SWNOVELXO Chapter 138: Kagoshima Dragon Raid
A community site in Japan.
{I think Korea has too many S-ranks.}
With a dull expression, a netizen’s fingers danced on the keyboard.
{Is something flowing in the underground water?}
{Impossible.}
{It’s a surveillance state, so they discover Awakened individuals right away in Korea.}
Recently, Korea had been in an uproar with the emergence of the fourth S-Class Hunter.
However, from the perspective of neighboring countries, this was not something to celebrate.
{They’ve fallen behind.}
Thanks to the birth of that fourth Hunter, Japan now had the same number of S-Class Hunters as Korea.
{Our populations differ by a factor of two. So how is the number of S-ranks the same?}
{It seems Japan is simply lacking in S-ranks.}
{We are a developed country in terms of Gate management. So we don’t have to worry about the rest.}
Even if they didn’t harbor any ill feelings towards Korea, it was natural to feel a bit negative when a neighboring country was trying to break their records.
[Breaking News]
But the headaches didn’t end there.
One day, a new problem arose in the Book Nation.
“Gate report. After sending an investigation team to the dungeon that appeared in Kagoshima Prefecture, the grade of this gate has been revealed to be S-rank…”
The appearance of an S-Class Dungeon, which had not been seen since the Hawaii Raid four years ago!
{An S-rank has appeared www}
{I didn’t ask for this S-rank (lol) }
{Isn’t it dangerous?}
With this news, the Japanese public was bound to be in considerable turmoil.
*
[Hey, S-class isn’t that big of a deal, why is everyone making such a fuss?]
Some might think like this.
Isn’t it just catchable if it’s an S rank?
Especially since Korea had recently handled the ‘Unavoidable Malice’ situation, they were even less anxious about the S-class dangers.
Some thought it was just a rare dungeon that had appeared and moved on.
[What year were you born? You must be an elementary school student to say such things!]
However, the situation in Japan was quite different.
The ‘Unavoidable Malice’ was an artificial horror that barely managed to step into S-class.
In other words, it was as strong as a S-class ‘ordinary monster’.
“That giant snake that turned Seoul into ruins is just a weak mob?”
Four years ago, the S-Class Dungeon Break incident.
Because of the creature [Nuckelavee] that burst out of the dungeon, America lost half of their top-tier Hunters.
So who would willingly go out to help Japan in this situation?
America was still fervently scouting foreign Hunters due to the damage incurred back then.
Moreover, even without citing America as an example, no country wanted their own S-Class Hunters to perish.
[Japan, “Desperately seeking international aid”… Eager request for support]
Thus, it was almost expected that Japan’s requests would be ignored.
“Hmm.”
An S-Class Gate.
Based on the precedent from Hawaii, S-Class monsters had enormous influence.
Perhaps even the neighboring country, Korea, could be affected.
So if a dungeon was going to erupt anyway, wouldn’t it be better to collaborate with Japan to reduce the risk early?
“Isn’t prevention the best, after all?”
Contrary to the political sentiments, this was not an easy task.
[Free Bulletin Board]
· If we help them, they’ll brush us off later! Why would we help a country like Japan that we don’t even like!
· Serves them right~
· Everyone, help. I was assaulted by Korean S-Class Hunter Kang Chang-ho. He concealed evidence with medication. The police… must have taken bribes, as they’re totally siding with Hunters. What should I do?
┕ Wow, this person has a legendary comments list, always trash-talking Hunters.
┕ Looks like an attention seeker.
Setting aside the anti-Japanese sentiments among some in the country, it was doubtful whether the S-Class Hunters would even go to the gate.
“You saw what happened in Hawaii. S-Class monsters are creatures that can instantly kill even the highest-ranking Awakened. Is there really a Hunter willing to jump into such a situation?”
“Cough cough.”
“Jeong Ha-seong isn’t the same as before. He won’t do everything just because someone tells him to.”
The Korean Hunter Association was deep in thought day by day.
Of course, while all of this was happening, Japan was already in a state of panic.
