Breaking Up with the #1 S-Class

Gate crimes.

In our modern society, because there are many watching eyes such as CCTV and SNS, it’s common to be caught immediately when committing a crime.

But inside gates, the story is different.

Due to the characteristics of gates where CCTVs don’t exist and mobile phones don’t work, one can commit any kind of act without being discovered.

Even if it’s the act of killing a hunter and taking their benefits.

Of course, even though the government and the Hunter Association tell hunters that such crimes absolutely don’t exist and that perpetrators are quickly arrested to reassure them, that’s not the truth.

As an A-class hunter, as Yoo Eun-ha’s manager, having been on the front lines for several years, I naturally know that statement is false.

Always and everywhere, all kinds of bad things happen endlessly inside gates, and the methods to prevent them are very limited.

Only those in the know are aware, but as a result, groups that specialize in hunting hunters have even formed.

Hunters always live facing such realities.

I’m only realizing it anew now, but no matter how I think about it, being a hunter seems like a very dangerous profession.

“Whew.”

I took a breath and analyzed the situation.

Kim Jong-pal and his party members, the enemies, were 8 in total.

It was a party with 3 holders who apply CC, 1 healer, 2 tanks, and 2 dealers.

A party with 5 C-class and 3 B-class hunters.

‘Good balance…’

The emotion I felt looking at their composition was one thing.

A premonition that it would be quite troublesome.

Synergy.

Even among hunters of the same rank, the efficiency they can demonstrate varies depending on party composition.

Each hunter has different awakened abilities.

Some awaken buff abilities, some defense abilities, some attack abilities.

If such hunters form a party and create synergy by leveraging their respective strengths, they can achieve higher efficiency.

Considering such synergy effects.

Kim Jong-pal and the 7 hunters could be considered to have skills at the upper A-class level.

Upper A-class means just below S-class, which means they’re quite a powerful group.

But the problem here is.

I don’t yet have upper A-class power.

I only obtained the [Hero] skill 3 days ago, and although I’ve trained during that time, I still only have power at the upper B-class level at best.

Even though there’s no growth limit and my growth ability is increased threefold, I still couldn’t get stronger that rapidly.

However, if asked whether I can win against them…

I can say with certainty.

I will win.

“Kill him.”

Kim Jong-pal’s order was given.

Two tanks rushed toward me.

Their purpose was to draw my attention.

Looking behind, I saw a dealer aiming an attack at me.

Their purpose was to eliminate me.

It was a very systematic movement.

Their coordination was perfect, as if their raid experience hadn’t gone anywhere.

But.

Clang!

“No…?”

I pushed away the tank’s shield.

And ignoring them, I charged straight ahead.

Where I arrived after charging was in front of the healer.

“Kuhak…”

I immediately cut down the healer.

“This bastard.”

When I cut down the healer, the two tanks tried to surround me again.

But I ignored this again and charged. And I cut down one dealer.

“Ugh…”

I additionally eliminated one dealer.

I’d already killed 2 out of 8.

Now 6 remained.

“Everyone stay calm. Don’t move hastily.”

The enemies were momentarily in panic at this situation, but with Kim Jong-pal’s command, who seemed to have grasped the situation, they regained their composure.

Kim Jong-pal seems to have noticed why this situation occurred.

“We’re not facing a raid boss right now. We’re facing a human who can think.”

Kim Jong-pal’s words were correct.

For me, the start of the battle was too good.

If I were a raid boss, my attention would have been drawn to the tanks in front of me.

Most stupid raid bosses would only pay attention to the tanks in front of them.

During that time, healers and dealers become safe.

But I’m not such a stupid raid boss.

I’m a human who can think.

And another favorable factor is that they didn’t consider me a match.

They probably just thought of me as an existence to hunt and kill casually.

I quickly exploited that vulnerability.

“That young man seems quite capable. Let’s do this properly from now on. Kids, apply CC devices so he can’t move.”

Kim Jong-pal spoke to the remaining party members.

With that order, 3 hunters who apply CC tried to bind me.

“Kaaak.”

But they couldn’t stop my movement.

I quickly killed another one.

Now 5 remained.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you applying CC?”

“I… I did apply it. I definitely applied it.”

“Then why is he moving so well?”

“I don’t know either. For some reason, the CC isn’t working.”

“How is that possible? Who the hell is that guy?”

Kim Jong-pal and his party members fall into panic again.

The CC that should have been applied wasn’t applied.

It seemed they couldn’t believe what was happening.

Certainly, being immune to CC is not an ordinary thing at all.

Unless one is S-class, ordinary hunters can’t be free from CC.

But because of the Hero skill, I’m very free from that.

“Kuhak….”

I killed one more during their moment of confusion.

Now 4 remained.

“Kids. Gather immediately. Let’s try to move calmly even now.”

Detecting that the situation was turning strange, Kim Jong-pal built a defensive formation.

And he sharpened his vigilance against me.

