Chapter 4: Hunter With One Eye (4)
The power of pyrokinesis is truly formidable—an ability to wield an invisible, colorless, and odorless force at will. However, its intangibility makes it challenging to control and deal with.
Such mastery is for those at a certain level of proficiency, but I am just a C-rank hunter at best. My pyrokinetic power lacks both potency and maneuverability, and its range is quite limited.
The C-rank evaluation is fitting for my abilities.
Some hunters refine their pyrokinetic power to pierce or slash monsters, a feat beyond my current capabilities. So, I rely on tools like a civilized man.
My combat style involves shooting a pre-prepared short sword using my pyrokinetic power. However, facing two enemies this time, I decided to draw the short sword directly and rush at the ones showing their backs.
Thud!
The Black Dragon's scale dagger slices through the Orc's leather and flesh like tofu, effortlessly cutting through its sturdy bones. Even I, as the user, am amazed by its performance! When I first received it, it looked more like an art piece than a weapon, but it surpassed anything I've had before.
"If I survive this, I'll treat Cedric to a meal!"
I wasn't sure if that brat would even appreciate the meal I planned to buy him, but the thought crossed my mind as I swiftly severed the Orc's head.
The first one I attacked died without even making a sound. The real challenge was the other Orc, the one I intended to deal with using my pyrokinetic power.
"Kyak!"
Thud!
The short sword I shot out with my pyrokinetic abilities got stuck in the back of the creature's neck. Both of them had their backs turned, presenting a perfect target for my attack. I had aimed for the neck from the beginning, knowing it would be effective.
The Orcs' strength lies in their endless numbers, and if they called for reinforcements, I'd be in serious trouble.
However, surprisingly, my pyrokinetic power, which had always fallen a bit short, managed to cut off the creature's windpipe. Perhaps the magical power I absorbed from the other Dungeon had played a part?
Before I could fully comprehend the context, my body acted on its own. From now on, it's a race against time.
I need to escape before more enemies catch the scent of blood and discover the bodies.
"Can you get up?"
"Ugh..."
The boy who was captured seemed so frightened that he could barely speak properly. But that was for the best; his screams would have surely attracted unwanted attention. I gently lifted him onto one shoulder and turned my body without hesitation.
"I'll get you out of here. Just close your eyes and stay still."
The real challenge was finding the escape portal.
In regular dungeons, the portal tends to randomly appear on the outskirts. If I can't locate it, there's no way out.
Hastily passing the shabby tents and fences, I searched the forest for any sign of the portal. It being nighttime, I hoped it would be visible. However, before I could spot any traces, sharp sounds erupted behind me.
Screeeech!
The unpleasant horn echoed through the air, and the ground trembled beneath me. It felt like at least dozens of Orcs were making that dreadful noise!
My spine tingled with fear, but I gritted my teeth and pushed myself to move faster. I had rested and recovered during my hospitalization and treatment, but I could sense my stamina deteriorating.
"Aaaah!"
As the sound of the approaching Orcs' footsteps grew nearer, the young boy clung to me tightly. I urged him to close his eyes, but it seemed he wasn't quite willing to listen.
Sweat poured down my face, and I clenched my teeth, trying to stay composed.
"This is dangerous."
Carrying an 8-year-old meant I couldn't outpace the Orcs, especially while searching for the escape portal along the outskirts.
Unless I happened to be extremely lucky, this might be my last day. Yet, a bluish light emerged just at the corner of my vision. It was the radiant glow of the escape portal I had seen numerous times before! Considering the circumstances, I suppose a bit of good luck was finally on my side.
However, the Orcs closed the distance rapidly. My hastened pace left clear footprints, and there was no way to cover my tracks.
"Keeeeek!"
Swish!
The Orcs' arrows flew toward me but narrowly missed their mark. Their archery skills were crude and unimpressive. Orc archers didn't pose much of a threat. Yet, their weapon throwing was an entirely different story.
Their strength was immense, enabling them to throw weapons at incredible distances.
"Krug, Keeeeek!"
