Chapter 29
Kang Jae-min looked firm.
After finishing his words, he fell silent for a moment, as if choosing what to say next.
Then he thought back on the time he had spent with Hong Man-gi.
At first, he had arrogantly thought Hong Man-gi was overstepping despite being only F-rank. Then there was the overwhelming skill he had shown in the swamp dungeon, the way he quietly cooked at the food cart, the warm comfort and advice he had given Kang Jae-min, and finally, the moment in the BX-01 Dungeon when he had thrown himself forward to protect both Kang Jae-min and Lee Yu-han.
"When it comes to him, rather than saying he's suspicious, I think 'amazing' would be a better word."
Kang Jae-min calmly continued.
"He's truly different from every Hunter I've ever known. He's strong enough that his D-rank almost feels meaningless... and he's extremely quick at judging situations. More than anything, he cares about protecting his companions, especially weaker people, more than anyone else."
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin stared at Kang Jae-min without changing his expression.
"Amazing, you say... That's an interesting choice of words. But Hunter Kang Jae-min, you may already know this, going from F-rank to D-rank and improving enough in such a short time to clear a BX-rank dungeon is almost impossible. This may not be something we can simply dismiss as 'amazing.'"
There was a slight sharpness in his voice.
"I'd like to hear more details about what happened during the BX-01 Dungeon clear. According to the report, your three-person party defeated the boss, 'Big Monkey.' What kind of tactics did you use exactly? What role did Hunter Hong Man-gi play?"
Kang Jae-min took a short breath before answering.
"Something suspicious? I'm not sure."
His mind began working quickly.
He could not tell them Hong Man-gi's secret, that he could see spirits, resolve their lingering regrets, and gain their abilities.
He had no idea how the Association would interpret something like that under its rules.
Before that, he did not even know whether they would believe it.
"If anything, I thought it was impressive."
"Impressive?"
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin's thin eyebrow twitched slightly.
"Yes. It isn't easy for someone who is D-rank, no, someone who was F-rank until recently, to show that kind of judgment and care so much about his companions. As you know, F-rank Hunters are usually too busy just trying to survive and make a living. But he was truly different. The reason we survived the BX-01 Dungeon was entirely because of Hunter Hong Man-gi's calm leadership and the help he gave us at unexpected moments."
Kang Jae-min spoke calmly.
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin briefly wrote something in his notebook.
Only the sound of his pen scratching against the paper broke the silence of the hospital room.
"Help at unexpected moments? Could you explain exactly what kind of help you mean? For example, the skill called 'First Aid' that was mentioned in the report."
Kang Jae-min wet his dry lips with his tongue.
He had expected this question sooner or later.
"Ah, that...."
"It is not a skill officially registered with the Association. It resembles a mental stabilization skill used by healer classes, but its activation method and range of effect differ from existing data. On top of that, it is highly unusual for a D-rank combat-type Hunter to possess such an ability."
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin's voice remained calm, but the heart of the question was sharp.
The use of an unrecorded or unregistered skill.
That was one of the matters the Association treated most seriously.
Because it could suggest the illegal acquisition of skills or the use of a dangerous artifact.
"I don't know the details either. But it is true that the skill helped me regain my senses inside the Chaos Poison. Hunter Hong Man-gi said that the skill could only be used once, and that it was something like a gift he received from someone."
The memories of that time were still vivid in Kang Jae-min's mind.
Especially the abilities Hong Man-gi had shown.
They had truly been incredible.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi was, how should I put it, both a supporter and a leader. He gave us instructions on how to move, and whenever we were in danger, he protected us with special defensive skills."
"Special defensive skills?"
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin's eyes flashed.
"Do you mean something like the 'Barrier' mentioned in the report? That technique does not exist in the registered skill list of D-rank Hunters. Have you heard anything about where that skill came from or how it works?"
"No. I never heard a detailed explanation. He only said that the ability was a gift. A gift carrying the feelings of someone who wanted to protect another person."
Kang Jae-min sincerely answered while remembering Kim Gi-jeong's final moments and Hong Man-gi's words.
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin quickly wrote something in his notebook.
"A gift. Interesting. Should I understand it as something similar to the deceased Hunter Jung Yong-bin's 'Designated Protection' ability?"
"What? Does the Inspection Department know the abilities of every Hunter too?"
Kang Jae-min could not hide his surprise.
"The Association knows more than you think, Hunter Kang Jae-min. Especially when it comes to unusual cases that fall outside the normal boundaries of the system."
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin paused and stared directly into Kang Jae-min's eyes.
"Hunter Kang Jae-min. Do you understand why the Association is paying attention to Hunter Hong Man-gi?"
