Before setting out in earnest, they took time to get organized.

"Even so, it would be better to sleep once before we go."

"Maybe because they recovered so suddenly, a lot of the Hunters have relaxed."

"If we move like this, someone is definitely going to get badly hurt..."

"Yes, it would be better to get proper rest instead."

At that, the Hunters each found a place for themselves.

"These damn weeds don't get any fewer no matter how much we cut them down."

"Please start a fire over here! Are there any Hunters specialized in flames?"

Watching them, a Hunter from Daecheong spoke regretfully.

"The house we found would be more comfortable for resting, though."

"It would be difficult to move all the way there in this situation."

"I know. It just feels a little like a waste, so I said it."

"It was a good place to use as a house."

"Especially in a dungeon full of poisonous plants like this."

Even while the Hunters were making a space to rest, the sun set and rose several times over. The Hunters looked utterly sick of that environment.

"I'm so tired I could die."

"I slept, but it doesn't feel like I slept..."

As if being a vast rainforest full of humid heat and poisonous plants large and small were not enough, the sunrise and sunset were completely arbitrary. It truly was the worst possible condition for Hunters to rest in.

Even so, the Hunters who had barely managed to prepare a space they could rest in looked for the healers.

"Please heal me."

"I got cut by a poisonous plant."

"Oh shit, my arm's rotting! Heal!"

In a dungeon overgrown with poisonous plants, it was harder not to get injured while making a resting area. For this raid, they had secured an above-average number of healers with this in mind, and they were now seeing the effect clearly.

Among them, Jio received frequent inquiries.

"Priest!"

"I am not a priest."

"Ah, ah... right. Um, trainer?"

"That is correct. Are you injured somewhere?"

"Yes, a thorn pricked my hand..."

"It is already discoloring."

With a light stroke, Jio removed the black strands of poison climbing through the Hunter's flesh and blood vessels. The process was so natural and clean that the Hunter being treated and the Hunters around him were impressed.

"Wow... how do you purify it this quickly?"

"I thought it would be better to treat you as quickly as possible since it must hurt."

"Even so, this can't be easy..."

They guessed that Hunter Seo Jio must have a high-rank healing skill. Asking about the details of someone's skill window was rude, so they could not pry recklessly, but it was practically a foregone conclusion.

"Was the medicine you gave us earlier also made with a skill?"

"I do not have such a skill."

"Uh, then you just made it yourself?"

"I did not think making medicine would require a skill."

"You're amazing. Usually people get help from skills."

"The inherent power of the ingredients was great. I was lucky."

"It seems you serve a truly merciful god."

"Yes, he is truly kind."

From what they heard, Hunter Seo Jio seemed to be receiving treatment nearly on the level of a saint from his god. Since he was that kind of person, wouldn't he naturally receive medicinal ingredients full of the Sun's power?

At that, one of the priests of the Sun asked Kang Seodam.

"They say it is the sun of another dimension, but it is still of the same line. Do you think he might have favorable feelings toward our cult?"

"Do not try to turn favorable feelings into unfavorable ones, and put away your greed. He is clearly the son of another god."

"But it is not as if there have been no such cases. There are already many gods who have become one family with our Sun. If we persuade him well..."

"What exactly are you trying to do by persuading him? I know what you are showing that greed for, but be humble."

Kang Seodam was fed up with the irritation that made the back of his head itch.

At least the elder priests with years behind them knew how to hide their greed and pretend to be humble. The young priests, however, often believed in the Sun Cult's influence and were steeped in arrogance.

'Compared to the Moon Cult, which feels almost sinister, it is easier when they openly show how stupid they are like this, but that does not mean it is not irritating. This young fool probably has no idea who he is saying such things to right now...'

The Sun Cult was a religious order in Seoul, the most spotlighted city, and it fought for first or second place in the religious world. Priests were usually educated from childhood, recognized as formal priests at the young age of about fourteen, and began active work in earnest from the young age of seventeen.

Priests of the Sun, steeped in the pride that they were the best, often displayed this kind of arrogance. It was the arrogance of assuming the other party would naturally consider such an offer an honor.

"Is Hunter Seo Jio's reputation so tempting to you? Does his ability look exceedingly useful? Well, compared to the Moon Cult, our order still has no saint, so it is understandable that you would covet Hunter Seo Jio, who has such qualities. How impressive, to assess the son of an unfamiliar divinity as though you were choosing an object."

"N-No, I was only..."

"Cast aside your arrogance. Does Hunter Seo Jio look lacking in anything to you? He is satisfied with his life, and he is growing within the embrace of the divinity I serve. If we appear to him as tempting fruit and receive an offer first, we ought to be grateful, so what greed are you showing?"

After pouring out the words rapidly, Kang Seodam wiped a hand down his face and let out a sigh.

"I am already deeply worried..."

It would not be only this young priest's greed. For now, information was trapped inside the dungeon and had not leaked anywhere, but once they finished the raid and left, this news would be delivered to the order as well.

'Then the elders will kick up a fuss too.'

The older they got, the more excellent their masks became, but their pride in the Sun Cult only grew. The elderly senior priests would approach Hunter Seo Jio in a seasoned way different from the young priests.

'Vermin.'

It could not possibly get more fucked up than this.

"..."

"I-I was wrong."

"... Reflect on it."

Of all things, the composition was far too poor.

'... The mermaids of the deep sea clearly said my teacher had been stolen by the Sun Cult of their dimension.'

Kang Seodam was a Hunter who had visited the country of the deep sea together with "Hunter Seo Jio." As such, he knew the story of that dungeon well. And that composition was not much different from Earth's current situation.