As the Orc that appeared to be their leader barked out an order, they all stopped in unison, assuming throwing stances. Working in unison, they aimed to increase the chance of hitting their target. The Orcs were surprisingly smart tacticians. I'd give them an IQ of 80!
"Oh no..."
Yet, as long as I could dodge their barrage, I stood a chance at escaping. I activated my psychic powers to the fullest, not needing to block all the projectiles, just enough to disrupt their trajectories and ensure my survival.
"Keeeeek!"
Swoosh!
Short spears, axes, and jungle daggers flew chaotically toward me. Shielding the young boy's eyes, I bit my lips in anticipation.
Ting! Ting!
Once again, my psychic powers didn't disappoint, causing the thrown weapons nearby to bounce off harmlessly. It was a defense that would even impress myself.
Bam!
With a forceful push, I leaped into the portal that had materialized between the trees. Landing on the asphalt road with almost tumbling momentum, nearby people quickly moved away to avoid me.
"I made it out!"
"Hunter?"
"Hunter, please step aside! There might be monsters coming out!"
Usually, monsters didn't come out of the portal, but... Orcs were so ignorant that anything was possible. As I stood guard at the portal, the Mobile Unit of the Hunter Association arrived on the scene.
If I had simply waited quietly, the missing person would have perished.
"Mom!" The young boy, who had been carried down from my shoulders, rushed to his mother. She hugged her child tightly, sobbing without uttering a word.
"Mobile Unit over here!"
"Officer on duty, are you okay? What's the current situation?"
"Orc Lair Dungeon. I rescued the missing person, and there's a possibility of Dungeon breakout."
"Understood. Thank you for your hard work. Prepare for an emergency assault right away!"
After handing over the case to the Mobile Unit, I returned to the police car. Finally, I could take a moment to rest.
Police officers who had been guarding the perimeter brought snacks and drinks.
"You've been through so much. We couldn't help at all..."
"No, this is my job. I was just lucky, nothing more."
As I took a deep breath, more vehicles started arriving, including a few broadcasting station vans.
'Have they already caught wind of the news? They're quite fast.'
In a fleeting moment of hope for some positive news, I noticed a camera bearing a familiar logo making its way through the barricade.
My eyebrows furrowed at the sight. It was a broadcasting station that remained etched in my memory – Hunter Central Communication. As the name implied, it was a privately-run station focused on news related to hunters.
A neatly dressed female reporter approached me confidently, holding a microphone.
"You're the officer on duty, right? Can we have a quick interview?"
The reporter's smile held an air of confidence, assuming I would readily agree to the interview. Indeed, it was a well-known broadcasting station, and under normal circumstances, there would be no reason to refuse. However, I had my own reservations.
Rising from the back seat, I gently pushed the microphone away.
"I'll have to decline the interview from Hunter Central Communication."
"What? Why?"
"You still remember the special article you wrote about the Golden Generation two years ago, right?"
"Uh..."
The reporter's recognition of me came a bit late, and his eyes widened with surprise.
Feeling uneasy, I stepped away for a moment.
Two years ago, Hunter Central Communication published a special article about the Golden Generation. At that time, all the graduates of the Golden Generation were already on their individual paths, except for me.
Finding the success stories of everyone else was perhaps uninteresting, so the broadcasting station decided to focus on the one member lagging behind in the Golden Generation – me. Thanks to that, even now, the mere mention of Hunter Central Communication makes my blood boil.
"Forget it. What kind of coverage do they want from me?"
Since I had already completed the handover, I decided to return to the police station.
"Let's stop here."
"Are you really not going to do the interview?"
"I have no reason to. I have nothing to say."
As I tried to get into the car, the boy's mother nodded politely. I greeted her and promptly sat in the passenger side without lingering.
My time in the Dungeon had taken quite a while, and my work hours were already over. After handing over to the next officer with a bewildered expression, I headed home swiftly.
"Has my ability really gotten stronger?"
Now that the excitement had died down a bit, I could finally reflect on the events. The psychic power I exhibited toward the end was at a level I could never have imagined.
