Ch.3513. Early Completion of the Internship Program (2)

The person who spoke to me was, of course, Arin.

Today in the van, Arin and I sat in the very back row. Uncle Donghyuk was driving. Father Stefano was in the passenger seat. Behind them sat Team Leader Seo Duho and Soso.

This meant that whatever the two of us did, the other guild members couldn’t see us.

I answered Arin as she gently stroked my hand.

“What did you want to talk about?”

Her tone was a bit different from usual. Serious, with a slightly subdued voice.

She wore a cold expression that was completely different from her normally kind demeanor.

But Arin, who had been stroking my hand, soon answered me with her usual bright smile.

“Why are you so tense? Did you do something wrong?”

“No. I would never do that to you.”

“Hmm. You know that common mistake boyfriends make, right? Doing something wrong to their girlfriend and not even knowing what they did wrong.”

Though she spoke playfully, there seemed to be a sting in her words.

Although it was to take me home when I was drunk, Yuri had visited my apartment.

‘Could Arin have seen that?’

Arin always worries about me. She might have seen Yuri going up to my apartment with me when she came by as usual.

But nothing happened that night. I don’t remember because I was drunk, but when I woke up briefly, Yuri was already gone.

‘And even if something had happened between Yuri and me…’

Arin isn’t my girlfriend. But if something like that had really happened, I know I would have felt guilty toward Arin.

The person who has stayed by my side for the past two years. Arin was precious to me. And not long ago, I almost gave in to her temptation.

But because of that, I couldn’t give my heart to Arin. I couldn’t cause the same pain again to Arin, who had already lost Siwoo and Mina.

‘So I should actually push Arin away more, but…’

The two of us now, though not dating, were much closer than mere seniors and juniors.

If I distanced myself from her more, I would have to treat her coldly, but…

When I was unconscious, even in that deep abyss of unconsciousness, I remember the warmth that always felt comforting, and the bright light.

And when I regained consciousness, I could tell who had been sharing that warmth with me. It was Arin.

I briefly thought about the time I had left.

‘Five more years. No, probably less than that.’

A terminal life. And I, who had already practically died once, knew that this fictional world I was possessing was no different from the real world.

When I deliberately destroyed the Mana Heart, prepared to die. And when I released the power of the red jade. At the moment I finally caught the Doubt Demon, I experienced death.

Just as the system was all a lie to deceive me, there was nothing after death.

Neither the author who possessed me as Aka Hunter, nor any constellation of another world appeared.

So for me now, the fear of dying without knowing anything about this world, about the Red Lake—that fear is more terrifying than anything else.

Just because it’s me, just because I’m prepared to die, doesn’t mean I’m not afraid of death.

‘If it weren’t for Arin…’

And it was Arin who held my mind together and whose warmth made me forget that bone-chilling fear.

Also, though she became a White Cross nun late, Arin, who had gained surprisingly strong holy power, was the only one who could replace Mina from the original story.

Whether it was reason, emotion, or my selfishness, I needed Arin. And she needed me too.

But trying to hide those complicated feelings, I deliberately answered playfully.

“You’re teasing again. You’re not even my girlfriend.”

“Hey, but I’m a girlfriend candidate, aren’t I?”

“What’s that supposed to be?”

“It’s a thing.”

Arin caressed my hand more. She pressed her body closer to mine. As always, the scent of her soft body lotion spread to my nostrils.

“That’s right. Like you said, I’m not your girlfriend. I shouldn’t be. A girlfriend is… a casual existence that can be broken up with anytime.”

Her voice was stickier than usual. Her words seemed to have a bite to them.

“But senior, you should lock your door properly. A stray cat might get in. A stray cat that could hurt you.”

And as if she would never let go of my hand, Arin tightly interlocked her fingers with mine. Then she whispered in my ear.

“Those two people who hurt you… I can never forgive them. And I want them to pay for their sins.”

“Arin…”

The two people she meant were obviously Yuri and Soso.

“But the fact that you joined Flame means that you need those two people, right? Isn’t that so?”

Arin was right. So I couldn’t answer her.

Arin lightly bit my earlobe with her lips.

“Mmm… then I won’t touch them. But…”

And breathing into my ear, she whispered.

“If they hurt you again… I will never leave those two alone. By any means necessary.”

For a moment, Arin spoke in a tone so cold it sent chills down my spine. Arin had never spoken to me in such a tone before.

I could feel her fierce hostility and cold anger toward Yuri and Soso.

“Stop joking around.”

As if trying to move past the serious atmosphere, I roughly ruffled her nun’s veil with my palm.

“Hehe. Okay, senior.”

As if reading my feelings, Arin smiled brightly. But her eyes weren’t smiling at all.

***

The group finally arrived at their destination.

The destination was the former North Korean territory, around Mount Kumgang. North Korea had collapsed very quickly 30 years ago with the appearance of the Gates.

But South Korea was able to maintain its national system despite the appearance of Gates, thanks to the Hunter Guild Light, which became the foundation of today’s Hunter Association, and the current Association President’s efforts.

‘Jeon Taehyun. The current Association President and a member of the Five Great Celestial Stars.’

Although he has now retired from the front lines to focus on political activities. Anyway, the former North Korean territory now presented extreme contrasts.

Areas where Gate and Dungeon contamination was too severe became abandoned cities like Gaeseong near Paju, which would need to be conquered soon.

But cities that survived intact became economic and political special zones of the bilateral alliance, enjoying the greatest prosperity in the history of the Korean peninsula.

‘Former North Korea is between the Slavic Kingdom and South Korea after all.’

So this area around Mount Kumgang was quite developed as a tourist destination.

