《Levelling Up In An Exclusive Dungeon》 Chapter 1 Many years ago, the monsters on this continent began to disappear. At first, I thought they were already extinct, but after investigating, I discovered that it wasn¡¯t the case. The monsters that disappeared have moved to a different dimension. Movement between dimensions. It was a long-standing ambition for wizards like me. I don¡¯t know why such a thing happened to the monsters. But now that it¡¯s helped with my research, the reason doesn¡¯t really matter. ¡°I¡¯m done setting up the coordinates¡­. And the magic spell is connected too!¡± With my magic wand, which was crafted over a long period of time, I opened my arms toward the ceiling. I¡¯m lucky to be able to use this dungeon called the Great Labyrinth. Once I use my magic spell here, moving between the dimensions won¡¯t be a difficult task. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± When I shouted out loud and activated my spell, the surroundings turned blue. It was like the phenomenon seen just before the monsters were transported to the other dimension. I closed my eyes as I confirmed that my research was correct. I believe that I¡¯ll be in a different dimension once I open my eyes. However, the surrounding area remained quiet as time passed. Feeling the chilly wind pass by the sleeves of my shirt, I slightly opened my closed eyes. When I re-examined my surroundings, only an empty field was seen, not dungeons. What could this mean? It didn¡¯t take long for me to realize. ¡°Could it be¡­? Is this dungeon dimension deserted?¡± At the same time. The wizard was not the only one who felt absurd. Hunter Kang Jihyuk arrived home and checked his attic. He lost his words as he saw the result of the actions of the wizard who failed to move dimensions. ¡°What the f**k is this?¡± A labyrinth that he thought could only be seen in movies. Anyone would be surprised to find such a thing inside their attic. * * * The dawn wind was cold. It¡¯s not yet winter though, as it was only October. The dawn where the sun was yet to rise was cool enough to bring out white breath. Olympic Park, 1st Gymnasium in Songpa-gu, Seoul. Despite the cold weather, there were many people lined up in front. They lined up at dawn just so they could see their favorite celebrities. Kang Jinhyuk was in a sales booth right next to the place, and he was transporting water bottles for business. On his way to the truck, he saw a packed line in front of the gymnasium. He stopped in his tracks and admired the sight. He was envious that people could be immersed in such things. As Kang Jinhyuk stood in place for some moments, someone bumped into him. When he turned his head, it was a sunbae from his part-time job. (T/N: Sunbae means someone with seniority) ¡°Why are you spacing out over there?¡± ¡°Just a moment¡­.¡± ¡°We have to hurry. Not even half of the job is done.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When his sunbae loaded the truck with the water bottles, Jinhyuk got on the passenger seat. The sunbae started the truck and moved off. He glanced at Jinhyuk. While he was deep in his thoughts, Jinhyuk¡¯s sleeves caught his eye. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you cold in this weather?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a hunter. Did you forget that hunters endure warm and cold weather well?¡± ¡°Does that apply to D-ranks too?¡± ¡°I know, lucky right? Thanks to it, my air conditioning fee stays low.¡± ¡°Kyaa, I¡¯m jealous of you.¡± The conversation was cut off after a while, and the awkward silence settled again. The sunbae¡¯s personality makes him unable to stand the awkwardness, so he asked something that he was curious about. ¡°Why did you take on this part-time job when you¡¯re already a hunter?¡± ¡°¡­What do you think? It¡¯s because I got no money.¡± He belatedly realized that it was a rude question. Even if he tried to wrap up the conversation in a hurry with an awkward smile, the damage was already done. Instead, the sunbae came up with something to console Jihyuk. ¡°It would be nice if guilds give up their monopoly, right?¡± ¡°No way would those bastards do that.¡± The guilds monopolized the areas where monsters usually appeared. They weren¡¯t satisfied with such monopoly, they even refused to yield the monsters that occasionally appear in other places too. For powerless D-rank hunters like Kang Jinhyuk, there¡¯s no way to hunt monsters so they have to pursue a different path from being a hunter. He had no choice but to take on a part-time job. Kang Jinhyuk let out a low sigh. ¡°It¡¯s been difficult these days, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been acting worse.¡± ¡°Why? Did something happen between the guilds?¡± Kang Jinhyuk looked puzzled at why his sunbae was curious. He stared at his senior with eyes that seemed to ask ¡®how can you not know?¡¯ ¡°You haven¡¯t heard of the news?¡± ¡°What news?¡± ¡°Since about a month ago, a crazy killer had been running wild with this crazy concept of catching and killing hunters from large guilds.¡± Upon hearing Jinhyuk¡¯s explanation, the sunbae laughed helplessly. ¡°Are you saying that those bastards can¡¯t catch a single killer?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± When asked if the criminal has been caught, they make several excuses with their polite little voice, but in reality, they just don¡¯t want him to be caught. The existence of a ¡®killer¡¯ was just an excuse to trample over their opponents. Those people have no intention of catching the criminal. It¡¯s foolish to think that they¡¯d be beaten and killed by a simple weak and idiotic murderer. They seem to be convinced that they¡¯re unbeatable. ¡°The more I hear about them, the crazier they seem to me.¡± ¡°Same here.¡± If he had known that being a hunter would result in this situation, he would¡¯ve picked a different path. Kang JInhyuk had dreamed of succeeding as a hunter, but he was in the same pathetic place for three years already. Usually, a person who suffers this much would experience some sort of reward. Why doesn¡¯t the sun shine in his life? Just when does he have to wait for an opportunity? While having such thoughts, Kang Jinhyuk heard a scream in his ear. It wasn¡¯t from a single person, but a number of different screams. The sunbae also heard it as he saw visible agitation in his face. ¡°Hey, the concert¡¯s start is still in a few hours right?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± The screams didn¡¯t sound like shouts of joy. It sounded like a scream shouting for help in fear. Usually, those kind of screams are heard when there are cases of terrorism, or when a monster appears. It¡¯s either of the two. Either way, it was a big opportunity for Kang Jinhyuk. ¡°Finally!¡± It happened in the place where he was working part-time. It¡¯s an incident that happened where most people are either asleep or out of it. Isn¡¯t it true that heroes are made during a crisis? Kang Jinhyuk felt that his opportunity had come. He took out the aluminum bat from the worn out inventory that he carries around in case things like this happen. ¡°Sunbae, go run away.¡± ¡°What about you? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going over there.¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± ¡°Alone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier to make money if I¡¯m alone.¡± Even if other hunters arrive at the area, they¡¯d only compete among themselves. That¡¯s why it¡¯s better to go hunt alone. ¡°Should I go help you? I¡¯ve been working out recently, so I¡¯m confident that I gained some strength.¡± Kang Jinhyuk scoffed at his sunbae¡¯s words. ¡°You know that monsters can only be caught by hunters, right?¡± It wasn¡¯t a question of strength. There¡¯s a special wavelength that surrounds the monsters, so civilian attacks and even attacks from conventional weapons won¡¯t work on them. Only hunters have the stats that could penetrate that wavelength. ¡°Please evacuate and don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± Kang Jinhyuk ran in the direction of the screams with no hesitation. As expected, there were monsters attacking people. He smiled unknowingly. With that large number of monsters, he would be able to live comfortably for at least a year without worrying about money, or even if he catches small ones of these bastards. ¡°Okay!¡± Kang Jinhyuk dashed forward with momentum, but a certain man stood in front of him before he could even reach the monsters. Knowing that the man was the president of the company that hired him, Jinhyuk stopped in his tracks. Jinhyuk didn¡¯t understand why the president would block him. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m blocking you so you can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Yeah, but why are you doing this?¡± Jinhyuk, who was contemplating on why the president would do such a thing, thought that the president was just trying to prevent civilians from entering the scene. So he took out his wallet to show his Hunter Certificate. ¡°I¡¯m a hunter, so I have the ability to catch those things. Please move out of the way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re a hunter that I¡¯m not letting you in there. Someone already owns this area.¡± ¡°An owner?¡± ¡°Yes. All monsters that spawn here belong to the ¡®Titans¡¯.¡± Jinhyuk thought that was ridiculous. He was aware of the fact that many companies signed contracts with large guilds. Who would¡¯ve thought that their impact reached this far. Jinhyuk realized that the monopoly of the guilds grew worse day by day. ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted the Titans. Just go back to the part-time job that you were working on.¡± ¡°What nonsense! I¡¯ve arrived here earlier than anyone else!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stubborn and just go. Did you forget what kind of guild the Titans is? They are one of the top five in Korea!¡± ¡°So what! Get out of my way, right now!¡± His stats were determined when he became a hunter. He even went to the Hunters Association to get his certificate. He¡¯s well prepared and qualified to hunt monsters. Even if he lacked some things, he had to try at least. Kang Jinhyuk slipped to the side of the president that was blocking his way. He was a mere D-rank, but he can attack the monsters with his raw strength. ¡°Aigoo!¡± As the president fell backward, Kang Jinhyuk dashed towards the monsters. However, he couldn¡¯t take another step forward. Someone from behind tightly grabbed Jinhyuk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Oh?¡± The hand that was grabbing his shoulder immediately pulled him back. It was like being hit by a strong wave. Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s body was pulled back with no resistance. And then he was thrown towards the ground with force and he rolled aggressively. ¡°Ahkk!¡± The person who pulled Kang Jinhyuk spoke to him in a cold tone while he collapsed. ¡°Don¡¯t think about getting a spoonful here. Get lost.¡± Jinhyuk raised his head to see a flock of hunters gathering in the area. Those people wore all black clothes and a jacket, and a uniform pattern was drawn on their shoulders. Jinhyuk knew that it was the symbol of the Titans, one of Korea¡¯s largest guilds. ¡°Of course I¡¯m going to get a spoonful here! I arrived here first!¡± ¡°Why does it matter that you arrived here first? This place belongs to our district.¡± ¡°What kind of law permits that!¡± ¡°What the?¡± ¡°You¡¯re insisting that there¡¯s a law that permits the person who arrives at the scene first to have control over an area? Is that law determined by the Association?¡± What Ahn Doyoon, Titan¡¯s deputy guild leader, meant was simple. If the opinion of both sides is not really determined by law, then the people who were stronger and more influential would be the ones who are correct. That¡¯s what Ahn Doyoon wanted to convey. ¡°What kind of bulls*** is that!¡± Jinhyuk got up on his feet. He couldn¡¯t stand the sight of these Titans hunting the monsters. ¡°Stop right there, you bastards!¡± Jinhyuk, swayed by his strong emotions, held his bat and rushed towards Ahn Doyoon. Even if all the monsters are taken away by them, he wanted to strike that annoying face just once. However, he was the one beaten instead. A fist struck his left cheek and he once again collapsed on the floor. The familiar texture of the asphalt scratched Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s skin mercilessly. ¡°All you trash bastards are coming for me.¡± Ahn Doyoon bit his tongue and looked visibly uncomfortable as he whispered an order to a hunter that was beside him. ¡°If that jerk tries to rush in again, beat him up and kick him out.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Jinhyuk heard what they said and clenched his fists. He knew it in his head. The Titans was a guild that only accepted hunters above B-rank. It¡¯s common sense that a D-rank hunter won¡¯t be able to overpower such guild members. Today was the first time he personally experienced it with his body. He realized the true situation of a D-rank hunter. When he felt the pain in his body, he didn¡¯t think of fighting anymore. The president, who stood by and witnessed everything, picked up Jinhyuk¡¯s body. ¡°This is why I told you to let it go.¡± The president shook off the dirt in Jinhyuk¡¯s clothes as he offered some words of encouragement. However, those words don¡¯t mean anything to Jinhyuk at this moment. He could only think of the missed opportunity in front of him. It was something he had been anticipating for a long time. He had high hopes, but the wall of reality hit him hard. Even though they were all hunters, only some of them take the merit. He was only a part-timer who transports water bottles to make a small amount of money. With all his dreams and expectations falling apart, Kang Jinhyuk moved on lifelessly. Even when his sunbae asked him what¡¯s wrong, he didn¡¯t answer. He just silently focused on what he could do at the moment. ¡°Fxxx this¡­!¡± At this moment, all Jinhyuk wanted to do was to cheer on the killer that vies for the large guild hunters. Even if he knew that it was morally wrong, it was the only way for the D-rank hunter to console himself. * * * Just like that, some time had passed from the events of that day. The Titans skillfully handled and suppressed the monsters. It was perfect news for the concert-goers that night. Thanks to that, Jinhyuk was able to receive his wage. However, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t feel an ounce of happiness. The daily wage that came into his account was only a few dollars. If he caught even just one monster, he wouldn¡¯t be broke like this. The hunter Kang Jinhyuk felt pathetic that he could only work as a part-timer even when there were monsters right in front of him. But he didn¡¯t have any choice. He¡¯ll know for sure when he goes to work today. This was the reality of a D-rank hunter. There¡¯s no choice but to bow his head to the large guilds, even if it was unfair. However, he needs more than 30 million won to do something. But all Kang Jinyuk had was his earnings for today. It¡¯s a tight life to live from paycheck to paycheck. It¡¯s almost impossible for him to save up 30 million won. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Kang Jinhyuk wanted to go home right away as he ignored his sunbae¡¯s invite for drinks. He had a strong desire to drink today, but he couldn¡¯t afford it. He had another part-time job to go to in two hours. Jinhyuk didn¡¯t have the liberty to get drunk yet. He wanted to be alone for now. ¡°Fxxk¡­.¡± When he arrived home, he could only let out a swear word that sounded like a sigh. He trudged himself to the living room and just lay down on the floor. Jinhyuk looked around his 40 square meter apartment and sighed. The apartment he lives in looks spacious because he was living alone. It was difficult to pay rent with his daily wage. Nevertheless, Jinhyuk wanted to live in this house even though he has to overwork himself every day. He still had some vague hope that he would succeed one day. But that hope disappeared today. He could never succeed as a D-rank hunter. Not when he doesn¡¯t have any capital. ¡°I should just leave this apartment this month.¡± I should go live in a place that¡¯s more suitable for my situation. That¡¯s what Jinhyuk thought. It¡¯s only realistic to quit being a hunter and just slowly save money to find a better job. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Jinhyuk made a decision, but he felt even more depressed because it wasn¡¯t what he wanted for himself. His frustration grew as time went by. Right then, he heard something drop in his attic. ¡°W-what is that?¡± Did the stacked items fall off up there? Kang Jinhyuk hurriedly stood up and opened the door to the attic. ¡°O-oh¡­?¡± He lost his words when he saw what was inside his attic. There were stone walls, just like in games or movies, intricately intertwined to form some sort of labyrinth. He had no idea why such a thing would appear in his attic. When he approached to take a closer look, he was shaken as a Goblin suddenly appeared in front of him. ¡°Ahh!¡± He was so surprised that he fell backward and toppled over the items that were stacked in his attic. During all that, the goblin¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on Jinhyuk. The goblin continued towards him. The same was true for the other goblins behind the first one. Among all the goblins, none of them were looking directly at Jinhyuk. ¡°Could it be¡­ They can¡¯t see me?¡± It seems like he can see inside the labyrinth, but those inside the labyrinth couldn¡¯t see him. He carefully tried to pass his hand through. And it did. He didn¡¯t feel any resistance. He pulled out his hand and burst into laughter. The labyrinth had monsters inside. Kang Jinhyuk knew exactly what it meant for him. ¡°A dungeon¡­ A dungeon appeared in my attic?!¡± Chapter 2 Kang Jinhyuk closed his attic door and proceeded to his living room. He sat in a chair and looked like he was deep in his thoughts. Anyway, it¡¯s impossible to know why or how a dungeon randomly appeared in his attic. The matter that he was thinking about now was ¡®how do I deal with this labyrinth?¡¯ The most realistic and safe move was to report this matter to the Association. But there¡¯s no way Kang Jinhyuk would choose to do that. According to the manual, that decision would obviously be the best. But that was a matter of the association¡¯s policies. And it was the worst thing to do if Kang Jinhyuk was to take into consideration his own interests. ¡°If the association finds out the truth, I¡¯d be kicked out right away.¡± Although monsters always existed in this world, the matter of ¡®dungeons¡¯ was new and had never been discovered. If the association finds out about the dungeon, they¡¯d order an investigation immediately. The investigation would be launched with only the elite hunters dispatched by the association, and Kang JInhyuk, a D-rank hunter, would be banned from accessing it. Kang Jinhyuk would receive only a few rewards in return. ¡°Do they think I¡¯m crazy that I¡¯ll just give this up like nothing?¡± Even though it¡¯s a house that he rents monthly with his wage, this place was Jinhyuk¡¯s home and that attic is his property as well. However, there¡¯s a way that he can prevent that from happening. Kang Jinhyuk remembered today¡¯s events with the Titans. They didn¡¯t spare even a single monster, and those people in the association belong in the same category as them. The association is responsible for this since they were the ones who neglected the tyranny of the large guilds. He¡¯s going to turn over the dungeon to such people? Just imagining it made his blood boil. If it¡¯s possible, Kang Jinhyuk wanted to make the dungeon exclusively for himself. However, for that to happen, he has to verify something first. ¡°Those monsters¡­. They¡¯re unable to cross over here, right?¡± The goblin doesn¡¯t recognize the attic environment at all. However, just because the goblin doesn¡¯t recognize it doesn¡¯t mean it can¡¯t cross over. Kang Jinhyuk had no choice but to check with his own body. He grabbed his baseball bat and entered the attic again. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a big problem if I¡¯m able to cross¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s hunter rank was only D-rank. His limit was only 2-3 monsters that he can take head on. As soon as his limit is reached, it¡¯s going to be a big problem for him if monsters were to come out of the attic. ¡°Please, please.¡± Jinhyuk prayed earnestly in his heart as he entered the attic. When his body completely entered the dungeon, an alarm rang in his head. [You¡¯ve entered the dungeon.] [Current Location: Floor 1 ¨C Goblin¡¯s Labyrinth] A message appeared in front of Jinhyuk. He expected this. As expected, this place was a dungeon. ¡°Screech?¡± While Jinhyuk read the notification, a goblin inside the labyrinth started approaching him. He realized it when he heard the goblin screech. ¡°Screech!¡± When the goblin rushed towards him while waving a stone axe, Jinhyuk ran away. He can take on a single goblin by himself, but he had something to confirm first right away. Kang Jinhyuk hurriedly exited the dungeon and arrived back to his attic, which left the goblin puzzled. Then, the goblin stood on the boundary between the attic and the dungeon and waved his stone axe. The place which the goblin hit made a sound as if there was a transparent wall. ¡°Not only can the goblin not see through, he can¡¯t come here as well.¡± His face brightened when he saw this. Now that he confirmed that it was safe, there¡¯s only one thing left for him to do. Kang Jinhyuk swung his bat at the goblin immediately right when he reentered the dungeon. ¡°Screeeech!¡± The goblin, hit hard by the aluminum bat, screamed and collapsed. It seems like Kang Jinhyuk wanted to make a porridge out of the goblin since he hit his head over and over. ¡°Screech!! Screech!¡± After a few moments, the goblin who screamed on and on was completely beaten. At the same time, Jinhyuk felt his strength rising. [Level Up] As he levelled up from Level 3 to Level 4, Kang Jinhyuk felt touched. It was his first time eliminating an enemy since he became a hunter. He shouldered the burden alone. Only by himself. He hunted the monster without worrying about his set limit. ¡°Grrrr¡­.¡± Kang Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t suppress the laugh that formed inside him. It¡¯s been three years. He stayed in Level 3 for three years, but just catching one goblin like this made him level up immediately. Jinhyuk realized just how ridiculous the large guilds were. ¡°Those b***h-a** bastards. They don¡¯t have an ounce of conscience in them.¡± Right now, he could acquire 30 million won just by catching this goblin alone. Large guilds dominated these kinds of monsters all the time, so they must have earned a lot of profits. ¡°It¡¯s because these guilds monopolized the monsters that their reward is so expensive now. Fxxk them.¡± Monster¡¯s corpses are expensive, so equipment and items used to hunt them are naturally sold at high prices as well. Hunters below C-rank, who lack money and capital, are in a continuous trap of becoming poorer. Jinhyuk grew angrier and angrier as he thought of the crimes of these large guilds. Just this morning, he felt helpless and couldn¡¯t do anything, but it¡¯s different now. An opportunity, in the form of this ¡®dungeon¡¯, came to him. As long as such natural luck comes to him, he has no more reason to be heartbroken or resentful. If he had any complaints, he could just hunt monsters and become stronger. However, it¡¯s not possible to do so immediately. An alarm in his handphone rang, informing him that it¡¯s almost time for his next part-time job. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk felt like he wanted to abandon his part-time job and just hunt here instead. But he knew that he would cause a big nuisance if he quit his job without giving prior notice. Since the kind-hearted Jinhyuk didn¡¯t want to be a burden to other people, he left the dungeon and went to work for the last time today. * * * After finishing his last shift at his job, Kang Jinhyuk visited the Association¡¯s trade market. Even though it¡¯s already night, the trade market was quite crowded. Hunters were selling their loot and buying items for their next hunt. Since the market has a lot of customers, the number of employees here was not small as well. ¡°Come in, come in! What¡¯s your business here today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to sell a monster corpse¡­¡± ¡°Get a queuing number and wait, I¡¯ll evaluate it as soon as it¡¯s your turn.¡± Kang Jinhyuk followed the worker¡¯s order and took a numbered tag from a machine near the entrance. Considering the large number of people in the market, the queue wasn¡¯t that long. Only three people were in front of Kang Jinhyuk. After 10 minutes, his turn finally came. ¡°What are you selling here?¡± The appraiser that welcomed Jinhyuk looked like a middle-aged man with a lot of experience. Instead of just answering, Jinhyuk took out the monster¡¯s corpse from his inventory and placed it on the table. ¡°Uhmm, one goblin¡­¡± This was a very uncommon material here, even in a place where numerous hunters gathered. The appraiser looked through the corpse presented by Jinhyuk and looked disappointed. ¡°I see you don¡¯t have a lot of hunting experience.¡± ¡°What? How could you know¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious from the way that the bones are almost powdered.¡± The goblin arm picked up by the appraiser hung like a sobbing mollusk. ¡°If you catch them like this, their value falls by a lot. Next time, it¡¯s better if you just aim for their vital point. He spoke in a harsh tone with no courtesy to the customer, but his words itself were good experience-based advice. The appraiser finished twice as fast as the other ones, and he gave his appraisal to the goblin. ¡°For this corpse, I can¡¯t give you more than 3.2 million won.¡± It was a low price, with only 200,000 increase from the minimum. But Jinhyuk accepted the result with no hesitation. It¡¯s understandable because of the damaged intestines, useless bones from severe fractures, and others. All the points that the appraiser raised were reasonable. ¡°I¡¯ll sell it at that price.¡± ¡°Good. All that¡¯s left to do is for you to tell me where you caught this monster, and then I¡¯ll confirm and deposit it for you.¡± ¡°W-where I caught the monster? Do I really have to tell you that?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s a bit troublesome, but it¡¯s the law so you have to comply.¡± Kang Jinhyuk is placed in a dilemma because he can¡¯t just reveal that he caught the goblin in the dungeon. ¡®Should I say that I caught it in the Olympic Park?¡¯ It¡¯s a reasonable excuse to say that a monster escaped while the Titans were off guard. However, he couldn¡¯t put that idea into practice. When he turned his head in the direction of the crowd, he saw a group of hunters entering the store. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Seeing that they wore a similar design of the Titan¡¯s uniform, it was clear that they were hunters from some guild. At the sight of those hunters, the appraiser hit his forehead and sighed. ¡°I see you¡¯ve come.¡± Looking at the appraiser¡¯s reaction and the hunters¡¯ harsh expressions, it seems like they never came here for a good purpose. And that hunch was completely right. A hunter skipped right to the front, right beside Jinhyhuk. ¡°Oh?¡± Even before asking the reason why Jinhyuk was here, the hunter grabbed his back. ¡°Is it you?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Are you the one who caught a monster in our hunting territory?¡± Kang Jinhyuk was flustered and couldn¡¯t give a proper answer. He was about to say that he caught this monster in Titan¡¯s territory, so he felt like he was stabbed in the head. Fortunately, the appraiser defended Jinhyuk, who still couldn¡¯t open his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s not the guy you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°So which one is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the blonde guy chatting around over there.¡± A man laughing and trembling, without even noticing that the store had gone noisy, was seen in the direction where the appraiser pointed. The man holding Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s neck let go immediately and headed towards the blonde guy. And then, he flipped the man¡¯s shoulder and faced the guy towards him. ¡°Ahk!¡± The blonde was hit by a flying fist to his face and passed out. He couldn¡¯t even get up as another man had kicked him. ¡°Ahk! Cough!¡± When I saw the assault take place, the colleague who was just talking to the blonde man came towards us suddenly. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± ¡°Shut up if you don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°What?¡± The blonde man¡¯s colleague was about to rush in. However, the guild members approached much faster than he could. ¡°This man hunted monsters in our guild¡¯s area without permission.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like him, stay in your lane.¡± When the guild hunters spoke with their fierce eyes, the blonde man¡¯s colleague took a step back. The scene of assault at the store ended only when the beaten man could barely catch his breath. They stopped hitting him when they saw that he might die with another hit. It¡¯s because of this vicious event that he can¡¯t just open his mouth. The hunter grabbed the blonde¡¯s hair and forced him to raise his face. ¡°Hey, were you walking around in our territory? Perhaps you¡¯re eyeing to kill us?¡± ¡°W-what nonsense is that¡­¡± The blonde tried to say that the hunter was mistaken, but the hunter hit his head before he could say anything. ¡°You could¡¯ve been the crazy killer that¡¯s running around these days. Let¡¯s patrol around and investigate for a bit. Sounds good?¡± The hunter asked the blonde man, who couldn¡¯t even speak as he had already fainted. Then, they finally left the store and abandoned the blonde man who couldn¡¯t even talk properly. After the hunters from the guild left, the whole store erupted with a sigh of relief. The appraiser, who witnessed the whole scene, clicked his tongue. ¡°They just rip off the money and leave calmly. They even go after things as ridiculous as this.¡± The appraiser gave Jinhyuk some advice. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like that man, don¡¯t even think of hunting on those guilds¡¯ territory.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk was speechless. It doesn¡¯t make sense that they monopolize the country, but how could they beat up a person so mercilessly just because he caught a monster in their area? Kang Jinhyuk felt chills in his spine. Even a guild that¡¯s not as famous as the TItans can do such a thing. What more if the Titans hear that he crossed their territory to hunt a monster? Maybe his legs wouldn¡¯t even be left intact by those bastards. ¡°How did that guild know where to find the blonde man?¡± ¡°What do you think? All guilds of a certain size have access to our servers.¡± ¡°Did that man who got beaten up say where he caught the monster?¡± ¡°If you get caught lying about where you caught the monster, your Hunter¡¯s License will be confiscated for the rest of your life. We don¡¯t really have much of a choice.¡± The more he learned about them, the more he realized that those guilds have so much advantage over the ordinary hunters. Kang Jinhyuk felt ridiculous and just returned the goblin to his inventory. ¡°I don¡¯t want to sell it anymore.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re leaving without selling that one?¡± ¡°Yes. I changed my mind¡­¡± It was the best decision because he couldn¡¯t afford to honestly reveal where he hunted this monster. He had to leave while the other hunters¡¯ attention were focused somewhere else. Just like that, Kang Jinhyuk left the store and ran away. ¡®F**k it! F**k!¡¯ Jinhyuk burst into anger on his way home. He¡¯s just doing his job as a hunter, yet he ran away feeling like a sinner. Kang Jinhyuk thought that all of this was because he lacked power. He needed more power and strength to live the life that he wants without worrying about those large guilds. ¡°We¡¯ll see, you dirty bastards.¡± Kang Jinhyuk had his own dungeon. As long as the dungeon was with him, he could train and be as strong as he wanted. All he needed now was time. Chapter 3 Kang Jinhyuk went inside the dungeon and immediately started hunting. Even though his level was low, goblins were not difficult monsters to deal with because they¡¯re the messiest out of the messy mobs. Kang Jinhyuk encountered five or six monsters when he recalled the appraiser¡¯s advice. This time, he aimed accurately for the goblin¡¯s head and quickly finished him off. [You have levelled up.] Jinhyuk opened his inventory and kept the goblin¡¯s corpse. It¡¯s amazing that a goblin can fit well inside the 110 cm pouch. His cheap inventory was easily closed since it contained nothing but the monster and a few items. ¡°Anway, the slots are enough for now.¡± Jinhyuk was delighted to discover this unexpected jackpot. But no matter how excited he was, he had to be careful and if he cherished his life. Just in case, he took two returning stones and left one of them back at the attic. The other one was inside his pocket. ¡°It costs 500,000 won per piece, but when else am I supposed to use this?¡± Now, no matter how far I go, I¡¯d be able to return quickly to the attic by using this stone. It was a 1 million won escape method, but it¡¯s better than being buried dead in here. With his insurance method all set, Jinhyuk took out a disk that looked like a handheld mirror. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that the day when I can finally use this would come.¡± It was a search radar, which can detect the location of monsters. He bought it for 398,000 Won, and he was clearly tricked by the company¡¯s promotional techniques. As a home-shopping guru, the reality was that the item was trash and can only detect within the range of 50 meters. He couldn¡¯t ask for a refund because the company where he bought it from fled after gaining lots of money. The nuisance of an item worked despite not being used in a long time. A lot of spots appeared on the disk. It was a sign that there were a lot of monsters around. ¡°Alright!¡± Using the radar on this wide labyrinth was a big help. Kang Jinhyuk grasped his baseball bat and ran to the nearest enemy spot. ¡°Screech?¡± It was already too late when the flustered goblin noticed his presence. Like a batter dealing with a fastball, the bat swung with immense power and crushed the goblin¡¯s face. After the resounding ¡®thud!¡¯ Kang Jinhyuk felt more and more excited. ¡°Home run!¡± A notification window for Kang Jinhyuk appeared. [You have levelled up.] Because his level slowly rose up, Kang Jinhyuk opened his Status Window for the first time in a while. [Kang Jinhyuk] Level: 13 Species: Human Class: None Strength: D Agility: D Magic: F Stamina: C As expected, even though his level went up, his stats were still not that impressive. Stats of a low-rank hunter with no special skills were usually at this level. ¡°Well, I can just improve it from now on.¡± Until yesterday, seeing his stats would only make him sigh, but today is different. Because Kang Jinhyuk can hunt monsters in his dungeon. It¡¯s now time to say goodbye to the times when he was worried if he could ever level up. ¡°Now, where¡¯s the next one?¡± After checking his radar, he confirmed a close location where three monsters were gathered. Just as expected, the three monsters were all goblins. Because the name of this floor is ¡®Goblin Labyrinth¡¯, of course all of the monsters would be goblins. It was the best hunting ground for the low-level Kang Jinhyuk. Thinking that nothing was as simple and exciting as breaking a goblin¡¯s head, Jinhyuk followed his radar around the dungeon. ¡°Screech!¡± ¡°Screeeech!¡± Goblin screams resonated around the dungeon for three hours. Kang Jinhyuk, who ran around like a fish in the water, only stopped swinging his bat after checking his inventory limit. ¡°Hmm¡­ Seems like all the slots are full.¡± At best, only one more can fit inside. He wanted to leave the corpses in the labyrinth and continue hunting. But that wasn¡¯t a very wise decision. Goblins eat the corpses of their own kin, so the corpses that he¡¯d leave behind would only end up in the stomachs of other goblins. In order to keep hunting, he had to empty his inventory and come back again. ¡°I should catch a nice, huge one for my final hunt.¡± A goblin taller than 130 cm would be worth more money. The stouter and bigger the monster, the better the quality of its leather and bones. Just in time, a spot sparkled in his left. The radar indicated that the monster was headed towards his direction. ¡°I¡¯ll end him easily with an ambush.¡± Jinhyuk held his bat tightly with both hands and pressed his back against the wall. He patiently waited for the opponent to come around the corner. As soon as the spot was right in front of him, he swung his bat reflexively. He realized that it was not a goblin only after his bat already hit the other¡¯s head. After hearing the sound of iron bumping into each other, the opponent collapsed and wrapped his hand around his own head. ¡°¡­This is bad.¡± He underestimated the opponent because its height was just about a goblin¡¯s size. The opponent, with a shaggy beard, took off his helmet and shouted. Because the opponent spoke in a completely different language, Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t understand him at all. But he could roughly guess what he meant. He should¡¯ve called his parents first before going here. ¡°I apologize!¡± As he couldn¡¯t speak the opponent¡¯s language, Jinhyuk bowed 90 degrees to the opponent and expressed his sorry feelings as much as possible. He thought that if he lowered his head, the other would feel his sincere apology. ¡®I didn¡¯t know that there were other people in this dungeon.¡¯ The other looked small and furry to be a human, but he didn¡¯t look like a monster. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I apologize!¡± The opponent¡¯s cries were all Jinhyuk registered in his brain because they couldn¡¯t communicate well. And then, the opponent that was hit by a bat took out a necklace from his pocket and threw it to Jinhyuk. Jinyuk nervously caught it, and the opponent moved his hand and motioned for him to wear the necklace. ¡°Are you telling me to use this?¡± He didn¡¯t know why the other gave him a present out of nowhere, so he just followed his command. The moment Jinhyuk put on the necklace, the opponent¡¯s words, which sounded like an alien language so far, were understood as clear as day. ¡°Can you understand me now, you f***ing b***h!¡± Jinhyuk turned speechless had his eyes wide open from shock, so the other person shouted at him again. ¡°I asked if you can understand me! You f***ing bastard! ¡°I¡¯m not a f***ing bastard but¡­¡± ¡°What, you jerk?¡± ¡°A-ah no never mind! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Seeing Jinhyuk bow his head and apologize again, the opponent just clicked his tongue roughly. ¡°Ok, f**k! It¡¯s my first time seeing a f***er like you in my 132 years of living as a dwarf.¡± ¡°D-dwarf?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right you bastard! Is it your first time seeing a dwarf?!¡± Instead of answering with words, Jinhyuk just quickly nodded his head. The dwarf made an expression of disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you¡¯ve never seen or even heard of dwarves? From which world did you come from?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m from the world where my room was¡­¡± ¡°What the hell is that? Where is that neighborhood near?¡± ¡°Korea.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it either, so it must be a rural place.¡± Jinhyuk realized that the Dwarf was from a completely different world. Aside from being unable to understand Korean, the dwarf didn¡¯t know where ¡®Korea¡¯ is at all. Even a fat dude living in the North would know about Korea, but the dwarf had absolutely no idea. Well, dwarves don¡¯t exist on Earth in the first place. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°W-what? You¡¯re asking my name out of nowhere¡­?¡± ¡°I want to know the name of the bastard who hit my head! Got a problem with that?!¡± ¡°K-Kang Jinhyuk is my name.¡± ¡°Kang Jinhyuk? Whoever hears that name would think you¡¯re a beggar.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made a mistake, but please don¡¯t insult my parents.¡± ¡°Okay okay, f***er! I dropped all my stuffs ¡®cause of you!¡± The dwarf grumbled and began picking up his scattered equipment one by one. Seeing Jinhyuk just standing there and watching him made the dwarf almost pop a vein in his neck. ¡°What¡¯cha doin¡¯ there just watching you bastard! This is y¡¯er fault! Hurry and help!¡± Kang Jinhyuk started to get a bit annoyed when he heard the dwarf¡¯s words. He knew that it was his fault, but he couldn¡¯t help but get angry because of the continuous shouts and swear words from the dwarf. When his baseball bat felt blood-hungry, Jinhyuk had to take a deep breath to calm himself down. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Jinhyuk put aside his bat and helped the dwarf collect his stuff. The dwarf dropped a hammer, some tongs, and some soldier weapons. [Rare item picked up.] [Rare item picked up.] ¡°¡­¡± Messages that he never thought that he would see in his career as a hunter appeared one after another. Jinhyuk spaced out from the unbelievable occasion. ¡°What are you doing? You seein¡¯ ghosts?¡± ¡°Ah, no it¡¯s nothing.¡± He wanted to beg for just one item. However, he¡¯s sure that he can¡¯t do that because he was the one who tried to split open the dwarf¡¯s head just a few moments ago. ¡®Should I sneak off one?¡¯ Kang Jinhyuk shook his head at the sudden selfish thought. If he¡¯s caught, he might die in the hands of this dwarf. Given that the dwarf has a lot of rare items, he must be of a high level. It¡¯s obvious that a low-level hunter, who doesn¡¯t even have class, like him would be beaten to a pulp if he tries to steal. While Jinhyuk was fighting against his conscience, the dwarf tied his luggage back with a string and reached out to the bat that Jinhyuk put down. ¡°My head still aches. Just what item did this bastard use to hit me.¡± Thinking that it was a weapon made of high-quality iron, the curious dwarf picked up the bat. He investigated the item without Jinhyuk¡¯s permission. Kang Jinhyuk belatedly discovered what the dwarf was doing. ¡°What are you doing with my bat?¡± He asked a question but he didn¡¯t get a response from the dwarf. As he looked closer, he saw that the dwarf¡¯s shoulders were shaking. He thought that it was an effect of being hit on the head, but it wasn¡¯t. The dwarf had a pale complexion as he ran towards Jinhyuk. ¡°Where did you get this thing?!¡± ¡°W-why?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®why¡¯?!¡± Heaving as hard as he could, the dwarf¡¯s breath sounds can be heard throughout the labyrinth. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Oriharukon?!¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s aluminum though?¡± ¡°Is that what you call the Oriharukon from where you¡¯re from?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just aluminum so we just call it ¡®aluminum¡¯¡­.