The Hunter of the Other World Who Is Being Misunderstood

While Giryeo was tracking the Rakshasa Temple, what was Ahn Yoonseung doing? As expected, Yoonseung had been engrossed in hunting during the last winter. After all, a Hunter’s job was to eliminate the beasts that threatened the citizens.   

“Is everyone here?” 

Injuries severe enough to shatter his limbs and betrayal from team members—A-rank Awakened Ahn Yoonseung experienced a harrowing failure in his early days as a Hunter. However, with the passage of time, he had successfully returned to his original profession. 

“Then, before we enter the gate, let’s do a final equipment check and briefing!” 

However, recently within the Neo Sisters Guild, a strange rumor had been circulating. The rookie hunter, who was barely more than a chick, had come back after a few months off, suddenly transformed as if they were a completely different person… 

“Uh-oh, this won’t be enough recovery potions. I’ll lend you one of mine. Make sure to take this as well.” 

“Y, yes!”

At first glance, Ahn Yoonseung seemed like just a friendly college student. But why were there rumors circulating that he had changed recently? The new Neo Sisters hunter who had joined the conquest was lost in thought while fiddling with the medicine bottle. 

Woong woong—.

“The gate we will be entering today is of A-rank difficulty, known as [The Deepest Place].” 

Four A-rank hunters and one B-rank healer. In the past, they would have thought they could finish this dungeon quickly with this team, but now the situation is different. Since the Great Cataclysm, unfamiliar dungeon structures have begun to appear on the surface. 

“As you all know, this place is divided into three floors.” 

Unlike the early dungeons that could be cleared in half a day, this new dungeon forced camping and sleeping outside. Entering such a hunting ground was bound to be a burden for the hunters. Anyone would be reluctant to spend two full days in a place where you never know when a monster might pop out.

“Shall we go now?”

“Yes.”

“Alright! Hunter Ahn Yoonseung will take the lead, and everyone in the back, stay alert once we enter.” 

Why did such a nuisance even exist? The new guild member of Neo Sisters grumbled inwardly while firmly gripping their weapon. 

‘Ugh.’

The interior of the [Deepest Depths] they entered was a dreary cave. It felt dark and damp, like being inside the belly of a whale. The new guild member shivered at the unfamiliar world they were experiencing for the first time. 

“Those with detection skills, please keep an eye on the direction of the monsters at all times.” 

“Three will appear soon.” 

However, Yoonseung at the front proceeds with the strategy calmly. This place is a high-difficulty den of monsters, where even an A-rank hunter wouldn’t dare promise safety, yet he doesn’t seem nervous at all…

-Ring, ring, ring.

“Ah!”

At that moment, a noise like porcelain bowls clashing rang out from the front.

‘Monster!’

A skeletal hound. The four-legged creature, a tangled mass of bones, charged like a ferocious dog the moment it spotted a human. 

‘Waaaagh.’

Although she was an A-class Awakened like her teammates, she had no experience working properly as a hunter, so she was momentarily flustered by the fierce attack. 

“B, bind! Bind!”

She tried to use the support skill she’d learned to restrain the creature in front of her. However, the Skeleton Hound darted to the sides, swiftly dodging the threads of light. 

‘Ugh, these guys are too fast…!’

The more she panicked, the more her vision became blurry, and her accuracy dropped. 

Bang!

However, the Skeleton Hound, which had been charging fiercely toward her, suddenly collapsed on the ground. The translucent blue barrier caused it to bang its head and fall. If there was a hunter here with barriers or similar skills… 

“Calm down, new recruit~ Take a deep breath and try using your skill again while focusing on the enemy.”

Srrrk!

The metal mace pierced through the monster’s ribs. Yoonseung calmly gave instructions beyond the shattering bones. He used his protective shield skill to time the hound’s charge, then immediately gathered his magic to take down each fallen monster one by one. 

“I, I understand. Senior!” 

Was the skill [Shield of Protection] originally something that could be utilized in such short intervals? She was surprised by her opponent’s skills, but she steadily corrected her skills as instructed by her seniors. 

“Bind!” 

Then, a beam of light shot out from the air and caught the monster, and at this time, another team member also shot the completed skill. 

Boom, boom, boom!

Soon, the enemy’s corpse scattered into the air, leaving only the magic stone behind. 

“D, did we catch it?” 

“Well done! Let’s keep up this pace moving forward!” 

It felt good to hear the compliment. In addition, this first success gave the new hunter confidence. 

“Yes! I’ll work hard!”

The Neo Sisters’ newbie tried to calm the adrenaline flowing through her body and continued the attack. Of course, being a novice, she made various mistakes and occasionally found herself in danger, but… 

“Ack!”

Bang!

Thanks to Ahn Yoonseung, the formation that was about to collapse was restored several times. At this point, one might wonder if he was truly an A-class like the rest of them. His ability to maintain perfect distance from his teammates was impressive. Moreover, whenever a monster attempted to launch a ranged attack, he would deploy defensive skills precisely where needed. 

‘D, does he have eyes on the back of his head?’

Before long, they reached the last tunnel of the first floor. The new guild member gasped in admiration as she watched Yoonseung unleash his skills behind her while facing the Skeleton Wizard. 

They say that skills like [Shield of Protection] drain a lot of magic power if they set the width just a little bit wrong. Yet, Yoonseung wasted not a single bit of his abilities. Every movement was precise, as if measured by a ruler. Just how much practice would a hunter need to achieve such proficiency?

“I think we’re done with the first floor.”

Ssssk.