It was somewhat open as a tourist site even during the former North Korean era, but now it had been developed primarily by South Korean conglomerates to become a world-famous resort area.

“But unfortunately, we’re not here for fun this time. And this area was developed primarily by Mansong’s affiliates, so Mansong’s influence is very strong here.”

Team Leader Seo Duho addressed the group. Uncle Donghyuk responded.

“Of all times for our interns to need to achieve important results… we end up on a business trip to such a sensitive place. What a coincidence.”

“No, it’s not a coincidence but an inevitability. It seems Mansong’s pride has been quite hurt. They’ve been thoroughly defeated by Flame in all three previous outings.”

As he said this, Team Leader Seo glanced at me.

As Team Leader Seo said, this place wasn’t like the Southeast Contaminated Zone where dungeons formed regularly.

“I heard an A-rank dungeon was discovered here. It’s below A+ or AA-rank dungeons, so it’s not extremely dangerous, but it’s still challenging for interns to conquer.”

That wasn’t all. This was an area where Mansong took the lead in maintaining security.

So if an A-rank high-level dungeon was discovered here, Mansong-affiliated hunters would inevitably have an advantage in conquering it.

Uncle Donghyuk continued.

“Then isn’t this blatantly favoring Mansong’s interns?”

“Not just Mansong. Since our Flame interns’ performance has been overwhelming, other major corporate guilds whose rankings have fallen behind because of us have probably lost face too. It seems they’re trying to make up for it this way.”

“In other words, several companies deliberately lobbied the Association. Is that what you’re saying?”

“That’s right, Donghyuk. Of course, the intern program documents explain it as a program to gain practical experience in high-level dungeons, but…”

Team Leader Seo and Uncle Donghyuk’s expressions grew serious.

This business trip was important for the interns. It was a test to see if the interns qualified to participate in Flame’s S-rank dungeon conquest.

‘If we don’t get evaluation scores that allow for early completion, it will be impossible timing-wise.’

This was the last intern mission for this month.

The next program is at the end of March. But the conquest of the S-rank dungeon, Paju A, is scheduled for the end of this month, February. So we needed to prove ourselves before then.

‘We must achieve the best results.’

But the conditions seemed unfavorable in many ways. When we arrived at the guild’s gathering place, there were many vans crowded around.

This meant that major corporate guilds had mobilized significant manpower for this intern mission. And if they had already coordinated with Association officials to secure good dungeons like last time, it would be problematic in many ways.

‘No, it could be the opposite.’

And that thought was more rational. If they had already assessed the dungeons, they might deliberately assign Flame a main dungeon that would be difficult to conquer.

‘If we fail badly, it would save their face.’

Unlike the previous B-rank dungeons, this was A-rank. Team Leader Seo Duho seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“It would be troublesome if we were assigned the main dungeon. The current raid party composed of interns lacks a main dealer.”

In response to those words, the gray-haired priest who was standing nearby smoking cigarettes one after another answered.

“But it’s our Flame interns who achieved overwhelming results three times without that dealer. I hope our interns can pull it off again.”

The group turned their attention to him. A tall Latin man in his mid-180cm range wearing priest’s robes.

A core member of the Flame raid party. Father Stefano.

He appeared to be in his 40s, similar in age to Team Leader Seo, but his aura was quite different from the ordinary salaryman-like Team Leader Seo.

His tall stature, black priest’s robes, and the stern expression visible through his horn-rimmed glasses made him look quite strict.

‘Black priest’s robes, huh.’

The clergy of the White Cross all wear white clothes befitting their name. But there are exceptions.

Black priest’s robes are evidence of an exorcist priest.

The exorcist qualification can only be obtained by those who swear to their god during the holy ordination ceremony—the ritual to become a White Cross cleric—that they will destroy monsters and villains.

In this way, the White Cross clergy can manifest holy power when they have special beliefs and wishes.

And Arin, who had become a White Cross nun belatedly, had not yet told me the content of her vow.

‘It must have been completely different from Mina’s vow.’

Mina’s vow, like Siwoo’s, was a prayer for world peace.

At that moment, Father Stefano took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. I summoned a blue flame the size of my pinky nail and lit his cigarette.

“Hmm. This is a blue flame…”

Father Stefano spoke as if newly surprised and gave me a light bow.

“Thank you, Brother Minsu.”

Although I wasn’t a believer of the White Cross, Father Stefano respectfully addressed all members of Flame as “brother” or “sister.”

Meanwhile, Team Leader Seo Duho approached me quietly and said.

“Father Stefano was against interns participating in S-rank missions, but he has huge expectations for the interns. He said three skilled brothers and sisters who will help destroy monsters have joined.”

“I see.”

“He probably doesn’t want to lose good new colleagues too quickly. The Father has been in this industry for a long time.”

I nodded at Team Leader Seo’s words.

Father Stefano may look calm now as a middle-aged man, but he transforms terrifyingly in front of monsters and villains.

Like the guild members of Flame who all had their stories, he was the same.

‘He didn’t join Flame for nothing.’

Although he wasn’t Siwoo’s guild member in the original story, he still appeared as a very skilled hunter.

Someone like him wouldn’t have emotionally opposed interns participating in S-rank missions. And creating firm trust in the interns was my role.

The waiting time grew a bit long. Arin and I decided to go to a nearby store to buy drinks for the guild members.

“We’ll be back shortly.”

And while we were selecting drinks inside a fairly large convenience store, several hunters with familiar faces blocked Arin and me.

“Tsk. Dating even in a place like this? Flame’s interns are pathetic.”

It was clearly a confrontational tone.