My Selfish Skill Book - Chapter 38
Chapter 38
I swallowed hard as I looked at the longsword pointed at my neck.
"You saved me, so now you're demanding my life in return?"
The woman didn't answer.
I was trying my best to appear calm, but the pressure emanating from her was even greater than that of the Fire Dragon. I pondered for a moment before slowly opening my mouth.
"...I understand. However, I don't know how to relinquish ownership of a bound item."
"State the item's name, declare that you're relinquishing ownership, and then declare that you're transferring it to me."
"Your name?"
"O Seyeon."
I looked at the ring on my hand, then straight at O Seyeon. And slowly began to speak.
"I relinquish ownership of Hechil's Blessing and transfer it to O Seyeon...."
As soon as I said that much, the angle of the longsword that had been aimed at my neck lowered slightly.
I immediately canceled my Recovery skill.
'Perfect Invisibility.'
The world turned gray.
"Ugh!?"
O Seyeon looked around.
I dashed toward the man and Ms. Hyeri, who wore bewildered expressions, and wrapped my arms around their waists.
'Ground Shrink!'
And used the skill to escape from that place.
'Kuh!'
Pain worse than when I'd fled from the Fire Dragon surged through me. Perhaps because my leg had only just regenerated, the pain was even more severe.
But I gritted my teeth and endured.
'Ground Shrink!'
I replenished my mana through my bracelet and used the skill repeatedly.
The movements of that woman named O Seyeon as she sliced apart the Fire Dragon had been invisible to the eye. She must have possessed tremendous speed.
'I have to run far enough that she can't chase me.'
Alternating between [Recovery] and [Ground Shrink], I headed toward the city.
"Damn it."
O Seyeon, who had been running for a while with her longsword in hand, stopped in her tracks and looked around.
But she could no longer sense any trace of the Listener who had escaped.
'To think he had a skill that hides his appearance.'
She clicked her tongue and sheathed the longsword in the scabbard on her back. Then, giving up the chase, she began walking somewhere.
***
After confirming that we weren't being pursued and finishing treatment, we returned to the guild workshop.
"Ooh, you really brought back the Hongyeombu. I thought it would take days to obtain since it doesn't drop easily, but you did it in just one day... But why do you all look so gloomy?"
The workshop owner asked, puzzled.
"A lot of things happened...."
Specifically, my shin had vanished from a field boss's attack, and then I'd been threatened by a woman strong enough to chop that field boss to pieces by herself.
"Hmm, is that so?"
The workshop owner didn't pry any further.
"Anyway, good work everyone. Thanks to you, I can start on the prototype right away."
The workshop owner said this while looking at me.
"And if you have any equipment-related problems in the future, tell me anytime. I'll provide free service until the Flame Stones you brought this time run out."
The workshop owner, speaking with a smiling face, said he would take Seono and begin the work of melting the Hongyeombu immediately, and we exited the workshop.
"Today was too full of strange experiences; I'm exhausted."
The man said, cracking his neck this way and that.
"What if that strange woman followed us?"
Ms. Hyeri looked around with an anxious expression.
"No way. Unless she put some kind of tracker on us...."
I said that and closed my mouth. The man and Ms. Hyeri's expressions didn't look good.
We quickly searched through our clothes and belongings. It wouldn't be strange if that woman, who moved at speeds invisible to the eye, had planted something on us.
"Huh, nothing?"
"I don't think there's anything."
"Hah."
I let out a sigh.
"Let's all head home for today. Good work."
We dispersed and headed to our respective homes.
On my way home, I fell into thought.
'That woman named O Seyeon. Just what is her identity?'
She emitted an aura that overwhelmed the Fire Dragon, a field boss, and possessed enough strength to chop the Fire Dragon to pieces in an instant.
'I thought she saved me from a crisis, but she was after my bound item.'
The reason she killed the Fire Dragon first was probably not to save me, but to obtain the bound item that dropped from it.
