STC chapter 5

* * *

I took my position at the forefront. With an SS-rank hunter leading us into a B-level gate, I wondered if my small, cute support was even necessary.

“Looking forward to working with you, Hunter Kang.”

Ryu Min smiled and offered a courteous greeting.

Behind me stood Chae Goya, the summoned defender. The strategy was for me to break through the monster wall in front, and then Chae Goya would follow, using his summons to take down the rest.

The moment we stepped inside the gate, the scenery quickly transformed. The peaceful village entrance turned into a wasteland under a crimson sky.

‘Hmm.’

As expected, monsters detecting the aura of the hunters swarmed at the gate entrance.

The menacing growls, like the sky was crying, echoed from all directions. It was a pack of giant wolves with four red eyes each.

If it had been an S-level or A-level gate, there would have been monsters like dragons with wings or golems with rocky bodies. But since this was a B-rank, it was just average.

“Phew…”

I took a deep breath. It felt like layers of dusty dirt were piling up in my lungs.

It was my first real battle, but I had been practicing in the training room for the past few weeks.

‘First, think about relaxing your body… and unlock the inner locks…’

I was always better at practicals than theory. I clenched my fists together, gradually relaxing my muscles. Concentrating to unleash my strength just as I practiced in the training room.

‘It feels like now is the right time.’

At that moment, just as I was about to slam my fist into the ground, a monster suddenly leaped at me from a boulder a little distance away.

Chae Goya’s voice tore through the air, rough and urgent.

“Baram Hyung!”

Simultaneously, something thick and long shot out from behind me. There was no time to be surprised. A giant snake, at least two or three times my height, instantly blocked the wolf’s attack.

Chae Goya had summoned his familiar.

“Chunshik! Bite it!”

Huh?

‘Where’s Chunshik?’

No sooner had I thought that than the giant snake, presumably Chunshik, sank its teeth into the wolf’s back with a crunch. The ferocious sight made me frown as if I had been bitten myself.

‘Wow, that wolf’s bones must be shattered…’

I thought the snake would dig its teeth in further, but unexpectedly, Chunshik quickly withdrew. Astonishingly, there were no visible wounds on the wolf’s body where Chunshik had bitten it.

Only then did I realize that Chae Goya was a summoner specialized in defense. If his familiars had been skilled in attacks, he would have been classified as an offensive type, not defensive. In the hunter world, offensive types are far more valuable.

In other words, Chae Goya had risked his safety to block the wolf’s attack and help me.

After being momentarily stunned, I quickly used my ability. When I slammed my fist into the ground, the earth crumbled instantly. The rocks the wolves stood on also collapsed in an instant, as if they were mere sand.

‘Wow, that’s amazing.’

I hadn’t even used my full strength, but the ground disintegrated like powder. I knew my super strength was D-rank, but seeing it firsthand was a different experience.

I shouted to the hunters who were preparing behind me.

“Please wait a moment!”

My ability’s limit time is three minutes. After three minutes, I revert to an ordinary human body.

So, within that short time, I had to do my best. I needed to clear the front so the offensive hunters could jump into battle.

I diligently swept away the wolves in the limited time. Whenever the rear was in danger, Chae Goya would summon Chunshik to assist me.

As the short but intense three minutes passed, the pounding feeling in my muscles vanished without warning.

As my body, unable to withstand the recoil of my power, staggered, Chunshik appeared behind me to support me. His shiny scales wrapped tightly around my waist.

“Uh… Thanks, Chunshik.”

Chunshik responded to my thanks by gently rubbing my cheek with the tip of his tail. Then he withdrew.

Next time I head out to a gate, I should set a stopwatch or something. I had been so engrossed in sweeping away monsters that I hadn’t noticed my limit time was up.

In the meantime, Ye Ilhu and Ryu Min, now fully warmed up, stepped forward. Without a word, Ye Ilhu began to incinerate the newly appeared monsters.

“Please rest for a while behind us.”

Chae Goya whispered to me before following them. Chunshik still had his sleek, scaly body wrapped around my waist.

‘Is he protecting me?’

It seemed so, as Chae Goya’s other familiars were already focusing on defense.

Although they looked similar to Chunshik, their scales subtly changed color with each movement, a difference I could discern if I focused a bit more.

“Chunshik, your master seems really kind.”

In response, Chunshik let out a soft hiss.

‘They all fight so well.’

I leaned my arm on Chunshik’s glossy body, suspended in mid-air. With nothing else to do, I just had to bide my time until the limit lifted in ten minutes.

Before I could feel guilty about resting, Ye Ilhu and Ryu Min were already taking care of all the monsters.

It wouldn’t be long now. It seemed like everything would be wrapped up within ten minutes. With that thought, I let out a long yawn. Having an S-rank in our team made me feel completely at ease.

A massive flame rapidly engulfed the wasteland. The intense heat was palpable even from a distance.

Any monsters Ye Ilhu missed were swiftly cut down by Ryu Min. Behind them, snakes similar to Chunshik took care of the rear.

‘I should learn and apply any useful tactics I see.’

Watching SS-rank Ye Ilhu and A-rank Ryu Min’s seamless combat forms was truly impressive. Even someone clueless about fighting would be awed. As a boxer, I found their efficient movements particularly remarkable.

The battle was clearly winding down. Despite my limited contribution, I had learned a lot from this experience.

Ye Ilhu and Ryu Min were slightly fatigued from the continuous emergence of monsters, especially from battling so close to the flames. Sweat beaded on Ryu Min’s forehead.

“Shall we head back?”

Ryu Min suggested, surveying the charred wasteland around us. Piles of blackened monster corpses lay everywhere.

As Ryu Min spoke, Chunshik gently released his hold on my waist. As my feet touched the ground, Chunshik’s glossy form turned opaque and then disappeared.

I was already planning a relaxing evening, thinking of writing the mission report back at the dorm and then going out for dinner with friends.

But then, a gurgling growl echoed from somewhere. The alpha wolf stood atop the pile of monster corpses.

The wolf glared at Ye Ilhu with its blood-red eyes, enraged by the slaughter of its kin. As Ye Ilhu nonchalantly brushed dirt off his sleeve, the wolf leaped into the air, aiming to attack.

For a moment, the image of my sister’s smiling face flashed in my mind.

“Ye Ilhu!”

My sister genuinely cared for all the characters in the game she created, including Ye Ilhu, whom she had given the prestigious SS-rank title.

Diving to save an arrogant jerk was a reflex, almost instinctual.

The scene unfolded in slow motion, like a movie. Ye Ilhu’s eyes widened as he saw me rushing towards him. I wasn’t sure if my cooldown had ended.

‘Damn it, why did my sister give an extra character such a detailed backstory!’

I muttered inwardly as I pushed Ye Ilhu aside and punched the alpha wolf.

With a shattering sound, the wolf crashed to the ground as if it had hit a wall.

Thankfully, the ten minutes seemed to have passed. Foamy bubbles frothed at the wolf’s mouth, a sign my attack had worked.

I looked down at the writhing monster and then turned to the others, realizing the gravity of my actions.

Ye Ilhu, covered in dust, sat on the ground in shock. Even an SS-rank like him wasn’t immune to the sudden blow from someone of the same rank.

Ryu Min’s eyes widened in surprise as he covered his mouth, while Chae Goya hid behind him, gauging the situation.

Ye Ilhu’s anger was palpable, even from a distance.

I stammered, “Uh, are you okay, Ye Ilhu?”

* * *