Yeonhee was all right. She had fainted, but she was much better than she had been in the first dungeon. Her reason for fainting was due to blood loss, and the stomach wound she had taken from me had already stopped bleeding. She had lost consciousness because she used Marie’s Hand after the Man Who Overcame Adversity activated, and transferred my stab wound to herself. Of course, she had followed orders and hid, while approaching the minimum distance necessary to support me while I was smashing the Medium-sized Grafs and their Patriarch.
The next day, outside the dungeon, Yeonhee was herself again.
“Weren’t you disappointed? There should have been an item…”
Yeonhee had been about to mention me having given her the kill for the boss monster but could not finish her sentence. She covered her ears with a frown, which meant that the side effects of having an increased Perception rank were beginning. Light would be too bright, others’ breathing would be like shouts, smells would be unspeakable, and her vision would sharpen to a painful degree. Yeonhee looked at me with pain, but there was nothing I could do.
“As I said, the side effects of increased Perception may last from a week to over a month.”
I could not stay here any longer as she had woken up.
“You’re going?”
“I’m going to make it worse. You have to be alone.”
“Stay with me.”
Yeonhee did not know yet how much my presence would make her suffer.
“There’s food in the mini-refrigerator, and don’t open the curtains or the light. Call the nurses if you need something, they’ve been briefed to whisper.”
“You’re really going?”
Yeonhee grimaced as she spoke since even her own voice would be painfully loud in her ears along with mine. I tried to console her.
“See? It’s better that I am not here. Call me when you’re better.”
“Sunhoo…”
“You’ll be ok, Yeonhee.”
I did not say that I thought she would become a much better hunter than she expected as I quietly got out of the hospital room. The nurses and doctors have been appropriately warned and threatened. Yeonhee would be quietly taken care of however long she needed to adjust.
Yeonhee managed to increase her Perception rank by one from the two Gold Boxes she received from the boss battle and completion of all dungeon quests. While that was an achievement, the real jackpot was the boxes she got from me, with the final kill of the boss monster. She had received a Challenger Box and a Master Box.
I was disappointed since I wanted an insignia or an item I could receive from her, but what she got was a skill called Baldur’s Silence from the Master Box. However, the important thing was that she got the Second Evil’s skill from the Challenger Box, Isis’s Gaze. It was considered one of the best psychic attack skills because that skill enabled the user to control the subject’s will. That was why everyone had avoided the Second Evil, and Yeonhee may become as notorious as the Second Evil had been if she could raise the skill to S class.
While Yeonhee was not like the Second Evil, who knew how people could change after hardship? Therefore, I had another thing to do if I wanted to raise Yeonhee as a comrade. I had to maintain enough strength to overwhelm Yeonhee without using Deva King’s Protective Gauntlets.
I wish I could trust her, but the world I had lived in my past life, was non-stop fights and betrayals.
**
Since we had conquered the dungeon more quickly than I had thought, I had time on my hands. Since I still had the Escape Insignia and could probably manage an F class dungeon on my own, I had no reason to wait.
However, the containment building for the Gangreung dungeon still had a long way to go to be completed, and I decided to use the time by using an Armed Security Force in America, to secure the dungeons. A wall of bodies, if you will. Since I had not bought the land there, I would need to do so on the way. I admitted to myself I was rushing things because I was excited by Yeonhee’s growth.
<I will pay by card at the counter. Just reserve a seat.>
<Of course. Thank you for using our airline.>
I ended the call and came into the office. I checked my safe to take out my passport and placed the Fool’s Knife in the safe. I also placed my gloves and badge. The former had become useless after getting a better item, the Deva King’s Protective Gauntlets and the latter after having an increased Perception rank. (EN: Badge of the Sensitive, chapter 85. It is a F rank, so it can’t improve E rank Perception) (EN: Protective Gloves, chapter 98. )
I hesitated as I looked at the badge. It was a good time to use the Reinforcement Insignia. Still, the Badge of the Sensitive held a different meaning from the Fool’s Dagger for me.
It had been considered one of the best items for a beginner since it increased Perception rank merely by wearing it. It was quite valuable, and such items had a higher failure rate than others.
I wondered whether I should leave it be for someone else, as I would need to bring others into my party in the future. Then again, maybe I would need it.
I would have sold the badge to the market in my previous life, but that was not a viable choice. I decided after a long pause, to try to reinforce it. I could raise my sense level to C using the Man Who Overcame Adversity, and I would be able to conquer dungeons more easily.
[You have used the insignia ‘Reinforcement.’]
[Will you use it on the Badge of the Sensitive?]
“Yes.”
[The insignia ‘Reinforcement’ has been removed.]
The copper light from the F class insignia shone as I glared at it.
[You have failed to reinforce the item.]
I gripped the badge tightly as I waited for the item to disappear. However, the item did not fade away even after I swore for a while. Instead, a message window popped up.
[‘Collector’ has been activated.] (EN: Collector Trait, chapter 98)
I was eternally grateful for my luck. The item was too valuable to lose, and I placed the badge in the safe before booting the computer. My mailbox was full of financial reports from Jonathan, Jillian, and Jamie, and John also sent me a mail that said the First Evil was in Texas now.
I transferred the material into my laptop as answering them would take time. Also, I called John on my way to the airport.
<I am headed for New York now.>
<Will you be hunting the cat?>
<No, you should continue to hunt. However, prepare some first-class combat personnel. I will tell you about it later.>
<Right. Do you need anything specific?>
<Not much, but have the personnel prepare a backpack for me containing a survival kit for two weeks with a stout combat knife.>
<Do you need guns?>
<No. Also, if the Cat appears when I can not be contacted, do what you have to do.>
<I understand.>
<Also…>(EN: Kudos to Nawfal Ahmed for catching MY mistake. Translator was not at fault, I was. Yep, the backpack was for Sun, and not the security force. Totally makes more sense, and confirmation from the Translator-nim. ^_^ )
I suddenly thought of the other Virtues and Evils since John’s organization was now working. There was one that could be watched even now, as the Second Virtue had gained fame and wealth in this time.
That guy had been the owner of the strongest Armed Force in my previous life. I just needed to search for him on the internet for a few seconds to access his company and see his picture.
<There is another one who needs to be watched. That is…>
John answered without hesitation like he was really immersed in the work ahead of him even though it was for money. However, the important thing was that John had never crossed the line to this day, or betrayed me.