'Maybe bound items can't be obtained if their owner dies.'
If that weren't the case, she could've just waited for me to die or killed me like she did the Fire Dragon.
O Seyeon also seemed to know something about something called 'Listeners.'
'Anyway, I can't face that woman as I am now.'
This time, I was able to escape using [Perfect Invisibility] and [Ground Shrink] while she was off guard.
But there's no guarantee I'll be able to escape like this next time.
If I'm ambushed—if the blade that chopped the Fire Dragon comes at me—I'll become minced meat without even being able to react.
'If she's after my bound item, we'll meet again someday. I have to find a way to defeat her before then.'
Through this incident, I realized how complacent I had become with my current situation.
It's not the end just because my stats went up and I gained several skills.
There are still many monsters and hunters stronger than me.
The world I live in is one where the strong prey on the weak. It doesn't matter whether I want it or not. If I don't want to be eaten, I must become stronger.
It was a shame I couldn't use the Bookmark because I didn't have the leeway.
'If I could learn more about that woman's abilities, I could figure out a way to deal with her.'
Mysteries also remained, such as the dungeon surroundings changing into something like a dungeon along with the Overflow, and the field bosses appearing from the portals connecting the dungeons and our world.
But worrying about such things wouldn't yield answers, so I decided to set them aside for now.
***
But that wasn't something I could decide for myself.
Two days later, the Guild Master summoned all eight S-rank hunters of Atlas.
When we gathered in the Guild Master's room, he spoke with a somewhat stiff expression.
"Currently, Overflows are occurring in succession at 6-star dungeons."
I could feel the man and Ms. Hyeri flinch.
They were undoubtedly recalling what had happened at the Blazing Purgatory Dungeon two days ago, just as I was.
"Is it a phenomenon similar to the Overflow that occurred in 4~5 star dungeons recently?"
The Vice Guild Master asked.
"No. This time it's a bit different."
The Guild Master's expression grew even stiffer.
"The surroundings of the 6-star dungeons where Overflows occurred have transformed into dungeon-like environments."
"How can that be...."
It was the first time I had seen the Vice Guild Master so surprised.
The other S-rank hunters also had stiff expressions.
"Furthermore, field bosses are appearing through the dungeons' portals. Fortunately, since most 6-star dungeons aren't near populated areas, there haven't been any major casualties yet."
"Then the reason we're gathered today is....?"
Ms. Hyeri asked with an anxious expression.
"The government has issued an emergency quest to all guilds with S-rank hunters. The objective is to suppress the Overflows in the 6-star dungeons."
The Guild Master said our guild had also received quests for two dungeons.
"If you eliminate the field bosses, the dungeon's Overflow runaway phenomenon will temporarily stop, they say. After that, you need to clear the monsters in the core dungeon."
The Guild Master divided us into two teams. Our team consisted of me, the man, Ms. Hyeri, and the Vice Guild Master.
No one opposed the Guild Master's decision to attach the Vice Guild Master to us, who still lacked experience.
"When you go to the dungeon, there will be S-rank hunters from other guilds there as well. Please cooperate with them to complete the quest. Then, I pray for your safe return."
The Guild Master said so and shook each of our hands one by one.
We took the taxi the Guild Master called and headed toward the dungeon area, which took about an hour and a half.
During the taxi ride, the Vice Guild Master explained the dungeon to us, saying he had been there a few times before.
To summarize, it seemed to be an upgraded version of the 'Forest Hunting Ground' dungeon I had once visited to gain the power to eliminate Jang Soyu, with stronger and more diverse monsters appearing.
We got off where the road ended and had to walk a bit. This was common when visiting high-rank dungeons.
Before long, we could see the abnormal phenomenon.
"The surroundings of the dungeon really have changed."
The Vice Guild Master said, looking down at the forest overgrown with grass and trees.
Right beside the circular boundary of the forest were abandoned buildings, asphalt roads, and utility poles with severed power lines.
It looked as if two worlds were clashing in one place.
