It was a world where Hunters' dungeon raids were not publicized one by one, but perhaps because of the number and rank of the people involved, there were many people talking about topics related to this raid.

"I heard a rainforest-type dungeon was cleared this time."

"Rainforest-type? What class?"

"A-class."

"It's been a while since anything B-class or higher was cleared."

"There were a lot of guilds participating in the raid, so the religious order will take the entry rights, right?"

Every time a decent dungeon was cleared, the citizens' quality of life improved.

That was because countless resources could be obtained from dungeons.

There were especially many people looking forward to the news that an A-class dungeon had been cleared.

"If it's rainforest-type, I guess something will come out on the vegetation side."

"Hmm... I hope it's crops. Fruit, maybe."

"Even if it does, the guilds will hog it all."

"It'll be released someday."

Clearing a dungeon meant occupying a new dimension.

The citizens were excited by the chance to enjoy unknown benefits, and for that very atmosphere alone, guilds struggled to clear dungeons.

After all, it was an opportunity to gain not only resources but also the citizens' praise and support.

For that reason, this raid became a joyous occasion for the Sun Cult.

"I was terribly anxious after the last induction ceremony incident..."

"We can breathe a little easier now. The citizens' mood isn't bad."

"We still need to check further, but the quality of the resources we can obtain from this dungeon is good too."

"We can hardly sell poison under the name of the Sun, so if we want to turn it into medicine, hmm... should we ask the Association for help?"

"Though it was a Villa Dungeon, its scale is considerable, so it should be easy for our side to pay the price as well."

"In this respect, the Association research lab is certainly reliable."

The priests of the Sun Cult happily agonized over how to use the resources they had obtained this time.

As the Sun Cult, they had managed to save face.

They had even been considering a long-term raid, only to achieve a result like this.

"To think we would clear it in such an intact state."

"Priest Kang Seodam's role was significant."

"I hear you also built a good relationship with Hunter Seo Jio?"

Kang Seodam, who had been listening to the elder priests, opened his mouth.

"... It is not a remarkable relationship."

"That is enough humility, Brother. Your contribution was great."

"It was thanks to the other Hunters helping us as well."

"Even so, what happened will not disappear."

The priests' interest was not limited to clearing the dungeon.

"Could it truly be, well... ahem."

"... There is talk that Hunter Seo Jio has the makings of a saint."

"I hear he serves the Sun of another dimension?"

Kang Seodam almost squeezed his eyes shut.

'So it has come.'

Kang Seodam also knew that subtle rumors had been spreading for the past few days.

Rumors that Hunter Seo Jio was actually a saint, or that he was Bi Sabeol's child.

Collector had probably intervened.

'They likely tried to dress him up as human somehow, even if that meant making the matter bigger before it grew too large to handle.'

People simply had not thought of it because there had never yet been a divinity in this world so skilled at pretending to be and mimicking a human.

Through this raid, everyone who knew enough was thinking he was strange.

'So if it was to protect Mr. Jio, it was a wise and swift decision.'

It was just Kang Seodam who was exhausted.

"... I do not know whether he is truly a saint, but it is true that he serves the Sun of another dimension. He said that much with his own mouth."

"No matter if it is the Sun of another dimension, to have been granted medicinal herbs capable of saving even someone who was nearly dead means he has received tremendous grace. With that degree of favoritism, would he not be family to a god after all?"

Kang Seodam had spoken as vaguely as possible, but to his exhaustion, the priests each began talking as they pleased.

"It is not enough to explain this as merely receiving grace."

"Indeed. How could a Hunter who has not even Awakened as a priest be loved so much?"

"From the very fact that he received those medicinal herbs and made them into medicine, it speaks to Hunter Seo Jio's vessel."

"If he were merely a human loved by a god, he would not have been able to go that far."

"No matter how I think about it, it sounds as though he is capable of communion with divinity..."

Just as Kang Seodam was looking fed up at the priests murmuring in low voices,

"..."

For some reason, he saw an elder priest quietly smiling at him.

He was an experienced priest called the next bishop.

"Priest Kang Seodam."

"... Yes."

"Would you come to my room later and speak with me?"

"I will."

As Kang Seodam obediently answered, he thought,

'The religious world is full of vermin.'

Just imagining how much he should say, and from where to where, exhausted him.