¡± Jinhyuk wanted to ask the dwarf why he gave such a grand name to aluminum¡­ Oriharukon, which is often encountered in games or novels, was regarded as a precious metal or something about it being ¡®God¡¯s Metal¡¯. But he can¡¯t believe that he thinks that the aluminum bat was made of such a thing. From Jinhyuk¡¯s perspective, the dwarf¡¯s behavior was similar to an eighth-grader, or even a crazy man. ¡°Be honest with me. You stole this didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What kind of nonsense is that! I bought it with my own money!¡± ¡°You paid for this thing? Does that even make sense?¡± Kang Jinhyuk became very annoyed. The dwarf picked up his bat without permission and accused him of stealing it. It frustrated him to death because the dwarf refused to believe that he bought it with his money. ¡°Why are you acting so crazy about this cheap bat?¡± ¡°You must be crazy. You¡¯re talking cheaply about the great Oriharukon.¡± ¡°What the heck is an ¡®Oriharukon¡¯?¡± ¡°Are you an uneducated bastard¡­.? Do I need to explain such a simple thing to you?¡± Jinhyuk managed to stop his blood from boiling at the moment. ¡°I don¡¯t know how amazing of an object an ¡®Oriharukon¡¯ is, but this bat is just an ordinary object.¡± ¡°Stop this nonsense. In what world is this thing ¡®ordinary¡¯?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s spouting nonsense. If you don¡¯t believe me, try hitting it with your own hammer!¡± Of course, if the dwarf were to do that for real, Jinhyuk¡¯s the one who would suffer the consequences. The dwarf carried only rare items around. However, the Dwarf did not take out his hammer. Instead of confirming his suspicions, the dwarf settled with calling Jinhyuk an ¡®ignorant brat¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that the Oriharukon is a delicate metal when left unprocessed? If you hit it bluntly like this, it¡¯s definitely going to break!¡± Jinhyuk felt like he was badly mistaken while the dwarf continued shouting at him. According to the dwarf, Oriharukon is a metal that becomes an impressive item when processed properly. Aluminum was the delicate version of the metal, and it¡¯s still supposed to be processed. ¡®If I do this properly, I¡¯ll hit the jackpot.¡¯ Jinhyuk decided to take advantage of the dwarf¡¯s stubbornness and suggested something to him. ¡°Then, do you wanna make a bet with me?¡± ¡°Bet? What bet?¡± ¡°Whether my bat is made from Oriharukon or something.¡± ¡°So show me some evidence. Otherwise, I won¡¯t believe it unless I see proof with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Aigoo! Listen to what this jerk is saying!¡± The dwarf hit his chest with his own fist and expressed his frustration. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll prove it to you. Don¡¯t speak a word until I say so!¡± ¡°If you discover that it is in fact cheap, be prepared to give me all of your equipment.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­. Look at this arrogant brat. Get ready for this.¡± Jinhyuk laughed inside as he watched the huffing dwarf. He had no doubt that there¡¯s no way his aluminum bat was a great item, so Jinhyuk was sure that the dwarf¡¯s rare equipment would soon be his. Chapter 4 ¡°How are you gonna prove it to me in a place like this?¡± When asked by Kang Jinhyuk, the dwarf picked up his luggage and spoke in a strong voice. ¡°Follow me.¡± ¡°Where are we going though?¡± ¡°Come and you¡¯ll see, kid!¡± The dwarf¡¯s anger could reach the tip of his hair because Jinhyuk kept calling the Oriharukon, the metal of dreams, a cheap metal. Jinhyuk followed after the dwarf unwillingly. They encountered some goblins as they trudged through the labyrinth, but it was no problem at all. ¡°Get lost you jerks.¡± With one hit of the dwarf¡¯s hammer, the goblins were shattered as easily as popping a balloon. It was Jinhyuk¡¯s first time seeing monsters die in that manner. ¡°It¡¯s like it¡¯s no big deal for him¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What did you say?¡± ¡°N-nothing. I was just talking to myself. As Jinhyuk was walking behind the dwarf, they discovered an unusual place shortly after. A huge furnace, anvil, and numerous hammers and equipment that did not fit into the setting of the maze-like labyrinth were seen. The setting was a stereotypical appearance of a blacksmith¡¯s equipment. ¡°What¡¯s with that lost expression? Did you fall in love with my house?¡± ¡°Y-your house? In this kind of place?¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty annoying when monsters come around sometimes, but it¡¯s a pretty good place to live in especially with the quality ore ¡®round here.¡± ¡°¡­You have a very unique standard of living.¡± It was a soft way of seeing ¡®are you crazy?¡¯, but the dwarf accepted it as a compliment. ¡°I know right? I think it¡¯s a very creative idea too.¡± The dwarf laughed heartily. When he remembered that he was in the middle of making a bet, he coughed and put on a serious face. He put his luggage on a desk and reached his hand out to Jinhyuk. ¡°Give me that bat.¡± ¡°What are you going to do with it?¡± ¡°Oh please! Stop with that ask-y ask asking and just give it to me!¡± Jinhyuk handed over his bat while suppressing some insults in his throat. He thought that the dwarf was really f***ing crazy. ¡°Don¡¯t try something weird and make it useless in the end.¡± ¡°You fool! Do you think I¡¯m gonna do this as if I don¡¯t know that the Oriharukon is a precious metal?¡± The dwarf picked up the bat and went to a room near the furnace. Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t enter the room with him because the door closed. ¡°I thought you¡¯d melt it down because you headed towards the furnace¡­¡± When the dwarf entered the room, he felt relieved because he thought that the dwarf didn¡¯t intend to melt his bat. However, that moment of relief ended quickly. There¡¯s no way that the crazy dwarf would use his bat for some ordinary purpose. Sure enough, brilliant lights began to leak through the door. ¡°What in the world is he doing with my 250,000 won bat!?¡± As the light¡¯s intensity became stronger, his anxiety increased immensely as well. Kang Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t stand it so he walked towards the door and knocked hard with his fists. ¡°What are you doing there?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost done so just sit tight and shut up!¡± ¡°No, you have to explain what you¡¯re doing! You¡¯re not changing my bat into another item, are you?!¡± Despite Jinhyuk¡¯s loud shouts, he heard no response from the other side. As the other side kept its silence, Jinhyuk started knocking on the door recklessly. Bang bang bang! Soon, the sound of his knocks resonated throughout the blacksmith¡¯s room. When the door opened, the dwarf took off his glove and it flew right to Jinhyuk¡¯s face. ¡°Ahk!¡± Jinhyuk covered his face after it was hit loudly. ¡°You¡¯re so impatient! Can¡¯t you wait for just one moment and stop being a f***ing jerk for once!¡± ¡°Euuh¡­ If you just explained to me before going into that room, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± ¡°What the fuuuuuuuuuuxx! If I told you what I was doing, would you believe me?¡± The dwarf shouted roughly and held out the bat. ¡°Look at this, you bastard!¡± Kang Jinhyuk took his bat and observed it. ¡°Are you sure this one¡¯s my bat? The color turned red.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the characteristic of an Oriharukon, bastard! It¡¯s a weak and delicate metal if it¡¯s unprocessed, but it becomes stronger and redder through enchantment.¡± ¡°E-enchantment?¡± Jinhyuk doubted his own ears. As far as he knows, when a special effect is used on an item, it is said to be ¡®enchanted¡¯. Enchanted items were very rare and only dropped by superior monsters of A-rank or higher. Even if it was a normal item, an enchanted item can be sold several times more expensive than a rare item. He can¡¯t believe that there¡¯s someone who can enchant an item manually. Jinhyuk¡¯s perception of the dwarf has changed. He thought that the dwarf was a mentally ill guy, but he turned out to be a great talent! Jinhyuk held the bat with an excited face. [Legendary baseball bat] Rank: Legendary Explanation: A common aluminum baseball bat reached a legendary status after repeated enchantments. [Added effects] Durability, S rank High instinct Automatic withdrawal Jinhyuk jumped in surprise as he checked the item¡¯s information. The other effects were amazing too, but his attention was focused on the ¡®S Durability¡¯ Tens of millions of won was the price of even just a B-rank durability, what more for an S-rank! ¡°At this rate, it¡¯s going to be worth so much more¡­!¡± His B-rank durability weapon is¡­ Even selling just this one item, he¡¯d be able to live comfortably for three generations without lifting a finger. It¡¯s like winning a lottery that turns the tables! The dwarf proudly spoke to the over-zealous Jinhyuk. ¡°What¡¯cha think? It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it? On top of that, the enchanted Oriharukon lets you demonstrate more than 300% of your ability!¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡± Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t shut his wide-open mouth. He thought that the dwarf was just spouting nonsense about his aluminum, but he really did make a tremendous object out of it. There¡¯s no reason not to admit defeat when he saw his item. ¡°It seems like I lost.¡± It¡¯s useless now to ask whether the dwarf exchanged his bat for a different item After checking the item¡¯s information, Jinhyuk confirmed that it was indeed his own bat. When Kang Jinhyuk admitted to losing the bet, the dwarf let out a big laugh. ¡°Wahahaha! This newbie bastard finally believed me!¡± Jinhyuk expected the dwarf to ask for something given the fact that he won. However, the dwarf asked for a completely different thing from what he expected. ¡°So, just don¡¯t mess with things that you don¡¯t know, and just keep that bat safe.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Jinhyuk looked at the dwarf with a surprised face. ¡°You¡¯re saying I can keep this?¡± ¡°Why ask such an obvious thing? Don¡¯t tell me you thought that I was goin¡¯ to steal that from you?¡± ¡°A-ah, about that¡­.¡± Just as the dwarf said, Jinhyuk thought that he would take his bat from him in exchange for losing the bet. After all, the dwarf referred to the oriharukon as a very valuable item. But the dwarf had no such thoughts at all. ¡°Did you think that I was a lowly thief and that I¡¯d steal your bat from you?¡± ¡°Then why did you do the enchantment on¡­.¡± ¡°Well, you told me to give you proof.¡± The dwarves were a greedy race, but this one only touched two items so far. It was none other than an equipment made by the blacksmith himself, not the one that he owned. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly take it if you give it to me, but from the looks of it, it seems like you don¡¯t have anything to use except for that weapon. The dwarf indeed wanted the Oriharukon, but he was considerate of Jinhyuk¡¯s situation. ¡®I guess there¡¯s a reason why ¡®God¡¯s Metal¡¯ is in the hands of this guy.¡¯ The dwarf thought that way, and put aside any greed within his heart. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve enchanted an item, so hurry and get that thing out of this beggar¡¯s face.¡± Jinhyuk felt touched by the dwarf¡¯s words. ¡°Thank you so much, Ahjussi.¡± (T/N: Ahjussi is used to refer to a middle-aged looking man.) All his anger and annoyance from the dwarf¡¯s constant shouting and swearing already disappeared. He transformed the 250,000 won bat to something worth hundreds of millions of won, so he didn¡¯t mind all the cursing from before. Jinhyuk wanted to make sure that he wasn¡¯t dreaming so he checked the bat¡¯s information once again. Aside from S Durability, two other effects were listed. High Instinct was the ability to detect enemies within a 5-meter radius, while Automatic Withdrawal was the ability of the item to return to its owner when it falls off. ¡°Uhm, is it impossible to change the target of the Automatic Withdrawal effect?¡± The dwarf nodded when Jinhyuk asked the question. ¡°You¡¯ll get in trouble if that item gets stolen, so I put that effect in for you.¡± Upon hearing the dwarf¡¯s response, Jinhyuk made a complicated expression. He was thankful for it, but it meant that he could never transfer or sell the bat to others. ¡®It¡¯s a bit disappointing that I can¡¯t sell it despite its superior stats.¡¯ The disappointed Jinhyuk suddenly remembered something. ¡°If I bring you another Oriharukon, will you be able to enchant it just like you did with this one?¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy enough. But I can¡¯t do it right now.¡± ¡°What? Why though?¡± ¡°I ran out of materials to do the enchantment.¡± That was a very disappointing answer. There were lots and lots of aluminum outside this dungeon, so he could¡¯ve brought in as much as he could. ¡°Then can¡¯t we just gather more materials?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ You can get some by searching through this dungeon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jinhyuk had his eyes wide open. ¡°You¡¯d be able to create more things like this if you had more materials right?¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right. It¡¯s possible if you bring me the right materials.¡± The dwarf wondered why Jinhyuk was so excited. It would make a big difference when the ordinary oriharukon goes through the enchantment process. He thought that Jinhyuk was just living inside a vague dream, but that was not the case. Jinhyuk burned with more motivation as he discovered another reason to explore this dungeon. * * * Jinhyuk parted ways with the dwarf with the excuse that he had something to do. He then exited through his attic. He knew that just because he felt tremendous motivation, he can¡¯t just keep going at it without much thought. For now, he had to prepare thoroughly because he still had little knowledge about the dungeon. ¡°First, I should sell this goblin corpse and buy a new inventory.¡± For him to be able to stay in the labyrinth for an extended period of time, he needed a steady inventory with lots of slots. ¡°But how am I supposed to sell these?¡± It¡¯s impossible to sell it without disclosing the dungeon¡¯s location. The association¡¯s unreasonable policy prevented other hunters from getting loot, so Jinhyuk was faced with a huge barrier. ¡°Should I even try the black market¡­¡± There¡¯s an illegally operated market that hosts all sorts of transactions. To sell the goblin¡¯s corpse without revealing the dungeon¡¯s location, he had no choice but to visit the place which he never thought he would visit. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯m sure I received a business card somewhere.¡± Jinhyuk grabbed his wallet and found the business card he had received before. As he saw the business card that contained only a name and a phone number, he recalled what the other person said to him before. ¡®One kidney is worth some pocket money. Contact me when you need it.¡¯ Thinking about it again made him realize this blessing. He can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s about to trade monster corpses with the skills he accumulated from his time in the sales industry. Just thinking about it gave him goosebumps. ¡°I¡¯m not even gonna sell my body, so no need to be scared.¡± Jinhyuk let out a huge sigh and regained composure. He then took out his phone and entered the number written on the business card. Chapter 5 Lee Juncheol sighed as he checked the records in his office. The number of transactions in the past two months was significantly less than the previous ones. The problem lay on the monopoly of the large guilds on monster hunting, so he couldn¡¯t do much to fix this problem on his own. ¡°Those bastards.¡± Hunters from large guilds only did transactions with either the association or with merchants who signed deals with the guilds. As a result, organizations hiding and trading behind the scenes were naturally forced to fall behind. One has to join hands with a guild in order to escape this quagmire. If this continues, they would have to lay off most of the employees in this office. ¡°Hyungnim, there¡¯s someone who wants to do business with me.¡± (T/N: Hyung or Hyungnim is used by younger males to refer to older males.) Lee Juncheol¡¯s face brightened a bit upon hearing his subordinate¡¯s words. Any load that brings steady results in this time of recession is valuable. ¡°Is he the one who wanted to do business with you?¡± ¡°Yes. He keeps calling every day, saying he doesn¡¯t trust my words.¡± ¡°Stop complaining and treat him very well. He¡¯s a valuable customer.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± After his subordinate answered cheerfully and left the office, another subordinate stood up from his seat. ¡°I also have someone who wants to do business!¡± Lee Juncheol looked blatantly disappointed when he saw that Jo Hyungil, the subordinate entrusted with measly chores, was the one who just spoke. ¡°Alright¡­ Come in.¡± ¡°Hyungnim, isn¡¯t your reaction too different from earlier?¡± ¡°Well, the only people who contact your number are yellow, rotten bastards.¡± Jo Hyungil¡¯s number was given mostly to low-ranking hunters who looked desperate enough to sell their organs because they had no money. Sometimes they get lucky with some of them who sell monster corpses, but that was a very rare occasion. Even if there is one, they¡¯re only able to sell small scale monsters, so it¡¯s only a small amount of earnings at best. ¡°It¡¯s different this time, hyungnim.¡± ¡°Different? How?¡± Lee Juncheol¡¯s curiosity increased as he saw Jo Hyungil¡¯s bright expression. ¡°He said he wanted to sell monster corpses. Fifteen goblins.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Lee Juncheol¡¯s voice rose unknowingly as he jumped from his seat. ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not just selling some useless leftovers from large guilds that they want to dispose of?¡± It¡¯s hard to tell whether it¡¯s fifteen whole goblins or just fifteen green blobs of leftovers. Jo Hyungil shook his head and denied Lee Juncheol¡¯s suspicions. ¡°He said the goblins¡¯ corpses were perfectly intact, except for the damaged head.¡± ¡°Why is he selling it to us?¡± ¡°Hyungnim, you¡¯re not supposed to care about those things¡­ Do you want our business to fail?¡± ¡°No, it just doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± It was strange that he wanted to sell the perfectly good corpses to an illegal organization instead of the association. ¡°I¡¯ll have to come with you.¡± ¡°What? I thought you¡¯re leaving early today because you don¡¯t feel well, hyungnim.¡± ¡°Shut up and tell me where the deal location is.¡± Lee Juncheol continued to talk as he put on his coat. ¡°I¡¯ll have my men wait there in advance.¡± ¡°If the person was lying, will you have him thrown into the water?¡± ¡°Did I say that? Anyone who tries to trick us should know that it¡¯s not gonna end well.¡± * * * The time agreed by Jo Hyungil and the customer was 4 PM. The current time is 2 PM, just a few hours after lunchtime. They had to prepare now so they wouldn¡¯t be late. Upon receiving Lee Juncheol¡¯s instructions, his subordinates ran to the agreed location and hid themselves in an unnoticeable place. There was plenty of room to hide because the location was a neglected, kind of abandoned, underground parking lot. Lee Juncheol and Jo Hyungil arrived at the scene, while their subordinates held their breath as they hid behind cars and pillars. The person who contacted Jo Hyungil appeared right on time. Lee Juncheol internally snorted upon seeing Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s face. ¡®He said the corpses were intact, but this guy looks like a total beginner.¡¯ Jinhyuk wanted to show a confident attitude by straightening his shoulders and back, but it just made him look more immature. In Lee Juncheol¡¯s eyes, Jinhyuk looked like a tame herbivore trying to bluff by making his body look bigger. ¡®You¡¯re telling me this bastard caught fifteen goblins?¡¯ One look at Jinhyuk tells him that he didn¡¯t personally catch and earn those monsters. Juncheol thought that such a beginner hunter couldn¡¯t have caught those goblins without help from large guilds. That¡¯s why he made a request as soon as he saw Jinhyuk. ¡°Can we check the goblin corpses first?¡± Jinhyuk seemed flustered because they skipped the normal greeting first. ¡®Are transactions usually done like this?¡¯ Although he was a bit rude, Juncheol¡¯s request wasn¡¯t unreasonable. Jinhyuk quickly regained his composure and took out the goblin corpses one by one, just as Lee Juncheol requested. Lee Juncheol and Jo Hyungil¡¯s expressions changed gradually as the goblin corpses piled up one by one. Juncheol didn¡¯t have much trust in Jinhyuk¡¯s skill, so seeing real goblin corpses in good condition surprised him. ¡°There, that¡¯s fifteen right?¡± There was no need to count them with their fingers. There were exactly fifteen goblin corpses lying side by side on the parking lot floor. ¡°¡­At what price did you want to sell them? After he confirmed that the customer wasn¡¯t playing with them, Juncheol took the matter seriously. When the negotiations began, Jinhyuk said the price he was thinking of. ¡°Including the Holy Stone, how about 5 million Won total?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ the head is severely damaged, so how about 3 million?¡± ¡°Tsk, hey no one even uses a goblin head. These guys¡¯ faces are so ugly so even if they weren¡¯t damaged, you¡¯d have no use for them.¡± ¡°Kekeke¡­¡± Jo Hyungil burst into laughter unknowingly, but he feigned ignorance when he felt Juncheol glare at him. ¡°Then how about 3.5 million?¡± ¡°4.5 million. I¡¯m not selling it below that price.¡± He¡¯s selling it for 4.5 million, way below the expected price of 7.5 million for these pieces of corpses. Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t intend to lose more than that. It¡¯s a steal for this organization that they¡¯re getting it for such a low price. Lee Juncheol noticed Jinhyuk¡¯s expression. He knew that Jinhyuk was inexperienced with these kinds of transactions just by looking at his eyes. ¡°Alright.¡± The truth was, the goblin corpses brought by Jinhyuk were so high quality that he¡¯d have no loss even if he bought them for 6 million won. If he buys it for 4.5 million for 15 pieces it¡¯d bring a great benefit for his business. ¡°I¡¯ll buy everything for 5 million won, just as you originally called it.¡± Jo Hyungil was surprised by what Juncheol said. He approached Juncheol with a frightened face and whispered. ¡°What are you doing, hyungnim? Why did you return to the original price when you already got a discount?¡± ¡°Just stay put.¡± Juncheol pushed away Hyungil with his hand. He knew that it was foolish to raise the price back up voluntarily. But he had his own thoughts. ¡°If I buy these for 5 million, can I know where you got these monster corpses?¡± ¡°¡­I came here because the deal was I don¡¯t have to reveal that information.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not trying to penalize you at all. I¡¯ll make sure to keep it a secret. I was just asking.¡± Juncheol wanted to know if Jinhyuk got these by luck, or if he had a place to hunt. If he got to an area where he could hunt such a large number of monsters without getting noticed by the large guilds, then Jinhyuk could be said to be a quite talented person. Although he doesn¡¯t look like one at all from the outside.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to tell you.¡± Juncheol nodded when Jinhyuk refused. ¡°Then, I don¡¯t have any choice.¡± Juncheol looked disappointed on the outside. But Jinhyuk¡¯s rejection was what he wanted. If Jinhyuk obtained the monsters by luck, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to reveal where he got them. Because he would know that there¡¯s no way he¡¯d get this kind of luck again. The fact that he hid the information on where he got the monsters means that he can get more of them. Jinhyuk asked a question, oblivious to what Juncheol was thinking. ¡°So, you won¡¯t be able to give me 5 million won since I didn¡¯t reveal the information?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s gonna be hard for me to offer you more than 4 million.¡± Juncheol had a smile on his face. There was no prior agreement that they would give up on the transaction just because the other doesn¡¯t want to reveal the information he wanted. He wants the information, and he wants it for a cheap price. It¡¯s like catching two birds with one stone. No one would survive this job if they were weak-hearted. ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to think about it so deeply. I bet other businesses would offer you the same thing we are offering.¡± Lee Juncheol spoke confidently, but it¡¯s obviously a bluff. He had no way of knowing that information. Although it was annoying, it¡¯s better than opening an uncertain deal at the expense of millions of won. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it first.¡± Kang Jinhyuk picked up the goblin corpses and refused the offer. As the goblin corpses returned the Jinhyuk¡¯s inventory one by one, Juncheol¡¯s internal conflict intensified. ¡®Should I just concede to him?¡¯ It¡¯s quite a waste to miss this opportunity because the quality and size of the products were good. However, he knew that he would lose the lead in future transactions if he turned back on his words here. He has to choose whether to take this loss and hope for future transactions with other people or give up having big gains for now. Juncheol hesitated. ¡®Hmm, if we lose him to a different organization, we¡¯ll be in another crisis.¡¯ Lee Juncheol made up his mind and was about to give Jinhyuk his deal. However, at the entrance of the parking lot, one of Juncheol¡¯s subordinates ran towards them with a flustered face. ¡°A monster appeared, hyungnim!¡± ¡°What?! Impossible!¡± It was hard to believe that monsters, who numerous hunters look for with their eyes wide open, appeared in a place like this just in time. Juncheol realized that he had overlooked one fact when he saw the goblins¡¯ corpses laid out. ¡®The corpses attracted other monsters!¡¯ One of the tricks that guilds use to attract other monsters was to lay out monster corpses. The success rate of this method was less than 10%, but it¡¯s clear that it works. ¡°We¡¯re so unlucky.¡± They never imagined that this moment would be that 10% probability. It was already late when they realized it. Lee Juncheol and his men panicked as they watched the monsters enter one by one at both the entrance and exit of the parking lot. ¡°O-orcs!¡± ¡°Hurry and contact the association! We¡¯ll all die at this rate!¡± ¡°Ah s**t, I already did that!¡± How long can they endure against the orcs before the association sends hunters? There were at least 2 orcs that B-rank hunters could catch. If they make the wrong move, it might result in them being ripped open. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re a hunter, right? Do something!¡± Jinhyuk was surprised at Lee Juncheol¡¯s shouts. ¡°What should I do?¡± Although he levelled up inside the dungeon, his current level was only 15. There¡¯s no way that a D-rank hunter like him will be able to easily face the Orcs that even B-rank hunters struggle with. But the orcs had no intention of showing any mercy. The two orcs rushed in, screaming at Jinhyuk who was holding the goblin corpses. ¡°Euaaahh?!¡± The orc charged to him like a tank as he swung the club he was holding with explosive power from his heavy body. If he gets hit with such great force from the orc, he¡¯s closer to being dead meat than the corpses he held in his inventory. However, contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, Kang Jinhyuk would be just fine. Chapter 6 Kang Jinhyuk grabbed his bat, as if it was attracted by something. ¡®So this is the high instinct effect.¡¯ Aside from the fact that it can detect enemies, he didn¡¯t know that it makes him automatically defend himself. Jinhyuk was at ease because the baseball bat blocked the enemy¡¯s attack on its own. He swung the bat without hesitation before the orc could even regain himself. ¡°Keeuuuo!!¡± The orc was hit on his shin, and it screamed loudly as it collapsed. Juncheol was surprised to see the leg of the orc that had been bent just like a reversed joint. ¡°He broke the orc¡¯s bone in one hit?!¡± Orc bones were harder than titanium alloys, and their legs were way thicker than adult humans. It¡¯s difficult to crack it even with a great amount of power. Only A-rank hunters can break it in one blow. ¡°I thought this guy¡¯s an amateur¡­.¡± Kang Jinhyuk himself was also surprised. The S durability of the enchanted bat had a lot more power than he thought. It¡¯s not just durable, it causes a lot of damage as well. ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡± Jinhyuk gained confidence so he hit the orc on the head with his bat. With a satisfying sound, the orc¡¯s head turned 360 degrees. As the orc¡¯s skull and neck bone were broken, it¡¯s unlikely for it to survive. Jinhyuk received numerous level-up notifications when the breathless orc fell on the floor. His level soared from 15 to 27, but it¡¯s still too early to celebrate. ¡°Shwaaa!¡± The other orc, who saw his dead companion, opened his eyes widely and rushed towards him. This time, Jinhyuk was not flustered at all. After gaining confidence from defeating the first orc, he realized that the other¡¯s attack was threatening but not fast at all. As long as he stays calm, he can avoid the orc¡¯s attack. ¡°Kuuu!¡± The club wielded by the orc made a strong sound as it swung in the air. Jinhyuk stepped forward at the perfect time as he aimed at the orc¡¯s side. ¡°Take this!¡± The orc tried to move his club in a hurry, but he was too late to stop Jinhyuk¡¯s attack. The heavy club made it impossible for him to be agile enough to defend himself. Jinhyuk¡¯s baseball bat dug into the orc¡¯s flesh and completely broke his ribs. ¡°Geuulk!¡± The orc collapsed as it made a pig-like sound. While the orc was distracted by the crushing pain, Jinhyuk swung his bat toward his temple. The orc was beaten to death and could no longer scream. He died on the spot with his head crushed. Jinhyuk once again checked the level-up notification that appeared in front of him and realized that the battle was over. ¡°I¡­ caught two orcs?¡± Even though he can see the two orcs fallen on the parking lot floor, it felt unbelievable for Jinhyuk. Just yesterday, Jinhyuk was only a D-rank hunter who could only hunt goblins. Since at least 4 B-rank hunters were usually needed to handle this matter but he accomplished it alone, it was natural for him to doubt the situation. ¡°Wooaaaah!¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Lee Juncheol¡¯s men, who tried to run away earlier, all cheered. They were not the only ones who admired Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s ability to instantly deal with the orcs. Juncheol felt like he had seen a precious gemstone that no one had ever discovered. ¡°Who knew there was such a hunter with that much skill¡­¡± Lee Juncheol thought that he knew the faces of all the renowned hunters. That¡¯s why he thought that Jinhyuk was a complete amateur when he saw him, and he never considered Jinhyuk to be a veteran hunter. Now he realized that he was wrong. ¡°That was an amazing display of skill.¡± Juncheol clapped as he approached Jinhyuk. ¡°In return for saving my life, I¡¯ll buy all the goblin corpses for 6 million won.¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes. I have no intention of lying to my savior.¡± Jo Hyungil heard what Juncheol said and he thought that maybe the sun won¡¯t shine on them tomorrow. If he buys the corpses for 6 million won, the profits that the organization could gain were close to zero. It was the first time that Lee Juncheol, who only ever thinks of profit, voluntarily made such a proposal. ¡®What is he planning?¡¯ As Jo Hyungil expected, Lee Juncheol offered Kang Jinhyuk a proposal. ¡°In exchange, please sell those orc corpses to us as well.¡± ¡°The orcs?¡± Jinhyuk contemplated hard. The orcs weren¡¯t caught inside the dungeon, unlike the goblins. There¡¯s no reason to sell it in the black market because it doesn¡¯t matter even if he reveals the location of where he caught them. When Jinhyuk didn¡¯t answer immediately, Juncheol knew that he had to give more appealing conditions After thinking for a while, Lee Juncheol opened his mouth. ¡°If you sell the orc corpses to us, we¡¯ll promise to give you 10% more money for any item you¡¯d sell to us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying 10% more than what the association will offer?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Even if they give him more money for the bodies, they¡¯d still gain many benefits from the monster corpses. Lee Juncheol wanted to continue doing business with Jinhyuk, even if it meant risking some damage. If they¡¯re able to continuously trade with him, they will receive a steady flow of monster materials, so it¡¯s possible for them to expand their size in the market. ¡°Raise it by 5% more.¡± Jinhyuk attempted to bargain by spreading all his fingers on his right hand. Five percent was not a small figure, but Lee Juncheol nodded his head without any worries. This was because Jinhyuk proved himself to be powerful in front of their eyes, so it¡¯s reasonable to agree with him. ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s agree on 15%.¡± Lee Juncheol reached out his hand to Jinhyuk. ¡°I look forward to doing more business with you.¡± * * * Since the deal was set, Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s life flipped 180 degrees. He was worrying about rent just yesterday. Now, almost 200 million won has been accumulated in his bank account. ¡°It¡¯s 6 million per goblin, so that¡¯s 90 million in total. That, plus the orc bodies¡­¡± Jinhyuk confirmed the amount on his account and he clenched his fist in joy and enjoyed the sense of accomplishment. ¡°All those large guilds have monopolized this much money, huh?¡± The more he thought about them, the more disgusting and terrible they seemed. He knew that money would mean a comfortable life, but even so, it didn¡¯t make sense for those guilds to be so greedy. How much more did they want to earn that they don¡¯t yield even to the small monsters? When he checked an article posted on the internet, he confirmed the harm that these guilds do. The comment section of the article, which announced the performance of a large guild, was filled with complaints and anger from lower-rank hunters who were deprived of their right to hunt. ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± His level exceeded 30 after hunting those orcs. Jinhyuk decided to enter the labyrinth again after he bought good equipment with his capital. ¡°The dwarf ahjussi¡¯s items looked good but¡­¡± The dwarf¡¯s equipment was of the best quality, but he can¡¯t just buy them with his money. The currency here won¡¯t work for the dwarf, so he had to prepare another way to get equipment from him. ¡°¡­.Should I just bring a lot of aluminum cans?¡± Since the dwarf regarded the aluminum Oriharukon as a valuable item, it could be a good thing to trade with. He ran out of beer in his attic, so Jinhyuk had to stop by the mart to get refills. Jinhyuk bought beer and soju and headed straight to the labyrinth. When he arrived at the blacksmith¡¯s, he saw him wielding a hammer on his anvil. The dwarf didn¡¯t sweat even though the heat in here was hotter than on a summer day. As he had been hammering for a long time, he picked up the item with tongs and quenched it. When the smoke rose along with a sizzling sound, Jinhyuk¡¯s made eye contact with the dwarf. ¡°What the? When did you get here?¡± ¡°I just got here.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that on your hand? Why did you pack so much?¡± As Jinhyuk expected, the dwarf showed interest in the paper bag that he brought. ¡°Do you want to drink one?¡± Jinhyuk took out a can of beer and handed it over to the dwarf. Upon receiving it, the dwarf¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What the heck? This one is Orikarukon too!¡± ¡°There¡¯s also alcohol inside it.¡± ¡°They pack alcohol in Oriharukon? What¡¯s this, a holy grail?¡± In the outside world, it was a common aluminum can. But where the dwarf lived, it was a luxury that neither a Pope nor an Emperor got their hands on. The dwarf believed that Jinhyuk was not an ordinary person. He brought not just one, but a lot of these things. He was sure that the guy was a warrior. ¡°Try drinking it.¡± When Jinhyuk opened the can and handed it back to him, the dwarf took a sip. And he immediately splashed it back on the floor and spat out the liquid. ¡°What the f***! Did someone pee in this?!¡± ¡°P-pee?¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s my first time tasting such disgusting liquid! What the heck is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s beer.¡± ¡°¡­Beer? This is alcohol?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do humans call this thing an alcoholic drink?¡± The dwarf had an expression of disbelief. Humans call such a bland and tasteless drink as alcohol, how poor of them. ¡°Don¡¯t tell the one on the green bottle is the same liquid as this one.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit different. This one is called soju.¡± ¡°Give it to me. I want to know what kind of things you guys drink.¡± The dwarf snatched away the soju bottle and opened the lid. He took in the scent of the liquid. ¡°What the fuuuuuuuuu**! There¡¯s not even a fruity scent, it just smells like straight-up alcohol.¡± He could taste it just by smelling the liquid, but he won¡¯t really know unless he drinks it himself. The dwarf took a sip with some hope. Unlike with the beer, the dwarf drank a few more sips and sighed in appreciation. ¡°It tastes like trash, but it¡¯ll taste better if I add something.¡± ¡°Add something? Like what?¡± ¡°Stay still. There¡¯s something that comes to mind.¡± The dwarf was lost in thought for a moment. He brought a large wooden barrel and poured all the soju that Jinhyuk brought. And then, he said something to Jinhyuk. ¡°Hey you, go and get me some mithril.¡± The dwarf poured the remaining soju in the barrel as he spoke to Jinhyuk. ¡°What? Some mithril?¡± ¡°Yeah. In order to salvage this crappy drink, I need to bower power from some Mithril.¡± The mithril was a mysterious metal, which held mana on its own. The dwarf believed that by combining the mithril¡¯s mana with his skill, he would be able to greatly enhance the taste of this liquor. ¡°Heheehe, if you do well, you might even get something you¡¯ve never imagined.¡± Thanks to the alcohol brought by Jinhyuk, the dwarf was filled with spirit as he challenged his own mental capacities after a long time. ¡°What are you staring at? I told you to get me some mithril, quick!¡± ¡°Where can I get those things?¡± ¡°If you go down this floor, you¡¯ll see a cave. Once you go inside, you¡¯ll know where to find mithril.¡± The dwarf picked up the granule that he had hung on the wall while talking and he handed it over to Jinhyuk. ¡°While you¡¯re at it, I¡¯ll craft some equipment for you so you won¡¯t have to complain and complain.¡± ¡°Well, alright. If you¡¯ll do that for me, then¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk readily accepted the dwarf¡¯s request because he was about to ask him for equipment anyway. Chapter 7 When Jinhyuk asked if he could receive the new equipment right away, the Dwarf let out a big snort. ¡°Why would I give you one from my collection? The things that I sell and the things that I collect are completely different, kid.¡± It was foolish for him to even ask why the dwarf collects swords and spears. Whatever hobby someone is interested in is up to them, and no one can say otherwise. ¡°Hoo¡­ Then please just tell me exactly how a Mithril looks like.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t make any difference. Just go and you¡¯ll know which one it is.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not trying to trick me are you?¡± ¡°Sigh, have you been fooled all your life, kid?¡± ¡°More than you¡¯d know.¡± ¡°Aigoo, okay. You¡¯re the boss.¡± The dwarf made a look of pity and threw the pickaxe he was holding. ¡°Stop bluffing and just dig me up some Mithril.¡± ¡°If I dig those up, will you give me the equipment that you made?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Hurry up and go before I change my mind.¡± Anyone he knew would be shocked if they knew about the dwarf doing such a thing. The dwarf wasn¡¯t the type to work at the request of others. He usually only lifts his hammer to improve his collection for self-satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯m just helping you this time because I¡¯m surprised that you brought me some alcohol, kid. I said hurry up and go before I change my mind.¡± * * * Jinhyuk was practically pushed by the dwarf as he was forced to find a way to head to the floor below this one. Kang Jinhyuk suddenly got worried while he was wandering in a labyrinth with no map. ¡°Maybe Mithril is just some common metal just like the oriharukon?¡± Just as the oriharukon was common aluminum in his world, maybe Mithril was also a common material like copper or iron. ¡°I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡± If the Mithril was actually a soft metal like copper, it would be useless to make equipment out of it. ¡°Ey, let¡¯s stop thinking about useless things already.¡± Jinhyuk swung his bat with a cheerful shout to shake off his worries. He reached level 33 when he broke some goblin¡¯s heads. Just in time, he discovered a staircase. ¡°So this is the stairs leading down.¡± It was great luck that he found the stairs faster than expected in this intricate labyrinth. Kang Jinhyuk went down the stairs with a nervous face, thinking that a stronger monster might appear. While heading downwards, his eyes became round as he saw the drastically changed environment. The further he reached downstairs, the brown-colored walls of the labyrinth had changed. What is now in front of Jinhyuk was a green maze, where the cries of grass bugs were heard as if imitating a forest environment. ¡°The labyrinth is decorated in a unique way.¡± Perhaps it was just his mind playing tricks on him, but the air in here felt clearer than from the upper floor. Right when Jinhyuk stepped on the ground, an unfamiliar notification appeared to him. [Current Location ¨C Floor 2 ¡®The Labyrinth of Dogs and Skulls¡¯] [Do you wish to save this place as a warp point?] ¡°W-warp point?¡± It was his first time hearing of it. He¡¯s not sure what it meant, but he had to choose between ¡®Yes¡¯ and ¡®No¡¯. ¡°Eh, whatever.¡± After a brief thought, Jinhyuk chose ¡®Yes¡¯. [Floor 2 saved as a warp point.] After the message appeared, a gate that looked like a purple vortex appeared in front of him. [From here on, you can go back and forth between Floor 1 and Floor 2 through this gate.] Thanks to the kind explanation of the notification, Jinhyuk was able to understand the purpose of the gate. ¡°Hah! It feels like I¡¯m playing a game. Catching monsters and levelling in the dungeon made him feel like he¡¯s in a game. But the life of a human was far from being a game. If he¡¯s caught off guard here, it¡¯ll be over for him because humans have no ability to respawn. Jinhyuk took out his radar to see if there were monsters around him. The radar showed several spots waiting right in front of him. ¡°This floor¡¯s packed.