"It's just life."
"......."
"Life is about not knowing what lies a hundred li ahead."
Hanguru hopped off the desk with a small jump.
"It's 'not knowing what lies an inch ahead.'"
"Same thing, same thing."
Hanguru spun his head away.
"Hanguru wants to go to the bathroom and then go home with the Guild Master-nim."
Jurim stared at the child’s retreating figure, shuffling along sluggishly.
"Hmm—"
Letting out a sigh, Jurim tilted his head.
It didn’t seem like something he was just saying for no reason.
Was it some nonsense he picked up from TV or YouTube again? Or was there another reason? It was hard to tell.
"......."
Jurim absentmindedly shuffled some documents, then tossed them onto the desk and slumped into his chair. He closed his eyes, intending to fall asleep, only to exhale and reopen them.
By now, he should have been drowning in drowsiness, but ever since his mana leakage had decreased, his fatigue had significantly lessened.
In the end, instead of sleeping, Jurim scrolled through his contacts and called the director of Milal Orphanage.
"Hello, Director. I have a question for you."
Sniff!
Pretending to go to the bathroom, Hanguru slipped out and spun around, heading in the opposite direction.
"The Guild Master-nim doesn’t know anything."
With his arms crossed, his face was scrunched up in frustration.
As he stomped off, the secretaries greeted him warmly, ruffling his hair as he passed.
"Hanguru! Hi!"
"Hanguru-guru! Want some chocolate? I got it from a famous shop!"
Every time Hanguru wandered through the office, people would greet him like this. Some would snap pictures, others would pat his head, calling him cute.
Being adored like this was making Hanguru grow deeply attached to Hyeonak.
"Thank you very much!"
He gave a polite bow and popped the chocolate into his mouth, letting it melt.
Sweet.
It felt good.
But the unease lingering deep in his chest refused to go away. In fact, the happier he was at Hyeonak, the stronger the anxiety grew.
He had to get stronger. He had to become useful. That was the only way to secure his place.
That was the only way to ease his fear.
"I'll get ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) strong enough for the Guild Master-nim to acknowledge me!"
[Achievement Unlocked: <The Most Important Thing for Growth is an Unbreakable Will!>]
Growth effect increased by 50% for three days.Effect applies to party members as well.
Whoa!
If it’s like this...!
With newfound determination, Hanguru opened the skill Deep-Rooted Attachment. The guardian slot was still empty.
I can do it! I can get a guardian!
As he energetically scampered off, he suddenly raised his head.
The back of his neck tingled.
Maybe he got bitten by a mosquito last night.
Creak, creak—
After changing out of his uniform in the locker room, Gidan walked into the break room and came to a halt.
Approaching him was a tiny tricycle, rolling to a stop right in front of him with a sharp screech.
S-rank hunter Gidan, I propose a trade.
Perched atop the tricycle in a bear costume, a pair of pitifully slanted eyebrows wavered up and down.
Gidan strode forward and casually plucked off the bear head. Beneath it, a small, scrunched-up face was revealed.
"Eiiiing~"
Hanguru flailed his arms, demanding his helmet back, and Gidan returned it with a smirk.
Hanguru pressed the bear head down tightly again and continued.
I shall offer a reward so great that refusal is impossible. S-rank hunter Gidan, will you accept my deal?
"Hmm, let’s see. Did you make that syrup that puts me at rank #1 yet? Stupid Hanguru."
Hanguru is not stupid. The one wishing for such a nonsensical syrup is the real fool. Foolish Gidan.
"Oh? Not bad."
Gidan yanked the bear head off again.
"Eiiiing~"
Hanguru flailed once more, desperate to get it back.
With a wicked grin, Gidan played keep-away, pulling it back just as Hanguru reached for it.
The child tried to snatch it from various angles, but with his pitifully low strength, stamina, and agility stats (all at 1), he had no chance of matching an S-rank hunter’s movements.
