the part of the mage’s conscience that might be called his moral compass. No matter how prickly his attitude had been, he kept saying things like, ‘I even helped stop [Castle of Sloth] from breaking! And recently, I tried to contribute to society by donating to a children’s shelter. I even read online that you volunteered at the Tomorrow Orphanage, and that inspired me,’ and so on.

“What are you talking about? I’ve never done any volunteer work.”

“This Alphaurin may find it irritating, but... your logic is sound nonetheless.”

Whatever grudges or annoyances existed between them, Kang Changho was genuinely blameless in this particular matter, so Kim Giryeo concluded that acting against his wishes would be morally unacceptable.

And so, in the end, things wrapped up fairly smoothly.

–Tudutududu...

The sound of people running could be heard from somewhere nearby.

“Wow. Impressive work ethic.”

The coordinates where the S-rank Hunters emerged were only a short distance from the temporary disaster response headquarters. As a result, reporters gathered nearby spotted the superhumans and immediately rushed over—but unfortunately, they failed to secure an interview with the actual dungeon clearers.

“Bringing the motorcycle today was pointless. I don’t even have enough energy left to ride it home.”

“Then should I call an ambulance?”

“Just accept the sentiment.”

The driver Kang Changho usually relied on must have had the day off, because he forcibly hailed a taxi passing along the street. The cabbie had been trembling ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) so badly that it seemed doubtful whether he could even press the accelerator properly, but he quickly regained his motivation after Kang Changho handed him a check.

–Brrrrr.

The conqueror of [Castle of Sloth] returned home. He had gained little beyond a few trivial questions, but it was still worth celebrating that the alien’s second homeland had been freed from danger.

***

Swaying, swaying.

A small figurine bobbed on the taxi’s dashboard. After it swayed two or three more times, the man sitting in the back seat suddenly changed his expression.

Kang Changho stared blankly into the air with his mouth slightly open. Then his eyes widened ever so slightly, and he let out a strange, silent laugh.

“Driver, did you know that if you make a donation, you can receive a corresponding tax deduction?”

“Yes?”

What was with that completely random question?

Vroom.

By now, the evacuated citizens were returning while grumbling, and traffic had grown congested. Naturally, it would take quite some time to reach his private residence.

No further remarks were made. Kang Changho remained silent as he methodically put back on the magical suppression devices he had previously removed.

–Brring, brring.

Then, at that moment, the ringtone of a brand-new cellphone suddenly sounded.

It was a number that normally had no reason to call... yet today, it was being unusually persistent.

The name “Yoon Jangwon” appeared at the top of the screen. Seeing it, Kang Changho answered without much thought.

“Yes. Hello.”

For someone who had claimed that even breathing felt like too much trouble, his pronunciation was surprisingly clear.

“Oh, Mr. Kang. Have you finished the raid?”

“You’re not asking whether I’ve eaten, but whether I’ve finished the raid. I suppose you’ve seen the news.”

“Oh, of course. Of course.”

They chatted naturally, as though they had known each other for quite some time, discussing which monsters had appeared inside the dungeon and how the other [Sin Classification] dungeons were progressing.

“Kim Giryeo entered the site, and if I hadn’t been careful, that guy could’ve ended up buried in there too. Lucky for him, I’m a decent person.”

In any case, none of what they were discussing was information the taxi driver needed to be prevented from hearing. So Kang Changho continued in his usual tone, mixing in his predictable jokes, when the person on the other end of the call suddenly reacted with surprise and brought up a new topic.

“Hunter Kim Giryeo was there? That quickly?”

Moreover, rather than questioning how he had arrived so quickly, Yoon Jangwon seemed surprisingly focused on the name itself.

“Hmm... then, since his name came up, there’s something I wanted to ask. Ah, no, wait. I’m not sure whether I should be asking you this. If you happen to run into that S-rank again, it might be awkward if I carelessly gossiped about him.”

“Who do you mean? Kim Giryeo? If it’s about him, there’s no relationship between us worth worrying about. Just say whatever you want.”

Kang Changho became interested in what the other man had to say.

Kim Giryeo.

Whatever debts existed between him and that peculiar Awakener had been settled back in the U.S., so their relationship was neither good nor bad now. If there was some gossip about the man that might eventually reach the media, Kang Changho would simply find it interesting.

“Really?”

However, the next sentence went far beyond anything Kang Changho had anticipated.

“No, it’s just... I’ve heard some really strange stories from a friend who works in the Presidential Office.”