¡± He picked up a stone from the floor and threw it toward the forked road. And then, monsters with dog heads popped out from behind the wall. It was a monster with the head of a dog, walking on two feet and wielding a weapon. Jinhyuk recognized them as ¡®kobold¡¯ monsters. ¡°The title said it was a maze of dog skulls, but a real dog came out here¡­¡± Kobolds were more agile and powerful than goblins, but they belong to the same tier of messy monsters Kang Jinhyuk burst into laughter as he watched the kobold approach him. Having a lot of these weak monsters meant that he could earn some money off of them. He naturally laughed when he thought of his bank account balance piling up because of these monsters. On the other hand, the kobolds looked confused at Jinhyuk¡¯s reaction. They clearly outnumbered him, but the human who came here all alone had the audacity to giggle and laugh. That hurt the kobold¡¯s pride so it snarled forward. ¡°Keung!¡± The kobold barked in a loud voice and immediately rushed toward Jinhyuk. However, before he could even take out his sword, the kobold was hit on the face by the bat wielded by Kang Jinhyuk. Catching the goblins and the orcs made Jinhyuk level up significantly, so the kobolds were no match for him. ¡°Keeeong!¡± The kobold was sent all the way back like a ball, with its snout completely crushed. Just like that, the kobold collapsed on the floor and could no longer move. While the other kobolds were in disbelief of the situation, Jinhyuk approached with relaxed steps. ¡°You¡¯re getting hit like normal dogs today, you punks.¡± His confidence was soaring among the clouds after he caught those two orcs by himself. These puppies were no big deal compared to the presence of the orcs which could instill fear just by looking at them. ¡°Keung!¡± ¡°Ku kkeung!¡± The dogs barked and whimpered with every swing of his bat. There was no kobald that could withstand more than one hit of Jinhyuk¡¯s bat. His new inventory had been filled with 25 kobold bodies in no time. Based on the price set by the association, he¡¯d soon get 200 million won when he sells these corpses! Since Lee Juncheol said he would pay 15% more, Jinhyuk¡¯s profit was way more than that number. ¡°Hahahaha¡­.!¡± He could already smell the money. He then proceeded to explore the forest. The kobolds who thought that they were superior beings now realize how it feels to be prey. Even if they ran deep into the labyrinth, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t give up and chased after each one of them. ¡°Where are you running to, you bastards!¡± * * * While Jinhyuk was enjoying hunting for kobolds without the interference of large guilds, he had already reached the center of the labyrinth. He stopped running after discovering a wall of a different color in the center of the labyrinth. ¡°I don¡¯t think this color change is for no reason¡­.¡± Jinhyuk trusted his guts and followed the black wall. The black wall withered in the labyrinth from the lack of sunlight, but he could see just fine without the use of a flashlight. He¡¯s not sure what kind of technology was set up here, but torches on the wall automatically burned one by one and illuminated the depths. ¡°Did the dwarf ahjussi install these?¡± Jinhyuk slowly moved forward, careful with his steps. When he reached further enough, he started to hear a rattling sound from somewhere. He looked back and forth before discovering the human skeleton, upright and walking by itself. ¡°S**t! That¡¯s a skeleton, right?¡± Jinhyuk recalled that this floor was named ¡®Labyrinth of Dogs and Skulls¡¯ He sighed as he hit the skeleton head with his bat. Unlike the other monsters, the skeleton did not die even though its head flew away. The skeleton, with only its body intact, kept going towards Jinhyuk. ¡°Out of all things, the monsters worth no money are here¡­!¡± The way to deal with a skeleton is to hire a ¡®Cleric¡¯ hunter, or to break the skeleton¡¯s magic stone to immobilize it. Jinhyuk, a D-rank hunter who is yet to choose his specialty, had to go with the latter method. He would¡¯ve happily accepted this cumbersome task if it meant he¡¯d gain some money, but unfortunately, the skeleton was nothing but bones and is not worth that much. Who would even pay for rotten bones, which are neither precious nor durable materials? Aside from that, the skeleton¡¯s magic stone, which is the only thing valuable, had to be broken to defeat the monster. No wonder hunters find them annoying. ¡°So this is why that ahjussi didn¡¯t want to come down here.¡± Jinhyuk faced dozens of skeletons blocking his way. Defeating them one by one wouldn¡¯t be difficult, but it will take a long time to take on that many monsters. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do this!¡± He came all the way here, so he won¡¯t back down now. Jinhyuk swung his bat recklessly and broke through the path that the skeletons were blocking. It was easy to aim for their vital point which contained the magic stone because he could see through the fleshless bones. However, the number of skeletons was so large that it took a considerable amount of time for him. No matter how much he hit and hit, the number of skeletons was not decreasing. ¡°Please, just die already!¡± He occasionally missed the skeletons¡¯ vital point, and it has been dragging him down and interfering with his progress. Whenever that happened, Jinhyuk moved forward by crushing the skeleton with his feet. Ten, fifty, a hundred. After catching up to 120 skeletons, Jinhyuk gave up on counting. After nearly half a day of labor, Jinhyuk finally broke through the bone tomb and was able to reach the depths of the labyrinth. ¡°Hoo hooo¡­.¡± He became out of breath as he was swinging his bat without a break for a while. After confirming that there were no more skeletons chasing or blocking the road, Jinhyuk sat down for a while to catch his breath. ¡°It¡¯s not even an underground tomb. Why were there so many skulls¡­¡± He moved his body until he reached exhaustion, but he wouldn¡¯t get any profit from it. But that didn¡¯t mean that there was no reward. Thanks to the hundreds of skeletons that he hunted, his level is now in the ¡¯50s. He was able to increase his level from 12 to 50 in two days because of the dungeon. If he was living the same life as before, it would¡¯ve taken him two or three years to reach level 50. If he takes into consideration the greedy guilds, it might take a lot longer than that. [Level 50 reached. You may now choose your specialty.] [Your specialty will be automatically determined by reviewing your recent activity.] The time he had waited for finally came. Since he swung his bat tirelessly for two days, he expected his specialty to be ¡®warrior¡¯. However, the results were not what he expected. [You, who have conquered the undead, are now a ¡®Cleric¡¯.] [Skill Acquired ¨C Slow Heel] [Skill Acquired ¨C Cure] [Skill Acquired ¨C Holy Shield] ¡°¡­.Eh?¡± Kang Jinhyuk rechecked the notification with a puzzled look. ¡°Cleric? Me?¡± He never thought he would get that specialty just by beating skeletons. It was certainly something to celebrate, because that specialty ranked number 1 as the most preferred by parties. However, Jinhyuk felt absurd rather than happy because the selection process took an unexpected turn. Chapter 8 The ¡®Cleric¡¯ was a rare specialty. Many hunters felt the importance of being a healer so they sought to change their specialty to a Cleric, but just pretending to be religious for show didn¡¯t help at all. Only a hunter who shows strong faith and sincere selflessness becomes Clerics. Just having his specialty to be a Cleric meant that he¡¯d get jobs and transactions without companies asking for anything more. It was like a guaranteed check not only for parties but also for individual transactions. Clerics are well respected and trusted among the hunter community, and a lot of them are able to trade just by showing what their specialty was. ¡°I didn¡¯t know one could get this specialty just by breaking skeletons.¡± He¡¯s never heard of such an occurrence before. Maybe it¡¯s due to the fact that not a lot of skeleton monsters are encountered in the outside world. ¡°Going through all that resulted in some good things, I see¡­¡± However, being a cleric wouldn¡¯t be very helpful for solo work inside a dungeon. They may have useful assistive and defense skills, but they¡¯re not very capable of fast hunting. ¡°Looks like I¡¯d have to rely on this bat for the time being.¡± Because he can¡¯t attack a large number of monsters with his current skills, he has to continue beating them up one by one just as he had been doing until now. Fortunately, the power of his baseball bat was superior to any other item. If it had been an ordinary weapon, it couldn¡¯t have handled more than a hundred skeletons. ¡°Heal.¡± When Jinhyuk tested his skill, he felt a sense of relief. Just as it says, the heal skill had an effect of relieving fatigue aside from healing physical damage. Kang Jinhyuk regained his energy and walked further into the labyrinth. Maybe monsters no longer appeared because he caught a lot of the skeletons. Kang Jinhyuk, who was looking around with a newfound confidence, soon discovered a silver-white mineral that emits a subtle blue light. There were clear traces of someone digging for something, which was the Mithril. ¡°I can¡¯t believe such minerals are embedded in this kind of a stone wall. Heh, it¡¯s such an odd place.¡± Kang Jinhyuk took out the pickaxe that the dwarf gave him. ¡°One, two!¡± The minerals rolled up when he hit it with the pickaxe as hard as he could. ¡°Is the Mithril a metal that breaks this easily?¡± Whether it was because of Jinhyuk¡¯s strength or the Mithril was just a soft metal, there¡¯s no knowing for sure. No more minerals were seen around when JInhyuk finished digging up an armful of the Mithril. As a test, he dug more of the surrounding wall with his pickaxe, but only ordinary soil came out. Maybe this was all the Mithril that the dwarf left. ¡°Well¡­ maybe this much is enough.¡± Jinhyuk kept the mined Mithril in his inventory and proceeded to walk back. * * * After the black stone wall, Jinhyuk quickly arrived at the gate that lead to the first floor. He reached the dwarf¡¯s blacksmith house in no time. When the dwarf, who was sitting around and resting, saw Jinhyuk¡¯s face, he stood up immediately. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not tired at all?¡± ¡°Is that something you say to people who clearly look exhausted?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know what a joke is, kid?¡± The dwarf chuckled loudly as he stuck out his hand towards Jinhyuk. ¡°Give it to me. I made you something amazing since you brought this for me.¡± Jinhyuk¡¯s hand stopped for a while after handing over the Mithril that he had mined. He gave only two-thirds of the Mithril to the dwarf. ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°This is all that¡¯s left back there? ¡°I dug around for a bit, but I didn¡¯t find anything more.¡± ¡°Tch, so supplies are running out in that labyrinth as well.¡± The dwarf didn¡¯t suspect at all and just took the Mithril. Before melting the Mithril in the furnace, the dwarf asked Jinhyuk a question. ¡°Alright. Then, I should go ahead and make some equipment¡­¡± ¡°Well, is there any specific skill you want to put?¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ ¡°That¡¯s easy enough.¡± As the dwarf started the fire in the furnace, a tremendous heat took over the blacksmith house. It felt warmer than a regular sauna, so Jinhyuk naturally fell farther away as he¡¯s unable to withstand the heat. It¡¯s only been a few moments but his whole body was already soaked in sweat. ¡°How is that ahjussi working in this condition?¡± Given the dwarf¡¯s naturally hairy body, the fact that he can endure working with the furnace without even taking off his top was remarkable. Jinhyuk went out of the labyrinth for a moment because he thought this task would take a considerable amount of time. It was already late, so he wanted to take sleep first. ¡°I think I can get about six hours of sleep. After setting up his alarm, he lay on top of the bed and closed his eyes shut. He thought of washing up before sleeping, but he just fell asleep in the end. When he opened his eyes again. On his bedside was his smartphone vibrating with a loud ringtone. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I slept that well.¡± He can¡¯t believe he slept for six straight hours without waking up midway. It¡¯s his first time since he turned 23. ¡°Did I move my body too much in a long time?¡± The heal skill relieved his physical fatigue, but his mind still seemed to be exhausted. After hurriedly washing his face and changing his clothes, Jinhyuk immediately went into the attic. He felt the intense heat as soon as he entered the labyrinth. It was because of the heat emitted from the blacksmith¡¯s house. ¡°It completely turned into a steamer¡­¡± Even the goblins were struggling with the heat. Jinhyuk headed to the blacksmith house after hunting the poor goblins. He arrived just after the dwarf finished his work. The dwarf discovered Jinhyuk¡¯s presence and waved his hand. ¡°Where¡¯ve you been and what¡¯d you do?¡± ¡°W-well, I had to attend to some business.¡± He couldn¡¯t tell the truth because he knew that the dwarf would say more things if he knew that Jinhyuk had fallen asleep. Kang Jinhyuk, who was trying to avoid the dwarf¡¯s gaze, saw an object on top of the table. It was an armor, connected with a dense chain, which had a subtle blue shine similar to the Mithril he mined. ¡°Perhaps, is this¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s an armor just for you. I at least made it comfortable to wear inside.¡± When Jinhyuk picked up the chain armor, a notification immediately appeared in front of him. [Unique item acquired.] A unique item, one rank greater than a rare one! Kang Jinhyuk barely contained his excitement. [Mithril Chain Armor] Rank: Unique Explanation: Chain armor created by a dwarf with all his might. It is light and durable. [Distinct Effect] Decrease physical damage by 50 percent. Decrease magic damage by 50 percent. After checking the item¡¯s information, Jinhyuk was able to understand why the item was ranked unique. The highest damage decrease rate for rare items was 20 percent. The armor that the dwarf made can decrease it by 50 percent. It also has the effect of decreasing both physical and magic damage. His suspicions of the Mithril, which he thought was just a common metal like the oriharukon, completely disappeared. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The custom-made chain armor fit perfectly for him. On top of that, it wasn¡¯t very heavy. He could easily wear normal clothes on the outside to hide the armor. Kang Jinhyuk wondered where else he could get such a great item this easily. ¡°Thank you so much, ahjussi!¡± ¡°Forget it, just take this with you.¡± The dwarf took out a large barrel with several strange devices attached to it. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? It¡¯s a drinking bottle.¡± ¡°A drinking bottle? Perhaps¡­ is it the drinking bottle that you were gonna make?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I tried to incorporate the mithril that you brought.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to use this to drink alcohol?¡± ¡°No, you take it. I already quit drinking.¡± Jinhyuk snooped around when he heard those words. ¡°You drank some yesterday though.¡± ¡°You brought it for me so I just gave it a little taste.¡± ¡°Then why did you make this?¡± ¡°Why do you think? I just wanted to make it so I made it.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t understand well, but dwarves are originally that kind of species. Creating whatever they like. They find joy in the process of creating things. ¡°Even if you give this to me, I¡¯m not really someone who knows how to make alcohol¡­¡± ¡°I know, bastard. How can a man who brings such a disgusting drink know how to make a good alcohol.¡± The dwarf still feels like vomiting at the thought of the taste. It seems like he really despised it. ¡°Just put any kind of drink in there and the flavor will come alive.¡± ¡°Eh? Is that possible?¡± ¡°Try drinking from it once if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± The dwarf already put in it the soju that Jinhyuk brought yesterday. Jinhyuk took a sip half-heartedly but almost dropped the bottle in surprise. ¡°W-what is this? Is this really soju?¡± The taste was so good that he could understand why the dwarf cringed when he tasted the original soju that he brought. Living your life while drinking this kind of amazing thing just makes it natural for the dwarf to have the reaction that he had when he tasted the alcohol from outside. ¡°Hehehehe, now do you know what great alcohol tastes like?¡± It was truly extraordinary. The unique-rank armor was also amazing, but he didn¡¯t expect the dwarf to make such an amazing taste-changing bottle. For Kang Jinhyuk, the dwarf seemed like a futuristic robot with a 4-dimensional pocket. ¡°Will any alcohol also be enhanced when put in here?¡± ¡°No, only the transparent alcohol that you brought would be a good choice.¡± After hearing those words, Jinhyuk thought of a plan. * * * Jinhyuk had a strong confidence after drinking from the bottle that the dwarf gave him. ¡®I can sell this one!¡¯ He can¡¯t do the same for his bat and his armor, but this alcoholic drink was different. He can make the tasty alcohol as long as he had this bottle with him, so it¡¯s worth expecting a big profit from this. He contacted Lee Juncheol as soon as he left the attic. ¡°I called because I want to sell some things.¡± ¡°Kobold corpses and¡­ alcohol.¡± Lee Juncheol doubted what he heard. Alcohol? It was completely unrelated to monsters. ¡°I made it myself.¡± Lee Juncheol wrapped his hands around his forehead. He has to please Jinhyuk because he¡¯s a valuable customer, but he had doubts about the homemade alcohol. Maybe this was why people said it¡¯s not easy to build a business. However, his mind changed when Jinhyuk arrived at the office. The alcohol that Jinhyuk brought in a bottle seemed like an ordinary beer. But right when he opened the lid, a rich scent that wasn¡¯t present in ordinary beer stimulated Lee Juncheol¡¯s sense of smell. ¡°You¡­ made this yourself?¡± Instead of answering, Jinhyuk just nodded his head. Juncheol poured some of it on a glass and investigated it. The color is undeniably similar to a beer, but the scent is completely different. After thinking for a bit, Juncheol braced himself and carefully put the glass to his lips. And just like when Jinhyuk first tasted the alcohol, Juncheol was met with a great surprise. ¡°How is it? Can we sell it?¡± Juncheol answered with no hesitation. ¡°Let¡¯s sell it. We should definitely sell this.¡± Lee Juncheol was confident in his knowledge of alcoholic drinks as he had a lot of experience drinking while working in the organization. The alcohol brought by Kang Jinhyuk had a deeper flavor and aroma than anything else he had ever drunk. If they use this and promote it as a high-ended brand, it will definitely soar high in the market. ¡°How much will you sell this for?¡± ¡°You decide the price. I just want shares from the profit.¡± ¡°¡­Then, 70-30?¡± Jinhyuk shook his head and held up eight fingers. There was no need to ask what it meant. Chapter 9 The monster hunting of the Titans, one of the top five largest guilds in Korea, ended smoothly. The hunt was conducted for the new recruits to gain experience, so only three out of the fifteen hunters present were veterans. One of them was deputy guild leader Ahn Doyoon. The hunt went smoothly thanks to the rigorous interview and screening process of the guild. ¡°The suppression is completed.¡± After checking that the last monster was dead and the new recruit completed his report, Ahn Doyoon packed up his equipment. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s withdraw.¡± ¡°Please wait a second!¡± A guild member sensed something unexpected, so he shouted in an urgent voice and pointed to the thing with his finger. The other guys turned their attention to where he was pointing, and they saw a large purple vortex. ¡°What the f**k!¡± They never thought a swarm of monsters would get to their location. Was it because the guild hunted large quantities of Lizard Men here? As if waiting for this day to come, the Lizard Men appeared in front of the hunters, with more systematic formation than ever. ¡°They don¡¯t come when we want them to. But of all moments, right now is¡­¡± The other guild members were off to hunt other large monsters. The only people who could stop this monster now were the people who are currently there. The new recruits were terrified as they witnessed the monsters multiply thrice in number. ¡°W-what should we do?¡± ¡°We should hurry and request backup from the other hunters!¡± This would¡¯ve been a good opportunity to make money, but not right now. There were only three veteran hunters present, and most of the new recruits never fought monsters more than three times. The hunters are incredibly outnumbered. However, Ahn Doyoon doesn¡¯t intend to tend to the new recruits¡¯ requests for help. ¡°What if the murderer manages to slip in when we call for our people in such a hurry?!¡± ¡°Now is not the time for you to think about that kind of situation!¡± The serial killer who only targets hunters from large guilds. His existence was certainly unsettling, but it doesn¡¯t make sense to not call for backup just because they¡¯re worried about the killer. At this rate, they¡¯d die at the hands of the monsters first instead of the serial killer¡¯s. ¡°Don¡¯t fall back, everyone. Fight! We can defeat them as long as we keep it together!¡± They have to protect the guild¡¯s power of preventing other hunters from coming into the area. If they chicken out right now, Titan¡¯s reputation will be damaged. The guild members know that they¡¯re disadvantaged, but they risk expulsion if they disobeyed the guild¡¯s orders. They had no choice but to cry out and hold their weapons. * * * Jinhyuk, who already signed a contract with Lee Juncheol, stopped by the association for a long time. Since his level was in the 50¡¯s, he wanted to upgrade his Hunter ranking. [Kang Jinhyuk] Level: 51 Species: Human Class: Cleric Strength: C Agility: C Magic: C Stamina: C After checking his stats, all his abilities had risen to C-rank just in time. Jinhyuk took a queue number and headed to the reception desk where a clerk gladly welcomed him. ¡°Please come in. What¡¯s the purpose of your visit?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to renew my Hunter Ranking.¡± ¡°Then, please fill out these documents.¡± The documents given by the clerk were asking for his personal information and abilities. It was the same one used when he first became a hunter. Since it¡¯s a thing for formality, Jinhyuk filled out the forms without any inconvenience. ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you. I need to verify this, so please wait here.¡± Falsification of abilities was a serious offense that could lead to imprisonment, so thorough validation was needed. Kang Jinhyuk sat on a chair and waited for a while before the evaluator arrived. After 5 minutes, a brown-skinned man with a sturdy physique walked towards Jinhyuk. ¡°Hello, Kang Jinhyuk-ssi. I¡¯m Heo Jinwoo, and I¡¯ll be in charge of reviewing your promotion. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah, nice to meet you too.¡± Jinhyuk took the hand that Heo Jinwoo offered and shook it. After they shook hands, Heo Jinwoo pointed somewhere in the building. ¡°This way please.¡± Jinhyuk entered a 30 square meter room with Heo Jinwoo. Inside the room were several measuring equipment and some sandbags. Among those, Heo Jinwoo brought a flower pot. The pot, which was on his palm, was planted with a flower that seemed to wither at any moment. ¡°We¡¯ll confirm first that you¡¯re a Cleric.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me to use heal on this flower?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± When Kang Jinhyuk reached out his hand and used his heal skill, the withered flower began to come alive. When the brownish flower regained its original bright color, Heo Jinwoo marked a passing score on the document he was holding. ¡°The certificate will be issued today as we confirmed that you are a Cleric. Did you bring your picture?¡± ¡°Yes, here.¡± Jinhyuk gave Jinwoo the ID picture that he prepared in advance. ¡°Alright, all that¡¯s left now is to test your stats. Please stand in front of the sandbag.¡± All the information written by Jinhyuk were correct, so the inspection proceeded smoothly. After passing all the aspects tested, Jinhyuk later left the room and waited for the procedure to end. ¡°Kang Jinhyuk-ssi!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The clerk presented the certificate, which confirms him to be a cleric and a C-rank hunter, to Jinhyuk. When Jinhyuk received it, the clerk smiled and congratulated him. ¡°Congratulations on ranking up.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He thought he would take more years to receive a C-rank hunter certificate, but it finally came into his hands. Jinhyuk doubted whether this was a dream. It¡¯s funny thinking about him being a C-rank hunter, but he couldn¡¯t help it because a hunter¡¯s life is truly difficult. ¡°Let¡¯s go all the way to B-rank with this momentum.¡± If other people heard what he said, he¡¯d surely be laughed at and told to keep dreaming. But because Jinhyuk has faith, he¡¯s able to be confident in himself. He thought of going home right away and entering the dungeon. Now that he doesn¡¯t have to worry that much about money, he wants to focus on levelling up. However, Jinhyuk stopped in his tracks when he saw a certain hunter as he was about to leave the building. The hunter who appeared out of nowhere leaned on the wall near the entrance and roughly snickered. Seeing his clothes torn and his body scarred, he seemed to have fought a fierce battle just now. ¡°Gasp gasp¡­! Perhaps, is there a cleric here who can lend a hand?!¡± The hunter shouted in an earnest voice even though he couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Kang Jinhyuk raised his hand with pity because the situation seemed so urgent. ¡°I¡¯m a cleric¡­ But I¡¯m a C-rank hunter, is that okay?¡± ¡°Of course! Please come with me right away!¡± Since clerics were very valuable, people don¡¯t care even if their rank was low. Just like this hunter. He grabbed Jinhyuk¡¯s hand and immediately gave him a returning stone. ¡°Woah.¡± The place where they suddenly arrived was outside the deserted city. There were numerous Lizardmen and hunters struggling against them. Jinhyuk frowned as he witnessed the bloody battle. The situation was worse than expected. He knew that the hunters were Titans guild members just by looking at their clothes and the pattern engraved in them. ¡°Out of all people, it¡¯s these assholes.¡± Looking at the way they fight, he almost mistook them for a young name guild. From a tanker that couldn¡¯t even properly drag an agro, to a dealer who¡¯s confused where to attack first. Ahn Doyoon was desperately directing the other hunters, but everyone looked so inexperienced and were moving like a proper mess. Jinhyuk could roughly predict the situation after seeing such a scene. ¡°They must have stepped on a land mine while teaching new recruits.¡± Jinhyuk held back his laughter because he thought that the scene looked satisfying. The hunter who brought him spoke urgently without noticing Jinhyuk holding his laughter. ¡°Just heal some of them back! We¡¯ll take care of the battle! I¡¯ll give you a reward after this so don¡¯t worry!¡± After pouring out those words as if he was rapping, the hunter jumped back into the battlefield. Jinhyuk didn¡¯t like the hunter, but he followed him silently as he said he would give him money. He should hate the person, not the money. As he walked towards the back of the scene, he could see some other clerics just like him. Among them, he met eyes with someone and they greeted each other awkwardly. ¡°H-hello.¡± Looks like they were also dragged here. After bowing his head slightly, he joined them and used his heal without a break. However, the hunters were completely outnumbered by the Lizardmen. Even after using heal continuously, the hunters¡¯ physical strength decreased faster. ¡°This is like¡­ pouring water into a broken jar.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± The clerics turned anxious after some time. The situation wasn¡¯t getting any better even though as many as five clerics were assisting the battle by restoring the hunters¡¯ physical strength. Jinhyuk sighed at the situation. ¡°Can¡¯t they just put aside their pride and ask for back-up from another guild¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± The other clerics agreed with Jinhyuk, but they couldn¡¯t protest. ¡®At this rate, they¡¯ll be wiped out in no time.¡¯ There¡¯s no way that Ahn Doyoon doesn¡¯t know this. His mentality, trained by numerous battles, was also shaken amid the continued disadvantage. He would be a little more at ease if the new recruits followed his orders quickly. Seeing the new recruits who couldn¡¯t even differentiate left from right, he felt angry. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Ahn Doyoon tried to break down the Lizard men¡¯s camp somehow by wielding a sword much larger than him. However, the Lizardmen blocked his sword with their shields. Even Ahn Doyoon¡¯s sword which boasted strong offensive power was forced to fade. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡± In the end, Ahn Doyoon lost his patience and drank all the buff potions in his inventory. He rushed fiercely towards the Lizard Men. One of the veteran hunters, who saw what Doyoon was doing, sighed and slapped his forehead. ¡°That crazy bastard again¡­!¡± Ahn Doyoon¡¯s bravery was a great asset for a warrior, but it¡¯s different now that he¡¯s in the position of a commander. In what world does a commander leave his men and charge recklessly towards the enemies? Furthermore, Doyoon didn¡¯t even notice that the Lizard Men were planning a backup to aim for the rear when they saw him rush without assessing the situation. Like a chameleon, some Lizardmen who were hidden with an invincibility effect were quietly approaching the clerics. It was only Jinhyuk¡¯s baseball bat that noticed the threat. Chapter 10 Jinhyuk sensed danger while he was using his heal towards the front. He looked around inside his inventory and found his baseball bat trying to crawl out on its own. Through his experience, he knows that this thing doesn¡¯t happen for no reason. ¡°What could be nearby?¡± Jinhyuk hurriedly took the bat to his hand and looked around in all directions. Because of the bat¡¯s high instinct effect, Jinhyuk was able to vaguely feel the enemy¡¯s position. He swung the bat immediately when he saw a part of his vision swaying like a haze. ¡°Screeeech!¡± The Lizard Man disguised in a protective color screamed with his distorted face. His disguise was revealed and he returned to his original state. ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°The monsters reached up to here?!¡± The clerics exclaimed as soon as they found the group of monsters right next to them, while Jinhyuk was contemplating something. The Titans hunters were busy chasing behind Ahn Doyoon in the fronts. They seem to have no idea that monsters sneaked behind the clerics. Jinhyuk shouted at the distressed clerics and told them not to worry. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of these bastards, so you guys just keep focusing on healing!¡± The clerics were shocked at Jinhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re taking them on alone?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Looking at the monsters, there were roughly 20 of them. It was like a suicide mission, taking on that many monsters that even the guild hunters couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°We¡¯d rather help you!¡± ¡°Anything¡¯s possible if we all fight together!¡± The clerics thought that if they stuck together and heal each other, they could prevent an unexpected attack. But that method could never work. ¡°Then all the hunters in front will die. If your heal for the hunters upfront is delayed even a little, blood will be shed everywhere.¡± ¡°E-even so¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m confident, so don¡¯t worry about me and just focus on the work you¡¯ve been doing so far.¡± Jinhyuk spoke confidently as he hoisted his bat and ran in the direction of the Lizard Men. The half-confident clerics witnessed Jinhyuk breaking the Lizard Men¡¯s head with a single swing. ¡°H-how can a cleric have such hunting skill¡­¡± ¡°Now, now! Let¡¯s focus on healing just as he said!¡± ¡°Yea!¡± When the clerics began healing the hunters again, the Lizard Men somehow tried to stop them. However, as long as Jinhyuk blocked the path, there¡¯s no way that these Lizard Men could move forward. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± A Lizard Man who crossed the line immediately had his head crushed like clay from the impact from the baseball bat. The other Lizard Men witnessed their colleague die without even a chance to scream, so they started hesitating. Jinhyuk is confident despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered. Some of the Lizard Men couldn¡¯t handle the humiliation and started rushing in. Five or six swung their swords at the same time, thinking that they should rush in at once, but none of them made it. Jinhyuk moved quickly and had already been aiming at the side of their heads. Having gained a lot of confidence in his previous battles, he attacked without hesitation and swung his bat. ¡°Screeeech!¡± The Lizard Men were beaten on their sides. The monsters who rushed towards Jinhyuk all fell on top of each other. When Jinhyuk crushed the heads of the fallen Lizard Men one by one, the others clenched their teeth and attempted an ambush. A Lizard Man stabbed Jinhyuk¡¯s back with the tip of his knife and smiled with great determination. However, contrary to what he expected, Jinhyuk did not collapse nor bleed at all. ¡°Screeech?¡± Jinhyuk smashed the head of the confused Lizard Man with his bat. Then, he frowned as he stroked the part of his body that was hit by the Lizard¡¯s knife. ¡°Ah f**k it, this one¡¯s going to bruise.¡± Thanks to the armor given by the dwarf, which he was wearing beneath his clothes, the only damage he¡¯ll get was a simple bruise. ¡°Screeeech!¡± The Lizard Man, who saw that Jinhyuk wasn¡¯t even injured by the knife, quickly turned around and ran away. He realized that there was no chance of winning against this hunter. The clerics were amazed by what they were seeing. ¡°Wow¡­ he¡¯s really taking them on all by himself.¡± ¡°Is he really a cleric?¡± The reason that the clerics were surprised was because Jinhyuk was displaying skill of a B-rank hunter. In particular, beating monsters with nothing but a baseball bat gave the impression that he was a hunter with high-level skills. But the clerics weren¡¯t the only ones interested in Jinhyuk¡¯s display of performance. S-rank hunter Seo Sangho, who rushed after he saw the monsters, witnessed Jinhyuk¡¯s skill as well. ¡°Ahn Doyoon is alive thanks to that cleric.¡± If Jinhyuk didn¡¯t block the monsters who were aiming for the clerics at the back, they all would¡¯ve been dead. ¡°Shall I get to work now?¡± Seo Sangho warmed up with a light stretch. He then jumped at once and landed right at the center of the Lizard Men. In just three seconds, Sangho flew over 200 meters and landed perfectly. Boom! As soon as he landed, a roar resonated and the surroundings shook as if an earthquake had just occurred. The Titans hunters cheered when they saw Sangho appear splendidly. ¡°It¡¯s the guild leader!¡± While everyone was happy to see him arrive, Doyoon looked depressed alone. He spoke to his colleagues in an annoyed tone. ¡°Who the hell called in the guild leader?¡± ¡°We called him as soon as the situation started. We thought there¡¯s no problem with calling help from our own guild.¡± ¡°¡­.Stop saying useless things.¡± He could¡¯ve handled the situation without help from that guy. Ahn Doyoon wanted to say that. But he knew, with what just unfolded earlier, that no one would believe that. The person who was in charge of commanding the others couldn¡¯t stand it and just rushed into the enemy camp without thinking, so who would dare believe in him now? Unlike Ahn Doyoon, Seo Sangho didn¡¯t lose his mind and run wild. Seo Sangho first took care of those who were tired and exhausted, even though they persist that they can still fight. ¡°I¡¯ll create a path for you, so those whose stamina is left at 50%, hurry and fall back!¡± Jinhyuk watched the scene unfold with his mouth wide open. ¡°I think that¡¯s S-rank hunter Seo Sangho!¡± ¡°Seo Sangho? You mean the Titans Guild Leader?¡± ¡°Yea! Looks like we can head back now.¡± So that¡¯s what an S-rank hunter looks like. Jinhyuk was impressed by how he managed to flip the situation alone. Compared to his current skills, he realized he still has a long way to go. He dreams of being that strong one day. Seo Sangho handled the situation in 15 minutes. He counted the bodies of Lizard Men scattered everywhere. An estimate of around 300 bodies collapsed. Even if clerics were utilized as support, this kind of situation shouldn¡¯t have been handled by new recruits. ¡°Ahn Doyoon, that crazy bastard.¡± Seo Sangho realized that it was a mistake to assign Ahn Doyoon as a deputy guild leader. He approached the depressed Ahn Doyoon and grabbed him by his collar. ¡°Why did you try to solve this alone without calling for help? Did you want to die with all these men?¡± ¡°If we asked for help in this kind of situation, then the guild¡¯s reputation would be¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because you worry about the guild¡¯s reputation but because you wanted to save your own face!¡± Seo Sangho was dissatisfied with Ahn Doyoon¡¯s attitude. Until now, the executives defended Doyoon and let him take on the role of a deputy guild leader because it was a great benefit for the guild, but now he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Sangho never imagined that Doyoon would put the new recruits¡¯ lives in danger in his pursuit of his dignity. It would¡¯ve been acceptable if Ahn Doyoon commanded calmly until the end, but he gave up on that. Seo Sangho realized it was useless to say anything more to this man. He frowned as he let go of Ahn Doyoon. ¡°I have no intention of letting this pass, so go and wait for your suspension.¡± ¡°A-ah, but what have I done so wrong? It was just bad luck that we ended up in this situation.¡± ¡°This bastard really¡­.¡± He almost used his fist right away, but Sangho barely endured it because of the several eyes watching them. Beating up a deputy guild leader in front of many people would only damage the guild. As the person in charge of a large guild, he had to prioritize solving the situation instead of giving in to his emotions. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± Seo Sangho took a deep breath to calm his anger. One of the Titans hunters, who noticed the atmosphere getting more and more tense, opened his mouth to change the subject. ¡°Guild Leader, let¡¯s first reward the clerics who kindly assisted us today.¡± ¡°Ah right. I almost forgot.¡± Seo Sangho remembered Kang Jinhyuk who he saw fighting against the Lizard Men earlier. He walked towards the clerics and personally thanked them. ¡°Thank you for your help today. If it weren¡¯t for you all, it would¡¯ve been a great disaster.¡± Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t believe his eyes when he saw the Titan guild leader bow 90 degrees to express his gratitude. Until now, he thought that all people from large guilds were arrogant bastards, but he seems to have changed his mind. Another shocking thing happened. Seo Sangho approached Kang Jinhyuk and reached out his hand, asking for a handshake. ¡°I saw you deal with the Lizard Men alone. It was an amazing display of skill.¡± ¡°Ah, right..¡± Jinhyuk shook Seo Sangho¡¯s hand with a nervous face. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, may I know your name?¡± ¡°My name¡­ is Kang Jinhyuk.¡± ¡°Perhaps, are you already part of a guild?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then what do you think about joining ours? Of course, I will exempt you from all the admission fees.¡± Jinhyuk looked puzzled at the sudden offer. An S-rank hunter personally recruiting him. It was unbelievable. ¡°You¡¯re recruiting this guy to our guild?¡± Ahn Doyoon opened his mouth before Kang Jinhyuk was able to say anything. He remembered Jinhyuk¡¯s face. He was the one who protested to him just a few days ago, talking about why large guilds monopolized monsters. It was unacceptable to let the low-ranked hunter, who had only been whining about not having much skill, join the prestigious Titans. And most of all, it hurt Doyoon¡¯s pride that he was helped by such a hunter. ¡°What¡¯s so wrong with this person?¡± Seo Sangho¡¯s patience was being tested. ¡®Patience, patience¡­ No, I can¡¯t stand this f***ing bastard anymore.¡¯ In the end, Seo Sangho spoke while veins on his neck appeared from his anger. ¡°He¡¯s the one who cleaned up the mess you left behind, you f***ing bastard!¡± The hunters at the scene were all surprised to see the guild leader shouting at the deputy guild leader. Jinhyuk enjoyed the situation. A hunter who held pride in himself was being scolded like a kid by his superior. It was a scene to enjoy with some popcorn. He wondered how he could heat up the atmosphere more. After much consideration, Jinhyuk opened his mouth with a sinister smile. ¡°Thank you very much for your offer, but I do not wish to be in a guild with a person such as him.¡± Ahn Doyoon¡¯s eyes opened wide after hearing those words. He was already angry that he was being embarrassed by the guild leader in front of so many people. He exploded after hearing such words from a hunter he hasn¡¯t even heard of before. ¡°You better know who you¡¯re going against, you f**ker!¡± Ahn Doyoon took a swing and tried to slap Jinhyuk¡¯s cheek. Seo Sangho saw what Doyoon wanted to do and moved to stop him, but there was an object much faster than him Instead of Kang Jinhyuk, it was Ahn Doyoon who fell with a resounding thud. ¡°Oh, hey¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s bat swung by itself as soon as it detected the threat. Usually, Ahn Doyoon would¡¯ve been able to avoid such an attack. Due to the long battle, Ahn Doyoon¡¯s stamina and MP were bottomed out. On top of that, he was hit by an S-durability enchanted baseball bat. ¡®An A-rank hunter fainted after being hit by a person like me? This makes some headlines.¡¯ Surely enough, people around them took out their phones and took pictures of Ahn Doyoon. Perhaps the story would pick up and become such a hot topic in a few minutes. Jinhyuk smiled as he returned the red bat to his inventory. Chapter 11 The Titans were in disbelief that Ahn Doyoon was hit by a C-rank cleric hunter. The executives argued that they should let go of the man who humiliated the guild, but Seo Sangho refused that proposition. ¡°The guild was defamed by Ahn Doyoon, not him.¡± Ahn Doyoon knowingly put new recruits in danger¡¯s way, and still tried to use violence against the person who saved their asses. Seo Sangho wanted to punish Ahn Doyoon for that crime, and demote him to a regular guild member. Such crime usually results in expulsion, but he wants to give him some consideration given his loyalty to the guild. After kicking out all the executives from the conference room, Seo Sangho sighed and leaned back on his chair. ¡°It¡¯s disappointing the more I think about it.