Chapter 24
Translator: Roshi
Swish! Swish!
-My baby...
“Wuuu? Hanuri is not Imoogi's baby.”
-Come here, my baby.
It was a strange occurrence.
The rampaging Imoogi had suddenly calmed down as if nothing had happened.
It didn’t even care about its eggs anymore and mistook Hanuri for its own child.
‘Is it because of... Affinity?’
No matter how he looked at it, it seemed to be thanks to Hanuri’s Affinity ability. Still, to mistake someone for its own offspring instead of its eggs, it was absurd.
-Come quickly! Those bad ones might come chasing after us again!
“Wuuu, but Hanuri has to stay with ajosshi.”
Not only was the creature confused, but it also reached out its hand toward Hanuri.
It was fascinating, but he couldn’t just leave it like that, so he prepared to intervene.
Swish, swish.
“It must hurt a lot... It's okay, it's okay... Ajosshi will protect you from the bad guys. Ajosshi is a goblin. He protected Hanuri, too!”
Before he could act, Hanuri stretched out her hand and stroked the Imoogi's head.
It was already surprising that it accepted her touch so calmly...
‘Is the Magi dissipating?’
The Magi that had dominated the Imoogi was gradually dispersing.
This was something he had never seen before.
To purify Magi in such a manner?
‘Rather than purification, is it self-purification?’
Either way, the Imoogi was freeing itself from the Magi.
However, the corruption of the Magi was so severe that the Imoogi’s body began to dissipate, starting from its tail.
Like dust.
-My baby, my precious baby...
“Yes, yes. Your baby is here.”
-That’s good... That’s such a relief, my baby. It truly is.
“Hehe, Imoogi, don’t worry about it anymore.”
-Thank you...
“Ah! Ajosshi... The Imoogi...”
The small hand stroking the grateful Imoogi passed right through it.
Its head vanished, crumbling like dust.
With tears welling up in her eyes, Hanuri looked at him.
“It’s okay. Thanks to Hanuri, the Imoogi smiled and went to the sky.”
“Because of Hanuri?”
“Not because of Hanuri, but thanks to Hanuri. Thanks to Hanuri, it became kind again and went back to where it originally belonged.”
“Wuuu... It became kind? Is it a good place?”
“Of course. It's probably as nice as Ha-neul's place? There might even be Porong there, and lots of delicious food, too.”
“Wow... Then can Hanuri go there later? Can I play with the Imoogi?”
“Maybe...?”
While trying to match the child’s innocence, the explanation somehow ended up strange.
But that was fine. She could know the rest later.
‘When she grows up and watches this, it’ll be funny.’
Of course, he had recorded everything.
Even the part where Hanuri jumped up and down, saying she would go to the sky to play with the Imoogi.
“Alright! If Hanuri wants to play with the Imoogi later, she has to stay strong and healthy. So now, let’s really eat.”
“Yes, yes!”
Though he didn’t know the full story, one thing was clear: the Imoogi had needed pure comfort.
Hanuri’s innocent concern and consolation had purified the Magi on its own.
‘Did the small comfort to a parent who lost their child create a miracle?’
The child who had caused the miracle didn’t seem to think much of it.
And perhaps, that made it even more comforting.
Because it was such pure consolation.
He could somewhat understand the Imoogi’s feelings, knowing how much that purity had changed even him.
As he stared at the only egg left behind by the Imoogi, which wasn’t tainted by the Magi, he fell into thought.
But only briefly.
Kyup!!
...Flash!!
With the cry of a baby bear, a small bolt of lightning struck one side of the ship.
From a perfectly clear sky.
***
Crackle, crackle!
On the charcoal fire, fish sizzled and emitted a delicious aroma as it cooked.
In front of the fire, three small, fluffy bottoms wiggled as they waited, drooling.
One was, of course, Hanuri. The other two belonged to the fluffy, plump Bear Siblings.
His gaze fell on the two bears.
Golden Cloud Bear.
A special species with the ability to manipulate weather.
‘Did the Imoogi trigger their early Awakening?’
The lightning strike on the ship earlier had been the doing of one of the two.
Forced Awakening caused by strong stimulation.
It was a common phenomenon.
It seemed clear that the presence of the Imoogi had triggered someone’s Awakening.
‘But with these bear-like clumsy creatures, there’s no way to tell who Awakened.’
For now, both of them were too preoccupied with the grilled fish, their innocent expressions focused entirely on the food.
“Ajosshi... is it ready yet?”
Kyup.....
For Hanuri’s sake, it seemed like he needed to fill their bellies first.
He took the fish, now perfectly golden and grilled over the charcoal fire.
The outside was crispy, while the inside remained moist.
The thick, juicy flesh glistened, practically oozing with oil at a single glance.
And that smoky, charcoal-grilled aroma paired with the fish?
It was almost unfair.
