IF Chapter 47

Chapter 47

 

“Your master says she needs me?”

The sudden appearance of the wolf was startling, but only for a moment. In response to Shawol’s casually thrown question, the wolf nodded as if it understood.

Shawol let out a hollow laugh, amazed by this sight. It seems like an urgent situation requiring help, given that they sent this monster instead of coming personally…

“Wow, saving her life once, and now she’s ordering me around.”

Even if he had saved her life, requesting support in this situation where he could barely protect his own faction was quite something.

“To begin with, why does she need my help when she has three S-rank faction members?”

It seemed absurd to call for an A-rank hunter with no attack skills when they had such good personnel.

“If I’d known she’d use me like this, I wouldn’t have let my guard down back then.”

Unable to hack the opponent, he had largely judged based on rank. Tsk, Shawol clicked his tongue as he stood up.

Despite his grumbling, Shawol’s feet were ultimately moving toward the door. Chan-woo blinked in confusion.

“Are you going out now?”

“The 1st-rank faction leader wants to see me.”

“What?”

1st-rank faction leader? Chan-woo awkwardly tried to stop him at this unexpected mention.

“W-wait a moment. The situation is dangerous now, our faction isn’t settled yet, and you’re leaving your post like this? Even if it’s the 1st-rank faction leader’s request, going recklessly is…”

“I have no choice.”

Shawol firmly cut off his faction member’s words. He briefly recalled the image of the woman who had stood proudly before him, looking straight at him.

“She’s someone my abilities don’t work on at all.”

Having always fought by hacking opponents’ weaknesses or information and exploiting that, fighting an opponent he couldn’t hack was too dangerous.

Moreover, Yoo Yi-joo was surrounded by people who couldn’t be recklessly confronted.

For now, the best approach was to explore without offending her.

‘Well, what else can I do?’

Shawol shrugged and muttered as he mounted the white wolf.

“Until I know something about that woman, whether it’s a weakness or whatever, I’ll have to yield.”

💎

Baek Doha excels at magic. Among all hunters worldwide, there’s probably no one as good at reading mana as Baek Doha.

However, that doesn’t mean Cha Si-hyeon or Lim Yuchan can’t read mana. As S-rank, they’re exceptional in all abilities, including sensing mana. Otherwise…

“Did you feel that just now?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s that mutt’s mana, right?”

They wouldn’t be able to catch the mana just from it briefly passing by on the other side of the blocked wall.

Cha Si-hyeon frowned, looking at the left path they hadn’t taken.

“Why is he here…?”

“Seems like one of us should go check.”

Cha Si-hyeon nodded in agreement to Lim Yuchan’s words.

“I’ll go.”

Since Yoo Yi-joo’s mana wasn’t felt, it seemed that Mungchi or whatever had come alone, so going alone should be sufficient.

“Alright, I’ll find the boss and follow you soon.”

With that, Lim Yuchan and Cha Si-hyeon silently turned their backs. Worry between them was a luxury.

Although they fought often, or rather frequently, they ultimately trusted each other’s strength.

As Cha Si-hyeon’s steps quickened, eventually using a skill to run as Mungchi’s mana grew stronger…

“Are you sure you’re going the right way?”

Mungchi, growled irritably, and some man were tapping in the air.

“There seems to be a wall blocking here…”

“Hey, mutt. What are you doing there?”

Ignoring the man’s muttering, Cha Si-hyeon called out to Mungchi. Mungchi, having already sensed his presence, turned around nonchalantly.

“Oh?”

On the other hand, the man looked a bit flustered at Cha Si-hyeon’s appearance.

“Mutt, why are you with him?”

Mungchi turned his head indifferently. Cha Si-hyeon let out a hollow laugh at Mungchi’s particularly cold attitude towards him and approached the man. What did Yoo Yi-joo call this man last time?

“Shin Shawol?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Why are you with that mutt?”

As Mungchi didn’t answer, Shawol scratched his cheek and replied to Cha Si-hyeon’s question.

“It seems Yoo Yi-joo called me through Mungchi.”

Hearing this, Cha Si-hyeon briefly looked at Mungchi before turning his head.

“Then why aren’t you passing through?”

“Well… it seems there’s a barrier in this space.”

Shawol tapped the seemingly flat wall a couple of times. How did he know when there was no mana felt?

‘Considering his continued interaction with Yoo Yi-joo, his ability must be far from ordinary.’

After a brief calculation, Cha Si-hyeon turned to Shawol.

“Are you sure?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if you’re sure there’s a barrier.”

