Hunters Keep Coming To My House - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Life is said to be unpredictable. However…

‘If it’s this unpredictable, does it mean I have to live or die…?’

I suddenly stood up from my seat and began banging my head against the wall. Then, out of nowhere, reason found me and seated me back in the chair.

‘No, a quest…?’

To someone who was barely adapting to the already confusing situation, mentioning a quest was unexpected. A quest.

In simple terms, it’s a mission.

A mission that must be completed to avoid consequences. Such quests often resembled those found in RPG games, where upgrading skills or clearing gates for better equipment were common quest types.

These quests were random, and many hunters who awakened never received one.

‘I became a hunter, but I never thought I’d receive a quest….’

If quests were precious, then this was the first precious quest that happened to me.

It even gave me skills.

‘Why does it have to be so damn difficult…’

It felt like the system was trying to make me survive at all costs. Couldn’t it have given me some time to adapt, even just for a day?

I glared at the system window and biting my teeth so hard felt like my head was about to split open.

“If you can’t avoid it, you might as well enjoy it.”

Yeah, it was a fate that couldn’t be avoided.

The only way out of here was my death. I couldn’t give up without even trying. 

I gathered my resolve and read the quest again, eyes wide open, focusing my concentration to the maximum.

“Ms. Yeon-oh, I’m done with everything.”

“….”

“Ms. Yeon-oh?”

“Oh…”

Han Seung-hoo, who had just finished washing the dishes, was staring at me with wide eyes. I hastily hid the system window.

It’s a system window that others can’t see, but somehow… I felt uneasy.

“Haha, if you’re done, uh… Han Seung-hoo, take a break. Rest well for your injury too.”

“Well, that’s true, but I want to get closer to Ms. Yeon-oh. I can’t keep calling you ‘Ms. Yeon-oh’ forever.”

“Already?”

“Is it okay to let go now?”

“We just had one meal together.”

“If we had a quiet meal together, it’s time to get closer now.”

“No…?”

“Yes…?”

Pretending not to notice Han Seung-hoo, who was looking at me with a truly puzzled expression, I stood up from the chair.

Then his expression became even more curious.

I took a step back, and he gradually approached me. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at me for a moment and then smiled brightly.

As if he had seen through any worries I might have.

“Ms. Yeon-oh, you can ask me anything.”

“Isn’t it a bit… odd to ask someone about this?”

“Even so, I’m S-level…”

Interpreting Han Seung-hoo’s words, it was a statement that, as an experienced and capable S-level, he would help first, so why exclude him? And Han Seung-hoo’s approach worked well for me.

‘No matter how much I think, the advice of an experienced person is the best.’

Han Seung-hoo undoubtedly knew much more about advanced gates and the impending S-level threat that would soon invade my home than I did. So, instead of wrestling with my thoughts alone, it made more sense to seek Han Seung-hoo’s help, clear the quest skillfully, and receive the success rewards.

‘I wished to receive Han Seung-hoo’s help later, as much as possible…’

The number of times I could seek Han Seung-hoo’s help wasn’t fixed. However, even if I asked for help once, from the second time onward, I might have to do something for Han Seung-hoo in return.

Moreover, if the achievement reward was a “door leading to reality,” I had to succeed in this quest without fail. It was openly stating that it was a door that conveniently allowed easy access beyond the gate. 

How could I let that fail?

‘Even worse, it’s a ‘door that breaks easily’ if it fails.’

Even now, it is a door that even an S-level hunter like Han Seung-hoo could easily break with just a flick of a finger. If I received a penalty on top of that, in the worst-case scenario, I might be brutally attacked by monsters.

Even if automatic recovery was possible, it would only work when I had mana power. 

Now, that was a luxury I couldn’t afford. I had to use everything at my disposal.

“Mr. Han Seung-hoo, you said you want to get closer to me, right?”

“Yes, Ms. Yeon-oh!”

“Then, would you like to do some home improvement with me?”

“Home improvement?”

“I think we might need to reinforce the house. As Han Seung-hoo mentioned, hunters might gather at my place soon.”

“Yes, they might be on their way. It might be a bit confusing inside the gate, but…”

“So, before that, let’s do some maintenance on the door and other things to prevent unwanted guests. Dealing with Han Seung-hoo alone is enough to give me a headache.”

Han Seung-hoo blinked and nodded. 

He, too, probably wouldn’t welcome other hunters coming to my home. If Han Seung-hoo’s purpose for staying at my house was to use me more easily, the rest of them would likely be obstacles.

“The task for Han Seung-hoo is to keep me safe. We’ll start with the exterior renovations, so we’ll have to go outside.”

“Hmm, will that be enough?”

“And lend me some mana power.”

