Chapter 83: Interlocking Gears (4)

The atmosphere emanating from the two women facing each other was chilling.

The aura radiating from the two caused the surrounding people to naturally feel a sense of crisis, spreading out in a dome shape.

To be precise, it wasn’t that killing intent was emanating from both of them, but rather one person’s killing intent was completely overwhelming the other. Because the others couldn’t grasp the atmosphere just by looking from the outside.

“Do you perhaps have something to say to me?”

“……”

Facing the party leader, who was interrogating her with a suddenly chilling expression, Han Min-ah immediately thought of one intuitive possibility in her mind.

The act she and Sung Taekyung had shared a week ago.

Kang Hye-eun had caught her having sex, which started when she couldn’t control her heat and pounced on him. Because that was the only reason she could guess for Kang Hye-eun to direct such killing intent towards her.

Han Min-ah was suffering from an unprecedentedly strong sense of crisis and pressure.

‘S-Sung Taekyung, you son of a bitch…!! You said you wouldn’t cause me any trouble!’

‘You said you’d tell her first! That I just needed to wait a little bit!!’

After muttering his name several times in her mind, the one who had contributed to creating this situation. Han Min-ah’s tense mouth slowly opened and closed.

“Hic.”

“……”

“……”

Regrettably, the first thing that came out of her mouth wasn’t an apology or an excuse, but a pathetic hiccup.

‘I want to run away.’

If what she was facing wasn’t Kang Hye-eun but a monster in a dungeon, she would have definitely decided to run away. Since they belonged to the same company and knew each other’s home addresses, running away from her would only worsen the situation. To survive, she had to force herself to concoct an apology and explanation in her mind.

“H-Hye-eun-ah….”

“Yes.”

“I-I-I’m sorry…. I really didn’t have a moment to spare back then….”

“……”

“I-I didn’t even know Sung Taekyung was coming to my place that day. W-When I came to my senses, I was the one who pounced on him during my heat…. O-Obviously, I didn’t have any romantic or strange feelings for Sung Taekyung…! I-It was just because of my heat! We really hadn’t been in contact, b-but it just so happened that the day we met again was during my heat…. I-I-I properly apologized to Sung Taekyung. He told me not to say anything, so I couldn’t tell you, Hye-eun-ah… B-But I’m sorry, Hye-eun-ah! I-I’m truly sorry…!!”

Han Min-ah nervously glanced at Kang Hye-eun, rambling out the meek apology and explanation she had concocted in her mind. Because Han Min-ah knew that Kang Hye-eun extremely disliked anything happening to Sung Taekyung. She braced herself, wondering if she might suddenly get hit with a shield charge and be slammed into the wall like the other kids who had messed with him back in school.

“……”

After some time passed since she finished speaking, she could confirm that the killing intent surrounding her and the area was receding.

“It’s the same story Taekyung told me.”

Han Min-ah slightly relaxed at Kang Hye-eun’s voice, which had become much softer.

“H-He, he told you…?”

“Yeah, he told me yesterday. Including the fact that you and Taekyung had sex at your place during your heat.”

“I-I see….”

Actually, Kang Hye-eun hadn’t asked with the intention of threatening or interrogating Han Min-ah. She simply wanted to hear from the other party whether the conversations she and he had shared yesterday and today were true, and the circumstances surrounding it. If the two people’s stories had differed, it would have become a new source of stress for her too. But since the same story came from both their mouths, it didn’t lead to such a situation. The killing intent that had been emitted was simply a byproduct of her intense focus on listening to the story related to Sung Taekyung.

“……”

Meanwhile, Han Min-ah was still confused by Kang Hye-eun’s attitude. Since Sung Taekyung hadn’t been caught hiding a secret, should she consider herself lucky to have avoided the worst-case scenario? Or, since she had indeed learned a dangerous secret, should she still consider it a crisis? As Han Min-ah hesitated on how to react, Kang Hye-eun’s next words followed.

“I’ll be counting on you going forward.”

“……Huh?”

What on earth does ‘counting on you’ mean? Unable to grasp the meaning of her reaction, Han Min-ah blankly asked again about what Kang Hye-eun had said.

“W-What do you mean, ‘counting on me’? Did you break up with Sung Taekyung?!”

“…Do you want me to break up with Taekyung?”

“N-N-No way~!! I-I just thought what you said sounded a bit strange~! Besides, where else would you find a guy who suits you as well as Sung Taekyung!”

“Right?”

Because the killing intent she thought had completely receded showed signs of engulfing her once more. Han Min-ah quickly used her innate quick wit to appease Kang Hye-eun.

“I’m going to keep dating Taekyung. No, no matter what happens, I will never break up with him.”

“I-I see!”

“So, Min-ah, you should also have sex diligently with Taekyung every time you’re in heat. It’s a good thing for you too, right? You won’t need to buy heat suppressants anymore.”

“……W-What are you talking about? You said you’re still dating Sung Taekyung? Then why are you telling me to have sex with him during my heat, and saying such strange things?”

“Why am I telling you this? Of course, it’s because it’s necessary for Taekyung to become stronger.”

“……Huh?”

