Chapter 135 – SSS-Rank Hunter (10)
At this level, I should be able to take on the SSS-rank monster elephant, right?
I made a reasonable deduction heavily mixed with my own biases and wishes.
“All I can say is… incredible…”
Natalia, who cautiously descended to the ground after everything was over, muttered in a half-dazed state.
“Is that so.”
“Yes. Nullifying an S-rank monster’s attacks while one-sidedly attacking them… I’ve never seen a fight like this.”
“There are parts to improve, though.”
“Oh my!”
The laser and flames from the S-rank monsters had burned away all my outer clothes, leaving only my underwear—which was made of the same material as “my world.”
My previous outerwear had been ruined by a single tail swipe from the monster elephant!
I was lucky even this underwear survived.
“I’d like more practice, but let’s solve the clothes issue first.”
“Yes. To a department store—no, a specialist store for hunter combat suits. They only deal in S-rank and above suits made from monster hides.”
“Good.”
“…But going there in your current state might spark uncomfortable rumors. So please wait a moment. I’ll call someone to bring temporary clothes.”
“I’m fine.”
“Photos of you in just underwear will be forever preserved on the internet, you know?”
“……”
“It’ll be quick.”
I had no choice but to wait under her not-quite-blackmail.
***
In this world, there are many SSS-rank monsters that would destroy nations if not stopped, but SS-rank and S-rank monsters aren’t ignored either.
It’s the difference between a magnitude 6 earthquake and a magnitude 10 mega-quake, perhaps?
It was newsworthy enough.
(After numerous failed attempts, the Shadow Mouse habitat has finally been cleared.)
(Successful subjugation of Blue Laser Cow and Green Fire Deer has secured new farmland.)
(The Super Grand Galaxy General Infinity Blade, long dormant in the museum, has found its master!)
(The identity of this SSS-rank monster’s master is not yet known, but a government spokesperson firmly stated it is the 11th SSS-rank hunter.)
“Hmm…”
They’re talking about me?
The hotel TV played nothing but this all day.
I thought foreign broadcasts would be different, but there wasn’t much variation. Even without physical exchange, information flowed freely. Still, the hype felt excessive.
“It’s because things have been chaotic with all the recent SSS-rank hunter disappearances.”
“Aha!”
Natalia’s explanation—spoken in my hotel room—pricked my conscience. The urgent desire to quickly end this dream that had gone wrong from the start surged again!
The news covered that too.
(Traces of the 10 SSS-rank hunters who attempted to subjugate the Ancient Black Elephant have been found after five days.)
(The body of Kim Ji-young, the Witch of the Far East, was discovered near the Ancient Black Elephant’s nest.)
(This tragedy occurred before the wound from losing Park Hyo-man-ssi—the strongest SSS-rank hunter—could even heal…)
“In the news, they politely said bodies were found, but it was only heads. The bodies went into the stomachs of passing wild dogs or monsters and couldn’t be recovered.”
Natalia, with access to more detailed information as a government affiliate, casually informed me.
“…Did you like her?”
“Kim Ji-young-nim?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want to speak ill of the dead.”
“……”
That was answer enough!
“SSS-rank monsters dominate extremely vast territories. Taking down one expands humanity’s habitable land by about 30%—they’re that large.”
“30%…”
SSS-rank monsters have SSS-rank greed too!
“That’s why they attempted to subjugate the Ancient Black Elephant, but as you can see, it failed in the worst possible way.”
“Total annihilation.”
“Yes. The reason they chose the Ancient Black Elephant among SSS-rank monsters was because they judged retreat would be safe even if subjugation failed.”
“Doesn’t the enraged monster chase?”
“According to information from a D-rank ‘search’ ability, the Ancient Black Elephant has poor eyesight.”
“Eyesight…”
That’s why it couldn’t find me back then?
“The house will be perfectly remodeled by tomorrow morning.”
“That’s fast.”
“Many F-rank and D-rank ability users were mobilized, but also because you had no special requests.”
“Special?”
“For example, Kim Ji-young-nim—who hated losing to anyone—demanded everything be the best, so there was a lot to manage.”
“Aha!”
I think you said you didn’t want to insult the dead…
“Amolang-nim.”
“Call me casually.”
“I can’t anymore. You’ve officially become an SSS-rank hunter. If we downgrade humanity’s pride and hope—the SSS-rank hunter—to an ordinary person, the public won’t trust hunters.”
“I understand.”
Whether I voted or not, it’s the same as “spitting while lying down” if you insult a foreign president or king.
‘I know it well.’
I’d experienced war in the world of the romance fantasy novel I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count’s Family.
Just rumors of a lord or noblewoman—who contributed nothing to military strength—dying or being captured would plunge morale to rock bottom.
Symbolism.
And a rallying point!
Because humans are social animals that form packs like wolves.
“Amolang-nim. Rest. I have work to do…”
“Overtime?”
She seemed planning to handle business in the hotel living room instead of going home.
“Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“…That’s what I want to ask.”
“I’m fine. And guarding Amolang-nim is the most important part of my duties. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I was selected for this.”
“Hmm.”
If she says she’s okay, what can I do?
I went into the shower, stripped, and washed briefly.
Blink, blink~
Even then, the eyeball tentacle didn’t leave my body. It swayed its eye as if enjoying the shower water.
“You must’ve been bored just displayed in the museum.”
Blink!
The SSS-rank monster moved its eye up and down as if agreeing.
‘…It’s like a pet.’
Considering its fraudulent performance, I’d want to take it to other dreams too. It’d be a huge help against anything that isn’t a “god” like the magic boy.