‘Definitely packed with Omega-3.’
With how rich it looked, it was impossible for it not to be delicious.
Thanks to the time delay caused by the Imoogi, the salt seasoning had turned out just right.
“But, ajosshi.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
"Can't the mermaid eat too?"
"Ah, that one."
At Hanuri’s words, he glanced to one corner.
There, the trembling mermaid could be seen.
Shiver, shiver!
Though it was still in shock from the lightning bolt, there was another reason why the mermaid was shaking so much.
-Grrrr!
The shadow Imoogi was prowling around her, letting out a low growl.
With that going on, it was no wonder she was shaking like a leaf.
‘Judging by how much resentment it has toward her...’
If the grudge was this intense, the reason was obvious.
The egg.
The egg that the Imoogi had guarded so dearly, even while corrupted by Magi, must have something to do with the mermaid.
Since the shadow Imoogi retained some of its memories from life, he calmed it down for now.
‘Quiet while we eat.’
He couldn’t afford to have more trouble breaking out while they were about to eat.
"It's okay. I'll feed it separately later. For now, Hanuri, eat as much as you want.”
“Okay! Hehe... it looks delicious.”
“Let’s eat it with rice.”
He scooped out steaming white rice from the cauldron and served it.
Grilled fish wasn’t complete without white rice.
A spoonful of white rice, topped with a piece of grilled fish...
Ahhh!
Hanuri opened her mouth wide, like a lion cub, and the food went right in.
He followed suit, taking a big bite himself.
The rich, smoky charcoal flavor, paired with the warm white rice, filled his mouth completely. As he carefully chewed, the crispy texture gave way, and the concentrated fish juices burst out with each bite.
This was why grilled fish had to be cooked directly over a fire.
The flavor was incomparable to that of pan-fried fish, filling his mouth with a depth of taste that couldn’t be replicated.
“Hmmmm!”
Hanuri seemed to feel the same way.
Her cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s as she shook in delight.
The blissful expression on her face said it all.
“Is it that good?”
“Mm-hmm! It’s as tasty as Hanuri... and as big as the ocean!”
“Huh? As big as the ocean?”
"Hehe, because like Hanuri, the ocean is biiiig and wide....."
Hanuri had added a new way of expressing how delicious it was.
She must have been thinking about the vast, open sea she had seen and made her own interpretation.
For such a small child to come up with a thought like that, it was clear she was using her little brain diligently.
Her way of saying "as big as the ocean" made him burst into laughter.
She was too cute for words.
‘No sign of the tangled energy being affected. A bit disappointing, but...’
He hadn’t been expecting much.
It was just ordinary grilled fish, after all.
Still, he had hoped, just a little. Kyup kyup!!
Kyuuung!
In any case, Hanuri seemed satisfied, and the Bear Siblings looked happy as well.
With everyone content, he started eating in earnest, too.
Fixing Hanuri’s tangled energy would just have to wait until they found something even better and tastier to feed her.
For now, he decided to simply enjoy the meal.
"I like fish... hehe. Delicious."
"That delicious?"
“Mm-hmm! Eating like this makes it even better!” 'Like this' meant while on the ocean.
Well.
It was a setting where even instant ramen would taste fantastic.
As long as nothing unexpected started gathering in the sea nearby, that is.
‘Not this time, Imoogi.’
Sensing that their meal might be interrupted again, he called out to the shadow Imoogi.
‘Block it.’
-Grrrr!!
At his command, the shadow surged into the sea as if it had been waiting for this moment.
The enormous shadow swimming through the ocean was nothing short of terrifying.
Now even stronger as a shadow, the creature roamed the sea freely, unleashing its might.
And it kept the waters clear of disturbances, until Do-yoon and the children had finished their meal.
The enjoyable meal had come to an end.
With her belly full and feeling cheerful, Hanuri chatted away beside him.
“Ajosshi, what about whales? And dolphins? And Ppuu?”
“What’s Ppuu now?”
“Ppuu is cute.”
When he asked, Hanuri demonstrated Ppuu’s cuteness herself.
Though he didn’t know what exactly she was referring to, one thing was certain.
She puffed out her cheeks and upper lip full of air, going “Ppuu! Ppuu!” It was undeniably adorable.
He gently squished Hanuri’s soft, squishy cheeks to let the air out.
“Ebe-be-be… hiiiing.”
With her cheeks deflated, Hanuri rested her chin on his hand and looked up at him with wide, round eyes.
She looked so precious that he wanted to grant her every wish, but...
“We’ll see Ppuu later. It’s not here right now.”
“No Ppuu? What about whales?”
Do-yoon patted Hanuri’s head and shook his head.
The fun ocean adventure ended there.
It was time to head back home.
‘But... which way do we leave?’
All that surrounded them was endless ocean in every direction...
‘Huh? That’s...’
