He is a legendary prison guard

Chapter 10
Top Tier

Shi-hyun’s gaze was automatically fixed on her.

Anyone would be drawn to a slender beauty with fair skin, almost like a model.

Moreover, she had a unique intellectual charm to her face.

‘She’s a real top-tier.’

On the M-Park Burning bulletin board where Shi-hyun was active, posts would frequently appear with pictures of pretty girls asking, “Is this enough to be the best in class?”

Then, comments like “Definitely possible,” “This kind of face is everywhere,” “Maybe in group projects,” and “That looks like campus top material” would follow, turning it into a playful discussion.

Although Shi-hyun never commented, he couldn’t help but click on those posts to refresh his eyes.

But now he was seeing such beauty in real life, not online.

As he unconsciously thought about how other guys on the street would be envious if he dated someone like her, he felt a sharp gaze upon him.

Sang hyuk, who usually had a friendly demeanor, was looking at him with an unusual expression of discomfort.

Realizing he had been staring silently at someone he just met, Shi-hyun awkwardly cleared his throat.

“Um, I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself first. I’m Lee Shi-hyun. I’m an E-rank hunter, and I just joined this guild. I look forward to working with you.”

Shi-hyun stood up to greet her.

“Ah, yes, hello. I’m Im Eunhye, a D-rank hunter.”

Her voice was pleasant and clear, adding to her charm.

And she was a D-rank hunter.

It seemed like an unusual family where both father and daughter were awakened beings.

“How do you like joining our guild so far?”

Min-jun chimed in with a playful expression.

“She’s incredibly pretty, has a perfect model figure, and is currently studying economics at Seoul National University, plus she’s an awakened being. You can’t find such a rare type anywhere else but in our guild.”

What? Seoul National University?

Shi-hyun felt the need to quickly revise his prejudice that there were no beauties at that university.

Her charm just increased again.

“What are you talking about? I think I joined at the right time. I dislike crowded places. This atmosphere is great.”

Shi-hyun smiled sincerely while looking at Eunhye.

Men who have worked in all-male environments would understand that unique, dull atmosphere.

Especially in a prison where he was surrounded by almost 100% men every day.

Since he started working there, it has always been in such an environment.

So, he was sometimes curious about what it would be like to work in a place mixed with women. He thought it might create a more cheerful atmosphere.

For that reason, even on weekends, wanting to work in a non-male environment was a natural hope.

“Seeing you and Min-jun speak informally makes me think you’re the same age.”

Eunhye said with a playful smile.

“Yes.”

“Then you can speak informally with me too. You can call me Shi-hyun Oppa, right?”

Is that so?

Could she possibly have a good personality too?

If so, that would be truly perfect.

Shi-hyun wore a slightly awkward expression.

“Uh, then I’ll do that. … No, I will.”

“Nice to meet you, Shi-hyun oppa. Thank you so much for joining our guild. Each member is very precious to us.”

From her expression, it didn’t seem like just polite talk.

It hinted at how dire the guild’s situation was.

“Once we gather just five more members, we can tackle D-rank gates.”

She added brightly.

D-rank gates were so easy that their success rate was nearly 100%, unlike E-rank gates, which were open to anyone.

The Hunter Association carefully evaluated the success rates before granting permissions.

To obtain permission for a D-rank gate, usually around ten members were needed, including one or two C-rank hunters and several D-rank hunters.

The Grace Guild was, of course, far from that number.

That’s why they had no choice but to apply for joint raids with other small guilds.

But that wasn’t an easy task either.

Joint raid applications were always secondary.

The Hunter Association preferred a raid team made up of a single guild, believing they would perform better in terms of teamwork and other aspects.

Thus, the Grace Guild managed to snag D-rank gates only rarely, while typically running E-rank gates day and night.

“Ah, at this rate, it’ll take years for us to gather members.”

Min-jun said.

“No, as the numbers increase, they’ll gather faster. That’s just how the world works.”

“Yeah, think positively. But why hasn’t Jaemin come yet? His only redeeming quality is showing up quickly.”

