I Tamed the First Rank Chapter 55
- HoshiMiya
- Mar 28
- 7 min read
"Squeak!"
8-se responded and swung his long tail. The tail, which was sharpened like an arrowhead, pierced the thin iron plate with agility.
"It's also possible to adjust the hardness sharply and firmly! Isn't it really amazing?"
"I'll have to find out if other parts can be transformed, but if it can attack like that with just its tail, it's pretty good for its body size."
Hamsters are already cute just by breathing, but this one even has quite a few abilities. In Yoo-shin's face melted into a look of adoration. Of course, Hyeon Gyu-ha was sulking.
"If it were a human opponent, it would be useful as an attack that pierces the brain through the heart or eyeball, but it's no good against a demon. Unless the tail grows as thick as a finger."
"The key is where the system's standards for rodents lie. Flying squirrels and porcupines are also rodents, so if they can fly in the sky or form needles... or if they are extinct in the past……………….”
Next to Cho Sang-pil, who was lost in his own world, Hyeon Gyu-ha took out a gun and shot 8-se. Since it happened so suddenly, In Yoo-shin only realized that he had fired after hearing a 'bang!' sound.
In Yoo-shin's eyes widened. The bullet stopped in midair. To be exact, it was caught by 8-se's tail.
Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had put the gun back in as if nothing happened, nodded.
“Since his agility is high, I guess we can use it somehow.”
Sweeping a hand over his startled, pounding heart, In Yoo-shin rushed over to 8-se. Even though Hyeon Gyu-ha grumbled in words, he knew that he didn't really intend to harm 8-se, but Cho Sang-pil was different.
“You, you weren’t really going to shoot, were you?”
“There's no way I'd do that to someone my master cares about. I tried to stop the bullet with my ability.”
Cho Seung-pil wasn’t the only one who didn’t trust Hyun Gyu-ha. 8-se was the same. A result that no one could have imagined appeared before his eyes.
“8-se!”
As soon as he realized that he had blocked the bullet with his tail and was safe, 8-se fell backwards.
[Current status: Fainted.]
“8-seya! Come to your senses!”
“No, what kind of monster is so weak-willed? Can that thing even fight? This is ridiculous.”
“This is a rare case in many ways……………….”
“If you throw him in the dungeon, he’ll probably die of a heart attack.”
“He doesn’t have a heart, though.”
“It’s 8-se ya!”
In Yoo-shin gently picked up 8-se who had fallen over and hugged him. His black eyes blinked faintly as the silvery heel wrapped around 8-se’s small body.
Hyeon Gyu-ha, crouching down next to him, took out a dried carrot from a snack bag and shook it gently. The tip of 8-se’s nose twitched as he smelled it. In Yoo-shin quickly took the dried carrot and put it in 8-se’s mouth. His mouth twitched slightly as he ate the carrot.
“I’ve been wondering about this for a while, but this monster has no internal organs, so where does all the food it eats go? Do taste buds exist before that?"
“……!”
8-se flinched noticeably and stopped his mouth.
"I'm not giving you a hint, so eat."
In Yoo-shin's gaze, looking down at 8-se who was finally starting to chew again, was filled with pity.
"Inside the erosion gate, all the food has its taste removed. Since that monster lived there, wouldn't it enjoy a variety of flavors?"
"First of all, the monsters, they aren't living beings, so they don't have the concept of eating, but, well, what Master said is right."
"Wow, it's amazing the more I see it."
8-se, who had regained his energy, ate the cold noodles that were served on a plate while they were having lunch together in the cafeteria, making Cho Sang-pil's eyes shine.
He was on his way back after receiving permission to use the research center as much as he wanted. Hyeon Gyu-ha was satisfied, so he called Manager Kim and decided to treat the visit to the Strategic Ability Research Center as an external job.
"The only thing left is the last stage of the license, the dungeon training. It was this week, right? I don't want him to be useful during the training, so I hope he don't faint in the dungeon."
"Squeak...…………."
"Hey, you're from the Gate, so you'll be fine inside. But Gyu-ha-ssi."
"Yes."
"The training is for 2 days and 1 night, so what does Gyu-ha-ssi do during that time? It is not possible to make phone calls inside the gate.”
The final stage of obtaining a Hunter License, the dungeon training, is sometimes called a dungeon picnic by those who passed. In the first place, no one expected combat ability from E-rank and lower Awakened individuals. It was more like a kind of experiential learning where you learn what kind of place a dungeon is under the guidance of a public hunter.