No matter how much Haeryeong was rumored to be a brainless guild, and even if that was true, there were always people who did the bare minimum of work necessary for the guild to be maintained.

"Narae."

"Whose name is that..."

"Oh, right. Sanarae."

"Yeah, why'd you call?"

"Has this report lost its mind?"

Usually, the people who did that work were the squad leaders, foremen, supervisors, and Guild Master.

The foreman in charge of the squad leader Hunter Sanarae held out a flimsy report and asked.

"Do you have a complaint? Then say it out loud. Don't do this to a precious report."

"I even drew a pretty flower and submitted it, but you only scold me... I'm so upset I could cry."

"This is a guild where insubordination happens as often as meals, but this is the first time I've seen a bastard rebel through a report."

"Is it really the first time? Hand on your heart, Foreman. Do you really think it's the first time?"

"To be honest, it isn't the first time."

And it was not the first time Sanarae had submitted a report like this, either.

"Goddammit."

RIP.

The foreman tore up the report and asked.

"Do you have the will to write it up nicely again?"

"When you ask me that after already tearing it up, I get really scared."

"That won't work when you say it with a face that isn't scared at all."

"Ah, to think the report I poured my soul into would be treated like this..."

"So when are you going to submit a new one? Just tell me that. Are you going to write it with me?"

"I love all of you, but wouldn't that be too creepy?"

"I'm telling you to submit a proper report before I cling to you creepily."

A report with only the single sentence, "Got back fine," could not be called a report.

"If you're going to be insubordinate, do it with your fists."

"You usually don't say much, so why are you like this today?"

"I don't think you're asking because you don't know."

The foreman said,

"You saw Hunter Seo Jio this time."

Recently, Hunter Seo Jio had been a rather hot topic.

Skills related to souls were few in number.

There were almost no chances to learn them, and even if learned, they were difficult to use.

There was at least the representative example of necromancers, a type of magician, but this was different in nature.

"A trainer, a healer, and from what I hear, there are rumors he's a saint too."

"Mmm..."

"I also heard he rampaged through the dungeon like a wild boar."

"I think he was closer to a demon than a wild boar..."

"What are you talking about? Anyway, write down every last bit of that information."

The foreman clicked his tongue.

"You were the one who actively joined this raid in the first place because you were so interested in that man. Did you see him in person and lose all interest because he turned out to be an incredible young master? What exactly is it?"

"No, he didn't seem like someone you could call a young master."

"Well... I heard the people who participated this time say something similar. Since Collector looked after him so much, they thought he was a young master who had never gotten a drop of water on his hands, but he was more decent than expected."

As he said that, the foreman sat on the sofa opposite Sanarae.

Sanarae, who had been sprawled in his usual seat as always, smiled brightly.

"Wow, are you going to play with me? You're not going to nag me to write the report?"

"Rather than expect you to write it yourself, it would be better for me to listen to everything here and write it myself."

"This is why I never become a foreman."

"You must never rise, you bastard. How dare a sloth like you eye my spot?"

The foreman clicked his pen open.

"Go on, tell me the story."

"What do you want to hear?"

"First, Hunter Seo Jio's character?"

"He made good food..."

"So he's a good person."

The foreman nodded and asked,

"What did he make you?"

"Cream stew on the first day."

"Can you even make that in a dungeon?"

"You can, apparently? He even brought a pot as big as his own body."

"For someone who doesn't look like he'd do that, he's one hell of a strange man."

"And he gave us snacks too. Stuff like dried fruit..."

"Must have been good."

"For some reason, it was easy to digest."

"I know how to eat too."

"I ate it all."

"I know."

In any case, Sanarae did not exactly have a praiseworthy personality.

"If he cooks himself, he doesn't seem like the type to put on airs too much. From what I hear, he seems quite diligent. Did he ever show any sign of getting especially angry or annoyed?"

Sanarae shook his head.

"No."

"High chance he's not sane, then."

If someone had never once gotten annoyed in that sweltering hell, he was not fucking human.

"There are rumors that he's a saint. Is he really that type?"

"He did have a similar feeling...?"

"What skills does he mainly use?"

"Food..."

"Not food."

"Hmm, I guess taming?"

"A trainer would tame, you idiot. Why are you answering in questions when you went and saw him yourself?"

"How would I know someone else's skill window..."

"That's true too, but still."

The foreman let out a groan.

"He has two contracted beasts in total?"