The one using the skill was me, and the one who received the quest was also me. Therefore, the person who needed more mana power was also me.

But…

‘I can’t wait for my mana power to recover to use the skill.’

Rankers who could invade at any time wouldn’t consider my circumstances. So, the inevitable conclusion was…

‘I’ll use Han Seung-hoo’s mana power instead.’

In other words, I intended to use Han Seung-hoo as a massive mana power charger. 

Since Han Seung-hoo was S-level with a mana skill, his mana power was almost ranked first. Moreover, I knew how to effectively manipulate someone else’s mana power as if it were my own.

I smiled at Han Seung-hoo with a raised corner of my mouth. 

Han Seung-hoo, unaware of his impending fate, looked at me with blinking eyes.

* * *

Han Seung-hoo was enduring, biting his lips to avoid showing how difficult it was for him. 

It had been five hours already, and Seo Yeon-oh was using his mana power as if it were her own.

‘She asked to borrow some mana power, and I accepted without much thought… I let my guard down.’

The amount of mana power Seo Yeon-oh was taking from Han Seung-hoo was staggering, to the point where Han Seung-hoo wondered what kind of skill required so much mana power. If Han Seung-hoo had used this mana power himself, he might have cleared a small A-level gate on his own. 

Even Han Seung-hoo’s mana power recovery speed was widely recognized as among the best in the world. Yet, it couldn’t keep up with the speed at which Seo Yeon-oh was using it.

Han Seung-hoo couldn’t bring himself to tell Seo Yeon-oh about this fact. After all…

‘…it’s a matter of pride.’

Being a top-tier hunter ranked 3rd in the world, how could he admit to struggling to the point of exhaustion? Even though his legs were beginning to give way, Han Seung-hoo never once let out a sound.

Whether Seo Yeon-oh was aware of this or not, she continued to use the skill enthusiastically.

“<Upgrade>, <Enhance>!”

“Ms. Yeon-oh, how much longer?”

“Hold on a little longer. <Upgrade>, <Enhance>!”

It felt like Seo Yeon-oh had shouted the skill hundreds of times. No, she really had.

Now, even if Seo Yeon-oh closed her mouth, the sound continued to echo in Han Seung-hoo’s ears like a hallucination. 

Han Seung-hoo pressed his lips together. He had underestimated Seo Yeon-oh.

If he had known that Seo Yeon-oh could recklessly draw and use mana power like this, he probably wouldn’t have taken Seo Yeon-oh’s outstretched hand.

Really.

That had to go back to five hours ago. 

“Now, Han Seung-hoo! Please hold my hand.”

“Yes!”

“Well done. Ah, don’t resist, please.”

“…Yes?”

“Now, I’ll connect your mana power with mine.”

With those words, Seo Yeon-oh tightly held Han Seung-hoo’s hand and closed her eyes.

“<Yours is mine! Mine is yours!>”

Han Seung-hoo, who had furrowed his brows slightly at the strange skill name he heard for the first time, soon relaxed his expression and looked at Seo Yeon-oh.

‘…Is this even possible?’

It meant that Seo Yeon-oh’s mana power and Han Seung-hoo’s mana power were connecting. More precisely, Seo Yeon-oh’s seemingly insignificant mana power was mixing with Han Seung-hoo’s pure and powerful mana power, creating a combined mana power that Seo Yeon-oh could now use.

What was even more astonishing was that this mana power was now waiting for Seo Yeon-oh’s command. 

Han Seung-hoo squinted his eyes. 

Seo Yeon-oh was handling the mana power Han Seung-hoo possessed, which was sometimes difficult even for Han Seung-hoo to bear as if it were nothing.

‘What is she… really?’

It was a moment when Seo Yeon-oh, who seemed ordinary but not quite ordinary, became genuinely intriguing to Han Seung-hoo.

‘Maybe she wasn’t just unlucky to have her house swallowed by the gate?’

Doubts began to arise because Seo Yeon-oh adapted and provided solutions so quickly and confidently, to the point where it was suspicious. Most people would panic, do nothing, and wait for death in such a situation.

‘It’s not what I expected. I should probably… look into this more.’

With that casual thought, Han Seung-hoo, who had hoped to just keep an eye on Seo Yeon-oh, began to regret a little, just a tiny bit, that he had become Seo Yeon-oh’s auxiliary mana power battery for the past five hours.

Even if it might be tolerable for others, Han Seung-hoo considered it somewhat annoying. Even if he had broken a bit of a sweat.

…Really.

At that moment, Seo Yeon-oh turned to Han Seung-hoo and spoke with a strong voice.

“Oh, Mr. Han Seung-hoo, we also need to fix the roof.”

Regret welled up a bit more than before. 

Regret about his own recklessness.