It was a question he asked out of concern for Hyeon Gyu-ha, who would be left alone during the training period, and he received a refreshing answer.
“We could just have a date and training session together in my private dungeon, couldn't we? It feels like just yesterday we spent the night together at my place, and now we're already making enough progress to have an overnight trip together. I'm kind of embarrassed.”
“Is that possible?”
“What could be wrong? I’m a public servant hunter too.”
In Yoo-shin nodded absentmindedly. After all, it’s not like they’re grading you in training, so if I just complete the procedure, who cares where and with whom? It would be an illusion to think that having such shameless thoughts is influencing Hyeon Gyu-ha.
But not everything in the world goes as planned.
***
Hyeon Gyu-ha's private dungeon was located near the Pyeonggang field past Cheorwon. He said that he just bought the entire factory site because it was an open gate in a now closed factory.
“What are you going to do with the land if you close the gate today?”
“I haven’t thought about that. Should we clear everything out, decorate the entire site like a cage, and give it to Henry Raymond Charles Françoise VI as a playground?”
The idea of a hamster running around freely in a wide factory yard was a very tempting fantasy………………. As Hyeon Gyu-ha said those words, his expression was very sullen, so In Yoo-shin grabbed his hand and shook it gently.
“Relax.”
“Yeah………………. Because I’m doing something good for the country and the people……………….”
Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was mumbling words that he didn't mean as if he was reading a Korean textbook, sighed deeply and hugged In Yoo-shin.
"It's so cruel to be a public servant and not be able to go on a date alone with Master."
In Yoo-shin patted his shoulder.
The origin goes back to the day he visited Cho Sang-pil. As soon as he returned to the office, Hyeon Gyu-ha went straight to the support manager and laid out his own logic. Like everyone else, the manager was swept up in his momentum and soon nodded.
<While it's unprecedented...... it doesn't seem to violate any laws.>
<Is that so?>
<Since Hunter Hyeon-nim has many privileges. I can handle this much at my discretion………………. Oh, wait a minute.>
The officer in charge suddenly remembered something and looked up at Hyeon Gyu-ha as if he was thinking about something, then smiled awkwardly.
<Hey, Hunter Hyeon-nim.>
<I don’t want to do it.>
<Can you at least listen to what I have to say?>
<I won't do it even if I hear it.>
<Ahem, ahem. Actually, there is a training session this week, but all the small state-run dungeons that can be used for training purposes are completely stable inside.>
If the purpose of the dungeon is to hunt bosses or hidden bosses, it’s not open for long. For most dungeons that are not like that, it is common to farm and extract mana until the dungeon break is almost over by measuring the mana inside, and then clear it.
Since dungeon training is a training process until clearing, the rule is to choose a dungeon that is as close to the dungeon break as possible. However, it seems like the timing is not right for this training.
<Even though we were planning to train in the smallest dungeon, since you two will be clearing Hunter Hyeon's dungeon anyway, could we maybe train the other successful applicants there as well?>
<No way.>
Hyeon Gyu-ha immediately refused without a second thought.
<Of course, I’m not saying we’ll use the dungeon for free, but I’ll pay for it.>
<Money isn’t the issue. I’m just going to leisurely go camping with Yoo-shin-ssi for two days and one night. The area near the entrance is a snowy winter forest, so the atmosphere is really nice.>
There aren’t many people in the world who would go camping in a dungeon full of monsters and keep talking crazy. And the fact that one of those extremely rare races was right in front of them was a tragedy for the officer in charge.
If it were another public service hunter, we would have found a way, whether it was to negotiate the conditions or to pressure their superiors. However, Hyeon Gyu-ha, who even groveled before Minister of Department of Supernatural Affairs and Public Safety, was an absolutely top-tier individual who was unpredictable and had a unique personality.
The officer swallowed hard as he recalled an article he had read not long ago about Hyeon Gyu-ha destroying a guild building and putting it upside down. There was no guarantee that the guild building would not end up as the Department of Supernatural Affairs and Public Safety.
It was a shame to have to close a perfectly good dungeon, but there was nothing I could do. When the officer was about to say that he understood, someone made eye contact with Hyeon Gyu-ha.
------
Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl
Support on KOFI:
If you wanna become a translator, editor or proofreader, please use the discord link given below and follow the instructions in the recruit channel.
He just wants a date in peace 😔