¡± Seo Sangho was very disappointed that Kang Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t join the guild. It¡¯s amusing that a C-rank hunter was able to do such damage to an A-rank one. It was obvious that he could become a much better hunter than Ahn Doyoon if he took some time. Jinhyuk has the potential to become an S-rank hunter like himself. It was a deep regret that he failed to recruit such talent. ¡°I really want to turn him into a big person.¡± Fortunately, he was able to obtain Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s contact information. It¡¯s enough to keep constant contact, so there¡¯s a good chance that there would be another opportunity in the future. ¡°Shall I just invite him to be my drinking buddy?¡± Although there¡¯s no question about Jinhyuk¡¯s abilities, Seo Sangho also liked Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s cool attitude. He was someone who refused additional rewards even though everyone recognized his contribution. Regardless of whether Jinhyuk would join the guild or not, Sangho wanted to become friends with him. * * * ¡°Should I have just accepted their offer?¡± Jinhyuk felt some regret when he checked his account balance. His expenses have increased more than expected because he purchased some potions and other scrolls and equipment. He refused the Titans¡¯ reward because he thought he could just earn money through the dungeon anyway. Thinking about it now, he realized that he didn¡¯t have to refuse their reward. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have refused their money just to look cool.¡± It¡¯s true that he¡¯s got a good image now as a cleric, but it was foolish to give up benefits that were available to him right away. ¡°Well f**k it, I¡¯m not leaving the dungeon until I make up for the loss today.¡± Kang Jinhyuk, who felt firmly determined, quickly opened the door to his attic. As soon as he entered the dungeon, he knew that the dwarf was making something again because of the intense heat. ¡°Is he increasing his collection again?¡± He thought he shouldn¡¯t disturb the dwarf while he was busy, so he headed straight downstairs towards the gate. When he reached deep into the forest and passed by the cave, a group of Orcs welcomed him. ¡°Hmm.¡± The orcs who discovered Jinhyuk walked towards him with a threatening aura. Despite around 20 orcs surrounding him, Jinhyuk kept his calm. He managed to beat two of these before when his level was still lower, so there¡¯s no reason to be worried. Kang Jinhyuk made the first move and swung his bat in a flash. The orc was too slow and his skull was completely crushed. ¡°Beating these 20 orcs would be a piece of cake.¡± Luckily, the first orc that Jinhyuk hit was the leader of the bunch. The other orcs panicked after losing their leader, and they all scurried and tried to run away. After 10 minutes, Jinhyuk managed to overpower all the orcs. While Jinhyuk was putting the orc corpses in his inventory, he discovered a staircase that looked exactly like the one on the first floor. ¡°Does this lead to a lower floor?¡± Just like this forest, it¡¯s possible that stronger monsters live on the flood below. Because he was confident in his skills, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t hesitate to go down. [Current Location ¨C 3rd Floor ¡®The Devil¡¯s Temple Labyrinth¡¯] [Floor 3 registered as warp gate.] The notification appeared when Jinhyuk stepped on the stairs. The notification said this floor was a labyrinth, but it didn¡¯t look like one. It looked like an old temple. The walls were all filled with moss, and there was no sign of any person at all. ¡°It feels kinda creepy.¡± It¡¯s fortunate that the surroundings were well lit as if the sun had just risen. The place would¡¯ve felt like a haunted house if it was dark. It was an odd place, but Jinhyuk had no intention of going back. ¡°I might encounter some materials for enchantment in this place.¡± Aluminum was not a scarce material in the outside world, so he was sure that he¡¯ll find some materials for enchantment in no time. Kang Jinhyuk wondered what kind of monsters lived in this place. As if it heard his curiosity, a Golem suddenly appeared from the ground. ¡°What is this out of nowhere?¡± Right after it spawned from the ground, the golem tried to hit Jinhyuk with its fist of stone. Jinhyuk managed to step back and dodge, but that was a close call. Jinhyuk¡¯s confidence faltered at the sight of the golem¡¯s fist. No matter how durable his mithril armor was, he knew it couldn¡¯t withstand several hits from the golem. ¡°I need to beat him fast and get out of here¡­¡± Jinhyuk ran quickly when he found an opening as the golem was fixing its posture. When the golem¡¯s head was hit firmly with the bat, the stone head was shattered. However, unlike other monsters, the golem didn¡¯t die from losing its head. The golem¡¯s unstoppable fist landed a hit on Jinhyuk¡¯s body. ¡°Geuuk!¡± Thanks to the effect of the chain armor, Jinhyuk was able to avoid fatal injuries. Jinhyuk rolled back once and got up. He tried to pretend to be calm, but he couldn¡¯t overcome the pain and he eventually collapsed on one knee. ¡°He dealt this much damage to me¡­?¡± The golem was stronger than he expected, but the problem was it didn¡¯t die despite its being crushed. There was no information about the golem in the outside world. Jinhyuk has to figure it out blindly. ¡°Usually, golems are defeated in manhwas by destroying their core.¡± The bat¡¯s enchanted effect should¡¯ve revealed the golem¡¯s vital point, but that didn¡¯t happen now. There was no part of the golem that shone particularly. Therefore, Jinhyuk has to find the golem¡¯s core with his naked eye. ¡°Does this thing even have a core in the first place?¡± The truth is, ¡®golem¡¯s core¡¯ was only a thing that appeared in novels and manhwas. There was no guarantee that it existed in reality. ¡°I thought an ordinary monster would appear in here¡­ Why is it this golem out of all things?¡± Jinhyuk realized that he was not ready for this floor, so he prepared to escape right away. However, the golem was faster than he could take out the returning stone from his inventory. ¡°Woah!¡± Because he lost his balance, Jinhyuk lost the returning stone that he was taking out from his inventory. The golem then tried to wave its fist on Jinhyuk who fell down. Jinhyuk hurriedly reached forward and used one of a cleric¡¯s skills. ¡°Holy shield!¡± A golden shield appeared in front of Jinhyuk and successfully blocked the golem¡¯s fist. But it¡¯s too early to let his guard down. Because the skill¡¯s level was still low, the shield would break soon. If the golem punches again, the shield would probably won¡¯t sustain it. ¡°Fxxk!¡± As Jinhyuk tried to hurriedly get up, someone shouted at him. ¡°Stay seated right there!¡± Shortly after the voice was heard, an arrow passed over Jinhyuk¡¯s head and penetrated the center of the golem¡¯s chest. The golem whose chest was penetrated became an ordinary stone and collapsed in an instant. At that moment, Jinhyuk realized that the golem¡¯s core was in its chest. There¡¯s no more reason to be scared now that he knows the golem¡¯s vital point. Kang Jinhyuk immediately got up and threw his bat to a different golem that was rushing towards him. The baseball bat flew at a high speed and hit the golem¡¯s chest accurately. The golem soon collapsed too. After catching the baseball bat thanks to the recovery function, Jinhyuk sighed in relief. ¡°Wooh¡­ I almost got in huge trouble.¡± Jinhyuk took a deep breath and looked in the direction from which the arrow flew. He discovered a person with a brown hood covering his whole body, and a bow that was covering her face. The person¡¯s gender couldn¡¯t be deciphered from their looks, but the voice definitely belonged to a woman¡¯s Kang Jinhyuk thought that she was also a person living in the dungeon, just like the dwarf. Her clothes doesn¡¯t look like she belongs to the outside world. ¡°Thank you for helping me.¡± Jinhyuk approached her to give his thanks, but the other quickly grabbed his face. ¡°A-ah?¡± It happened suddenly that Jinhyuk didn¡¯t have time to think about why he was suddenly grabbed in the face. The hooded person pulled Jinhyuk¡¯s face and asked him. ¡°Where did you come from?¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I asked where you came from. Are you trapped in here too? Or did you come here from the outside?¡± That was an unexpected question. Jinhyuk answered with no hesitation. ¡°I came from the outside.¡± As soon as the other heard his answer, her behavior became more intense. She grabbed Jinhyuk¡¯s collar with both hands and shook Jinhyuk¡¯s body back and forth. ¡°You came from the outside?! When?!¡± ¡°T-today.¡± ¡°Where? How?!¡± ¡°I saw the entrance so I just went in!¡± Jinhyuk was about to get motion sickness because the person was shaking him too much. As he was about to tell her to stop shaking him, her hands fell off. She let go of him so suddenly that Jinhyuk didn¡¯t have time to recover. Jinhyuk lost his balance and fell on the floor. ¡°Aigoo¡­ What the heck are you doing?!¡± The hooded person did not pay attention to Jinhyuk¡¯s protest. She was muttering something, as if she was in deep thought. ¡®Is she mentally ill?¡¯ Jinhyuk slipped back with the intention of running away. When he moved about 10 cm, an arrow quickly passed over his head. ¡°Where are you going.¡± Jinhyuk only managed to open his mouth from shock. He didn¡¯t see any motion of pulling out an arrow and shooting with a bow, yet an arrow suddenly flew above his head. He realized that he doesn¡¯t dare to fight this person. ¡°Take me to the entrance from where you came in.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Jinhyuk nodded with a pale face. He might end up with a lot of holes in his body if he rejected. ¡°Good answer.¡± The other person put her bow back, satisfied. And then, she took off the hood that was covering her face. Her hair was a shining blonde color, her eyes were green, and her ears were pointed. Jinhyuk, who saw the appearance of what obviously looked like an Eld, shut his mouth in surprise. Chapter 12 It seems like the rumors are true that elves are all beautiful men and women. The lady in front of Kang Jinhyuk was the most beautiful woman he¡¯s seen in his whole life. Feeling Jinhyuk¡¯s intense stares, the woman glared back at him. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Realizing that his actions were rude, Jinhyuk hurriedly diverted his gaze. He awkwardly asked her a question. ¡°Uhm, are you perhaps¡­ an elf?¡± It was a question from the top of his head. He knows that a dwarf lives inside the dungeon, so it wouldn¡¯t be an odd thing for an elf to live here too. Her response to Jinhyuk¡¯s question was neither positive nor negative. ¡°You¡¯re partly correct. I¡¯m a half.¡± Only her appearance resembles an elf¡¯s. She added that her eating habits and lifestyle were no different from humans. ¡°Have you heard of Lucia the half elf?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°R-really? I thought I was famous, but I guess I¡¯m not that good yet.¡± Lucia scratched her cheek with an awkward face. She spoke with pride, yet shame rebounded upon Jinhyuk¡¯s answer. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s my name. I¡¯m a platinum-rank adventurer.¡± She showed a platinum medal with colorful decorations as she introduced herself. Jinhyuk didn¡¯t know what that meant. Kang Jinhyuk pretended to admire the object made of ¡®precious platinum¡¯, which he assumes to be a rare material in this world as well. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°¡­If you¡¯re going to pretend, then do it a bit more convincingly.¡± Lucia sighed as she put back the medal. ¡°Seeing that you don¡¯t know my name and even what this medal means, tells me that you¡¯re really not from around here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I told you. I¡¯m not from the world that you know of.¡± Lucia became interested in Jinhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°How different is it?¡± ¡°First of all, the language that we use is completely different.¡± ¡°We can understand each other just fine though.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably thanks to this thing.¡± Jinhyuk took out the necklace that he was wearing. Lucia made an odd expression once she saw it. ¡°Perhaps, is that thing made by the dwarf that lives on the upper floor?¡± ¡°Oh? Do you guys know each other?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Lucia was obviously uncomfortable as she spoke in a shivering voice. ¡°Don¡¯t get involved with that dwarf. He¡¯ll tire you out.¡± ¡°Eh? Why?¡± ¡°Why do you think? He just swears like crazy all the time.¡± Jinhyuk thought something was strange when he heard what she said. ¡°He does swear a lot, but it¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s because you¡¯re a human. I¡¯m a half elf so hearing that loose-tongued dwarf makes me just wanna¡­!¡± Lucia¡¯s face gradually heated up as if she was getting a fever just by thinking of it. She realized that the topic was steered away from what they were talking about. Lucia took deep breaths to calm her emotions. ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter that we don¡¯t speak the same language. It¡¯s all about using magic.¡± ¡°Magic also doesn¡¯t exist from where I came from. There are also no elves like you.¡± To be fair, she was a ¡®half-elf¡¯, but now was not the time to point out such a trivial thing. Lucia doubted what Jinhyuk said. ¡°There are no elves? Then how did you know that I was one?¡± ¡°T-that¡­ It¡¯s because I read about elves in books¡­¡± ¡°Elves appear in literature but not in real life? Is your world apocalyptic?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t know how to explain it. How could someone from earth accurately describe a race that existed in a different world? He wants to ask those fantasy novel writers personally. While Jinhyuk was hesitating, Lucia deduced the situation on her own. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s written in books because it existed in the past. Then, it¡¯s going to get crazy when they discover that elves still exist.¡¯ Lucia imagined herself being discovered by researchers from the other world. It¡¯s obvious that extinct species that reappear would be subjected to all kinds of experiments and observations. Lucia¡¯s face turned darker and darker the more she imagined, and she shuddered as she shook her head. ¡°I should put off going to the outside world. I think it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Lucia realized that she should refrain from going outside on impulse, which was for her own safety. She needed to go out at least once to investigate, but she thought that she need more preparation. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re saying that there¡¯s a dimension connected to this dungeon, right?¡± ¡°Uhm, I guess so¡­.?¡± Although Jinhyuk isn¡¯t very sure, he knew that the dungeon was not an isolated place. Because it was connected to his own attic. After hearing Jinhyuk¡¯s answer, Lucia looked relieved. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. The crazy wizard¡¯s spell worked for now.¡± ¡°Eh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do you think? You¡¯re able to reach this dungeon because of that crazy wizard.¡± Jinhyuk looked surprised. ¡°Why in the world would he do that?¡± ¡°Do you know Naendeul?¡± The wizard¡¯s thoughts couldn¡¯t be understood by a sober person. The drunker he got, the crazier he turned. ¡°If he makes a successful potion, it could be possible to turn it back¡­. But it looks like he made a way out now.¡± Lucia talked to herself while Jinhyuk was left confused. Perhaps the woman¡¯s goal was to return to where she came from. ¡°U-uhm, so is it possible for you to go back right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need more information first. It¡¯s the very reason I¡¯m stuck here anyway?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hidden place that¡¯s blocked from the outside?¡± ¡°A hidden place?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s a place that I recently discovered. Lucia stared right at Jinhyuk. Jinhyuk unknowingly took a step backward, perhaps because the elf¡¯s gaze was burdensome. ¡°I think you¡¯ll be quite useful. Help me.¡± ¡°Help you? With what?¡± ¡°To catch the boss monster.¡± ¡°B-boss monster¡­.?!¡± Jinhyuk drooled at the thought of a boss monster. Boss monsters were more than twice as strong as other monsters. They were difficult to hunt, but hunters searched for them regardless because they can earn great rewards from catching them. Lucia noticed Jinhyuk¡¯s reaction and she knew that he had taken the bait properly. ¡°I can handle him alone, but since there¡¯s a lot of small monsters surrounding the area, it¡¯s a bit annoying.¡± ¡°So you want me to handle the small ones?¡± Lucia smiled, satisfied that Jinhyuk understood it quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a reward, so help me investigate it. How¡¯s that?¡± Of course, there¡¯s no reason to refuse that offer. He knew first hand just how good Lucia¡¯s skills were. And besides, he might discover more about her purpose if he comes along with her. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Good.¡± * * * After securing each other¡¯s cooperation¡­ Lucia took the lead in guiding Jinhyuk inside the labyrinth, and inside the temple. At the center of the collapsing temple, there was a statue of a goddess with broken arms. When Lucia pushed aside the statue that looked like Venus, a pair of hidden stairs were revealed. ¡°You¡¯re quite strong.¡± ¡°Are you just saying that because I¡¯m a girl?¡± Lucia went down the stairs with a sulky face. Jinhyuk followed her behind. He was surprised at the sight of a large underground space. A row of knight-shaped stone statues and colorful patterns decorated the walls. The atmosphere indicates that a Boss monster was indeed hiding n here. ¡°The boss lives here?¡± ¡°No, we have to walk a bit further. This place is wider than you think.¡± ¡°Hmm, would it take 1-2 hours?¡± ¡°A day.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Including rest time, it¡¯d take us about a day.¡± Jinhyuk¡¯s jaw dropped wide open when he heard that. ¡°It takes a whole day?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said. There are a lot of small monsters on the way. There are also some things that we need to take care of separately.¡± The boss monster was in the middle of mediation, so it¡¯s going to take a considerable amount of time to get to him. Lucia that considering the time and the distance, they might experience some delays. Kang Jinhyuk, who was initially shocked for a while, decided to accept the situation positively. ¡°I¡¯m going to level up anyway, so it¡¯s not that bad.¡± He made sufficient preparations before entering the dungeon, so he doesn¡¯t have to worry about starving. ¡°How do you know all these? Have you been here before?¡± ¡°Two days ago, before I was in a different dimension.¡± ¡°So, why are you here again¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a high possibility that the potion made by the crazy wizard was left in here.¡± Jinhyuk prayed that there was nothing like that in here. He was sorry for Lucia, but he didn¡¯t want her to move the dungeon to its original dimension. * * * Lucia¡¯s abilities were displayed as they moved towards the direction of the boss monster. Every time she lifts her bow, at least two monsters immediately die. Even the monsters with their own armors couldn¡¯t survive. Her arrow penetrates their vital points accurately. There was no way for monsters to stop the arrows from flying incredible distances. If it wasn¡¯t for his enchanted weapon, Jinhyuk wouldn¡¯t have noticed that Lucia was shooting at all. It would have been nice if he could keep relying on her, but her arrows were not infinite. Intact arrows were recovered and used as much as possible, but due to the fragile nature of the arrows, it¡¯s impossible to recover 100% of the arrows that were shot. Lucia only has 10 arrows left when she pulled out the rapier on her waist. ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to help me out from here on. I want to save some arrows for the boss.¡± ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Jinyuk confidently grabbed his bat and stepped forward. Just in time, Lucia was itching to know more about his skills. The monsters wore armors. They were ¡°ghouls¡±, half-rotten corpses. They¡¯re not that much stronger than skeletons, so they weren¡¯t that difficult to deal with. ¡°Iyaa!¡± Jinhyuk hit the ghoul¡¯s head accurately with his bat. The ghoul¡¯s head was crushed instantly. ¡°Geuuuh¡­¡± Unlike the skeleton, hitting the ghoul¡¯s head kills him instantly. It was way easier to deal with the ghouls than the skeletons. ¡°I¡¯m quite good.¡± Even though he¡¯s instantly defeated, the armor worn by the ghoul was made of iron. It¡¯s not easy to crush such sturdy material with one hit. Ordinary people would¡¯ve admired Jinhyuk¡¯s ability, but Lucia was indifferent. ¡°Did the dwarf strengthen that bat for you?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°He was bragging about it last time I saw him.¡± The weapon made of Oriharukon was enchanted by the dwarf. It was something anyone would covet. That made Jinhyuk worry that Lucia wanted his bat. Lucia recognized what Jinhyuk was thinking, and she smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I heard that the bat belongs to you, so you¡¯ve got nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Does that mean that if you didn¡¯t know that it was mine, you would¡¯ve definitely stolen it?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a precious material after all.¡± Her honesty paired with her smile was terrifying. This woman doesn¡¯t seem to be lying. ¡°¡­¡± Jinhyuk relaxed a bit after that exchange. He was worried that he might lose the elf, so he took his steps one by one. ¡®What a cute bastard.¡¯ The platinum-grade adventurer seemed skillful and trustworthy. It was an award given to only the best and most honest people, who do not dare to commit even petty crimes. Although she¡¯s now in a different dimension, Lucia doesn¡¯t intend on tarnishing her trustworthiness. The platinum token was proof of her skill as an adventurer. However, it¡¯s understandable that Jinhyuk would doubt her since he doesn¡¯t know exactly what the platinum token entails. The sight of Jinhyuk acting like a small, wary, rabbit slightly pleased Lucia. ¡°I¡¯m curious about something.¡± ¡°W-what is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about that bat. Would the effects of it still remain even when you die?¡± ¡°¡­ I want to go alone from here on.¡± ¡°Hahahaha! I¡¯m kidding.¡± Jinhyuk started walking a bit faster. It¡¯s almost like he was running. Lucia noticed it of course, so she grabbed Jinhyuk¡¯s back. ¡°Geeuk!¡± Jinhyuk exclaimed as he was caught suddenly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill you, so calm down and look at this.¡± There was a large door where Lucia pointed her finger. The door had a lion¡¯s pattern engraved on it. ¡°What is that? Have we arrived already?¡± ¡°No. This is the first step towards meeting the monster.¡± ¡°The first step¡­? What is that?¡± ¡°Beyond this door, there is one guard that we need to catch.¡± In short, it was kind of like a middle boss. Lucia took out an arrow, knowing that the monster beyond this door was not easy to deal with. ¡°I want to finish him off in one hit, so run forward as soon as I open the door.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to shoot me from behind are you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, but I¡¯m not gonna do that now. We¡¯ve got a lot of work left to do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± As Lucia pulled her bow and signaled with her eyes, Jinhyuk opened the door with all his might. Behind the open door were blue shining magic pearls and a knight-shaped golem guarding it. ¡°Now!¡± Even before Lucia¡¯s signal, Jinhyuk was already rushing towards the golem with all his might. The golem swung his sword at the sight of the intruder approaching him. However, Lucia¡¯s arrow was faster than the giant sword of over 2 meters. Her arrow accurately hit the vital point of the golem. When the disoriented golem stumbled and let down his defenses, Jinhyuk knew exactly what he had to do. His gaze was directed at the core embedded in the center of the golem¡¯s chest. Chapter 13 It was easy to aim right at the golem¡¯s core. Jinhyuk swung his bat with both hands and hit exactly at the center of the golem¡¯s chest. However, the power that he gave was only enough to damage the armor that covered the golem¡¯s chest. The level of this middle boss was 120. Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s current level was 55. Even though his bat has significantly high-performance thanks to its enchantment, it wasn¡¯t enough to fill the level gap of more than twice his own. He would¡¯ve been able to defeat the opponent had it been a regular monster, but this one was a middle boss. It¡¯s way better and advanced than most regular monsters, so the golem was not to be taken lightly. ¡°Fxxk.¡± The golem quickly regained his balance and raised his sword. The sword was lifted way above his head, and it¡¯s obvious who it¡¯s aiming for. Jinhyuk tried to quickly retreat and avoid the sword that wants to cut him in half. However, Lucia¡¯s words stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t falter and go hit him again!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± It was a ridiculous thing to tell him not to back down when a sword the size of a house is falling over his head. Would Jinhyuk risk his life and believe the words of a person he met not even a day ago? Jinhyuk took on the gamble. But of course, he doesn¡¯t want to risk his life. He thought that since he was wearing an armor made by the dwarf, he¡¯d only get fatally injured instead of dying. If he survives, he could just use the potion that he bought to regain health. ¡°Ey, whatever!¡± Jinhyuk gritted his teeth and dashed towards the enemy. The more he ran, the closer the sword fell down on him. It felt like a suicide mission. And then¡­ An arrow from behind hit the golem¡¯s sword. If the arrow hadn¡¯t hit the sword, Jinhyuk would¡¯ve been cut right there and then. Jinhyuk calmed down his shaken heart and focused on quickly swinging his bat. ¡°Cover me!¡± Hit! A cool smashing sound resonated when the bat hit the golem¡¯s core. With the shattered core, the magnificent golem began to collapse. Jinhyuk too collapsed on the spot and tried catching his breath. ¡°Hoo¡­ I thought I was gonna die.¡± It took a very huge leap of courage to do such a thing. Even if he knew that the armor would protect him. Jinhyuk¡¯s hands trembled like crazy even after the situation settled down. He saw Lucia approaching, but the tremors couldn¡¯t be stopped voluntarily. ¡°If you¡¯re that scared then you should¡¯ve retreated.¡± Lucia thought that Jinhyuk was an experienced fighter. But seeing him in this state now, she realized that her assumption was wrong. ¡°Nothing bad would¡¯ve happened if you retreated first.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said¡­¡± Come to think of it, it was a gamble that he didn¡¯t necessarily need to take. It was a high-risk situation with very little chance of succeeding. On top of that, his life was on the line. Nevertheless, there was a reason why Jinhyuk decided to attack. ¡°Well, I thought that we would get more in sync now that I put my trust in you.¡± Once they both calmed down, Lucia decided to modify their operational plan accordingly. If this event didn¡¯t happen, Lucia would¡¯ve continued to move through while keeping in mind that Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t trust her and that he¡¯d definitely put his life above anything else. Jinhyuk didn¡¯t want that. It wasn¡¯t right at all to not have trust in each other. Lucia realized Jinhyuk¡¯s intentions. ¡°I quite like you.¡± Of course, she meant as a colleague. Jinhyuk wasn¡¯t idiotic enough to interpret it as any other thing. ¡°What did you say your name was?¡± ¡°Kang Jinhyuk.¡± ¡°Stop speaking politely. Talk to me casually¡± ¡°Eh?¡± She offered for him to talk to her casually in recognition of Jinhyuk¡¯s skills. However, Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t accept such a proposition. ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡­¡± ¡°Why? Is it too burdensome?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. I think it¡¯s a bit inappropriate to speak casually to someone way older than me.¡± Jinhyuk suddenly had goosebumps. It felt like he said something he shouldn¡¯t have. He looked up and saw Lucia¡¯s face. Instead of her usual expressionless face, her stare felt like it carried a thousand daggers. Jinhyuk thought that since she¡¯s a half-elf, she would¡¯ve lived way longer than humans. It seems like his assumption made Lucia shiver in disgust. ¡°¡­What did you just say?¡± The purpose of her question was to make Jinhyuk think carefully and correct what he just said. Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t want to imagine what would happen if he says the wrong words now. * * * Jinhyuk corrected himself, saying that he should¡¯ve said ¡®someone with much more experience¡¯ instead of referring to her age. Mixing and coming up with ridiculous excuses made him sweat buckets. Afraid that he might make another slip of the tongue, he kept his mouth shut as they continued their journey. Lucia also remained silent. The cold and awkward atmosphere was unpleasant for Jinhyuk. He thought of ways to relieve the atmosphere, and he eventually took out an item from his inventory. ¡°Do you want to have some of this?¡± Lucia looked at the chocolate bar because she felt hungry too. ¡°¡¯Do you want some of this?¡¯ is what you said?¡± However, she was more interested in what Jinhyuk just said. Lucia glared at Jinhyuk, now that she knows that the latter talks to her politely because he thinks that she¡¯s ¡®way older¡¯ than him. ¡°A-ah, I mean¡­ Want some?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Lucia took the chocolate bar that Jinhyuk was holding. She opened the packaging at once and took a bite. Jinhyuk did not miss her reaction. Lucia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s this thing made of?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure, but it¡¯s mostly just cocoa powder and almonds.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of those things. It must be food that only exists from where you¡¯re from.¡± Lucia reached out her hand to Jinhyuk as soon as she finished eating the chocolate bar. ¡°You want some more?¡± ¡°Yea. Quickly.¡± There weren¡¯t a lot of sweet foods from where Lucia¡¯s from, so the taste of chocolate gave her a pleasant shock. But even so, finishing three boxes of chocolate bar was unusual too. How can she eat that much casually? Jinhyuk wondered where those calories go. Seeing that her arms and legs are quite thin, there¡¯s only one place that he thought of. ¡°Euhm!¡± Jnhyuk coughed and shook off his thoughts. Unknowingly, they had arrived at the boss room. Lucia looked at Jinhyuk strangely. ¡°What are you doing? You nervous?¡± ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s nothing.¡± Jinhyuk avoided her gaze, but Lucia still stared right at him. He felt very embarrassed as if he was caught doing something bad. But when he looked at her, he just saw her reaching out her hand again. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why do you think? Give me some more.¡± ¡°You mean the chocolate bar? That was the last one.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Jinhyuk was shocked at Lucia¡¯s shouts. He didn¡¯t expect her to react so intensely. ¡°Stop joking around and give me some.¡± ¡°There¡¯s really none left. You ate everything that I bought.¡± ¡°So go back and get me some more!¡± Lucia looked like a soldier who was deprived of his food ration. It looks like she changed completely after having a taste of the choco pie. She was showing more intense actions and saying more intense words. Lucia belatedly became conscious of her own behavior. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I guess something shifted in me.¡± Her judgment became blurred because of the sweet food that she had for the first time. Lucia herself didn¡¯t understand why she reacted that way. She succeeded in soothing herself and keeping her cool, but her body still craved for the sweet treat. It¡¯s a fact that Lucia herself doesn¡¯t know of, but what happened was because of the elven blood that flows through her body. The reason why elves generally live in the forest and survive with only fruit and water, was because their bodies were conditioned by years of experience. Elves can obtain sufficient energy with just a small intake of sugar, so eating such sweet human food elicited a strange reaction from her body. That reaction is none other than ¡®apetite¡¯. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Her first time eating such a large amount of sugar made her apetite burst at once. The strength that it takes to resist it at this moment is similar to those with addiction problems trying not to relapse. ¡°Hey, this won¡¯t do. Let¡¯s call it a day and then you get me some more of that thing. In exchange, I¡¯ll teach you something useful.¡± ¡°Something useful?¡± ¡°Do you know what ¡®Aura¡¯ is?¡± ¡°Aura?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know then watch closely. I¡¯ll show it to you myself.¡± Before Jinhyuk could say anything, Lucia opened a huge door and led him into the room. Jinhyuk hurriedly followed her, when suddenly¡­ The darkroom became illuminated with a bright light as if someone had commanded it. Inside the spacious and secluded room, a single stone statue was seen in the middle. As if sensing the footsteps of Jinhyuk and Lucia, the stone statue began to move with a sound similar to crying. ¡°Geuuuu.¡± The stone statue was wearing an armor and equipped with swords and shields. Its appearance was several times more sophisticated than any other golem he had ever seen. Although, the statue looked quite ancient; as if it was mere decoration rather than a thing that can fight. Lucia pulled her bow before the statue rushed at them. ¡°I¡¯ll only show you once so you watch closely.¡± Jinhyuk witnessed Lucia¡¯s arrow tip suddenly shine in a bright, blue glow. The light became stronger and stronger as if it was gathering strength. The moment Lucia let go of the bowstring, a booming sound resonated. ¡°Boom!¡± The arrow hit the statue with a sound that was similar to a bomb exploding. The left arm of the statue which held its armor blew up. The stone statue stared blankly at its body, perhaps in disbelief of what just happened. ¡°G-geeuuu.¡± The same was true for Jinhyuk, who had no idea what he just witnessed. He was shocked to see a part of the stone statue easily crushed like that, as if it was made of clay. Only then did Jinhyuk realize that Lucia had been saving her strength. Jinhyuk wouldn¡¯t have any chance to gain EXP and level up if Lucia were to defeat all the enemies in one shot. He realized that now. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lucia smiled, pointing to the dying stone statue. Maybe it¡¯s because he saw her true skills with his own eyes. When he saw that smile, he felt shivers travel down his spine. ¡°You should finish it up.¡± Killing the statue would earn him a huge amount of experience. However, Jinhyuk wanted to ask her something first. ¡°How did you do that just now?¡± ¡°Well, what do you think? I put my Aura in the arrow.¡± ¡°Aura¡­? Can you use it for things other than arrows?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Jinhyuk¡¯s eyes sparkled when he heard her answer. That power made it possible for a small arrow to deal great damage to a huge stone statue. If he could use that for his, he¡¯d never run out of power like he did earlier with the middle boss. Lucia noticed that Jinhyuk was interested in this ¡®Aura¡¯ thing. ¡°What do you think? Wanna learn it?¡± Jinhyuk didn¡¯t have to think about it. He nodded his head up and down right away. There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t want to learn a skill that gave a missile-level firepower to an ordinary arrow. Chapter 14 The truth is, Aura was an ability that needs skillful use of mana, and it takes lifetime devotion to develop it. That¡¯s why it¡¯s very rare for humans to be able to use Aura. Because Lucia was a half-elf, and their life span is much longer than that of a human, she was able to learn Aura. On the other hand, Jinhyuk was just a regular human. Even if he¡¯s talented, it won¡¯t be until his hair is all white that he¡¯d be able to use Aura. Though he wants to learn it, there¡¯s no way to go against time with his human body. Nevertheless, Lucia¡¯s suggestion was thoughtful in its own way. ¡®I just told him I¡¯ll teach him how to use it. I never promised that he¡¯ll be able to use it right away.¡¯ Of course, she has to teach it to him with a sincere heart. It¡¯s purely up to Jinhyuk whether he can make his talents bloom or not. ¡°Geuuuu.¡± While Lucia was deep in her thoughts, the boss monster moved for an ambush. It was a surprise attack aimed at her, but Jinhyuk was faster than it. ¡°Holy Shield!¡± Because of the natural instinct of his bat, Jinhyuk was able to get there faster than the monster. Thanks to the level up given by beating the middle boss, Jinhyuk¡¯s defense skill completely blocked the stone statue¡¯s attack. The rebound made the stone statue collapse on the spot. Jinhyuk saw the opportunity, so he rushed in as fast as he could towards the statue¡¯s exposed core¡­ A sound of breaking was heard, but it seems like the core was not completely crushed. But Jinhyuk expected this, so he swung his bat again with no hesitation. Jinhyuk hit the stone statue¡¯s core once, twice, three times with no rest. The core couldn¡¯t withstand the damage and was shattered in the end. ¡°Geu¡­.¡± Leaving a scream-like moan as its last breath, the stone statue stopped moving eventually. [You have levelled up.] Thanks to the tremendous EXP given by the boss monster, Jinhyuk was bombarded with level up messages. It¡¯s not been that long since he became a C-rank hunter, but his level is now up to 85 already. If this continues, he¡¯d be a B-rank hunter in no time. Jinhyuk searched through the remains of the boss monster, expecting to find some fallen items. Unfortunately, there were none. ¡°That skill just now¡­. Are you a cleric?¡± Jinhyuk was taken aback by Lucia¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Eh? You didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°I thought you were a warrior because you carry a bat. Who knew that a human beating up golems was a cleric.¡± Lucia was right. It¡¯s the first time that Jinhyuk used a cleric¡¯s skill in front of Lucia. ¡°You¡¯re a cleric¡­ This is unexpected.¡± ¡°Is it really?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that surprising but it¡¯s different from what I thought.¡± Jinhyuk didn¡¯t understand what Lucia was trying to say. ¡°What¡¯s different? Is there a disadvantage to being a cleric?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the opposite.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Given that you¡¯re a cleric, it¡¯s going to be easier to teach you how to use Aura.¡± Jinhyuk was confused. How does this specialty, which does not have combat-specialized skills, help him in learning Aura? Lucia saw Jinhyuk¡¯s expression and knew that the guy knew nothing. ¡°Have you ever heard of ¡®holy aura¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°¡­ Not knowing it is not something to brag about.¡± Lucia sighed quietly before continuing her explanation. ¡°The shield you just used. That¡¯s also kind of an aura.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that skill uses aura?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit different. But the method and the effect are the same.¡± The difference is that aura is made from mana gathered from the body. The thing that clerics use was made of divine power. ¡°So will I be able to use it right away?¡± ¡°Of course not¡­ But if you do well, maybe you¡¯ll learn it in a week or so.¡± For cleric¡¯s they don¡¯t have to stack up on aura, they just have to learn how to use it. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be easy, but Lucia was confident that she¡¯d be able to teach it with her own capabilities. But still, just because it¡¯s possible, doesn¡¯t mean that she¡¯ll do it for him right away. Someone told her that before. ¡®Don¡¯t do what you¡¯re good at for free.¡¯ Lucia¡¯s experience as an adventurer proved that to be true. ¡°In exchange for me teaching you, I have one condition. You remember what it is right?¡± ¡°Condition? Ah¡­!¡± Jinhyuk remembered what Lucia said. No way¡­. Lucia was willing to teach him such a precious skill in exchange for a chocolate bar. Life is really unpredictable. * * * Seo Sangho was leaving the association¡¯s headquarters with an unpleasant expression. Even though he was known for his kind personality, the unilateral notification made him offended. The secretary that followed Seo Sangho felt it too. ¡°Shall we call the guild officers right away?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Seo Sangho nodded as he sighed. ¡°Does it make sense for our guild to be dealt with like this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the timing of these events is very good.¡± The appearance of monsters usually happens randomly, but this one was an exception. An abnormal transmission was found this month. A powerful monster appeared right at the place where the abnormal transmission was observed. The phenomenon happened to be here in Seoul when all the other large guilds were commissioned abroad. Currently, only S-rank hunter Seo Sanghoon and his guild were the only forces that could cope with this phenomenon in Korea. ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to seek cooperation from other guilds.¡± ¡°I think so too. But well, will the other guilds be willing to¡­¡± Public opinion on Titans hasn¡¯t been very good because of the incident by Ahn Doyoon. Both the secretary and Sangho were aware of it. ¡°I should¡¯ve stopped him beforehand.¡± The work was more serious than he thought as he was wary of the other guilds¡¯ executives. They didn¡¯t know that the snowball rolled by Ahn Doyoon would get this big. It was Doyoon who made the mistake, but Sangho had to take responsibility as the guild leader. ¡°Sigh¡­ If I could, I¡¯d rather die right now. If he could he would pour out all kinds of curses and just kick that man out. But at the moment, every single person is a precious resource. ¡°It¡¯s not a good time to kick out an A-rank hunter.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Even if he knew it logically, it¡¯s hard to accept the fact still. The secretary wanted to comfort Sangho¡¯s feelings. ¡°He¡¯s not a good person, but his skills are important for us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But he¡¯s a guy beaten up by a mere cleric.¡± Upon hearing Sangho¡¯s words, something suddenly came up in the secretary¡¯s mind. ¡°Did you succeed in negotiating with the hunter that beat up Ahn Doyoon?¡± ¡°No. Not yet.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting for quite a while now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to be careful with my actions.