Kim Jong-pal’s judgment was very orthodox and ideal.

If they had done this from the beginning, I would have probably lost.

If the tanks had stayed beside the dealers with the intention of protecting them, rather than drawing my aggro, the situation would have been very different.

But it was too late.

Nothing changes by doing that now.

From the moment I cut down the healer, there was no way for Kim Jong-pal’s party to defeat me.

“Kuhuk…”

“Aaaak…”

“Kuk…”

I cut down the remaining 3 party members as well.

Now only Kim Jong-pal remained.

“You bastard. Do you know whose request I’m moving on? Right now!!!”

Having lost all his party members, Kim Jong-pal made his final scream at me.

He tried to threaten me with eyes full of fear.

Slash.

I cut down Kim Jong-pal.

“Whew… It’s over.”

Only then could I catch my breath.

“The sensation of cutting people still doesn’t feel good…”

Since my A-class hunter days, I’ve been in the hunter industry for several years.

Naturally, I’ve seen countless deaths and have experienced killing people.

This isn’t my first time. But still, I can’t get used to it.

“Haah. By the way, where did Jin-soo go? It’s going to be a task to search this wide place…”

Anyway, now that the situation is resolved, I needed to find Park Jin-soo.

I sighed a little, looking at the inside of the endless large gate.

— — —

Deep inside the gate.

There, Park Jin-soo was crouching.

“Sob… Huuuuuuuk…”

Park Jin-soo couldn’t help but shed tears in this situation.

“Mommyyy…”

20 hours had already passed since Park Jin-soo fled.

Park Jin-soo’s body was cold, hungry, and his wounds were painful.

Park Jin-soo thought he might die trapped in this gate.

How did it come to this?

Park Jin-soo was too sad about his helplessness.

He felt too wronged about why such a thing happened to him.

“Please… save me.”

Park Jin-soo begged.

Right now, at this moment, wouldn’t there be someone who would come to save him?

In this desperate situation, he wished someone would save him.

“Sob…”

Park Jin-soo momentarily recalled Lee Si-woo’s face but shook his head.

It was absolutely impossible for Si-woo to defeat them, and even if he did defeat them, he would never come to save him.

If it were him, he wouldn’t save Park Jin-soo who had fled like this.

Why would he spend 20 hours to find Park Jin-soo?

It made no sense.

He and Si-woo didn’t have that kind of loyalty.

“Sob… Am I going to die now?”

Tears flowed down Park Jin-soo’s eyes.

The gate closes 24 hours after the boss is defeated.

Even if he’s lucky enough to hide like this now, he’s destined to die in 4 hours.

He so desperately wanted to live, but there was no way to survive.

And so Park Jin-soo was about to give up everything.

But.

“He’s here.”

A voice of hope was heard.

“Jin-soo. Are you okay?”

The owner of the voice was Lee Si-woo.

— — —

After wandering in this vast large gate for 20 hours, I finally found Park Jin-soo.

“Jin-soo, are you okay?”

I waved my hand toward Park Jin-soo, and I could see Park Jin-soo raising his head.

“Here, try drinking some water.”

I handed water to Park Jin-soo.

And Park Jin-soo received it and gulped it down.

“Huuuuuk… Si-woo… I missed you.”

And after finishing the water, Park Jin-soo looked at my face and wetted his face with tears and snot.

“Yes. It’s okay.”

I comforted Park Jin-soo.

“Si-woo. How did you find me in this vast place?”

“Hmm… I just found you while searching.”

“Did you search for me for 20 hours without rest?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Park Jin-soo stopped crying and asked me.

I answered honestly.

“Aren’t you tired at all?”

“No. I’m not tired.”

I have the [Hero] skill.

As long as I have this Hero skill, I can be free from fatigue.

So whether it’s 10 hours or 20 hours, I could find Park Jin-soo without getting tired.

“Why… why did you save me? Going through so much trouble…”

Park Jin-soo asked me again while crying loudly.

“Hmm…”

I hesitated slightly on how to answer that question.

In the first place, Park Jin-soo dying isn’t pleasant for me either.

I could be associated with the robber group, and although innocence would be proven eventually, it would take a long time.

Moreover, since I hadn’t been employed for long, if Park Jin-soo died, strange rumors about me could circulate.

I came to save Park Jin-soo just for those reasons.

And if there’s another minor reason…

“We agreed to have a drink together after this was over.”

Just a small regret about losing a drinking buddy.

“Huaaaaaang… Si-woo. No, Brother Si-woo.”

Upon hearing those words, Park Jin-soo hugged me tightly.

Tears and snot flowed like a waterfall from Park Jin-soo’s face.

“Jin-soo. Let’s start by getting out of the gate first.”

I tried my best to detach Park Jin-soo.

I understand it’s emotional, but honestly, being embraced like this by a man is just unpleasant to me.

I led the way to the exit.

Park Jin-soo followed me.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.