'What on earth am I supposed to do if the mermaids grow enraged once again?'

The humans most valued and most popular in the religious world were beings whose vessels for holding divinity were extraordinary. If one were to choose among the Sun Cult's prospective priests, there were Cha Yisol and Iru-da, and if one searched in the Moon Cult, there was their saintess.

The Sun Cult and the Moon Cult were in a mutually beneficial yet competitive relationship, and the Moon Cult had a saint while the Sun Cult did not. On top of that, the Sun Cult had taken a great blow from last year's dungeon break incident and was still in a chaotic state even now...

"..."

As Kang Seodam stood alone and firmly held back a sigh, Jio approached him.

"Has something happened?"

"... I am deeply, no, I am sorry."

They were quite far apart, but there was no way the conversation just now had not reached "Hunter Seo Jio's" ears. Kang Seodam offered an apology with an anxious heart. Fortunately, "Hunter Seo Jio" did not get angry.

"I understand."

"Thank you for your boundless mercy."

"I like the Sun."

"... Yes, I know."

"It would be nice if we became friends."

"..."

Kang Seodam nodded with a heavy expression.

"I will... take care to be cautious."

He had not the slightest intention of provoking the mermaids, whose anger had still not fully subsided.

"I will try to coax them well so that no problems arise. My standing within the order is not small either, so the brothers should listen to me to some degree."

"You need not think of it so complicatedly."

"I am only ashamed to have shown such shallow and greedy behavior. I will take care in my conduct as much as possible so that no problems occur. I am grateful for the mercy you have shown."

"..."

At that, Jio thought.

'Do I tend to speak a little strangely?'

He had only made an offer of friendship, and seeing that Kang Seodam was thinking about it too complicatedly, he had said one word, yet Kang Seodam was spitting out even more complicated words. No matter how he looked at it, Kang Seodam seemed to live life in an uncomfortable way.

'... Still, if he thinks in my place, I should be grateful.'

It was entertaining, so it was fine.

"I will return to my team now."

"Yes, please go carefully. I will see you later."

"May peace be with you as well, Brother."

It seemed Jio rather loved himself for his clear mind.

And no one saw "Hunter Seo Jio" that way.

"..."

Hunter Sanarae was especially so.

"Squad Leader? What's wrong?"

"Haha."

"What, why are you laughing?"

"I was looking back on my life."

"Wow, you do that too? Awesome."

"Is it?"

His own team member looked more remarkable to him.

"Take care of yourself."

"That really doesn't suit you."

"Hahaha."

Sanarae waved his hand and naturally slipped away. Then he returned to the place where his team members were resting and sat down as well. He looked at the people sitting in a circle around the bonfire.

"..."

"..."

"..."

The ones exchanging looks were Jeong Youngwon and Garasani, including Sanarae.

Sanarae clasped his hands together and asked,

"Is this really all right?"

"What might you be referring to?"

At Garasani's shameless question, his expression cold, Sanarae curved his signature smile.

"I mean, aren't we being way too shameless?"

"If you include the precise subject and object, it would be of great help to my understanding."

"Here? When everyone can hear? Are you telling me to go out and die?"

Despite how he looked, Sanarae was the type to know that his own life was precious.

If others saw him, they would ask, "What the hell are you talking about?" but it was true. He merely enjoyed fighting in the hazy state that came when death drew near. At the very least, he was a wild colt who left himself a breathing hole before rampaging.

Well, he had come here prepared to accept what needed to be accepted even now. That was why, even after hearing that "Hunter Seo Jio" was participating in the raid, he had deliberately remained instead of dropping out. In that same context, even now, the situation was not all that bad, but...

"Haha."

Sanarae laughed once again.

'This is driving me crazy.'

Around then, Seo Jio, who had returned to his seat after receiving every Hunter's greeting, asked,

"Is everyone starting to get hungry?"

"Hunter Seo Jio, you really are an old witch."

"Despite how I look, I do not eat people, so please rest assured."

"I do wonder whether I really can rest assured..."

If you could not avoid it, they said to enjoy it.

"What are you going to give us?"

"Do you like dried fruit?"

"Oh, I do."

Sanarae obediently accepted and ate a round piece of dried fruit. The dark yellow dried fruit, smoother-looking than a raisin, had an exquisite, clean sweetness.

"What do you think?"

"This is really good."

Was he really planning to fatten them up and eat them?

It was so unfair that even a snack like this was delicious that it made him laugh a little.

"..."

Sanarae was a Hunter who made very good use of his body.

His vision was like that of a bird of prey flying through the sky, his sense of smell like that of a tiger or other beast, and his ability to detect danger was as outstanding as that of a herbivore. There were things a Sanarae like that could not help but notice even if he tried.

Things like a body scent that sometimes changed three times within one body.

"... Give me one more."

"How good it is to see you eating so well."

"Don't dump this much on me."

"If it overflows, the dungeon's ants will eat it."

"Do you think there are ants here?"

"Then the monsters will eat it."

"Oh, monsters..."

The pitch and cadence of the voice reaching his ears.

"You really are merciful."

That smile and those actions, almost as if they had been stuffed and preserved, made him guess something even if he did not want to know.

"Just how merciful are you, Hunter Seo Jio?"

"If you keep a pushover like me by your side, your table for that day will be luxurious."

"Uh... I guess it would be. It probably would."

For now, he decided to laugh it off.

After all, Hunter Seo Jio did not seem to get angry easily.

"Meow."

A cat cried in the darkness.

"Meow."

Continuing until it received an answer.

"Meow."

Dana waited.

There was a soul here that had to go home.

"..."

"Meow."

"..."

Sanarae covered his ears.