Chapter 269: After the Expedition

Chapter 269: Chapter 269: After the Expedition

Chapter 269 — The End of One Journey

The S-Rank expedition had finally reached its conclusion, and the Hunters who had participated in the operation were now gathered outside the gate, recovering from the battle that had taken place within the dungeon.

Behind them, the enormous gate remained open, its surface rippling with a faint, otherworldly light that concealed the passage leading into the dungeon. The Hunter Association’s recovery team was still working inside, retrieving the monster corpses, mana cores, and valuable materials left behind after the battle. Given the number of high-ranking monsters they had encountered, the process would take considerable time, particularly since some of the creatures possessed materials valuable enough to warrant careful extraction rather than hurried collection.

Several transport vehicles had been stationed nearby, their cargo compartments prepared to receive the recovered resources. Association personnel moved between the vehicles and the gate, coordinating the collection process, recording the recovered materials, and ensuring that every valuable item was properly documented before being transported to a secure facility.

Although the expedition itself had ended, the work surrounding it was far from finished.

The operation had also attracted considerable media attention. Reporters and camera crews had gathered beyond the temporary security perimeter, their equipment trained on the returning Hunters as they prepared to obtain statements about the expedition. Several journalists were already discussing the extraordinary danger posed by the dungeon, while others were attempting to secure interviews with Kang Ji-hoon and Yoon Ha-eun, two of the most prominent figures involved in the operation.

The presence of so many S-Rank Hunters had been enough to attract public attention, but rumors concerning the dungeon’s unusually powerful ruler had made the expedition even more significant. The reporters had little reliable information about what had occurred inside the castle, yet that had hardly prevented them from speculating about the battle and the identities of those who had participated in it.

Ares stood beside the other S-Rank Hunters, observing the activity with his usual composure.

He had already changed out of the more conspicuous equipment associated with the expedition, and his relaxed posture made him appear almost detached from the commotion surrounding the gate. To the reporters, he was one of the Hunters who had participated in a dangerous S-Rank operation. To the Association, he was an exceptionally powerful independent Awakener whose contribution had helped secure the expedition’s success.

Neither description came close to revealing the truth.

’They still haven’t realized that defeating the dungeon boss and closing the gate are two separate matters.’

His gaze briefly settled on the luminous entrance.

’As long as the dungeon core remains intact, the gate can continue to exist even after its ruler has been defeated. The Association’s recovery team will probably assume that the gate should close once the expedition has been completed, but they would be waiting for nothing if I hadn’t already dealt with the core.’

The dungeon core had already been absorbed by Ares, its remaining energy incorporated into his own power before anyone else could discover what had happened. Without the core, the gate could no longer maintain its existence indefinitely, but its disappearance would not occur until Ares decided to bring the process to its conclusion.

He had no intention of closing it while the recovery team was still inside.

There was no reason to endanger the personnel who were collecting the expedition’s rewards merely to save himself a little time, particularly when waiting posed no inconvenience to him whatsoever.

’I’ll let them finish their work and leave the dungeon first. Once everyone is safely outside and the Association has confirmed that the recovery operation is complete, I’ll take care of the gate. They can attribute its disappearance to the natural conclusion of the expedition if they wish. I have no reason to explain something that doesn’t concern them.’

His expression remained unchanged as he turned his attention toward the recovery vehicles.

The Association would have plenty to investigate once the expedition’s findings had been documented. The castle, the monsters that inhabited it, the unusual strength of its ruler, and the circumstances surrounding the dungeon’s core would all warrant further examination. However, Ares had already ensured that the most important details remained beyond their reach.

For now, all he needed to do was wait.

"Yoon Tae-ho."

Yoon Ha-eun’s voice drew his attention away from the gate.

Ares turned and found the Guild Master of the Horizon Guild approaching alongside Kang Ji-hoon. Both looked considerably more relaxed than they had during the expedition, although the events inside the castle had clearly left a lasting impression on them.

"Yes?" Ares replied.

Ha-eun studied him briefly before allowing a small smile to appear on her face.

"I was beginning to wonder whether you intended to leave without saying anything to us. You’ve been standing here so quietly that I almost thought you were waiting for everyone to become distracted before slipping away."

Kang Ji-hoon gave a quiet chuckle.

"She’s not entirely wrong. You’ve barely said anything since we returned, and I suspect you would already be gone if we hadn’t come over to speak with you."

Ares laughed softly.

"You’re making me sound like someone who dislikes conversation. I was simply giving the recovery team time to finish its work, and I thought it would be better to discuss the expedition after everyone had a chance to settle down."

"Then allow me to begin by saying that the expedition was a success," Ji-hoon replied, his expression becoming more serious. "The Association will have plenty to review, particularly concerning the dungeon’s internal structure and the strength of its ruler, but the most important fact is that every Hunter who entered the gate has returned alive."