Right after clearing all the monsters on the first floor, Yoonseung checked his analog watch and suggested, 

“Then shall we eat lunch before going to the second floor?”

And the team members unanimously decided to fill their stomachs in the cave… 

*** 

“Senior, can I ask you something?” 

Bubble bubble.

Yoonseung, who was boiling water in an aluminum cup, raised his head when he heard his name being called. 

“Yes. And feel free to speak comfortably. After all, we’re both A-rank.” 

“Oh, I, that…” 

Ahn Yoonseung welcomed the newbie with a friendly smile, but the new recruit, having only joined the guild seven days ago, couldn’t seem to relax in front of the others. 

“It’s not that it’s different, but because you fight so well…”

The new hunter trailed off at the end of her sentence before gathering her courage to ask again. 

“Senior Yoonseung, how do you use your skills so well? No matter how much I practice, I just can’t activate them quickly… Do you have any good training methods?” 

How to master skills. Upon receiving the question, Ahn Yoonseung gave serious advice with a thoughtful expression. 

“If I were to share what I’ve learned, the only way is to practice frequently. Even if it’s obligatory, if you cast it 100 times a day with a light intensity while using recovery potions…” 

“100 times?!”

The new hunter’s shock echoed through the cave. She gasped in surprise at the sound she made reflexively, but soon a thin voice flowed out of her mouth.

“Who, who taught you that method? By the way, the guild hasn’t provided any specific skill training, right?” 

“Ah.” 

“After all, you know your own skills better than anyone else… They only taught me in a very vague way.” 

But when the identity of the educator came up as a topic of conversation, this time their voices got louder. 

“Are you asking who I learned from? Well, hmm. You might know the name. Hunter Kim Giryeo… um, cough, cough.”

“Gasp! You mean the S-rank Hunter Kim Giryeo?” 

It’s hard not to know him unless they live on a remote island cut off from the world. The new guild member was surprised to hear that the other person was close to the highest-ranking Awakened, and Yoonseung added a short comment. 

“He’s the one who helped with my rehabilitation, you know.” 

If it hadn’t been for that S-rank, he probably wouldn’t be here now. Even if he managed to survive somehow, he had lost a great deal of confidence at the time, and it was uncertain whether he could return in one piece.

“Wow, an S-rank Hunter helped with your rehabilitation… How did you get to know someone like that? Was it through school? Or did you meet while working?” 

Since they can’t watch any dramas in the dungeon anyway, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to slowly get to know the newbie while eating.

“It’s going to be a long explanation. Would you like to sit here for now?” 

Thud.

Ahn Yoonseung took out the conveniently heated meal from the water and continued speaking. 

“And try one of these meatballs.”

“Oh, are you giving them to me?”

“I warmed up five to give to my teammates.” 

This is why Yoonseung was carrying a large backpack. Not only is his hunting skill excellent, but his support actions are perfect as well. What on earth is this A-class hunter…! 

.

.

.

“I first met Giryeo Hyung in a cave just like this.” 

…said Yoonseung as he began to explain to his junior. He recounted how disastrously his team had fallen apart at that time and how overwhelmingly Giryeo had performed. 

“When he stomped on the golem and tore its heart out, it was enough to give you chills just watching it right in front of you!” 

Of course, Yoonseung’s explanation was based on his subjective perspective… 

“Did you know? When he raids a gate, Hyung-nim doesn’t use skills. He doesn’t like easy powers like awakening.” 

“Then how does he catch monsters?” 

 “He usually uses his brain. For example, he leads the boss into traps or uses the terrain to defeat it?”

There were differences from the actual incident… 

“And I even heard that Kang Changho praised it.” 

“Kang Changho? S-class Kang Changho?” 

“He said he wasn’t sure if he could keep up with Hyung-nim’s pace, so he took a step back.” 

This is a characteristic of rumors. Even though they have been altered by personal opinions and perceptions, witnesses often delude themselves into believing that what they saw is completely true. 

“our Hyung-nim is this kind of person.”  

Ahn Yoonseung confidently boasted about his benefactor. However, the bigger issue was that there was no one present to correct the facts.

“Aha.”

In the end, the Neo Sisters’ newbie ended up believing all of Yoonseung’s absurd testimony… 

‘Giryeo Hunter leisurely kills golems and handles something like Grid with his bare hands, earning recognition from others of the same S-rank. He’s an impressive person.”‘

Nod!

The new member of the Neo Sisters absorbed the explanation of her opponent at lightning speed. This meant that within her, Kim Giryeo’s image was gradually establishing itself as a transcendent powerhouse. 

“Honestly, compared to Giryeo Hyung, I’m nothing at all. It’s like, if he’s the standard, then whether it’s A-rank or F-rank, it’s the same thing, right?” 

“Ooh.”

This was a situation where worship was spreading rapidly, almost like when the Rakshasa members were gaining power. As such, the new member focused on Yoonseung’s words while imagining Kim Giryeo’s true form, and during their conversation, a hunter approached them, walking steadily. 

“Senior, you mentioned earlier that you briefly teamed up with some S-rank hunters. How was that?” 

“Mermaid Pass, right? At that time, Hyung-nim was…” 

The woman with the crossbow briefly listened to their conversation and then opened her mouth.

“Friends.”

Yoonseung and the new member were startled by the sound of the other person’s voice and looked up. However, her expression remained unchanged. The archer simply pointed towards the second floor with an indifferent face. 

“Is there really a need to express in words how impressive S-ranks are? Or is there not?” 

Stop with the nonsense and get up slowly, will you? At the team leader’s pressure, Yoonseung and the new member jumped in surprise and began to tidy up their things.