“Let’s sleep.”
I sprawled out comfortably on the bed big enough for three.
Blink, blink~
The Infinity Blade seemed to like the soft pillow’s texture too—it rubbed its eye against it and closed it comfortably.
(Are you sleeping?)
Oh! Senior!
Your timing is artistic.
(I’ve been here for a while. I was just quietly watching to see if you’re doing well.)
How was it?
(Purely in terms of combat power, you overwhelmingly surpass the protagonist of <I’m the Only SSS-Rank Hunter>. The difference between an ordinary person and an Olympic national athlete, I suppose.)
So it’s obvious.
(Yes.)
Praise is hard to get.
(You strangely have more popularity with the supporting female characters than the leads. Valentine, Mi-bong, Deok-sun, Natalia.)
Natalia too?
(Borrowing your expression—would an S-rank hunter with SSS-rank looks like a goddess of abundance be ordinary?)
…So what was her role?
(The role of protecting the protagonist in crisis and dying in his place.)
That’s the worst?!
(That’s why the author of <I Became an SSS-Rank Hunter> got massively flamed and disappeared for a year.)
“Hmm…”
(Don’t take it too much to heart. It’s just a dream, anyway?)
“…Yes.”
Blink, blink?
I stroked the confused eyeball tentacle with my left arm and fell asleep.
***
I left the hotel early in the morning to see the remodeled house.
I wanted to eat the “free for guests” hotel breakfast, but gave up at Natalia’s mention of a welcome party prepared at the house.
We headed straight there.
Clang, clang!
「Fairy-Tale Village Guarded by an S-Rank」
But the sign at the village entrance was being taken down.
In its place,
「Fairy-Tale Village Guarded by an SSS-Rank」
A new sign with gold-painted “SSS” letters caught my eye.
“…Natalia-yang.”
“Please call me Natalia casually, Amolang-nim.”
“Won’t the S-rank hunter get upset and leave if you do that?”
“It’s fine.”
“Ah! So they got permission from the S-rank hunter in advance before changing the sign.”
“Yes. I gave permission.”
“…Hm?”
“I’m the S-rank hunter who protects this village. Though the actual number of times I’ve protected it can be counted on one hand.”
“I see.”
Instead of the rickshaw, I moved to a luxury sedan waiting at the hotel entrance.
“Welcome! SSS-rank!”
“Welcome~!”
“We love you, Hunter-nim!”
The villagers—who knew we were coming—lined the streets, waving and cheering.
Sway, sway~
Pretty young ladies in lovely outfits smiled brightly and sprinkled flower petals…
“This is incredible.”
I’d experienced formal welcomes a few times, but a heartfelt one like this was a first.
“Because you’re SSS-rank.”
“SSS-rank really is amazing.”
“Would you believe the property values in this village skyrocketed 100 times overnight?”
“Even so, 100 times is a bit…”
“In the past, it would’ve been around 20 times. But you saw the news yesterday, right? Amolang-nim is currently the only SSS-rank hunter in the world.”
“The only…”
“The safest villages in the world dropped from 12 to 1. This planet is overflowing with people willing to buy safety with money. Naturally, village prices had no choice but to soar insanely.”
“……”
Like with Sports Toto, it seems only the people around me make money.
“We’ve arrived.”
“Hmm… Moving trucks? Looks like the organizing isn’t finished yet.”
“Ah! Don’t worry. Amolang-nim’s house is completely remodeled. Those are the neighbors’ belongings.”
“I see.”
“I did instruct them to be as quiet as possible even when hammering a single nail, but please understand a little noise.”
“Yes.”
I lived in a commercial building warehouse until last year! I can laugh off most noise like a lullaby.
“You’ll find out soon, but the president’s family is moving in next door.”
“The president…?”
“The president’s family is scheduled to move next door, and there’s a rumor a royal family bought the upstairs unit.”
“……”
“And I’m downstairs from Amolang-nim.”
“I see.”
“Please bear with it for a few days. This isn’t a neighborhood where people are desperate enough to sell safety for money, so no matter how much prices rise, there won’t be many moves going forward.”
“Hmm.”
My stomach twisted again, like when I couldn’t play Sports Toto.
Ding—
The welcome party began the moment the elevator doors opened after riding up from the underground parking.
“Welcome!”
“Welcome!”
Girls my age stood on both sides of the elevator, bowing politely.
‘This is…?’
It was the exact scene I saw every time I visited Choi Kang-min’s house.
All wearing the same black-and-white maid uniforms, with faces and figures too good to waste on chores…
Natalia, walking beside me, added an explanation.
“They’re elites who graduated from the top home economics department that anyone without awakened abilities dreams of.”
“Elites, huh.”
Housekeepers assisting powerful hunters.
In a world where monsters rampage, is there anywhere safer than a hunter’s home?
And if opposite sex, seducing an outstanding hunter and marrying them means instant life reversal!
Similar to the court ladies in the historical drama <Palace Maid Deok-chun> trying to catch the king or prince’s eye, but in this world, housekeepers had free romance and extremely positive social perception—the best job.
(You frustrating junior.)
Yes?
(Feeling good being treated like this?)
…Honestly, yes.
(Really? One piece of advice: don’t forget your purpose.)
Of course!
(You seem to be enjoying this smoothly running situation like a well-oiled gear.)
“……”
It felt like a dream world tailored for me, not patient Park Hyo-man.
(Be careful.)
Yes.
The senior’s warning felt heavier than ever.
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TL Note:
The novel is fully completed (231 chapters)
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