Heroine Hunts Heroines

Shinohara Yuzuki gazed at the ceiling of the boss room, now ablaze with white flames, and let out an exclamation of wonder.

“A sword that releases white flames when swung... fascinating.”

She wasn’t the only one amazed. Everyone else, excluding the heroines, seemed equally surprised. Especially Ping Tao, whose dumbfounded expression was laughable.

Even Rosemary, despite having seen it before, still looked shocked—it seemed her learning curve was rather shallow.

Once the flames dissipated, all that remained were scattered shards of glass on the floor.

“Is it over now?”

“Looks like it. Hmm... yeah, everything’s been cleared.”

Choi Shia, the Constellation of the Divine Sword, confirmed the situation with her ability to sense enemies—a skill that even surpassed my own perception as a wicked dragon.

The Glass Dungeon was finished.

In the original story, Noah, the guild master of the Lily Guild, personally came to assist. But now, with everyone’s extraordinary skills, we managed to finish it without outside help.

With the Glass Peacock defeated, the rear door opened, revealing the dungeon’s exit. Its modern design was clear evidence that the Lily Guild had fully renovated this dungeon.

Stepping outside, we were greeted by Noah, who was clapping her hands enthusiastically.

“I didn’t expect you to handle it all by yourselves.”

“Impressive, right?”

Noah must have been genuinely surprised. The Glass Dungeon was challenging even for C-rank hunters.

Clearing the passageways alone was one thing, but if someone entered alone, they would have to unlock all six paths on their own.

And the boss, the Glass Peacock, was in a league of its own. Our team’s exceptional lineup had made it possible. If this had been the B class, they wouldn’t have stood a chance.

“Well then, let me give credit where it’s due.”

Noah turned to us with an approving smile.

“Really amazing. Especially you three: Shinohara Kotone, Ping Tao, and Yoo Eun-ha. Well done.”

She clapped again, this time with the vigor of a seal performing at a show.

“Only the three of us?”

“The others are already well-known. As for you, Eun-ha, I’ve seen the group battle footage and the community videos, but it’s hard to believe until you see it in person.”

Shinohara Kotone was an unknown retainer of the Shinohara family. Ping Tao could be dismissed as all talk, considering China’s reputation. And I, as Yoo Jin-seok’s younger sister, could be seen as someone riding on my brother’s coattails.

Fair enough.

Still, it stung a little. Dismissing me, someone who could unleash white flames, felt like an insult.

“Oh, is that how it is?”

I knew exactly what Noah was doing—trying to provoke me.

She probably wanted me to treat her the same way I’d teased Creepmary earlier, to mess with her in the same way. Otherwise, it didn’t make sense to trust Reyna or Han Suji more than me when they hadn’t even demonstrated their abilities.

“Don’t take it personally. I’m just cautious by nature. But your performance was excellent. I’ll personally report this to the headmaster and make sure other guilds hear about your involvement in this Glass Dungeon.”

“Is this the start of formal guild scouting?”

In the original story, many Class A cadets were still around at this point.

The Glass Dungeon had been used to select the top performers. Episodes like dealing with Class A troublemakers or clashing with the student council followed. But with the story now twisted, the future was uncertain.

Class 1-A might dive straight into guild work, leaving Class 2-A feeling jealous.

“Your abilities are just that outstanding. Even the remaining two teams fought well in the passageways, so it seems mid-sized guilds will take interest in them.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

If they hadn’t been recruited, I’d have felt guilty, considering how the story had diverged.

“Is that all for today?”

“Yes, that’s it. Good work, everyone.”

Noah turned to leave but winked at me before she did.

She’d given me her communication code, but there was no need to contact her immediately. For now, I’d just hold onto it. Getting tangled up with a guild master unnecessarily could lead to trouble.

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

“Hm?”

When I opened my magic gear to check Noah’s contact information, I noticed a message from Yoo Jin-seok.

***

Hunter Association

After the rebellion led by Kim Jae-soo, the fifth-floor corridors of the Hunter Association headquarters had grown noticeably quieter. A man strode through them, heading toward the innermost office.

He opened the door to the president’s office, revealing a bald man resting his chin on the back of his hand, who greeted him with a smirk.

