'Oh, I forgot. I can't use the skill twice since it has a cooldown.'
**Chapter 27**
At that moment, an epiphany struck Seung. All of the man's attacks were executed when both of them were in close proximity. Connecting the dots, he resolved to avoid close combat and remain highly vigilant while waiting for the cooldown.
"Yahhh!" The man yelled, charging at Seung with all his might.
Seung dodged his attack, swiftly maneuvering to his rear. The man's frustration was palpable; he believed that Seung's previous victory was sheer luck. Now, his desire to crush Seung's spirit surged through his veins like wildfire. But in the end, he was on a losing streak.
'Why...why can't my Hardening ability work against this bastard?'
Strike...strike...strike...
The eyes of those trailing Seung widened in astonishment.
'How...how can a rank E be this agile?!'
'Too strong!!'
[Damage inflicted: 10%]
[Damage inflicted: 10%]
[...]
Strike!
A resounding crack echoed as Lee Seung struck his opponent's head, sending him crashing to the ground, almost lifeless.
Thud!
[Total damage inflicted: 100%. The enemy has been defeated.]
One of the other men exclaimed, "Ehh! He...defeated our boss?!"
"We can't let you off so easily! Come at us, you f*cker!" another one exploded. Simultaneously, the three of them stood up to him.
Jiwon and Seung continued down the pathway, leaving the men wailing behind.
"Argh...why did I get hit in the leg again?"
"Yish...it seems my arm is broken."
Jiwon kept peeking at Lee Seung's face with a mixture of surprise and admiration as they moved on. Checking the time on her phone reminded her of the strangers who had appeared before her earlier.
She glanced back momentarily. 'They've left.'
* * *
In another part of the world, in an area dominated by trees, a black Lamborghini drove down a narrow, sloping path towards a white villa. The residence stood alone, surrounded by the cries of wild animals and the chirping of birds.
The car drove into the villa's compound once the gate was opened. A cold-looking young lady stepped out—none other than Kim Eunji.
She proceeded inside, finally stopping in the living room.
"Oh, you came. I am sorry for bothering you this much," said the Director of W.H.A, Kim Seijin.
"Good afternoon, Director," Kim Eunji said respectfully, bowing her head. She believed a very important matter must have arisen; otherwise, this man would not have summoned her to his villa. She sat on a couch opposite Seijin.
Kim Seijin sighed loudly and placed his wine cup on the table. He began, crossing his legs, "It's been years now since we've run our secret mission, but...we're most likely to get to it again."
"Could it be...?" Eunji mumbled, not showing too much astonishment though.
"Your guess is correct; I have discovered the presence of a very dangerous monster in this country," he said frankly. "With how deep of sinister smell it is, concluding that it's distinctive from any other monsters the world has ever seen is most appropriate."
'If someone like him says so, I fear we've got an ugly customer on our side,' Eunji thought.
Over the years that they have been secretly taking down monsters, that was the first time she heard the director utter such a statement.
Kim Seijin sighed deeply, then said, a sense of urgency in his voice, "There's no time left. Gather the rest of the team and let's track the beast's location!"
* * *
[At Star High School]
The entrance was bustling with a crowd of students exiting the school. Lee Seung was among them as well.
Passing through the gate, he had a seat on a bench placed under a peach tree. He felt a bit exhausted.
To check if C-rank teams were now available, he relaunched the site, only to realize that his wish had come true.
C-rank team in need of a lower class to help with our baggages. If things get steamed up in the battlefield, we won't hesitate to protect you.
'I have finally found it!' he said inwardly, grinning widely. Without hesitation, he called the phone number listed on the site.
Ding...ding...
Someone picked up the call.
— "Hello?"
Seung quickly stated his reason for calling and waited for an answer.
— "Which rank are you, if I may ask?"
"I am rank E," he replied.
— "Oh, haha, we're delighted to have you join our team. As posted on the web, you don't have to do anything else but carry our bags till the hunting is done. Your payment, which is two hundred million won, will be wired to you before we enter the dungeon."
That amount of money would be wired to him even before entering? Lee Seung immediately knew the profit of the operation was a whopping sum of money and his own payment was most likely covered by one of the Hunters.
But the money wasn't what he desired to begin with. He then told the person precisely what he sought in the operation.
— "Uhm, we're good then. What great timing that you've called! Our team is on its way to Gangnam where the dungeon is located; can you catch up with us now?"
Lee Seung asked where they were, and that was where the call ended.
He took a cab home. Changing into a shirt, he quickly arranged his backpack. It had been his yearning to get a Jar of Life, so naturally, he couldn't stop getting excited and impatient.
Just before leaving the house, he resummoned his clones and asked them to go work out at the gym.
A few moments later, he arrived at the place where the C-rank team's jeep was waiting.
"Yoh! Over here!" a man among the five Hunters waved to Seung. He immediately joined them. Then the man said, smiling, "Welcome to the team, mate. You got here faster than expected. That said, let's get into the car..."
The journey took them hours since they were traveling to another city, Gangnam.
As the cloud turned a golden hue with the sun slightly overlapping the horizon, the jeep finally pulled over in front of a cave where a portal shimmered with lightning.
The team got down from the car. A sense of tension gripped Seung's heart as thoughts of obstacles preventing him from getting the Jar of Life continued to disturb his mind.
He nodded, shaking off his worries. 'It will be alright as long as I keep my hopes high.'
"Uhm, let me do a brief introduction to the new face here," said the man who initially welcomed Seung. He had a grey mustache and an undercut hairstyle. He began, "I am Park Hyeonwoo, with the ability to control fire; this is Seongjin, with the ability to become invisible; Yung can make ultrasonic sounds; Minho excels in close combat, while Jiwoo, the only female here, is a Healer."
[...]
Lee Seung strapped a long, bulky bag to his back. It was so tight that breathing became difficult.
'Well...I must endure this. Gragh...so heavy!'
"Are you okay with that?" Jiwoo, the female Healer, asked him.
Seung found that question rather unnecessary. Could she carry it if he wasn't okay?
"It's fine. Don't worry," he replied, faking a smile.
She unzipped the bag and brought out a golden dagger, then handed it to him. She said, "Keep this with you just in case."
The way she spoke showed a calm confidence, much like a studious person—or so Lee Seung thought.
"Giddy up, guys! Let's go make some money!"