At his question, Shawol blinked for a moment, then nodded.

“Yes, I’m certain.”

Hearing the confident answer, Cha Si-hyun raised his sword.

“What are you going to do?”

“What do you think?”

[Using Skill, ‘Phenomenon Separation (S)’!]

As terrifying mana filled the sharp sword, simultaneously, with a loud boom, he struck the wall.

The posture was clean and precise, but the power was tremendous. Shin Shawol, who had unknowingly closed her eyes at the loud noise, slowly opened them.

And at the end…

“Finally found it. This damned faction.”

The entrance to the 2nd rank faction had appeared.

💎

Trapped in the 2nd rank faction, what are the chances of encountering the boss of this round simultaneously?

Looking up at the 2nd rank faction members fighting with their doppelgangers, I wore a haggard expression.

No one answered my question. Naturally, even the system remained silent.

‘So, should I prioritize dealing with the enemy trying to kill me or the monster trying to kill me?’

Of course, I didn’t expect an answer, so I—

“You stay put.”

At that moment, interrupting my thoughts, a voice was heard. As if answering my question.

As I showed a surprised expression, Kim Ha-neul approached and firmly pressed my right wrist.

[Trait, ‘I’m Stronger (Fear Effect on Target)’ automatically activated!]

At that moment, more than the pain in my sprained wrist, my heart pounded in response to Kim Ha-neul’s mana. Very violently, like someone experiencing fear.

“A C-rank like you couldn’t defeat that boss alone anyway.”

Kim Ha-neul smirked at me as I stood still, unable to refute his words.

“Stop showing off, and let’s make this easy for both of us.”

When I came to my senses, I was already kneeling on the ground.

Kim Ha-neul, who had been watching me gasp for breath under the pressure of his magic, turned his back abruptly and declared to his faction members.

“We’ll take the boss.”

And he added.

“Kill the boss first, then kill this woman.”

Watching Kim Ha-neul’s retreating back, I dropped my forehead to the floor. Only then did I realize how weak I truly was.

‘I thought things would be a bit different after going from F-rank to E-rank.’

Perhaps it was me who had underestimated other powers, having become too accustomed to the strength of the S-ranks I had been living with.

I squeezed my eyes shut and caught my breath.

‘Just a little longer…’

From the front, I could hear the sounds of those fighting the boss.

[DUNGEON GUIDE] 00:07:13 until ‘Protecting the Faction from External Intruders (Stage 1)’ ends

Not much time left. If I could just hold on a little longer…

As I caught my breath and slowly raised my upper body, at that moment.

‘Ah.’

I felt it.

‘Shin Shawol’s mana…!’

💎

 

“You seem to be struggling quite a bit with just one C-rank.”

 

Kim Ha-neul recalled a voice in his head as he watched his faction members fight the boss.

How dare she speak so confidently when she’s barely hanging on. In the end, she couldn’t even overcome his mana and knelt down.

Kim Ha-neul glanced at Yoo Yi-joo, who was gasping for breath, then turned his head and smirked.

‘The boss will be ours.’

If they could gain points, kill Yoo Yi-joo, and obtain the pattern, everything he had been hoping for would come true.

The boss of this round wasn’t as formidable as expected. Its strength lay in its ability to create many doppelgangers, so when it was cornered here alone, it couldn’t fully demonstrate its power.

Thinking he could kill it quickly, Kim Ha-neul turned his head again to look at Yoo Yi-joo.

“…?”

More precisely, he looked at where Yoo Yi-joo had been.

“What! Where did she go?!”

Flustered, Kim Ha-neul raised his head. There, he saw the central hall door, which had somehow opened.

Even if she was good at enduring, how could she have escaped with that body?

Despite being a mere C-rank with pathetically weak mana, he hadn’t even noticed her mana disappearing.

“Damn it. Hey! What are you all doing?!”

The faction members who had been continuing to fight the boss turned around at Kim Ha-neul’s shout.

“Y-yes?”

“Can’t you see that woman escaped because you were too slow?”

Only then did the faction members notice Yoo Yi-joo’s disappearance and hesitated.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and go!”

“Pardon?”

“I’ll handle this, so just go, damn it!”

Hearing those words, Yoo Yi-joo gritted her teeth and ran. Shin Shawol’s mana was getting closer and closer.

[DUNGEON GUIDE] 00:05:34 until ‘Protecting the Faction from External Intruders (Stage 1)’ ends

It was the beginning of a chase.

💎

Thank you for reading! ♡