I tamed the First Rank Chapter 88
- HoshiMiya
- Nov 8
- 7 min read
"Over there."
Heo Jeong-hyeon followed the fingertips of Lee Hye-yeon, who stretched her arms out into the air, and moved her gaze. It was above the area known as the gate, a distorted space the size of the Gangnam Center building. Hyeon Gyu-ha was floating in the air, looking down at the gate.
"He's been like that all along."
Heo Jeong-hyeon clicked his tongue.
"Is that why he couldn't attend the meeting?"
"I barely managed to calm him down, but I couldn't bring myself to bring him to the meeting. I told him what happened at the meeting, but I don't know if he even listened. There wasn't much to listen to anyways."
Fortunately or unfortunately, there wasn't much useful information exchanged during the meeting.
<When we attacked, not only was there no communication, there was no reason at all. The body was hidden in a thick blood fog, like a body of pieces sewn together rather than a person. They literally grind people like grindstones. They hunted them with classic wheel warfare.>
It was not a large guild but a coalition of local small guilds that defeated the hidden boss, 'The Sadist Who Chews Hearts and Swallows Blood'. The guild leaders were willing to cooperate and even provided detailed attack patterns, but it is questionable how far they will go since the hidden boss has changed.
Even in dungeons with similar backgrounds, the bosses are somewhat different. This goes without saying for hidden bosses, whose appearance probability is significantly lower.
Several dungeons related to Nzinga were listed in the international organization Gate Security Cooperation Organization, so she analyzed the data there. However, since this was the first time she had appeared in her true form, it was unknown whether the data would be meaningful.
What is certain is that the distorted world within the gate is a gigantic dungeon the size of a city.
“There are many cases where information on hidden bosses is not leaked because it is valuable, so there is no choice. In our country, there must be more things that are hidden unofficially than those that are officially registered. By the way, the person who was taken hostage is Gyu-ha’s boyfriend? Even if that guy is gay, does that mean he was able to date people?”
"You haven't heard the news since you weren't stranded somewhere?"
"I thought they'd date for a while and then break up since he's a kid who distrusts people. I didn't know he was that serious. Just how close are they?"
Lee Hye-yeon thought about it for a while and then summarized it in one word.
“Gyu-ha is keeping an eye on his boyfriend's reactions.”
"Oh……………."
Heo Jeong-hyeon was impressed. I didn’t think I’ll come to see a day when he was considerate of others.
“I would like to meet him too. But to do that, I first have to attack the gate and rescue him safely……………….”
"With three S-ranks, how could we not conquer one gate? Since we're on the subject, I didn't know that you would be joining as well. I don't think even the Director expected you to be called when he requested mobilization for Anpang. Even so, since Gyu-ha and Tae-seong, who are of the same rank, are involved."
“As a hunter and a citizen, shouldn’t I contribute to my country in times of crisis?”
“You don’t believe in that, you do?”
Heo Jeong-hyeon shrugged her shoulders with a laugh.
“It’s a request from the vice president who is on a business trip to Germany. He asked me to help him as much as possible after hearing reports that his boyfriend was kidnapped and that his child was mentally unstable. Well, it’s also to build a good image for our guild and our company. On top of that, there's a rumor circulating quietly in Yeouido that the prosecution might summon the Chairman.”
“I guess that’s what the Vice President would do.”
Lee Hye-yeon nodded in agreement. It has been well known for over a decade that Vice President Min Geut-nyeo of Yangsa has been supporting Hyeon Gyu-ha, who is not even a member of the Anpang Guild, both materially and spiritually. It was so much so that there were even rumors that Hyeon Gyu-ha was Min Geut-nyeo’s half-brother.
Chijik. A radio transmission came from the analysis team.
Team Leader Lee! It looks like the gate will open soon! It looks like we have to enter from the outside.
“Launch a drone right now and observe the inside.”
The dungeon observation drone powered by the crystal stone still has a radio connection even when passing through the gate. It was dangerous to enter the dungeon without caution, as there was a high possibility that the entire dungeon had become the territory of the hidden boss. It was expensive and not something that even the Department of Supernatural affairs used often, but when else would one use it if not in an emergency like now?
Fortunately, it wasn't a situation where a wave of monsters would pour out of the gate, so I planned to attack carefully.
“The gate will open soon. We will enter after observing the inside, so please prepare and stand by.”
At Lee Hye-yeon’s words, tension rose again in the room. Then, the opaque, distorted scenery shattered into pieces like a broken mirror and scattered.
"Hey! Hyeon Gyu-ha!"