Han Min-ah still tilted her head, her conversation with the party leader still seeming completely disconnected.

“Does my heat subsiding have anything to do with Sung Taekyung getting stronger?”

“Well, Taekyung’s awakening ability involves sex with female hunters….”

Kang Hye-eun, who had started talking under the assumption that the other party already knew about Sung Taekyung’s awakening ability, suddenly had a thought.

“Did Taekyung not tell you, Min-ah, about his awakening ability?”

“He awakened…? I-I’m hearing this for the first time…?”

“……”

From Han Min-ah’s perspective, it was truly the first time she had heard this, so she simply reacted as expected. Her long-time friend blinked as if surprised by the unexpected answer and looked at her. Then, she slightly raised the corners of her lips, showing a pleasant smile.

“Ah, so Taekyung hasn’t told you everything yet, Min-ah?”

“W-What is it? What exactly is Sung Taekyung’s awakening ability?!”

“Hmm? I won’t say anything. You can hear it directly from Taekyung next time.”

“Hey, hey! Kang Hye-eun!”

Contrary to Kang Hye-eun’s attitude, who was humming a tune because she was in such a good mood. Han Min-ah, feeling somehow wronged, began to interrogate Kang Hye-eun instead, asking what Sung Taekyung’s awakening ability was. No further information related to Sung Taekyung came out of Kang Hye-eun’s mouth.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

The moment I entered the Skill Unlock menu and checked the final reward related to Hye-eun. As soon as I confirmed that an entirely unexpected reward had appeared in the form of a new skill, both corners of my mouth turned up automatically.

『Swordsmanship lv. 6 : 0/600

Spear Fighting lv. 1 : 0/100

Shield Fighting lv. 2 : 0/200 (NEW!)

Fire Magic lv. 3 : 0/300

Recovery lv. 3 : 0/300』

Among the other skills I already possessed, a new skill named Shield Fighting was sparkling, showing off its presence. I felt even better knowing it started at level 2, not level 1. Strictly speaking in terms of Awakening Points, it was a small difference of only 100 points. But even that small difference was enough to make me happy. More than anything, it was like getting a completely new skill for free, which was reward enough on its own.

Speaking of which, Shield Fighting. Hye-eun’s awakening ability was definitely ‘Warrior of the Guardian Shield’. Although I had encountered it quite a while ago, I had a general grasp of what the ability entailed. Therefore, the unlocking of an awakening ability related to a target hunter clearly meant this Shield Fighting skill, anyone could see that.

One might say, ‘What’s the point of learning Shield Fighting when Hye-eun already has it?’ But the story changes slightly if this Shield Fighting skill combines with Hye-eun’s special awakening ability, ‘Warrior of the Guardian Shield’. Because her awakening ability includes summoning and retrieving shields of any desired shape. Hye-eun would know the detailed summoning conditions and usage better than I do. As far as I know, she can even ‘lend’ or ‘transfer’ a shield to others for a short time. Even if I don’t have a use for it right now, it would undoubtedly be a useful skill if we were to operate in the same party. At least much more useful than something pointless like Spear Fighting.

『Shield Fighting lv. 3 : 0/300』

With that thought, I didn’t hesitate and spent 200 points to raise Shield Fighting to level 3. Investing points in a skill I won’t use immediately might seem foolish at first glance. But this was purely a mindset to solidify my goals even further. To properly utilize this skill, transferring to the company and joining Hye-eun’s Sky Blue Shield was a necessary step. It was a form of self-hypnosis, assuring myself that I would work harder in proportion to the investment. Since joining the Sky Blue Shield was already my confirmed next goal, adding one more motivation wasn’t too bad.

Next, I checked a newly opened achievement reward in the Achievement menu.

『Make one Hunter’s Favorability reach 80 or higher』

Finally, I browsed the Point Shop to see if any new items had been added. And when I confirmed a new, mysterious item had appeared in the Point Shop. My gaze shifted slightly towards the peculiar menu that appeared before me.

『Hunter Awakening with SI (System Intelligence): A high-level system intelligence will assist your system operations. This is the most essential item for you who wants to become stronger quickly and efficiently.

Price: 100 Points』

“What is this?”

The product description, unlike anything I had purchased before, was completely unintuitive. And the way it suddenly forced the phrase ‘This is the most essential item for you’ in the description. Most of all, it wasn’t even on sale, yet it proudly occupied the center of the Point Shop page. It was a product whose description, from start to finish, I disliked. In the first place, system intelligence generated within my awakening ability is, in other words, the awakening ability itself, isn’t it? Attributing such high value to its own intelligence, comparable to artifacts like the subspace pocket or the mysterious mask. Honestly, I suspect it might be excessive self-consciousness. Though I’m not sure if systems even have self-consciousness. Besides, I’m not exactly unskilled in system manipulation like an elderly person who can’t handle a kiosk. I felt there was no need to purchase something like this. Moreover, the memory of the system selling UI improvements for points in the past made me feel bad, so just as I was about to ignore the item and close the system.

『Price: 70 Points (Currently 30% Off)』

Instead of the awakening ability’s system window closing, the price of the item in the Point Shop began to decrease in real-time.

…Well now?