32 Chapter 31 (1/2)
”Yes. All the convicts are rank Cs, but the Hunter from the Monitoring Division is actually a rank B, so there is nothing for you to worry about.”
Kim Sang-Sik nodded his head.
The popular opinion stated that you'd need around ten C-rank Hunters in order to contend against a single Hunter ranked B.
Well, a B-rank was personally coming to monitor the troublemakers, not to mention participating in the raid itself, so there was no reason to say no here.
'One rank B and three rank Cs, huh.....'
Jin-Woo quietly studied the faces of the Monitoring Division's agent as well as the three replacement convicts, before tilting his head slightly.
'Something's off here.'
He could sense a minute trace of murderous intent flowing between those four.
Was this also one of the facets of the enhanced Perception Stat? Or was he simply being overly cautious?
In any case, he was overcome with this unexplainable anxiety all of a sudden.
So, Jin-Woo whispered in Ju-Hui's ear.
”Miss Ju-Hui, please don't participate in this raid.”
Ju-Hui looked up at Jin-Woo's eyes and asked back.
”What about you, Mister Jin-Woo?”
Rather than answering her, he too asked back.
”If I say I'll be going?”
”Well, in that case, I'm going too.”
She looked like she'd follow him, no matter what.
'I'm sure she's only doing this because she's concerned about me. And....'
And, he learned through prior experience that, whenever Ju-Hui's face was forming that expression, she'd suddenly become a very stubborn young lady and she'd never change her mind, no matter what.
'There shouldn't be a problem with me around, right?'
After all, he had experienced dealing with Hwang Dong-Seok's gang, which contained five rank Cs in their midst.
Jin-Woo nodded his head.
”In that case, okay.”
The agent from the Monitoring Division finished signing on all of the documents, and then came to speak to the gathered Hunters.
”My name is Kahng Tae-Sik from the Monitoring Division. I believe you've been informed of the situation. I'll keep a very close eye on those three, so you can rest easy.”
Kahng Tae-Sik then beckoned the three convicts to come closer. They all trudged towards him and presented their hands. With a practised hand of his own, Kahng Tae-Sik swiftly undid their cuffs.
”Wowsers. I thought I was gonna die from the stuffiness just now.”
”We ain't even slaves, so isn't it against our rights for you to drag us around here and there like this?”
The convicts massaged their freed wrists and continued to pile on their complaints.
Kahng Tae-Sik roundly ignored them and returned his gaze back to the Hunters.
”Who will be taking the lead today?”
Song Chi-Yeol, having led raids before, raised his hand about half way up. Kahng Tae-Sik nodded his head.
”Understood.”
With Song Chi-Yeol in the lead, Hunters entered the Gate one by one.
”Let's get going as well.”
Jin-Woo and Ju-Hui also entered the Gate, albeit at the same time.
Perhaps the trauma from the last incident remained with her, because she ever so slightly held onto Jin-Woo's sleeve.
***
Goblins were the main enemies for this dungeon. They were the weakest of all man-type monsters out there. So, clearing the dungeon itself wasn't hard at all.
”Kiiieeehhk!!”
”Kiiehhk!!”
These strange-looking creatures were weak enough for Jin-Woo to fight evenly one on one even before he got his power boost. Still, Jin-Woo did his utmost best to carefully hunt Goblins with his bare hands.
”Kiiehhck!!”
”Kahk!!”
When Jin-Woo displayed the combat prowess that easily exceeded their imaginations, both Ju-Hui and Song Chi-Yeol's eyes became extra round in surprise.
”Wow.”
He was hiding most of his true power, yet the result of each fight was still remarkably different compared to the past. Ju-Hui approached him and carefully asked him.
”Have you been working out lately?”
”Well... I, uh, I've been jogging every day.”
”Jogging??”
Ju-Hui tilted her head, but well, he wasn't technically lying here, so....
'But besides all that... I'm not earning any experience points here.'
”Kiiieeehhck!!”
[The enemy's level is too low, and your experience points did not rise.]
”Kah-gahk!!”
[The enemy's level is too low, and your experience points did not rise.]
Jin-Woo formed a disappointed expression.
The message of Goblins being too weak and him not getting any experience points kept repeating itself.
'This isn't going to work....'
On top of this, the magic crystals from the Goblins were also the worst grade there could be.
Jin-Woo took a look around him.
The C-ranked convicts must've been really excited by the taste of freedom because they were wildly swinging their weapons and energetically ripped Goblins to shreds.
”Kkkiiiieehhhkk!!”
”Kehk! Kehhk!!”
From that scene alone, it was difficult to tell apart just who were the monsters and who were the humans there.
'I guess there's no reason for me to break a sweat today.'
Well, he wasn't earning any experience points, nor was he making lots of money today, either. A certain thought popped up in his head next.
'If it's going to be like this from now on, wouldn't it be better to quit the Association?'
Pretty much the majority of jobs coming to the Association's way were clearing the Gates ranked D and E. However, if his level wasn't going to increase from entering those types of Gates, then there was no need to participate in Association's raids anymore.
'I can easily earn mom's hospital fees by myself now, too.'
He could quit the Association at any time he felt like it.
This was why having money was always for the better. As soon as he had some, his selection had widened. While thinking of this and that, the raid team entered deeper into the dungeon.
”Uh?”
”Mm.....”
And soon, a forked road with three paths appeared before them.
Kahng Tae-Sik made a suggestion to Song Chi-Yeol.
”Since the difficulty of the dungeon is low, how about splitting up from here onwards?”
”Yes, let's do that.”
Song Chi-Yeol readily agreed to that idea.
Jin-Woo closed his eyes and extended his Perception to the max.
'Now, which path leads to the boss?'
He was hoping that maybe the boss would give him a few experience points, at the very least.
Soon enough, he could pick up on the auras of all living creatures inside the dungeon.
Jin-Woo opened his eyes and spoke to Song Chi-Yeol.
”Ahjussi, let's go left.”
”Okay.”
Jin-Woo, Song Chi-Yeol, and Ju-Hui chose the left pathway, Kahng Tae-Sik and the three convicts the right one, and the remaining two went down the middle one.
Jin-Woo's heart began beating a little bit faster.
'The boss is at the end of this passage.'
Although it couldn't be described as strong, a unique and different aura from that of a Goblin was leaking out from the end of this cavern-like passageway.
He wanted to quickly kill the boss.
However, groups of Goblins kept jumping out at him every couple of steps he took, and this hindered their progress.
”Kek, kek, kek,”
”Keeriiick.”
”Keeiick.”
And this time, there were around ten of them or so.