Hyeon Gyu-ha jumped in faster than the waiting drone.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“Squeak.”
8-se shook his face back and forth. Last time in the dungeon, he even ate the leaves with relish, but here he didn't even take a sip of water. This must be because it was an illusion, not a real thing.
'Even 8-se would be hungry, what should I do?'
When In Yoo-shin looked at his watch, it was already late at night. If everything had gone according to plan, I would have had dinner with Hyun Gyu Ha and waited for the movie to start.
[Current status:-]
He fiddled with his left hand, staring at the status window that had remained unchanged for hours. The familiar hamster-shaped curve pressed against the skin of my fingers.
<I think of it as a one-time self-defense item. When you're in danger, you just need to say the activation word 'Pagye' ('Betrayal') while injecting mana into the ring. Then, no matter where I am, even if I'm outside an erosion gate like a few days ago, I can break through the boundary and come find you.>
Using this ring here would allow him to come to me. However, he kept hesitating about whether he should really use the ring, which was no different from his mother's keepsake.
Seeing the status window continue to show no emotion, this relationship became even more frightening. Is it really appropriate to be blindly tied to one person, even by force? Long-standing anxiety and worry were gnawing at his soul.
If you die here.
In Yoo-shin bit his lower lip as he made the assumption. The taming would be lifted immediately and Hyeon Gyu-ha would be free.
If you don't die and wait for him here or call him with the ring.
While I, who has nothing but a pathetic taming ability, helplessly waits to be rescued, Hyeon Gyu-ha will blindly rush over, regardless of the attacks from Nzinga and the monsters. He won't even care if he gets seriously injured or loses his life in the process. Only to me.
Parents who died to save me.
Hyeon Gyu-ha, who might die to save me.
In Yoo-shin covered his face with difficulty. I couldn't find a reason to live here.
If only I had died on Nzinga's spear instead of in flames back then. If only that had happened.
“Squeak!”
The sound of a new cry pierced my mind sharply. I looked up and saw the 8-year-old jumping up and down while looking toward the window. I looked in that direction without thinking and saw the reflection in Lee Yu-si’s eyes.
A sharp cry pierced his mind. He suddenly raised his gaze and saw 8-se jumping up and down while looking toward the window. In Yoo-shin looked in that direction without thinking and what he saw was warriors lined up with weapons.
The war has begun.
***
[You have entered the 'Two Kingdoms', the exclusive domain of the 'King Who Respects Every Blade of Grass'.]
[All abilities are reduced by 20 percent.]
[The effectiveness of all bound artifacts and common artifacts is reduced by 20 percent.]
[Unable to expand a unique field.]
[Angola's bound artifacts and common artifacts cannot be used.]
[The effectiveness of Portuguese artifacts and common artifacts is reduced by 50 percent.]
As soon as he entered the gate, the debuffs kept spewing out messages, but Hyeon Gyu-ha didn't see them. He didn't even realize that his limbs were heavier than usual because his ability values were reduced in proportion to his stats.
He didn't know that the high blades of the spears that seemed to pierce the sky were slicing into his flesh, or that the shockwaves from the roar of the war elephants were sweeping through his body.
He don't even know what the cry is coming out of his mouth.
"!"
Yoo-shin. Yoo-shin. In Yoo-shin. Only that one name rules him.
The Hidden Boss' territory was declared, and the connection with the 'Eye of Munin' was also cut off. No matter how much he raised the coordinates, they were not visible. The coordinates in his heart that had reassured him by saying 'Master is here' whenever he felt anxious were now empty.
My vision is flipped, torn, and tangled as it flies by at a dizzying speed. And yet I can't see it. I can't find it. I can't find it.
Why aren't you wearing the ring? If you had, you could have gone outside the gate in one go. Is it because you're unconscious or injured to the point where you can't even wear the ring?
Unless it is.
……Is it because I am not needed?
<Oh, the hidden attribute is vampires? How cool.>
A tiresome humming of trot.
<Come to me, to our world, my son.>
That soft voice that has been engraved in my mind since birth, that curse.
As soon as the wall of his heart, which he had firmly packed and filled to ensure it wouldn't waver, began to shake, it appeared, forcing its way through the crack.
“Aaaaaaaaaah!”
Is tearing the throat a scream? A shriek?
At the end of his sobbing, he begs. It's okay if you don't need me, it's okay if you think I'm useless, it's okay if you want to throw me away because it's annoying. Just don't get hurt, don't be sick, don't struggle. Please.
I wish you were there
I don't care if a world without you perishes. The son of the king who supported the perishing world cried like that.
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Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
Editor/Proofreader: Editor M, eteryl
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