¡± Kang Jinhyuk, the hunter that Seo Sangho wants to recruit, had a bad perception of the Titans. Forcing him to join would just backfire on them. ¡°Do some more research so we can provide him a good offer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary. He¡¯s not someone who comes up in a lot of internet searches.¡± Jinhyuk was a D-rank hunter for a while, but he suddenly boomed as a hunter recently. There was nothing significant about him before that. Seo Sangho liked the mystery. It felt as if he had discovered a gemstone that no one else was interested in. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll take care of that. Just distract the executives for now.¡± Unlike Seo Sangho, who is pushing for the recruitment of Kang Jinhyuk, the other Titan executives did not like the guy. At the moment, they know very little about what the executives are up to, so they have to step up their surveillance. ¡°We¡¯ve already deployed a lot of people to keep an eye on them.¡± ¡°Really? What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been planning on something that you¡¯re not supposed to know, Guild Leader.¡± ¡°Hahaha, as expected with those bastards.¡± Sangho laughed as if he expected this to happen. It was the executives who built the Titans from the ground up, not Sangho who couldn¡¯t care less about the guild. They couldn¡¯t stand it that Ahn Doyoon was still in the guild. ¡°Contact me right away if they¡¯re plotting something against Kang Jinhyuk. I¡¯ll handle it myself.¡± ¡°May I ask why you seem to cherish that hunter a lot? Isn¡¯t he a C-rank hunter at best?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I can¡¯t pinpoint it. I just have a good feeling about him.¡± If someone else heard it, they¡¯d think that it was a ridiculous answer. However, the long-running secretary of Seo Sangho did not find it odd. While working as his secretary, he knew that Seo Sangho¡¯s instinct was very sharp. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Seo Sangho was able to firmly maintain his position as the guild leader against those executives, all thanks to his judgment and sixth sense. ¡°Now is not the time to focus on that hunter. We need to focus on the request of the association.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It was natural that they had to deal with the fire first. While they were talking¡­ They unexpectedly saw Jinhyuk coming out of a bakery nearby. Seo Sangho wanted to focus on other things for the time being. However, now that Jinhyuk was right in front of his eyes, he couldn¡¯t just pass the opportunity. ¡°I can¡¯t be a gentleman now.¡± Seo Sangho informed his secretary with a meaningful smile. ¡°I have something else to do, so go ahead and inform the executives of what happened at the association.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As soon as the secretary left, Seo Sangho approached Jinhyuk. Jinhyuk seemed quite surprised to see him walking towards him. ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to ask you. Why are you buying all those stuff at this hour? And at the bakery?¡± Seo Sangho¡¯s attention was towards the large paper bag held by Jinhyuk. It seems to be too much food to eat for a single person. ¡°I also don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing right now.¡± Jinhyuk smiled bitterly as if this wasn¡¯t something that he wanted to do on his own. Seo Sangho was curious about it, but he has something else to prioritize at this moment. ¡°Have you thought about my suggestion?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about me joining the guild, I already told you. I have no intention of joining one for the time being.¡± Jinhyuk¡¯s answer was very clear that it seemed like he had no room for reconsideration. He was very grateful that an S-rank hunter pursues him to join the guild, but he doesn¡¯t want to join the Titans at all. Not only the Titans, but all the large guilds. Jinhyuk did not want to join hands with those people who monopolize monsters, with no regard to the non-guild hunters. ¡°I think I¡¯ve offered you enough favorable conditions¡­ I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re not accepting them.¡± ¡®I just don¡¯t like it.¡¯ Jinhyuk wanted to say that directly to the S-rank hunter, but he couldn¡¯t so he had to think of another excuse. ¡°The crazy serial killer hasn¡¯t been caught yet, isn¡¯t he? I don¡¯t want to worry every night, thinking that I¡¯d be stabbed in the back.¡± ¡°¡­ Is it really for that reason?¡± Jinhyuk nodded calmly. ¡°I heard there were 12 victims just this month. No one would dare enter any guild at such a heinous time.¡± Seo Sangho couldn¡¯t refute that fact. A hunter dies every three days, yet the association and even the large guilds are not taking any plausible measures. ¡®He¡¯ll get caught someday if he aims for A-rank hunters.¡¯ Such ridiculous excuses were the reason why the association and the guilds left the matter unattended. Even though the killer was skilled in that he leaves no trace, it¡¯s still irresponsible for the association to not even think about pursuing the killer. After a short sigh, Seo Sangho opened his mouth. ¡°Well then, how about coming in as a mercenary?¡± ¡°A mercenary?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll give you enough compensation. Well, if that meant that they¡¯d simply hunt together instead of him joining the guild, Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t see any reason to refuse. If it¡¯s a guild like the Titans, it would mean that Jinhyuk wouldn¡¯t have any difficulty in hunting monsters anymore. And on top of that, the monsters he¡¯d deal with would likely be valuable. However, he sensed something suspicious. ¡°Titans already have so many talented people. Do you really need me to be a mercenary?¡± Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s known specification was only a C-rank hunter. The only advantageous, well-known fact about him was that he was a cleric. It was hard to say why the Titan guild leader would think that a hunter such as him would be worth bringing as a mercenary. ¡°Haha, you¡¯re too humble for a guy who beat up an A-rank hunter.¡± ¡°What I did on him worked better than I thought it would.¡± ¡°You wielded your bat quite confidently for that.¡± ¡°I was so angry so I did put a lot of energy into that swing.¡± Seo Sangho could not erase the feeling that Jinhyuk was hiding something. But as long as Jinhyuk presented himself like this, there¡¯s no way for him to dig deeper. Seo Sangho decided to set aside his curiosity and take a step back, ¡°Even if it was just luck, clerics who have combat skills are very valuable. If you have the time, please contact me.¡± The situation at hand doesn¡¯t really require a cleric. Seo Sangho hoped that Jinhyuk would get used to what guilds do on his own. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Seo Sangho was internally satisfied when Jinhyuk gave a somewhat positive answer than what he gave before. Chapter 15 There were two things that Kang Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t understand at the moment. The first one was why the S-rank hunter Seo Sangho keeps pursuing a mere C-rank hunter like himself. Perhaps hitting Ahn Doyoon in one strike could be a factor. Although it¡¯s a positive thing that he¡¯s getting such recognition, it¡¯s not very pleasant for Seo Sangho to personally recruit him to the guild. And he can¡¯t take no for an answer. Jinhyuk never thought about joining the Titans, but if the guild leader comes to him again, it would certainly be too burdensome. ¡®Should I just stay quiet for a while?¡¯ Jinhyuk shook his head as he was thinking to himself. At this point, there¡¯s no way to shake off Seo Sangho¡¯s attention. In the end, the D-rank hunter was finally seeing some spotlight. He doesn¡¯t want to live his life away from the main scene again just because he feels burdensome. ¡®I¡¯ve got no choice but to ignore him for now.¡¯ Seo Sangho seemed like someone who doesn¡¯t settle when things don¡¯t go his way. For now, Jihyuk has no intention of being involved with the Titans. Jinhyuk made up his mind on that first matter. But there¡¯s still a different one that he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°She really ate all those by herself.¡± Lucia lumped the sugary treat in her mouth as soon as she could. The numerous desserts he brought from the outside world all disappeared in an instant like a magic trick. ¡°Whatchu loomkin at?¡± ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t talk while you¡¯re eating.¡± She seemed like a ghost that craved for sugar. Lucia was busily moving her hands and mouth. Seeing her eat with her whole heart and soul makes it more believable that she offered to teach him aura in exchange for all the food. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen someone eat this much.¡¯ Lucia¡¯s eyes grow wide open with each chocolate bar that Jinhyuk gave her. People generally like sweets, so it¡¯s not like that¡¯s an odd thing. What was strange was the amount of sugar she was consuming. ¡°Wooooh~¡± Lucia exhaled loudly after her lengthy meal. She consumed at least a few kilograms of food, but her belly didn¡¯t stick out at all. The mysterious sight made Jinhyuk realize the greatness of the elven genes. ¡°I thought you¡¯d only bring the choco bar or something. There are so many strange foods from your world.¡± ¡°Are there no desserts from where you¡¯re from?¡± ¡°There are some, but it¡¯s nothing compared to the things I ate just now.¡± In the world where Lucia lives, sugar was not a primary ingredient for their foods. It was surprising that people with such natural love for sugars haven¡¯t discovered sweet desserts. ¡°Why did you have to eat those here in the basement? We already caught the boss monster.¡± Jinhyuk didn¡¯t understand why she chose to eat in such a dark and unpleasant place. Lucia pointed her finger toward the wall in response. ¡°Do you see those sentences written on the wall?¡± ¡°I do. What about them?¡± ¡°Those are magic spells. You can¡¯t tell?¡± Jinhyuk nodded his head. The magic spells he was familiar with were usually in the form of a star drawn inside a circle. It never crossed his mind that the scribbles written on the wall were magic spells. ¡°Then you should know that that¡¯s what made connected this dungeon to your world.¡± ¡°Those words did?¡± Lucia¡¯s explanation was short, but it was enough to make Jinhyuk flustered. ¡°So, if you write those again in a different way, things would go back to the way it was?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Jinhyuk secretly felt relieved. The dungeon has benefitted him greatly, but his level hasn¡¯t been raised enough for him to allow the dungeon to disappear from his grasp. In order to be successful in the outside world, he needs to at least be an A-rank hunter. Jinhyuk can¡¯t afford to lose the dungeon before that happens. ¡°There¡¯s still no way to get back?¡± ¡°Yeah. But it¡¯s worth studying the words written there.¡± Magic spells usually disappear after they are used. However, the one under this temple didn¡¯t disappear. Lucia probably guessed that it¡¯s one of the reasons why the magic failed. ¡°I think we should stay here for a while to investigate it.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯re done investigating, would you be able to solve it?¡± ¡°Maybe I could at least understand why the things happened the way it did. It¡¯s impossible to go back yet though.¡± Special substances were used by magicians to do such large-scale magic. Unlike the disappointed Lucia, Jinhyuk looked bright as if his worries were gone. Knowing that mere investigation wouldn¡¯t change anything made him feel at ease. ¡®She won¡¯t be able to get back even if she investigates. I should take this opportunity.¡¯ Jinhyuk thought that if he continued to cooperate with Lucia, he would gain more useful knowledge other than how to use aura. ¡°Tell me if you need anything. I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡± ¡°¡­Why are you being like that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°J-just because¡­ We¡¯re in this together in this dungeon, so let¡¯s help each other out.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Lucia looked at Jinhyuk with suspicious eyes. Even though they defeated a boss monster together, it¡¯s only been a day since they first met. She wondered why Jinhyuk suddenly showed loyalty. Jinhyuk noticed Lucia¡¯s gaze so he hurriedly tried to make an excuse. ¡°You told me you¡¯d teach me all about aura. If you¡¯re too focused on investigating this alone, you might neglect your promise to me.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± What Jinhyuk said actually made some sense. Thinking that it was obviously an excuse, Lucia decided to let it pass for now. Unlike the people she¡¯s met so far, Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t seem to be someone with ill intentions. Jinhyuk looked relieved as if a thorn had been removed from his throat. ¡®There¡¯s no way that a person who has something to gain from me would come back here to help me.¡¯ Lucia thought so, so she stood up as she shook the fabric of her clothes. ¡°Speaking of which, let me tell you the basics of using aura.¡± ¡°Right now? Weren¡¯t you going to investigate those written magic spells first?¡± ¡°Teaching you the basics shouldn¡¯t be that difficult.¡± Lucia approached Jinhyuk and reached out her right hand. Jinhyuk didn¡¯t know whether she was asking for a handshake or something else, so he just stared at her hand. The frustrated Lucia then grabbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m asking for your hand, what the heck are you staring at?¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve told me then.¡± When their hands connected, Jinhyuk felt a strange feeling as if an energy was transmitted to him. He instinctively tried to retract his hand when he felt like being shocked by a static electricity. But Lucia held on to his hand tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. Remember this feeling.¡± Jinhyuk listened to Lucia and tried to accept the unfamiliar feeling. ¡®How am I supposed to remember this? I¡¯m no martial arts master.¡¯ As he endured the uncomfortable feeling and focused on doing what he was told, Jinhyuk realized that the sensation transmitted from Lucia¡¯s hand was being passed on to his body. When he turned his attention to her hand, he saw the blue energy blooming like a haze. He knew what it was immediately. ¡®Oh, he¡¯s more talented than what I expected.¡¯ Lucia was amused by the state of Jinhyuk¡¯s body. ¡®If he does well, he¡¯ll get down the basics within the day.¡¯ Lucia recognized Jinhyuk¡¯s innate talent because the mana was moving well throughout his body. The reason why she transmitted mana to Jinhyuk was for him to get a sense of it. Another purpose was to penetrate the blocked blood paths within his veins. However, seeing the situation now, it seems like Jinhyuk¡¯s blood path wasn¡¯t blocked at all. The mana flowing throughout his body was circulating rapidly, without any signs of being intercepted. After some time, Lucia pulled back her hand. Right at that moment, the movement stopped from Jinhyuk¡¯s body. ¡°Right, now do you know how it feels? Try it.¡± ¡°Try that? Right now?¡± ¡°It usually takes decades just to build the necessary mana, but you can just compensate with your divine power from being a cleric. It won¡¯t be too difficult for you.¡± ¡°Divine power? What is that?¡± ¡°The one you used to defend against the boss monster¡¯s attack. That skill requires divine power to utilize it.¡± Although that skill uses MP as well, that skill which was unique in clerics has a different root in itself. Jinhyuk realized this after understanding what Lucia said. However, knowing the theory wasn¡¯t enough to actually apply it to practice. ¡°I kinda get what you mean but¡­ How can I transform that into aura?¡± ¡°You have to figure that out from here on. With your own body.¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s easier said than done¡­.¡± The skill works on its own when he says the name of the skill. He has no idea how to transform it with his own body. When he uses the skill, he reaches out his hand just because he feels like he should. He doesn¡¯t think that the action meant much. ¡°How on earth am I supposed to do this?¡± With an awkward feeling, Jinhyuk stared at the void. He tried to use his skill, thinking that it was worth a shot. ¡°Holy Shield!¡± The shield appeared before his eyes just like usual. Jinhyuk focused on finding out what he felt in his body the moment the shield appears. ¡°Holy shield! Holy shield! Holy shield!¡± As he repeatedly used the skill, Jinhyuk realized that every time he used it, a force permeated from the outside was released through his palm. The feeling was very faint that he couldn¡¯t notice it before. ¡°Is this the thing you¡¯re telling me to change to my own?¡± Once he says the name of the skill, the skill automatically works on its own. Changing that was like changing the laws of physics. No one had tried that kind of thing before, so Jinhyuk didn¡¯t think it would be possible. ¡°Is this really the only way?¡± Lucia answered immediately. ¡°Yes. If you don¡¯t like it, then be prepared to train for the rest of your life just to learn how to use it.¡± Jinhyuk sighed quietly. Lucia spoke so firmly that he really had no choice. With very little hope, Jinhyuk went at it again. He reached out his hand and used the skill once more. ¡°Holy shield!¡± After using it 10 consecutive times, his MP ran out. He took the potion that he brought to bring back his MP. He then tried the skill again without rest. Perhaps thanks to the repeated movement, the sense felt clearer little by little. However, just feeling the sensation wasn¡¯t enough. He has to somehow change that feeling to the one that he felt when Lucia touched his hand. It was like an act in vain as he reached out his hand to the air. Despite that, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t give up. If he succeeds in doing the impossible¡­ If he¡¯s the first person to make it possible, he¡¯d feel a great sense of accomplishment. Leaning on that very little hope, Jinhyuk drank five more potions. ¡°Hmm?¡± As he repeated the skill over and over again until he ran out of potions, the shield that he summoned did not take on a proper form and began to crush. It seemed like a simple skill failure. However, there is very little probability that a skill would fail if he has enough MP. It was evident that the divine power used in his skill was being directed in a different direction. ¡°Is this really possible¡­?¡± His expectations brew little by little. And then, a notification appeared before his eyes. [You have learned a skill] [Divine Power ¨C Level 1] Chapter 16 Lucia noticed a slight leak of aura from Jinhyuk¡¯s hand. The truth is, it was too faint of a haze to even call it an aura, but it seemed like it. ¡®I knew he was talented, but he got used to it quicker than I expected.¡¯ It¡¯s true that clerics were more likely to learn aura than regular humans. Clerics sort of skip 3 or 4 steps in learning aura by borrowing divine power instead of his own mana. However, the conditions doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that all clerics could learn it. If all clerics were capable of learning aura, Lucia¡¯s world would¡¯ve been flooded with holy knights. ¡®If his belief was strong enough, he would¡¯ve figured this out on his own.¡¯ But of course, Lucia was sure that that¡¯s impossible. In Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s world, there was no place to live in to practice belief with a unique reverence. If Jinhyuk didn¡¯t use his holy shield skill, Lucia wouldn¡¯t have known that he was a cleric. ¡°Sigh, we won¡¯t have time to investigate now.¡± His progress was unexpectedly quick, so the plan on investigating the magic spells need to be pushed. But Lucia has no regrets at all. Even if she were able to interpret the magic spells, it was still impossible to return to her own dimension using just her own magic. It was simple greed to want to investigate it. Lucia thought that it was better to help Jinhyuk progress rather than satiating her own curiosity. She knows how important guidance is in Jinhyuk¡¯s process of learning. Or maybe it¡¯s something else. Kang Jinhyuk, who learned a new skill, was showing full motivation. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there¡¯s another way to obtain skills other than the ones given by my specialty¡­.!¡± Jinhyuk checked the information on his new passive skill [Divine Power ¨C Level 1] In addition to certain skills, divine power can be used arbitrarily. Current Level: F When used, holy power is attributed. Increased attack and defense in proportion to consumed MP. Jinhyuk saw something he was curious about. ¡°I can use divine power on top of certain skills?¡± It can be interpreted that the divine power could be used for skills other than those specialized for clerics, but he has no way to confirm that. ¡°I don¡¯t have non-cleric skills¡­¡± It¡¯s a shame that he couldn¡¯t experiment with his new skill. Still, it wasn¡¯t disappointing at all because he still has a lot to learn. The corners of Jinhyuk¡¯s mouth were curved pleasantly as Lucia approached him. ¡°What are you grinning about?¡± ¡°I got a new passive skill.¡± ¡°Passive¡­ what?¡± When Lucia¡¯s response made it seem like it¡¯s her first time hearing of it, Jinhyuk felt strange. ¡°You don¡¯t know passive skills? You know, that thing that activates even if you don¡¯t say the name of the skill.¡± ¡°I dunno that. What¡¯s a skill in the first place?¡± Jinhyuk was embarrassed because he doesn¡¯t know how to answer that question. ¡°You know that thing that I used recently, the holy shield. That¡¯s a skill.¡± Lucia spoke as if she understood. ¡°So you guys call sacred magic as ¡®skill¡¯.¡± Jinhyuk felt a strong sense of incompatibility at the moment. As Lucia said before, there¡¯s more than just a difference of language used between them. Jinhyuk asked her a question to confirm it. ¡°Do you know what ¡®stats¡¯ are?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that again? I think you¡¯re talking about magic when you refer to something similar to skill.¡± ¡°Why is that¡­ When you think about it in your head, there¡¯s something like a window that comes to mind with a lot of information. It¡¯s the abilities displayed in that place.¡± Lucia snooped her head, asking what the heck he was talking about. ¡°Where is that place?¡± She seems to have no idea about the abilities and stats window that appears in front of people. Jinhyuk realized that there was nothing like that in her world after continuing to answer Lucia¡¯s questions. In Lucia¡¯s world, training only strengthens the body or increases mana. They didn¡¯t have to raise their level with a game-like concept in Jinhyuk¡¯s world. Mana was used manually to activate magic, not by just saying the skill name. ¡°Our world¡¯s method has the advantage of being simple, but the disadvantage is that it¡¯s difficult to apply.¡± Fortunately, application of skills, although difficult, is not impossible. He just learned a new passive skill after using the same one over and over. He knows that now, so Jinhyuk believed that the method used in Lucia¡¯s world could also work on his. He¡¯s sure that he¡¯ll get more skills if he follows her training. Knowing that, Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t stay still at all. ¡°Teach me your method. How do I use the aura that was leaking out of my hand?¡± ¡°I was just about to tell you.¡± Lucia was also excited about it. Skipping the process and just saying the ¡®skill name¡¯ to use magic wasn¡¯t a thing in her world. What would happen if Jinhyuk¡¯s abilities and knowledge combined with hers? Lucia became very curious. ¡®This one¡¯s more fun than investigating something with no promise of reward.¡¯ Filled with an adventurer¡¯s thirst for inquiry in a long time, Lucia earnestly wanted to help Jinhyuk. * * * With her sudden enthusiasm and sincerity towards teaching, Lucia was a bit harsh. Jinhyuk had to train aura until he used up all his body and MP. When he asked Lucia why he has to move his body so much when learning aura, she replied that it was all for his sake. ¡°If you do well, you might even get the skills of a warrior. ¡°Fxxk¡­.! That¡¯s not even a certain thing. You don¡¯t know it for sure!¡± ¡°Why are you complaining so much? Even if you don¡¯t get the skill, a healthy body and a healthy mind should help you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a term for that in our world.¡± Even if their place of origin was different, there seems to be a lot of similarities between them. Although it makes sense, it just sounded like nagging for Jinhyuk given that his mind and body were both exhausted. ¡°Now, now. Stop complaining and try it again. How long are you going to sit around there for?¡± Jinhyuk reluctantly raised his body when he saw Lucia taunt him with her fingers. He swung his baseball bat towards her without any preparation. The action was excessive given that he was against a slender woman, but Jinhyuk had no hesitation at all. He was expecting her to avoid it just like she has been for the past few minutes. ¡°That scared me.¡± After stepping back and avoiding the surprise attack, Lucia spoke to Jinhyuk with a sly look. ¡°That surprised me. Why did you swing at me suddenly?¡± ¡°You say that but I only managed to graze the tip of your hair.¡± ¡°Hahahaha! Of course, you did! I¡¯m a platinum-rank adventurer. How can I be beaten by a novice like you?¡± ¡°Heh, well then I¡¯m sorry for being such a novice.¡± Lucia explained that she had to go through lots of battles to gain practical experience. For Jinhyuk, it just sounded like a bunch of suicide missions. No matter the angle you look at it, Lucia just seems to enjoy bullying the newbie. ¡°I¡¯m going to injure my shoulders at this point.¡± Jinhyuk felt like his arms were about to fall off because of the repeated full on swings. ¡°Isn¡¯t it much better to practice on monsters?¡± Lucia thought for a moment. Of course, while she was deep in thought, she didn¡¯t forget to avoid Jinhyuk¡¯s sneaky attacks. ¡°Right, you said that catching monsters improve your skills, right?¡± ¡°I ¡®level up¡¯ to be exact.¡± ¡°What do you mean level¡­? It¡¯s amazing that you can be stronger with that.¡± For Lucia, levelling up by catching monsters was similar to saying that catching cows and pigs would make someone stronger. Even if she thought that it was ridiculous, she had no choice but to accept that it was common knowledge in Jinhyuk¡¯s world. ¡°Then let¡¯s try to hunt as many monsters as we can so you can train your aura. You might be able to use your new skill while doing so.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t practiced it yet, how will I be able to do that?¡± Although he gained a new passive skill, Jinhyuk¡¯s aura has only been activated for 0.1 seconds at best. In addition, the effect of the passive skill was not certain because it was so insignificant that it might as well not even be there. Although Lucia was well aware of that fact, unlike Jinhyuk, she didn¡¯t think of it as a problem. ¡°You just have to get the timing right.¡± The contact time between the bat and a monster was short too, so there¡¯s no problem with that. That¡¯s why Lucia thinks that it¡¯s theoretically possible. ¡°Aren¡¯t you applying your standards too much?¡± Jinhyuk wasn¡¯t confident that he¡¯s capable of applying such precise control. He thinks that it¡¯s too much to ask for a child who had just learned how to walk. ¡°No one succeeds in just one try. You have to do it until you get it.¡± There are a lot of monsters in the dungeon anyway, so that¡¯s not going to be a problem. There are enough objects and locations for him to practice on, the only thing left is his action. Jinhyuk intuitively sensed that a hell-like time would soon come. ¡°Y-you really think it¡¯s possible? You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Why? You¡¯re not going to back out now, are you? You¡¯re the one who asked me to teach you how to use aura.¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just we¡¯ve already done a lot today, so I think it¡¯s better to save it for another day.¡± Jinhyuk added that training with an exhausted body would be counterproductive. However, Lucia has no intention of doing that. She slowly approached Jinhyuk and put her arm around his shoulder. ¡°Once you start making progress, you have to keep moving forward. If you plan on doing it like this, you¡¯re not gonna see much fruit of your hard work.¡± It was ingrained in Lucia¡¯s personality. Once she set her mind on a certain goal, she can¡¯t stop working on it until it was over with. As long as her mind is set on earnestly teaching Jinhyuk, she planned to push him until just before he¡¯s completely exhausted. Lucia mustered a smile at Jinhyuk¡¯s gloomy face. ¡°Don¡¯t be so cowardly. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re gonna die.¡± ¡°Does this mean you¡¯ll only let me go once I¡¯m almost dead?¡± ¡°¡­Alright, shall we start now?¡± ¡°Hey, answer me.¡± Jinhyuk regretted that the moment it came out impulsively. He can already sense the hard times he¡¯s going to go through, so he just sighed for a few seconds. ¡°Relax~ you should be honored that a platinum-rank adventurer is training you.¡± Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t understand why this woman suddenly showed so much excitement. He thought that she was supposed to teach him during their free time from investigating the magic spells. What kind of oxygen did she suddenly breathe for her to become such a passionate teacher. ¡°¡­Alright. Let¡¯s try it.¡± Jinhyuk was determined to get what he wanted too. If Lucia is able to teach him even half of the power that she displayed against the boss monster, he¡¯ll be an A-rank hunter in no time. Chapter 17 Corpses of several monsters scattered all over the floor of the temple¡¯s basement. Goblins, Kobolds, and even golems. Jinhyuk faced all these monsters. He wanted to put them all in his inventory, but that¡¯s not possible now. Lying face down on the cold stone floor, Jinhyuk was breathing as if he was fighting for his life. ¡°I-I can¡¯t do this anymore. Even dying is better¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re really. If anyone sees you, they¡¯d think you¡¯re being tortured.¡± ¡°Is this not torture? What kind of person makes a human swing his bat for three days straight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for your good.¡± ¡°Bullshxx¡­¡± Although Jinhyuk cursed unintentionally, he knew that Lucia¡¯s words were true. His list of skills was the proof of the achievements of this harsh training. [Divine Power ¨C Level 3] [Precise blow] [Persistence] He gained two new passive skills, and the previous one he gained levelled up. After three days of nonstop effort, Jinhyuk was able to get his hands on it. An active skill that enables him to use aura. [Holy Aura] Materializing the power of faith through aura Current skill level: F Strengthens the body or weapon once given aura Damage caused by aura cannot be offset other than by another aura. As his body was aching in pain, it became tolerable after he read the skill description. The effect of the new skill was stronger than what Jinhyuk expected. The fact that others can¡¯t defend against the damage of the aura unless they have aura themselves is a great thing. Although the skill level is still low, the effect of the skill was enough. Jinhyuk was satisfied with his achievement. But it doesn¡¯t seem like Lucia is. Now that he has acquired Aura, Lucia never stopped whipping him and saying that he should develop this new power. Jinhyuk, who could no longer take it, lied on the floor to protest. ¡°Whatever. I can¡¯t move my body anymore so I¡¯d rather you just kill me.¡± ¡°Ohoo, you¡¯re going to do this?¡± Lucia loaded an arrow on her bow with a meaningful smile. Jinhyuk thought that she was threatening him at first, but looking closely at the direction she was pointing at, it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. Lucia fired an arrow at the end of the hallway, where nothing seems to be visible. Shortly after the sound of the arrow cutting through the wind, a cry of a monster was heard. It wasn¡¯t a scream of pain, rather of surprise or anger. ¡°I missed it by a narrow margin on purpose. It¡¯s going to come over here soon.¡± ¡°Are you the devil¡­.¡± What Lucia actually meant was, if Jinhyuk wanted to live, he should get up from the floor soon. How can a person be so wicked? As Jinhyuk was admiring the wickedness of the elf, a group of orcs came closer with their clubs up high in the air. ¡°What the heck is this place even? There are orcs here too?¡± ¡°We caught the boss monster and broke the boundary. That¡¯s why monsters gathered from different places.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to gain here though¡­¡± Jinhyuk had no idea that the monsters were being dragged by the magic of the temple. In his perspective, the monsters were nothing more than an inconvenience for him. ¡°F**k.¡± Jinhyuk picked up his body with a deeply annoyed voice. That woman seriously left him alone to die. * * * Lee Juncheol was satisfied with the trend of the business these days. Jinhyuk gave the saving rope to his organization right when they were suffering from a decline. The monster corpses that he regularly supplies was of better quality than any other hunters sell. He doesn¡¯t know why such high-quality corpses were being sold to him and not to the association. Honestly, there are some aspects about their business relationship that makes him uncomfortable, but considering the amount of their transaction and the profits he earned, it was something that he could endure. ¡°It only matters to me that he brings in profits.¡± Morality was not needed to build credit in this world. As long as the contract is kept and money is made, that¡¯s enough. Lee Juncheol waited for Jinhyuk to come into the conference room. The separate one that serves VIPs only. He checked the agenda for today¡¯s meeting when he heard the door open. ¡°Welcome and come¡ª what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Jinhyuk¡¯s complexion wasn¡¯t very good, and he didn¡¯t speak much. His eyes looked very tired, and his hair seemed flaky. He looked like someone who just returned from remote areas after suffering for a long time. Jinhyuk leaned on the sofa as if he was about to collapse. ¡°If you¡¯re exhausted, we can hold the meeting some other time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to collect my money so I won¡¯t be doing that.¡± Jinhyuk sighed loudly put a pouch-type inventory on the table. ¡°I brought in the monster corpses separately, so go check its quality.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s something that Mr. Jinhyuk brought, then I think won¡¯t need to do that.¡± Juncheol said that as if he had absolute trust in Jinhyuk, but he in fact doesn¡¯t. He will be checking thoroughly for the quantity and quality of the corpses after Jinhyuk leaves. It was merely lip service to please Jinhyuk. ¡°Just as you called for in advance; 21 goblin corpses, 21 kobold corpses, and 6 orc corpses. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yes, and I want you to check this one out.¡± Jinhyuk put a lump of metal with a subtle blue color. It was the Mithril that he secretly didn¡¯t hand over to the dwarf. ¡°T-this is something I¡¯ve never seen before.¡± ¡°Can you check how much it¡¯s worth?¡± ¡°I will do that right away. I¡¯ll call in an expert.¡± Lee Joonseok recognized in one glance that the metal brought by Jinhyuk wasn¡¯t ordinary. A strange magical energy was leaking from where the Mithril was placed. He¡¯s not sure about the details of the mana flowing, but he knew that it had outstanding power. ¡°I¡¯d like to trade for that metal after it is priced.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll contact you as soon as I can.¡± Lee Juncheol carefully picked up the mithril and placed it in a separate case. He handed over the documents on the table towards Jinhyuk. The document was organized into one or two sheets of paper, and it contained simple personal information of the company¡¯s contacts. ¡°What is this?¡± This is a list of people who wants the alcohol that you gave me last time. They want to promote it.¡± ¡°Why are you showing it to me?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re the person who supplies the product, shouldn¡¯t you know about its production process?¡± Juncheol explained that he promoted the alcohol as a high-end brand to high-ranking officials. The image that he tried to build was of a ¡®traditional soju enhanced by an outstanding craftsman using traditional methods¡¯. ¡°¡­How was their reaction?¡± ¡°It was very positive. It¡¯s safe to say that this business is bound to succeed.¡± The soju brought by Jinhyuk was both excellent in taste and rich in mana which restores energy. ¡°There are many people who want to pay for it right away.¡± ¡°If there are too many orders, it¡¯s not going to be easy to meet the demand.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry about that. I established that it¡¯s a liquor made by an individual craftsman, so they know that the supply is going to be low.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very smart.¡± ¡°Hahaha, yes I hear that a lot.¡± But the truth was, Juncheol didn¡¯t do it for Jinhyuk. Even if the supply could meet the demand, Juncheol would have done the same thing. It would be more beneficial for the organization to sell it at a high price by increasing its rarity. ¡°How much do you think we should sell this?¡± When asked by Jinhyuk, Lee Joonseok realized that the time had come. Deceiving him here by lowballing Jinhyuk would benefit them greatly. He wants to do that right now. However, he realized that greed will always bite back. Lee Joonseok considered it foolish to do such a thing. Lee Junseok suppressed his greed and spoke honestly in order to secure future transactions. ¡°I think 150,000 Won per bottle is enough.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too expensive?¡± The price was too high compared to regular soju. However, Lee Joonseok was confident that sales would go well even at that price. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure it will sell.¡± ¡°How are you so sure of that?¡± ¡°I am confident because of how well it went when I promoted it. If the sales don¡¯t go well, I will still compensate you at the same price.¡± Lee Joonseok made such a proposal, so Jinhyuk has nothing to lose. ¡®Soju costs less than 2,000 Won at the convenience store. We¡¯re selling it at 150,000 a bottle just because I put it in a bottle.¡¯ It was a product that left a more terrifying margin the more he thought about it. Even if he quit hunter work now, he could live in abundance just by selling alcohol. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll trust you and leave it to your hands.¡± After Jinhyuk agreed, Lee Joonseok bowed his head deeply. ¡°Thank you.¡± * * * After settling the contract with Lee Joonseok, Jinhyuk went outside with a brighter face. It¡¯s funny how his mind becomes lighter the heavier his wallet became. He feels like he¡¯ll collapse right away because of the training given by Lucia for the week. He felt energized when he thought of the money that would accumulate in his account. ¡°I should head home and get some sleep¡­¡± Jinhyuk yawned and stretched out his arms and legs. He sold the monster corpses and even the mithril alcohol, so all that¡¯s left for him is to rest his tired body. However, things doesn¡¯t always go the way he wanted. The sleepiness completely left Jinhyuk¡¯s body as he heard the evacuation broadcast along with a loud siren sound. For a moment he thought that a war broke out, but the moment he saw a ¡®Wyvern¡¯ crossing the sky, he realized what was going on. ¡°What the¡­ Why is this going on right here on the streets?¡± Wouldn¡¯t one or two guilds at least know of this? There were more than 10 of them at least. ¡°How did this happen?¡± It was never normal for so many monsters to run around in the open. Feeling the situation getting serious, Jinhyuk took out his bat from his inventory. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me today is¡­¡± Jinhyuk took out his phone and checked the alert message. He found out that his guess was right. He¡¯s not sure whether he¡¯s lucky or not. Of all days, today was the day of the monthly massive monster invasion. ¡°Why did this happen today?¡± Chapter 18 Employees dispatched by the association guided the civilians in evacuating. Usually, when such a large-scale invasion takes place, large guilds cooperate with each other to defend against the monsters. Which is why it¡¯s rare to see monsters entering the city with no guilds around. However, by this time, monsters were infiltrating the sky and even the grounds everywhere. ¡°It started earlier than expected. Can I handle this alone?¡± As Jinhyuk looked around, he saw that the monsters running around in the city were low-levelled ones that even D-rank hunters could hunt. Seeing those monsters walking around with no guilds around, Jinhyuk could roughly guess what was going on. ¡°They only want to hunt the high-level ones. They¡¯re leaving the low-level monsters to other hunters.¡± That was technically a good thing for low-level hunters not belonging in a guild. Jinhyuk would¡¯ve been more than glad enough to take care of this in the past. However, not that he has an exclusive dungeon, he doesn¡¯t really need these monsters. Small monsters like these roam around inside the dungeon. Even if he caught some of these, he would just unnecessarily waste the physical strength he has left. ¡°I could just go home and sleep.¡± Even if Jinhyuk didn¡¯t intervene here, other hunters would gladly deal with these monsters. This large-scale invasion doesn¡¯t happen very often, but it¡¯s impossible for guilds or even other hunters to defend against this even if it started a bit early. Jinhyuk yawned so loudly that his eyes teared up as he tried to hurry home. However, he stopped in his tracks shortly after a loud announcement. [This is to inform all hunters.] [The current situation is very urgent, so if you are able to hunt a monster currently attacking the city, we¡¯ll compensate it three fold.] [The above condition is limited to today. Hunters who want to be compensated should visit the association with their items, and we will confirm if it¡¯s caught within today. Hunters should do so as soon as the current situation settles down.] Jinhyuk heard cheers bursting from every direction. Other hunters exclaimed in joy after hearing that message. ¡°Three fold you mean¡­¡± Not only is it an opportunity to legally sell monster corpses without going through an illegal organization, but the compensation for it is tripled too. It was foolish to choose to sleep with such an opportunity right in front of him. Jinhyuk immediately turned around and dashed back towards the city. ¡°Aim for the head, you guys!¡± * * * The center of the massive invasion was surrounded by a boundary set up by Titans guild members. Most guild members jumped into the hunt, and only a small number of people maintained it. Due to the lack of personnel, not all monsters were blocked by the boundary. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your strength in fighting these monsters! Focus your energy on maintaining the boundary!