“Oh, I got a message that Jaemin has a fever and can’t come today.”

“Seriously, he only tells you? He doesn’t even inform the guild leader? That’s so clueless. That kid is already chasing after pretty Noona.”

“Oppa, why do you say it like that? It could happen.”

“If you keep coddling him like that, he’ll just become more spoiled and lose social skills. He’s already crying about being an outsider now that he entered college.”

“That’s not Jaemin’s fault. What can you do about his naturally introverted personality? People around him should understand him to some extent.”

“Alright, now that we have all the members, let’s stop talking about raids.”

Sang hyuk changed the topic, bringing a whiteboard in front of the reception table.

“Since Shi-hyun is a newcomer, you probably don’t know much about raids yet. I’ll explain it to you slowly, so listen carefully.”

Sang hyuk began his explanation.

First, the positions.

The Grace Guild had a rather unique composition.

Guild leader Im Sang hyuk was a C-rank cleric, serving as the healer.

Im Eunhye was a D-rank mage, acting as a ranged dealer and commander.

Kang Min-jun was a D-rank knight, serving as the main dealer and main tank.

The absent Ko Jaemin was an E-rank archer, also functioning as a ranged dealer.

It was absurd that they had set up a raid party without a melee dealer. Moreover, the tank role was being filled by someone else.

This composition was only possible because they primarily tackled E-rank gates.

With Shi-hyun’s arrival, the balance of positions was slightly improved. Now they had one more person to tank and draw aggro.

Next, they explained the rules that must be followed in the guild.

First, no unilateral actions are allowed. In case of emergencies, follow the commander’s instructions.

“Those fighting up close are usually so focused on the enemy in front of them that they can’t think straight. That’s why I, who can see from a distance, assess the situation and give important commands.”

“Raids are all about teamwork. If you only think of yourself, the team will become a mess. Such a raid party will soon become a monster’s meal. Always think of your teammates as part of your own body.”

Eunhye and Minjun added further explanations.

Second, never skimp on equipment.

“You know how it is. If you drive a large vehicle, you can afford to buy something decent, but if you drive a compact car, you’ll just die. Raids are the same. You might be able to buy rare armor, but if you skimp and use magical armor instead, you might find yourself dead in an instant. This isn’t a game where you just have HP, no matter how trivial the gate is; if you get hit in a vital spot, you might die without even getting healed. Keep that in mind.”

“While weapons and armor are the most important, I recommend trying to get other gear at least rare or higher. I say ‘at least,’ but unique items are so expensive that it’s almost meaningless.”

Min-jun and Eunhye added their explanations again.

Third, diligently study the information about monsters posted on the official site of the Korean Hunter Association whenever you have time.

“You know the saying from Sun Tzu’s Art of War, ‘Know thyself and know thy enemy’? It’s a famous line. There’s a huge difference between facing an unknown enemy and one you know. That’s why many hunters lose their lives when new monsters appear unexpectedly in A-rank gates.”

“You must be familiar with the monsters’ attack patterns and weaknesses. Of course, if a new monster appears, that won’t help, but that’s unavoidable.”

“I know you’re busy with work, but I hope you make time to study.”

“Understood.”

Shi-hyun nodded as if he understood.

All the rules were important and made sense.

First and foremost, he felt he needed to break into his savings soon to get equipment.

“Then how about we experience a raid today? There’s no better teacher than experience.”

“What? Right today?”

Shi-hyun showed a surprised reaction.

He thought they wouldn’t have a raid today since they just asked him to come bare-handed.

“Why, are you worried? Everyone is clumsy at first, so don’t worry too much. The team will support you.”

“But one member isn’t coming because of a fever.”

“Jaemin? He’s no help at all. He’s a clumsy archer who can’t hit anything unless the enemies are packed together.”

Min-jun said.

“Honestly, I want to go. But my equipment.”

“What about your equipment?”

“I don’t have any.”

“You must have some equipment that came with your awakening, right? I didn’t mention it earlier, but you can participate in today’s raid with that equipment.”

