"Wh…why is this…?"
"It's not a red gate."
Hearing the panicked voice of the D-rank Hunter beside her, Castorice spoke up to calm him. "Even though it's red, this isn't a red gate. It's more like… our exit has been sealed off by some kind of power."
Her clear, gentle voice instantly doused the unease that had begun to stir in everyone's hearts.
Upon closer inspection, the group realized that while the gate appeared red at first glance, that red hue wasn't the gate's actual color, but rather a layer of sealing energy covering its entrance.
Mostly, these D and E-ranks had never had the chance to see a real red gate, which led to the mistaken assumption.
Cha Hae-in also chimed in to explain, "If this were a red gate, the anomalies wouldn't have appeared this late. Normally, it would have turned red the moment we entered."
"O-oh… I see…"
The others relaxed slightly.
"But…" Cha Hae-in's expression grew even more troubled. "I've never seen anything like this. An ability that can seal a gate… and an S-rank leader with actual intelligence…"
Wait, hang on… from the sound of it, wouldn't this be even worse than encountering a red gate?
The D and E-rank Hunters grew tense again at this sudden shift in tone.
"It's alright. Though death may linger like a shadow, I promise it will not seek any of you out today."
Castorice's face still wore a serene smile, completely untouched by the grim situation.
"That's right. With Castorice and me here, everyone can rest easy."
Cha Hae-in also noticed the worried looks on the other Hunters' faces. Not particularly skilled at comforting others, she opted to divert their attention instead.
"Since this unforeseen situation arose because of me, I'll apply to the Hunter's Association afterwards to arrange some compensation for everyone."
She actually wanted to say she'd compensate them herself, but her current finances were tighter than ever.
The money from selling magic crystals wasn't immediately available, and even when it came through, she had to repay the favor she owed Choi Jong-In first.
She was strapped for cash like never before.
After speaking, Cha Hae-in offered Castorice an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Castorice. I never imagined this trip would…"
"It's fine."
Castorice never minded such things.
She knew Cha Hae-in had gone through all this trouble to secure the dungeon entry permit as a gesture of gratitude, but what Castorice had given wasn't nearly as significant as Cha Hae-in imagined.
Between friends, efforts and returns often didn't match up for various reasons. Castorice had merely offered a simple piece of advice, yet Cha Hae-in had invested tremendous energy and resources.
Logically speaking, it could even be considered an equal exchange, or perhaps Cha Hae-in got the better deal. But Castorice didn't quite see it that way.
At the very least, she felt a bit undeserving. That was also why Castorice hadn't simply led everyone out of here right away.
If they left now, Cha Hae-in would have to call in another favor.
Although the circumstances were extraordinary and it wouldn't be as difficult as the first time, guild operations were complex. Even with valid reasons, altering established guild plans was a big deal.
Castorice was confident in her ability to protect everyone. There was no need to make Cha Hae-in go through the hassle again.
It was just that this reasoning was a bit hard to explain, so she simply decided to give Cha Hae-in some gifts later in other ways.
Just a friendly give-and-take between pals.
Unaware of Castorice's inner musings, seeing that Castorice held no blame—not even a hint of negative emotion—Cha Hae-in simply thought her friend had an exceptionally good temper.
She even wondered if Castorice's solitary shadow back in school days was due to her overly gentle nature leading to exclusion.
But regardless, the more pressing matter now was dealing with the sealed gate.
Thinking this, Cha Hae-in couldn't help but regret not wearing her gear when she left home.
A Hunter's combat power dropped significantly without equipment.
Although she was still an S-rank, without her gear, she was only about seven or eight times stronger than a fully-equipped A-rank Hunter.
That didn't quite meet the S-rank standard expected for dungeon diving… Even if this oversight was because they hadn't planned to enter the boss area in the first place, an oversight was still an oversight.
Just as everyone was about to turn their attention back to the gate, Cha Hae-in caught a foul stench drifting from the depths of the cavern.
Her heart tightened, and she instinctively moved closer to Castorice.
Under the slightly surprised gazes of Castorice and the other Hunters, she leaned in and breathed in a faint, soothing fragrance from Castorice's hair.
Feeling as if she'd come back to life, Cha Hae-in let out a relieved sigh, then looked toward the distant corner of the cavern.
Following her vigilant stance, the other Hunters realized something was amiss and quickly retreated behind the two women.
Exchanging a glance with Cha Hae-in, Castorice nodded, and the two of them stepped forward together.
Heavy, yet neat footsteps echoed clearly. Dozens of massive red figures emerged from around the corner.
Their appearance reminded Castorice of the orcs from her first dungeon, though those were nowhere near as tall or differently colored as these.
"High Orcs…"
Cha Hae-in frowned.
High Orcs weren't supposed to be a highly intelligent species… Still, dealing with this many at once would certainly be troublesome.
"I'll take point!"
Knowing she lacked her gear, Cha Hae-in didn't plan to recklessly take them all on alone. But she shouldered the responsibility of the main tank, aiming to make things easier for Castorice.
Castorice understood Cha Hae-in's mindset perfectly and didn't bother with polite refusals. "Then I'll leave the front to you, Cha-sunbae."
This was also a good chance for her to observe Cha Hae-in in combat, which would help decide what gifts to give her later.
With that settled, Cha Hae-in didn't hesitate.
Her figure shot forward like an arrow, trailing a golden light as she appeared before the High Orcs in the blink of an eye.
Her sword, wrapped in dazzling mana, sliced through three orcs at the waist with a single, fluid swing.
This instantly drew the aggro of every orc. It wasn't so much concern for their comrades as a primal instinct to eliminate the immediate threat.
Which suited Cha Hae-in just fine.
Every movement of the High Orcs carried terrifying force. Their heavy, powerful strikes could numb the arms of even an A-rank tank. But they were meaningless if they couldn't connect.
Cha Hae-in moved among the orcs like a dancing butterfly—less like evading blows and more like performing an elegant, deadly dance.
Indeed, a nickname is never given without reason.
Taking in her graceful movements and assessing her strength, Castorice decided it was time to stop slacking off.
Just as all the orcs' attention was fixed on Cha Hae-in, a lethal, bone-chilling cold suddenly crept up their spines. A sudden premonition of death triggered their wild survival instincts into unprecedented alarm.
Yet, this alarm didn't make them flee immediately. It was as if they knew death was inevitable, leaving them standing there, frozen in place.
Slashes of violet light, sharp enough to seem like they were tearing space itself, flickered through the orc ranks. Without even a sound of blood curdling screams, several High Orcs vanished into particles of purple light.
"What… what is this…!?"
Deep within the cavern, cold sweat trickled down the temple of the High Orc Shaman, who had been composed just moments before.
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T/N: New hi3 fic!
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.