*
The so-called Kagoshima Gate.
Internal magic level measurement revealed it to be S-Class.
According to the explorer’s report, there was a dragon inside that dungeon.
The dragon found was a new species, so it was still uncertain what kind of attacks it would unleash, but the presence of poison swamps throughout the dungeon indicated that the opponent might very well be a poison dragon.
However, despite the appearance of the dungeon having occurred three days prior, Japan was hardly able to even plan their response.
Even a powerful nation like America had taken such heavy losses.
With only four S-Class Hunters, there was no guarantee they would succeed in an assault.
“Hmm.”
But actually, I was viewing this incident from a slightly different perspective.
“Let’s see.”
First of all.
The Ki-simche is a surprisingly low-intelligence species. To the extent that sometimes, they can’t communicate smoothly at all.
But they aren’t so foolish that they would destroy the house they’re living in.
Like many parasites, they only absorb energy just enough so as not to destroy their host planet.
‘If the S-Class Hunters had been lost unreasonably in the earlier Hawaii Dungeon Break…’
I tapped my chair’s armrest, deep in thought.
‘The Ki-simche must have adjusted the difficulty. Surely the S-Class dungeon in Japan will be weaker than last time.’
If upper-ranking Awakened were to demolish all the dungeons so that humanity would no longer suffer, it would be a problem, but it wouldn’t be what they wanted either if too many Hunters died and the food chain collapsed, would it?
After all, when strong beings die, it doesn’t directly generate more mental energy.
Ultimately, adjusting the difficulty is essential for the ecosystem’s balance.
Moreover, this newly appeared gate is apparently steeped in poisonous properties.
Fortunately, I had recently acquired a strong resistance to poison. I wouldn’t easily die even if I inhaled vaporized lethal poison.
So I had my answer.
“Whew.”
After deep contemplation, I decided to participate in the assault on this S-Class Gate.
‘I can’t just sit still.’
This was another plan I had in mind.
If the Dragon’s Lung wasn’t coming through, I had to start considering other options.
‘I thought proclaiming myself as an S-Class Hunter would prevent any disputes…!’
As expected.
As the recovery of the Lung grew later, troublesome incidents began to arise around me.
The backlash from acting rashly with the mindset of simply switching bodies was gradually catching up.
So now, I needed to capture a dragon directly, even if it took that, to urgently secure an organ.
Considering the possibility of directly diving in was still more likely to find the [Dragon’s Lung].
‘It’s a desperate struggle, grasping at straws.’
Of course, as an Awakened with hardly any magic power, I couldn’t go head-to-head against a dragon.
“Dragon hunting, huh.”
I had my own role to play.
That’s just how the world works. Even the most insignificant bug ultimately plays an essential role in the overall ecosystem.
*
On Monday morning.
Japan’s side had made a substantial request to the Korean government.
And the reason why they would offer a sum equivalent to the national budget was one.
“Please dispatch S-Class Hunters.”
Having thought that there was nothing that couldn’t be accomplished with money, Association President Go Byeong-do felt a profound realization of values that money couldn’t buy when faced with such an incident.
“Ugh, what a dilemma.”
S-Class Hunters. Are they truly irreplaceable beings?
“Have we sent out all the meeting invitations to the S-Class Hunters?”
“Yes, President.”
“And the replies?”
“No one has replied yet…”
But just because they felt their value didn’t mean that Kim Gi-ryeo or Kang Chang-ho suddenly looked favorable.
He still carried the same thoughts.
‘What a time to see the country’s fate hinge on superpowers!’
Hunters only fulfill their value when they heed the words of the master on the mountain.
However, how could society trust and accept a rambunctious individual armed with a gun?
‘What a mess, what a mess.’
S-Class Hunters that didn’t listen to orders were nothing more than troublesome ticking time bombs.
As irreplaceable force, they would still act out even when granted all sorts of privileges, making them arrogant beings.
Go Byeong-do walked down the corridor, keeping a sidelong glance at the high-ranking Awakened.
“President! I just received a reply from an S-Class Hunter!”
But then.
