After three days, the group consisting of two hunters and one patient finally reached the entrance.
They stood by the cliff, staring at the ancient like door that has this blue hazy portal moving around like waves of water. It's the first time Lin Young-Jae saw it in person and the feeling it gave him was relieved.
He blinked, observed the dense and dark forest behind them and to the wide plot of land near the entrance as if it's designed to welcome people. Like a state of calm before the storm setting.
"Finally!" Lee Seok Jin massaged his shoulder while stretching his neck with a crack. "You excited to get the hell out of here, lil one?" He looked at Lin Young-Jae with a smile.
The boy smiled back with a quick nod. "Yes." He is very much looking forward to see the outside world. Eversince he woke up in 'Lin Young-Jae's' body, he had never stepped out of the guild hospital's premises. The scent of disinfectant always danced around his nose as far as he can remember.
Now, for the first time, he didn't expect that the first thing he will see outside is actually a dungeon of all things. But thankfully, he was saved before he can even starve to death, and he even found a way to compromise his health by using his awakened ability.
The three people who stood by the exit slowly descended. The bright light blinded the youth as they passed through, making him hide in the crook of Do Hyun's shoulder in blinding pain. As soon as the light subsided, the quiet atmosphere suddenly plunged into a chaotic mess.
It was already evening in this world. But due to the area being in the middle of the city, it didn't feel dark at all. The buildings were still lit like undying candles.
The noise made the boy want to hide even more as flashes and clicks of camera as well as incoherent murmurs gave him headache, groaning uncomfortably as he pulled the hood to cover spaces to avoid too much noise.
He consoled himself that it'll be quiet after this.
"Guild Master Park Do Hyun!" A familiar voice sounded among the see of noise and murmurs. "Please let me enter the dungeon!" There, Lin Ji-Young's pleading voice could be heard behind him.
"Hunter Lin Ji-Young, please cooperate. The guild master just got back." Another unfamiliar voice spoke, he seemed to be calmly asking his sister to step aside.
"Please! I need to enter that dungeon!" Her desperate voice reached the young man's heart, feeling like he was pierced in the gut.
"Hunter Lin, calm down for a moment." Lee Seok Jin also came forward, he wanted to explain that it's fine now, but he needed to calm the other party first.
"But Hunter Lee Seok Jin. You don't understand." Lin Ji-Young was frustrated. His little brother is there, an Ill, fragile, and weak child who had never stepped out of the hospital premise without collapsing! She couldn't say that out loud in fear that she'll lose her resolve if everyone who hated her knew that she has a younger brother trapped there. She could already imagine the disdain in people's voices. People who wanted to bring her down might even pray for her brother's demise. Even if she didn't care about public opinion, she didn't want to hear people cursing her brother like that.
"Lin Ji-Young, please step back for a while. You need the Legion guild master's permission before entering." Shin In Soo tapped her shoulder, he was ready to suppress her if she'd try to fight back.
She shut her eyes close, gritting her teeth and just thinking of just not asking permission and bolt right inside that damn dungeon. It's been six days since his brother went missing. She can't stay here anymore. There's no use in praying for everything that goes bad in her life. She needed to do something about it!
Clenching her first which was slowly being wrapped by a layer of cold ice, she was prepared to risk it. Even if it's the guild master of Legion or the guild master of Aegis, she was prepared to fight and face the consequences as long as she saved that one small life she treasures in this world.
"Noona?"
Lin Ji-Young flinched after hearing a soft worried voice. Her resolve that was ready to cause trouble dissipated immediately when the familiar voice spoke right at Park Do Hyun's direction. Her eyes immediately darted towards him and saw that he was carrying someone. She had not paid attention due to panic, but when she looked closer, he was indeed holding a person.
This person shifted and removed the hood that hid their face, finally revealing the person she desperately wanted to search in the dungeon.
"That's why I told you to calm down for a moment." Lee Seok Jin sighed, scratching the back of his head.
Lin Ji-Young's pupils trembled. "Young-Jae?" Her hands wanted to reach out and touched her little brother's cheeks but hesitated. She was not wearing gloves and might affect him.
Lin Young-Jae saw this doubt and heartbreak. His eyes flashed with the same pain and smiled sweetly, catching her retreating hands with his own cold bare hands.
[Malicious Mana Absorption in use
Target: 54%
Special status: blood sibling
Progress: 1%]
The young man ignored the pop up, gently directed Lin Ji-Young's hand towards his cheeks and smiled. 'Lin Young-Jae's' wish to hug and protect his sister. Second to that, he wanted to be useful and healthy.
Watching her precious little brother do such a sweet action, Lin Ji-Young's heart couldn't help but melt. Her eyes which had been full of emotions since earlier now showed vulnerability. Her sight became cloudy as tears began to fall.
Lin Young-Jae was surprised, immediately reaching out for his sister's face and wiping it, realizing that his eyes were just as blurred and started crying when he saw his sister in beautiful and heartbreaking tears.
