I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter

One hour ago.

 

 

[Paju Field]

 

※No entry outside the Fiend Guild

 

 

Thud.

 

“This must be the place.”

 

Hunter Association Team Leader Han Jaehyuk arrived at the front of Paju Field with his subordinates. 

 

Looking at the sky, the weather was terribly good.

 

A quiet plain stretched out widely. Once known as the Paju Industrial Complex, this place became an abandoned land that people no longer visited after the dungeon break.

 

The reason they came here was because of Baek Miho.

 

Baek Mi-ho, the vice master of the White Tiger Guild, suddenly visited the association with her subordinates last night. She claimed to have captured a Hyena Guild member at Magok Field and handed him to the association.

 

Team Leader Han Jaehyuk, who had been investigating the factory these days, interrogated the guild member, and as a result, he found a lot of information.

 

‘Lee Minsung, the vice master of the Fiend Guild, is secretly building a Stardust research lab!’

 

However, the problem was that even the guild member did not know the exact location of the lab. In this case, they had no choice but to search for it manually.

 

Blue mist was needed to produce Stardust, and the location was undoubtedly one of the dungeons occupied by the Fiend Guild. Thus, the Hunter Association members had been searching the dungeons of the Fiend Guild one by one since this morning, spreading out throughout the metropolitan area.

 

“Team Leader.” The subordinate, who had been on the phone with the situation room, hung up and approached Han Jaehyuk. “As expected, this place is the most suspicious. Some time ago, Lee Minsung, the vice master of the Fiend Guild, volunteered to manage the Paju Field.”

 

“…”

 

Upon the report from his subordinate, Han Jaehyuk looked ahead with a serious expression. Beyond the iron fence that blocked civilian access, old container warehouses were covered in blue mist in the distance, exuding a gloomy atmosphere.

 

“… The location selection is amazing.” Han Jaehyuk clicked his tongue in displeasure.

 

Paju Field was conveniently located near Seoul, making it easy to kidnap people and an excellent place to source blue mist.

 

Above all, there were already enough container buildings within the field to be used as research labs, making it an ideal location for building factories.

 

It was definitely the place they were looking for.

 

Han Jaehyuk immediately picked up his shield. “We’re going in.”

 

“What? Just us? What about reinforcements?”

 

“We need evidence to request reinforcements. We might be making a fuss for no reason, so let’s at least take a few pictures and then call for backup.”

 

“Okay, understood.”

 

With that, Han Jaehyuk and the five Hunters under his command jumped over the fence of the Paju Field.

 

And they finally discovered the container buildings standing in a row in the Paju Industrial Complex.

 

And the many Hunters wandering around them.

 

‘Found it!’

 

Association Hunters exchanged glances with each other.

 

There was no reason why so many Hunters would gather at a field dungeon that was almost conquered.

 

“According to the investigation, Vice Master Lee Minsung is reportedly building his own power behind Guild Master Lim Taegyu’s back. There may be some sort of power struggle going on.”

 

“So this is…like a hideout.”

 

Han Jaehyuk looked at the most prominent building among the containers and told his subordinate, “Request immediate troop support.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“And we’re going in.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“I just heard screams coming from inside.” Saying so, Han Jaehyuk gritted his teeth with a terrifying expression. “I think there might be civilians being held captive inside.”

 

It was supposed to be a Stardust research institute…and it seemed that Lee Minsung had already gathered the ingredients for Stardust.

 

***

 

Stardust Research Lab.

 

Container Building A.

 

Min Byung-gyu’s wife, Oh Sunjoo, was trembling in a cold prison cell.

 

‘Why am I here…?’

 

This whole situation was confusing and terrifying for Oh Sunjoo.

 

She was clearly going to work as usual, but suddenly she lost consciousness and woke up locked in a strange prison.

 

She couldn’t understand what was going on.

 

It was not just a simple kidnapping for ransom.

 

For one thing, too many people were outside the prison. Moreover, all of them were blatantly showing their faces.

 

‘The fact that they’ve opened their faces in the first place means they have no intention of letting us go.’

 

That fact frightened her even more. And there were nine or more people like her who were trapped in the prison.

 

“Sniff, Mommy…”

 

‘Even a young child like that…’

 

Oh Sunjoo’s gaze turned to the little boy trembling across from her. 

 

The little boy looked like a kindergartener at best, huddled up and sobbing sadly. But apparently, the sound of his crying was bothering someone, as a man passing by suddenly yelled at him.

 

“Hey, be quiet! I told you to stop crying!”

 

Bam!

 

“Ow!”

 

“…!” At that moment, Oh Sunjoo was so startled that she instinctively covered her mouth with her hands.

 

The boy’s body flew backward just by screaming like being kicked hard!

 

‘A skill?!’

 

Finally, realizing that the ones who kidnapped them were all Hunters, Oh Sunjoo was astonished.

 

‘Why did hunters capture civilians like us? Why on earth?’

 

Putting her confused thoughts behind her, she approached the cornered boy in a hurry to check his condition.

 

“Sob… sniff…” The boy was clutching his painful stomach, writhing on the floor. Afraid of being hit again, he desperately closed his mouth and shed tears.

 

Oh Sunjoo embraced the trembling boy, feeling sorry for him. There was nothing else she could do.

 

But then…

 

“…!” Suddenly, Oh Sunjoo’s eyes widened.

