Hunters Keep Coming To My House - Chapter 69

Chapter 69

“Ha ha, ha.”

What did he just witness?

Even after confirming with his own eyes by rubbing them with his hands to ensure they were normal, his brain resisted accepting this fact.

It was understandable, as this situation was a scene Kang Yoon-soo had never encountered in his hunter life.

Kang Yoon-soo, with a puzzled look, combed his disheveled hair and pondered again slowly.

He just wanted to check the strength, as the manapower seemed greater than when he met Mr. Kim Chok.

So, after using a skill for demonstration purposes, he stepped back to observe Seo Yeon-oh’s actions.

If she showed no reaction, he was ready to deploy a protective shield immediately.

However, she decided to use a vacuum cleaner as a weapon.

Not only did it instantly pull in a huge monster, but it also seemed to have some skill attached to it.

More surprisingly, she absorbed the monster’s mana power as if it were her own and used it as a skill.

The fact that the skill she used was the familiar “Mana Bullet” was already astounding, but the even more astonishing part was that she used it more skillfully than usual.

“Why does the Mana Bullet shoot out like a beam?”

Wasn’t that a mistake in chanting the skill?

Forgetting for a moment that he usually only used the “Mana Bullet” for cars, Kang Yoon-soo mumbled.

Skills defined by the system were usually difficult to twist and use.

The explanations were unclear, and they were often rigid. Moreover, precise mana power control was required to twist and use a skill.

Hence, a hunter’s talent was evident here.

No matter how high the level and how strong the force was, if the fuel efficiency was poor, it was useless.

This was also the reason why Han Seung-hoo couldn’t beat Jung Tae-il.

Han Seung-hoo was born with a large amount of mana power, while Jung Tae-il, despite being S-level, had a relatively small amount.

However, Jung Tae-il’s efficiency in using mana power was much better.

In other words, Jung Tae-il had a remarkable talent for knowing how much mana power to use efficiently for each skill.

On the contrary, Han Seung-hoo, with an overflow of mana power, didn’t bother with efficiency, making his talent relatively less.

Therefore, whenever Jung Tae-il and Han Seung-hoo fought, Jung Tae-il always emerged as the winner.

Even though he had a lot of mana power, when it came to the final moments of the battle, Han Seung-hoo always hit the ground first.

To the always losing Han Seung-hoo due to the same problem, Kang Yoon-soo advised him to use mana power more efficiently.

‘But Seung-hoo lacks desperation.’

So, he’s never won against Tae-il until he creates a flood and leaves.

He never fully acknowledged him, using the excuse that his main focus is long-range attacks, and the matchup isn’t favorable.

‘But at least now it seems like he’s desperate. That’s fortunate.’

It was a relief that he seemed to realize it even though he was still young.

Anyway,

‘I thought Seo Yeon-oh would be more talented than Tae-il, but I didn’t expect it to be to this extent.’

Changing the <Mana Bullet>, which should be shot like a bullet, into a giant form alone could be considered a genius, but she even used the skill with the mana power of the monster, not her own.

So, it was inevitable to be amazed.

No matter how much he anticipated it, when it exceeded expectations, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

The Giant Squid (A), which had the misleading name <Mana Bullet>, had its head blown off by the mana gust.

Usually, when the size increases, the power weakens, but she manages to control it insanely, maintaining both power and size.

‘This is beyond impressive.’

Having a house inside the gate alone made Seo Yeon-oh an invaluable talent.

But now, Kang Yoon-soo wanted to go beyond that and properly nurture her, incorporating the know-how he had acquired so far.

If he added the expertise he gained over the years to her existing talent, she could become a formidable monster surpassing Jung Tae-il.

“…But her level is far from enough.”

It’s truly regrettable…

Even if she had just reached A-level, it seemed she could become strong enough to defeat an S-level hunter.

The deep regret made Kang Yoon-soo’s expression bitter.

Whether the system is fair or ruthless.

That’s when it happened.

“…Here he comes.”

Since the moment he first sensed the Giant Squid from afar, the familiar mana power that had been with him felt strong.

This meant that it had come nearby.