In the distance, the mermaid, now awake, was swimming frantically away into the sea.
Without even a word of thanks, the mermaid swam as hard as it could, escaping.
Oddly enough, it was headed in the same direction as the group of creatures that had earlier swarmed them but were driven off by the shadow Imoogi.
There was definitely something over there.
‘Let’s go that way.’
The ship adjusted its course.
And then it began to move.
With the shadow Imoogi providing extra propulsion, the ship’s speed increased significantly. Kyup kyup!
Kyuuu!
The sudden burst of speed startled the Bear Siblings, who clung tightly to him.
“Wuaaaa!”
Hanuri, on the other hand, seemed thrilled.
Her hair fluttered in the wind, and she laughed as the cool ocean breeze brushed past her.
She truly was a pure-hearted child.
After traveling like that for a while.
-Grrrr!! "Hm?"
-Grrrr!!
Suddenly, the shadow Imoogi growled in anger, trying to communicate something to him.
-Mermaid, baby, rage.
The Imoogi conveyed its message through short, fragmented words.
-Chase, palace, destruction, war.
The words kept coming.
Piecing them together, it seemed the message was about a palace built by mermaids over there.
Apparently, the mermaids had touched the egg, enraging the Imoogi, which became corrupted by Magi and destroyed the palace, leading to a war.
‘That must be where the exit to the dungeon is.’
It seemed likely that the Dungeon Master was over there.
And judging by the circumstances, that Dungeon Master didn’t appear to have a favorable attitude toward them.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Wuuu? Ajosshi, look! Whales! Whales!”
Hanuri pointed excitedly in the same direction the Imoogi had indicated, her voice rising in excitement.
Just as she said, a large pod of whales was heading toward the ship.
But they weren’t alone.
The mermaids, filled with hostility, were riding atop the whales, advancing toward them.
***
At the same time, outside the dungeon, while Do-yoon and his family were enjoying their “peaceful” ocean adventure:
-Another S-Rank Hunter Awakens!
-New S-Rank Hunter Signs Contract with the Taegeuk Guild!
-Hunter Bureau Just Watching as Another Signs with Guild
-First Heroic Deed of the New S-Rank Hunter: Saving Oseong Hospital!
-Will the Taegeuk Guild’s Harmony Between Hunters and Civilians Gain Momentum Thanks to the New S-Rank Hunter?
-Breaking News! The New S-Rank Hunter Currently Exploring an Underwater Palace in an S-Rank Dungeon?!
-Reckless Challenge by a New S-Rank Hunter?!
Articles flooded the real-time trending news.
Then, as if sweeping over everything, another wave of headlines suddenly shot to the top of the rankings.
-Breaking News!! Incheon S-Rank Dungeon, Underwater Palace Cleared!!
-S-Rank Dungeon Conquered!
-S-Rank Hunter Solo Clears S-Rank Dungeon!
-Who Is the Mysterious New Hunter?!
Ahn Soo-hwa, who had been anxiously monitoring the screen, shot to her feet.
“Park Ki-ho!”
“Yes?”
“Depart for Incheon immediately!”
Park Ki-ho, as if anticipating this, immediately mounted Yongyong and flew off to Incheon.
“I can’t believe he actually cleared that dungeon.” Left alone, Ahn Soo-hwa read the articles as if she couldn't believe them.
"This won't do."
Suddenly, as if something had occurred to her, she jumped out of her seat.
“What’s the status of the standby dungeon recovery team?”
“They’re currently waiting in front of the Incheon dungeon.”
“Deploy them immediately. And make sure no one else can approach.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
This time, she couldn’t afford to give up the benefits, unlike with the Oseong Hospital dungeon.
That one had ended too quickly and was used effectively for other purposes.
But this was an S-Rank dungeon. Not only that, but there was another reason to thoroughly handle the aftermath.
'SS-Rank... or maybe even SSS-Rank.'
The non-public hunter rank.
SSS-Rank.
Actually, up to SS-Rank was within expectations.
But.....
Ahn Soo-hwa thought there was a possibility that she had recruited one of the world’s only three SSS-Rank Hunters.
‘Which is why everything must be handled flawlessly.’
She needed to show Do-yoon a level of management that would impress him.
Make it so that Taegeuk could secure him for good.
‘Hanuri... He really cherishes Hanuri.’
Ahn Soo-hwa, who had been walking briskly, suddenly stopped and asked her secretary,
“Do you, by any chance, know what kids like? About that age?”
“Pardon?”
Talking about what a child might like, while preparing to clean up a dungeon, seemed completely out of place.
The secretary gave Ahn Soo-hwa a bewildered look, but it was clear she was serious.
"Candy... would be too obvious? And that's too common."
“Guild Leader?”
“Yes?”
The secretary, who had children of her own, looked at Ahn Soo-hwa steadily before speaking.
*****