Chapter : 16
Troll Hunter (2)
“Still, I did know a few tricks for dealing with that thing.”
“Really? How?”
“My parents spent almost half their lives on this planet. Naturally, they’d dealt with Calcutta Gorillas before.”
“Ah. Right.”
“First, I ditched everything heavy. Guns are useless against those things anyway, so I threw mine away. Then I ran to a place where it would have trouble chasing me.”
“That’s even possible?”
“I was lucky. Honestly, I thought I was going to die.”
If someone who had actually fought a Calcutta Gorilla had heard what Suhyeon was saying, they would’ve snorted in disbelief. When facing a Calcutta Gorilla, running to a place it couldn’t easily chase you was impossible. For starters, Calcutta Gorillas were faster than humans, and they could smash through most obstacles without even slowing down.
However, Jo Seunghyun had only heard rumors about how infamous Calcutta Gorillas were—he didn’t truly understand their real capabilities. That was why he had no choice but to take Suhyeon’s words at face value.
“There wasn’t much I could do anyway. I figured that if I died there, then so be it. I just endured… and at some point, the gorilla was gone.”
“So you came back right away then?”
“No. I waited longer.”
“?”
Suhyeon had no intention of mentioning that he had entered the ruins created by a mage inside a cave and awakened there. He knew very well that the world didn’t work that simply. Even now, countries all over the world were burning with desire to research psychic powers. If it were revealed that he had become humanity’s first mage, the chances of being kidnapped and turned into a test subject were far higher than being praised and honored.
He didn’t think Jo Seunghyun was evil enough to sell him out, but once a secret leaked, the odds of it spreading were high.
Suhyeon planned to brush it off with a plausible explanation. For the time being, Uncle Joe Company would serve as his shield. While working here, he needed to strengthen his magic.
Suhyeon understood just how incredible the opportunity he’d been given was. But rushing forward recklessly would only bring disaster. The memories of his previous life were still vivid.
Slowly. Even if it meant taking the long way around, he would sharpen his blade and build his strength here.
And then he would find them.
The bastards who had screwed him over.
“Calcutta Gorillas don’t immediately leave even if they lose their prey. I’ve heard they often linger nearby or look for something else to hunt. So I disguised myself and waited.”
“…!”
Jo Seunghyun was inwardly shocked. What Suhyeon had just said wasn’t something a kid barely twenty years old should be able to say. The logic itself was sound. Not just Calcutta Gorillas—if you relaxed just because you’d shaken off a monster, you could end up paying for it dearly.
But knowing that fact and actually putting it into practice were two completely different things. Separated from his team due to an accident, knowing that if he didn’t regroup in time he’d have to survive alone in the Calcutta jungle—was there anyone who could endure that, even knowing the danger posed by a Calcutta Gorilla?
No. In most cases, people would choose to move immediately to rejoin their team, even if it meant greater risk.
Only now did Jo Seunghyun feel certain.
This kid was the real deal.
Even if he was young, it was obvious. Those destined for greatness showed their potential regardless of age.
I really picked up a treasure.
At that moment, Jo Seunghyun made a decision. No matter what, he would take Suhyeon with him. Even if the kid was still inexperienced and rough around the edges, once he gained experience, he would become a core member of the company.
“After about a day passed, I was sure it had completely left. That’s when I set my direction and headed back to the city.”
“Wasn’t it hard getting back? No—wait, that place isn’t easy to get back from in the first place!”
He said “I came back to the city” so casually, but in truth, that alone was an extraordinary feat. Even with guns, the Calcutta jungle wasn’t a place to be taken lightly. Without one, it was even more dangerous.
“There were a few close calls… but again, I was lucky. Of course, I avoided danger whenever I could.”
It didn’t sound like bragging at all. Jo Seunghyun nodded in agreement. Otherwise, none of it made sense.
“I see… You’ve been through a lot. Thanks to you, the job wrapped up nicely. The client was extremely satisfied. Of course, we can’t head back there right away because of the Calcutta Gorilla.”
“To extract resources there, you’d need at least a few power armors. And some additional manpower.”
“That’s their problem to figure out. Anyway, you still need to get paid. I’ve transferred the money to your account. Oh, right—come to think of it, you didn’t have anyone listed to receive emergency funds. What do you want to do?”
“If there’s nowhere to send it, then it can’t be sent. Just give it to the others.”
“If you check the amount, you’ll see you got a bit more than the others. Don’t think too much about it. Everyone agreed.”
“Did they?”
That surprised Suhyeon. In his mind, mercenaries were people who would risk their lives over a single penny. He’d assumed they’d fight if someone else took even a portion of their pay. Yet they’d offered him a larger share.