Narrowing his eyes, Kang Yoon-soo let out a sigh. Just when the opportunity arose for them to be alone for a change, an uninvited guest appeared.

Nevertheless…

“The gate should be easy to clear.”

Shall they go to greet them?

Having been a short distance away, Kang Yoon-soo slowly walked towards the location where Seo Yeon-oh was. 

Beyond that was where the uninvited guest would soon reach.

* * *

I was lying there without moving a muscle. 

For a moment, I absorbed a considerable amount of mana power and used it immediately, causing my body to malfunction briefly. Well, I did manage to defeat it, so that counts, right?

“…Hehehe.”

It was the first time I captured an A-level monster. Even considering that I currently possess stats that would place me among the top C-level hunters, it was still a tremendous achievement. The system seemed to be aware of it, as it displayed numerous windows in front of my eyes.

Now what? I don’t have the energy to write anything immediately. 

‘Oh, come to think of it… Did I have a recovery potion? If I drink it, will I recover instantly?’

After a brief contemplation, I decided to save the potion. This is inside the gate, and I don’t know when I might get injured again. So, using it more cautiously would be safer. 

My current condition isn’t that critical, just a momentary loss of strength. I haven’t broken anything or suffered from exhaustion.

I rested for about five minutes, catching my breath. As I did, the system message slowly became visible.

[Great achievement! 

You have successfully hunted an A-level monster for the first time! 

Moreover, you finished it in one blow! This is an achievement that is difficult for hunters of the same level to accomplish! 

Reward: All stats permanently increase by 5. Additionally, <Mana Bullet (D)> rises to <Mana Bullet (B)>.]

Just this alone made me ecstatic to the point where my mouth could tear apart, but there was something else that made me even more ecstatic.

[You’ve used ‘Vacuum’ in a remarkable battle. 

Proficiency greatly increases! 

30% ? 50%.]

This is it! Even while lying down, exhausted, I couldn’t contain my joy, and my legs were squirming. 

‘Now, if I just raise it by another 50%… I won’t die, huh.’

Surviving through all this hardship, enduring suffering without complaints, and then dying just because I couldn’t master a single skill—it’s too unfair. At that moment, when I was steeling myself even more for the challenges ahead, a voice that shouldn’t be heard reached my ears.

“…Seo Yeon-oh?”

Why is he here? A low and firm voice filled with questions. This is unmistakably…

“…Jung Tae-il?”

As soon as I heard his voice, I jumped up to confirm if it was indeed Jung Tae-il. 

Just in case, considering this place might be near the sea, and I could be hearing a Siren’s illusion. However, a person with a straight posture, wearing a snug black turtleneck shirt and a leather harness firmly securing the muscles of his upper body, was approaching me, furrowing his brow.

…There was no way that body could be an illusion.

…It’s not a body that can be an illusion.

Jung Tae-il seemed as confused as I was when he encountered me, as evident by his perplexed expression. He was reaching out to touch my shoulders, probably to confirm if it was an illusion or not. 

It seemed wise to make it clear before he decided to test my shoulders with his grip.

“Mr. Jung Tae-il… it’s not an illusion.”

“…Seems that way.”

“Then, could you release my shoulders…?”

“Ah, sorry.”

Without saying a word, he released my shoulders, wearing a puzzled expression. 

“Seo Yeon-oh, why are you here?”

“I’m just as curious as you are about why you’re inside this gate…?”

“I am currently attacking this gate.”

“…This gate? It just opened a moment ago…?”

Certainly, I had entered the gate that had just been created. How is it possible for Jung Tae-il to be here? Well, if he entered before the gate closed, it would make sense, but…

‘He mentioned it’s the West Coast area here…’

Whether he came by car, took a train, or boarded a plane… the distance always takes at least an hour. Even if I try to grasp the time I spent trapped in this gate, it was only about 30 minutes. So, it’s perplexing. It seems Jung Tae-il felt the same.

“…It just opened. The gate I entered was the one right before the saturation gate opened a week ago.”

Seeing him make this explosive statement… I can’t help but wonder what on earth is happening.