Chapter 44: How to Enter the Demon Realm

Ion emerged from his tent late at night. Everyone except Shin Minji and Jin Seongha had come to him for “divination.” Recalling every item, even one mentioned only once in the novel, gave him a headache.

Worst of all was learning the deeply personal details of eighteen people—details he’d rather not know.

Holding his Sansevieria, Ion stepped out to clear his mind with the night air. He spotted Jin Seongha sitting alone on a lounge chair.

Snore.

Well, not entirely alone—Pippi was with him. Pippi floated in the air, dancing joyfully, its usually lime-green tail glowing in vibrant colors.

As Ion approached, Jin Seongha smiled.

“Done with fortune-telling?”

“Yeah. My head hurts. Like smelling kimchi stew with acorns.”

“…You really love kimchi stew.”

“Not really.”

Ion pressed his temples and sat beside Jin Seongha.

Snore!

Pippi zipped into Jin Seongha’s arms. He stroked its fur gently, saying, “It’s okay. Corps Leader Ion won’t hurt you.”

Shiver.

Pippi buried its face in Jin Seongha’s chest, trembling. Seeing Jin Seongha’s eyes soften with affection, Ion asked, “Cute because it’s scared and trembling?”

“Yeah. It’s adorable, seeking my arms in fear.”

“…”

So creepy.

“Corps Leader Ion, can I borrow your Sansevieria for a bit?”

“No way.”

“Not even asking why?”

“I’m not letting a creepy guy like you hold Sanse for even a second.”

“I’m getting into plants.”

“…”

Otaku—fanatics—were a phenomenon akin to leaves turning in autumn. When someone showed interest in their obsession, they’d use every trick to make them a fellow devotee.

Ion handed over the pot. Large in his arms, it shrank to a suitable size for Jin Seongha.

Jin Seongha hugged it tightly and grinned. “If you harm Pippi, I’ll do the same to this weed. I’ll tear its leaves and snap its stem.”

“You said you were interested in plants. So it was just for blackmail.”

“A little lie to reassure Pippi.”

Ion’s exasperated look only made Jin Seongha laugh. Ion let it slide.

Sansevieria, raised with spirits since youth, was tougher than most plants, and Jin Seongha wouldn’t actually harm it.

Snore.

Reassured by the “hostage,” Pippi floated again, twirling in figure-eights like a bee, swimming like a fish, or diving like a hawk seeking prey. Its long, thin tail sparkled like a jewel.

Snore. Snore-snore. Snore.

It even sang. Ion knew why Pippi danced like that.

“You fed it some high-quality ether, huh?”

“…How’d you know Pippi dances when it eats ether?”

“Why act surprised? I know a lot. I was just swamped by teammates for knowing too much.”

“Tell me more about Pippi. I want to feed it the best.”

“Top-grade ether is best for now. It’ll like something else later.”

“Next level?”

“Two levels from now…”

“How many levels are there?”

“Whoever told you about Moshi didn’t mention the level system, huh?”

“Hmm, no.”

Ion thought Jin Seongha might clam up. But he continued casually, “They didn’t mention levels, but they told me what personal reward I’d get in the Naju dungeon. Thanks to that, I used it well.”

Ion’s eyes widened. “You used it? Where? What was it? How’d they know about a Level 4 reward in Naju?”

“They didn’t say Level 4. Just that the system window would be glitched and what kind of item it’d be.”

“You said you heard it long ago. Did you meet them again recently? When? Where?”

“No more questions. I can’t answer.”

Jin Seongha’s firm refusal made Ion stand abruptly. Pippi flinched but resumed dancing after gauging the mood.

“Let’s use a contract-dissolving item. I’ve got an A-rank one.”

Jin Seongha didn’t budge. “A-rank won’t work. I tried. Only a month left on the contract. Let’s talk then. I’ll have questions for you too, so be ready.”

Even if Ion got an S-rank dissolving item from Ryu or the black market, it’d take a month to acquire.

Waiting for the contract to expire was faster.

“Give me Sanse back. I’m going to sleep.”

“This plant smells nice. I want to hold it longer.”

“Stop pretending to like plants. I’m not fooled.”

Jin Seongha returned Sansevieria. As Ion turned to leave, Jin Seongha stopped him. “Before you go, watch Pippi’s tricks. Pippi.”

Snore?

“Trick 1.”

Snore!

Pippi swooped down, trembling its round body.

Fluff-fluff-fluff.

Its green fur fluttered.

