We kindly ask for your understanding regarding the inconsistency of character pronouns, particularly for the Entities (ex. The Greedy Predator). In Korean, pronouns are rarely used, making it challenging to ascertain a character's gender or identity until later narratives unfold. Update twice a week [SUN] & [THURS] starting August 2024! Also please check out our new Hunter series!
“Liza, what did you find?”
The administrator continued to dig without answering. Was there a diamond buried in the ground? If so, I should definitely butter up the administrator. I’ll blow five hundred kisses.
Several happy minutes passed while she waited. Soon, the fox approached with a cute “yip!” sound while holding something. Clasped in the white snout covered in sand was something very black with an elegant design… something out of the ordinary that anyone would notice…
【Item Information】
Name: Key (EX)
Type: Special Item
Specialty: Can unlock anything locked by the special item Lock.
It was the world’s most precious special item, Key.
“…A Key?”“The special item?!”
Why on earth was that in Gangneung’s sandy beach… Seora and Seong Jarim were speechless.
【Administrator: Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ】
Meanwhile, the administrator smiled happily, tightly holding the key as if he had accomplished something.
“Finding diamonds on a beach like this…”
No, it wasn’t at a diamond level. Unlike diamonds, there had only been five special items Keys found worldwide in the past thirteen years. Meaning, this was the sixth Key discovered… Truly, it could only be described as a miracle.
“Could it be that you dropped this here, Administrator-nim?”
【Administrator: (✖_✖)】
“Or maybe… can you make Keys or Locks?”
【Administrator: (✖_✖)】
“Then this is a real coincidence. I thought these could only be obtained from dungeons or monsters.”
“Oh, that’s not true. Locks and Keys can appear anywhere. They could be found on a beach like this, in the sea, or even on glaciers.”
“Really?”
Seora was entirely surprised by Seong Jarim’s explanation. Until now, the total number of Locks and Keys found on Earth didn’t reach fifteen, all obtained exclusively through dungeons and monsters.
“There was a time in Baskar when one was found in a corner of a tower. Those special items just suddenly appear one day. Elona guessed they might be made by the designer and thrown out.”
Indeed. The method to create Keys and Locks was unknown. They couldn’t be forged or copied. And if even the administrator couldn’t make them, there was only one possibility: the designer.
“It doesn’t sit well with me that they’re treating us like toys.”
Seora looked at the ominous black key with a troubled expression. It’s almost like the designer was taking extra care, ensuring their toys didn’t break too fast. 𐍂𝘼ΝȎBƐS̈
“I have no idea what the designer is up to.”
“Well, I’m sure they’re a dangerous monster.”
Seora wrinkled her nose at Seong Jarim’s response.
“More importantly, is this going to cause any issues? Remember the Cheorwon Dungeon problem? If word gets out that another key was found in Korea, it’ll be chaos, won’t it?”
“That incident got a lot of attention due to the Castle Tower Guild snatching the Key. Just report it to the WDO directly; it’ll be fine. Until the Key is retrieved, this fact will remain a secret, so no need to worry. And don’t go blabbering about it anywhere.”
【Administrator: (っ’ヮ’c)】
As Seora placed the Key in her inventory, the administrator looked at her approvingly. She gently brushed off the sand from the fox’s white fur and gave a small kiss on his nose.
【Administrator: (*ꈍ꒳ꈍ*)】
The administrator seemed satisfied, wagging his tail.
“But Seora, there’s something I’ve been curious about.”
“Yes?”
Seong Jarim, who had been quietly observing the fox, pointed at his neck with a finger. “I’ve been wanting to ask, what’s with this bell?”
It was a green collar with a golden bell hanging in the center. Seong Jarim’s eyes shook wildly as she pointed at it. You put a leash around the administrator’s neck… with a bell? The unsaid words echoed in her mind.
Seora nodded vigorously. “It’s the Christmas gift I gave to Liza. How does it look? Isn’t it a perfect fit? It’s made from Werewolf Leather and Lava Keeper’s core, even though it may not look like it.” You need at least this much to suit the administrator. Seora proudly declared, but Seong Jarim’s face was nothing short of astonished.
“A collar… with a bell… for the administrator…”
It was an incredibly shocking sight for Seong Jarim, who had spent a horrific 108 years because of an administrator. Even Elona hadn’t treated the administrator like this. If she had, that administrator might have breached their contract and killed her sooner.
It might signify that Earth’s administrator was somewhat limited and favored Seora, but to Seong Jarim, her friend seemed even more extraordinary.
“…”
As she swallowed hard, Seong Jarim locked eyes with the fox nestled in Seora’s arms. The sight of the tail flicking seemed incredibly uncomfortable. Seong Jarim didn’t inquire any further.
“Well, I should report first.”
Seora immediately called Song Hanna to report the discovery of the item Key. Song Hanna, who had assumed it was related to the Gangneung incident, remained silent for a while before finally speaking up at the unexpected news.
—Seora, it seems the shaman recommended by Hoyeong did an excellent job with your luck, huh? Finding a Key on a sandy beach of all places.
She wanted to deny it vehemently, but right now, she had no denial strong enough. Claiming the administrator found it was an unconvincing excuse.
—I’ll handle the report to the WDO. Once the reward comes in, I’ll pass it on to you. Well, keep up the good work.
Oh right! I remembered something I had forgotten!
