‘Right. I should be glad we have an easy way of navigating that sea…’
The goddess of sloth’s stinging rebuke brought Choi Yeonseung to his senses. Preparing a huge cruise ship that went around the sea of the Abyss… That was something to be thankful for, not disappointed.
However, a hint of dissatisfaction still lingered in the back of Choi Yeonseung’s mind.
‘That sea would’ve made for great training…’
-...
The goddess of sloth was shocked.
Of course, all constellations were different, but even though she had known Choi Yeonseung for some time now, she still couldn’t help thinking, ‘How can he be like this?’
Given how lazy the goddess of sloth was, Choi Yeonseung’s dedication was incomprehensible to her.
“So? That ship will take us to the dungeon?”
“Uhm... Not quite.”***
There were a few advanced hunters assisting Morales and Carter, the two A-grade hunters.
When it came to Abyss raids, the hunters’ ratings weren’t the only important factor. Their experience and resilience also mattered a lot.
A C-grade hunter who was very experienced in providing assistance in raids was better than a B+ hunter who only cared about themselves.
In that sense, the hunters involved in this Abyss raid were those who had proven themselves beyond the shadow of a doubt. They weren’t only elite clan hunters but also hunters working for the US government.
It was a natural investment, since this operation involved throwing A-grade hunters into the Abyss. In fact, it was President George who had invested in such a bold plan near the end of his term. He never would’ve done this in the early stages of his presidency.
“Come this way.”
“...”
The hunters looked nervous.
Of course, an Abyss raid didn’t entail monsters rushing at them like in a dungeon raid. They were in a realm guarded by the household members of the constellations, with whom they could communicate.
However, the hunters couldn’t let their guard down. For all they knew, these household members could suddenly have a change of heart and stab them in the back.
“The Chef of Endless Gluttony has made this ship for his household members and minions.”
Given its sheer size, this ship was more like a floating kingdom. It was so huge that nobody could see it in its entirety. It was also hard to see at a glance what was inside.
“...Are you telling us to get on this ship?”
“That’s correct.”
“And may I ask what’s on this ship…?”
The hunters suspected that the household member they were talking to might not give them an answer. After all, it was always difficult to learn in advance what they would encounter in a raid…
“Aboard this ship are heroes from all over the Abyss.”
“?!”
However, the household member kindly gave them an answer.
“You are among those heroes. The Chef of Endless Gluttony is going to hand over the crown of this realm to one of the heroes aboard.”
“Wh-what? What type of monsters should we kill?”
“You’re mistaken.”
“?”
“You don’t have to kill monsters. You just have to guess who the captain of this ship is.”
“...”
“That’s it?”
“Yes! Isn’t it simple?”
The hunters were confused by the words of the household members.
If Choi Yeonseung had been there with them, he would’ve said, “Always be suspicious of everything in the Abyss!” Unfortunately, these hunters were only experienced in raids on Earth.
[You have entered the shrine of the ‘Chef of Endless Gluttony.’]
[Find the captain!]
[The constellation promises the ‘Third Abyss Kingdom!’]
The hunters were greeted by a familiar sight as they set foot on the ship. They had been on luxury cruise ships on Earth a few times, so the current situation wasn’t unfamiliar to hunters at all.
However, this ship was much larger, more exotic-looking, and most of all, all kinds of Abyssal races wandered around on deck. There were some familiar races, like elves, dwarves, and orcs, but also some unknown races.
“Wait, isn’t that... a cardali tree??”
“Is that an elf iris?!”
The hunters also spotted some rare Abyssal resources that were very rare in dungeons, and their eyes almost rolled back in disbelief. Each one of those precious plants would allow the hunters to retire and live in comfort for the rest of their lives, and they were displayed throughout the ship as ornaments!
“Uh... We don’t need to start thinking about who’s the captain right now. Shouldn’t we check what’s inside first?”
“That’s right. Even if we fail the raid, if there’s something else...”
The hunters were currently in a garden-looking area, which was connected to the entrance. They moved on, excited to see what else they would find.
“Wait. You can’t come here.”
“?”
“This is an off-limits area for the human race.”
“Huh?”
The hunters were taken aback. They had been about to take the stairs up to another area, but a household member of the Chef of Endless Gluttony stepped in and blocked the way.
‘Are we only allowed in certain areas?’
“Wait. Why can the elves go over there?”
“They have permission to go there.”
At that, the hunters nodded and pondered on the situation.
“Ah... Is this an elf-only area?”
“Isn’t it strange? So where are the human-only areas? The elves are also roaming around here.”
The household member replied kindly, “Humans are only allowed on the bottom floor of the ship. Elves have the right to move through other floors, including yours.”
“...”
“...”
The hunters were dumbfounded. This was the most racist ship they had ever set foot on!
“Well, don’t you think that’s problematic?! We have to find the captain to win, but our movement is highly restricted!”
“Ah, we should’ve brought elves with us! This is just too much! Why are humans at the bottom?”
The hunters huddled together and agonized over what to do. Of course, the fact that they were only allowed on the bottom floor didn’t mean they would have a poor or uncomfortable experience. They could still enjoy the luxury of this ship.
