S-Class Hunter Heals with Monsters - Chapter 151



Only Noblemtl

Episode 151: Number 17, like the final boss

If it was a joke, it was bad. How can you call that a joke in front of a serious person?

But I couldn’t get angry because Cheon Do-woon’s expression was so calm.

He didn’t look like someone who was joking at all.

‘Huh? Wait. Where do you see that guy… Ah! An old-time hunter!’

The man’s mouth opened. He could probably walk through the gate like he was going to the neighborhood bar.

I thought about it that far, but soon shook my head.

‘No. Why would such a great person be in a slum? What kind of connection do we have that he’s suddenly paying off my debt?’

That’s probably just a look-alike.

Although he had seen articles about Cheon Do-un, the man had never looked closely at the photo.

I just let it go because I thought it had nothing to do with me anyway.

While he was confused, Cheon Do-woon looked at the doppel placed on his palm.

“That’s a good thing. This guy is a species that lives in flocks of three or four.”

I was thinking that it would be nice to have one more doppelganger.

“I should get one while I’m at it.”

The doppelganger distribution has been decided.

The man looked at Cheon Do-un with a complicated expression. He couldn’t tell how much was sincere and how much was a joke.

Just as he was about to say something, the lobby door opened and Manager Kim came in.

“Mr. Joseph, I’m here. Thank you for looking after the store… Oh, you have a customer.”

Manager Kim nodded as he saw the people sitting together.

“Look after these people first. I’ve finished my business, so I’ll go.”

“Okay, then guests, please come this way.”

Manager Kim said as he entered the reception room. The man who was following him, pushing a wheelchair, saw Cheon Do-woon.

What on earth was that just now?

‘It’s ridiculous to think that you’ll cross the gate in the winter. It’s even more ridiculous to think that you’ll pay off a debt to someone you’ve just met… .’

I guess he was just teasing people.

It would have been nice to show some anger, but he missed the timing. The man went into the reception room with a bitter smile.

* * *

‘I heard about Doppel too. I guess I’ll go back.’

As Cheon Do-un stood up, Joseph followed him.

“I’ll go too.”

“Why? Go find the things you hid in the lab?”

Joseph froze at the sudden words. He should have said no, but he was momentarily speechless when the point was hit.

Cheon Do-woon saw that and snickered.

“Do as you wish. He who seeks, takes possession.”

“Really?”

“Okay. Take it if you can.”

If you can take it. Why does that sound so ominous?

‘No, it’s okay. Just use the return stone and bring it back as soon as you find it.’

Joseph nodded, feeling confident inside.

If I couldn’t bring it, I planned to chew up and swallow the material I found or burn it so that no one else could see it.

That thought disappeared as soon as I reached Cheon Do-woon’s yard.

Bird siblings. Nam Ki-seok. Lee Baek-ho. Park Su-kwon.

An unidentified half-human, half-fish creature inside a large conch.

“I’m back!”

Chimeras swarm the yard at Kim Na-ri’s shout.

After that, Gu-u walked leisurely as if he was leading kindergarten students.

In one corner of the yard there was Blue and a flying squirrel. There was even a butterfly sitting on its forehead.

‘What, what’s going on here?’

It was the first time in a long time that everyone was gathered in one place.

Joseph broke out in a cold sweat just looking at the sight of those with dangerous powers swarming around.

[Take it if you can.]

Cheon Do-un’s words echoed in my head.

‘I… am a bad guy.’

So that’s why you said that. Joseph’s eyes became moist.

I hope they don’t find the data I’ve hidden. For now, I can only pray that way.

* * *

Cheon Do-woon told his group what happened at Manager Kim’s store.

After saying that he was going to the swamp, he stopped preparing to go out.

“Oh, right. I’ve decided on a name for this guy.”

Cheon Do-woon took out Doppel from his fanny pack. The siblings became nervous at the mention of his name.

“The name is Doppel.”

“Doppel?”

“Oh. It’s a doppelganger. I took the first letters.”

It was their real name. Still, the siblings were relieved.

Considering Cheon Do-woon’s sense, it was fortunate that he didn’t name it ‘Gang-eo’ by taking the last letters of its name.

Gang-eo. It’s a name that seems like it should be on a sushi restaurant signboard.

