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Chapter 9
“Ah! There’s some grass over there.”
Spotting a bluish-silver glowing plant, I quickly ran toward it.
Yes! Nineteen. The finish line was finally in sight.
“You’re the first person I’ve seen in a gate picking grass instead of mana stones.”
“Ahaha, really? Well… most people aren’t interested in plants.”
Hunter Lee Hyun-woo shook his head.
“Everything except mana stones loses its form and disappears once it leaves the gate. That’s why analyzing gate environments is so difficult.”
“Disappear?”
Then the grass I carefully collected… will it be okay?
I looked down at Hanyang, who was nestled in my arms, and he replied lazily.
“Don’t worry, meow. The materials you gathered won’t disappear.”
“…What is that talking cat?”
“Oh, um, he’s like… a helper? Something like that.”
Hunter Lee Hyun-woo looked intrigued and poked a finger toward the cat—only to get bitten when Hanyang hissed at him.
“I’ve heard of awakened individuals being assisted by beings like that… but this is the first time I’ve seen one like this.”
“What do you mean by ‘like this,’ meow!”
“Hey! Our Hanyang is just a little chubby, but he’s actually super cute if you look properly!”
Lee Hyun-woo gave a baffled expression.
“Such beings are usually invisible to ordinary people. I meant that, not their appearance.”
“Oh… I see.”
I felt oddly self-conscious, like he’d been insulting my cat’s weight.
You should’ve explained that properly from the start!
I muttered and brushed my hair behind my ear.
‘Still… there aren’t as many plants as I thought.’
Earlier, I could spot them just by walking a little, but now I had to search for a long time to find even one.
Maybe I’m just missing them?
I scanned the area intensely—but all I saw was barren ground.
“…Should I return this to you?”
“It’s fine.”
The longer it went on, the more guilty I felt about wearing his combat uniform.
Even if he doesn’t say it, it must be hot… maybe he regrets giving it to me?
I glanced up at his face.
‘Wow… not even a drop of sweat.’
He looked so fresh it was like he was under air conditioning.
Do S-ranks not feel heat? That’s basically cheating.
And the more I looked, the more unreal his face seemed. How could all his features fit so perfectly on such a small face?
“Do you have something to say?”
“Ah, n-no!”
While I was staring blankly at him, he suddenly turned his head toward me.
Startled, I shook my head violently—then my foot caught on something.
And I tilted forward—
‘Waaah— I’m falling!’
“Are you alright?”
“Ah…”
Luckily, Hunter Lee Hyun-woo caught me before I hit the ground, saving me from an embarrassing fall.
But his face suddenly being so close made me squeeze my eyes shut.
“I-I’m fine!”
I pushed him away and quickly walked ahead.
Hanyang spoke without reading the mood.
“Why is your face so red, meow?”
“J-Just be quiet!”
“Are you overheated?”
“…A-a little? Haha!”
I fanned my face quickly.
Man, gates really are hot.
After walking so much, I felt a bit hungry, so I took snacks out of my inventory.
Just as I was about to take a bite, I noticed Lee Hyun-woo beside me.
Oh right… I brought some fish-shaped bread too.
“Would you like some fish bread?”
I handed him one, and after hesitating, he carefully accepted it.
‘Last time he refused… this time he didn’t.’
“…I’m sorry about last time.”
“Huh?”
I blinked in surprise.
“I’ve heard that sometimes people disguise poison as food gifts. I was worried that might be the case.”
“Poison?”
He looked into the distance briefly.
“Recently, I investigated a case where someone lost their younger sibling in a gate. He blamed me for not intervening as an S-rank.”
So the culprit sent poisoned food disguised as a gift, trying to make him feel the same pain.
What an insane person… no matter how sad they were.
“But that incident and this item are unrelated. I apologize.”
“I didn’t know you had gone through something like that… but I’m definitely not that kind of person!”
“I know. Your face shows everything—you’re not suited for scheming like that.”
My face shows everything?!
I pouted.
He smirked slightly and took a bite of the fish bread.
I watched nervously.
“…So this is what it’s like.”
He frowned slightly.
“Is it good?”
“It… stings a bit. Probably sweetness.”
Stings?
He scratched his cheek awkwardly.
“…It’s been so long since I’ve tasted anything that I’m not sure.”
“How long has it been?”
“Since awakening… over ten years.”
Ten years.
He had lived more than a decade without tasting anything.
“It’s not that it’s bad. It just feels unfamiliar.”
I could understand. Taste must have become something distant to him.
“…That must’ve been really hard.”
“It’s fine. I’m used to it now.”
He said it calmly, as if it truly didn’t matter.
He flexed his hand a few times.
“After awakening, everything changed. I could feel every heartbeat around me. Sometimes unbearable killing intent would surge. At times, I even lost all sensation in my body.”
“…That’s…”
“Compared to that, not tasting food is trivial.”
He gave a bitter smile.
I finally realized just how much being the only S-rank in the country meant.
‘The stronger the power, the worse the side effects…’
I looked at him with newfound respect.
“I’m actually making something special with fish bread. It might help you too.”
“I hope so.”
“You should visit my shop sometime. I’ll make it for you.”
He nodded.
Maybe when my “Solsol Grass” skill unlocks its effect, it might even work for him.
I’ll give him one as a gift later.
“…It’s finally here.”
Srrk—
He drew his sword.
I couldn’t see anything—but suddenly dust rose in the distance.
‘Don’t tell me… those are monsters?’
-KUAAAA!
-KUEK!
-KIIEEE!
Centipede-like monsters swarmed toward us.
Lee Hyun-woo stepped in front of me protectively.
“Please stay here. I’ll handle this quickly.”
Before I could respond, he dashed forward and disappeared into the swarm.
“H-Hunter Lee Hyun-woo!”
Even knowing he was S-rank, I still flinched.
While I watched nervously, Hanyang nudged me.
“There’s the last plant you’re looking for, meow.”
“Not now! He just went into the centipedes—huh?”
When I looked back up, the screaming had already vanished.
The battle was over.
As the dust settled, Lee Hyun-woo walked back calmly, completely unscathed.
“Are you alright?”
“Wow…”
I clapped in awe.
It had ended so fast it felt like I hadn’t even waited.
So this is S-rank power.
“Oh! I found the last plant too!”
I ran over and picked the final “Solsol grass.”
20 complete!
A system window appeared:
Material Collection Status
- Solsol Grass (20/20) Complete!
Returning to designated location…
Please hold on tight!
Hold on?
Before I could even think, the ground beneath me collapsed.
“W-wait…!”
The last thing I saw before returning was Hunter Lee Hyun-woo reaching out toward me.