"If you've already investigated everything, can I just sleep?"

"Do you think you can? Open your eyes properly and answer me. What are the contracted beasts' traits?"

"One is a waterbird, and one is a cat."

"Their abilities."

"Uh... I don't know."

"What do you know?"

"Nothing."

"That's something to brag about, you lunatic."

The foreman decided to ask in more detail.

"What did the waterbird do in the dungeon?"

"It flew around diligently and brought back information. It drank water and ate heat..."

"What did the cat do?"

"It meowed and called dead people."

"That still sounds insane even hearing it again."

The foreman scribbled the information on the documents and said,

"Then we go back to the man himself. We've talked about his personality, and we've talked about his taming skill. He's a healer who can DPS and tank, apparently, so explain what the hell that bullshit means."

"It means he's a healer who can DPS and tank."

"Are you deaf? I told you to explain."

"You dismissed the facts as bullshit, so I corrected you..."

The foreman asked with disbelief,

"Then what the hell is this guy? Did the Collectors finally succeed at human experimentation? Is Hunter Seo Jio some left-handed fireballer dragged up from hell? Is there anything he can't do?"

"There has to be...?"

"What can't he do?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"You, you bastard, huh? You're the one who went around with him."

"Why are you getting angry?"

"Goddammit, how did a bastard like this end up under me?"

"Mmm, still, I didn't beat up a reporter."

"You say that like it's something to brag about? Is now the time to bring up other people, Sanarae?"

After lightly snapping at him, the foreman sighed.

"I want to run dungeons too."

"Then run them."

"I can't because of bastards like you."

"How pitiful. Want me to massage your shoulders, Foreman?"

"Piss off."

The foreman organized the documents and said,

"This is such an absurd rumor that I'm planning to report it privately, but what the hell is this nonsense about Hunter Seo Jio being of Guild Master Bi Sabeol's bloodline? Do you know anything?"

"Sometimes his colors change, and he has red hair and yellow eyes."

"Ah, fucking hell. Then again, hair dye is so good these days. If he's really his blood, then it explains why a Hunter of this caliber popped up out of nowhere with no track record."

It was common for famous Hunters to hide their families' identities.

"Even so, this one is a bit creepy..."

It meant they had hidden such a talent until he was twenty-nine years old.

If they had kept the kid shoved away that much, it was no wonder he was not sane.

"Anyway, if it's something the Collectors do, I can understand it."

"You can understand it?"

"What am I supposed to do if I can't? That's how the situation is flowing."

"That's true..."

"Do you have anything else to tell me? Unusual parts or the like."

"Hmm..."

Sanarae waved his hand vaguely.

"I don't think so."

"Bullshit. If anything comes to mind, report it even if it's late."

"Got it."

"..."

The foreman asked a beat late,

"... Why did you pick a fight with Hunter Seo Jio?"

"Because he looked fun."

"And yet they said you seemed pretty close when you came out, with your personality."

"The Hunter had a very good personality."

His eyes curved like crescent moons as he smiled.

"Very fortunate, isn't it?"

Meanwhile, the employees who had gone on the raid with Jio testified.

"He seemed more human than I expected."

For an assessment of a work of art, it was generous, but the other employees accepted it well enough.

"Considering no one's saying they saw a monster anywhere, I guess that's true."

"The snacks he handed out were good too."

"His behavior is so identical to Black Cloak's, yet somehow people don't find out they're the same entity."

"Isn't that why those rumors started? Our side had a hand in that, right?"

"I sobbed when I heard the story that he's the Guild Master's son."

"Why would you cry?"

More than they had expected, "Mr. Seo Jio" presented a human appearance with no sense of incongruity.

"He did appear excessively competent, but..."

"Still, compared to what it could have been, that was decent."

"In any case, it was within a range we could handle."

This became one kind of indicator.

"He seems to do well even without a Curator in charge."

It meant that "Mr. Seo Jio" could skillfully blend in even among unfamiliar humans.

"It's not like he's someone we can control anyway, so this is good."

"Having it confirmed like this makes me feel relieved too."

They had spent quite a lot of time with "Mr. Seo Jio," but no major problem had occurred during that time.

Even if the other party was an urban legend, it was a situation where they could feel a kind of stability.

And Yu Seongun, who had escaped overtime and finally wrested a vacation for himself, said,

"Let's go on a trip."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh."

And so, a trip to the sea was decided.