Chapter 23: Team Bonding (1)

D-NATE announced that Park Yujik died to a monster.

Il-on and Sa-on likely suspected Ion, but they didn’t directly ask if he did it. Perhaps they didn’t ask because they were certain.

With D-NATE losing an S-rank awakened, Horizon’s Spec-1 Team secured the bid for the Naju S+ dungeon.

That same Spec-1 Team was now at Gwangunsan in Muju for a three-day, two-night teamwork training.

When Ion arrived, the path from the hiking trail to the entrance was swarming with people. Despite restricted access, spectators and reporters had gathered.

Wearing a deeply pulled hood, Ion slipped through.

“Is that guy small? A Hunter?”

“Maybe a porter? I heard they’re bringing two porter teams.”

“Why would porters join teamwork training?”

“Whatever, I’m jealous. I wanna go in a dungeon.”

“Jealous? You could die any moment. Look at Park Yujik—S-rank, best shield, still dead.”

“Yeah, his funeral was empty. Heard he was a total jerk.”

“Jerk or not, his skill was insane. His death’s a huge loss for Korea. We don’t have many defensive skill users.”

Ion overheard the spectators as he reached the camp.

“Ion Hunter,” Team Leader Lee Jina approached, looking exhausted.

“Hello, Team Leader.”

“You’re early. Read the notice, check the box, and sign.”

“Yes, Team Leader.”

Taking the tablet, Ion hesitated before asking, “You look tired. Something wrong?”

Sigh. “Some headaches lately. Both sides seem to be competing to make things worse. Just sign and hand it back.”

“Yes.”

Lee Jina headed toward the reporters crowding the restricted area.

Ion sat, quickly skimming and signing the tablet’s agreement to participate diligently and not disclose training details.

As he prepared to return it, Lee Jina was still with the reporters.

“Headaches lately,” she said.

Ion felt the same. The stress made him suspicious of everyone.

Lee Jina was stern, principled, meticulous, and sharp. What was causing her headaches?

One reason’s pretty clear.

The seven mercenaries and thirteen guild members of Spec-1 were split as if they’d fought, a sign the training wouldn’t go smoothly.

“Hey, Ion! You show up and don’t even say hi?” Hong Insu ran over, mid-chat with Peanut Corps sub-leader Bae Younghoe, who waved.

“Once I hand this to the Team Leader, I’ll head in. You go ahead, hyung,” Ion said.

“Ugh, stop with the formal talk. Gives me chills.”

“…”

“Why do you keep glaring? Say something! We’re not at the mind-reading stage yet.”

Hong Insu, oblivious to Ion’s icy stare, threw an arm around him. He was a different kind of annoyance compared to Sa-on.

“Hey, kids! Wow, so many people. Getting through was tough,” Shin Minji approached.

Ion gave a small smile. “Hello.”

“Noona, hi! Whoa, what’s that? Bracelets?” Hong Insu pointed.

Shin Minji wore bracelets on both wrists, looking like leather but actually defensive items.

“Even as a B-rank healer, I might need to fight in an S+ dungeon, so I splurged. They generate shields with mana—A-rank quality.”

“A-rank gear? Insane. Those aren’t cheap. Crafted or dungeon loot?”

“Crafted, but the maker’s a secret. Think I’d tell? More buyers drive up prices.”

“Crafted, huh? Stingy… I wouldn’t tell either, but…”

In the novel, Shin Minji survives but is nearly an extra, with little detail on her personality or life.

She didn’t seem rich enough for A-rank crafted items…

Ion always aced the Hunter and Hero pop quizzes, but time could blur memories.

No one to confirm with.

Only Teacher knew the novel better, and none of the orphans could clarify.

“Ion, done signing? Give it to me. I’ll sign and pass it to Jina unnie,” Shin Minji said.

Hong Insu gaped. “You call the Team Leader ‘unnie’? Are you nuts?”

“Heh, she lets it slide.”

“What?” Shin Minji’s eyes widened.

“She doesn’t seem the type…” she muttered.

Ion grew more uneasy.

