I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter

“Kyaaaaah!”

 

The situation was dire. Screams echoed everywhere, the emergency evacuation alarm blared frantically, and misty tendrils sprouted into multiple creatures instantly, creating new victims without pause.

 

“If this continues, we’ll end up like them too!” Assistant Im yelled in panic. Mistburn was not something he could handle at his level. Moreover, it was…something that triggered his most painful trauma.

 

Swoosh!

 

“Huh? Assistant Professor, where are you going!?” Sooho was startled. 

 

Assistant Professor Im, the only Hunter in this place, was fleeing! He narrowly dodged the Mistburn’s attacks and left the exhibition hall alone.

 

Should he go after him?

 

After a brief hesitation, Sooho moved in the opposite direction.

 

Clomp!

He rushed to a corner of the exhibition hall and grabbed a fire extinguisher.

 

‘I don’t know if this will work, but…’

 

He couldn’t bear to leave the others behind and flee. So holding the fire extinguisher, he ran towards the swarm of Mistburn.

 

Shhh!

White powder spurted out and covered the Mistburn.

 

[Guoooo!]

 

[Gwaaaa!]

 

Of course, the attack without magic power would not cause significant damage. But it was enough to suppress their firepower temporarily.

 

‘For now, it’s good enough.’

 

Relieved to confirm that the fire extinguisher was effective, Sooho continued to spray it on other Mistburn.

 

Shhh!

 

[Guoooo!]

 

[Gwaaaa!]

 

In the meantime, he looked around, and found a fallen friend and supported them.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Sob.” 

 

Tears and a runny nose had smeared his friend’s face.

 

“Hey, snap out of it!” Sooho shook his friend’s body, but their eyes remained unfocused.

 

Slap, slap!

He even slapped their cheeks to bring them back to their senses forcibly.

 

“Soo… Sooho?” His friend’s eyes slowly regained focus.

 

Sooho’s gaze flicked downwards.

 

‘Did you sprain your ankle?’

 

“Let’s get out of here for now.” Sooho swiftly carried his friend.

 

Thanks to the fire extinguisher, the movements of the Mistburn were temporarily weakened. There was no other chance to escape from here.

 

“Sob. What about Assistant Im?” the friend carried by Sooho asked with a choked voice.

 

All students of the Painting Department knew that Assistant Professor Im was a Hunter. And yet, amid this dire situation, he was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Didn’t he request support from the Hunter Association earlier?”

 

There was no need to mention what happened afterward.

 

‘They were already scared enough…’

 

A relieved sigh escaped from Sooho’s friend’s lips at Sooho’s words.

 

***

 

They exited the exhibition hall. However, it wasn’t over just by getting outside. In fact, the chaos outside was even worse.

 

Whoosh!

 

[Guoooo!]

 

‘They didn’t just appear in the exhibition hall.’

 

Sooho bit his lip. It seemed like the entire art museum was filled with Mistburn.

 

‘They’re proliferative-type monsters. That’s why they’re really tenacious.’

 

He had thought that getting out of the exhibition hall would be enough.

 

“Aaaagh!”

 

“H-help me…!”

 

“When are the Hunters coming?!”

 

People were trembling in fear, gathered here and there.

 

The Korea University Museum of Art building had obvious passages: stairs and elevators. But Mistburn were seething in every corner of those routes.

 

‘If this goes on, people will be in danger.’

 

Sooho quickly assessed the situation.

 

All escape routes were blocked, and the monsters were increasing in numbers.

 

Sooho didn’t know what desperate measures people would take in their fear. Jumping out of the window would also be a problem, and blindly rushing out might result in getting transformed into a monster.

 

‘At least if I can provide them with a means to defend themselves, it might help a bit.’

 

Sooho raised his fire extinguisher and shouted, “Everyone, pay attention here!”

 

Some of the people who were scared looked at him.

 

“There’s a way to fight against the monsters!”

 

“…!”

 

At those words, more people turned their heads toward Sooho. They noticed the fire extinguisher in his hand.

 

“Oh, I see!”

 

“Yeah! If it’s a fire extinguisher…!”

 

“We can kill the monsters with it!”

 

The light returned to the eyes of the previously distraught people.

 

Sooho felt conflicted.

 

‘Well, it’s not exactly killing them. But does it matter?’

 

The important thing was that he had given people hope.

 

People scattered in all directions, searching fervently for fire extinguishers.

 

“I found one!”

 

“I found one too!”

 

The people who found fire extinguishers cheered loudly. Meanwhile, those who couldn’t find fire extinguishers fell into contemplation. After all, there weren’t that many fire extinguishers on one floor, to begin with.

 

But it was enough for now.

 

Sooho called to them, “You don’t all need to carry fire extinguishers! Those who have fire extinguishers, follow me!”

 

“Ah.”

 

Disappointment appeared on the faces of the people holding the fire extinguishers. Now they realized that only those who held fire extinguishers were at the forefront of the fight.

 

Sooho took the lead and aimed the fire extinguisher at the Mistburn.

Swoosh!

Actions speak louder than words from now on.

 

[Guoooo!!]

 

The firepower of the Mistburn noticeably weakened, and the faces of those who witnessed the scene brightened.

 

“I-it works!”

 

“Alright, me too!”

 

Swoosh!

Fire extinguishers began to spray from their hands, which gained confidence.

 

“Great! Let’s keep pushing forward like this!” Sooho continued to lead the charge, pushing against the Mistburn.

 

People cautiously followed Sooho down the stairs, keeping close behind him.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

[Guaaaah!]

 

The Mistburn started attacking from behind.

 

“Ahh!”

 

“There’s also one behind us!”

 

Those who were barely maintaining their composure panicked again.

Clomp, clomp, clomp!

