Chapter 140 : Secret

Jin Seong-ha tried various methods to escape the maze, just as Ion had.

Flying high into the sky or striking the maze walls.

He knew it was pointless, but it was still useless.

“We have no choice but to wander and find the path ourselves. Adjutant Dam, are you good at mazes?”

“Ah, don’t worry about that.”

Da-on’s eyes took on a violet hue.

Skill <Sage’s Eye> activated.

Da-on quickly drew the maze structure by connecting four sheets of paper.

A perfect map marking dead ends and even treasure chest locations.

Shrinking the radar system window and overlaying it on the maze map made finding marker positions much easier.

The group quickly moved toward a nearby marker and merged with two people less than a day after entry.

As expected, two Canadian byproduct collection team hunters.

Since the collection team was B-rank or higher, they skipped separate rest and moved to the next target immediately.

Raaargh!

They encountered three treasure chests, and all three times S-rank monsters—Mimics—appeared.

Giant spider-like monsters with thick, heavy pincered legs.

No matter how S-rank, monsters—or demons—were no longer opponents for high-rank hunters.

The A-rank Canadian hunters dispatched them quickly without Jin Seong-ha needing to step in.

They collected the byproducts while glancing at Jin Seong-ha and Dam Da-on.

But the two showed no interest in byproducts.

“Sometimes artifacts or items come from treasure chests, but we only get monsters. Bad luck.”

“It’s good luck. We can clear them simply and proceed. In the novel, absurd trials like ‘reveal a secret to each other’ or ‘answer quizzes’ appeared.”

“Secrets aside, what kind of quizzes? Like ‘when almond dies, it’s diamond’ type?”

“Varied. Riddles, or ‘write the chemical formula for hydrogen peroxide.’”

“Oh… we’re lucky.”

Jin Seong-ha opened the system window.

“Those stopped markers might be stuck on quizzes. If no one rescues them, do they stay blocked forever?”

“No. After twenty-four hours, the treasure chest type changes.”

The system still left a way out.

Jin Seong-ha’s group rested for the first time when 48 hours passed since dungeon entry.

Checking the map over meal, there was a slight difference from the previous day.

All lone groups were gone except one, and that one would soon meet a two-person group.

The strange thing was that the far-away two-person group, which had been advancing quickly whenever checked, had stopped a few hours ago.

“Must’ve hit a tough quiz.”

“Hm. That group is east, we’re west—joining won’t be easy.”

“Yes, either another eastern group rescues them, or we hope the trial type changes after a day.”

Jin Seong-ha frequently opened the system window.

While preparing to sleep. During meals. While moving.

At this rate, they’d meet a six-person group in a few hours.

That group was moving quite fast too.

Core combatants must be together.

‘Hope it’s Ion.’

But contrary to Jin Seong-ha’s wish, it wasn’t Ion.

Three hours later.

Boom!

A massive explosion nearby made Jin Seong-ha immediately summon Black Cloud Sword and rush out.

Through the dust, a dead Mimic was visible.

Whoosh!

Jin Seong-ha swung at the chilling presence approaching fast from behind.

Bang!

A rupture as loud as the earlier explosion.

A sound hard to believe from swords clashing rang out.

As dust cleared, a sturdy, tall swordsman with red hair appeared.

Jin Seong-ha knew that face.

“Sara Harundas…?”

“Jin Seong-ha…!”

The opponent recognized him too.

Their eyes widened as swords crossed.

Both were surprised.

Regardless of identity… no one had withstood his sword like this.

And Jin Seong-ha had even more reason to be shocked.

Sara, stepping back, approached with a bright smile.

“Wow! Jin Seong-ha. Nice to meet you. My name is Sara Harundas. Dam Da-on said you’re the first protagonist of <Hunter and Hero>. We’re the same age. Let’s get along!”

It wasn’t the awkward Korean that surprised him.

Touching the black shadow of Black Cloud Sword’s affliction yet remaining fine… even greeting energetically.

Like his five-attribute resistance, Sara Harundas seemed to have a special ability too.

Anyway, since Sara greeted in Korean, Jin Seong-ha reverse-summoned Black Cloud Sword and replied in Idea language he’d been studying hard.

“Looks like Adjutant Dam taught you Korean. Nice to meet you too. Let’s get along.”

“Ooh, you speak Idea too? Really well? Accent totally imperial! Natural!”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

“And you’re super handsome. Now I get why Dam Da-on always talks about your face. You know? Dam Da-on had depression before, but seeing your face cheered her up.”

“I heard. Grateful. I’ll manage my looks diligently so Adjutant Dam’s depression doesn’t return.”

“Know it and manage well, Jin Seong-ha Hunter.”

Dam Da-on, appearing with the group just then, spoke shamelessly.

“Dam Da-on! You were with Jin Seong-ha.”