 

Shrouded in shadow, a strange refraction of light was visible in the corner. The refraction was subtle enough to go unnoticed easily, but it seemed too strange to ignore once noticed.

 

And perhaps because he noticed Oh Sunjoo’s gaze…

 

Swish.

Suddenly, like a curtain being pulled back, a large man’s face appeared out of nowhere.

 

“…!”

 

As Oh Sunjoo’s eyes widened in surprise, the man quietly placed his index finger in front of his mouth.

 

‘Shh.’

 

With a sharp intake of breath, Oh Sunjoo paused. She had instinctively realized their purpose.

 

‘Hunters. From the Association. Here to rescue you. Act like you don’t know.’

 

The man’s voice was calm and steady as he whispered the words, and Oh Sunjoo could hear them clearly in her ear. Startled, Oh Sunjoo blinked rapidly, sending a signal that she understood.

 

Swish.

 

Then the man’s face disappeared again, and the strange refraction of light slowly moved toward the prison where the hostages were held.

 

‘It’s suicide for just five of us to try to do this.’

 

A soft sigh flowed from Team Leader Han Jaehyuk, who was on the move with his subordinates using their stealth skill.

 

But waiting for reinforcements was not an option, as the situation was urgent. If the civilians continued to inhale the blue mist here, there was no telling when they might suddenly turn into Mistburn.

 

They needed to get the civilians out of the field as quickly as possible.

 

‘It’ll be okay. As long as the plan goes as planned.’

 

Han Jaehyuk’s plan was simple.

 

Quietly opening the prison door and including all civilians in the stealth skill. And at the same time, taking advantage of the moment when one subordinate causes a commotion from far away, they all escape together.

 

‘Once we get out of the building, we’ll succeed. There are many places to hide outside.’

 

And after a while.

 

Han Jaehyuk’s hand finally grabbed the lock in front of the prison.

 

Snap!

His thick hands twisted the lock.

 

‘Great! We did it…’

 

“Great, don’t you think?” A sudden gruff voice from behind.

 

…!

 

Fwoosh!

 

‘We’ve been caught…!’

 

Boom!

A tremendous explosion engulfed them.

 

At the same time, the stealth skill was released, and Team Leader Han Jaehyuk, who barely defended against the attack, shouted to his subordinates, “Damn it! Plan B!”

 

“There is no such thing, Team Leader!”

 

“I don’t know! Just hold on somehow!”

 

A sudden battle began.

 

“There are only five of them! Kill them all!”

 

Dozens of Hunters in the research lab attacked them all at once.

 

Thump!

 

“Everyone, behind me!” Han Jaehyuk lifted a huge steel shield that could cover half his body with both hands. “Iron Wall!”

 

Whoosh!

He desperately blocked the attacks pouring in from all directions by creating a huge barrier. 

 

“Just hold on a little longer! Reinforcements will arrive soon!”

 

The last words were deliberately spoken for those guys over there to hear. Although it would be nice if they ran away scared, such a miracle did not happen.

 

Instead…

 

“Hey.”

 

Hm?

 

The same venomous voice from earlier was heard again.

 

“Release your skill.”

 

Looking over there, a man with a snake-like impression was holding the neck of a young child who appeared to be a kindergarten student.

 

“Oh, my goodness!”

 

The faces of the Association Hunters were bewildered.

 

Han Jaehyuk recognized his face.

 

“Park Jongchul!” C-rank Hunter Park Jongchul. He was notorious for his cruelty even in the Fiend Guild.

 

“Didn’t you hear me? Release that damn shield skill right now, you bastards.” Park Jongchul raised the child with one hand, smiling cruelly.

 

The child trembled in his hand as if he would die any moment.

 

“Oh, no!”

 

“Spare the child…!”

 

The Association Hunters cried out desperately. But if they released the shield skill as he said, they would all lose their lives.

 

In this moment of helplessness… Park Jongchul decided to ease their worries.

 

“What? You’re not going to release it? Even if I do this?”

 

Smack!

Without hesitation, Park Jongchul slapped the child’s cheek with his huge palm.

 

“…!”

 

Blood burst from the child’s mouth, and his head turned to the side.

 

‘Th-that crazy bastard!’

 

In an instant, the eyes of the Association Hunters turned to anger.

 

But Park Jongchul didn’t stop his hand. “Oh? Still not released? What about now? Or now?”

 

Tug, tug, tug!

 

“Stop! I already released the skill…!”

 

Finally, the moment the Iron Wall disappeared from Han Jaehyuk… 

 

Clang.

 

 

…!

 

Suddenly, a flying sword cut off Park Jongchul’s arm, which was holding the child.

 

“Ah!”

 

The scream came out of other people’s mouths first.

 

Swoosh.

 

Blood gushed like a fountain from his severed arm. The pain came a beat later.

 

“… Aaaaagh!” Park Jongchul, who had been smiling like a snake the whole time, let out a desperate scream. “Ah! Who is it!? Who dares to…!” he howled like a wounded beast and looked around.

 

And this time…

 

 

Clang.

 

 

His leg was cut off.

 

“Ah! My, my leg-!” He rolled on the floor, screaming in agony.

 

And then, somehow, a man with a crow mask appeared before him, holding the child.

 

‘Wh-who?’

 

When everyone in the laboratory focused their attention on him…

 

“The one who deserves to die must die.”

 

The death sentence was passed on Park Jongchul.

 

Everyone shuddered at that brutally indifferent voice.

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