Infinite Evolution Hunter [NOVEL] - Chapter 9

After my level went up, Goblin Gates became even easier.

I sped through Goblin Gates for promotion, clearing them in quick succession.

For goblins, this had to feel like a catastrophe.

After clearing one Gate, I changed into the spare clothes I’d brought and moved on to the next.

This time it was another F-rank Goblin Gate, but a much larger, “large-type” Gate. Since large Gates have bigger interiors, they hold more monsters, and you get more points toward rank-up.

So long as the entry cap isn’t reached, multiple parties can enter a Gate at the same time—or staggered. But no one inside can leave until it’s cleared.

Naturally, large Gates have higher entry caps.

“A Goblin Gate with a 20-person entry cap? Must be huge inside.”

I skimmed the Gate info on my phone in the taxi, and we arrived in no time.

Near the Gate, I spotted a party of two men and one woman waiting to enter.

Huh? That woman…

I didn’t recognize the two men, but I’d seen the cat-eyed beauty with the brown bob and wand before.

In my last life I’d seen a news story: she lured men out inside a Gate, used a paralytic poison, stole their items and magic stones, and killed them. She’d made more waves than the news anchor because the criminal’s face was prettier.

She was one of the several villains I remembered from the future. Thankfully, unlike Bae Nayoung whom I met the other day, she wasn’t a big shot.

“Hi~ If you don’t have a party, want to come with us?”

While I was lost in thought, she approached me, voice dripping with a nasal coo. Tight one-piece dress, smiling eyes—if I didn’t know her true nature, I might have fallen for it.

I wanted to beat her down on the spot, but with no proof I couldn’t even report her. If I attacked first, I’d be the one arrested.

And there’s always the tiny chance the “crime” I saw on the news wasn’t true—or that the future diverges from what I remember. You don’t kill first and then say, “Oops, my bad.”

To be sure, you’d have to catch her in the act. Joining their party and sticking close sounded like a good way to do that. And if she used a paralytic, I could raise my Poison Resistance—two birds with one stone.

In the old news, the victims died long after they were paralyzed. If it’s that level of poison, it shouldn’t be a problem now that I’ve already acquired Poison Resistance.

“Miran, someone with no gear like that won’t help,”

the shield-bearing man cut in when Choi Miran invited me. He gave me an openly displeased once-over.

I had no visible weapon and a flimsy, cheap suit of light armor—he clearly didn’t like it. But if that’s the standard, Miran’s outfit was worse. Rear-guard or not, there was zero defense in that dress.

And he obviously wanted alone time with Miran; a new guy ruined the mood.

“Aw~ he was going to solo anyway. I’m sure he can pull his weight,”

she sang.

“I’m a martial artist—don’t need special gear. Let’s go together.”

When I agreed, the shield guy’s face crumpled, but I ignored him. He had no idea I’d be saving his life today.

“Great~”

The future robber-murderer smiled, eyes curving like a crescent moon. She brushed my arm—annoying—but I didn’t show it.

“With a Gate this big~ it would take too long for just three~”

Once you go in, you might have to stay for days until clear. The upside is the haul—far more stones than a small or mid Gate—but the long grind is physically taxing.

“I’m Choi Miran. As you can see, a mage.”

She lifted her wand slightly.

“Lee Jiseok. Martial artist.”

I nodded to the three.

“Yang Sangheon. Swordsman.”

The man with the sword bowed his head. Mild features—gave a good impression.

“Park Sangjun,”

the shield-bearer said with a reluctant expression. My joining clearly rubbed him the wrong way.

“Let’s head in.”

Park led into the Gate, and we followed. Inside wasn’t the usual goblin cave—it was a quiet forest.

From the moment we entered, Park stuck to Miran, chatting up a storm.

“After we clear, want to grab a drink? There’s a wine bar nearby I go to a lot.”

“Maybe~ But I’m not very good with alcohol~”

Amazing how much nasal tone one person can cram into every word.

After a short walk, about thirty goblins appeared ahead. Park and Miran stopped flirting and took battle stances.

“I’ll hold center. You two cover the flanks. Ms. Miran, support.”

Park issued directions naturally; we nodded and spread out. Everyone had killed plenty of goblins; there wasn’t much tension.

Park’s skill was better than I expected—blocking with his shield and striking neck or flank, his movements were smooth and continuous.