Shin Minji shouldn’t know much about Lee Jina at this point.

Shin Minji signed the tablet and headed to Lee Jina. Ignoring Hong Insu’s renewed chatter, Ion watched them. Shin Minji spoke, and Lee Jina, rubbing her tired eyes, replied briefly. Shin Minji teased; Lee Jina indulged her.

Then both turned in one direction simultaneously. The noisy, market-like atmosphere quieted. Even Hong Insu stopped talking.

The cause: Jin Seongha.

A strikingly handsome man in techwear with multiple pockets, his pet monster perched on his shoulder, looking subdued like a flattened rice cake.

Jin Seongha’s indifferent gaze scanned the crowd, landing on Ion. His expression softened slightly as he nodded in greeting. He didn’t call Ion over like before, but it was still acknowledgment.

“Jin Seongha’s greeting that guy again.”

“Are they close? Old friends?”

Jealous glares from mercenaries and A-rank guild members poured in.

Great teamwork when it’s about a common enemy, Ion thought wryly.

Before the Spec-1 training, Hong Insu stood proudly, hands on hips.

Before him were Jin Seongha and Ion.

Jin Seongha, with his monster on his shoulder, approached silently and stood without speaking.

Ion ignored him.

Hong Insu’s chest swelled.

Hah, I’m at the center of history. Let’s get this training done and hit the dungeon!

His parents worried about him entering an S+ dungeon, but Hong Insu wasn’t fazed.

A 15-meter gate stone? Not scary!

Why? Because while others thought Jin Seongha was the only S-rank, Hong Insu knew a secret: Ion was a hidden S-rank.

With Jin Seongha and Ion, nothing was frightening!

Jin Seongha’s prowess was well-known, and Ion had shown incredible skills in the hallucination dungeon.

The ultimate Earth duo!

Hong Insu laughed like a fox backed by a tiger when—

Chirp!

A small bird landed on a tree, pecking at a white flower. The silent duo spoke simultaneously.

“An Oriental dollarbird.”

“A Noghak tree flower.”

“…”

“…”

They glared at each other.

Chirp!

The bird, tearing off a petal larger than itself, fluttered away, dropping it. The white petal floated down.

Jin Seongha clutched his chest. “Cute.”

Ion stumbled. “Cute.”

Clearly referring to different things.

…

Hong Insu reconsidered.

Jin Seongha, a known animal lover, had four pets—five with the monster. Pre-cataclysm, he volunteered for animals suffering from climate issues.

Ion, meanwhile, carried his Sansevieria instead of storing it, a plant enthusiast.

They’re too… different!

Mercenaries and guild members could lack teamwork, but these two S-ranks needed to sync.

Would this duo work?

Anxiety sprouted.

It worked. Too well.

Jin Seongha and Ion displayed incredible synergy in combat.

Among pack-dwelling monsters, there’s a “leader”—not intelligent, but three times larger, with thicker hide and greater destructive power.

Jin Seongha’s heavy, powerful attacks were perfect for leaders. Using his strength on lesser monsters was like using an anti-tank gun on an ant—wasteful.

Ion’s raw power was weaker, insufficient for a leader’s thick hide (or so he made it seem).

But he was perfect for clearing lesser monsters while Jin Seongha tackled the leader.

The Black Cloud Sword’s dark aura didn’t distinguish friend from foe, forcing Jin Seongha to fight alone at a distance.

Ion was different. His agility let him dodge the dark clouds while unleashing his skills. Initially, Jin Seongha retracted his sword when Ion got close, startled, but now trusted him, swinging freely.

A-rank guild members, aspiring to partner with Jin Seongha, glared at Ion with envy and jealousy.

A mere B-rank mercenary, so young, stealing their spot!

But no one dared harass him.

Why?

Crunch!

Ion drove a dagger into the neck of a B-rank training monster, Galcien, slicing its spine as he descended.

Supposedly limited to a weapon-summoning skill, what were those flames around his dagger? Barely twenty, why was he so combat-savvy?

Even veteran A-rank guild members were awestruck by Ion’s movements.