Minho carefully made up several stories before they came in, but the problem was picking the right and most believable one.
Minho started, before they would suspect his hesitation. "I-I was left behind after they k-killed the dungeon boss, to pick the mana crystals. A-and I did as told. When I was coming back, I saw a monster d-doing... this."
"Monster? What kind of monster?" Yung prompted.
"I-It was like a humanoid, b-but I couldn't see it's face because I quickly hid behind this place." He pointed at the spot he had just crawled out from, with shaky hands. "All I could remember was, closing my eyes and continuously p-praying it didn't notice my presence. But next thing I heard was someone telling me to reveal myself."
"Hmm." Yonsuk hummed. "You're saying this extremely strong monster that took out six C-ranks, just... disappeared?"
"Sh-should I say yes? I don't know." Minho muttered.
Taeksoo looked at Minho's tattered clothes and the blood stains on them and his hands, as well as his face. "Why are your clothes in bad shape? And why are there blood stains all over you?"
"Oh. I was injured, back in there and S-Soojin sunbae helped me with a powerful healing potion." Minho replied, his act taking the desired effect on his audience.
Yung sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just...get out of here. Go home."
"What?!" Taeksoo snapped his head towards Yung. "Why? We're not done with him just yet."
"Tell me what an E-rank hunter who's barely even holding himself together, going to do to six C-rank hunters? You said you knew one of them, right? How strong a C-rank hunter was she?" Yung replied, his tone levelled.
"I don't know." Taeksoo scoffed, looking away.
"Tch."
"Fine, go home E-rank. But if there's any suspicion..." Taeksoo turned to look Minho in the eye. "...you better be ready to talk."
Minho nodded as Yonsuk helped him up. "Th-th-thank you!" He bowed his head and went for the exit, his steps hasty. Stepping out of the gate, he exhaled and placed a hand on his chest. "That was close."
Before Minho could continue, he saw Hunter Yung, Taeksoo, Yonsuk and the search team running out of the dungeon, the last person barely making it before the gate sealed shut.
"Uhh...I better get going." Minho muttered, taking off again.
On his way home, his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten before leaving the house - hoping that he could buy something with the money from the raid. But remembering what happened in the dungeon made his stomach drop.
After couple more minutes, Minho stood at the front of his house and with long exhale, he opened the door and marched in. The first thing that welcomed him was the sweet aroma of something good cooking.
"Mom?" He called, taking off his shoes and heading for the kitchen.
His mother was clearly cooking up something good. She was a pale looking lady, with sunken eyes and the warm smile she carried in whatever situation she was in. "Oh, Minho. You're back? How did your raid go? You look awful, but not injured at least. Thank goodness you're fine."
Minho hesitated, looking down, before he replied. "Yeah. It... didn't go as planned. At all?"
"Hm? Why is that?" She questioned as she added ingredients to whatever she was cooking.
He sighed. "I... I don't want to talk about it."
His mother nodded and decided not to push on it. She'd known that it had never been easy for him as an E-rank hunter, but he wouldn't stop going to these life threatening raids, no matter how many injuries he brought back home.
"But..." Minho trailed.
"Yes, honey?" She prompted him to continue, while stirring the soup in the pot.
"Where did you get the money for all this from?" He asked.
Her smile faltered for a second before returning. "O-oh, I just checked my... s-savings, yes. And I realized there was still en—"
"You've used up your savings a long time ago, mom." Minho cut her off. "You went borrowing money from him again, didn't you?"
Her act all dropped. Her lips quivered as she turned to him. "Honey, look, I didn't mean to—"
"No mom!" He yelled, tears already forming in his eyes. "Whether you meant to or not, it's not your fault. It's that monster calling himself a man! What kind of a man abandons his family and forces them to take loans so he can harass them, huh?! What kind of a husband doesn't give a damn about his wife's mental or health condition?! After what he.... What he tried to do... trading me away like I was nothing his? I hate that man! Why, mom? Why did you let him force you to do this? How did you even marry a monster like him?" Minho clutched his fists until he drew blood.
His mother went to him and rested her hands on his shoulder. "I had to, Minho! The hospital bills, the rent... what else was I supposed to do? I'm sorry." Her dam broke first.
"I'm just... useless. I never do anything right. I'm... I'm eve the reason he left, aren't I? The reason you're in this mess. The reason you're suffering so much."
"No. No, don't say stuff like that, Minho. It's not true." She replied.
"Mom, just... just stop lying to me already! I'm not a kid anymore! I can see it even if you don't tell me!" He snapped.
His mother had nothing to say. She just drew him into a tight hug as she sobbed. This was the life he was stuck in, and he hated every ounce of it.
Their emotional confrontation passed and so did the day. The night sky was fascinating, as always. Filled with stars and the bright glow of the moon. Minho sat outside, overthinking everything, like he always did. His actions today, his mother's condition, his father, the system. They were all on his mind.
He brought up the system again.
[Name: Lee Minho
• Title: Emissary Of Destruction
• Level: 13
• EXP: 20/300
• Attributes: Strength 70, Stamina 70, Agility 73, Intelligence 75, Perception 73, Destructive Potential: 150.]
Was this the person he wanted to be now? "Oh, am I kidding?" He laughed, a bitter sound. "Not like I can reverse it."
Just then, his moment was interrupted by a dungeon that suddenly spawned three blocks away.
[Dungeon detected!]
[Main Quest updated!]
Minho looked at it and checked what the new main objective was.
[• Main Quest:
- Clear dungeon alone
- Defeat dungeon boss
- Do not use weapon
Reward: +120 EXP. +50 Destructive Potential.]
Minho stood up and sunk his hands into his pockets, walking towards the dungeon. If he was stuck this way, then he'd probably just make the best out of it.