The absorbed magic from the peculiar Dungeon of the small tribe had indeed shown its effects.
"What kind of place is that where magic is so abundant?"
On second thought, it occurred to me that perhaps it was the nature of that neighborhood that allowed them to summon otherworldly beings.
For hunters, summoning beings much greater and more powerful than themselves was impossible.
While contemplating whether I should quickly remove my gear and get some rest, an entirely unfamiliar voice resounded in my head.
[Oh, messengers! Great messenger, Rowan! Bestow upon this humble soul forbidden knowledge!]
The contents themselves vaguely echoed a memory I had heard before. However, the pronunciation was extremely unclear. Even though the ones who summoned me earlier weren't particularly fluent in English... this one was worse.
"Another summoning?"
Before I could finish my muttering, the portal opened again. I found myself still clad in my gear, which made me snort in amusement. Nonetheless, I didn't hesitate for long. So far, it had been a big harvest the first time and a moderate success the second time.
It was a dungeon worth entering, even if I had to pay.
"Alright."
Poof!
I found myself in a vast wasteland. People were minuscule, about the size of a fist, just like in the previous summoning. The individuals who seemed to be the summoners were jubilantly cheering and jumping in place.
"Kiyooht!"
"Teuchaaat!"
They babbled in incomprehensible language. Among them, the one who appeared to be the summoner shouted loudly,
"Oh, Otherworlder! Otheworlder, Rowan! Choji has summoned you!"
The person who had been speaking in muffled English pointed towards a complex and bizarre summoning circle. However, I noticed some familiar characters and patterns on it.
With pride, he introduced it, "Behold this summoning circle! With this, the great messenger will grant our request!"
What he pointed to was none other than the Star-Spangled Banner. It was severely distorted and even worse, it was drawn incorrectly!
Given the complexity of the design due to that ridiculous geometry, it was no wonder that the difficulty level for the flag was high. Most likely, even most Americans couldn't draw it without looking at a reference.
Was my patriotism suddenly stirred, making me feel like I should help these guys? While seriously contemplating that, I noticed other writings next to it.
"And this spell will bind a great entity!"
[Long Live Rowan ]
The place the guy pointed to was written in the English alphabet as such. Surprisingly, those writings actually had an effect. Seeing how much effort they put into this, it felt cruel to just step on them carelessly.
"Where did you learn this?"
"I possess a copy of the Book of Magic! Both the language of the messengers and this magic circle, I learned them all from there!"
"Well, good job. But you got it a bit wrong."
"What?!"
I kindly taught the flabbergasted guy how to draw the Star-Spangled Banner (US national flag).
"Here, draw parallel lines across the flag. The flag features thirteen red and white bars, so you should include twelve lines."
"Oo-oht, the great messenger's knowledge! Everyone, bow down!"
As soon as the man finished speaking, the others bowed in unison. It was quite amusing, but I felt a bit fatigued from the previous encounter. I decided to get straight to the point. Their actions were endearing, and I was willing to entertain the most reasonable requests.
"Why did you summon me?"
"Great messenger Rowan! Bestow upon this humble soul forbidden knowledge!"
"Forbidden knowledge?"
"Yes, we seek the knowledge of the great entity! The secrets of life and death, forgotten magic and summoning spells, our origins, knowledge of other messengers..."
The guy excitedly rambled on, but I had very little knowledge to offer.
"The flow of the stars, various problems that arise on this flat land..."
"Wait, flat land?"
Finally, a question where I can give a clear answer. The summoner looked puzzled.
"What do you mean?"
"This land isn't flat. In reality, it's round."
Hasn't the flat-earth theory been debunked since the medieval period?
Do those people who even summoned foreign media not know about it? As soon as the summoner heard his words, he jumped up from his seat and clutched his head, shouting, "The ground... isn't flat? It's round? Aaaaah, I'm falling!"
"Round?"
"Techaaaah!"
The spectators, who were the summoned beings, flew into a rage, clutching at one another and howling as if they were insane. Some of them even tried to injure themselves. I watched the mayhem in silence before silently making my way back to the living room.