Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 23

Wednesday, 10 AM.

Over a hundred students were lined up in front of the entrance to an F-rank Fissure located at Inwangsan Mountain, Sajik-dong, 1-9 Jongno-gu. They were all wearing standard-issue suits without any insignia, each equipped with a mana gun and a dagger at their waists. They were murmuring among themselves.

“Everyone, may I have your attention, please.”

The teacher in charge of the students drew their attention with a clap, then pointed to the three men standing at the entrance of the Fissure.

“First, let me introduce the three individuals assisting us with today’s Fissure tour. This is Section Chief Kang Cheol-Soo from the Fissure Management Division at Seoul City Hall, and next to him are Supervisors Kwon Hyuk-Soo and Lee Do-Jun.”

The students clapped politely as the three Fissure Management staff bowed their heads slightly in greeting.

“Chief, we look forward to working with you today,” the teacher said while shaking hands with Cheol-Soo.

After clearing his throat, Cheol-Soo addressed the waiting students.

“I am Section Chief Kang Cheol-Soo, responsible for Fissure Management. It’s truly an honor to meet the freshmen of the academy today. To give a brief overview, this is an F-rank Fissure where F-rank monsters appear. The monsters within are goblins.

“While goblins may not be particularly thrilling for you, please remember that safety is the first and foremost priority while inside the Fissure, as we cannot predict what might happen. Are there any questions?”

As soon as he stopped talking, a girl with long, slightly wavy hair raised her hand. She was so beautiful that a stranger might mistake her for a celebrity. It was none other than Eun-Joo, the younger sister of the Sword Emperor, who was known to almost everyone.

“An F-rank Fissure? I heard the Fissure for the tour was selected by the Fissure Management Division; are you sure you weren’t underestimating us?”

Her words made some of the surrounding students nod in agreement as most of the cadets entering the Hunter Academy already possessed some level of stats and skills.

For them, touring an F-rank Fissure was nothing but a dull experience.

After quietly listening to Eun-Joo’s complaint, Hyuk-Soo spoke up. “You’re Lee Eun-Joo, right? The younger sister of the Sword Emperor?”

“Yes, that’s right,” Eun-Joo responded.

“I can see why you might have such an opinion. I’m sure it will be boring and even more tedious for people like you, who are already at the level of A-rank Hunters. However, today is merely a tour. Since this is your first time entering a Fissure, the purpose is to familiarize yourselves with a Fissure. So, we ask for your understanding.”

At Hyuk-Soo’s words, Eun-Joo clicked her tongue in annoyance but did not raise any further complaints.

“If there are no more questions, please proceed inside in an orderly manner.”

The academy’s teacher, along with Cheol-Soo and Hyuk-Soo, entered the Fissure first.

Do-Jun stayed behind to help the students into the Fissure one by one.

Eun-Joo was grumbling and walking forward from the very back but suddenly stopped when she spotted Do-Jun.

“Are you the one in charge?” she asked him.

“I’m not exactly in charge, more like an assistant.”

“Hmm.”

***

What awaited the freshmen of the Hunter Academy on the other side of the F-rank Fissure was a vast green meadow stretched out before them, with nothing particularly noteworthy.

Since the area had been secured for the academy tour a few days prior, no other Hunters were in sight.

“Kerrk.”

Goblins were roaming in groups of three to five.

Though the scenery wasn’t anything crazy, the students, who had been somewhat unenthusiastic earlier, now smiled broadly as they took in the different scenery and the sight of wandering monsters.

“So this is what the inside of a Fissure looks like...”

“It’s like a completely different world in here!”

“Wow, it definitely feels different to actually be here instead of watching it on a screen.”

The teacher clapped his hands to regain the attention of the chattering students.

“Alright, everyone. First, we’ll follow the Seoul City Hall staff for a quick tour, and then you’ll have some free hunting time. Please line up again. Also, please refer to the maps we handed out earlier, as it will help you navigate more efficiently.”

The students unfolded their maps, which had been meticulously drawn up over the past year with detailed information about the Fissure.

A moment later, Cheol-Soo stood before the line of students with Do-Jun and Hyuk-Soo behind him.

Knowing that they were outnumbered, the goblins didn’t show any signs of attacking. It was a natural survival instinct that any animal would have.

“Things are going quite smoothly,” Hyuk-Soo muttered while keeping watch, and Do-Jun nodded in agreement.

If things continued like this, they would be done with the field trip with no significant events.

“So, which one is your daughter?” Hyuk-Soo whispered.

Do-Jun pointed to a spot about ten meters away.

Hyuk-Soo gazed in the direction and was slightly surprised. “She’s pretty! She’ll probably break a lot of hearts when she grows up.”

Yoon-Hee was comparable to most celebrities. Though she still had an immature look, it was almost a given how much more beautiful she would become as she matured.

At that moment, Yoon-Hee glanced back at the chatting Do-Jun and Hyuk-Soo.

Teacher Lee Joo-Hyung and Chief Cheol-Soo were loudly explaining the Fissure in front of her, but it barely registered in her ears. And when Do-Jun and Yoon-Hee made eye contact, she blushed and turned her head forward.

She sure is adorable.

Do-Jun smiled.

***

An hour had passed since they entered the Fissure.

As all they had to do was walk around the Fissure without hunting anything, that was enough time to complete the tour.

“Now, we’ll give you some free hunting time. You may hunt individually or in teams,” Teacher Lee Joo-Hyung called out to the students.

With only goblins appearing in this Fissure and no boss monsters present, the likelihood of any dangerous situations was low as long as everyone remained cautious.

“Just don’t stray too far.”

With Lee Joo-Hyung’s permission, smiles spread across the students’ faces.