The ship was decorated with antique-looking landscapes that looked like something from a historical movie. Moreover, the household members of the Chef of Endless Gluttony passed by and provided the hunters with drinks and food, which, unlike the food on Earth, exuded a potent magic.
Lastly, the hunters could also admire the rare flora, fauna, and various artifacts of the Abyss, and also the endless sea that stretched overhead.
It was definitely an amazing sightseeing experience, one that the hunters wouldn’t have during risky raids on Earth.
But even so, they couldn’t help being curious!
‘If it’s like this here, then how is it upstairs?’
‘Is it a fantastic place where constellations live…?
Then, an elf suddenly approached the hunters, making them nervous.
“Do you want to go up?”
“!”
“Fear not, humans. I’ve been hearing a lot of rumors about your race in the Abyss lately.”
The elf warrior was dressed nicely in an elven silk shirt and wore a sword at his waist.
“Are you also here to challenge this kingdom?” Morales asked warily.
“That’s right, but I’m not particularly ambitious about it. I had to come here at my master’s order. Truth be told, I don’t think I’ll win with so many heroes here, so I’m aiming for something a bit different.”
“Are you after rare resources like the cardali tree or the elf iris?”
The elf raised his eyebrow. “What’s so rare about that? Ah... That’s right. It might only be rare for humans.”
The elf hadn’t said it outright, but the way he looked at the hunters made it clear that he considered them inferior and undignified.
The hunters flushed with embarrassment. They had never been humiliated like this on Earth!
“I’m merely looking to get paid,” the elf explained. “Aren’t humans expanding in the Abyss? Your money and treasures can be quite useful for me.”
“...Well, we can do that much for you.”
The hunters nodded. Indeed, getting help from an Abyssal race for some money was a good deal. They decided to pay a reasonable price in exchange for receiving help from the elves.
“Haha! As expected of humans! You’re as easy to talk to as the rumors have it! Now, drink! Drink this and go up!”
The elf picked up a cup, and the hunters followed suit and drank.
“...??”
Thump!
One of the hunters fell.
“Stupid humans!” the elf sneered. “Did you really think I’d give a chance to a pitiful race like yours?! This kingdom belongs to the elves!”
“...”
“...”
The hunters were horrified. This elf was out of his mind!
“Kill him!”
The hunters tried to draw their weapons, but the household member of the Chef of Endless Gluttony rushed in.
“Stop! It’s forbidden to fight onboard! Doing so will get you thrown into the sea!”
“How can you say that after seeing what that elf has done?! He put poison in our friend’s cup!”
“And where is the evidence of that?”
“...”
“...”
The hunters couldn’t answer. After all, they didn’t even know what exactly the elf had put in that cup, so they couldn’t possibly provide any evidence.
“If there’s no evidence, there’s nothing I can do. Don’t start a fight. Next time you go out of line, I’ll kick you overboard myself!”
The elf flashed the hunters a smirk before disappearing upstairs.
It was this event that opened the hunters’ eyes to the nastiness of the Abyss. In a way, this ship would be more difficult and tricky than an ordinary raid.
They had to overcome all the obstacles put in their way by the numerous Abyssal races in order to achieve their goal!
***
“The Abyssal guys do use bizarre tricks.”
Choi Yeonseung nodded in agreement after hearing the story.
In reality, Abyssal races thought that humans were incredibly creative and sly when it came to scheming and overall nasty things. But even so, they could be just as devious as humans.
Besides, the ambition of becoming the master of an entire kingdom would blind any mortal in the Abyss.
An enclosed space with a clear objective—the Third Realm was a labyrinth where everyone would try to backstab each other!
‘Why do constellations enjoy doing such complicated and bizarre things? Are they too bored if there’s no stimulus?’
[The ‘Cat of Lava and Magma’ says that isn’t something that a constellation who set up an inn in a demon area should say...]
In the eyes of the cat constellation, Choi Yeonseung was in no position to complain about the peculiarities of other constellations.
“Our friend narrowly avoided death, but he’s still in bad condition. In the end, we all gave up and stepped down.”
“I see... Did you swim through the sea and crawl ashore?”
“No. They just sent us back when we gave up.”
At that moment, Carter could’ve sworn that he had seen a look of regret on Choi Yeonseung’s face, just for a split second.
‘Nah, I must’ve imagined it.’
“Hunter Choi Yeonseung, I’m not saying this just because we’ve already tried it. This Abyss raid is objectively worth trying. If you could give us a bit of budget and support...”
The hunter looked at Choi Yeonseung nervously as he spoke. They were in the early days of a new regime, so it was natural to be a bit wary when taking on such a risky challenge.
Moreover, the invasion on Earth was still far from over. The evil god constellations were still spreading pain and destruction everywhere…
‘He’ll probably deny our request…’
“It’s not a bad idea.”
“!?!”
“O-oh… Really?!”
“Of course.”
‘Ahhh...!’
The hunters were elated and overcome with a new sense of confidence. Choi Yeonseung really was a hunter who dedicated himself to the cause, unlike the others who only cared about themselves!
‘I’m glad I can just spend the money of the US government and not mine.’
Meanwhile, Choi Yeonseung was happy for another reason.
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