¡± Guild executives ran around hard and led the members. They¡¯re usually nothing more than people decorated in dark outfits who only care about profit, but they faithfully played their original role during this crisis. The executives may be greedy, but that doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re incompetent. It was because of their power that the Titans continue to exist as a large guild. ¡°There¡¯s a bit of room in the west, so I¡¯ll take 10 people here and head there!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The guild members also followed the executives¡¯ instructions amid the crisis. They were like soldiers operating under a proper command system. Seo Sangho was able to fight with confidence thanks to the executive leading the other guild members on their own. ¡°Guild leader! Troops in Yoon Taeyoon¡¯s side are being pushed back!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come to them soon, tell them to hang in there!¡± Seo Sangho eliminated the monsters around him with his bare fist and ran to the place that needed help. The power of the S-rank hunter shone in this difficult situation. ¡°Ha!¡± The monsters couldn¡¯t even get close to him as they were torn apart. The only thing that could withstand his power were large monsters whose size exceeds 5 meters. The guild members gained confidence at the sight of Seo Sangho¡¯s incredible skills, but Sangho himself feels like he¡¯s dying. ¡°Come on! It¡¯s a kill or be killed situation!¡± It¡¯s not supposed to be this hard because situations like this is supposed to be dealt with in cooperation with other guilds. He didn¡¯t know he¡¯d miss the other guilds so much when they weren¡¯t around. Why did everyone go overseas at the same time? ¡°This reminds me of that time when I do group assignments on my own¡­¡± Sangho sighed as he dropped his head for a moment, but he had to raise his head again at the cries of his guild members. ¡°It¡¯s a two-headed cow!¡± ¡°Those below B-rank, back off!¡± The body of a guild member looks like it¡¯s about to fall off because he was hit by the two-headed cow. ¡°Ha¡­ Looks like I¡¯ve got no time to rest.¡± Seo Sangho approached the two-headed cow and shook his fist before the situation worsened. ¡°Grrrr¡­!¡± The two-headed cow, that even A-rank hunters find difficult to deal with, received a hole in the middle of its abdomen from Sangho¡¯s fists. The monster, whose intestines were ripped through, collapsed on the spot. It was a phenomenal scene, but no one could afford to admire it. Sangho and the other guild members had to find and eliminate the next monster. ¡°I think this invasion is a little too tough.¡± Sangho smiled bitterly when a guild member next to him said those things half-jokingly. ¡°I know right. It¡¯s hard to see the end of this.¡± The bigger problem was the appearance of giant monsters. If a few smaller monsters show up, the other guild members could handle it. However, it¡¯s a different story if they¡¯re faced with several two-headed cows. Monsters at that level can only be dealt with by at least A-rank hunters. Sangho was forced to step up because if A-rank hunters were concentrated in one area, it would mess up their formation. The other guild members take a break every thirty minutes by taking turns with people in the back. Meanwhile, Sangho has been fighting for more than 2 hours without a break. In the end, a secretary came to him as he fought to maintain his breath. The secretary immediately grabbed Sangho by the shoulder. ¡°Please rest for a bit. If you keep this up, you¡¯ll collapse even before the battle ends.¡± ¡°I rested up a bit a while ago.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t lie. You haven¡¯t taken a breather since the invasion began.¡± ¡°¡­If I step back now, this thing would take longer than we want it to be.¡± If the battle is prolonged in this situation where there are not enough people, the defense line would surely collapse. Sango decided to overwork himself because he knows that the other guild members are also giving all that they can. ¡°Take care of the clerics instead of me. The longer this goes on, the more important their role is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already placed enough support for them. What you need to pay attention to right now is the condition of the guild if you collapse.¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m fine.¡± Sangho rushed into the battlefield before his secretary could nag further. Even if Sangho looked fine at the moment, the secretary couldn¡¯t help but be worried about him. ¡°Is he really okay when he¡¯s been running around like this nonstop¡­¡± The executives who were supposed to assist Sangho are focusing on maintaining the defense line, so there¡¯s no one to fill Sangho¡¯s vacancy on the battlefield. The secretary thought of Ahn Doyoon for a moment, but she had to shake off that thought. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t seek help from that kind of person.¡± They¡¯d rather die in this field than rely on that person. ¡°As expected, we need more help from other hunters.¡± Executives believed that this is a golden opportunity to raise back up the guild¡¯s reputation, and also minimize their need for mercenaries. Sangho opposed it, but the executives pushed for it while making excuses about the guild-hunter serial killer. Considering Titans power and Sangho¡¯s abilities, it¡¯s not really an unreasonable policy. But no one really knows how things will go now. If a large number of high-level monsters appears, their current troops wouldn¡¯t be able to cope. The secretary realized that it¡¯s necessary to hire non-guild members for help before it was too late. Since the executives aren¡¯t available to give their permission at the moment, the secretary left the area while avoiding their eyes. * * * Jinhyuk confirmed that there were no more monsters around him before he sat on a nearby staircase. He could hunt more hunters if he moves to a different area, but he¡¯s sure that other hunters are already there. Jinhyuk did not want to take away the opportunity from those who came there first. It¡¯s the very thing that he despised about large guilds. He doesn¡¯t want to become the same rotten people like them. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± Jinhyuk looked into his inventory to check the number of corpses he hunted today. ¡°I caught about 30 monsters today.¡± If he receives three fold compensation, he would make more than 100 times his current profits. He doesn¡¯t have any reason to not end his hunting here for today. ¡°I should head home after this.¡± Jinhyuk made eye contact with a familiar face the moment he stood up. The woman running in a hurry was definitely the same one that he saw standing next to Seo Sangho before. The woman also recognized her. Sangho¡¯s secretary stopped running and approached Jinhyuk. ¡°You¡¯re Kang Jinhyuk-ssi, right? Do you have time right now?¡± ¡°No, I was just about to head home¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t have any other plans, please help us out for a second.¡± The secretary spoke with urgency. Jinhyuk felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu from when that Titans hunter asked him for help. ¡°Is it the Titans taking care of the monster invasion?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is it a difficult situation to settle with just the guild members?¡± ¡°Did the rumor spread already? How did you know that?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jinhyuk was speechless and almost laughed in vain. The situation was no different from before. It seems that Titans specialty is to inconvenience hunters and rush them only after the situation gets out of hand. ¡®Do they not learn?¡¯ Jinhyuk had no choice to take out his baseball bat once more. ¡°How much are you going to pay me?¡± ¡°Do you want to be paid by the hour? Or by the results?¡± Clerics usually prefer to be paid by the hour. This is because clerics are specialized in assisting. They don¡¯t really run on the field unlike other hunters However, Jinhyuk chose the latter with no hesitation. ¡°Pay me by the results.¡± ¡°Eh? Aren¡¯t you a cleric, Kang Jinhyuk-ssi?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So why¡­?¡± Jinhyuk returned the secretary¡¯s question. ¡°Do you know what true healing means?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t know, saving even those who are dead?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s removing the threat to damage itself. That¡¯s the ultimate form of healing.¡± The secretary looked blank, wondering what nonsense Jinhyuk was saying. Chapter 19 Jinhyuk was persuaded by the secretary. They both headed to the Titans¡¯ defense line along with other hunters At the sight of other hunters entering the scene, the Titans¡¯ executives frowned. The executives viewed these hunters who wanted to help as uninvited guests. ¡°Who told you to bring all these people?¡± ¡°It was the guild leader¡¯s order.¡± Upon hearing the secretary¡¯s words, the executives looked blank. They want to send away these other hunters, but they couldn¡¯t do so because they thought that it was the guild leader¡¯s orders. Even the executives who hold a lot of power over the guild could not ignore Sangho¡¯s, the guild¡¯s face, and the famous S-rank hunter, orders. Eventually, one of the executives reluctantly informed the other guild members. ¡°Psh, alright let them in.¡± Thanks to the guild members who made way, the other hunters were able to enter. Jinhyuk and the other hunters quickly went through the gap. When the secretary followed and tried to go in, an executive stopped her to ask a question. ¡°It¡¯s the guild leader¡¯s orders, correct?¡± ¡°¡­Of course.¡± The secretary pretended to be calm as she answered, but she had already written a whole apology letter to the executives in her head and expected a major salary cut. Since she used the guild leader¡¯s name in her lie, she might as well expect to eat only instant meals for at least three months. ¡°Then, excuse me.¡± The secretary bowed her head at the executive and hurried inside. Kang Jinhyuk and the other hunters she asked for help were waiting for her instructions. The secretary immediately began dispatching the hunters to the right place. Hunters with close-combat skills were placed to the front along with the tankers. Meanwhile, hunters with wizard artillery were dispatched farther back. Those with support skills were asked to strengthen the middle position. All other hunters were positioned as requested, yet Kang Jinhyuk tried to head to the front lines and not in the middle where he was supposed to be. The secretary saw him and tried to stop him. ¡°Wait. Are you really going to go to the fronts?¡± ¡°Why are you asking such an obvious question?¡± The secretary barely held back from asking further. He¡¯s planning on rushing towards the monsters even though he¡¯s a mere cleric? The secretary contemplated whether to stop him or not, but she ended up sighing. In this urgent situation, they can¡¯t afford to waste more time. ¡°¡­Alright, do as you please. Instead, we¡¯ll only reward you if you reach the quota on this counter.¡± The secretary spoke in a cold tone as she handed over an item that looked like a watch. ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a tool that measures the magic power of monsters and accumulates it. That number is your score.¡± For example, a goblin was equivalent to 1 point, while orcs were 3 points. Catching 100 goblins and 3 orcs totals to 109 points. This tool had only been developed recently. It¡¯s being aimed to be used actively to prevent cheating. ¡°The average score of hunters in charge of the front line is currently 82 points. If you want to get a reward, you need to score more than that.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too strict with me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re here as an employee, not as a dealer.¡± What she said made some sense. Except for the fact that he¡¯s a cleric, Jinhyuk is currently nothing more than a C-rank hunter. She can¡¯t promise such a hunter a very high salary. ¡°Don¡¯t be too shocked with the results.¡± When JInhyuk confidently took the counter from her hands, the secretary laughed internally. No matter how fast he ran, a cleric is no match for a professional dealer. The secretary didn¡¯t understand why Sangho valued him highly. ¡°I look forward to your results.¡± Jinhyuk put the counter in his pants pocket when the secretary left. She smiled at him before she left, but Jinhyuk knew that she was being sarcastic. Jinhyuk vowed to make her regret underestimating him. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to use this though.¡± What Jinhyuk took out of his inventory was a stamina enhancing potion. The potion has a terrifying side effect that makes a person much more energized than usual. Jinhyuk drank the brown-liquid potion at once. It was an inevitable choice he had to make in order to face the army of monsters with his week-long exhausted body. ¡°Kya¡­ This is too bitter for an unhealthy medicine.¡± The taste was terrible, but its effect was certain. As soon as the potion reached his stomach, his vision became much clearer and his whole body gained strength. Jinhyuk began to pour out this energy from the front lines. He swung his but vigorously towards an ogre that other hunters were facing. His bat hit the ogre¡¯s club, which broke into pieces with a loud sound on impact. ¡°Ou-oh?¡± The ogre stared at his destroyed club with a foolish face. It seems like it¡¯s astonished that such a small human, who was not even taller than his waist, was able to break his club. The hunters around Jinhyuk were just as shocked. ¡°What the? What¡¯s that guy?¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± Jinhyuk was able to show off his potential journey to being an A-rank hunter thanks to his training with Lucia. In just a week, he managed to reach level 140. Of course, he¡¯s closer to B-rank now than A-rank. Just his high level won¡¯t be enough to deal with the ogre. However, Jinhyuk enjoys the effect of the [Divine Power ¨C Level 3] with his attacks. His physical ability had improved significantly thanks to the divine power that courses through his whole body. Jinhyuk¡¯s stat indicates that he¡¯s using minimal MP, so it¡¯s possible that his stats right now surpasses even those of A-rank hunters. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that I stock up on potions in advance.¡± The association doesn¡¯t sell a large amount of potions to one person in just one transaction in order to regulate the supply of potions. However, the black market organization that Jinhyuk is dealing with was different. It¡¯s possible to purchase more than a hundred potions by paying some additional fees. Currently, Jinhyuk has 1,529 mana potions. His mana will never run out as long as his stomach can take the medicine. ¡°How long are you gonna stare at that broken thing?!¡± Jinhyuk sprang up from the ground and rose above the ogre¡¯s head in just one jump. That¡¯s the only time the ogre took its eyes off its broken club and tried to avoid the attack However, it was already too late. The bat wielded by Kang Jinhyuk shattered the ogre¡¯s head easily as if it¡¯s popping a balloon. The ogre quickly lost its head, and its huge body collapsed on the ground, causing think soil dust to rise. ¡°Wooh.¡± Jinhyuk landed on the ogre¡¯s body. He took out the counter and checked his score. ¡°This ogre is 12 points? Then I only need to catch 6 more.¡± Leaving the astonished hunters behind, Jinhyuk moved towards his next target. ¡°Well, if I want to justify having a lot of money by hunting, then it¡¯s good that I¡¯m displaying my skills in front of everyone.¡± Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t trust the Titans, and he knows that they don¡¯t trust him either. Even if the counter was working properly, he¡¯s sure that he¡¯ll receive doubts later on. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I think it¡¯s a bit messy over there.¡± As he searched for crowded areas, he naturally entered scenes of most crises. Powerful monsters were overpowering a number of hunters. That was Jinhyuk¡¯s next prey. Jinhyuk jumped up and down as he gulped another potion. No matter how solid a monster¡¯s skull was, they¡¯re no match for Jinhyuk¡¯s bat. At some point, the counter¡¯s score already exceeds 82 points. ¡°Killing monsters that even A-rank hunters struggle with in just one hit¡­¡± ¡°What kind of person is that guy?¡± The hunters began paying attention to Jinhyuk, who hit monsters one after another. They admired Jinhyuk¡¯s skills but questioned him at the same time. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve never heard of such a skilled hunter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing him too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s on the list of A-rank hunters.¡± Hunters always stood out as long as they continue to live as hunters. However, little information about Jinhyuk was popularly known. After all, he was just a forgettable D-rank hunter just a few weeks ago. All they know about him was that he recently helped the Titans as a cleric. But even that wasn¡¯t popularly known because the Titans executives tried to suppress the information. Only those who participated in the previous hunt knew Jinhyuk¡¯s name and face. One person was watching the scene from afar. It was none other than the guy that Jinhyuk beat up, Ahn Doyoon ¡°When the hell did that kid get this good¡­¡± Ahn Doyoon, who was watching Jinhyuk from afar, stroked his chin. Watching Jinhyuk jump around reminds him of the pain that the kid inflicted on him. ¡°Why does that kid keep showing up in front of me?!¡± Ahn Doyoon didn¡¯t know why or how Jinhyuk got so strong in such a short period of time. His existence became even more annoying for Ahn Doyoon. ¡°I risk my life every day in battle, but my level barely goes up. What the hell does this kid do¡­?!¡± Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t have visited hunting grounds where monsters appear frequently. Ahn Doyoon knew that the kid doesn¡¯t go out of his house much, let alone hunt outside. The truth was, Ahn Doyoon was secretly investigating Kang Jinhyuk and plotting his revenge on the kid the humiliated him. ¡°Fxxk this¡­!¡± The moment that he thought ¡®what if he¡¯s just much more talented than me?¡¯, Ahn Doyoon choked up and felt emotional. He doesn¡¯t want to be pushed over by this guy. He felt like crazy when he saw the other hunters admire Jinhyuk¡¯s performance. ¡°It¡¯s because of this kid that I¡¯m no longer the deputy guild leader.¡± Doyoon can¡¯t stand it that Jinhyuk is doing so well. He fell down from such a high position, and he has to crawl his way back up. Now is the only chance to create that opportunity. Ahn Doyoon thought so and let go of any reason left in him. It was too late when a nearby colleague noticed Ahn Doyoon¡¯s unexpected incident. Ahn Doyoon hardened his resolve and raced towards the field with a sword in both hands. The only thing in his eyes was the back of Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s head. Jinyuk was at his most defenseless moment because it¡¯s right after he caught a monster Ahn Doyoon aimed for a perfect timing. The fact that he even thought of going out here even though there were so many hunters present meant that Ahn Doyoon was fully resolved. He was abandoned by the executives, treated as a nuisance by the guild leader himself. Ahn Doyoon blamed Jinyhuk for everything, and he channeled his anger to his sword as he swung it towards him. ¡­. ¡­. ¡­. And when he saw his sword break in half, all of his anger turned into regret. Chapter 20 Jinhyuk didn¡¯t feel the need to question his opponent at all. ¡®Why did he do this? Did he really intend to kill me?¡¯ No matter what question he thinks of, there¡¯s no way any answer would make him understand why the other person decided to do such a thing. So instead of asking mundane questions, he decided to copy what the other tried to do. Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s bat hit Ahn Doyoon¡¯s head with as much force as possible. It sounded like a watermelon bursting. After seeing him collapse like a puppet with its string cut off, Jinhyuk turned his back on him. It was none of his concern whether the man died this way. ¡°What the hell was this guy¡¯s problem.¡± He didn¡¯t come to this place as an enemy, so he doesn¡¯t know why he was suddenly attacked like this. Just what did he do wrong for this guy to rush towards him as if nothing else mattered in the world? He didn¡¯t know what kind of bottled up emotions Ahn Doyoon had towards him, but Jinhyuk believed that he was the victim here. The punishments that Ahn Doyoon suffered are all because of his actions. Nothing else. There was no reason for Jinhyuk to take responsibility for it. ¡°He got hit properly this time, so I guess he¡¯ll think about his actions more next time.¡± Even beasts learn their lesson when they¡¯re hit. Now that he¡¯s fallen in such a shameful way, maybe he¡¯d think twice before coming at Jinhyuk again. Jinhyuk moved on to a strong monster to shake off this unpleasant feeling. Near the area was a Minotaurus which wielded an axe the size of a person. Jinhyuk rushed towards it. Not one of the other Titans hunters stepped forward after witnessing what they just saw. A colleague was beaten and unconscious, but no one is blaming Jinhyuk for it. Just now, no matter how they looked at it, the situation was started by Ahn Doyoon and therefore he was at fault. Jinhyuk only took a proper reflex response to a dangerous man rushing towards him. ¡°He rushed toward that cleric first right? Is he knocked out?¡± ¡°Yeah. Even though he¡¯s a shitty person, he¡¯s still a human and an A-rank hunter from our guild.¡± If they left his body here, he¡¯d surely get trampled on and become minced meat. Even though he¡¯s a hateful human, it¡¯s still wrong to leave him here to die. The largest of the Titans hunters nearby helped carry Ahn Doyoon¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯ll take him and report to the guild leader.¡± ¡°What are you going to report?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to say that he got attacked. I can¡¯t say that he got beaten up by a hunter whose name I don¡¯t even know.¡± The other hunters didn¡¯t argue against that. It¡¯s the best decision for both Ahn Doyoon and the guild. ¡°Sigh¡­ I can¡¯t believe this guy was once our deputy guild leader.¡± The other hunters also agreed with that point. For them, Ahn Doyoon has reached his lowest point. * * * The Minotaurus, who was running wild against the hunters, instinctively felt a threat around him. Its sixth sense told him that two strong men are headed towards him. In order to shake off its fear, the Minotaurus let out a large cry. ¡°Uwoohhhhhh!¡± With its roar, the goblins and all the other smaller monsters plucked up their courage as well. The hunters on the other hand were engulfed in fear, and their movements become dull without them realizing it. The Minotaurus was satisfied at the atmosphere that its roar invoked. It became confident that he can crush anything that comes at him. However, battles aren¡¯t won by momentum alone. Skill is the number one factor. ¡°Umohhh!¡± The Minotaurus swung its axe towards the faster of the two hunters rushing toward him. There wasn¡¯t a single material in this world that stood against the Minotaurus¡¯ axe. Which is why he never thought that the time would come when his axe would break into two. When it actually happened, the minotaurus was stunned. It didn¡¯t know what to do or how to react. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s the look I wanted to see.¡± Seo Sangho, who broke the Minotaurus¡¯ axe with his bare hands, was satisfied at his achievement. He effectively crushed that high confidence of the smug monster. He couldn¡¯t get enough of that satisfaction. ¡°Move aside if you¡¯re not gonna finish him off.¡± ¡°What?¡± While Sangho was flustered at the sudden sight of Kang Jinhyuk, Jinhyuk swung his bat towards the Minotaurus¡¯ temple. The Minotaurus, who was hit in its vital point, fell to the floor with its eyes rolled back. Kang Jinhyuk immediately checked the score on his counter. ¡°What the? The score didn¡¯t change?¡± When he looked back at the Minotaurus, he realized that the monster has just fainted. It wasn¡¯t dead yet. Realizing that fact, Jinhyuk clucked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°So I can¡¯t kill a minotaurus in one hit just yet.¡± Even with his improved abilities thanks to his passive skills, his fundamental skills were still insufficient for him to achieve such a feat. However, it was only in Jinhyuk¡¯s own standards that made him feel like he was lacking. From Seo Sangho¡¯s point of view, he had already exceeded what normal people could do. ¡®A recently turned C-rank hunter killed a Minotaurus?¡± Even if Seo Sangho blocked the monster¡¯s attack, it was impossible for a C-rank hunter to knock out such a huge monster in one blow. On top of that, Jinhyuk was a cleric. Isn¡¯t that a specialty that doesn¡¯t have many combat-related skills? The more he thought about it, the more things didn¡¯t make sense. Sang Sangho kind of liked that. Jinhyuk is clearly different from other hunters. That specialness caught Sangho¡¯s attention. Seo Sangho now realizes why he was got so greedy and passionate to recruit Jinhyuk. ¡®As expected. My instincts never fail me.¡¯ Seo Sangho held back from trying to recruit Jinhyuk right away again. Jinhyuk¡¯s reception towards the offer so far tells him that he would only feel burdened again. ¡°I see you¡¯ve come here as a mercenary.¡± Jinhyuk affirmed Sangho¡¯s question with a nod. ¡°I heard that they¡¯re going to pay me as much as I catch. I¡¯m allowed to just run around and do this, right?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± As soon as he heard Sangho¡¯s answer, Jinhyuk swung his bat toward the Minotaurus again. No matter how hard the monster¡¯s skull was, it couldn¡¯t stand against continuous strikes of the bat shrouded with aura. In the end, after seven hits, the Minotaurus lost its breath as blood spilled from its head. Jinhyuk saw his level rise rapidly after the monster died. ¡°It won¡¯t take too long to reach 150 now.¡± Level 150 was the standard for B-rank hunters, and it¡¯s the stage where secondary advancement becomes possible. Jinhyuk was looking forward to getting his secondary specialty, as it was randomly decided depending on the activities he does as a hunter. It may open up an opportunity for him to go for a large-scale hunt. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll leave this place to you.¡± Jinhyuk thought he had no time to hesitate and tried to leave towards a different monster right away. Regarding the monster corpses, the Titans will collect them later. ¡®The score is indicated right here on the counter so I shouldn¡¯t get too much problem.¡¯ The truth was, he was suspicious of the system that the secretary gave him. But he doesn¡¯t want to think about it too deeply at the moment. He¡¯s been exhausted for the past week, mainly because of the training with Lucia. ¡°The situation is almost settled down. You don¡¯t need to rush out like that.¡± As Sangho said, the monster invasion was slowly settling down. It was thanks to the many hunters aside from Jinhyuk who participated and helped. As such, the benefits that the Titans could take for their own has decreased, but the damage and injuries on their people had certainly been contained to a minimum. Seo Sangho was very satisfied with how things turned out. On the other hand, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t feel the same way. ¡°I think it¡¯s going to end soon, so I¡¯ll have to work a bit harder.¡± It was too early to rest up and retreat yet. Jinhyuk took another potion. ¡°Well then, come with me.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Jinhyuk made an obvious face that told Sangho that he was unwilling to do whatever it was. Aside from the burden, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t seem confident in winning against monsters that only S-rank hunters can take on. Seo Sangho fully understood what the other felt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll come forward when I think that you¡¯re in danger.¡± ¡°Then why do you want me to come with you?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯ll be fun to watch.¡± Seo Sangho gave a ridiculous answer. ¡°I regularly get calls about strong monsters somewhere. If you come with me, you won¡¯t have to wander around and search for them anymore.¡± Seo Sangho appealed for his usefulness. Just in time, he gestured towards his earpiece, saying that he had just been contacted. As soon as the communication connected, the urgent voice of a guild member came up. ¡°Alright, alright. Where are you and what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The sky?¡± Sangho raised his head and looked up. When both Sangho and Jinhyuk raised their heads, dark clouds came into view. The surroundings were all clear skies, but the place where the fight was going on had strange dark clouds hovering over it. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about this?¡± How many are there? How big is it? At the same time as the guild member¡¯s report, a flashing light was seen from the center of the dark clouds. The lightning already hit the middle of the battlefield before anyone realized it. ¡°Ahhhk!¡± The sudden flood of lightning struck several hunters as they screamed and collapsed. The lightning just poured down on the area. Whether it was a monster or a hunter, everything hit by it was mercilessly destroyed. Seo Sangho, who witnessed the disaster, went silenced for a while. It¡¯s absurd to suddenly see lightning pouring out. It was the first time in his life that he saw seven or eight times as many monsters than normal. With that size, even if there was no lightning, the falling monsters alone could devastate the area. ¡°Why are you reporting that just now!¡± ¡°Fxxk¡­! What did the government say?!¡± ¡°How in the hell is a helicopter going to help¡­¡± None of the conventional weapons work against monsters. Only hunters can fight against monsters, so they have no choice but to go directly into the sky to catch the monsters hidden among the clouds. But it¡¯s too much to go against it. Even if they get close, a single lightning will burn any helicopter to a crisp. ¡°Why is this happening now?!¡± Seo Sangho sounded visibly annoyed. Jinhyuk tried to reason it out with him. ¡°Looking at the lightning falling, I think it can¡¯t recognize between monster and hunters. Maybe that¡¯s why it waited for the number of monsters to decrease first.¡± ¡°¡­Can monsters think of such a tactic?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that it can¡¯t.¡± That made sense for Sangho. There was no way that not one smart and thinking monster existed. ¡°For now, we have no choice but to rely on hunters specializing in long-distance attack skills.¡± ¡°¡­sigh.¡± Seo Sangho held his forehead and sighed, but he soon regained his composure and gave out instructions to the guild members. ¡°Call all the hunters with magician specialties, right now!¡± Chapter 21 Just when everyone thought that the battle was dying down, the appearance of a new monster turned the tables. It was a disaster for every hunter. Thunderstorm poured down on the ground with no means to block it. In order to get out of this crisis, they have to quickly subdue the new monster. However, they currently do not have a grasp on what kind of monster it is, let alone how to deal with it. Because of the dark clouds, they haven¡¯t caught a proper glimpse of the monster yet. They can only guess how huge this new monster is. ¡°The lightning rod is installed!¡± ¡°Did you install them in all the places I ordered you to?¡± ¡°Yes! We¡¯re sure of it!¡± Seo Sangho bit his lower lip at the sight of the thunderbolts. The attacks haven¡¯t subsided at all. He thought that the lightning rods would help minimize it to some extent. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t very effective. ¡°F**k.¡± Seo Sangho quickly came up with the next plan. He immediately asked the magicians that he ordered to be contacted. ¡°Can you shoot the monster hidden in that cloud?¡± {I think it¡¯s too much for us to handle.} {It¡¯s too far high up.} The cloud was around 34,200 ft. from the ground. The magicians said that even if their skills can reach that far up, the damage from their power would be decreased significantly. In short, it¡¯s impossible to shoot the monster down with skills. ¡°I see. We have no choice but to get closer to it.¡± Although the risk was high, there¡¯s no other choice now but to try using the helicopters that the government sent for support. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that they sent it in advance.¡± It was too dangerous for the guild leader to personally approach the monster that they knew nothing about. But there was no other way that came to his mind. Seo Sangho thought that this was the time for him to step up. He made up his mind against the objection of the executives. ¡°There¡¯s a helicopter coming!¡± As they looked to where the guild member pointed, they saw a helicopter approaching from afar. However¡­ Seo Sangho witnessed the helicopter fall from the sky with his own eyes. The lightning struck the helicopter accurately, burning the people inside. ¡°My goodness¡­¡± The helicopter that crashed to the ground caused a huge explosion. Smokes emerged from the burning helicopter. Seo Sangho¡¯s expression looked dejected at the sight of it. ¡°How is it possible for a guy who can¡¯t distinguish enemy from allies to accurately hit that helicopter¡­.?¡± ¡°It can¡¯t distinguish enemies from allies, of course. It just detects movement and shoots it accurately.¡± It was Kang Jinhyuk who answered the guild member¡¯s question. Seo Sangho picked up his walkie-talkie and gave new instructions to the guild members. ¡°Try approaching the cloud one by one with the drones you brought for filming.¡± Shortly after the guild members followed the captain¡¯s orders, thunderstorms began to fall from the sky one after another. The drone, which was less than 30 centimeters in width, was accurately shot and hit with no error. More than 10 expensive drones were burned down, but there was something that they can reap from it. As they experimented with different approaching distances for each drown, they began to figure out the detection range of the new monster. ¡°The range of detection is more than 1,000 m in radius. Approaching more than that will 100% result in being hit by lightning accurately.¡± Upon receiving the report from the guild member, Seo Sangho unconsciously smiled in vain. Only then did he realize that approaching with a helicopter is a suicide mission. ¡°How in the hell are we supposed to catch it then¡­¡± Next to the depressed Sangho was Kang Jinhyuk, who quietly stared at the clouds. * * * The guild members and other hunters used the basement of a nearby building as a temporary shelter. On the ground, only a minimum number of people remained to prevent the monsters from going outside the defense line. Hunters gathered at the temporary shelter all contemplated about how to kill the new monster. The veteran hunters, who had been through all sorts of hardships, put their heads together, but they couldn¡¯t come up with a plausible solution. Time passed meaninglessly. Everyone felt nervous as they couldn¡¯t think of a good solution. In the end, a Titan executive couldn¡¯t stand it and began to ask Seo Sangho a question. ¡°Is it too much for Guild Leader to shoot down that monster?¡± ¡°The range that my skill can reach is 300m at most. You¡¯re an executive. Don¡¯t you know this already?¡± ¡°I asked even though I knew.¡± If they could somehow approach the cloud by nearly 300m, Seo Sangho could inflict damage with his skills. The intention of the executive who asked the question was to make a point. To make them realize that there¡¯s no solution to this at all. But in fact, one small possibility existed. It¡¯s for Seo Sangho to jump alone, to a higher altitude that the new monster cannot detect and reach. Seo Sangho, who heard the plan from the executive, grabbed and massaged the wrinkles that formed in his forehead. ¡°You want me to play dive?¡± ¡°I think you can endure it. As an S-rank hunter.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense because it¡¯s not your body.¡± Just because S-rank hunters have superior physical abilities over others, doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re invincible or immortal. If he fails to shoot down at an altitude of 34,000 feet and fall, it won¡¯t matter at all that he¡¯s an S-rank hunter. Falling from that height would surely destroy his body. ¡°If you¡¯re not coming with me, better to just shut your mouth. I have no intention of putting myself in such uncertain probabilities.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize.¡± The other executives eyed their colleague. No matter how bad the situation is, they can¡¯t believe that he just asked the Guild Leader to sacrifice himself. He certainly crossed the line. As the atmosphere subsided severely with Seo Sangho¡¯s cold expression, another executive stepped up and gave an idea. ¡°Then, I think we have no other choice but to wait for another S-rank hunter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. For example, Getia¡¯s guild leader.¡± ¡°Getia? Do you think those bastards will help us?¡± The Getia was a guild that handpicked among hunters whose specialty is a magician. Everyone in the guild is at least A-rank, and like the Titans, their guild leader is an S-rank hunter. As much as their skill is unquestionable, they lacked character. They only move to investigate and analyze monsters. No matter who died right next to them, they never tried to help if it¡¯s beyond their purpose or goals. Seo Sangho frowned at the thought of the arrogance of the Getia guild members. ¡°If you want help from those waters, you better pray to the right gods.¡± ¡°Hmm, wouldn¡¯t be a bit different this time?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°The monster up there in the sky is a new type of monster. We have absolutely no information about it.¡± The Titans executive suggested that the Getia would actively cooperate, given that they could gain information from the new monster. Even though it¡¯s a fairly plausible solution, Seo Sangho shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s exactly the problem. What if they try to preserve the monster¡¯s corpse as much as possible?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem with that? All we have to do is kill it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that simple.¡± Seo Sangho continued to explain for the confused executives. ¡°Who will stop a monster¡¯s body, with a size of more than 500 meters, from falling from over 30,000 feet altitude?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Only then did the executives realize their mistake. The new monster that appeared this time¡­ It¡¯s not enough to only solve the problem by thinking of ways on how to hunt it. As long as it¡¯s near the middle of the city, they also have to think of ways to reduce damage as much as possible. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Can¡¯t we lure that monster to the river or the sea?¡± ¡°How?¡± The hunter, who brought up the suggestion, backed down at Seo Sangho¡¯s question. Everyone tried to think of a specific way to lure the monster. It was impossible to solve this problem with such a clumsy half-plan. Only when these two challenges were solved at the same time could the situation be fully resolved. ¡°This is crazy.¡± While time is ticking, the monster¡¯s attacks continue outside. The number of thunderstorms falling increased, as if it was laughing at the poor lightning rods installed. The number of seriously injured people is at 43, and the number of deaths has reached 12. Despite the increasing number of victims, Seo Sangho could not tell them to evacuate. Monsters that have yet to be defeated are still on the ground, so a number of defenders need to remain here. Seo Sangho was using his position to force the hunters to sacrifice themselves. He was aware of how cruel it was. ¡°Goddamn it¡­¡± As everyone grew more in more anxious over time, a call was connected to Seo Sangho through an emergency line. {Guild Leader! The right line of defense has collapsed!} A report that he dreaded from hearing eventually came. He was expecting this situation to come. However, it came too early than he thought. ¡°I remember assigning enough people on that side. You¡¯re telling me it¡¯s already collapsed?¡± {About that¡­ More than half of them fled so the ones that remained could no longer maintain it.} Upon hearing the report, Seo Sangho let out a deep sigh. He was in a position where he could think in a safe place, so he couldn¡¯t blame the others for running away to save their lives. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll send support from this side, so just hang on for five minutes.¡± {Understood!} Seo Sangho ended the call and looked around the hunters gathered at the shelter. When he saw the Titans executives gathered in one corner, Seo Sangho internally laughed. ¡®Looks like they¡¯re all thinking about their own lives.¡¯ Seo Sangho didn¡¯t want to be like those people. He wants to act as the one who will relieve the situation. However, as the Guild Leader of Titans, giving up on planning and just recklessly going into the battlefield would lead to a more serious situation. Seo Sangho bit his lips for a while as he was lost in thought. After a few moments, he asked the hunters. ¡°We need people to support the right defense line. Is there anyone who can go voluntarily?¡± As it was a request to return to the battlefield where lightning continues to fall and monsters run wild, not many people responded immediately. Still, thanks to those who took on the responsibility, at least 10 people volunteered. Seo Sangho bowed deeply to them and gave his support. ¡°I promise to provide at least three fold compensation.¡± ¡°Can we receive that even if we die?¡± At the joke given by one of the hunters, Seo Sangho made a complicated expression. Even though he was not a hunter in their guild, no amount of words could be enough to thank these hunters. The hunters tapped Seo Sangho¡¯s shoulder once as they headed out from the shelter. Kang Jinhyuk, who was watching the scene unfold quietly, walked toward the table. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to ask you.¡± When the executives tried to protest at the sight of the C-rank hunter approaching their guild leader, Seo Sangho raised his hands to stop them. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Just how much do we need to smash that monster up in the clouds to get rid of its debris?¡± ¡°I think a third of its weight is the limit to what we can divide it.¡± Considering the height from where the body would fall, that¡¯s the best that Seo Sangho could do. ¡°Then please come out and get ready when I contact you.¡± Seo Sangho and the Titans executives all looked shocked at Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s words. ¡°Does that mean that you can catch the monster?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I¡¯ll go ahead and give it a shot first.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll ¡®give it a shot¡¯¡­¡± While Seo Sangho was speechless, the Titan executive, Han Youngseok, stood up. ¡°Are you kidding me? Who are you to come forward in this situation?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something that I want to test.