Chapter 85

EP.85 Request (2)

Gangwon-do, Seoraksan Field.

Due to the wide variety of monster levels and the considerable number of dungeons discovered, this is a field outside the barrier that holders frequently visit, regardless of their rank.

Although it is a field in a distant location from Seoul, the inconvenience of long distances has been eliminated for holders through the warp gate, so it was not a significant concern.

Thanks to this, even on a weekend, the Seoraksan Field was bustling with holders who came to hunt.

And at the very top.

A party composed of unaffiliated holders was fiercely battling in their own ways.

Auuu-!!

“Damn! Holy class, debuff!”

“I spent too much time healing earlier! I don’t have enough time!”

“When will the magic support be ready!”

“I’m trying… but Fenrir’s resistance is so high that it’s almost nullified…!!”

“Holder Yu Eun-sul! This is impossible! We lack a front-line warrior class!”

Voices of despair echoed across the mountain peak.

The party members, their bodies battered and bruised, shouted.

Their gazes were mostly focused on two things.

One was the S-rank monster they only encountered at the peak.

Fenrir.

Although they had encountered wolf-type monsters throughout their climb, they never expected such a formidable S-rank monster to be waiting at the end.

The other was the leader of this party.

The only S-rank assassin class holder in the country, Yu Eun-sul.

Dressed in a pure white martial arts uniform and armed, she seemed to shine nobly amidst the chaos.

Yu Eun-sul calmly surveyed the battlefield and Fenrir.

Her eyes were filled with...

an inexplicable sense of disappointment.

She drew two short swords from her sleeves.

Then, with a gentle voice, she instructed her party members.

“Step back.”

The impact of an S-rank holder is immense.

Although Yu Eun-sul is not affiliated with any clan, her commands and strategies are almost absolute orders to ordinary holders.

The holders at the front and those preparing magic all stepped back from the battlefield.

Auuu-!!

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

“A…!!”

A holder observing the battlefield from the rear gasped in amazement.

Fenrir’s fierce howl echoed again, and it seemed as if the holders fleeing to the rear would be torn apart by his fangs, but...

Yu Eun-sul had already reached Fenrir.

It was probably due to the unique movement techniques of the assassin class, the Rune.

However, the level of her skill was so high that her movements and speed were invisible to the other holders.

It was as if she was teleporting.

Or, it felt like witnessing the...

[Shape Shifting] skill, which is often debated.

Auuu-!!

Slash, slash, slash!

“How… how is she doing that…!!”

Her movements were not the only impressive aspect.

The two short swords in her hands displayed a dagger technique so beautiful that it was a shame to merely see it.

Her graceful movements were like winter snow, and the two short swords piercing Fenrir’s weak points were like plum blossoms blooming inside.

[Snow Plum].

The highest-ranked Epic Rune derived from [Dagger] techniques.

It matched her gentle and beautiful image so well that it was popular and well-known among holders.

“It’s… it’s unbelievable… how can she handle an S-rank monster so easily….”

A holder, dumbfounded by her battle, muttered.

The overwhelming momentum of Fenrir, which seemed capable of tearing apart all the holders in the party, was now helplessly collapsing to just two short swords.

The battle was one-sided to an unbelievable degree.

When an S-rank holder steps in, hunting an S-rank monster becomes much easier.

This is a common belief in the holder community, but few holders have actually experienced it.

After all, there are only five S-rank holders in the country, and it’s almost impossible for ordinary holders to witness their battles directly.

The party members, who were lucky enough to see this, were all equally astonished.

The full power of an S-rank holder in battle.

The actual power they witnessed...

was far more impressive than they could have imagined.

“Bloom a single flower.”

And at the end of this one-sided battle.

Finally, Yu Eun-sul’s final judgment was delivered.

The ultimate skill of [Snow Plum], which was only rumored.

[Snowfield Falling Blossoms].

Beautiful snow flowers adorned the space between heaven and earth.

The blossoms emerged brilliantly from Yu Eun-sul’s scabbard, the hilts, and the tips of her swords.

They fell like snowflakes onto Fenrir’s body.

A single flower blooming and fleeing...

The movement of a sword-wielding dancer.

The falling blossoms sweeping the snowfield softly.

* * *

After a round of hunting.

Somewhere at the entrance of the Seoraksan Field.

“...”

Yu Eun-sul frowned and sighed softly.

Another failure.

This time, the Seoraksan Field was no different.

She couldn’t even remember how many times this had happened.

Despite forming countless parties in dungeons and fields, she still hadn’t found the holder she was looking for.

Although she managed to encounter and defeat the S-rank monster Fenrir, obtaining mana stones and other spoils, such rewards were not particularly appealing to an S-rank holder like Yu Eun-sul.

‘Actually, the answer is already decided...’

A special holder with the aura of a dragon.

There is already a verified, certain card.

Song Do-hyuk, the master of the <Dragon Light Sword Path> clan.

