Solo Leveling: Banishment of the Anomaly

Joo-Hee tried to reposition herself into a meditative state, activating her skill, [Basic Meditation], to replenish her lost mana.

However, before she could even begin, Chairman Go Gun-Hee approached her, offering a high-grade healing potion.

As soon as he heard Min Byung-Gyu's assessment of her condition, he wasted no time.

Joo-Hee could only bow slightly in gratitude before drinking the potion.

As expected, her tongue was still numb, making it difficult to properly taste the liquid.

All she could perceive was the sensation of cool liquid flowing through her parched mouth.

A barren land finally receiving water after millennia—that was how she described the sensation in her mind.

Minutes passed as she continued meditating and utilizing her healing ability.

Once she felt somewhat recovered, Joo-Hee slowly stood up, stretching her limbs despite the lingering mental strain.

The moment she was upright, three figures swiftly closed in on her—Eunseok, Jong-In, and Yoonho.

Their playful attitudes from earlier were gone, replaced with professional expressions as they made their best impressions.

Choi Jong-In was the first to step forward, extending his hand.

"Ms. Lee, I am the Guild Master of the Hunter's Guild, Choi Jong-In. Regarding the damages here, you don't need to worry—I'll cover a large portion of the costs, as promised earlier."

Hearing this, Eunseok and Yoonho both twitched slightly. Their inner thoughts were in sync:

'Not be worried my ass! It took forever to get you to donate that money!'

Yoonho coughed, side-eyeing the shameless Choi Jong-In before stepping in himself. With a smooth motion, he presented a business card.

"Ms. Lee, your ability is truly remarkable. It surpasses what we'd expect from an A-Rank Hunter. With such talent, I can only hope you'll consider joining my guild."

Not to be left behind, Eunseok followed suit, extending his own card with a confident nod.

Joo-Hee found herself bombarded with three S-Rank hunters competing for her attention.

Under normal circumstances, she might have been smug about this situation.

After all, it was the first time such high-ranking characters from the novel had actively sought her out.

But right now?

She was mentally exhausted and physically couldn't even speak.

Instead of replying verbally, she activated [Nature's Embrace], summoning a fragment of barrier magic in front of her.

On its transparent surface, she carefully wrote her response:

"I would like to express my gratitude for your offers, sirs. Mr. Park Eunseok, please also extend my thanks to Mr. Min for healing me—I greatly appreciate it. I will repay this favor in the future."

As she continued, more glowing hangul letters formed one by one on the barrier fragment:

"Regarding the guild I'll be joining, I will think it through for now. But if I choose any of you, I just hope you will still guide me as a fellow hunter of South Korea, even if your guild is not the one I choose."

She then offered a slight bow to the three before walking off to find a chair to sit on.

Letting out a tired sigh, she watched as the three guild masters stared at her glowing message in awe.

One thought echoed in their minds, 'Such control over barrier magic… it's exceptional!'

They could only look at her retreating back, unable to say anything.

Joo-Hee, however, focused solely on her healing, contemplating the extent of the damage she had sustained.

'Thankfully, Jong-In was willing to offer some help. If not, I might have really fallen into debt early on. But I must refrain from using this ability for the time being, or I might endanger myself even more. If Min Byung-Gyu hadn't been around, I would have been completely defenseless after just two uses,' she pondered while looking at the damaged ceiling.

She wrapped herself in healing mana, scanning her body for further injuries.

...

Meanwhile, on the first floor, another reassessment was underway.

Song Chi-Yul and Kang Jeonho were being tested by Woo Jin-Chul, whose eyes widened in disbelief as Joo-Hee's earlier words were confirmed.

The mana measurement assessment revealed that Song Chi-Yul's mana had increased to 1,096, officially making him a B-minus Rank Hunter, while Kang Jeonho's mana rose to 604, solidifying his position as a fully-fledged C-Rank Hunter.

This shocking revelation sent a chill down Woo Jin-Chul's spine.

He knew that this discovery could mark the beginning of a new opportunity for hunters.

His mind continued to race as he tried to piece everything together, 'So there's actually another way to increase one's permanent mana quantity besides reawakening…'

But then, another realization struck him. 'Wait a minute—wasn't Mr. Sung Jin-Woo also with them?'

His brows furrowed as a chill ran down his spine. 'Does that mean… he's no longer an E-Rank Hunter now?'

Jin-Chul wasn't the only one burdened with countless questions.

The agents beside him, though still reeling from what they had just witnessed, exchanged uneasy glances, each wondering the same thing.