“Um, Guild Leader… I’m not lying; I only have a normal weapon in my inventory.”

Of course, there were legendary items, but those…

Shi-hyun averted his gaze slightly.

“What? Just a weapon? And it’s normal?”

“Yes.”

“That’s something else. Should we go hunt and pick up dropped items from the gate?”

“Father, that’s a bit.”

Eunhye raised her hand in opposition.

“The safety of our guild members is the most important. Don’t go into the gate carelessly like that. The gate we just obtained, we can tackle it tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s get Shi-hyun oppa equipped today and tackle it tomorrow. Is that okay with you, Shi-hyun oppa?”

“That sounds good to me.”

Shi-hyun replied.

“Then let’s do that. Does everyone agree?”

“Agreed.”

“Let’s do that.”

Min-jun and Sang hyuk nodded in agreement.

“Shi-hyun oppa, do you know where the hunter item shop is?”

“No, I’m not sure.”

“It’s behind the Korean Hunter Association building.”

“Oh, I see. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. They’re open until 6 PM even on weekends, so you should be fine if you leave now.”

Shi-hyun nodded and stood up.

“Then shall we meet at this time tomorrow?”

“Let’s do that.”

“Understood. See you tomorrow.”

—

**<0xCD> <0xCD> ◈**

“Tears are flowing.”

After getting equipped and returning home, Shi-hyun muttered.

Although a public servant’s salary isn’t as meager as people perceive, the reality of being a salaried worker is quite clear.

Since starting work, he hasn’t made any excessive expenditures.

He saved 1 million won every month diligently.

He was thinking of saving up enough to get a deposit for a house and get married.

He had saved just over 30 million won.

But.

‘Cheap ones are several million?’

The expensive ones were in the tens of millions, and some were worth hundreds of millions.

When he checked the internet before, he hadn’t felt the urge to buy, but now that he was purchasing, his hands were shaking.

In a hurry, he bought only rare armor and weapons, and about half of his savings evaporated.

‘…They say saving is hard, but spending is instantaneous.’

But it wasn’t permanent either.

There was no free after-sales service.

If they broke or were damaged, he would have to spend more money to replace them.

‘I need to work hard.’

From tomorrow, he would push himself for raids.

Shi-hyun clenched his fist.

—

**<0xCD> <0xCD> ◈**

When Shi-hyun arrived at the guild the next day, all the members except him were already there, with only the sick Jaemin missing.

“Alright, let’s hurry up and leave. I want to finish quickly and have a drink tonight.”

Min-jun urged the group.

A worn-out van was parked in a corner of the first-floor parking lot.

It was an outdated model that had been discontinued.

He hadn’t expected it, but Sang hyuk opened the driver’s seat.

It seemed they were quite a small guild.

Min-jun’s comment about being a poor guild didn’t seem exaggerated.

“Where are we going?”

“Probably to Changwoo-dong in Hanam City?”

Sang hyuk checked the address on his phone and entered it into the navigation system.

As he started the engine, they could hear the rough sound of the engine struggling.

“It’s not in Seoul?”

“Guilds like ours handle areas outside of the capital.”

When Shi-hyun asked, Sanghyuk replied.

The distance wasn’t far.

While organizing his thoughts about the raid in the car, Sang hyuk said they were almost there.

The location of the gate seemed to be in a park in the city center.

Usually, it would be bustling with people out for a walk, but the Hunter Association had set up barricades to restrict access to the entrance.

As Sang hyuk’s van approached the park’s parking lot, a tall, thin man who appeared to be an employee of the Hunter Association approached them.

“What brings you here?”

“We’re from the Grace Guild.”

“I need to check something. Please submit your hunter licenses.”

“Here you go.”

Sang hyuk showed his license, and the man checked it and nodded.

“Please park here and head inside. The gate is near the iron bar over there. Thank you.”

The man pointed towards the location of the gate.

Shi-hyun and the others got out of the car.

Since all personal equipment was in their inventories, they only needed to bring magic stones and a large bag for items.

Shi-hyun volunteered to carry the bag.

