Chapter 513.???
"Then to Hunter Kim Giryeo, gates must look like sothing very negative, right?"
"Well, that's obviously..."
"You probably dislike [Dungeon Shock] enough that you'd want to eliminate it if you could. After all, it's the reason people can't even rest and have to keep working all the ti."
Had this mammal been drinking in broad daylight? Logically speaking, it would be difficult for any modern person today to like those bizarre, demonic dens known as gates. So I asked why he was stating sothing so obvious, and the man with the indigo hair paused for a mont.
"_"
Then he spoke again.
"I'm sorry, but I just don't understand that ideology of yours."
It was rather awkward to hear soone else say the exact words the Archmage himself had wanted to say.
"Normally, S-ranks like us don't really have to pay much attention to magical disasters, right?"
But it seed Kang Changho had been wanting to say sothing like this for quite so ti.
"If the country collapses, we can just immigrate sowhere else. The world is already busy enough with spending money and enjoying ourselves, so why do you always..."
"What do you an?"
"Step forward and take a loss?"
"You couldn't understand because I act in a way that puts at a disadvantage?"
"This nation isn't a region with enough value to protect so desperately anyway."
He expressed these opinions without the slightest hesitation.
"So, Hunter Kim Giryeo, do you like Seoul that much?"
Why was he suddenly speaking of a city that had been minding its own business as if he were criticizing it? Still, from my perspective, there was no reason not to answer the question.
"Of course I like it."
The internet works well. There's plenty to eat. For the record, seeing as a man once turned up dead of starvation in the middle of the city center, I couldn't exactly describe it as perfect. But for many reasons, I had taken on the position of a guard for the Republic of Korea.
"And to be honest, my life has had quite a few storms. The only acquaintances I have left who are still alive are a few people in Korea."
"Hmm."
"And if I want to safely maintain those relationships, then opposing the gates becos even more necessary."
The mont I answered politely—
"—What if you assu that while acting for those acquaintances, you yourself might die?"
Kang Changho imdiately changed his attitude and countered. Now he began pressing the issue with a questioning tone.
"Even knowing that risk, are you still planning to stand at the front and oppose the gates, Hunter Kim Giryeo?"
"Why are you suddenly like this?"
"I'm sorry. But this is a more serious problem than you think, so I'd be very grateful if you'd answer as sincerely as possible."
"What..."
"Just so you know, the enemy threatening this world is so 'sothing' capable of creating unknown things called gates. And if you keep wandering suspicious dungeons collecting information to oppose sothing like that..."
"Keep wandering?"
"You'll probably die young."
Kang Changho spoke from the well-kept lawn of the garden. He was standing upright in the shade cast by the nearby wall. And from that position, he was offering sothing that was not quite advice.
"It's obvious the probability of dying will increase noticeably, so I'm really asking if you, our Kim Giryeo-ssi, are still going to help others as an S-rank hunter."
But just because soone questioned it, would the Archmage's plans change?
"Why does he keep interrogating as if he's trying to determine the truth?"
I had already decided long ago to accept all the dangers of dungeons. Even if humans emphasized the risks and warned , I would not reverse that choice.
"Ah. Perhaps he's acting like that because he can't believe an Archmage like is protecting them? This is certainly a plausible assumption."
So, to reassure the suspicious mammal in front of , I spoke seriously.
"I'd rather die than be unable to do what I want to do."
"You're not even a fire attribute, yet you live pretty fiercely."
This was similar to the intentions one would have while wearing the item called the [Pyromancer Necklace]. So Kang Changho quickly accepted it. If the other party had maintained the sa attitude all the way from F-rank to S-rank, then perhaps the even unbelievable claim that he would help humanity was more likely to be kept.
"...Fine. I understand. Then next ti I'll contact you again after I obtain a [Waterless Golem Core]."
An unexpected remark followed. As if he had nothing more to say, Kang Changho folded his arms quietly after ntioning he would look into the next weapon material I had requested.
"What about this Epic-rank blunt weapon? Can I just take it?"
He waved his hand dismissively at an artifact worth over a hundred billion won as if it were a stone. It seed to an he didn't want to be bothered any further.
"I wonder if gift tax applies to this... I was going to ask about that because I'm afraid of taxes..."
Well then, let's withdraw for today before he changes his mind. Since I happened to be on a crutch right now, I promised to continue the conversation when my body was in better shape and left his house. For reference, while I was walking out through the gate, Kang Changho lowered his head as if pondering sothing.
.
.
.
After that.
Another twenty-four hours passed on the planet.
[Shattered Foot Repair Complete 0]
"Yahoo!"
After receiving an artifact from a certain ex-convict, my weapon manufacturing schedule had unexpectedly moved to a light run. However, and since that laid-back ex-convict had even quickened his pace to get here, I assud he would be fine with the focus on producing equipnt.
"Hmm."
Step. Step.