"No."
"First, his sudden and unexplained increase in ability. This could potentially become a threat to the stability of the Hunter system. Second, the possession and use of powerful unregistered skills. We need to understand the nature of those abilities and whether they can be controlled. We must also be prepared for Hunters who might use such abilities in inappropriate ways. Third, there is the matter of his decision to bring F-rank Hunter Lee Yu-han into the BX-01 Dungeon. It ended successfully, but the danger involved in that process and the standards behind his decision still need to be reviewed."
He lowered his voice slightly and continued.
"The Association does not reject new possibilities. But at the same time, we have a duty to prevent confusion and danger caused by unpredictable variables. Hunter Hong Man-gi's strength and versatility are so unusual that we have no choice but to place him on our watch list and continue observing him."
His gaze still seemed to be trying to see straight through Kang Jae-min.
Kang Jae-min remained silent for a moment.
Then Cha Mu-jin continued.
"What was the Barrier skill used in the BX-01 Dungeon like? That too is an unreported ability. To be precise, it cannot be considered the kind of skill normally possessed by a D-rank Hunter, nor is it an ability Hunter Hong Man-gi should ordinarily have. According to the records, its effect was similar to a top-class defensive skill used by tank-type Hunters."
"That was the same. It activated when we were in danger, almost like a miracle. It was the first time I had ever seen it too."
Kang Jae-min answered while expressing as much surprise and admiration as possible.
Since those were things he had truly experienced himself, his acting came naturally enough.
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin wrote in his notebook again.
"Hmm... I understand. So for now, all of those reports are true."
He then stood and walked toward the window for a moment.
Beyond the hospital, a complicated cityscape stretched into the distance.
He turned his gaze back toward Kang Jae-min and asked a deeper question this time.
"Hunter Kang Jae-min. You are considered one of the more promising B-rank Hunters. Judging the situation coldly, do you believe it should be possible to clear the BX-01 Dungeon with one D-rank Hunter and one F-rank Hunter?"
This was no longer simply a question about skills or abilities.
It was a question about the basic common sense and experience of the Hunter world.
Even Kang Jae-min himself, despite being B-rank, would never have dared challenge that dungeon alone.
Kang Jae-min hesitated for a moment.
Logically speaking, it had been almost impossible.
But he had been there when that impossibility became reality.
"To be honest, I thought it was impossible at first too. It's true that I hesitated. But Hunter Hong Man-gi was different. Like I said, there's something about him that can't be explained through combat power alone. His judgment during crises, the leadership he uses to guide his companions, and... how should I put it, his ability to make people feel comfortable."
He remembered the warmth and comfort he had felt at Hong Man-gi's food cart.
That was another one of Hong Man-gi's abilities that could not be measured with numbers.
"An ability to make people feel comfortable?"
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin looked at Kang Jae-min with interest, though the suspicion in his eyes still had not disappeared.
"Hunter Hong Man-gi's growth rate is abnormal. In only a few months, he rose from F-rank to D-rank, while the difficulty of the dungeons he clears has also increased exponentially. This greatly exceeds the normal growth curve of a Hunter. If his activities continue like this, it will inevitably raise serious questions about the Association's system. We need to clearly determine whether his abilities are stable and controllable, or whether they are an unstable factor that could create unpredictable effects on other Hunters or on the system as a whole. And...."
He adjusted his voice before continuing.
"The results of his basic physical ability scan still place him at the lower end of D-rank. But his actual combat performance is B-rank or higher. Perhaps even... A-rank."
"Wait. You've already said most of that before. What I want to know is, what exactly are you planning to do with Hunter Hong Man-gi?"
Kang Jae-min asked while forcing down his anxiety.
"Nothing has been decided yet. However, it is true that we are watching him closely. In any case, Hunter Kang Jae-min's testimony will serve as important reference material."
Team Leader Cha Mu-jin stood up.
"Is there anything unusual you can report regarding those unrealistic rumors about Hunter Hong Man-gi's food cart? For example, claims that eating his food causes Awakening or grants people new abilities?"
Kang Jae-min shook his head.
"There is nothing like that."
"We intend to continue observing several possibilities, including whether he possesses a hidden class or whether he has strengthened himself through illegal means. That is why we came to speak with you, since you are one of the people closest to him... so there is no need to take this too personally."
"I'm not offended. That's everything I can tell you about him."
Cha Mu-jin lightly nodded.
"Understood. Thank you for your cooperation today. I hope you recover quickly."
Cha Mu-jin of the Inspection Department gave a short bow and left the hospital room.
The cold, firm sound of his dress shoes slowly disappeared down the hallway.