Having worked in a job, he instinctively took on such behaviors as a newcomer.

“…That’s the gate.”

He had seen it in pictures and videos, but this was the first time seeing it up close.

The circular, swirling gate glowed a blue hue.

It was said that lower-level gates emitted blue light while upper-level gates had a grayish hue. Thus, even without precise measurements with a magic power gauge, one could roughly gauge the grade of the gate.

The open period for a gate was typically 2 to 3 weeks. Since it was a matter of life and death for many, this conclusion was reached after meticulous investigation worldwide, making it nearly certain.

They had to conquer the gate before it opened.

If the gate opened, the damage to the surrounding citizens would be unimaginable.

But they couldn’t just rush into the gate.

Once inside, the passage would be sealed, and they couldn’t exit until they defeated the gate’s boss.

That’s why the Hunter Association granted permission to tackle the gate only when they deemed it sufficient.

“First, let’s equip ourselves.”

Since Shi-hyun was a beginner, Min-jun kindly explained.

Shi-hyun began taking out his equipment from his inventory and putting it on.

The armor and helmet were light armor made from orc leather.

He had wanted to buy armor made from ogre or troll leather, but it was too expensive, so he settled for this.

He excluded medium armor because it felt too expensive and cumbersome.

His weapon was an ordinary longsword.

Its sturdiness and sharpness were about average for rare weapons.

You could say it was well-balanced, but in a negative light, it was a colorless and odorless weapon.

“Light armor?”

Min-jun asked.

He was wearing sturdy-looking, well-maintained medium armor. It made sense since he had been tanking alone at parties.

“Medium armor is too expensive and cumbersome.”

“If you can dodge well, that’s fine too.”

“What’s that?”

Shi-hyun asked, looking at Min-jun’s weapon.

It was a long sword that looked to be over a meter long.

“A claymore. I’ve got some strength.”

Min-jun chuckled.

A claymore was a representative weapon used with both hands.

“Give me the bag.”

Sang hyuk said.

The healer had a very important role, but if the party members didn’t get hurt, they didn’t have much to do.

Especially in the Grace Guild, which had only tackled the simplest E-rank gates, Sang hyuk had been taking on the porter role.

“Let’s head in.”

Eunhye, holding a white robe and a wooden staff, spoke up.

—

The inside of the gate was a dim cave.

Fortunately, the height wasn’t low enough that an adult man couldn’t walk upright. If it had been lower, moving around would have been very uncomfortable.

Eunhye cast a light spell to illuminate the area.

Visibility improved.

“Are all E-rank gates structured like this?”

“No, they vary. No one knows what the structure of a gate is before entering.”

Sang hyuk answered Shi-hyun’s question.

“Is that a bat or a spider? If it’s an E-rank monster living in a cave, those are the only ones that come to mind.”

Minjun muttered.

And just as he finished speaking, a scraping sound echoed.

It was the sound of a spider crawling through the cave.

“Is that a spider?”

Shi-hyun looked incredible.

What kind of spider could be large enough to reach an adult man’s thigh?

Since he hadn’t had time to study monsters yet, it felt very unfamiliar and unsettling.

“Damn, it’s a fire spider.”

Min-jun clicked his tongue.

Now that he looked closely, the spider’s body and legs were a fiery red.

“Why? Is it a tough monster?”

“Eunhye focuses on fire magic. But these guys have high fire resistance. Don’t expect any fire support.”

“What?”

“It means we have to manage without relying on her.”

“I’m sorry, but it can’t be helped.”

Eunhye looked slightly gloomy at the thought of not being able to help.

Boom.

Still, Eunhye cast a fireball at the approaching dozen fire spiders, but it seemed to cause more noise than actual damage.

Minjun slowly stepped forward with his claymore.

“You’re right-handed, right?”

“Yes.”

“I’m left-handed, so I’ll take the left. Shi-hyun, you take the right.”

“Got it.”

“Ha, don’t be too nervous. It’s E-rank, E-rank. I’ve been doing both melee dealing and tanking alone until now. Just be careful with contact with the spiders.”