“Good job,” Cheol-Soo said as he walked over.

Hyuk-Soo smiled as he massaged Cheol-Soo’s shoulders. “You did all the hard work, Chief.”

“I need a break. Man, how do these kids come up with so many questions?” Cheol-Soo shook his head and clicked his tongue as he looked at the freshmen who were hunting... or rather, slaughtering the goblins.

With every flash of a mana gun, a goblin’s body exploded.

When a dagger was swung, a goblin’s head fell off.

“Do you think any of them will sign with us after they graduate?” Hyuk-Soo wondered aloud.

“Who knows? Probably not, though...” Cheol-Soo said after clicking his tongue.

Thinking so made him feel a bit deflated, as one reason they put in so much effort today was to leave a good impression of the Fissure Management Division on the students.

***

Bang!

The mana stored in the mana gun was converted into a bullet and fired. It shot out from the muzzle, spinning rapidly, and pierced through the goblin’s head.

“Phew.” Yoon-Hee wiped the sweat from her forehead.

She could definitely feel that she had grown stronger compared to a month ago, though it wasn’t a big change.

With the next physical enhancement, she would likely have even more mana.

“So, what did you think?” she asked Do-Jun.

“Impressive,” Do-Jun replied with a smile.

Seeing their child grow was always a joyous thing for a parent.

Crackle.

Huh? Do-Jun looked up at the sky.

When they had first entered the Fissure, the sky had been clear without a cloud in sight.

The sun is setting, Do-Jun thought.

Wooooong.

The airflow inside the Fissure was gradually increasing in speed.

As his gaze followed the direction of the airflow, he spotted a goblin different from the other ones in the Fissure.

Is that a skull? Do-Jun thought, spotting a skull-shaped tattoo engraved on the goblin’s forehead.

According to the data, we shouldn’t see a boss monster here.

Do-Jun pulled out his SpacePad and accessed the Fissure Management System.

He reviewed the Fissure’s information again, but there was no mention of a boss anywhere.

It’s not attacking, though.

The goblin didn’t make any moves toward Do-Jun or Yoon-Hee.

“Father, please step back.”

Click.

She aimed her mana gun at the goblin’s forehead.

Even if it was a boss monster, it was only an F-rank boss. A mana bullet to the vital spot should kill it instantly.

Whrlllll.

The mana from her body flowed into the mana gun, and a mana bullet was created in the chamber.

Bang!

Thud.

Blood spurted from the goblin’s forehead as it collapsed.

Yoon-Hee smiled brightly and approached the goblin’s corpse. But a dark current surged from the goblin’s body at that moment.

Crackle, crackle, crackle!

[You have defeated a Fissure Warden.]

[The conditions have been met. An Event Fissure will open.]

[Difficulty will be set randomly.]

“Huh...?”

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Ripppp!

The space began to tear open from the ground to the sky. A Fissure was rapidly forming, spiraling upward endlessly.

Booooooom!

W-what is this...? Yoon-Hee gasped in shock, taking a step back.

At that moment, a gust of wind blew from the Fissure, lifting her into the air and pulling her into the newly formed Fissure. And as soon as she disappeared behind the Fissure, it began to close rapidly.

Bang!

Do-Jun pushed off the ground and leaped into the Fissure after her.

[You are entering the Nest of Izaas.]

The Fissure that swallowed Do-Jun and Yoon-Hee vanished without a trace.

***

Thud.

Yoon-Hee collapsed to the ground as her legs gave out.

[You have entered the Nest of Izaas.]

[Event triggered!]

[Survive for more than 30 minutes or defeat Izaas. Rewards will be given upon success.]

An empty canyon surrounded them, and in the center, a massive dragon exhaled steam from its nostrils.

“Hmm,” Do-Jun hummed thoughtfully.

He had followed Yoon-Hee into the Fissure without much thought. He looked down and found her trembling with fear.

Yoon-Hee was startled, seeing Do-Jun standing silently beside her.

“D-dad... t-that thing is...”

The word death flashed through Yoon-Hee’s mind as she recalled a Giant Fissure that had appeared around Busan three years ago.

The creature before her resembled the Dragon Family that had been discovered there.

She remembered reading in a Hunter’s report that it had taken eight S-rank Hunters and twenty A-rank Hunters three days of fierce battle to finally defeat the creature called Masalis.

I guess this is it, Do-Jun thought with a sigh.

He took off his suit jacket and draped it over Yoon-Hee.

“Dad...?”

“Let me borrow your mana gun for a second.”

“Sorry...?”

Do-Jun took the mana gun from Yoon-Hee’s waist.

“Feeble humans,” Izaas said.

He opened his mouth wide, and a red fireball began to form, growing larger and larger.

It was Dragon’s Breath, an attack that instantly killed two S-rank Hunters.

“Stay here,” Do-Jun told Yoon-Hee and walked forward.

Yoon-Hee’s eyes widened in shock. She tried to get up to stop him, but her legs wouldn’t move.

“D-dad, Dad, no!”

Then, the Dragon’s Breath was unleashed.

Kwoooaaarrr!

But what unfolded next made Yoon-Hee doubt her own eyes.

The Dragon’s Breath split into two streams right in front of Do-Jun. What she saw when the Dragon’s Breath ceased was Do-Jun standing there, completely unharmed, looking way too normal.

“You took a shot, so I can take one, too, right?” Do-Jun said, aiming the mana gun at Izaas.

As his internal energy slowly flowed from his dantian into the mana gun, the air began to tremble, and the ground shook.

Rumble, rumble!

“H-h-hold on a minute!” Izaas hastily exclaimed, trying to call for a timeout.