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***
After the third battle, Hanseok was the first to break the silence.
“Phew, how about taking a break now?”
Normally, they would take breaks in between to rest, but with Gareng’s magic proving effective and Hanseok’s experienced tanking skills, they smoothly managed three battles.
The party found a suitable, safe area in the forest and settled down there.
If they were facing stronger monsters, setting up a barrier might be necessary, but against goblins, it seemed unnecessary. These creatures couldn’t even manage a proper ambush, as Hanseok had already sensed them faster than they could set it up.
‘Three coins so far?’
Each battle earned him one coin, thanks to Hanseok leading most of the mobs towards him. It was a better yield than usual.
While checking the coins he earned from the shop window, Hanseok turned to them and asked, “How was it?”
Thinking for a moment, Jeonghyun responded, “You’re indeed quick. I’ve only fought zombies and skeletons before.”
No need to brag unnecessarily.
“It would have been quite challenging without Gareng’s magic.”
For someone encountering magic for the first time, her skills left a lasting impression, and Hanseok playfully responded to their praise.
“Oh? What about me?”
“Ah, of course, Hanseok too.”
A friendly atmosphere settled in. This time, Gareng asked Jiyoon.
“And how about you, Jiyoon?”
“Well… I didn’t need much healing since you all fought so well.”
She wasn’t entirely truthful. She did healing for minor injuries and scratches, as it was crucial to avoid infection risks.
However, compared to others, her contribution seemed a bit less.
‘Phew, almost got caught because of Jiyoon.’
It was a dilemma. To showcase exciting battles, some injuries were inevitable, and each time, he had to pretend to be in pain.
He needed his party members to believe that the battles were intense for him.
‘Physical Ability Slight Enhancement” (E, Lv.1) with natural healing ability included.’
It was still a hidden ability.
After Jiyoon’s response, Hanseok nodded a few times and changed the topic.
“Thank goodness. Thanks to both of you, the request will be completed easily. But I think we need to refill our water. Gareng, want to come with me?”
“Water? Sure, let’s go.”
Initially confused, Gareng hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement as Hanseok pointed in a direction.
While the two disappeared in the indicated direction, Jeonghyun and Jiyoon remained in the safe area. The atmosphere felt awkward, especially with Jiyoon’s naturally timid personality.
Jeonghyun, however, remained lost in thought without attempting to break the silence.
‘Why did they leave together?’
It was definitely strange. At the moment, the party’s strength was undoubtedly concentrated around Hanseok and Gareng.
Therefore, it was crucial to avoid situations where Hanseok and Gareng would move together.
Even an experienced hunter, especially one who had contributed a lot like Hanseok, should be aware of this risk. Despite this, they left Jeonghyun and Jiyoon alone without a second thought.
Moreover,
‘Did Hanseok drink that much water?’
Jeonghyun, who had unintentionally kept Hanseok and Gareng in mind, knew that Hanseok had not been drinking much water. He hadn’t observed how many times Hanseok had taken a sip, but it shouldn’t be empty.
Sloshing-
Jeonghyun shook the water pouch attached to his hip. It was only half-empty now.
Considering his own situation, Jeonghyun couldn’t believe that Hanseok’s water pouch, who fought more leisurely than him, would be empty.
‘Well, maybe he want to pre-filled it.’
Grumbling to himself, Jeonghyun decided to fill his water pouch in advance too, just in case.
Suspicion towards party members couldn’t be casually revealed.
Even though the villainous charge wasn’t explicitly stated in the law, among hunters, it was almost equivalent to a public execution.
However, rather than constantly worrying about potential threats during the hunt, wouldn’t it be more unnatural to at least check, even if a bit awkward?
As this thought crossed Jeonghyun’s mind, he subtly called Jiyoon.
“Jiyoon.”
“Yes?”
“Do you happen to need more water?”
She shook her water pouch in response to Jeonghyun’s question. Then, she nodded.
“Oh, I rarely drink water, so there’s still some left.”
“I see. I’m sorry, but since my water is running low, will you go with me toogether with Hanseok and Gareng to get more?”
“Oh, sure!”
In response to Jeonghyun’s request, Jiyoon hesitated for a moment and then nodded. Perhaps for her as well, doing some activity rather than sitting quietly in an awkward atmosphere would be better.
“Thank you.”
Jeonghyun took Jiyoon with him and headed in the direction where Hanseok and Gareng had disappeared. Naturally, they went without making any sound.
“Uh… do we really need to move like this?”
“Well, there’s a chance the goblins could see us. It might be challenging to handle them alone.”
“Oh.”
Jiyoon, convinced by Jeonghyun’s explanation, became cautious as well.
‘I feel a bit sorry for deceiving her.’
As they ventured deeper toward stream area, the sound of water accompanied Hanseok and Gareng’s conversation, which had a somewhat uneasy tone.
“So, isn’t the guy a bit suspicious?”
“Well, he got injured by goblins that are dying anyway.”
“True, but… still, let’s be careful.”
Although only three sentences were vaguely heard, it was enough to change Jeonghyun’s suspicions, which had been cautious until now, into certainty.
Firstly, had the way they addressed him changed?
Hanseok and Gareng, who had been so friendly in front of them, had an unexpectedly aggressive tone, something unimaginable.