Yang Sangheon used a skill that sheathed his blade in light. To the untrained eye it looked like Aura, but it was really just light-attribute bonus damage. Honestly, it didn’t seem much stronger than a normal slash—but the flashing light was enough to intimidate goblins.

I did my part as well, charging in and cracking goblin skulls.

Before coming here, I’d soloed Gates up to level 5 and picked up extra stat bonuses; my STR/VIT/AGI were 19/20/17—about E-rank Hunter level. Goblins were easy prey now.

Even so, with so many of them, a few slipped past the front line to approach Miran.

I hesitated—block them, or let them hit her?—but a white mana bolt from Miran’s wand popped a goblin’s head.

Right. You couldn’t kill fellow Awakeners and loot them if you were weak.

We in the vanguard mowed them down while Miran peppered with bolts, and the thirty were gone in a flash.

“Better than I… ahem… expected. You could’ve said so beforehand.”

Park tried to save face when I matched or exceeded his kill count. When exactly was I supposed to tell him?

“Right~ Jiseok, you’re really strong without a weapon~~ Are you sure you’re F-rank~?”

Miran sidled up with that syrupy tone.

“Not at all. You’re all strong yourselves.”

Her too-close distance made my skin crawl; I stepped back as I answered.

“Martial artists are rare as is, but you don’t even use gauntlets or knuckles? Your fists okay?”

Yang asked—apparently curious about my style.

“They’re conditioned. I’m fine.”

I held out a fist. It was so tough now I could punch goblins bare-handed without even a scratch.

“You too, Sangheon~ I thought you were using Aura~ ho ho ho.”

“Haha… it’s just extra light damage.”

Miran stroked Sangheon’s arm and praised him; his face flushed. So that’s how she reeled in marks—win favor, lower their guard, then poison.

“Ahem! Let’s move. No time to waste.”

Park clapped to draw attention, apparently not liking how close Miran drifted to us.

“Okay~ let’s go~”

Miran trotted back to Park’s side.

Hunting was much easier in a party than solo, but the profit was smaller and the EXP gain was lower—that part I disliked. Still, money and normal EXP weren’t today’s goal, so I stuck with them.

As we roamed for goblins, the party stretched into two pairs: Miran with Park up front, and me with Sangheon following behind.

“Were you already partied with Park?”

I asked Sangheon when there was some distance.

“No, we all met today. I wanted a large Gate, but it’s too long and risky alone, you know? So I looked for a party. Didn’t think it would be this few people, though.”

We kept sweeping quickly since our individual levels outclassed goblins. Park, either to impress Miran or compete with me, took the lead in every fight.

He even harvested magic stones for himself and Miran.

“Thanks, oppa~ My hands are weak; I’m bad at that~”

At some point “oppa” slipped out. And no way a Hunter’s hands are too weak to harvest a core.

“Don’t worry, I’ll do it.”

He just smiled at the obvious lie and did the work.

Because it was a large Gate, it took eight hours of fighting and resting to finally see the clearing glow.

I started wondering why Miran hadn’t made a move yet. Not today? Or is the future different? I glanced at her—and saw her take a bead from the pouch at her waist.

I stared, wondering what it was; our eyes met. Miran smiled unpleasantly and tossed it at the ground.

The bead burst, and green smoke billowed in all directions.

I reflexively leapt back, but the smoke spread unnaturally fast—some special bead.

I held my breath to avoid inhaling, but the poison absorbed through my skin; my whole body tingled, and in less than a second I collapsed.

While I was marveling at how strong the toxin was, Miran planted a heel on Park’s head, face twisted in disgust.

“So gross and clingy. Know your place—you think you can touch me?”

The syrupy tone was gone—she sounded like a different person entirely.

Thanks to Poison Resistance, I felt the toxin being neutralized. While she rifled through Park’s and Sangheon’s packs, I lay there and waited for my body to recover fully.

When I could move again, I sprang up and rushed her.

“What?! How—?!”

As I charged, Miran yanked more beads from her pouch and threw them between us. They hit the ground with a wet fwoomp and burst; the area flooded with poison smoke.

A single bead was potent—several at once made the concentration far worse than expected. I’d adapted to this poison, but with that much exposure my body started to go numb.

If I stayed in the cloud, I’d be incapacitated—so I withdrew from the miasma first.