¡± Han Youngseok snickered as if ignoring what Kang Jinhyuk said. He was well aware of Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s identity as the guy who knocked down Ahn Doyoon with a baseball bat. He was the person who tarnished the guild¡¯s reputation, so he investigated Jinhuyk in hopes of retaliating someday. ¡°You¡¯re a C-rank hunter at best. You think you¡¯re worth something? You think you can do something?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather do something useful than sitting around in here. Don¡¯t you think?¡± Han Youngseok turned red at Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s words. His words made him angry because it seemed like Kang Jinhyuk was implying that the executives were being useless at the moment. ¡°Alright then. If you catch that monster, I¡¯ll give you a separate reward. But if you fail, you will not receive anything. Not one penny. Even from the other monsters that you caught earlier in the battle.¡± He¡¯s promising a reward for catching a monster that even S-rank hunters need help in hunting. Han Youngseok¡¯s proposal was ridiculous. However, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t care for it at all. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what the reward is. Don¡¯t whine at me later when I bring in the monster¡¯s corpse.¡± ¡°W-what did you say?!¡± Han Youngseok couldn¡¯t stand the C-rank hunter confronting him, an executive of one of Korea¡¯s largest guilds. However, before Han Youngseok could step forwards, Seo Sangho stretched out his arms to restrain him. While Seo Sangho was restraining Han Youngseok, Jinhyuk left the shelter after showing a meaningful smile. ¡°Why are you holding me back?!¡± When Han Youngseok angrily shouted, Seo Sangho looked at him with a pathetic look. He then turned his back on him without answering and began to discuss countermeasures with the other hunters. Han Youngseok gritted his teeth angrily at Seo Sangho¡¯s attitude. * * * More than 30 minutes have passed since Kang Jinhyuk left the temporary shelter. At first, when they heard that he had passed the defensive line and went outside, the other hunters had a spark of hope. They haven¡¯t heard from him since then, which made them suspicious of Jinhyuk. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me he ran away¡­¡¯ Seo Sangho, who was positively cheering on Kang Jinhyuk, also felt a little doubt this time. He knows that Jinhyuk¡¯s abilities are excellent, but in this case, even an S-rank hunter like himself isn¡¯t confident about killing the monster. Swing the bat well wasn¡¯t the solution to their problem. ¡®If he didn¡¯t run away, then I guess he was just bluffing. It¡¯s either of the two.¡¯ While contacting other S-ran hunters and looking for other solutions, Seo Sangho tried to forget about Kang Jinhyuk. And then, right at an unexpected moment, a call from Kang Jinhyuk was received by his smartphone. He saw the caller ID as the phone was placed at the center of the table. {Alright, start getting ready.} The call was cut off after Jinhyuk said a short phrase. Seo Sangho wondered what nonsense this was. Jinhyuk¡¯s words went beyond his mind as he had suspicions about him. ¡®He¡¯s telling me to get ready? It can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ What could the C-rank hunter mean by that? Sangho thought that Jinhyuk was just buying time, so he tried to ignore what he said. Just then¡­ A roar came over the wall of the shelter. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡®W-what the¡­?!¡¯ When Seo Sangho heard the roaring sound that shook the ground, he immediately jumped from his seat and ran outside. He looked straight up at the sky and saw a ray of light just across the clouds. And then¡­ A loud, sad scream of the new monster, that caused all the hunters to suffer so far, resonated throughout the area. Chapter 22 At a high-rise apartment, 1,500 meters away from the dark cloud in the middle of the sky. Kang Jinhyuk and Lucia stood on the roof of the 30th floor of the apartment. Lucia, who covered her face with a mask, frowned as she looked up at the sky. ¡°The air here is really bad. Every time I take a breath, I feel like years are being taken off of my life.¡± Lucia didn¡¯t appreciate the outside world that Kang Jinhyuk has led her to. The half-elf couldn¡¯t handle the pollution of Seoul without a mask. She feels like taking deep breaths would damage her lungs. ¡°You manage to live well in this kind of neighborhood?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, well we don¡¯t have much choice.¡± Dry coughs came consistently out of Lucia, even as she was aiming her bow. ¡°This won¡¯t do, I have to hold my breath to get it right.¡± Lucia held her breath as much as possible and kept her distance from the dark cloud to stop herself from going into a coughing fit. She placed an arrow on her bow, and she¡¯s confident that this distance and the wind would be enough to hit the target well. ¡°You promised to bring me unlimited sweet food every day. You better know that if you break that promise, the next thing to be pierced by my arrow is your head.¡± Jinhyuk inadvertently shrugs his shoulders at the sincere threat. It was ridiculous that his life is now entrusted to his ability to bring as many sweet foods as he can. ¡°You can hit it right?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? How can I miss such a huge thing?¡± Lucia held her breath and gathered vast mana from her whole body than she has ever shown before. The overflowing flow of mana was clearly visible to the naked eye. When the blue aura coated her entire body, she pulled on her bow and mana started moving toward the tip of the arrow. Compared to Lucia¡¯s tremendous aura gathered at the tip of her arrow, the aura that Kang Jinhyuk can use was still at a very low level. ¡°Take more than five steps away if you don¡¯t want to get caught up.¡± After giving a short warning, Lucia immediately let go of the bow¡¯s string. As Jinhyuk was stepping back, he was surprised when a huge sound broke out from Lucia¡¯s bow. To make matters worse, Jinhyuk fell backward and lost his balance. As Jinhyuk fell on his butt, the arrow flew in a straight line at full speed like a sun¡¯s ray towards the enemy. The monster hiding in the clouds had no time to respond, and the arrow reached its target in a blink of an eye. The monster¡¯s body took on the overflowing blue aura of the arrow. All of it was absorbed into the monster¡¯s body. After a few seconds¡­ It caused an explosion with an even louder noise than when the arrow was fired. The person who created such an amazing scene lightly shrug her shoulders. ¡°Pff, that monster¡¯s no big deal.¡± In the aftermath of the explosion, the dark clouds surrounding the monster¡¯s body had disappeared. Thanks to that, the identity of the monster hidden by the clouds was revealed. However, the monster is still too high up in the sky that it¡¯s difficult to confirm with the naked eye. Jinhyuk took out a piece of telescope-like equipment from his inventory and checked the monster¡¯s information. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Is that a turtle with the head of a crocodile?¡± The monster¡¯s appearance was something that Jinhyuk had never seen before in his life. His eyes opened wide, and he had to remind himself to take a breath. [Leviathan] Level: 300 Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t stop himself from being surprised even further after seeing the monster¡¯s level. ¡°Level 300? That¡¯s the highest level monster I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡± It wasn¡¯t a tricky opponent for no reason. Even if the Leviathan appeared in the ground and not in the sky, there¡¯s no other way to deal with it except for using S-rank hunters against it. ¡°It¡¯s a relief that only one of it appeared¡­¡± It gave him goosebumps when he imagined something of this scale appearing in groups just like goblins or orcs. ¡°What¡¯s with the fuss? This is no big deal.¡± Lucia smiled at Jinhyuk who was still lost in his thoughts. For her, even level 300 monsters didn¡¯t seem to pose much of a threat. Jinhyuk had no choice but to acknowledge Lucia¡¯s greatness. All the hunters back at the site were struggling, yet it only took one arrow for Lucia to deal with it. ¡°Thanks for your help.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your gratitude. I¡¯m not helping you for free.¡± Lucia said it wasn¡¯t that big of a deal, but the help that she made was really big. If Lucia wasn¡¯t here, who would¡¯ve caught that monster called Leviathan? No, would it even be possible to catch it? They don¡¯t know if the magicians from the Getia would cooperate, and if the situation had been prolonged, the defensive line might have completely collapsed and civilians would start getting hurt. Even though Lucia helped them get out of such a huge crisis, the only price she had asked for in return is sweet food. From Jinhyuk¡¯s perspective, even lying down and bowing deep to Lucia isn¡¯t enough to thank her. ¡°Geuuuuu!¡± Jinhyuk was surprised at the sudden loud cry. He thought everything was settled, but he was wrong. The Leviathan hasn¡¯t died yet, even with the huge wreck and damage across its chest. Jinhyuk became nervous. He was worried that the monster might shoot lightning in all directions. ¡°That thing isn¡¯t dead yet. Can you finish it off?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. It¡¯s just saying its last words before it dies.¡± As Lucia said, the Leviathan showed no further action except for its loud cries. Even If it wanted to do something before it died, most of its body, including the mana stone in its chest, was completely crushed already. Screaming was the only thing that it could do. After venting its resentment, the Leviathan slowly lost its breath. The heavy body lost control and immediately started falling from a height of 35,000 feet above the ground. ¡°Look at that. I told you it won¡¯t endure the damage after being hit.¡± Convinced that the Leviathan was dead, Lucia took out a counter that she had kept in her arms. ¡°Alright, this means that the monster is captured now right?¡± The counter that Jinhyuk made Lucia hold had a shocking high score. It¡¯s obvious that most of it was thanks to Lucia killing the Leviathan. ¡°Does that really prove that you caught the monster?¡± ¡°Of course. That high score clearly indicates that the monster is caught.¡± Jinhyuk spoke confidently, but Lucia¡¯s expression looked a bit sour. ¡°Don¡¯t trust people too much. You don¡¯t know how many times I¡¯ve been tricked while I was an adventurer.¡± Even if the evidence was clear on the counter, it does make sense that humans are bound to take back their words somehow. One piece of evidence wasn¡¯t enough to get the fair reward. Jinhyuk knew at least that. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I think their leader is on my side, so I know I¡¯m not getting backstabbed just yet.¡± Jinhyuk had confidence because of Seo Sangho¡¯s presence. It was Seo Sangho who kept wanting to recruit him to the guild, so the leader is more likely to support the fact that Jinhyuk caught the Leviathan. But of course, Jinhyuk was still not 100% sure. If even Seo Sangho tries to betray him, Jinhyuk was planning to visit the association with the counter given to him. This counter was officially recognized by the association, so just that evidence was sufficient. The item that the secretary gave him was now Jinhyuk¡¯s biggest weapon. * * * A big commotion started on the ground when the Leviathan died and began to fall. The monster was so big that even though two-thirds of its body flew away, its size still exceeded 100 meters. It would be a big problem if such a large corpse collided with a high-rise building. But Jinhyuk wasn¡¯t too worried about it. Seo Sangho wouldn¡¯t be convinced that the monster was truly dead, so Jinhyuk¡¯s sure that Sangho would strike the monster¡¯s body at least once. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks And just as he expected, Seo Sangho came out of the shelter and was waiting in advance for the dead body to fall. ¡°How in the world did he do this?¡± Seo Sangho still had his doubts when he received Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s call. No, to be honest, he didn¡¯t even half-trust the guy. Who would think that a bat-wielding C-rank hunter would catch the new monster? On top of that, the new monster was an opponent that Seo Sangho, an S-rank hunter, felt uncomfortable facing. ¡°The more I see his skills, the more I want him to join the guild.¡± Seo Sangho smiled to himself as he faced the falling corpse of the Leviathan. Just before hitting the building, Seo Sangho¡¯s fist welcomed the monster corpse. At the moment, the corpse which was falling at a terrifying speed stopped in its place like a still screen. When Seo Sangho swung his fist once more, the Leviathan¡¯s corpse was sent to an open wide space. ¡°That should do it¡­ Now, shall we start wrapping up?¡± The monster in the sky that interfered in the battle was officially defeated. The only thing left for them to do was to sweep all the remnants back on the ground. Seo Sangho took out a microphone to inform the hunters who were still hiding at the shelter. ¡°The new monster is caught!¡± Seo Sangho¡¯s voice resonated through all the speakers installed everywhere. The hunters gathered in the temporary shelter began to crawl out one by one. ¡°That guy caught it?¡± ¡°Is this for real?¡± The hunters who came out to confirm if the news was true witnessed the Leviathan¡¯s body collapsed in an open area. ¡°I-it¡¯s true!¡± ¡°Did the Titan Guild Leader catch it?¡± ¡°Anything is possible for S-rank hunter Seo Sangho!¡± The hunters thought that it was Seo Sangho and the other guild members of the Titans who managed to hunt the new monster. That was understandable. Even Seo Sangho himself couldn¡¯t believe that all of this was thanks to the C-rank hunter. Seo Sangho did not try to explain even after hearing the other hunters misunderstand the situation. But it wasn¡¯t for the purpose of stealing achievement or taking away the honor that belonged to Jinhyuk. There was still work that needed to be done ¡°I can just explain the details after we¡¯re completely done here.¡± For Seo Sangho, cleaning up the mess and the monsters that remained on the ground was more important than clearing up misunderstandings. They can¡¯t afford to sacrifice any more people. Seo Sangho gathered hunters to rebuild the defense line and push the monsters that were just around the corner. The monsters on the ground were demoralized at the death of the Leviathan. Hunting the monsters who lost their morale wasn¡¯t that difficult. It did not take long for the hunters and Seo Sangho to sweep up the remnants. When Kang Jinhyuk returned, all the monsters had already been hunted. Seo Sangho was currently working on restoration with the executives. Seo Sangho saw Jinhyuk and approached him with a welcoming face. ¡°You¡¯ve worked very hard, and done a very good job. It was a truly great performance.¡± Jinhyuk was quite surprised to hear Sangho¡¯s greeting. He didn¡¯t know that the Guild Leader would voluntarily acknowledge his achievements. Sangho shook the confused Jinhyuk¡¯s hand and asked him a question. ¡°Can you tell me how you caught the monster?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s my secret.¡± ¡®I asked a favor from the half-elf at the dungeon, and she shot the monster with her arrow.¡¯ Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t just honestly say the answer, so he decided to avoid the question. Just then, Han Youngseok appeared from behind Seo Sangho. He complained as veins popped out from his neck. ¡°What do you mean ¡®secret¡¯?! You can¡¯t say how you caught the monster because it wasn¡¯t YOU who caught it!¡± Jinhyuk was quite relieved that the one making a fuss didn¡¯t seem that powerful. ¡®Yeah, I expected this from you guys.¡¯ It makes no sense for those who have been monopolizing monsters to suddenly be generous and gently acknowledge other people¡¯s achievements. Jinhyuk almost lost grasp of common sense because of the strange and odd Seo Sangho. ¡°Look at this if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Jinhyuk scoffed as he took out the counter that the secretary gave to him. The executive who was screaming around suddenly had his eyes widened at the sight of the score accumulated on the counter. ¡°2¡­240 points?! That¡¯s impossible!¡± The score on Seo Sangho¡¯s counter was 173. The fact that Jinhyuk had 70 points higher than Sangho was a testament to his great abilities. However, the Titans executive still didn¡¯t want to admit and acknowledge the score even after seeing it personally. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! He obviously just brought a counter with that score already before coming in here!¡± ¡°How can I do that when I just received this counter today? Right here in this place?¡¯ ¡°Y-you got it from here? Who gave this to you?!¡± It was Seo Sangho¡¯s secretary. She approached the executive and told the truth. ¡°I gave it to him in case he tried to lie about his achievements from today.¡± When the executive heard her explanation and looked back at the counter, he saw the guild symbol of the Titans engraved in it. It was absolutely impossible to switch to a different counter, because it even had the unique identification number on it. When the situation became clearly against his side, the executive clucked his tongue roughly and made an annoyed face. ¡°Then you just need to get paid in the back. Why did you come here?¡± ¡°Why do you think? I¡¯m here because I had something to bring.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Instead of answering with his words, Jinhyuk pointed to the Leviathan¡¯s corpse with his finger. The executive saw it and jumped as if he was having a seizure. ¡°What nonsense are you trying to say?! Why would you take that?!¡± ¡°Well, I caught that monster so I have the right to take it.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the guild that prevented it from falling! If it weren¡¯t for the guild leader, do you think that body would be left intact?!¡± Even if the executive could afford to give money to Kang Jinhyuk, he couldn¡¯t bear to just hand over the Leviathan corpse to Kang Jinhyuk. The material of such a new monster was very precious for them. At least hundreds of millions of Won could be collected just by handing it over to the association, and profits were most likely to snowball if it¡¯s auctioned. Jinhyuk just sighed at the attitude being shown by Han Youngseok. ¡°I told you this before. I told you not to whine at me when I bring back the monster corpse later on.¡± ¡°W-what did you say?!¡± Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s argument was indeed valid. Even if they resorted to a legal battle, Jinhyuk¡¯s demands would still be deemed legitimate. Even Han Youngseok knew that. However, he couldn¡¯t just bear to hand over the monster corpse to someone like Jinhyuk. Han Youngseok decided to use his power as an executive of the large guild. Han Youngseok tried to do something stupid. He wanted to permanently shut Jinhyuk¡¯s mouth. However, before he could do anything, Seo Sangho came out first. ¡°Stop it with your ugly antics and give him what he deserves. We already have a lot of money, why are you being so greedy?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only As it was the Titans Guild Leader, Seo Sangho, Han Youngseok couldn¡¯t do anything more. He just has to watch Kang Jinhyuk take the Leviathan¡¯s corpse. Han Youngseok glanced at Seo Sangho, who was holding on to his arm, with poisonous eyes. ¡®Just on whose side are you on?¡¯ Although Seo Sangho was the Guild Leader, his attitude of prioritizing the C-rank hunter over the guild was simply incomprehensible for Han Youngseok. Chapter 23 Although the Titans guild members and the others involved remained silent¡­ Rumors began to spread that it was a C-rank hunter who defeated the monster in the sky. Even though a lot of people did not believe the absurd story, the rumor was quickly spread by word. The news of the serial killer who only targets guild hunters became temporarily forgotten because of Jinhyuk¡¯s performance. The information-sensitive scouts of large guilds began their own investigations upon hearing those rumors. Rumors are unreliable, but for them, it was worth betting on the possibility of ¡®if¡¯. In this day and age where the guilds are competing with each other, the promising rising hunter was a valuable resource. Guilds who wanted to strengthen their position were naturally interested in this matter. Korea¡¯s Number 1 Guild, Altron, was no exception. ¡°I heard the guild leader of Titans personally contacted him.¡± ¡°I heard that too. But I heard he refused?¡± ¡°If the S-rank hunter personally recruits this person, then it seems like that hunter is not just an ordinary talent.¡± The Altron guild scouts were in agony as they launched their investigations. Titans was one of the top five guilds in Korea. Even though it was the guild leader himself who approached the hunter, it was clear that he didn¡¯t give a good enough proposal given that the hunter refused to join. ¡®Just how great is this hunter¡­.?¡¯ The new hunter stood out only recently, so there¡¯s ridiculously insufficient information that the guilds can collect about him. There are only two confirmed facts amid all kinds of rumors. The fact that the hunter wields an aluminum bat, and he used that same bat to beat up the A-rank hunter who tried to hurt him. ¡°Did you get any information about the A-rank hunter who was hospitalized?¡± ¡°They¡¯re saying it¡¯s the Titans hunter, Ahn Doyoon.¡± ¡°What? That guy is really skilled though. I don¡¯t think a mere C-rank hunter can do that to him.¡± The reason why Ahn Doyoon was not kicked out of Titans even though he caused all kinds of trouble was because of his fighting power and performance. ¡°That¡¯s what I think so too. He was once the guild¡¯s deputy leader. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s beaten by a C-rank hunter¡­¡± The defeat of a famously talented person means that this new hunter¡¯s skills were that good. ¡°I think he is part of a hidden class.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early to determine that?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s plenty of potential in him.¡± The Altron scout was confident in his intuition. The hidden class was said to be about 0.1% of the hunter population. It didn¡¯t make sense for a C-rank hunter to beat Ahn Doyoon without being part of the hidden class. ¡°If he really is part of the hidden class, then¡­¡± ¡°We have to hurry up before we lose him to another guild.¡± The Altron scouts began to get nervous. Their guild was able to reach the top of the country thanks to hunters of the hidden class. They have as many as three hidden class hunters. The Altron was very keen on other guilds recruiting hunters from the hidden class. But the best way to attract those hunters is to pose as their allies. ¡°I think he should at least be given the position as a deputy guild leader.¡± ¡°Really? You want to go that far to recruit him?¡± ¡°What do you mean? That hunter refused the offer of the guild leader of Titans. It¡¯s obvious that he¡¯ll do the same to us if we don¡¯t give him a better offer.¡± ¡°Hmm, that makes sense.¡± Just because the hunter was only of C-rank doesn¡¯t mean that they should underestimate him. They were already sure and confident that Kang Jinhyuk belongs to the hidden class. Contrary to their expectations, however, Kang Jinhuyk was nothing like that. The hunter in question was currently stretching his limbs. He excessively pushed himself and his stamina for the past week. Kang Jinhyuk was in deep sleep for more than two days without knowing that rumors about him were being spread. It was after he opened his eyes due to the tremendous hunger that he realized the issue that he caused. * * * Kang Jinhyuk picked up his phone and checked today¡¯s date. ¡°What the?¡± Jinhyuk was surprised that he fell asleep and woke up two days later. And he was surprised again to see Lucia calmly going through his fridge. Lucia stopped taking out apples from the vegetable compartment and waved happily when she made eye contact with Jinhyuk. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake. I thought you died because you collapsed as soon as you got home.¡± Jinhyuk tried to rake his head and tried to remember what happened before this situation. However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t understand what was going on at the moment. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± ¡°Pff, look at you¡­ You¡¯re not even grateful that I looked over you while you were passed out.¡± ¡°What nonsense. You didn¡¯t take care of me. I¡¯m wearing the same clothes from two days ago.¡± Jinhyuk felt gross that he slept for two days in his dirty clothes. Lucia laughed at Jinhyuk¡¯s visible dissatisfaction. ¡°Try to put yourself in my shoes. Would you want to help me change my clothes if they were that dirty?¡± ¡°Put me in your shoes? Ah uhmm¡­¡± Lucia just ignored Jinhyuk and harshly threw an apple at him. ¡°What are you imagining, you crazy punk?!¡± Jinhyuk ducked in a hurry before the apple could hit his head. ¡°Don¡¯t waste other people¡¯s food. Go back to the dungeon.¡± ¡°I would¡¯ve gone back if I could. Why would I even want to stay in this dirty place?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go back even if I wanted to.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡®Just go back using the same method we used to get here¡­?¡¯ It was an absurdly simple thing to do that Jinhyuk was in disbelief that Lucia didn¡¯t know how to do it. ¡°You couldn¡¯t go back to the dungeon even when you opened the door?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not kidding, I really couldn¡¯t go back.¡± Looking at Lucia¡¯s face, it doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯s joking. Jinhyuk walked in front of the attic door with his heart pounding. He slowly opened the door. Contrary to his concerns, Jinhyuk smiled in vain when he found the dungeon still intact. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°It looks normal though?¡± ¡°What? No way.¡± ¡°Look for yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± Lucia, who walked toward the attic, confirmed that the dungeon was intact. Even though she saw it with her own eyes, she snooped her head and murmured in disbelief. ¡°It wasn¡¯t here when I opened it though¡­¡± Lucia pushed Jinhyuk slightly aside and closed the attic door. When Lucia opened the door again, the dungeon disappeared just as she expected. The only thing left was the ordinary attic. ¡°Look! I told you it¡¯s not here!¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Jinhyuk saw the inside of the attic and felt like he was at a magic show. How could different results show when they¡¯re opening and closing the same door? ¡°What the heck is happening?¡± Since the appearance of a dungeon in the attic, he never had anyone else open this door. Jinhyuk had no idea that this would happen. Lucia fell into deep thought with her arms folded. In the meantime, Jinhyuk ordered some delivery food while Lucia was sorting out the most likely hypothesis. ¡°I think this is because of the coordinates carved by the crazy wizard.¡± ¡°¡­Can you explain that a bit better?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that this dungeon¡¯s destination is ¡®you¡¯.¡± Lucia spoke with confidence as if she were more than half sure. However, Jinyuk barely understood her explanation. First of all, dimension shifting wasn¡¯t a thing of common sense, and most of all, it was absurd that Kang Jinhyuk himself was the destination. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t the dungeon fall over my head instead of the attic?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the magic failed.¡± If the magic were successful, Jinhyuk would¡¯ve been crushed by the dungeon. Lucia jokingly explained. ¡°In short, I would¡¯ve died for no reason if the magic went through.¡± ¡°You got that right.¡± Jinhyuk was deeply grateful that that didn¡¯t happen. However, from this moment on, he would become anxious. He might get crushed by a dungeon after all. Jinhyuk clenched his fists. Then, like a ghost, a loud sound came from his stomach. His empty stomach began to protest as it couldn¡¯t endure the hunger anymore. ¡°The food isn¡¯t here yet?¡± His stomach was almost stuck to his back as he didn¡¯t eat for two days. Fortunately, the delivery man came just in time. {Excuse me, but can you tell me your home address again?} ¡°My home address? It¡¯s what I set on the app¡­¡± The delivery driver became confused when Jinhyuk gave his home address again. {I¡¯m at the address but I can¡¯t find your house at all. Can you come outside, please?} ¡°A-ah, yes. Wait a second.¡± The area wasn¡¯t a complicated place. This was the first time this happened to Jinhyuk. Even though it¡¯s a little strange, he has no choice but to do it. Jinhyuk opened the door himself and went out to search for the delivery man. Jinhyuk found the delivery man after a few seconds. ¡°¡­What are you doing over here?¡± The delivery man was wandering right in front of Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s house. It was only after Jinhyuk went out that the delivery rider seem to have noticed that there was a house there. ¡°O-oh? Are you the one who ordered delivery?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°This is odd¡­ How did I not find the house when it¡¯s right there?¡± The delivery man was still confused after he left. The same was true of Kang Jinhyuk. It was strange no matter how much he thought about it. Jinhyuk entered the house with a visibly confused face. ¡°Who was it?¡± Jinhyuk answered Lucia¡¯s question by taking out the food. ¡°I was hungry so I ordered some food.¡± ¡°Oh, well it¡¯s a relief the guy found this place. It would¡¯ve been hard to find it because of the ¡®mask perception¡¯ magic.¡± Jinhyuk stopped moving the moment he heard Lucia. Her remarks were not something to be overlooked. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Mask perception magic. It¡¯s simple but it works well.¡± ¡°Why is that on my house?¡± ¡°Strange people kept coming here while you were sleeping.¡± ¡°Strange people?¡± ¡°Yeah. They said they were from¡­ Gideon? Altron? I don¡¯t know, they were talking about something like guilds.¡± Lucia mentioned the top two guilds in Korea. It wasn¡¯t normal for people from those large guilds to look for him. Jinhyuk searched for the latest news on his smartphone to see if any incident broke out. He found his name on the real-time search list in the community mainly used by hunters. ¡°O-oh? What is this?¡± Among the posts with Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s name on them were videos of him helping the Titans two days ago. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only The video quality wasn¡¯t so good because it was filmed amid the commotion, but it was enough to prove Jinhyuk¡¯s skills. The most controversial news was none other than the new monster Jinhyuk watched the exchange between him and the Titans executives just before he went home. Kang Jinhyuk didn¡¯t want the rumors to spread because he had received help from Lucia. Nevertheless, details were already circulating among the community. Chapter 24 14-18 minutes Lucia saw how Jinhyuk¡¯s expression hardened. It was clear that there was something unusual going on given that the food was already in front of them and the hungry Jinhyuk still haven¡¯t taken a single bite. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should call it a problem.¡± Being a famous person wouldn¡¯t necessarily constitute a problem. But Jinhyuk is sure that the timing of the events was not good. The community almost always praises only S-rank hunters, so Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t feel very good about him being praised by them. An unexpected burden was suddenly put on his shoulders. The clueless Lucia became frustrated as Jinhyuk continued to stay silent. ¡°Stop looking so devastated on your own and just tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Jinhyuk took a deep sigh before starting to explain. ¡°I think I did too well last time.¡± ¡°¡­ Are you crazy?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not kidding. It¡¯s really complicated, you know?¡± ¡°Mhm, yeah I¡¯m having a lot of trouble understanding what you mean.¡± Lucia had to hit the back of Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s head to release the disgust that rose from her chest. Kang JInhyuk flinched and move backwards as Lucia kept swinging at him. ¡°Calm down and listen to me!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you gonna say now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the monster that you shot with your arrow. I lied to them that it was me who defeated it, and now everyone¡¯s talking about it!¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°What?¡± Kang Jinhyuk thought that he would be punished immediately because he took credit for what Lucia did. Although the situation was really serious at this point, Lucia¡¯s reaction was calmer than what he expected. ¡°It¡¯s karma. Solve it on your own.¡± Lucia was not interested in the new monster from the start. Since it¡¯s not her world anyway, it didn¡¯t matter to her who became famous or not. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t say much at Lucia¡¯s heartless reaction. As she said, the situation is just karma catching up to him. He coveted the material of the new monster, so he claimed Lucia¡¯s achievements as his own without thinking of the repercussions. Of course, the benefits gained from it were great. However, the sudden public interest was way too heavy of a burden for Kang Jinhyuk. ¡®Pff, they¡¯re calling me an S-rank candidate. What bullshxx.¡¯ Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s current level is 199. He only needs one more level to reach 200 and qualify as a B-rank hunter at best. He was far from being an S-rank hunter. No matter how much he learns how to use aura, the things that Kang Jinhyuk is capable to do are limited. He¡¯s a close-combat hunter after all. He¡¯s sure that he won¡¯t have ¡®magician¡¯ as his second specialty, or any specialty for hunters who use long-distance skills as their main weapon. He¡¯s also not sure if he can get ¡®warrior¡¯ as his second specialty. Jinhyuk¡¯s current class was ¡®cleric¡¯. He has no skills to rapidly decrease his distance from his opponent, nor does he have the skills to respond to long-distance attacks. ¡®Ha¡­ I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯ Normally, the more recognized a hunter is, the stronger that hunter was. Just look at Ahn Doyoon as an example. But the guy just looked down on him and ignored him even though he offered his help. ¡°Fxxk, all this is happening because I wanted that monster corpse.¡± Kang Jinhyuk scratched his head and clucked his tongue. He realized now that he was overly greedy for the monster corpse. And on top of that, he¡¯s not even sure what can be done using the materials that can be obtained from the corpse. It was a choice that resulted in high risk and low benefit. But to be honest, the situation could still be resolved if Jinhyuk hands over the Leviathan corpse back to the Titans. However, Jinhyuk has no plans of doing that. He has pride. He won¡¯t just fall on his back just because the situation got a bit difficult. ¡®All of this wouldn¡¯t have happened if I didn¡¯t bring Lucia out of the dungeon in the first place.¡¯ Although it was Lucia who killed the Leviathan, it was Jinhyuk and his own strategizing skills that made it possible. As long as Lucia has no intention of claiming her right to the Leviathan¡¯s body, Jinhyuk had the justification to claim ownership. Thinking of the situation like that made Jinhyuk¡¯s guilt disappear. He realized that it was now time to come up with countermeasures on how to deal with it in the future rather than looking back on what was said and done. ¡®I need to get stronger.¡¯ To cope with the expectations of the hunter community, he has to increase his current level and skills. The first thing that he has to do was to raise his level. As his next steps were now determined, Jinhyuk quickly ate the food that he had left unattended. ¡°Hey, slow down a bit. You¡¯re eating too fast. Are you a pig or what?¡± ¡°I have no time to do that right now.¡± ¡°What do you mean you have no time? Is someone chasing you?¡± Jinhyuk ignored what Lucia said and kept eating his food. After he finished his meal, Jinhyuk stood up immediately. He told Lucia that he can¡¯t afford to waste even one second. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the dungeon.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Right now.¡± Jinhyuk quickly walked to the attic and opened the door. Lucia finds it absurd that Jinhyuk was just muttering and looking hopeless like five seconds ago, and now he¡¯s acting like this. ¡°Again, is someone chasing you? Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?¡± ¡°I wasted too much time sleeping.¡± Considering the upcoming situation, Jinhyuk knows that he won¡¯t be able to catch up on much sleep after this. Feeling anxious, Jinhyuk quickly finished preparations and entered the attic. ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re not coming?¡± ¡°Pff, I¡¯m coming. You don¡¯t need to tell me what to do.¡± Lucia picked up the equipment that she left in the attic. She entered the dungeon first before Jinhyuk. * * * The first stop was at the Dwarf¡¯s place. When Jinhyuk took out the Leviathan corpse, the Dwarf whistled quietly. ¡°A Leviathan. It¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen this kind of monster before?¡± ¡°Of course. Although they¡¯re rare, they¡¯re sometimes just floating up in the sky. The Leviathan corpse covered a lot of ground at the workshop. The Dwarf took a closer look at it. Thanks to the inventory storage, the condition of the corpse is still quite good. It was still fresh. ¡°But how come only the head is left? Where¡¯s the rest of its body?¡± ¡°I blew it away.¡± The Dwarf shook his head upon hearing Lucia¡¯s answer. ¡°You didn¡¯t even know that you were wasting such precious material. Tsk tsk tsk, this is why young people aren¡¯t to be trusted.¡± ¡°Oho, what are you talking about old guy?¡¯ Lucia and Dwarf seem to know each other, but they didn¡¯t look like they are on good terms. ¡°Don¡¯t spread your disgusting scent in my house. Leave, you jerk.¡± ¡°If you give me the arrow that you were supposed to make for me, I¡¯ll happily leave on my own.¡± The Dwarf pointed to the corner of his workshop with an unpleasant look. He was pointing to an arrow box, thrown randomly at the floor like trash. ¡°Pick it up on your own and leave.¡± ¡°¡­Shouldn¡¯t you be a bit more courteous?¡± ¡°Just take it and be thankful.¡± ¡°You should be the one thanking me.¡± Lucia stared at the Dwarf with a poignant look. The Dwarf also opened his eyes fiercely, not wanting to lose. The two seemed to want to take out their weapons and fight it out. Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t stand the two anymore, so he asked the Dwarf something to try to change the subject. ¡°Can you make something out of that corpse?¡± ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s see. Wait here for a bit.¡± The Dwarf stood in front of the Leviathan¡¯s corpse with a hammer. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks And then, he hit the top of the corpse¡¯s head with all his might. He hit it so hard that the sound of the skull being smashed resonated loudly throughout the room. The Dwarf split the Leviathan¡¯s head and rummaged through it with his gloved hands. ¡°Alright! It¡¯s a relief that this one is still here.¡± After a rough search, the Dwarf found a small bead. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°This is the organ that allows this monster to use lightning.¡± ¡°A-an organ? That small bead?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It¡¯s a bit surprising that an internal organ allows the monster to produce lightning. It was even more amazing that such powerful lightning bolts were produced by this small bead which was just about the size of a finger. Jinhyuk had one expectation. ¡°Is there any way to use that bead¡¯s power?¡± ¡°Do you mean using it to produce thunderstorms?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lightning was the most burdensome thing for Jinhyuk and the other hunters when they were dealing with the Leviathan. It would definitely be a great advantage if he could utilize that power. ¡°It would be possible with enchantment.¡± The dwarf¡¯s answer made Jinhyuk excited. ¡°I-is that so¡­?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. Give me your bat.¡± Jinhyuk quickly took out his baseball bat out of his inventory and handed it over to Dwarf. ¡°How long will it take to finish enchantment on this?¡± ¡°This is quite difficult to enchant, so I guess I need about half a day.¡± Half a day. He only has to wait for half a day to have his bat enchanted and enhanced once more. Jinhyuk smiled to himself. This bat would be worth millions of won. ¡°What should I pay for this? Tell me anything, I¡¯ll try to get it.¡± ¡°Pff, what do you mean payment? No need, you punk.¡± The Dwarf gains a huge sense of accomplishment just by directly handling and strengthening the Oriharukon. From him, a creature who was born with the natural temperament of a craftsman, that sense of accomplishment was more than enough. ¡°No, I feel sorry to have you do this without giving you compensation¡­¡± ¡°I told you I don¡¯t need anything like that. Just know that if you try to sell this Oriharukon bat, you¡¯ll get beaten up hard by me.¡± It may be a common metal on Earth, but it¡¯s a rare metal in the Dwarf¡¯s world. It¡¯s even called God¡¯s Metal. The Dwarf thought that there should be no distraction in his process of strengthening the bat. He¡¯s handling the God¡¯s Metal after all. He needs to have much courtesy for it. ¡°If you want to help, kick that annoying punk out of here. I might lose my concentration if that woman stays here.¡± The Dwarf smiled at Lucia before going into his room. ¡°¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk witnessed Lucia¡¯s blood vessels pulse and rise one by one on her forehead. He panicked when Lucia pulled out an arrow and loaded it into her bow. ¡°A-ah, no! Hold it in! Calm down!¡± ¡°Calm down? Calm down?! Why should I?!¡± Lucia was about to blow up the workshop right away. ¡°He¡¯s a good old man even though he talks like that!¡± ¡°What bullshxx are you saying?!¡± What would it take to stop Lucia? Of course, Jinhyuk physically can¡¯t block her strength. Jinhyuk figured it out after a few seconds. * * * The bakery owner laughed heartily as Jinhyuk once again purchased a large amount of desserts. ¡°Are you hosting some kind of event?¡± ¡°Nope. I¡¯m buying these to feed it to someone.¡± Upon hearing Jinhyuk¡¯s response, the bakery owner thought that he must be supplying it to a kid¡¯s playground or a kindergarten or something. The owner doesn¡¯t think that there¡¯s a person that would eat this large amount of sweets on their own. Jinhyuk paid, handing over an envelope almost bulging to its limit. He didn¡¯t expect to experience such a heavy feeling just by buying desserts. At this point, he felt like he was carrying livestock feed. ¡°If you¡¯re going to eat like this, wouldn¡¯t it be better to just buy pure sugar from the supermarket?