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Chapter 56
The Red Hunter Reveals His True Colors (1)
Of the three potions I was carrying, I invested one in Han Jun-pyung.
It was all part of the bigger picture to obtain the Dragon’s Authority, but that didn’t mean it didn’t sting.
‘Once I make more money, I’ll stockpile potions in my subspace.’
I promised myself that one day I’d flex my wealth with potions, and looked at Han Jun-pyung.
With a smile.
“So, how’s the potion? Working well enough?”
“Hyung-nim! This feels like a really good one…!”
Of course.
If there’s one thing you can’t skimp on, it’s potions. Save a few coins and you might die like a dog in the gutter. Better to use the expensive ones.
I organized what I’d gained by investing my potion:
First, I’d earned Han Jun-pyung’s goodwill.
‘Well, at this point, the favor of a hunter of his level doesn’t mean that much…’
Still, it wasn’t a minus.
It would also naturally reflect well in the evaluation—after all, I’d sacrificed my own resources to help a comrade.
And finally, the most important thing.
‘Frill. Any idea where the Authority is?’
【I don’t know exactly, but I’m sure we’ll have to go deeper!】
‘So basically, we have to keep pushing through the dungeon.’
【Yeah!!】
To get the Dragon’s Authority, this party couldn’t fall apart.
This dungeon wasn’t one I could clear alone.
I now had a clear reason to stick together with them.
【But Eugene, didn’t you originally have a reason to leave?】
‘I did.’
The danger hadn’t gone away.
The hidden boss could appear at any moment, and it was doubtful this party could handle it.
On top of that, Choi Hyuk-soo was like an unstable bomb, ready to blow at any time.
But so what?
‘Am I supposed to throw away the Authority?’
“One Punch” and the “Tenauzes System.”
I’d already experienced how useful the Authorities of those two dragons were.
I didn’t know what kind of Authority lay hidden here, but there was no way I could give it up.
‘Honestly, with “One Punch,” I might even manage to push through enemies too strong to handle normally.’
The important thing was this:
The risks were still there, but the returns had grown far bigger.
‘That makes the risk worth it.’
At that moment, Yoo Seol-ah approached me.
“?”
She came over but just stared, not speaking.
“What is it?”
“How did you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Kill the Magma Golem without using aura.”
“I did use aura.”
“You did? I didn’t sense it.”
“Maybe you didn’t notice because I only used it briefly at the very end?”
“That’s even possible?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?”
“No other hunter can do that.”
Really?
Well, maybe so.
“Guess the others just don’t practice things like that.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“What do you mean?”
Yoo Seol-ah tilted her head.
“It didn’t feel like that.”
A strange exchange.
I’d seen all kinds of people in my life, and thought I had a grasp of most personality types.
But I couldn’t figure this woman out.
What she wanted, what her goals were.
Well, at times like this, it’s better not to force a judgment—just observe, accept, and stay flexible.
While I was thinking that as I looked at her, her lips parted softly.
“You have something on your face?”
“No.”
I was just lost in thought.
About mage connections.
‘It would definitely be useful to be on good terms with Yoo Seol-ah.’
But if I couldn’t read someone like her at all, would it still be useful?
Or would it be a liability?
That was my small concern.
“Haha! Well then, seems like everyone’s rested enough—shall we get moving?”
Just then, Choi Hyuk-soo raised his voice loudly, cutting in.
It was as if he wanted to interrupt my conversation with Yoo Seol-ah.
‘Hmph. That guy’s easy to read, at least.’
It wasn’t hard to guess his true intentions.
His exaggerated tone, the flickers of killing intent seeping out.
Thanks to the evaluator acting as a suppressor, he hadn’t exploded yet—but anyone could see he was a ticking bomb.
But Yoo Seol-ah? I still couldn’t read her.
One thing was certain though.
“Ugh.”
She despised Choi Hyuk-soo.
The fight with the lava worms, the shift in terrain from lava eruptions, separation from the evaluator suppressor, and the desperate battle against swarming monsters played out—only for the worst to happen.
When everyone was exhausted, Choi Hyuk-soo finally revealed his true colors.
“Eugene, you fought well.”
“Well… yeah, I did.”
He grinned.
“But you’ll have to die now.”
His sword flashed.
CLAAAANG───!
“…You blocked that?”
His eyes went wide.
“…Huh? The Red Hunter!?”
Han Jun-pyung and Yoo Seol-ah both shouted in shock.
They clearly hadn’t expected this.
I was the only one who didn’t panic.
After all, I’d known from the moment the suppressor was gone that this would happen.
“Damn. You couldn’t have let us rest a bit first?”
“No way. This chance is too good.”
He smiled coldly, tightening his grip on his sword.
“How often do you get three exhausted 5-star hunters just waiting to be slaughtered? Why do you think I held back my strength till now?”
“Phew.”
“Heh. It’s too late to realize it now.”
Mana surged into his sword, forming Aura Threads.
He’d been conserving mana all along, just for this moment.
“Die!”
His aura thread slashed toward me, filled with murderous intent.
CLAAAANG───!
“……!”
“I noticed long ago.”
The sigh I’d let out earlier wasn’t from fear of him—just from the thought that now I’d have to wander this dungeon with only three 5-stars until I found the Authority.
“How… how are you using Aura Threads?!”
Choi Hyuk-soo panicked.
I sneered back.
“You thought you were the only one with mana left?”
“Grr…!”
My own killing intent flared.