Meanwhile, Song Chi-Yul and Kang Jeongho were beyond shocked.

They had never imagined that Joo-Hee's reawakening would have indirectly helped them increase their mana reserves—something that had always been considered stagnant after a Hunter's first awakening.

For Song Chi-Yul, the joy was twofold.

Not only had his crippled arm been fully restored, but his rank had also increased significantly.

His hands trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists, feeling the mana surging within him as he mused, 'To think I would be blessed with such an opportunity…'

His eyes flickered with emotion as his thoughts turned toward Joo-Hee and Jin-Woo.

'If not for those two, I might either be dead or have been forced to retire much earlier…'

Determination filled his heart, 'I-I won't forget this favor. And I'll keep my promise—to never reveal that Sung kid's true strength.'

On the other hand, Kang Jeong-Ho, practically vibrating with excitement, immediately pulled out his phone and called his family.

The sheer gratitude in his voice was undeniable as he relayed the news.

...

However…

In a dimly lit seed shop, far from the chaos of the Hunter Association, a lone figure sat behind a counter filled with exotic plants.

The witch, inhabiting a human body of Park Maejin, smiled, her lips curling into something between amusement and sinister delight.

Her eyes, glowing with three irises—black, gold, and white—flickered with an eerie light as she murmured, "The world's fate is shifting in rapid succession. That dumb kid… he's really trying to ruin this world."

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, laced with both curiosity and warning.

"I didn't even dare to alter the timeline or change it to avoid alarming the dormant Worldview Spirit... yet that human boy dares to do such reckless things. How interesting~"

She exhaled softly, releasing a black mist from her fingertips.

The dark vapor curled in the air before settling on a carnivorous plant resting on the counter.

The plant withered instantly, its once vibrant green leaves turning black before crumbling into ash.

Maejin's fingers idly traced the rim of a ceramic pot as she mused, "Well… I suppose change is necessary, especially with that kid's existence in this world."

Her gaze darkened, "Now, now, what will happen to this Worldview once it awakens from the Falsity of Reality?"

She smirked, watching the black ashes scatter into the air with a lazy flick of her fingers.

"As long as it doesn't kill that brat…" her tone shifted, now carrying an unmistakable hint of possessiveness.

"Or this world's Heaven's Herald…"

Maejin leaned back, her expression unreadable.

"I'll just sit back and enjoy his show. Good luck, little Sage of Ariase~"

...

As the documents were filled and the necessary forms signed, Joo-Hee's rank reassessment was officially completed.

She, along with the five S-Rank Hunters, moved to a different room, one commonly used for conferences, where discussions regarding her situation began.

Piles of papers and contracts were placed before her, each outlining the benefits of being an A-Rank Hunter who had undergone Second Awakening.

Joo-Hee carefully scanned the clauses, signing them one by one after thoroughly analyzing the advantages.

The benefits were undeniably tempting, especially for someone as broke as she was:

Permission to raid A-Rank Dungeons and below.

A permanent 30% discount on dungeon-related fees.

Reduced tax when selling dungeon items and Essence Stones.

Discounts on purchasing weapons and items through the Association.

And many more...

'These are all great. But...' her fingers gently tapped the table, '...this isn't what interests me the most.'

She remembered an exemption Jin-Woo had received later in the novel—the ability to enter dungeons alone, without needing a required headcount.

'If I can secure that exemption… I'll be able to level up much faster.'

Her temples throbbed as a headache began to settle in, her body still suffering from the immense mental strain.

She squeezed her eyes shut momentarily before sighing, 'Forget it, I'll just return tomorrow or another day to discuss it further.'

Taking a deep breath, her voice coming out coarse and strained as she spoke, "M-Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry… but would it be all right if I return home for now?"

Her vision blurred slightly as she pushed the papers aside, "I'll visit the Association tomorrow if I have some time… but I'd like to rest for today, if possible."

Go Gunhee raised an eyebrow, noticing the paleness on her face.

His tone was laced with concern as he responded, "I apologize. It was inappropriate of us to keep you here for so long—especially after you just cleared a dungeon and demonstrated your abilities."

"I'll appoint a driver to take you home," he gestured to one of the nearby agents. 

Joo-Hee nodded in gratitude and slowly rose to her feet.

But the moment she stood up, a sudden warmth trickled down from her nose.

She barely had time to register the sensation before her vision spun and her body gave out beneath her.

Thud.

She collapsed.

The five S-Rank Hunters shot up from their seats, their voices filled with alarm, "Ms. Lee!"