He paused, his gaze shifting briefly toward the entrance.

"That outcome would have been considerably less certain without your assistance. The situation inside the castle exceeded what we had anticipated, and the threat posed by the ruler was far greater than the initial assessment suggested. I’ve participated in enough dangerous operations to recognize when a situation has surpassed the limits of our preparations, and I won’t pretend that our strength alone would have guaranteed the same result."

Ha-eun nodded in agreement.

"He’s right. We entered the dungeon believing that we had enough information to handle the situation, but the monsters were more dangerous than expected, and the ruler was an entirely different matter. Even with several S-Rank Hunters working together, the battle could have taken a very different turn if you hadn’t been there to deal with the greatest threat."

Her gaze lingered on Ares.

"What impressed me most was how you handled the situation without disrupting the rest of the team. You allowed us to deal with our assigned opponents while ensuring that the most dangerous enemy never became a threat to the others. That kind of judgment is just as valuable as overwhelming strength."

Ares raised a hand dismissively, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"You’re giving me too much credit. We entered the dungeon together, and everyone contributed to completing the expedition. Besides, if I had stood aside and allowed the situation to deteriorate, I would have had to listen to a great deal of unnecessary complaining afterward."

Ji-hoon laughed, while Ha-eun shook her head in amused disbelief.

"You make it sound as though preventing a disaster was nothing more than an inconvenience," she remarked. "Most Hunters would be rather proud of themselves after dealing with an opponent like that, yet you seem almost disappointed that the expedition is already over."

"Would you prefer that I give a long speech about my accomplishments?" Ares asked, his smile widening. "I could probably make one up if you insist."

"Please don’t," Ji-hoon replied immediately.

Their laughter drew a few curious glances from the nearby Hunters, although neither Guild Master paid them much attention. For a brief moment, the tension that had followed them out of the dungeon disappeared, replaced by the familiar atmosphere of people who had survived a dangerous operation together.

Nevertheless, their conversation soon returned to practical matters.

"The Association will handle the official distribution of the expedition’s rewards," Ji-hoon explained. "The recovered cores, monster materials, and other valuable resources will be evaluated and recorded before the shares are finalized. Since you participated as an independent Hunter rather than representing a particular guild, the Association will arrange your portion directly according to the terms established before the expedition."

He glanced toward the transport vehicles.

"Some of the materials recovered from the castle are exceptionally valuable, so the evaluation may take time. Once the assessment is complete, the Association will notify you of your share and provide the relevant documentation."

"That sounds reasonable," Ares replied. "As long as the distribution follows the agreed terms, I have no particular objection to waiting."

"Naturally," Ji-hoon said. "The Association will also prepare the official report once the investigation has been completed. Given what we encountered, the findings from this expedition will probably become an important reference for future S-Rank operations."

Ha-eun folded her arms, regarding Ares thoughtfully.

"Speaking of future matters, there is something we discussed before entering the dungeon that I would like to bring up again."

Ares already had a fairly good idea of what she intended to say, but he maintained an attentive expression and allowed her to continue.

"The offer to join the Horizon Guild remains open," she said. "I’m aware that you’ve already made your position clear, and I have no intention of pressuring you into reconsidering it. However, if your circumstances change or you eventually decide that joining a guild would be beneficial, feel free to contact me. I would be more than willing to discuss the terms again."

Kang Ji-hoon nodded.

"The Apex Guild’s offer remains open as well. We would welcome someone with your abilities, but I understand that you have your own reasons for remaining independent. There is no need to make a decision simply because two Guild Masters happen to be standing in front of you."

Ares looked between them before laughing softly.

"I appreciate the consideration. If I ever decide that joining a guild is the right choice, I’ll be sure to contact you both. Until then, I hope you won’t take it personally if I continue doing things my own way."

"Not at all," Ha-eun replied. "Although I suspect convincing you to join a guild would be considerably more difficult than convincing most S-Rank Hunters."

"That depends on the offer," Ares answered playfully. "Perhaps you should both prepare something truly impressive in case I ever change my mind."

Ji-hoon shook his head, laughing.

"You really do know how to avoid giving a straight answer."

"Only when the question deserves a little suspense."

After exchanging a few more words, the three Hunters brought their conversation to a close. Ji-hoon and Ha-eun still had responsibilities to attend to, while Ares had no particular reason to remain at the recovery site any longer than necessary.

He exchanged farewells with the other Hunters, acknowledged the Association personnel who approached to confirm his participation in the expedition, and politely declined an interview request from one of the reporters.

The journalists immediately began calling out questions as he walked away.

"Yoon Tae-ho! Can you tell us what happened inside the castle?"