"Don't cry, hic.. noona.. hic.. hic.." the crying boy tried his best to coaxed his equally crying older sister.
"Yes, yes." Lin Ji-Young didn't know whether to laugh or cry more so she did both, pressing her forehead closer to his crying baby brother. "Sister is sorry. I should've protected you better." She said in between sobs.
This was definitely not what the media was expecting when the cold huntress, Lin Ji-Young insisted on entering that dungeon that belonged to Legion. At first, they wanted to use her insistence as means to dirty her reputation even more if she ever try to make a scene while waiting for the return of the Legion's Guild Master and immediately get a scoop of what they plan on doing later on with the A-rank dungeon.
Someone had started a live broadcast the moment Lin Ji-Young Blocked Park Do Hyun, insisting to enter the dungeon herself despite the Guild Leader of Aegis holding her by the shoulder and is trying to stop her the best they could. Other's who were watching already started cursing her, some were curious why she was so keen on setting her eyes on the dungeon which isn't like her at all. Most of the time, she was cold and passive, but she never disobeyed an order.
While this heated discussion was brewing online, some were even more curious about who the Leader of Legion is carrying carefully in one arm. This also became a hot topic since the creature is covered in hood. So while three topics are currently being raised online, the people being talked about don't seem to be bothered.
Some watched as the hooded stranger made a slight move, half his lower face is peeking and it opened to speak. When they did, Lin Ji-Young was quiet and stunned which also made the audience curious.
When the person removed his hood and looked at her and then everything held out like a puzzle being pieced. The unbelievably beautiful and sickly boy who appeared before everyone's eyes is what Lin Ji-Young was desperately insisting on looking for in that dungeon, pleading to enter for the past six days.
So who is he? There was silence in the chat section just as how quiet the people who were in there are. Because it was the first time they saw Lin Ji-Young's beautiful tears and considerate and careful touch as if holding a fragile glass.
"...Noona..." Under embarrassment and relief, Lin Young-Jae hid his face on his sister's shoulder, hugging her while sobbing uncontrollably.
Maybe all the bottled up stress, fear, fatigue, and anxiety escaped his body, making him black out.
The sobbing mess became soft and his breathing stagnated, as he passed out, lying on his sister's shoulder while being carried by Park Do Hyun.
[Malicious Mana Absorption in use
Target: 50%
Special status: blood sibling
Progress: 5%]
Lin Ji-Young panicked when she saw her own pop up under her blurry eyes. She wiped her eyes and slowly had a clear vision, mistaking Lin Young-Jae passing out as a cause from absorbing five percent of her contamination level. "Oh no. Young-Jae, my little Jae, don't use your ability." She said wanting to let him go, but couldn't.
"Where's the medic?" Park Do Hyun, who had turned into a side thought, finally broke his silence. He had been carrying Lin Young-Jae. He wanted to tell them to have this reunion for later, but suddenly, the boy cried so he couldn't raise that topic up. But now that the boy had passed out and Ji-Young is calmer, he finally said what he's been holding back.
Lin Ji-Young Looked at him with cold eyes, wiping away the remains of her tears as if it never happened and held out her hand. "Guild Master, thank you for rescuing my sibling. You must be tired carrying him. Please give him to me, I'll take him to the medic myself." she said.
Park Do Hyun stared back at her, not intimidated by her threatening cold gaze. "Hunter Lin, I have something I'd like to Discuss with you and Guild Master Shin." He said, looking at Shin In Soo who was behind the woman as well. He didn't give the boy to her and instead, turned to Lee Seok Jin who was just watching the gossip and handed the boy to him.
"B-boss?" the redhead was shocked as he earned a glare from the ice queen.
"Leave the evidence of those trespassers. Take this boy to the medic and supervise his arrival to Aegis' Hospital. Make sure to bring more people to guard." Park Do Hyun instructed.
"Ah... okay, got it, boss." The redhead dropped his bag and ran away towards the medic van, taking out his phone to call the vice leader for help while the three were left looking at him from a distance. Lee Seok Jin felt the uncomfortable glare, carefully closing the door to avoid the stares from three incredible S-rank hunters.
Seeing that the boy was being checked in the medic car, Shin In Soo looked at Park Do Hyun with a smile. "So, what do we owe the pleasure of being able to get the precious time of the Legion's Guild Master?" he asked with a hum.
"Regarding the kidnapping of Lin Young-Jae." He said straight to the point.
Hearing that, Lin Ji-Young and Shin In Soo became serious. "Then please let's discuss in private." The three stood for a while, ensuring that Lin Young-Jae was safely taken away before they left on a separate car.
On the other hand, the media that had been muted for a while suddenly began to buzz crazily. Lin Ji-Young has a beautiful and cute younger brother! That's what the news has been spreading the entire night while the person is currently passed out in the hospital bed.