Once a rift opens, it doesn't close easily. Depending on the rift's grade, the number and difficulty of the monsters that pour out differ drastically, and only after several waves of monsters does it disappear.
In short, once a rift opens, you have to deal with the endless monsters that appear without rest until it vanishes. And the grade of the first rift appearing in Ui-dong was an A-rank.
Even the other Hunters nearby, who noticed the rapidly expanding rift, were shocked. Kwon Taehyuk, who quickly assessed the situation, shouted at me and Eun Woojeong.
"Hunter Cha Seohu, take your sibling and head immediately to where the support team is located. Eun Woojeong, you too, follow Hunter Cha Seohu and evacuate quickly!"
"Guildmaster!"
Leaving behind the command to evacuate, Kwon Taehyuk hurried off to the opposite side with the guild member who had rushed over. It was to organize the formation and prepare for battle before the monsters spilled out.
"...Let's go too."
I also quickly headed toward the tent where the supporters were gathered, holding Cha Sahyeon in my arms.
Once the monsters began pouring out in earnest, that tent would be evacuated too, except for a few supporters. For now, I would wait at the tent, send Cha Sahyeon off when they evacuated, and then head back to assist Kwon Taehyuk.
While urgently moving with Cha Sahyeon calmly nestled in my arms, I furrowed my brow.
'Why is a rift appearing now?'
The rift had appeared three whole hours earlier than expected. This wasn't something to be taken lightly.
Before regression, the first rift had appeared exactly three hours later. Considering that, it seemed unlikely that there was an issue with the technology used to detect rifts.
Then... for some reason, the rift had appeared three hours earlier this time. What could be the reason? Was there something that could have influenced the rift?
'Wait, influence?'
As I ran toward the tent, a realization struck me. Hadn't I encountered a similar situation before?
I swallowed dryly and looked down at Cha Sahyeon. Leaning her head against my shoulder, she remained incredibly calm despite the situation.
Come to think of it... in that previous dungeon, as soon as Cha Sahyeon's mood soured, a flood of monsters had rushed in. But that time, a system alert had popped up.
Now, Cha Sahyeon didn't seem to be in a bad mood, and the system hadn't sent any warning. Was it just my mistaken assumption? Did the early rift appearance have nothing to do with Cha Sahyeon?
My mind tangled with confusion. In the ~Nоvеlight~ meantime, I reached the tent and sat the child down on an empty chair nearby.
Cha Sahyeon's bangs, slightly tousled from being held, revealed her vivid green eyes beneath. Staring at them for a moment, I pulled a small chocolate from my inventory and placed it in her hand.
"Eat this."
As I tidied her messy bangs, she obediently unwrapped the chocolate and popped it into her mouth.
She really did seem fine. Maybe I was just overthinking it. The moment that thought crossed my mind—
"You're really close with your sibling, huh?"
A relaxed voice cut between me and Cha Sahyeon. Turning my head, I saw Eun Woojeong standing there with a curious expression, as if amazed at how he had followed us unnoticed.
Naturally, he didn't seem the least bit tense. Even with a rift opening right in front of him, an ordinary person staying this calm made no sense. If he was going to pretend to be a non-Awakener, he could at least do a better job. It was just making me more suspicious.
"Are you real siblings?"
"...Of course we are. I don't know why you're asking."
"Ah, sorry if that was rude. I've just never seen siblings so affectionate. Maybe it's because of the age gap?"
Muttering to himself, Eun Woojeong tilted his head and asked,
"Do you have any other siblings? Are you the eldest, Cha Seohu?"
"I don't. I'm the eldest."
"I see."
Though I answered readily, it was clear he didn't fully believe me. It was obvious what Eun Woojeong was thinking.
'He's guessing that Cover and I are siblings.'
In Eun Woojeong's eyes, the guild I had established must look endlessly pathetic.
He must be wondering why an S-rank Hunter, who could crush Kwon Taehyuk and claim the number one ranking, was guarding such a shabby guild.
Good luck racking your brain. Let's see if you can find the answer. Smirking inwardly, I quietly patted Cha Sahyeon's head as she continued nibbling on her chocolate.freewebnovel.com
Screeeeech!
Kiiiik, kiik!
A piercing, grotesque screech echoed loudly from outside the tent. Monsters were finally starting to pour out of the rift.
"Holy shit, monsters already?!"
"Th-they're so fast!"
"Finish preparing! We're evacuating right away!"
"Load everything! We're moving to Sector 2!"
Hearing the monsters' howls, the supporters inside the tent scrambled to prepare for evacuation.
It was time for me to move too. Amidst the chaos, I spoke to Cha Sahyeon.
"Kiddo. You remember the promise you made with me, right?"
".......",
"Go with the people from the tent and get in the car. It's safe there."
Thanks to the paperwork I had received earlier from Kwon Taehyuk, I already knew where Sector 2 was located.
It was a building about 1km away from here, designated to prevent monsters escaping from Sector 1 from attacking civilian homes. Dealer Hunters were stationed there too, so it should be relatively safe.
Several cars were already parked behind the tent, and once on board, they would head straight to Sector 2 without stopping. There was plenty of space, so no need to worry.
"Let's go, to the car."
Cha Sahyeon blinked and hesitated, then clung to me again. She clearly didn't want to be separated from me but was holding back because of the promise we made.
I had been worried she might stubbornly refuse, but even though she was showing a little resistance, she was doing her best to keep her promise. I was extremely relieved.
'Maybe my so-called education is actually working a little?'
Though calling it "education" was generous... Regardless, seeing Cha Sahyeon actually listening made me feel both proud and emotional.
Holding her tightly as she hugged my neck, I moved again. Heading toward the back of the tent, just as explained, I found several cars waiting to head for Sector 2.
I put the child into the back seat of the car parked furthest to the end and reminded her one last time.
"Don't go anywhere else. Go straight to Sector 2 and wait for me. Understand?"
".......",
"No answer? You're going to keep the promise, right?"
"Uh-huh..."
Looking up at me anxiously, Cha Sahyeon nodded dejectedly.
Hoping she would stay put until I returned, I brushed her cheek once and closed the car door.
Now it was time to go back to Kwon Taehyuk, use my skill once, pretend to retreat, and then move toward where the second rift would open.
'By then, the sun should be setting, and I'll be able to use my hidden skill.'
As I checked the reddening sky and was about to move—
Tap.
A large hand suddenly grabbed my arm tightly from the side. The grip was so strong it caused a sharp pain, and I turned my head with a frown to find Eun Woojeong, looking at me with an expression that screamed he couldn't understand.
"Where are you going?"
"None of your business."
Why the hell was this guy asking so many questions?
It wasn't the time to stand around, so I tried to shake him off and leave, but I couldn't pry his hand off.
"Let go."
"Where are you going if you're not getting in the car? You're not thinking of heading to the rift, are you?"
"Whether I get in the car or not, what does it have to do with you? That's the second time I'm telling you to let go."
My irritation spiked as Eun Woojeong kept grabbing me despite the urgent situation. While my expression turned cold, Eun Woojeong kept smiling faintly and spoke.
"What are you planning to do? I'm genuinely curious. Hunter Cha Seohu, you're B-rank, right?"
"So what?"
"Why don't you stop messing around and get in the car with your sibling? You'll just be a burden if you go."
What? Messing around?
I was too stunned to speak, and Eun Woojeong chuckled softly. But the look in his eyes as he stared down at me was icier than ever.
"Know your place."
".......",
"What's the point of a B-rank support, anyway?"

Comments

Loading...