“Sir Sara was with the Canadian hunters… all Canadian hunters.”

“Yeah. Almost died of frustration not understanding! Those Earthlings don’t use the language you do, Dam Da-on. Guess Earth doesn’t have everyone speaking one language like us.”

Sara Harundas must’ve been quite troubled dropping only with Canadian hunters without Korean ones.

The Canadian hunters likely felt the same.

“Even I, with the best language skills, was this frustrated—so others must be going crazy. Especially Bran hasn’t learned Earth language. What if he dropped alone with Earthlings.”

“Don’t worry. Special Team 1 members can handle basic Idea conversation.”

“Really? Good then. That half-breed Bran has short patience.”

The five who crossed to Idea, including Shin Min-ji, were the most fluent Idea speakers in Special Team 1.

Before moving again, the group speculated who the coordinate radar groups were for a mid-check.

Then realized something they hadn’t noticed.

“Wait. Eleven from Idea? Thirty-four crossed from our side.”

“What? Not thirty-six?”

“No way. That’s two people off!”

[Entry Personnel: 47]

They only now discovered the system count differed by two from what they knew.

Da-on assumed eleven from Idea meant thirty-six from Earth; Jin Seong-ha assumed thirty-four from Earth meant thirteen from Idea—so neither checked total.

“System Age.”

“Yeah. Two bugs sneaked in.”

Jin Seong-ha glared coldly at the coordinate radar.

Numerous red dots.

Which among them were the uninvited intruders.

Il-on is facing death soon.

According to Sa-on, it was due to skill side effects.

Most skills have no side effects, but some come with fatal ones.

Like how Shin Sae-mi ages down each butterfly transformation…

Il-on’s organs aged every time she used <Brainstorming>.

“How soon is ‘soon’?”

“Well. She says she can hold until SS-rank dungeon clear.”

“Four, five months left?”

“Yeah. Ridiculous, right? I thought so too. But she’s been prepared since awakening, so calm about it.”

“…….”

Il-on is dying.

Ion had imagined it countless times.

The orphans’ lives were always close to death.

But skill side effects weren’t among the causes Ion imagined.

The teacher gone, finally able to live the life she wanted—yet dying from skill side effects.

His chest felt stuffy.

‘If death comes, it comes…. Accept it. Death can’t be refused.’

Thinking that, the stuffiness climbed from chest to throat, blocking airways, finally reaching his brain.

Head aching, he leaned forehead on Sanse’s leaves.

“Hey, don’t worry too much, youngest. She can recover if she stops using the skill and rests.”

At Sa-on’s words, Ion jerked his head up.

“She can recover?”

“Yeah. So when we meet again, scold her to rest. You know our strict noona’s weak only to our youngest. She won’t listen if I stop her. Headache. So stubborn.”

Ion unknowingly sighed in relief.

It wasn’t irreversible.

Relieved, but also a bit angry at Sa-on for saving the most important part after savoring reactions.

“Anyway, head’s probably complicated, but clearing this treasure chest comes first. On-on, your secret now.”

“Got it.”

He knew trivial secrets wouldn’t count.

After long thought, Ion painfully spat out a secret he found truly humiliating.

“I… actually… can’t handle spicy food.”

[Current 1/0]

This doesn’t count!?

“Ppuru is kinda cute.”

[Current 1/0]

“I like fiddling with Baba.”

[Current 1/0]

“…I wish I were taller.”

[Current 1/0]

“I want to build muscle.”

[Current 1/0]

All sorts of embarrassing confessions, yet no count.

‘I can’t say figuring out it’s an Apostle scenario is part of the Apostle scenario…’

Other secrets… that he’s actually non-awakened.

And that using magic consumes life force too.

Neither could be said.

“Sigh. Our On-on’s in trouble. If you hate revealing secrets that much, wait for reset after a day. We’re close to the lone guy desperately waiting, but since On-on can’t say a secret, no choice~”

“Yeah. Do that.”

“…What?”

“Wait a day.”

“…….”

Sa-on’s face twisted bizarrely, but Ion ignored it.

No choice.

He had no option to ‘reveal a secret.’

So they ended up spending a day in front of the treasure chest.

Raaargh!

The type changed to S-rank monster appearance.

Sa-on, unable to even get mad at Ion and laughing hollowly, easily turned the nominal S-rank monster to stone.

“Ah, I’m hurt. What secret are you hiding that you won’t tell hyung. Ha, really. I spilled everything alone. Too much.”

It was unavoidable, but seeing Sa-on so hurt made Ion a bit pleased.

How far had they moved listening to Sa-on’s grumbling.

Soon after, the two encountered the one remaining red marker.

“Uh…?”

“You…!”

They thought the unmoving marker since day one was a collection hunter… but no.

Waiting for them was a handsome man with dark brown skin and a scowl.

And……

“Damion!”

A small bat fluttered over.