We went down the hill toward the gathering point for hunters.
There were nearly twenty hunters gathered on site, including us.
It was my first time seeing so many S-rank hunters, so I observed them closely.
The equipment they wore and their inventories were all high-end. Their ages varied widely, from someone who looked like a high school student to someone who was clearly past their fifties.
The Vice Guild Master went around greeting several hunters.
While following the Vice Guild Master, one hunter's words pierced my ears like an awl.
"But I heard the Overlord Guild sent people this way today too?"
'The Overlord Guild....'
The moment I heard that guild's name, I recalled the events of the S-rank exam.
'No way. That guild supposedly has over seventy S-ranks; there's no way Ha Jiho would come here, right?'
I had an uneasy premonition but tried hard to deny it.
And unfortunately, my uneasy premonition proved true.
I turned my head at the sound of people murmuring and saw two people walking from over there.
"Urk."
Ms. Hyeri made a sound like she was about to retch.
One of the two people walking this way was indeed Ha Jiho.
The other was a man who looked to be around Ha Jiho's age. Not as handsome as Ha Jiho, but quite good-looking.
The problem was his style.
A white bowler hat, a white tuxedo, white shoes, a white cape, and even a wand shaped like something a magician would use.
His appearance was not only incredibly burdensome but also looked nothing like a hunter who had come to fight dungeon monsters.
"Oh, so this is the 6-star dungeon where the Overflow occurred? My, my. The surroundings have really transformed into a dungeon. Quite fascinating, isn't it, Jiho-kun?"
He spoke loudly as if to let everyone hear, and his theatrical gestures made goosebumps rise on my skin.
Ha Jiho, standing beside him, completely ignored him while looking straight ahead.
'Ha Jiho is one thing, but does the Overlord Guild not have any proper hunters?'
Thoroughly fed up, I turned my head away from them and witnessed a strange sight.
Ms. Hyeri and the Vice Guild Master stood frozen with their mouths agape.
At first I thought the two were doing this because they were dumbfounded, but their expressions seemed to be out of surprise rather than disbelief.
"What's wrong with you two?"
The man asked, looking at their faces.
"They sent a big shot from the Overlord Guild."
The Vice Guild Master muttered.
"A big shot? You mean Ha Jiho?"
When I asked, he shook his head.
"Ha Jiho is certainly a hunter close to quasi-SS-rank, but he's definitely a tier below the Magician."
'The Magician? Is it a nickname for that guy in white who gives me goosebumps?'
"The Magician, Jeong Cheonyeol. He's an SS-rank hunter of the Overlord Guild."
'That guy is an SS-rank hunter!?'
I almost shouted.
"Is that guy in white really SS-rank?"
The man asked, unable to believe it either.
"Yes, it's true. His position is ranged dealer, and I've heard he's ranked second among the ranged dealers in the Overlord Guild."
"His way of talking and clothing are insane. There really are all kinds of weirdos."
The man said with a frown.
While Ms. Hyeri explained to the man, I took out and put on a monocle.
A deep red aura was spreading around Jeong Cheonyeol's body. It was much clearer than that of Ha Jiho standing beside him.
Jeong Cheonyeol walked to the center where the hunters were standing and clapped his hands together.
"Now! Leaders of each guild, gather here! We must devise a strategy. Actually, since I've come, there's no need for such things, but it's still good to eliminate any elements that might get in the way. Isn't that right, Jiho-kun?"
This time, Ha Jiho completely turned his head away. Because of that, my eyes met his as I happened to be looking in that direction.
"Huk!?"
Ha Jiho made a sound like he was choking.
"Hmm? What's wrong, Jiho-kun? You screamed like a child in bed facing a monster in the closet."
"Ah, it's nothing! And I told you to fix that damn way of talking. We're barely any different in age, so what's with the 'kun'? Stop reading Japanese manga, damn it!"
Ha Jiho averted his gaze as if he hadn't seen me, but his restless demeanor was plain to see.