Compared to that, Doppel was an angelic name.

“It’s okay. It fits well.”

“Really? Then I’ll go. While I’m gone, please look into the lab.”

“okay.”

Cheon Do-woon looked at Blue. With just that glance, Blue came tottering closer.

He realized that he was needed.

-Can I go too?

Gu-u walked out from among the chimeras and asked.

“You’re going too? That’s unexpected.”

Recently, Goo-woo has not been going out of the house. After losing his strength, he has limited his range of activities for safety reasons.

It was surprising that such a person would follow first.

-I need to build up my strength, too. I can’t stay this small forever.

“What do you mean? Is there a way to get your powers back if you go to the swamp?”

-I’m not sure, but there’s something worth trying. There was something like that in the Hunters’ Memories I read before.

Gu-woo recalled a memory of a hunter he had glimpsed some time ago.

-There was a monster that was as skinny as a mummy. It was probably attacked by a leech or parasitic monster. It stumbled and fell into a white swamp. Then, it recovered completely and came out, having been dried out to the point of death.

Could it be that the monster that was simply stuck in the swamp had good regenerative abilities?

Although he had that thought, Cheon Do-woon didn’t say anything. Instead, he lifted Gu-woo and sat him down on Blue.

If there was a chance of regaining strength, there was no harm in giving it a try.

“But if you knew that, why didn’t you tell me until now?”

-To be honest… it’s for the same reason you thought.

Maybe that monster just had exceptionally good regenerative powers. Gu-u thought so too.

If the Hunter’s memories were true, people would have investigated the swamp.

However, the rumor did not spread. This means that there is no such thing as a swamp with healing powers.

Gu-woo thought so. He had no expectations, so he didn’t feel like going that far.

‘Actually, I don’t have any great expectations right now.’

Since you said you were going to the swamp, I thought I’d give it a try.

Cheon Do-woon nodded after seeing such a sight.

“Since we’re going anyway, let’s explore the entire swamp. There might be places where no one has set foot.”

-I see.

Gu-woo laughed.

Realistically speaking, I still have no expectations. But I feel better when Cheon Do-woon says that.

“Then let’s go together, Gu-u. What about you, Kim Na-ri?”

“I am here!”

Kim Na-ri was already up on the blue. The fox was sitting next to her as if it was a given.

“Looks like everyone who’s going has already boarded. Nam Ki-seok, you’re teaching Baek-ho Lee his signature move.”

“All right!”

Nam Ki-seok nodded with an excited face.

The dance he created became the family’s signature move. It was even used in the entrance exam.

When I was dancing, I was confused as to whether this was right, but now I am proud.

‘If you look at what you like, hyung, it may be a dance that surprisingly appeals to the public.’

If I get a chance, I’ll take a video and upload it to the internet.

Nam Gi-seok was seriously troubled as he faced the river from which there was no return.

* * *

Manager Kim’s store reception room.

The man who pushed the wheelchair in had his mouth open, holding a teacup.

“What did you just say… That person was the S-class hunter that was in the article earlier?”

“Yes. The industry has been buzzing recently. Didn’t you know?”

“I saw the article too… I just thought he looked like someone. I didn’t know that someone so great would be in the slums…”

The man stopped talking.

If you think about it, Manager Kim in front of you was also that precious A+ class alchemist.

I don’t know why so many great people are gathered in the slums, but I realized that this was a coincidence.

“Anyway, if Mr. Chun said he would help, just wait. If your appearance was copied by a doppelganger, there’s nothing alchemy can do about it.”

Manager Kim said as he looked at the man lying in the wheelchair.

The man’s expression darkened when he heard that there was no other way.

If an A+ class alchemist were to say something like that, it would be truly unbelievable.

“Don’t worry. Mr. Chun will find that doppelganger.”

“That would be great… but why is he helping me? If it’s not just a whim, then he really means to pay off my debt.”

“You said you would pay off my debt?”

When Manager Kim asked in surprise, the man nodded.

“I thought you were joking when you suddenly said something like that.”

“You’re not the type of person to joke around with things like that… If you said that, I’m sure you’d really pay me back.”

At Manager Kim’s words, the man’s expression became even more puzzled.