I walked down a street in the city center with my leg injury fully healed. For the record, I was planning to stop by the Republic of Korea's item auction house today. However, as I was walking along the sidewalk blocks, a nearby shop window suddenly caught my eye.
"It's a clothing store."
Of course, I had no intention of buying anything there. Still, I beca interested in observing through the glass to see what kinds of trends mammals were following, and just then—
—Vroooom...
From one side of the road ca an engine sound that was rarely heard.
"Huh?"
And there was no need to confirm the source of that sound with my eyes. With the Archmage's instincts, I had already identified the driver.
"Kang Changho."
Soon a conspicuous car appeared on the nearby road. The Republic of Korea's third S-rank hunter had revealed his face from within a vehicle commonly referred to as a 'supercar'.
"Kim Giryeo!"
Good grief. And now he was even calling out such a precious na so casually while approaching.
Thud.
The driver who got out of the strangely shaped car ca running straight toward the shop window. He even broke into a light run. However, since it was currently a quiet weekday morning, there were no pedestrians around, so there were no gates pouring in. In other words, even S-ranks could have a focused conversation comfortably.
"Yes. Hello-"
As usual, the conversation began with a greeting. But the first sentence the other mammal spoke was rather bewildering.
"This."
"Hm?"
"I found the next artifact you requested. Take it."
Let correct myself. What filled my chest right now was not bewildernt, but fear.
"What?"
The items I had asked him to procure were all extrely difficult to obtain, yet he had brought them in rapid succession.
"No, uh... well... first of all, thank you..."
"Yeah."
"But I don't know if I can just accept such a rare item like this."
"You were the one who asked to get it, weren't you?"
The sarcastic remark caused the conversation to halt briefly. But no matter how uneasy I felt, the artifact now in my hand possessed enormous monetary value.
"Perhaps friendship was sothing that could be bought with money after all...?"
Such a pathetic thought crossed my mind for a mont. Still, I quickly placed the material into my item box and barely regained my composure. And since that laid-back ex-convict had even quickened his pace to get here, I assud he must also have sothing busy to attend to. I was about to end the conversation quickly when—
"Hunter Kim Giryeo. Since I kept my promise to procure the artifact, would it be alright if I said sothing I want to say now?"
This felt ominous. As I closed my mouth with an inexplicable premonition, Kang Chang-ho began proposing sothing new on his own.
"To be precise, there's sothing I'd like you to make ti for."
"What is it? Is it urgent?"
"Not particularly."
"Then... did so extrely dangerous gate appear suddenly?"
"It's not either. If you have ti, I was hoping you'd co to a certain restaurant with ."
"What?"
"Ah, and just so you know, at the restaurant I plan to talk only about personal matters completely unrelated to dungeons."
"_"
"Grabbing a drink and building rapport between colleagues in the sa industry. Honestly, it's a very common proposal."
Co to think of it, I had often done similar things with Seo Esther. There just hadn't been alcohol. I had frequently eaten als with people in the sa field.
"What kind of intention is this..."
But hearing such words from an ex-convict naturally made uneasy. Even aside from that feeling, I was simply busy. This was the era of Dungeon Shock. And at a ti when everything was this hectic, asking a researcher to abandon experints and raise a glass was—
"These days I'm already overworking myself often. This is troubleso."
After all, the artifact procurent had begun because he himself insisted on helping. So I cautiously declined the invitation to dine together.
"I'm sorry, but these days I'm too busy to make personal ti."
Kang Changho nodded as if he understood.
"Ah, really?"
But the peaceful reaction lasted only a mont. The man with [Dragon's Eye] lifted his gaze toward the sky and remained silent in a way that felt unsettling. Then he spoke again with words whose intention was difficult to grasp.
"Even if I assu this side pays the al cost of 500,000 won, it's still a no?"
Of course not. There was a saying on Earth that you should be wary of people who buy you beef, and yet he was offering to cover such an expensive al without hesitation. Now I was genuinely uneasy. So with a reluctant expression, I declared that I couldn't make a personal appointnt.
But the physical enhancent specialist, who was listening quietly to the refusal, suddenly added one more remark.
"You must have felt suspicious about the proposal I just made."
It was an extrely accurate judgnt. And Kang Changho, raising his index finger slightly, continued speaking on his own.
"It can't be helped. Then shall I explain in advance why I suddenly made such a special request?"
"That would be nice."
"Hm. Actually."
A sentence starting with a common preamble. So I expected so trivial reason to follow. But without blinking once, Kang Changho calmly delivered the explanation.
"I had been engaged to a certain woman for several years, but due to various circumstances she dumped recently and broke off the engagent. In that case I either have to cancel the omakase reservation I made earlier or go alone, and honesty that would be a waste."
"_"
"So I feel like I should drink with soone and talk about personal matters, but unfortunately the only acquaintance I can make this kind of request to happens to be Hunter Kim Giryeo."
"_"
"That's why I asked you to co to the restaurant with ."
What did you just say?
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