He would certainly be a suitable partner for Yu Eun-sul.

‘But Song Do-hyuk is not an option.’

However, Yu Eun-sul shook her head.

There were many things she was hesitant about working with him in dungeons.

Not only is Song Do-hyuk the master of one of the three major clans in the country, making it difficult for him to spare time, but if she, an unaffiliated holder, were to team up with a major clan, it could lead to unforeseen disadvantages.

Most importantly, the idea of bowing to another S-rank holder.

That was the most honest reason for her reluctance.

“Sigh...”

A sigh escaped her lips in the face of this unsolvable situation.

No matter how much she pondered alone, no clear answer emerged.

In the end, she had no choice but to return empty-handed today.

Just as she was about to give up and leave the entrance,

“Hello, Holder Yu Eun-sul.”

A face she had seen too often recently...

appeared in her field of vision again.

Naturally, Yu Eun-sul’s reaction was not positive.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop coming?”

A middle-aged man, with a sword at his waist, stood in front of her.

Sharp features and a stern face.

Yet, he greeted her with an unusually friendly attitude.

Professor Tack Won-ho, an A-rank holder affiliated with the Seoul Holder Academy.

Tack Won-ho, undeterred by Yu Eun-sul’s cold response, calmly attempted to start a conversation.

“I’m here to make the same proposal again.”

“I’m not interested in the professor position at the academy.”

“It’s not a professor position, but a lecturer position. For a short term.”

“It’s the same thing.”

Tack Won-ho was persistent, despite her repeated rejections.

Coming all the way to the entrance of Seoraksan, knowing he would be turned down.

Yu Eun-sul, despite his reputation in the holder community, wanted to help him, but she had her own priorities.

A personally and publicly important task.

Whether it was a professor or a lecturer,

she had no time to be tied down to the academy.

“I hope you won’t come anymore. It’s a waste of time for both of us.”

Yu Eun-sul turned her back and walked away.

Although her words were a bit harsh, it was the least she could do for Tack Won-ho.

If another holder had continued to seek her out like this, she wouldn’t have been so lenient.

However,

“Are you looking for a special holder?”

Tack Won-ho’s words made Yu Eun-sul stop in her tracks.

Turning back, Tack Won-ho continued slowly.

“Seoraksan Field, Daegwallyeong Field, Hangeul Field... I know you’ve been forming temporary parties to hunt in the major high-level fields in Gangwon-do recently. All B-rank and above, and different holders each time.”

Yu Eun-sul’s recent activities were already known.

An S-rank holder forming temporary parties to hunt in major fields in Gangwon-do naturally drew attention in the holder community.

However, since the parties disbanded after hunting without any specific purpose, the interest didn’t last long.

Moreover, Yu Eun-sul was an unaffiliated holder.

Forming temporary parties was not unusual for her.

There was no reason to find it suspicious.

But Tack Won-ho, who wanted to recruit her, had a different perspective.

“I found it unusual that an S-rank holder, who can hunt most fields solo, would form temporary parties for hunting. Especially when I was preparing to recruit you.”

“So what? How is that related to my recruitment?”

Despite her cold response,

Tack Won-ho nodded and replied.

“There might be the holder you’re looking for at the academy. You haven’t shown interest in student holders before, have you?”

“...”

Yu Eun-sul thought about his proposal in silence.

The former was hard to trust, but the latter was true.

She had never shown interest in student holders.

The reason was simple.

Even if one of them was qualified, she didn’t think they would have the skills to team up with her.

What could she do with a student holder struggling at C-rank?

At least A-rank, or at the very least B-rank.

That was her limit.

Tack Won-ho added, seeing her deep in thought.

“Why don’t you check? Whether the holder you’re looking for is there or not. You can decide afterward. If you still refuse, I promise not to come again. Please consider it.”

“...”

The strong wind of Seoraksan swept through.

Tack Won-ho’s sincere words were making Yu Eun-sul waver.

* * *

Inside a cafe in Gangnam.

After finishing a dungeon hunt.

I had just lightly packed my gear and stepped outside.

...Four missed calls and dozens of messages.

To meet a friend.

The conversation with Moon Ga-eun, sitting across from me.

And her straightforward story made me doubt my ears.

“...What do you want me to do?”

Did I hear wrong?

It couldn’t be explained otherwise.

But Moon Ga-eun’s dejected expression.

It looked desperate, yet more miserable than ever.

She fidgeted with her vanilla latte and spoke cautiously.

“I... a boyfriend...”

I heard it right.

Or did I hear wrong again?

Lately, hunting monsters too much has made my head feel numb.

But her embarrassed look, uncharacteristic of Moon Ga-eun, told me this request was real.

The absurd request...

I scratched my head and said,

“Are you feeling lonely lately?”

Ah.

That was a bit harsh.

But I couldn’t help it.

A request from a friend I hadn’t seen in two weeks...

To act as a boyfriend.

It’s an odd request, no matter who you ask.