Because of their unique properties, special items are highly regulated, and when discovered, the WDO rewards the person significantly. It’s substantial enough that the item doesn’t need to be hidden, like with the Castle Tower Guild, for auction.
‘But they still weren’t satisfied with that.’
They kept it concealed as if they’d been possessed. What was that about? As the bitter memory resurfaced, Seora clicked her tongue. Anyway, thanks to the administrator, I’ll be getting a substantial sum again. Ah, I’m so happy. Coming to Gangneung was a great idea. Suddenly, I’m starting to feel like working again.
“I feel like I could take down a Demonic Boss with a single blow right now.”
“You’re really candid about your desires. I wonder why you fell into lust instead of greed in the Labyrinth. Oops, could it be that you’re more interested in that than your greed for wealth?”
“No way! How dare you!” Seora playfully struck Seong Jarim’s back and returned to where the Gangneung staff awaited.
At that moment, the puppy-sized puppy suddenly grew to full adult size. He turned towards the sea, raising his tail.
“It’s a monster.”
Something was caught in Seora’s vision as well. A massive, elongated entity emerged from the sea, repeatedly surfacing and diving back down.
“A monster has appeared in the sea.”
Seora quickly returned to the association’s staff to report. In the far distance, something akin to shimmering scales was barely visible even to the Hunters’ naked eyes.
“It’s long and thick. Considering it can swim on the water’s surface, could it be a serpent-type?”
“It’s a monster, so I can’t confirm it.”
“I really hate snakes now,” Seong Jarim grumbled, a sentiment Seora vehemently agreed with. Both of them had killed hundreds, if not thousands, of snakes on the 8th floor of the Labyrinth. Snakes had become extremely tiresome for them.
“Considering there are people gathered nearby, there could be two reasons why it hasn’t come here yet.”
“What reasons?”
Yu Jihyeok held up his pen with a tense expression. His determination to learn everything he could was evident.
“It either can’t survive on land, or there’s a gate there.”
“Monsters can’t leave the area around the gate?”
“It depends. Let’s take ants as an example. Worker ants can venture out from their nests as expanding and foraging for food is their primary objective. On the other hand, there are ants that solely guard the queen and never leave the nest.”
The monster could be a guard protecting the boss mob at the gate. Yu Jihyeok nodded and made a note.
“But since I can’t be sure, I’ll go and check it out myself.”
Since the long jacket was uncomfortable in the water, Seora stowed it away in her inventory. It was a relief that the combat suit made by Shin Dowon wasn’t armor.
“But how are you planning to manage without a boat?” Yu Jihyeok grabbed her in shock. All the officials, including Seong Jarim, stared at him incredulously.
‘Oh, right. Newbies have this kind of adorable concern.’
Seora chuckled and freed her arm from his grasp. “Yu Jihyeok, stay here and follow the orders of the Gangneung branch manager. Seong Jarim, come with me.”
Seora summoned a cube and transformed Hit into a harpoon gun. Yu Jihyeok’s face blanked out as she hopped lightly onto the cube. It seemed he had forgotten she was a spatial ability user.
“Since the monster may reach the beach, everyone, be prepared for combat.”
“What will you do if you find the gate?”
Seora pondered the question from the Gangneung branch manager for a moment before responding, “If it’s a situation where we can request backup, we’ll do so. If it’s deemed impossible, then the two of us will proceed to subdue it.”
Who would stop the judgment of the country’s two out of only three L-classes? The manager nodded in agreement. “Please proceed as such.”
The cube carrying Seora, Jarim, and the nine-tailed fox swiftly flew over the sea. Once they were out of earshot, Seora asked the administrator, “Are there any other monsters in the sea besides that one?” She couldn’t keep track of every situation in the dungeon. But what difference would it make? She had the administrator by her side.
【Administrator: o(ㅠ﹏ㅠ)o】
“Is it dangerous?”
【Administrator: (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧】
Seems like it’s not too dangerous after all. Well, naturally. If the monster couldn’t be defeated by the combined power of Jarim and me alone, the waters off Gangneung would already be chaos.
The problem is the sea, though.
Fighting in the sea is risky. Not only does it hinder movement, but if you fall in, you can’t breathe. Using the cube might sustain them, but what if they need to dive underwater? Could the cube withstand that kind of pressure? She had yet to experiment with that level of intensity, so she couldn’t be sure.
“There!”
At that moment, another set of scales appeared in the direction Jarim pointed. Seora fired her gun, and a sharp, giant harpoon that could pierce through a whale’s body pierced the monster’s flesh.
Gyaaa! The monster began thrashing.
“Wow, it’s way bigger than I thought.”
The cube, carrying the three of them, swayed heavily amid the churning sea. Something was banging against the cube from below the surface. Must be the other monster the administrator mentioned. But for now, they had to deal with this one.
“Seong Jarim, show us your strength.”
“Huh? Show you how?”
Seora simply handed Jarim the end of the rope attached to the harpoon she had shot. “Try to pull that thing out a bit. I’m sure you can do it. Go for it! Administrator, be careful.”
Despite being both L-class, in terms of pure strength, Jarim was much stronger. Without any conscience, Seora left it to her and went straight into the cube.
Seong Jarim shouted and knocked the cube from above, but she couldn’t enter.
Hahaha. Hang in there, Seong Jarim.
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