Just before he reached the Association President’s office, an employee brought good news.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I just checked in with the secretary’s office again, and it turns out it’s not a reply… but they are already in the conference room?”
Had the association summoned the top-tier Hunters in preparation for the gate that appeared in Kagoshima?
And someone managed to get here just 15 minutes after receiving the text?
“I’ll head down right away. Tell the staff to prepare the materials.”
“Yes.”
It’s Jeong Ha-seong, no doubt.
The president was confident of the identity of the Hunter who responded to the summons.
That S-Class was known for his diligent nature and strong inclination to serve the country.
Go Byeong-do recalled an upstanding young man and boarded the elevator.
‘Ah, indeed, the only one to trust is Ha-seong.’
But how could this be possible?
Upon arriving in the meeting room.
Turning the doorknob and entering the room, an unthinkable figure appeared across the table.
“Uh?”
Dull blond hair.
Thin skin.
And a gaze so sharp that it lacked any emotion.
“…”
The cold-looking man who was checking the documents greeted the association president.
“Hello.”
Kim Gi-ryeo. This was the identity of the Hunter who had responded to the call.
No, what the heck happened…?
*
Thinking back, he had always been like this.
“Ugh.”
The 13th Month’s Maze.
Mermaid’s Cove.
Strangely, Kim Gi-ryeo had fulfilled a Hunter’s duty so perfectly until now.
Contrary to the initial declaration of ignoring the association’s orders, that S-Class was strangely the first to appear whenever an embarrassing incident occurred.
‘He’s got a split personality or something? What is going on?’
Thanks to that, the association president was in a state of tangled thoughts, nearly going crazy.
But the individual across the table continued to speak without a care.
“Yes. Understood. I will go to the Kagoshima Gate as a representative.”
“What?!”
“Why are you so surprised? You just asked me to go.”
Flipping through the papers handed over by the association, Gi-ryeo continued.
“However, there are conditions.”
His proposal was this.
Though he could attempt a powerful restraint strong enough to bind the dragon that appeared in Kagoshima…
Honestly, he felt uncomfortable unveiling his strength in a foreign country, so he intended to just offer some subtle support from the back.
‘A supporter role?’
Yet the next comment made even the previously disinterested association president’s eyes widen.
“I plan to completely neutralize the dungeon’s boss with that skill. It’s possible.”
“Um…?”
“So I hope you would relay this to Japan in advance.”
“Relay?”
“Excluding the basic distribution, I must receive an additional reward.”
Thud, roll roll.
Gi-ryeo tossed a familiar object onto the table. A thick parchment infused with magic.
‘[Knight’s Pact]!’
This item was a tool for absolutely binding promises.
The association president found himself strangely stiffened at the sight of this object. Nonetheless, he had to check the details stated here.
“Upon completion of the assault, I will receive one item of my choosing from the drops of the monster…?”
Gi-ryeo nodded.
“Whether common or boss, the range includes all dragons that appear from that S-Class gate.”
The moment he heard that, images of decorative items sprang to mind.
Eyes and hearts.
These manufactured items could not be extracted from corpses but could appear in item form as the highest reward obtainable from slaying a dragon.
‘They say the drop rate is low.’
But if what Kim Gi-ryeo said about completely neutralizing the S-Class boss were true…
‘Still a bargain for saving the country!’
Frankly, even for a dragon’s heart, he would gladly part with it.
Of course, the Japanese Hunter Association would likely think along similar lines.
“Ah, I understand. We will be sure to convey this to them.”
Go Byeong-do cleared his throat and organized the documents.
This was truly unexpected.
He had never anticipated that a top-tier Hunter would agree so willingly to go to Kagoshima.
‘Whatever the ulterior motive, accepting this is advantageous. After all, the first and second rankers would have had difficulty involving themselves in someone else’s affairs due to security issues anyway.’
How would Japan react if they promised to dispatch a precious S-Class of their own?
The association president stood up from his seat, still in a daze.
Now that the dispatched Hunter had been decided, he quickly needed to establish contact with Japan.