SSS-Class Hunter is Going to Rest - Chapter 71



Only Noblemtl

Episode 71. Pulling Your Heart Together (2)
2024.06.10.

A story from your mother that you’ve never heard before.

Suji listened blankly, forgetting to even blink.

“We were going around the 30th floor at that time. As you know, Suji, the difficulty of the tower seems to increase evenly as you go up the floors, but depending on the attributes of your teammates, there are some floors that are particularly difficult and some that are easy. For us, the 30th floor was particularly difficult.”

Suji also knew.

The pair of Knight and Peneios tended to struggle against enemies with strong physical shields, and the boss monster on the 30th floor was exactly that case.

No one responded, but Seunghwan opened his mouth again as if he was being pushed.

“Our team was so big back then, we split into several groups and went around. Yeonju was in a different group. So I was the group leader with Peneios.”

“If I had been there too… … .”

At Yeonju’s words, Seunghwan silently looked down at his clasped hands and continued.

“Let’s stop making assumptions. It’s about time.”

“… … Yes.”

“There was no information about the crack. The cracks appeared overseas later than in our time. There was no data. So suddenly, a black scythe tore through that floor and everyone was in shock.”

Seunghwan lightly licked his dry lips with his tongue, but he couldn’t easily continue talking.

He glanced at Sooji, who was quietly waiting for her to continue, and placed his hands on the table before finally speaking.

“The boss monster had already passed phase 3 and fallen. We hadn’t even finished reorganizing. We didn’t have any energy left.”

“At that very moment… … .”

“Peneus took the lead and blocked that damned reaper, and I tried to help people escape. But before I could do anything, many people were already being dragged to the other side of the crack.”

In the case of the voice, he was soaked

in his trembling hands, but he did not hesitate to talk. I have been able to do it in a way .

I don’t know how to do it . I had only heard stories about how heroic Peneus was when he was dragged away, but this was the first time I heard it from Seung-hwan. I thought I had sorted out my feelings for my mother, but I couldn’t feel comfortable hearing this story. My heart was beating fast and my stomach was pounding. Still, Su-ji neither defended nor criticized Seung-hwan, but quietly waited for him to tell me more. There had to be a reason why he brought this up. “… … That was when I saw the message from the ‘Great Beings’.” “Ah… … .” Su-ji let out a small exclamation. She hadn’t expected the names of the ‘Great Beings’ to come out at this moment. Su-ji glanced down at her ring. To cling to a human at the moment when they are at their lowest point of despair. How vicious. However, since she already knew too much about how the ‘Great Beings’ were people who lived only for fun, it wasn’t surprising. “What happened?” “… … They gave me a reward for completing the hidden quest ‘Encounter of the Rift’.” When Suji asked about the ‘Great Beings’, she thought she knew why he hadn’t given her any answers. It was really terrible. It seemed like a coincidence, like the workings of an objective system, but now Suji knew that it wasn’t. Seunghwan opened the brass locket that was on the table. The locket’s lid clicked into a semicircle, revealing a picture inside. There was a woman with a face that looked just like Suji’s, with long, slightly lighter lavender hair, smiling at the camera. Suji stared at the locket for a long time. As a hunter, even her father had decided not to remember, her mother looked so bright and happy. “What item did you receive back then?” “A bow that neutralizes an opponent’s physical shield for a certain period of time. Of course, it has side effects, but it’s not bad, is it?”

Suji knew how many achievements Seunghwan had made when he had the name ‘Knight’. Not just anyone could become the head of the Gate Stability Department.

Even now, it’s a good item, but if he had gotten his hands on such an item back then, when the situation was worse, he would have been able to show great performances.

If not himself, then by giving it to someone else.

However, even though such a great hunter had gotten his hands on such an amazing item, I had never heard any stories related to it.

Then the conclusion was obvious.

“… … It was bound.”

“Right.”

A bound item meant that only the owner who received it could use it.

Why did Seunghwan have to give him an item that only he could use at the moment he lost his comrade and collapsed?

‘Great Beings’.

If there were demons, wouldn’t they be their other names?

Suji closed the locket with a click.

The locket with beautiful patterns had a shiny, worn surface. She knew without asking how much Seunghwan had treasured it. She

couldn’t blame him. Even though she herself had lost her mother when she was young, Su-ji still didn’t have complete memories of her mother.

But what would Seung-hwan, who worked together as a colleague for a long time, have been like?

I heard that the two of them often paired up.

It must have been like Elaine and herself now.

The feeling of loss must have been indescribable.

“It would have been nice if my uncle had been my father.”

“… … What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Seung-hwan’s face, which always looked solemn, showed a rare look of bewilderment.

“That was absolutely not the kind of relationship. She was a truly amazing hunter that I couldn’t look down on.”

Su-ji knew better what it was like to be a colleague.

But she was glad that he said that. It

was so nice that he said that about his mother, who he had chosen to forget.

Really.

My mother was a great person, but I thought she didn’t have a good eye for men. She

didn’t even get married yet, and she kept her mother’s locket in her arms every day. How could she have chosen someone like her father?

Su-ji looked at the locket for a long time and then gave it back to Seung-hwan.

I hope Seung-hwan can live his life without thinking about his mother anymore, but that’s not something I can say.

“Thank you for telling me. I think I understand this situation and the intentions of the ‘Great Beings’ a little better.”

“… … I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry.”

Soo-ji shook her head.

“No. I wasn’t unhappy because I had an uncle and an aunt, and I think Mom would be satisfied with that.”

“… … Yes. Anyway, it’s true that I thought about returning. I sat here because I thought there was too little administrative support, and the related policies were far from the field. I’ve been doing it for too long.”

Yeon-ju sighed as if she couldn’t help it and patted Seung-hwan on the shoulder.

“If you want to do it, I won’t stop you. But we’re too old.”

“You know that.”

“Let’s just go to the training ground and roll around a little. Don’t just step forward and die.”

Seung-hwan nodded with a bitter smile.

“I’m satisfied if we can just step up and respond to emergencies like the Wave.”

Suzy sighed inwardly when she learned that Seunghwan and Yeonju were planning to return to the field.

Since it was a situation where fire was burning in their feet, anyone who could help would be helpful. Moreover, if the team members who were once at the forefront of South Korea’s ‘Tower of the Wise’ were to return, it would be even better.

So no matter how worried she was, she couldn’t stop them.

“I’ll assign someone else as the dedicated manager. If I go out to the field, I won’t have enough time to support you.”

Yeonju was worried about Suzy even then.

“Okay, aunt.”

Suzy nodded calmly.

“But if you have anything to discuss with me, contact me anytime.”

“If you have any difficulties while you’re out on the field, contact me.”

When Suzy clenched her fist and held it out, Seunghwan and Yeonju clenched their fists and bumped into each other.

The conversation went in a completely different direction than she had expected, and she felt bad about bringing retired veterans back to the field, but she definitely felt secure.

“Oh, and what about the equipment I asked you to give me?”

“You can pick it up at the Hunter Support Center on the 9th floor. I’ll find it and give it to you.”

“No. I’ll go. You must be busy all of a sudden.”

“There’s something related to the award, too. Then let’s go together.”

“Okay.”

Su-jin bowed politely to Seung-hwan and left the conference room. She

stood in front of the elevator, staring at the changing numbers, and then she quickly turned around.

Through the gap between the translucent and transparent glass, which were placed alternately like a grid, she saw Seung-hwan, who was praying with his hands clasped together and his forehead resting on them.