“…That’s a trick?”

“Yeah. Cute, right?”

“…”

“Pippi, Trick 2.”

Snore!

Pippi shaped its tail into a heart. Jin Seongha’s eyes seemed to form hearts too.

“So lovable.”

Chirp.

“Trick 3.”

“How many are there?”

“Ten. Eleven’s in progress. Pippi, Trick 3.”

Snore!

Pippi answered loudly, then yawned widely. Jin Seongha slipped a finger into its mouth.

“You can try it too, Corps Leader.”

“…Why put a finger in its yawning mouth?”

“It’s cute, so I want to.”

“…”

Utterly incomprehensible.

Ion watched all ten tricks.

They were indeed cute.

The eleventh, still being perfected, was shaping its body into a heart—a slightly distorted one. Jin Seongha petted, squeezed, and cuddled Pippi, showering it with affection.

They looked like a happy mascot and owner, but…

Was Jin Seongha thinking, It’s cute, practicing tricks to please me?

“Pippi can do ten tricks. What about your Sanse, Corps Leader?”

Ion looked at Sansevieria.

“…”

Its long, sturdy leaves seemed to stare back.

Ion, briefly startled, said quickly, “Plants are cute and lovable just by existing, no tricks needed. Look, Sanse soothes me by just being there. But animals aren’t inherently cute, so they desperately practice tricks. Like you said, pitiful. Not sure if that’s cute, though.”

Ion snatched Sansevieria and hurried off, unaware Jin Seongha was smiling at his retreating figure.

Back on Earth, it was August. Spec-1 got a week’s vacation, shorter than the two weeks after the S+-rank dungeon, as this was an A-rank. The next raid was set for the second week of August.

Good, I can make the Daisytown briefing.

The U.S. Daisytown dungeon briefing was in the first week of August. If it had clashed, Ion would’ve taken leave from Horizon—lucky it didn’t.

Checking his phone’s calendar app, Ion called Ryu’s Curator Sun. He needed a private jet to the U.S. and a ticket for a low-grade D-rank dungeon while there.

Expecting a refusal due to the tight schedule, Ion was surprised when Sun agreed readily, adding, “Apologies for the delay in arranging the System Age executive meeting. As compensation, the jet and ticket are free.”

Ion had expected the meeting with the deputy leader to take time, so he wasn’t bothered, but Ryu seemed to care. He thanked her and hung up.

Elliet Middlener and Yosep Bright joined the Daisytown raid…

Elliet, a combat S-rank Hunter with three skills, and Yosep, a healing and protection S-rank with two skills.

Both died later, missing the final Demon King battle.

If they teamed with Jin Seongha, they’d be a huge asset against the Demon King.

No need to scheme to unite them—when an SS-rank dungeon appeared, the world would form an elite team, and they’d meet naturally.

For now, I need to find how to revive the Demon King.

Why were the materials for entering the Demon Realm so elusive?

Were they really only available after Level 2?

The only way to enter was to break dungeon boundaries, and that required gathering materials.

…No, there’s one other way.

The unique Mind skill to force-open domains.

Ion had dismissed it as impossible.

Finding materials, however distant, seemed more feasible than forced domain opening.

But… in the Monity dungeon, a Giant had forced a domain open.

How did a Giant learn a Mind’s unique skill?

No answer came, no matter how he puzzled.

He concluded forced domain opening wasn’t viable and focused on relentless dungeon raids.

Ion sighed and opened the Hunter app, filled with posts seeking cheap mercenaries.

Tony Notis, head of the U.S. Hunter Intelligence Agency, was in a bind.

The issue sat across from him.

A woman with close-cropped red hair, indifferent blue eyes, and a head taller than him. Her sleeveless top revealed tense arm muscles.

Onil, the elder of D-NATE’s sibling guildmasters, unmistakably Korean yet with Western features.

Tony hadn’t known she was in the U.S. She’d barged in, demanding a one-on-one.

A former CIA agent turned inaugural Hunter Intelligence chief, Tony was a figure even the U.S. president deferred to. For a Korean to show up without an appointment was galling.

But sending her away was impossible—she was too big a deal. Many had foresight skills, but Onil was the only S-rank foresight Hunter.

Annoyed but granting the meeting, Tony faced Onil, who skipped greetings and went straight to the point.

“The Daisytown dungeon will yield byproducts as valuable as Monity. Only I know where to mine them and how to use them.”

“…”

Her expressionless bombshell left him speechless.