“Yoo Jin-seok, the first wielder of the Divine Sword.”

The man was, indeed, Yoo Jin-seok. Currently on leave from his investigation into the Sin of Lust, he had flown to Dokdo for some downtime, fishing for the elusive and magical King Dokdo Shrimp.

“And why have you summoned me? I was busy pounding shrimp into submission.”

“Shrimp? Really? What’s so urgent about shrimp? It’s just shrimp, after all.”

Yoo Jin-seok’s blunt remark made Choi Cheol-sik stare at him in disbelief. The man known to annihilate hordes of monsters as easily as breathing was struggling over shrimp?

“These shrimp are imbued with mana. Do you have any idea how hard they are to catch? Shrimp, believe it or not, can be dangerous.”

“Dangerous? They’re still just shrimp, aren’t they?”

“People have died from being pricked by shrimp tails, contracting marine Vibrio sepsis. You know, those infections that take out immunocompromised humans.”

“Well, that’s for those who don’t maintain proper mana circulation. It wouldn’t happen to new-generation humans like us. But really, why did it take so long to catch a few shrimp?”

“It’s not like I wanted it to take long. Mana-infused Dokdo Shrimp are elusive and highly agile. Plus, they’re said to be incredibly nutritious and delicious. I was careful not to damage them while catching them for cooking.”

“As if your body needs any more health benefits.”

Considering his unparalleled control over mana, Yoo Jin-seok was unlikely to face any health issues. Especially someone once crowned the strongest human on Earth.

“They’re for Eun-ha. I caught them for her. Look, I even brought one as a sample.”

“Shrimp are usually this... massive?”

The shrimp was the size of a grown man. Fortunately, it had been subdued, as its thrashing would have caused serious trouble.

“That’s why they’re dangerous. A prick from its tail can be fatal. They even leap out of the waters near Dokdo. Imagine being ambushed by one of these.”

“And this is supposed to be good for women?”

“Well, after spending so much time running through dungeons and investigating the Sin of Lust, I haven’t been able to see my sister. The least I can do is give her a nice gift. I heard these are great for women’s beauty... and might even enhance, uh, certain features.”

Yoo Jin-seok trailed off, looking somewhat embarrassed.

Choi Cheol-sik, however, was incredulous. What kind of doting big brother worries about enhancing his sister’s chest?

“Look, I mean this sincerely, but... does she really need that? From what I’ve seen, Eun-ha’s already... well, blessed in that department.”

Though it sounded inappropriate, it was true.

“Do you want to die? These shrimp are delicious, you know.”

“Ha, you’re truly a fool for your sister.”

Calling him a sister-obsessed fool? Only someone without such an adorable sibling could speak so flippantly. Yoo Jin-seok was momentarily irked but restrained himself. Despite his bald head and careless attitude, Choi Cheol-sik was still his superior.

“Let’s get to the point. You always drag these things out.”

“Fine. The Sin of Lust can wait for now. It seems Japan’s Shinohara clan might be involved anyway. For now, we need to look into a woman called Baekhwa.”

The Shinohara clan? If the Japanese Prime Minister supported them, it could be a different matter, but the Shinohara clan was trustworthy. They diligently balanced domestic and diplomatic affairs for the sake of their nation.

“The one in the quarantine zone?”

“That’s the one. We sent Kim Ji-hye, but all she did was kill villains. Not exactly useful for anything else.”

“Well, that’s typical Ji-hye.”

Kim Ji-hye had always been a brute, uninterested in theory, even during her cadet days. While most aspiring hunters honed their mental acuity with mana training, Ji-hye had remained stubbornly reliant on brute force. Still, Yoo Jin-seok saw her single-mindedness as a strength in its own way.

“That’s why I need you to go and gather information about Baekhwa. She’s probably in Incheon.”

“So, I track her down, capture her, and bring her in?”

Yoo Jin-seok felt a pang of guilt. Baekhwa seemed to be doing his job for him—eliminating villains in the quarantine zone.

Who could have predicted that remnants of the Black God Cult would linger even after their annihilation during the early days of the quarantine?

“Still, just existing in the quarantine zone is a problem. And thanks to Baekhwa, the internet is abuzz with criticism of both the Hunter Association and the government. Look at this.”