Their conversation continued.
“Going into mob hunting with an unregistered hunter? Ridiculous.”
“We can’t draw too much attention. To be safe, we have no choice. I’ll pretend to make a mistake and let a few more go next time, so let’s see what he does.”
“Ugh, I don’t know. Do whatever you want. Just be sure to give a clear signal before doing anything. Dealing with trash like them is such a hassle.”
Jeonghyun unconsciously gritted his teeth.
Something felt too good to be true.
There was no such thing as a favor without a price.
This time, the price was excessively cruel and unreasonable.
“Jeonghyun, why are you like this?”
Not having heard the conversation, Jiyoon, surprised by Jeonghyun’s sudden change, asked.
Jeonghyun turned hastily and grabbed Jiyoon.
“Jiyoon, you need to be alert from now on.”
“Huh? Why? What’s going on?”
Where should he start?
About how to deal with the newbie hunters whose plan was already on-going?
No, before deciding whether they would be opponents, he needed to explain to Jiyoon as well.
At that moment, the calm words that Hanseok had given him echoed in Jeonghyun’s mind.
“Always be prepared to attack, but don’t show any signs to the enemy. Remember, this is the basics of a fight.”
Fortunately, Jeonghyun had detected Hanseok and Gareng’s conspiracy first.
That alone created a significant disadvantage for them.
Of course, closing the gap completely might be challenging.
Jeonghyun made an effort to calm his mind and began to explain to Jiyoon.
“Jiyoon, listen carefully. I can’t explain everything right now, but first, next time…”
***
“Ahh!”
Jeonghyun, stumbling with his right arm in pain.
There, a goblin’s spear pierced him dangerously deep.
“Oh no, I’m really sorry!”
“Are you okay? What should we do?”
Hanseok’s meticulous aggro control lost balance for a moment, causing two goblins to focus more on Jeonghyun.
Seeing Jeonghyun fall, Hanseok quickly regained composure, readjusting the front line. Jiyoon, on the other hand, pulled Jeonghyun to a safer position and began healing.
To pull out the goblin’s spear, it took away most of the surrounding flesh, and extracting it brought unbearable pain.
Still, for the sake of treatment, there was no other choice.
Jeonghyun gritted his teeth and endured it.
Even though he couldn’t see the goblins’ approach, Jeonghyun had been the first to spot monsters throughout the hunt. So, he had an idea.
At least Jiyoon seemed to understand that, even though she wasn’t able to hear the conversation, as she treated Jeonghyun, who was lying on the ground.
Hanseok, who witnessed Jeonghyun being stabbed, immediately eliminated the goblin who caused it.
“Let’s pull out the spear first. One, two!”
“Ahhh!”
Jeonghyun twisted his body with bloodshot eyes as he felt the excruciating pain of the goblin’s crude weapon being forcibly removed.
But despite the pain, it was necessary for treatment.
“How are you, Jeonghyun?”
In an instant, Hanseok and Gareng gathered around Jeonghyun, having quickly dealt with the remaining goblins.
Jeonghyun’s condition was severely critical, with visible bones and messy wounds that even made Jiyoon, with a healing ability, start to worry.
She used her healing skills, but soon retrieved bandages and wraps from her backpack, realizing that her abilities alone wasn’t enough to heal it.
“It won’t work with my abilities. You need proper treatment outside.”
The bandages on Jeonghyun’s arm quickly soaked with blood, and continuous healing didn’t seem to make the situation any clearer.
Despite Jeonghyun still in pain and Jiyoon persistently tried to help, Hanseok and Gareng smiled at each other.
Then, as if returning to their usual concerns, they pretended to worry again and discussed the situation.
“What should we do about this… we haven’t fulfilled the request conditions yet. What should we do…?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Jiyoon widened her eyes and looked up at them. In such a critical situation worrying about fulfilling a request seemed absurd.
But the attitudes of Hanseok and Gareng had already visibly changed.
“I’m sorry, but it seems a bit difficult to leave right now. Since moving seems challenging for you, I’ll bring the goblins here. If you’re still alive, we’ll distribute the spoils as promised. Is that okay with you?”
“This is ridiculous!”
“Gareng, make sure to ‘protect’ these two. We can’t afford them getting stung by poison.”
“Okay.”
Jiyoon’s words were ignored. The situation was severe, and they should be worried about excessive bleeding. In a situation where someone’s life was hanging by a thread, worrying about fulfilling a request was unbelievable.
However, the attitudes of Hanseok and Gareng had already changed noticeably. Hanseok, who had laughed fiercely, quickly disappeared. Gareng, with a calm smile, looked down at Jiyoon and Jeonghyun.
“Well then, we’ll give you a ride on the bus, so please stay still.”
They were not the same kind people from earlier anymore.
Jiyoon, with a pale face, continued to pour healing energy into Jeonghyun’s wounds.
“Oh, Nam Jiyoon. I’ve seen this more than once or twice, and E-rank healing won’t do. I wonder if he can even move right away.”
Mocking words with a clear tone of sarcasm. Jeonghyun, who had thought he could at least fight, collapsed, leaving only Jiyoon, wondering if she could even properly wield a knife.
Even in a situation where one might let their guard down, this wasn’t unusual when dealing with hunters.
“Jiyoon, it’s okay now.”
