After Returning, My Abilities are Infinite
chapter-42

Omen of Disaster (1)

Two days passed quickly.

“Nice to meet you. I am Jeong Si-woo, who has recently joined the raid.”

The interior of the Sabangshin Guild was very spacious and neat. Indeed, it was great to see that there is no difference from the magnificent appearance that I remembered it to be.

“Ah… The new hunter who fought with the Iron Man, right?”

The raiders knew me.

It seemed that Kim Hyun-soo also invited the Busan Crack Attack team to watch the battle.

“Uh, yeah. Yes.”

“Wow!”

Some of the raiders exclaimed.

“I watched it myself. Are you really a new hunter? Your movement is really different.”

“How the hell did you do that last attack? Even our analysts are clueless.”

“Do not stand there; come sit here. Why are you uncomfortable…”

They immediately made me feel comfortable.

They were good people, as with everyone in the guild. Indeed, it was a perfect group except for the guild leader’s second and youngest sons.

“Yes… Yes. Thank you.”

Sitting between them, I naturally got engrossed with talks about the raid and other hunting topics. Being in the same position as they are was more enjoyable than I thought.

“Then, Jeong Si-woo is also here to get a briefing on the Busan Crack?”

“Yes.”

I know the important details, but there was nothing wrong with being briefed.

As I sat on the couch and listened to the explanation of the raid, I could not help but flinch.

In less than five minutes, I thought of it.

Why are they so stupid?

* * *

“Hooh!”

As soon as I returned to the Academy’s accommodations, I let out a deep sigh.

It wasn’t because I didn’t like the raiders. I knew how great the second-class hunters were, and their teamwork was obviously excellent.

But what I didn’t like…

Their analysts suck.

The briefing was very messy. The materials used in the briefing made me sick.

They have to be replaced sooner or later.

I remember a lot of talented people who would become excellent analysts in the future.

One day, I would have to find a way to replace the incompetent ones who only thought about making money.

I shook the horrible briefing from my head and started writing my own plans.

With that level of briefing, it’s best to take the rear position rather than the center.

That way, I could deliver support to the center and the front based on my memories.

If they asked how the hell did I know about these things, I would just tell them that I had the Excellent Insight trait.

It was not polite to ask about another hunter’s status, so they wouldn’t ask me anything anymore.

At least, it wasn’t a total mess.

It would have been impossible to cover the mess made by incompetent hunters, but since it was only a mess related to data, I could cope with it. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that there is no expert better than me on that side.

Just think that it would make things easier in the future. Compared to what could happen in the future, you can attack the Busan Crack with a smile.

I jumped out of bed, enduring a slight numb sensation at my fingertips.

Even if it was only one day after our match, I couldn’t stop training.

Suppose I get even a little improvement, that still meant a little more contribution to the team. I would only take rest a day before the crack attack.

I slowly stepped out of the room.

It was early in the morning. I was the only one walking through the dark corridor.

* * *

It was the day of the Busan Crack attack.

I advised the Academy that I would not be able to attend class because I had to participate in the attack.

“Well, Jeong Si-woo. Would that equipment really be enough?”

The first person I encountered was Han Soo-in, the leader of the raid team.

“I’m in the rear, anyway. It won’t be good to carry heavy equipment. Besides, I’m not used to them.”

“But since you’re still inexperienced, it’s good to be sure even if you find your movements a little hindered.”

I laughed while listening to his words of concern.

As he said, I was wearing insignificant equipment. Nightmare at the back of my hand, an underwater hunting suit, and an oxygen supply artifact that allows me to breathe underwater. They were very simple equipment.

“But I think that an underwater crack as your first crack would definitely be hard,” he added.

“Why?”

“Your main weapons are a sword and a bow. Of course, I heard that you could handle other weapons well, but those two are your best weapons. However, they’re pretty useless underwater, especially the bow.”

“…”

“Originally, underwater cracks were the favorite of wizards since they use the elements. To be in a setting overflowing with water… ah, a water wizard can go crazy with it.”

“Ah, it’s okay… I know how to use magic, too. By the way, you also use a sword. Won’t you be having a hard time in an underwater crack?”

Han Soo-in smiled and answered me.

“It’s hard for me, too. To be honest, I’m more comfortable in ordinary cracks, but I can’t always choose what I’m comfortable with.”