“That just means you played a big role this time. Anyway, thanks—and let’s work well together going forward.”
“Sounds good.”
With a faint smile, Suhyeon took Jo Seunghyun’s outstretched hand and shook it.
* * *
Compared to how shocked everyone had been when Suhyeon returned, the reactions afterward were relatively subdued. It was surprising that someone they thought was dead came back alive, but after that initial shock, it felt awkward to crowd around him and make a fuss asking what had happened.
They weren’t that close, and they hadn’t talked much before either. In the end, the only one who came over to ask privately was Kim Changshik. Lee Sohee and Park Sooyong exchanged just a few words before moving on.
“Hey. You’ve got some serious luck. How the hell did you survive out there?”
“I was lucky.”
Letting Kim Changshik’s chatter wash over him, Suhyeon checked his equipment. Then he closed his eyes and activated the grimoire.
[Heal]
Troll Blood: 0/10
Troll Heart: 0/1
Baekhacho: 0/1
As expected, I need to hunt trolls.
Even setting aside the Baekhacho, there were already two items he needed that dropped from trolls. But he couldn’t just go hunt trolls whenever he wanted. He was officially a mercenary employed by a company. While mercenary work was irregular and relatively flexible, he couldn’t act entirely on his own.
“By the way, it looks like I got paid more than usual. Is that really okay?”
“Huh? Oh, that. Sooyong-hyung brought it up, and nobody could really argue against it. I mean, I wouldn’t either. You saved everyone’s lives.”
Kim Changshik nodded as if it were obvious. Suhyeon didn’t think luring the Calcutta Gorilla away was that big of a deal, but from everyone else’s perspective, it was no different from him sacrificing his own safety to save them.
“Come to think of it, Park Sooyong is more surprising the more I see him.”
“He’s prickly, sure, but he always repays debts. When the Calcutta Gorilla showed up, we all ran, right? He was the one who suggested going back to check on you afterward.”
“…?”
Suhyeon tilted his head, unable to imagine it. That blunt, curt man had said something like that? The only thing Park Sooyong had said to him after he returned was, ‘Good to see you back.’
Lowering his voice after glancing around, Kim Changshik asked quietly,
“So… how much extra did you get?”
“After excluding the advance, about forty million won in total…”
“Damn. You got ten million more. Lucky bastard. What’re you gonna spend it on?”
“Equipment and weapons.”
“Hey, what’s wrong with you for a newbie? Newbies are supposed to blow it all on booze, gambling, or women!”
“……”
Suhyeon ignored Kim Changshik’s complaint in disbelief, but it wasn’t entirely a joke. Most rookie mercenaries weren’t like Suhyeon. Even after barely surviving, few immediately invested in better gear. After risking their lives for money, many people felt compelled to spend it right away.
“Man, you’re no fun.”
“Oh, right. What about the next mission?”
“Huh? Probably resting for at least three months.”
“Are you sure? How do you know?”
“Usually after a job like this, we take some time off. And it’s not like we have a backlog of work. More importantly, the boss said we’d probably head out again in about three months.”
“That’s good.”
“?”
Kim Changshik couldn’t understand why Suhyeon thought that was good. Rest periods were essential for mercenaries, but many thought three months was too long. Some teams jumped straight into the next job without even a week of rest.
This time, the mission had been successful, and the company was small, so people were understanding. If this were a large company with lots of work coming in and they still scheduled a break like that, there would’ve been complaints immediately.
“…Do you like hunting, by any chance?”
* * *
“Ha! Look at our newbie, coming up with such a thoughtful idea. Be honest—this is because of what I mentioned last time, right? Huh?”
“You can think whatever’s convenient for you.”
“You don’t have to talk so stiffly. You can call me ‘hyung’ if you want!”
Kim Changshik thumped his chest excitedly. There was a reason he was so pumped—it was because of the proposal Suhyeon had made to him.
Troll hunting!
For a long time, there had been rumors that trolls were extremely profitable. Not that there were many monsters on Cameron Planet that didn’t make money, but trolls were special—exaggerated by stories of a few hunters who’d struck it rich overnight.
They were unbelievably powerful monsters, but Suhyeon was worried about something else entirely.
Whether he’d be allowed to do it.
But things went more smoothly than expected. The moment he asked Jo Seunghyun, permission was granted without hesitation. As a bonus, he was told to be careful and come back alive.
Huh… he’s a really nice guy.
Unaware that Jo Seunghyun had already decided to actively nurture him, Suhyeon couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