And they rushed down the stairs in fear.

 

Sooho gritted his teeth.

 

‘We’re almost there.’

 

If they continued like this, they would all collapse from the stairs together.

 

Sooho said as he dropped off his friend, “Can you go alone from now on?”

 

“Huh? What are you going to do?” the friend looked at Sooho, puzzled.

 

Sooho shouted to the people carrying fire extinguishers with a stern expression, “I will take care of the rear, so those at the front, please clear the way!”

 

“Okay, understood!”

 

Sooho eventually turned back and started climbing the stairs again.

 

‘I don’t know what I’m doing.’

 

The imposter Hunter muttered to himself in frustration, but there was no other choice. His body moved on its own.

 

Chaaaagh!

 

[Guoooo!]

 

Sooho’s fire extinguisher attacked the oncoming Mistburn from behind.

 

But then,

pop

.

 

‘Hmm?’

 

[Guoo?]

 

The powder that was being sprayed forcefully suddenly stopped.

 

At the same time, the Mistburn and Sooho’s eyes awkwardly met in midair.

 

“Ha.” Sooho let out a bitter smile. “I’m done for.”

 

[Guaaaa!]

 

The Mistburn attacked Sooho.

 

Whoosh!

Blue smoke swallowed Sooho, and it multiplied into a new Mistburn…

 

Or not.

 

Shwaaak!

 

[…!?]

 

The Mistburn stopped as it faced something deep and profound existing within Sooho.

 

***

 

Mistburn, born from mana remnants, was a feeble existence that moved only by instinct. At the same time, it was a troublesome monster that could become incredibly strong and multiply endlessly as long as it had enough fuel.

 

So, what kind of fuel would be the best?

 

Living beings.

 

Among them, humans with abundant vitality were the best fuel, burning like dry firewood.

 

In that sense, Sooho was the perfect prey for the Mistburn.

 

However…

 

Shwaaak!

 

The moment the Mistburn swallowed Sooho’s body, it was engulfed in the pitch-black abyss hidden within Sooho.

 

[Guoo?]

 

The bewildered Mistburn looked around. It was an endless darkness wherever it looked, but someone was staring at it from the deepest part of the abyss.

 

The Mistburn growled ferociously, standing up in the blue smoke.

 

[Guoo! Guo! Guaa…?]

 

But no matter how much it barked, only hollow echoes came back.

 

Then, it suddenly realized.

 

It wasn’t just someone within the abyss, but the entire vast abyss itself that was looking down at the Mistburn, drooling with anticipation as if looking at a delicious meal.

 

[Gyaak?!]

 

The abyss opened its mouth wide towards the startled Mistburn, as if ready to swallow it whole.

 

Gulp.

 

***

 

Pssh.

 

“… Huh?” Sooho’s expression turned puzzled as the Mistburn that was about to attack him suddenly scattered into the air.

 

Fizzle.

 

The human body that was the source of its power turned into ashes and collapsed on the spot.

 

But then, at that moment…

 

 

[You have defeated Mistburn.]

 

[You have met all the requirements to complete ‘Secret Quest: Courage of the Weak’.]

 

 

“… What?” Sooho’s eyes widened at the message that suddenly appeared before him.

 

[Level up!]

 

 

Flash!

 

A dazzling light enveloped Sooho’s entire body.

 

***

 

Sooho’s friend, Kim Daehyun, barely managed to escape outside the art museum.

 

Thud

. As soon as his limping legs stepped out, all his strength left him completely.

 

Daehyun, who collapsed weakly in front of the art museum, instinctively looked around for Sooho. “What about Sooho? H-have you seen Sooho?”

 

“Who’s that? Oh, that friend from earlier?”

 

People remembered the student who had fought with a fire extinguisher in hand, but Sooho was nowhere to be seen.

 

Someone hesitantly said, “He said he would go back up to take care of the rest.”

 

“Could it be…he hasn’t come out yet?”

 

The crowd murmured.

 

Someone murmured hopefully, “But Sooho is a Hunter, so he should be okay, right?”

 

“Sooho is not a Hunter!” Daehyun shouted urgently. His words were even more shocking.

 

“What? Not a Hunter?”

 

“He’s not even a Hunter, how could he…!”

 

Their gazes simultaneously turned toward the art museum. Sooho…was still not out.

 

Just then, the Hunters arrived after receiving the report.

 

“Here!” Assistant Professor Im, who had fled first, brought the Hunters. He sighed in relief when he saw that the people who had escaped the art museum were safe.

 

‘Phew, thank goodness. It looks like everyone managed to escape somehow.’

 

He had convinced himself that he had chosen the best possible option as an E-rank Hunter, but now that he saw the people, he felt guilty for his cowardice.

 

“But how did you all manage to get out?”

 

The Hunters who came with Assistant Im looked at the people with puzzled expressions. There was a Mistburn outbreak in such an isolated space, yet so many people survived?

 

They were curious about how they managed to escape, although it was fortunate that they did.

 

“But there are still people who haven’t come out yet!” Daehyun shouted with an urgent expression. “Sooho is still…!”

 

“Sooho? Sooho is still inside?” Assistant Professor Im was taken aback and turned toward the art museum.

 

“If it weren’t for Sooho, we would have all died there!”

 

The faces of those who survived turned gloomy at Daehyun’s choked words.

 

The Hunters looked puzzled and asked for more details, “Is this person called Sooho a Hunter? What rank?”

 

“… No, he’s an ordinary person.”

 

“What? How could an ordinary person…?”

 

Just as the Hunters were about to ask for more details, a foreboding sound came from the art museum building.

 

Rumble!

 

Everyone’s heads turned toward that direction simultaneously.

 

There was a sinister aura emanating from the building.

 

“Oh no. Has the erosion begun?”

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