“…”

“Even if the wizards are the most powerful in underwater cracks, we can’t send a team full of wizards, right? Every one of them will die. A team needs to be balanced, so those who use the swords should adapt.”

Sureung-!

He pulled out his sword. His silver sword glinted.

“It’s still impossible for you, but…”

At the same time, he pushed a small amount of mana into the blade. The blade was covered with a blue light at once.

A sword with mana? No, it was a little higher than that.

Mana was not fluctuating over the sword. It seems as if iron and mana blended into one, creating an entirely different element.

“When you reach the level where you can handle sword-gi (劍氣) to this level… Even if you swing it in the water, it is quite powerful.”

“Wow… Incredible.”

I said with sincere admiration. Regardless of the level of the hunter, the technique of dealing with swords increases in proportion to the effort. That sword was proof of how hard Han Soo-in worked.

“What… Even with this, I’m still weaker than our tactical wizard… Haha, a lot depends on the wizards, really. Sometimes, I can’t do anything… the rest of the raiders do the job themselves.”

“It is.”

After having sharing several more conversations with Han Soo-in, all of the other raiders arrived.

One wizard. One swordsman. One tanker. And, me.

We were separated into teams of four. Originally, a secondary wizard would have been in my place, but they said that he backed out because he was a fire wizard. He would be like an ordinary person in an underwater crack.

“What… So, shall we start soon? It looks like everything is gathered.”

Han Soo-in said that after completing the personnel check. I was part of his four-man team.

We walked to a beach. It was normally full of people, but now, it was completely empty.

The reason why was right in front of us.

[… It looks so dirty.]

A crack as high as my eye level.

On the outside of the hole, there were things like a beast’s teeth, and red blood was dripping between the teeth.

No matter who sees it, it looked like it’s something you wouldn’t want to enter.

“Let’s go.”

However, the veteran hunters walked in without hesitation. I didn’t have that much energy, and the Traveler laughed at me as I walked in.

[Name: Dark Sea]

And the name, which remained strong in my memory, appeared before my eyes.

The second plague that terrorized so many people begins with this gruesome crack.

* * *

Fortunately, we were not submerged in water upon entering. As if on a beach, only our ankles were submerged, and it only got deeper as we walked on.

“Woo!”

Thanks to this, Han Soo-in and I would be able to make a pretty good appearance.

“Jung Si-woo, are you really normal? Even a second-class archer would not be able to shoot so accurately.”

“Yeah, his skills look stronger than theirs. You should go to the Olympics and get a gold medal, hahaha!”

As we walked on, Han Soo-in and my teammates talked about my performance.

They saw during the warm-up we had that I had the ability to shoot arrows at a target, which was so far away that it could not even be clearly seen. With this, I would be able to warn the team in advance for an incoming threat.

I sighed as I admired their experience. These are talented people who become calmer as they are put into more dangerous situations.

Because of this, they won’t be dependent on that rubbish briefing. They won’t ignore my advice even if I was a newcomer.

I’m glad about it. The frustrating situations that I was worried about were unlikely to come out.

However, not everything could go perfectly.

“Sighting of a huge figure ahead. Presumably, a large species. Only its upper body is visible; the lower half is submerged in water…”

“I can’t see it properly because of the fog. I think we’ll soon be in range. Everyone prepare to attack. At my signal, pour it out at once.”

“Okay!”

No matter how professional these hunters were, a second-class crack is never easy.

“The fog is lifting… what the!”

As soon as the fog disappears, the giant monster was revealed.

Since I have Heavenly Archery activated, I recognized the identity of the monster faster than anyone.

“Front and center, get all the way back to the rear line!” I shouted.

Kuung-!

Thud-!

“Get out of the center now!” I yelled once more.

Only

Hearing my voice shouting with urgency, the hunters in the front and in the center rushed to get away.

Fortunately, it was not too late.

Gwangwang-!

The huge monster burst out of the water.

Blue body, the color of the sea. Glittering scales. The fishy smell of reptiles. Ugly fangs on its massive mouth.

However, its rating is slightly lower than the ones that appear in legends.

It was a creature that has built up strength for a long time but has no wings and stays on the ground.

An Imoogi was staring down at us.