"Is it true that the dungeon contained a monster capable of threatening several S-Rank Hunters at once?"

"Mr. Yoon, are you planning to join one of the major guilds following this expedition?"

Ares continued walking without breaking his stride.

He had no interest in turning the expedition into a public spectacle, and there were already enough people willing to discuss the battle on his behalf. Before long, the security personnel redirected the reporters toward the Guild Masters and the Association’s representatives, allowing Ares to leave the recovery site without further interruption.

He did not close the gate immediately.

Instead, he waited until he was sufficiently far from the gathering, where his actions would attract little attention, and quietly observed the entrance from a distance.

One by one, the recovery personnel began emerging from the gate. Some carried sealed containers filled with extracted monster cores, while others transported carefully preserved materials intended for further examination. Association officials checked the returning personnel against their records, confirming that the recovery team had completed its assignment and that no one remained inside the dungeon.

Only after the final member had exited did Ares turn his attention toward the gate.

’That’s everyone.’

He raised one hand, allowing a thin thread of Eclipse Power to extend from his fingertips. The energy spread across the gate’s surface, penetrating the remaining structure that had once been sustained by the dungeon core. For a moment, the luminous entrance flickered, its surface rippling as the last remnants of its connection to the dungeon began to unravel.

Then, without an explosion or a dramatic surge of energy, the gate quietly collapsed into nothingness.

The remaining light faded, leaving only empty air where the entrance had stood.

Several Association personnel turned toward the sudden disappearance, and a few hurried closer to inspect the location. Their instruments registered the rapid decline of the residual energy, but there was no longer any gate to examine.

Ares had already lowered his hand.

’There. The recovery operation is complete, and the gate is gone. As far as they’re concerned, the expedition has ended exactly as it should have.’

He turned away before anyone could approach him.

The journey back to the apartment was uneventful.

By the time he reached the residential building where Ji-won and his father lived, the afternoon light had begun to soften, casting long shadows across the surrounding streets. The familiar building appeared almost ordinary after the extraordinary events of the past several days, and the quiet atmosphere of the residential corridor offered a welcome contrast to the noise and commotion surrounding the expedition’s conclusion.

Ares stopped in front of the apartment door and knocked.

It did not take long for someone to answer.

"Oh, Tae-ho."

Ji-won opened the door, his expression brightening slightly when he recognized the visitor. He stepped aside to let Ares enter, then closed the door behind him while studying his face with undisguised curiosity.

"I was wondering when you’d return. I was watching the news just now, and they were already reporting on the S-Rank expedition. They said the operation had been successful, but the reporters kept mentioning how dangerous the dungeon had been. Is everything all right?"

Ares glanced at him.

’He’s already watched the news, yet he’s asking me about the expedition as though he expects a completely different story.’

Still, there was no reason to make a simple conversation unnecessarily complicated.

"Everything went well," he answered as he removed his shoes and followed Ji-won into the living room. "The dungeon turned out to be more troublesome than the initial assessment suggested, but we completed the expedition without losing anyone. The Association’s recovery team collected the materials, and the gate has now closed. The Guild Masters are already discussing the official report."

"That’s a relief," Ji-won said, visibly relaxing. "The news made it sound as though things had become rather dangerous inside the castle. They even mentioned that the Hunters encountered a monster whose strength exceeded their expectations, although they didn’t explain what happened in much detail."

"News reports tend to focus on the parts that attract the most attention," Ares replied. "The important thing is that everyone returned safely."

The two of them settled onto the sofa, and Ji-won leaned back against the cushions while continuing to look at his friend.

"Did anything else happen after the expedition ended? You looked rather calm in the footage, but I imagine the Guild Masters and the Association had plenty of things to discuss with you."

Ares gave a quiet laugh.

"You could say that. Both Guild Masters approached me afterward and repeated their offers to have me join their respective guilds. They were quite persistent about it, although they were polite enough not to demand an immediate answer."

Ji-won regarded him as though the answer had been entirely predictable.

"That’s only natural. You’re an S-Rank Awakener now, and you aren’t affiliated with any guild. Someone with your abilities would be valuable to any major organization, especially after you’ve demonstrated that you can contribute to an expedition of that scale. It would have been more surprising if they hadn’t approached you."

"Perhaps," Ares replied. "Still, I have no intention of joining a guild for the time being."

"I figured as much."

Ares shifted slightly on the sofa before glancing toward the hallway.

"By the way, I haven’t seen your father around. Is he still out?"

"Oh, he went to visit an old friend of his," Ji-won explained. "They’ve known each other for a long time, apparently from before I was even born. Father said they hadn’t spoken properly in years, and since his friend contacted him recently, he decided to visit for a while. He didn’t give me an exact date for his return, but I don’t think he’ll be back until later."

"I see," Ares said, nodding thoughtfully.