Why are they being so nice to me when they first met me?

Whatever it was, I couldn’t just receive help like this.

As he was thinking about what he could do to repay her, a memory flashed through his mind.

“By the way, you put up the remains at the year-end auction. Did they sell?”

“I heard it’s not yet.”

“Then I know someone who might be interested in those remains. I’ll contact them.”

The only people interested in the remains are TDA Research Institute staff.

Manager Kim was secretly surprised to hear that from Cheon Do-woon.

“He was a person who worked with the same team a couple of times in the expedition. I heard him talking about the remains at a company dinner. What did he say? He couldn’t be dead? It couldn’t be bone number 17… I think he said something like that.”

The man spoke, recalling his memories.

“If it’s the remains of number 17, he said he had to buy it himself, and that he would contact me once he had the money… He was talking nonsense while drunk, but it’s clear that he was interested in those remains.”

Manager Kim laughed at the man’s words.

I don’t know how the person in front of me came into contact with Cheon Do-un.

But, seeing as Cheon Do-woon said he would help, it must not have been a bad relationship.

A situation where someone who promised to help came back with helpful information.

Perhaps human relationships are cyclical.

Manager Kim thought with a smile.

* * *

Cheon Do-un rode Blue and headed to the swamp.

As the distance was quite far, he took out Joseph’s journal and read it as he went.

-I heard it briefly before. Is that a record about you?

“yes.”

As I nodded, Gu-u sat down next to me.

“It would be nice if there were records of the lab staff. There aren’t. Just observations of me… Hmm?”

He stopped turning the page.

There was something written there about the research institute director’s son. To be exact, it was written in passing because it was related to Cheon Do-woon.

“Number 17 took the research institute director’s son away. Will that son be able to come back alive?”

It was not written where they were taken or why they were taken out.

When did this happen? He thought for a while, and the corners of his mouth went up.

Cheon Do-woon is 18 years old.

That was the day when a request for assistance came in from where the gate was open.

When he came back from work, there was a boy standing in front of his room. He was a young boy of about eight years old.

‘Is that the new person at the lab?’

At first, I thought so. It was natural, since the only children roaming the lab were test subjects.

But when I looked at the child’s attire, I knew it wasn’t that.

[Hey! Are you the number 17 that Dad mentioned?]

The child was wearing plain clothes, not a lab coat.

A well-tailored shirt and blue overalls. Clean sneakers and a wristwatch.

In some ways, it’s the attire of an ordinary child.

But considering that it was an old time, he looked like a very wealthy young master.

[Why aren’t you answering? I asked you if you were number 17!]

The boy asked, standing awkwardly. He had his hands in his pockets and tilted his head, so he didn’t look like an eight-year-old at all.

The child’s attitude was crooked, but his eyes looking at Cheon Do-woon were shining.

Cheon Do-un’s black combat uniform looked cool.

A dagger strapped to his thigh, a pistol slung at his waist, and a long knife slung on his back.

When Cheon Do-woon’s expressionless face was added to that, the child clenched his fist.

‘Wow, you look like a character from a cartoon!’

Just like I heard from my father. Just looking at it, it looks like it will be strong.

But I tried hard to suppress that feeling of longing.

The boy who grew up receiving only pretty things was not used to praising someone.

[You must have gone on a punitive expedition. I heard everything from Dad. If you get hired, the money will all go into Dad’s pocket, right?]

[Really? Your dad says that?]

The child nodded.

[My dad is rich!]

[Yeah. You’re rich. Who’s your father?]

[My dad….]

The child’s voice trailed off. When his eyes met with Cheon Do-woon’s, for some reason the hair on the back of his neck twitched.

The corners of Cheon Do-woon’s mouth were slightly raised. It looked strangely ominous.

‘This is strange. My dad said that he was incredibly strong and powerful… and that no one could beat him.’

Isn’t that usually the case with comic book characters?

Even the way he walked down the hallway looked cool, like the main character in a comic magazine he had seen.

It was definitely like that. But now, for some reason, he looks like the final boss villain rather than the main character.

[Tell me. Who is your father?]

Cheon Do-woon asked. The child took a step back without realizing it.

I’m not sure, but I have a feeling that this person isn’t as kind as the main character in the cartoon.

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