¡± Jinhyuk wasn¡¯t sure about this too. How can a woman eat so much sugar alone? At this point, her blood could just be full of sugar. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t fed her that chocolate bar that time¡­¡± Because of a single chocolate bar, Lucia discovered sweet and sugary food. To exaggerate it a bit, her sugar obsession was almost like a drug addiction. But thanks to that, Jinhyuk was able to learn aura and catch the Leviathan. The more he thought about buying a huge pile of desserts, the more ridiculous and funnier it was for him. Jinhyuk headed straight home while holding two bags in both hands. He wanted to hurry back to the dungeon and level up. However, the situation that Jinhyuk faced now didn¡¯t allow for him to do that so easily. Jinhyuk was met with great trouble as he entered an alley. ¡°Oh no¡­ This is annoying.¡± Ever since he learned how to use aura, Jinhuyk¡¯s five senses have become extremely sensitive. He gained similar abilities to his bat in sensing danger. He could recognize something approaching him from the back. ¡®Could it be a monster with invincibility abilities?¡¯ It could be a monster like the Lizard Men who could disguise its appearance. In movies and novels, there are sometimes scenes where the main character feels danger and attacks the invincible enemy first. But Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t have that ability yet. He had no idea who or where the enemy was. If he had his bat with him, he would¡¯ve been able to pinpoint the enemy¡¯s location. He can only retaliate once the enemy is within his reach. ¡®Great. Tough luck for me.¡¯ If it were a faint sense of danger, he could¡¯ve just left it for other hunters to deal with. However, he could sense the enemy was moving along and following him to the alley. He doesn¡¯t know why, but he¡¯s sure that he¡¯s being targeted. ¡®Ugh, why is this happening?¡¯ Jinhyuk¡¯s head was full of questions. He¡¯s never heard of monsters following and targeting a specific person. ¡®Oh no, is it because of the Leviathan¡¯s corpse?¡¯ Although rare, monsters can sometimes be attracted to other monsters¡¯ corpses. Jinhyuk has first-hand experience with this. It happened during his first black market deal. ¡®Since it¡¯s the corpse of a new monster, it could¡¯ve attracted attention from other monsters.¡¯ Or maybe the bags of food in his hands were being targeted. In any case, it¡¯s clear to Jinhyuk that the enemy trailing him was attracted to something that he possessed. Jinhyuk has no intention of handing any of those over. The opponent hiding from Jinhyuk stopped moving for a while when Jinhyuk put down the bags that he was holding. When he saw Jinhyuk looking around, he realized that his presence was detected. ¡®Tsch.¡¯ The opponent approached Jinhyuk¡¯s left side silently. ¡®He won¡¯t be able to stop me even if he knows that I¡¯m here.¡¯ The opponent strongly believed that his attack could never fail. In a blink of an eye, the opponent swung and attacked Jinhyuk. However¡­ When he came within reach, Jinhyuk accurately grasped his location. Thanks to his passive skills, his body¡¯s reaction speed was enhanced by the Divine Power and were several times faster than that of ordinary people. ¡°O-oh?!¡± Jinhyuk was shocked to see the opponent¡¯s identity after he avoided the opponent¡¯s attack. He thought that it was a monster following him, but seeing the opponent now, he was certainly a human being. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Jinhyuk did not understand at all why a person was aiming for him in broad daylight. ¡®Ah, perhaps this guy is the serial killer?¡¯ Jinhyuk immediately dismissed that thought. ¡®No, it¡¯s impossible. The serial killer only targets hunters who belong to a guild.¡¯ Then who on earth is this person in front of him. Chapter 25 10-13 minutes The opponent never expected that his surprise attack wouldn¡¯t work. He¡¯s lucky that his face is covered with a mask. If he had exposed his bare face as it is, Jinhyuk would¡¯ve clearly seen the look of embarrassment on his face. ¡®Fxck!¡¯ The mysterious man¡¯s dagger was heavily covered with highly concentrated paralytic potions. The power that the dagger packed was enough to paralyze an elephant. If even a small drop of the potion went under a person¡¯s skin, then that person would be done for. However, no matter how threatening the power of a weapon is, it¡¯s no use if the wielder cannot hit his target. ¡°Who the fxxk are you?!¡± Kang Jinhyuk, who quickly avoided the opponent¡¯s dagger, reached out to take off the man¡¯s mask. However, the mysterious man foresaw what Jinhyuk wanted to do. He stepped back just in time and began to use his camouflage skills again. As if watching a magic show, Jinhyuk was left in confusion when the person disappeared again. He has no clue what the mysterious man¡¯s purpose or reason was. He has some rough guesses, but he can¡¯t know for sure. Jinhyuk looked around while using his aura and divine power throughout his body. ¡®He¡¯s still nearby.¡¯ A faint sound of footsteps was heard. The opponent¡¯s exact location couldn¡¯t be detected yet, but Jinhyuk is sure that he¡¯s still near. ¡®I¡¯m the one at disadvantage here¡­¡¯ Jinhyuk doesn¡¯t know where the opponent was or what he was doing. If this situation persists, the enemy might eventually find a gap and launch a surprise attack. Jinhyuk thought hard of a solution. And then, he started running as hard as he could. The hiding man suddenly saw Jinhyuk running and thought that Jinhyuk was trying to escape. ¡°Where are you going?!¡± The man had no intention of letting go of Jinhyuk. He wasn¡¯t going to give up until Jinhyuk surrenders the corpse of the new monster. The mysterious man running after Jinhyuk finally followed him out of the alley. As soon as they left the alley, the man realized Jinhyuk¡¯s true intentions. Jinhyuk wanted to lead them to large crowds. ¡°He led me to a place where there¡¯s a lot of witnesses¡­¡± If you want to hide a tree, you should hide it in a forest. Hiding in a crowded place would make it difficult for the mysterious man to find Jinhyuk. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea, but you don¡¯t know who you¡¯re up against.¡± Standing in the center of the crowd, the man demonstrated his enemy-searching skill. His surprise attack might be unsuccessful, but he was able to mark Jinhyuk the moment he avoided his dagger. As long as the mark was there, it was possible to find Jinhyuk with his enemy-searching skill. ¡°So you¡¯re over there.¡± The opponent found out which building Jinhyuk was hiding in. ¡°How did he get to the department store that quick?¡± It hasn¡¯t been that long since they went out of the alley. Kang Jinhyuk was in a department store on the other side of the road. It¡¯s odd and almost impossible that Jinhyuk could reach that far given that there were two large crosswalks before it. ¡°Hmm¡­ I guess catching a new monster wasn¡¯t just because of luck. He was able to block a surprise attack too. This guy is really skilled.¡± When the mysterious man first heard the rumor of a newbie hunter catching a new monster, he thought that it was the hunter¡¯s mere luck and not his skills. But now that he¡¯s dealing with Jinhyuk personally, his mind had changed. The hunter he thought was a common C-rank hunter was actually someone with considerable skills. He wished he had prepared more thoroughly, but he has no room for that now. ¡°I¡¯ll have to finish him before he detects me again.¡± The man rushed into the department store. Contrary to his expectation, it wasn¡¯t that easy to catch Jinhyuk here. He grew more and more impatient as the minutes pass by. As soon as he saw Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s face, the mysterious man rushed towards him with his dagger raised. When the mysterious man opened a glass door and entered, Jinhyuk, who was hiding right next to the door, immediately swung his fist. ¡°Ahk!¡± The man didn¡¯t expect that attack at all. He fell on the floor and rolled after taking in Jinhyuk¡¯s attack. The shock even removed the man¡¯s camouflage skills. The man barely managed to get up. He immediately gulped down a potion. ¡®H-how in the world¡­¡¯ When Jinhyuk saw that the man didn¡¯t faint, he clicked his tongue in disappointment. He figured out the enemy¡¯s location, but he couldn¡¯t hit his vital point. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t faint in one punch, I¡¯ll just beat him up until he does!¡± Kang Jinhyuk rushed in to kick the man before his opponent disappeared again. The desperate man turned pale. The potion only reduced the pain in his shoulder, but he still couldn¡¯t move. Even if he could use his camouflage skills, he won¡¯t be able to widen the distance between him and Jinhyuk. ¡®I don¡¯t know how he¡¯s doing it, but I know that bastard will know where I am for sure¡­!¡¯ The man has no choice but to stretch out his left hand and use a defense skill. ¡°Shield!¡± Just like Jinhyuk¡¯s ¡®holy shield¡¯, a translucent shield appeared in front of the opponent¡¯s body. Seeing this, Jinhyuk realized that his opponent was a magician. There¡¯s no other specialty that could use shields. ¡®I was at a disadvantage at first, but not anymore.¡¯ Magicians are powerful at long distances. However, they were currently at a department store with lots of people around. The magician won¡¯t be able to use his long-distance skills here, because he¡¯d cause a huge catastrophe if he does in this crowded place. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Kang Jinhyuk thought that the opponent would never use his skills here if he were a human being with common sense. Jinhyuk clenched his fist with all his might. He didn¡¯t forget to use divine power and shroud his fist with aura before striking. Bang! As soon as he hit the shield, a loud noise similar to a bomb exploding resonated throughout the area. The people in the department store all looked in the direction of the noise. They all saw a shield getting shattered, as well as a masked man visibly shocked at what happened. ¡°My god¡­!¡± The mysterious man doubted his eyes. How can a C-rank hunter break his shield with a single blow? A cleric on top of that! It didn¡¯t make sense that a cleric can break a shield with his bare hands. The man has no choice but to remain in shock at this incredible situation. The fist that broke his shield in one blow was now aiming for him. There was only one skill that the man had to prevent the attack from hitting him. Although the option was obvious, the magician hesitated on using that skill. ¡®Using that skill here is a bit¡­¡¯ The man was troubled. However, when he was driven to a corner and on a brink of being attacked, the man eventually reached out to Jinhyuk. ¡°Flame Storm!¡± Jinhyuk was caught in surprise when he heard the man shout a skill name, followed by flames emerging from his hands. The flame storm overturned Jinhyuk and the nearby civilians. The sprinklers burst from all over the ceiling, trying to control the flames, but the fire that overturned the department store did not die down at all. ¡°Euaaahhhk!¡± ¡°Help!¡± The fire was burning hard at the entrance of the department store, so the people couldn¡¯t easily evacuate. People tried to escape by breaking the windows. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± The man couldn¡¯t help but laugh despondently at what he¡¯s done. He didn¡¯t realize that his greed to get the new monster¡¯s body would lead to this. He regretted not having mastered various skills in advance. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that I covered my face.¡± The man thought that no one would find him if he ran away right now. It was regrettable that Kang Jinhyuk, who was inflicted with his flames, can¡¯t show him the monster¡¯s whereabouts now. He shouldn¡¯t have followed him here. While everyone was still confused and in panic, the man got up from his seat and headed to the entrance of the department store. ¡°Pff, this guy doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s doing. What a cheap person.¡± ¡°I know right. You fxxking bastard.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The man was frightened at what was happening at the moment. The man couldn¡¯t even open his mouth again when he saw Jinhyuk standing with his clothes burnt to a black crisp. ¡°H-how are you still alive?!¡± The mysterious man saw with his own eyes how Jinhyuk was hit directly by his flames. He should¡¯ve been dead and burnt like a charcoal from that kind of attack. ¡°AH, what the fxxk!¡± The man urgently reached out his hand again. He only hesitated at the first time he did it, but he can brazenly release his skill again now that the damage has been done. He had already attacked other hunters and harmed countless civilians. If he was to get caught here, he would be sentenced to life imprisonment or even death. The consequence of being a hunter was that punishments imposed on them are harsher than that of ordinary people. Rather than getting caught here, the man decided to cause another accident and escape. ¡°Flame Sto¡ª¡° Before he could finish saying the skill¡¯s name, he saw something suddenly fly towards him. However, it was too late before he noticed it. The object hit the man¡¯s head with a bang! The last thing the mysterious man saw was a thermos thrown by Jinhyuk with full power. Jinhyuk was aware that the man could die if he throws this thermos at full speed towards the man. Even though he knew that fact, he had no choice but to do it. Not only was it an act of self-defense, but Jinhyuk wants to protect the other people from further damage that the magician could inflict. ¡°Fxxk!¡± Jinhyuk sat down after seeing the body of the mysterious man fall backward. It wasn¡¯t because of the guilt from murdering someone. Of course, it was a shocking thing to kill a man, but this opponent was someone who deserved to die. The reason why Jinhyuk¡¯s face was distorted was because of his characteristics as a hunter and a cleric. If a hunter kills a person, his stat window would show him as ¡®evil¡¯. This was something that other hunters could check. To make matters worse, hunters branded as ¡®evil¡¯ could never use clerics¡¯ skills. Even if cleric skills appear in his skill window, he won¡¯t be able to use them. This means that his divine power would disappear, and the aura he spent so much time learning would be unusable. ¡°Because of that fxxking bastard¡­¡± The man caused so many problems for Jinhyuk. He thought that the magician would behave if they were in a crowded place, but he never imagined that the man was crazy to do such a thing. Would it be like this if they stayed back at the alley? After a few seconds, a window popped up in front of Kang Jinhyuk. [Karma levels increased due to murder.] Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only [Because a legitimate murder was not committed, the title ¡®Evil¡¯ is not added.] [The skill of ¡®Cleric¡¯ will be changed.] [You have levelled up.] [You¡¯ve achieved the conditions (hidden) for a second specialty change.] Jinhyuk became confused as he read the notifications. Chapter 26 12-15 minutes Shortly after the firefighters put out the fire, Detective Cho Kyungyeon arrived at the scene upon a call from the Association. Seeing the first floor almost completely burnt down, Kyungyeon immediately understood why she was the one called to respond. ¡°It¡¯s that hunter that did this, right?¡± The junior detective following Kyungyeon hurriedly took out a notebook and checked the reports. ¡°Yes, yes. According to the report, a masked hunter used his skill inside this department store at around 11:34.¡± ¡°What sort of skill?¡± ¡°I believe it¡¯s called flame storm.¡± ¡°What a crazy bastard. He used that sort of skill indoors?¡± Detective Cho Kyungyeon belonged to the Toksu Department which was responsible for settling cases that involved hunters. The detective was very much familiar with the skills mainly used by hunters. Just by hearing the skill¡¯s name, the detective could determine what sort of effect it had and just how powerful the skill is. ¡°How¡¯s the damage report?¡± ¡°As you can see, the scene is as good as completely burned down. There are 25 wounded and 7 dead as of now.¡± ¡°Fxck. That¡¯s a lot.¡± The detective took out an electronic cigarette from her front pocket and took a big puff. The junior detective looked surprised by this image. ¡°Sunbaenim, since when did you switch to electronic cigarettes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m aging too fast. I should take care of my health too.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you just quit completely? I heard e-cigarettes are just as harmful.¡± ¡°Pff. You think I could continue this line of work without relying on cigarettes?¡± The department that she belonged to ensures that every scene that the detective deals with is as disastrous as this one. You could say that she¡¯s used to seeing dead bodies by now, but she knows that she might lose it if she didn¡¯t have nicotine to help her. ¡°Quit the nonsense. Where¡¯s the person who made the report?¡± ¡°They told me he¡¯s behind the fire truck.¡± ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°A-ah¡­ Uhm¡­¡± The junior wasn¡¯t able to answer so he urgently began to search the fire trucks around the scene. After a while, he was able to find the person that matched the description. ¡°O-over there. Behind that fire truck on the left.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing that guy. You¡¯re telling me he¡¯s the one who subdued the masked hunter?¡± ¡°Yes. He looks very exhausted. Well, that¡¯s expected given that this is the state he left the masked hunter in. Would you like to talk to him?¡± Cho Kyungyeon frowned when the junior showed the picture on his smartphone. It was a natural reaction to see the body whose head exploded and died in broad daylight. ¡°Why¡¯d you show me that¡­ Now I don¡¯t want to eat my lunch.¡± ¡°Ah, was I not supposed to do that?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s done now.¡± Ordinary people don¡¯t have those kinds of pictures saved on their phones. It¡¯s to the detective¡¯s shock to learn that the junior actually saves all the photos of the cases they¡¯ve handled so far. From this junior¡¯s first day, Kyungyeon knew that he was fit for this job. The junior had been following her around in all her cases and not once did he show signs of a weak stomach. ¡°Flame storm¡­ It¡¯s a pretty high-level skill. It couldn¡¯t have been easy being on the receiving end of that.¡± The hunter should be at least B-rank or higher. It takes a considerable amount of ability to strike such a hunter¡¯s head in just one stroke. It sure sounds impossible for an unknown C-rank hunter. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s lying. There¡¯s a lot of witnesses.¡± ¡°Hmmm. You¡¯re right. No one in their right mind would lie about killing someone.¡± Working in this field, the detective has met a lot of crazy people. However, this hunter doesn¡¯t seem like the ones she¡¯d met before. Except for his poor complexion, he seemed like a pretty normal guy. ¡°What did you say that guy¡¯s name was?¡± ¡°Eh? You forgot already?¡± ¡°Hey, bastard. I got dragged here while I was working on another case, didn¡¯t I? Of course, I¡¯d forget. Isn¡¯t that obvious already, you punk.¡± Cho Kyungyeon half-jokingly punched the junior. ¡°Aigoo! Must you hit me that hard!¡± ¡°That¡¯s no way to talk to your sunbae!¡± ¡°Eh¡­.¡± The junior shut his mouth and urgently searched his notebook for a name to avoid being hit again. ¡°His name is Kang Jinhyuk. He recently rose to C-rank.¡± ¡°Kang Jinhyuk?¡± It sounds like a name she¡¯s heard before. Cho Kyungyeon racked her brain and remembered that she¡¯d recently read an article that mentioned the name ¡°Kang Jinhyuk¡±. ¡°It¡¯s the guy that caught the new monster.¡± ¡°Ah¡­! You mean the guy that helped the Titans during the massive invasion?¡± ¡°Right. That guy.¡± He caught the most threatening monster that has appeared recently. There¡¯s been a lot of talk about that among the hunter community. ¡°There¡¯s actually some rumors that the monster he caught wasn¡¯t actually that impressive though.¡± ¡°Not that impressive? How can more than ten A-rank hunters be seriously injured by a monster that¡¯s ¡®not that impressive¡¯?¡± ¡°Still¡­ Would S-rank hunter Seo Sangho give it up easily if the monster was that big of a deal?¡± ¡°Well, well look at you. You get those kinds of conspiracy theories over the internet?¡± If it was a monster that was ¡°not that impressive¡±, the prideful Titans wouldn¡¯t have asked for help from other hunters. The people who undermines Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s skill were the narrow-minded people who were jealous that a C-rank hunter was gaining attention. Experts all agreed that Kang Jinhyuk has some kind of hidden abilities. And Cho Kyungyeon was also one with those kinds of hidden skills. Seeing the internet articles made the detective feel excited, so seeing Kang Jinhyuk in person seemed like a dream. ¡°Let¡¯s go and talk to him first.¡± Jinhyuk was still staring at the scene of the incident when he noticed the two detectives approaching him. As their eyes met, Cho Kyungyeon showed her badge. ¡°You¡¯re Kang Jinhyuk-ssi?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± As Kang Jinhyuk faced the detective, his expression and tone naturally hardened. He couldn¡¯t stand tall because he felt that to some extent, he was responsible for this incident. Cho Kyungyeon interpreted Jinhyuk¡¯s body language as him being terrified that he had killed someone. The detective said some words to reassure him. ¡°You acted out of self-defense. You¡¯re fine, you don¡¯t have to be so scared.¡± ¡°Self-defense¡­? I killed a man. You¡¯re telling me I can get away with that so easily?¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s question was expected. Even if it was a bad man, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that he killed a person. In principle, the ¡®self-defense¡¯ reasoning had to go to a proper trial to be recognized. However, this case was an exception. ¡°If you tell me one thing, I can ensure that you won¡¯t have to go to trial.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Of course. Because we have clear evidence against the other hunter.¡± ¡°Clear evidence?¡± Kang Jinhyuk had no idea what the detective was referring to. An evidence so clear that he wouldn¡¯t have to go to trial at all? Detective Cho asked Jinhyuk a question in order to make things clearer for him. ¡°You have killed a man. A notification involving the word ¡®evil¡¯ showed up for you, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°A-ah, how did you¡­¡± ¡°Killing in the act of self-defense doesn¡¯t give you the title of ¡®evil¡¯. You can think of it as an open secret between detectives.¡± Kang Jinhyuk looked surprised. What he thought was something that only he knew of was actually widely known among detectives. ¡°Wait, so should I keep this a secret? Should I not say anything about this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It would be inconvenient for us detectives if this information becomes widely known.¡± When someone kills another, the title ¡®Evil¡¯ is attached to their name unconditionally. That¡¯s what most hunters thought. That misconception is actually what people of authority use in order to keep the hunters from killing, even in the act of self-defense. It is indeed easier to have the hunters believe that any sort of killing would lead to them being titled as ¡®Evil¡¯. If hunters were aware of the self-defense exception, it¡¯s a danger that some hunters would go around killing bad people like they were apostles of justice. That situation would lead to an increase in vigilantes and the sorts. The government and the association wanted the hunters to hunt monsters only. The government was careful not to let these hunters think that they were some sort of a movie superhero. ¡°I see¡­¡± Jinhyuk nodded after hearing the detective¡¯s explanation. What the association wanted was to preserve societal order. When the first monsters and hunters appeared in this world, the association worked very hard to keep the lawless hunters under control. The association would never want to return to such chaos again. Even if the hunters were to kill bad people, it would deviate discipline and order in this society. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. I will never tell anyone.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯d like to believe you, but this is a very important matter.¡± Nothing was more fragile than a promise made in words. Cho Kyungyeon gave a small brooch-shaped device to Kang Jinhyuk. This was the usual procedure that they do. ¡°From now on, please carry this device with you everywhere you go.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°To put it bluntly, this is a surveillance device. If you say the three specific words that you¡¯re not supposed to say, we¡¯re going to get a signal.¡± ¡°What are those words?¡± ¡°Murder. Evil. Self-defense. Those three words. If you don¡¯t keep this in mind, we¡¯ll see each other very often.¡± Kang Jinhyuk took the device. There¡¯s one thing he didn¡¯t understand though. Even if he can¡¯t say those three words, couldn¡¯t he just write the words instead? No matter how much he thought about it, the surveillance policy seemed a little bit sloppy. ¡°Can I go home if I take this? Only this one device¡± Jinhyuk indirectly asked if there was another device that he needs to receive, but the answer that came back was negative. ¡°Of course. I understand that you¡¯re under shock, so I recommend that you take a rest for a while.¡± Cho Kyungyeon didn¡¯t mention anything about the device¡¯s ability to surveillance what its wearer writes. However, the device given to Jinhyuk can actually do that. Hunters are careless because they don¡¯t think that such a function is technically possible. If Jinhyuk can prove that he¡¯s trustworthy, the detective would consider him to be a reliable person and retrieve the device within a year. However, if Jinhyuk tries to reveal this secret through handwriting, the surveillance level on him will go up further and more restrictions on his life would be applied. Cho Kyungyeon intentionally didn¡¯t let Jinhyuk know of these things. ¡®The government and the association aren¡¯t as careless as you think.¡¯ Hunters become sloppy when money becomes a variable. The government and the association have to be meticulous when dealing with this matter. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask the Dwarf to take a look at this later.¡¯ Jinhyuk¡¯s unsure if the Dwarf would be familiar with human-made devices, but it¡¯s still worth a try to ask. ¡°Uhm, can I ask one more thing before I go?¡± ¡°Of course. What is it?¡± ¡°¡­Is there any other phenomenon, besides self-defense, where hunters can avoid being labeled as ¡®evil¡¯?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Just out of curiosity.¡± The detective intuitively realized that Kang Jinhyuk had something to hide. But the detective didn¡¯t ask yet. All hunters hide something after all. The detective decided to give an ambiguous answer. ¡°None that I¡¯ve heard of yet.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Thank you for telling me.¡± Jinhyuk bowed to the detective and hurried out of the scene. Looking as if Jinhyuk was running away, Cho Kyungyeon¡¯s hoobae looked suspicious. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like something¡¯s up with that hunter?¡± ¡°Seeing that you noticed it, I bet it¡¯s not something much.¡± ¡°¡­Is my evaluation not that trustworthy, sunbaenim?¡± ¡°If you think it¡¯s unfair, then try to make some progress, kid. Don¡¯t make mistakes all the time.¡± The detective moved to see the scene in person since the investigation into Kang Jinhyuk was now over. During the subsequent investigation, the junior made some nonsense remarks. Something like ¡°I can smell a criminal in here.¡±, or ¡°What if this was a self-composed drama that he made?¡± Like the junior detective, Cho Kyungyeon also felt something was off about Kang JInhyuk, but she doesn¡¯t think that the man was a criminal. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only In their experience, the most common reason hunters act that way was¡­ ¡®I bet he¡¯s got a hidden skill or a hidden class.¡¯ The detective didn¡¯t say it out loud, careful to not let the light-mouthed junior spread unconfirmed rumors. Sure enough though¡­ The first thing Kang Jinhyuk did when he got home was to check his hidden class and hidden skill. Chapter 27 14-17 minutes Obtaining a hidden class wasn¡¯t usually a challenge. Rumor has it that hunters can get it once they meet special conditions when they level up. Hunters who earned their hidden class had no way of figuring out what those special conditions were because most of them keep it a secret from everyone. Even if certain conditions were satisfied, there was no guarantee that the individual would obtain a hidden class. Until this morning, Kang Jinhyuk never expected to obtain a hidden class. Having an exclusive dungeon in his home was already too much of a miracle. He thought it was greedy to ask for more. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not really comfortable with the process of how I got this hidden class.¡± Looking at his status window, Jinhyuk sighed quietly. Killing someone in self-defense even gave him a reward. Having a hidden class is certainly a big benefit, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s completely happy about it. ¡°Let¡¯s take a good look at this first.¡± The first thing he checked was his new skills. Instead of the usual ¡®heal¡¯ and ¡®cure¡¯ skills, some new ones appeared in the window. [Hard Skill] A tough skin that protects the user from spears and knives. Current Skill Level: D {Skill Effect} While using this skill, all damages suffered are reduced by 20%. The skill can also be used for other people. Skill Duration: 120 seconds Cool down Time: 30 seconds [Abnormal Condition Resistance] Increases resistance to abnormal conditions such as poisoning, sleep, and fainting. Current Skill Level: C {Skill Effect} Resistance to abnormal conditions increases up to 30% when the opponent¡¯s skill level is lower than the user¡¯s. Skill Duration: Continuous After checking the skill descriptions, Jinhyuk was able to understand what the two skills meant. The skill that replaced his ¡®heal¡¯ still had a protective effect, and the one that replaced ¡®cure¡¯ also had similar effects. Although the new skills were more aggressive and self-centered, the essence itself hasn¡¯t changed that much. The same was true of the holy shield of course. [Defense Field] Rush towards something with the speed of a train. Current Skill Level: C {Skill Effect} Identifies and locks on an opponent with 15 meters. Physical defense increases by 10% during the rush. Cooldown time is initialized once an opponent is identified. Cool down Time: 60 seconds Looking at his new skills, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s a conventional cleric anymore. Protection skills and defense-enhancing rushing, plus resistance to abnormal conditions. It definitely sounds like a tanker¡¯s skill set. ¡°Anyway, the most important are the skills related to divine power¡­¡± Kang Jinhyuk has been using mana and divine power according to how Lucia taught him. Thanks to that, he was able to handle the power of Aura. Kang Jinhyuk checked his hidden skills with a trembling heart. [Applying Anger ¡ª 3 Levels] In addition to certain skills, anger can be used arbitrarily. Current Skill Level: C {Skill Effect} Increased physical attack power when using anger. Increased attack speed, defenseless damage in proportion to consumed MP. If the enemy is not hit with the attack, MP consumption increases. [Anger] Embodies the will of battle in the form of Aura. Current Skill Level: D {Skill Effect} Strengthen the user¡¯s body or weapon with the power of anger. Damage caused by anger cannot be offset except by skills incorporated with aura. Reading that far into his skill descriptions, Jinhyuk breathed a sigh of relief. With his nervousness gone, he felt like sitting down somewhere. He took a chair and flopped on it. Jinhyuk analyzed the situation in his head. After carefully thinking about some practicalities, the right decision was easily determined. ¡°It¡¯s better for me to change it.¡± It¡¯s a pity to lose the merits of being a cleric, but that wasn¡¯t the most important factor for Jinhyuk. Since he has a monopoly on a dungeon, a specialization suited for solo play is better for him. ¡°The question now is, what is this new skill¡­¡± With serious eyes, Jinhyuk was staring at a new skill that appeared in his status window. [Distinction] User can check an opponent¡¯s ¡°eob¡± has on you. Current Skill Level: C {Skill Effect} User can quantify and confirm the opponent¡¯s accumulated ¡®eob¡¯ with Karma. The skill was clearly a passive skill as the skill duration and cool down time were not specified. As of the moment, Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t know exactly what this skill could do. The word ¡®karma¡¯ was just a game terminology for him. He had no idea what the word meant for sure. ¡°Eob? Retribution?¡± He found the most plausible meaning by searching through the internet, but he was still confused. Jinhyuk looked at the mirror to see just what this skill meant. When he focused on his reflection in the mirror, a number appeared above his head. ¡°64. What does that figure mean?¡± Since he doesn¡¯t have a reference on what the number means, he¡¯s unsure whether it was high or low. ¡°Should I go around town so I could estimate an average score?¡± Although he was really curious about this, Jinhyuk actually didn¡¯t feel like going outside at the moment. He dealt with an extremely difficult situation outside just a few hours ago. It was too dangerous to walk outside right now, especially since he¡¯s not sure if the guy who attacked him was working with other people. ¡°Ah right, there was another skill.¡± Jinhyuk checked on another skill that he had forgotten for a while. [Judgment] Ability value and additional effects are given when dealing with enemies with high karma levels Skill Level: None {Skill Effec} Effect increases in proportion to the opponent¡¯s karma value. Above 200 ¡ª 20% increase Above 300 ¨C 30% increase Above 500 ¨C 50% increase If the enemy has more than 200, the title of ¡®Evil¡¯ will not be given and the penalty for murder will disappear. Kang Jinhyuk turned speechless for a while. It sounds like a strong skill, which is a good thing. He¡¯s not entirely sure yet about the meaning of the Karma numbers, but that¡¯s okay for now. However, the last part of the skill description was even more difficult to process. Not having the penalty for murder could be good if it¡¯s viewed as it is. But Jinhyuk was not comfortable with how he acquired this skill. ¡°Aren¡¯t jobs and skills determined by the person¡¯s usual behavior and personality¡­¡± Come to think of it, he did have regrets when he killed that mysterious man¡­ But he didn¡¯t hesitate to do it at the moment. ¡°Still, giving me these skills as if I¡¯d be a ruthless murderer in the future is just¡­¡± On the other hand, his physical body was still of a cleric¡¯s, so that changes dramatically with the second specialty change. The ability to heal or assist others lessened with his new skill set. His new skills were fight-oriented skills, and the ability to see other¡¯s karma number. The name of the hidden class that Kang Jinhyuk got was the ¡°Judge¡±. * * * The dwarf said it would take him half a day to finish this new task, but he¡¯s already done. He wasn¡¯t confident with using enchantment on iron, so he exaggerated the estimated time to complete the job. His hands moved faster than expected. Maybe it was because it¡¯s a precious material that he hasn¡¯t touched for a while. ¡°It¡¯s a good comfort to make some arrows for you, cutie.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°¡­Was it necessary to say that?¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± Whenever the dwarf speaks, Lucia, without fail, loses her patience in a snap. Nevertheless, the reason why Lucia¡¯s arrow didn¡¯t end up between the dwarf¡¯s eyebrows was because she was in a tough position. As long as the only way to return home is through this dungeon, only the Dwarf has the ability to make arrows that could withstand Lucia¡¯s power. Killing this dwarf would cut off her supply of arrows. ¡®Patience, patience¡­.¡¯ Imagining the sweet foods that Kang Jinhyuk promised to bring, Lucia managed to keep her anger in. Fortunately, Kang Jinhyuk was seen walking from a distance just before her temper¡¯s limit came. When Lucia and Jinhyuk made eye contact, Jinhyuk immediately saw a number floating above Lucia¡¯s head. The number was 82. Jinhyuk whispered the number to himself, but Lucia heard what he had said. ¡®What¡¯s he talking about?¡¯ Her curiosity became stronger when Jinhyuk looked at the Dwarf and uttered another number. ¡°72.¡± What could those numbers mean? While Lucia tried to think about what it meant, Jinhyuk already reached them. ¡°Oh? Is it done already?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Was easier than expected.¡± The Dwarf picked up the bat and handed it to Jinhyuk. As soon as Jinhyuk grabbed the handle, he felt a sharp sensation as if a static electricity was being charged inside him. That feeling was proof that the enchantment worked successfully. ¡°You can charge it up to three times in advance. It takes 30 minutes for a single charge.¡± The Dwarf pointed his finger to the corner, signaling for Jinhyuk to try the bat¡¯s power. Jinhyuk laughed in vain when he looked over to where the dwarf was pointing and saw a goblin tied up to a stake. ¡°When did you prepare that?¡± ¡°Since I finished the job early, I decided to take a stroll for fun.¡± The goblin struggled to escape, but the Dwarf¡¯s tightly tied rope did not budge. ¡°I feel a little sorry seeing it tied up like that.¡± ¡°So you want me to let it go?¡± ¡°No, no. You did it for me so I¡¯d have to show how thankful I am.¡± Jinhyuk prepared to make a strike. ¡°How do I shoot the lightning? Do I have to say a spell or something?¡± ¡°Puhahaha! You think you¡¯d have time to say a spell in the middle of a fight? It¡¯ll work, just imagine it happening in your head.¡± Hearing Dwarf¡¯s answer, Jinhyuk was a bit disappointed. ¡®Saying some spell would¡¯ve been cooler tho¡­¡¯ Looks like the dwarf doesn¡¯t have a tinge of imagination. Jinhyuk thought of lightning. Sure enough, some blue sparks began to appear at the end of the bat. ¡°Hmm.¡± Lucia watched carefully from about three steps away. Although she was obviously intensely staring at him, Jinhyuk didn¡¯t notice it because he was focused on the bat, ¡°Imagine the lightning¡­¡± Jinhyunk drew a scene in his head where he swung the bat and lightning would be fired from it. As soon as he did, lightning went rushing through from the tip of the bat toward the goblin. Woosh! It took less than a second until the goblin burned like charcoal. The lightning didn¡¯t just obliterate the tied up goblin, it spread and scattered towards another direction. ¡°Screeeech!¡± Some nearby goblins screeched as they were also struck by the lightning. Given Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s skill, it wasn¡¯t just one or two goblins. The Dwarf smiled big as he heard the screams from quite a distance. ¡°As expected of the Oriharukon! No, it exceeded my expectations!¡± Jinhyuk was also grinning. He can¡¯t believe that the monster that troubled him so much has now brought him an incredible power. At this rate, it¡¯s very easy to deal with multiple monsters at once. Of course the power is truly amazing, but what¡¯s more surprising was its ¡®fuel efficiency¡¯. Kang Jinhyuk¡¯s MP did not decrease at all even though he used such a powerful skill. ¡°How can the lightning be launched without depleting my MP?¡± ¡°MP?¡± The Dwarf reacted as if it was an unfamiliar word, so Jinhyuk rephrased it. ¡°I¡¯m talking about mana.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need that ¡®cos that thing is charged on its own.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Unlike Jinhyuk who was shocked to the point where his eyes are popping out, the Dwarf seemed to be saying ¡°Well, what¡¯s the big deal?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know tha the material you brought me has that function?¡± The Dwarf¡¯s reply was even more shocking. If it were such a great item, he would¡¯ve made such a huge amount of money that he wouldn¡¯t even need to continue being a hunter if he were to sell it. It was a great pity to think so. ¡®I might have lost billions from this, but the lightning is cool anyway.¡¯ Thinking that this bat might be the most expensive weapon in the world, Jinhyuk couldn¡¯t help but let out a laugh. He can¡¯t sell it now since it already belongs to him. The bat seems to be a growing burden. ¡°Are you done?¡± As if waiting for the boring movie to come to an end, approached Jinhyuk again. The Dwarf¡¯s work, which Jinhyuk was fascinated about, seemed to be nothing to Lucia. Maybe it was a natural reaction because she is the one who shot down the monster. ¡°If you¡¯re done now, I¡¯d like you to hold up your end of the deal.¡± Jinhyuk stared at Lucia¡¯s hand. He chose to ask what Lucia wanted. ¡°Do you need anything?¡± ¡°Hey¡­ You haven¡¯t forgotten why you went outside the dungeon, did you?¡± Only then did Jinhyuk realize why he felt like he was forgetting something before he had entered the dungeon. ¡®Oh, sh*t.¡¯ The realization came too late. ¡®W-what should I give instead?¡¯ He left all the expensive desserts on the street, but there was at least one thing left in his inventory. Jinhyuk took it out. Lucia looked at Jinhyuk¡¯s hand. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± She seemed to have no idea what the colorful can contained. The can¡¯s design actually showed what was inside the can. Seeing Lucia¡¯s reaction meant there was no similar object where Lucia lived. Or she¡¯s never seen one. Jinhyuk gambled on this unfamiliarity. He thinks he can get away with not bringing enough desserts. With Lucia¡¯s brightening complexion, Jinhyuk was able to confirm that his tactic worked. Lucia rolled the candy in her mouth before her excited face showed. ¡°Mmhm.¡± Lucia turned her back from the Dwarf, not wanting him to see her happy face. Lucia tried to suppress her happiness. ¡°How¡¯s it?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s much better than the foods you¡¯ve brought so far. Why didn¡¯t you bring this to me earlier?¡± Jinhyuk sighed in relief. He can¡¯t believe that a 200 won candy satisfied her so much. Jinhyuk held out the can of stick candy to her, gulping in relief as he¡¯s just escaped having an arrow stabbed on his head. Lucia took the can with a satisfied face. ¡°Good, good! Alright! The most important thing is solved now, so let¡¯s move on.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Are you asking for more?¡± ¡°No, I just want to eat this at peace.¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes suddenly turned protective. After looking Jinhyuk up and down, Lucia was convinced. The energy that surrounded Jinhyuk now was unusual. There was ordinary mana flowing out of his hands. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°You¡¯ve been acting strange.¡± Lucia flicked the stick of the candy bar like a cigarette butt. ¡°You. What happened while you were outside?¡± The way she asked it was only half certain. Jinhyuk inadvertently swallowed his saliva with the sudden interrogation that began without notice.