Huffing and puffing, Hanguru’s eyes welled up with tears, and he wailed.
"Dani-oppa is mean...!"
Creak—
As Hanguru turned his tricycle around, ready to storm out of the break room, Gidan swiftly grabbed the long handle at the back.
"Wait, wait a second."
Gidan firmly pressed the bear head back onto Guru’s head and spun the tricycle forward.
The bear costume’s eyebrows, mimicking Guru’s emotions, shot upward as if expressing his indignation.
“I only did it because you’re so cute. Oppa was wrong. Forgive me, okay?”
As Gidan coaxed him, the eyebrows lowered slightly.
Seeing this, Gidan struggled to hold back a grin and clasped his hands together in a mock begging gesture. From inside the costume, Guru sniffled.
Very well. This time, I’ll let it slide.
“Thank you, Lord Guru.”
Guru shrugged his tiny shoulders.
Gidan patted his head and perched on the couch’s armrest.
“So, what kind of deal are we making?”
Gidan tossed a baseball into the air, catching it repeatedly.
Guru’s head bobbed up and down, following the ball’s movement, making Gidan smirk.
Guru wants to gain experience in dungeons and craft various items using dungeon materials to contribute to Hyeonak.
“What do you need? I’ll get it for you.”
Guru shook his head.
Guru must enter the dungeon personally to gain experience.
“Hmm. Do you really have to go yourself?”
Gidan crossed his arms, looking reluctant.
Not easy. But could he really refuse this?
Guru possesses an incredible buff. If Guru is taken into a party, experience gain increases by 50% for three days!
As if daring him to test it, Guru sent a party request.
Though skeptical, Gidan accepted and checked his status window.
“Oooh...”
‘Holy shit. How the hell is this buff even possible?’
A 50% boost was practically the same as clearing a dungeon one rank higher. For Gidan, it was incredibly tempting.
However, this deal must remain a secret from Hyeonak’s Guild Master. If he finds out, both Guru and Gidan will be severely punished.
“Well, yeah. That guy’s terrifying when he’s mad.”
At the mention of something scary, Guru flinched slightly.
But! If we don’t get caught, then it doesn’t count! If we don’t get caught, it’s like it never happened!
Guru declared grandly as if giving a speech, making Gidan grin.
“That’s true.”
So, Gidan, will you accept this proposal?
Guru lifted his brows and extended a hand.
You’re not some coward who’s afraid of getting scolded by an adult, are you?
Poking at his pride, Guru smirked.
Gidan bared his teeth in amusement.
“That’s my line.”
And so, the two shook hands.
“To make sure the Guild Master doesn’t find out, we’ll need to go to a guerrilla dungeon.”
Seated with Guru on his lap, Gidan opened the Knock Knock, Dungeon Where? app provided by the Hunter Association.
Guerrilla dungeon?
“A dungeon anyone can enter.”
Most dungeons were typically auctioned off to guilds or individual hunters for clearing.
However, if a raid failed or a dungeon was discovered too late and was on the verge of a dungeon break, the dungeon entrance would turn red, prompting the Hunter Association to step in.
They would then post an open call on the app, allowing any hunter to enter and take down the boss.
Hunters referred to these as guerrilla dungeons.
Since red-gate dungeons usually meant that the boss had gone berserk, they were harder to clear.
However, skipping the bidding process made them appealing, leading to specialized raid teams that focused exclusively on guerrilla dungeons.
Then isn’t it dangerous?
“If it was that dangerous, it wouldn’t even be listed on the app. The Association would just call a big guild and have a raid team handle it.”
Oh, I see.
Switching to the Red Gate tab, a map of different regions loaded.
Setting the area to Seoul, Guru narrowed his eyes, scanning the options like a hawk before pointing at one.
[Seooreung, Sori Territory, B-rank.]
[Yeti Infestation Area.]
[Time Until Dungeon Break: 3 Days.]

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