NOVEL NEXT Chapter 49
Episode 49
From there, the story flowed seamlessly into the battle with the Giant Monkey. Since it was an intense experience I had firsthand, Lee Si-hyun was able to relay the tale without any hindrance.
Having already heard that Si-hyun defeated the Giant Monkey, Team Leader Seo wasn’t surprised when he learned about the discovery of human traces. If it had been the first time he heard this, he would have been astounded.
“You know how impressive your achievement is, right?”
Team Leader Seo said with a face that honestly expressed admiration.
“I honestly can’t believe it either. It still feels like a dream.”
Si-hyun wasn’t being humble; he genuinely felt that way. Of course, it was true that he had taken down the Giant Monkey by effectively using his shout and restraint technique skills. That could be considered a display of skill.
However, the thought that luck played a significant role was stronger. His stats had greatly increased from this event, but he still had yet to reach the level of a C-rank Hunter. There was still a long way to go to become strong enough to be satisfied.
“Well, it makes sense. It’s no ordinary monster. You were E-rank, right? At that time, the E-rank took down the boss of an A-Class Gate… This will forever remain an exceptional case.”
There have been instances where lower-ranked Hunters have taken down stronger monsters by exploiting their weaknesses.
But there was no memory of an E-rank defeating an A-rank boss. Although it would be worth looking into, it might just be the first of its kind. Plus, while B-rank assistance was given, one could argue that he practically soloed the boss.
“I’d rather not be known too much. Are people starting to find out about me?”
Si-hyun asked. While gaining strength would naturally make one more famous, he was not keen on it at the moment, especially since he was a civil servant.
“If you don’t want to be recognized, you can keep your real name hidden. Something like Hunter ‘Lee00.’ The Giant Monkey’s weakness was the shouting skill, and to illustrate that, E-rank Hunter ‘Lee00’ used his shouting skill to take down the Giant Monkey. That would be the gist, right?”
“I see. That sounds good.”
“Is your desire to remain unknown because you’re a civil servant? With such achievements, wouldn’t it be natural to want to brag around as a Hunter?”
Team Leader Seo questioned, picking up on Si-hyun’s underlying concerns. This was akin to a third-rate martial artist slaying a top master. It was an outright absurdity turned reality. Undoubtedly, an accomplishment that could be boasted about for a lifetime as a Hunter.
Yet, Si-hyun had reacted differently, which is why he asked.
“Well… that’s certainly part of it. You know, civil servants have to be careful about their conduct.”
Si-hyun spoke plainly, believing that was the better approach.
“It sounds like you’re concerned about the prohibition against simultaneous employment, but now that you’ve reached D-rank, wouldn’t resigning be one option?”
“I’m not really considering that.”
It was the job he could do best, and as a correctional officer, he could grow to reach this point. Therefore, he had no intention of quitting.
“Hmm, I see. Honestly, I think Hunter activities shouldn’t just be considered for profit; they also contribute to the public good, so I’d hope they’d lift the prohibition against simultaneous employment. Right now, there are aspects that don’t align with reality. The more Hunters affiliated with the state, the better it is for the national interest, but… Of course, I’m not the one making laws, but perhaps it will change someday.”
Team Leader Seo offered a wry smile.
“I hope it does, as you mentioned.”
“Or how about applying for a transfer to the Hunter Association? As a D-rank, you’d meet the qualifications.”
“Thanks for your thought, but I feel like being a correctional officer is my calling. I have no plans to change jobs.”
Si-hyun said.
“Well, if that’s how you feel. But secretly, you want me to turn a blind eye, right?”
“Honestly, yes.”
“Can’t do it just verbally. How about under the condition that you keep it a secret?”
“That sounds good.”
As Si-hyun smiled, Team Leader Seo also returned the smile.
“Alright then.”
◈ ◈ ◈
The investigation concluded smoothly. Still, I never wanted to come back to the Inspection Bureau again. Being at the Inspection Bureau meant that something had gone wrong.
“Congratulations, albeit a bit late.”
As they left the Inspection Bureau, Min-jun said.
“Congratulations on what?”
“Winning the lottery.”
“Oh, I see.”
Si-hyun nodded, realizing what Min-jun was talking about. It seemed he was referring to getting a unique item. While he called it winning the lottery, it was an even greater stroke of luck. Of course, this luck had come at the cost of his life.
“Thanks.”
“Now that you’ve turned your life around, are you not going to do raids anymore?”
Min-jun asked. Eun-hye, who was beside him, didn’t say anything but looked expectantly at Si-hyun, clearly curious.
Having obtained an item worth billions, one could say he had earned enough money for a lifetime. Living comfortably for the rest of his life wouldn’t be a problem at all.
Though identified as a Hunter, he was a low-ranking one, and in this realm, he was treated more like the underclass. Many would think it far better to leave this world and live it up in comfort.
“No, I will keep doing them.”
Si-hyun answered without hesitation.
“Really?”
“Are you serious?”
Min-jun and Eun-hye both spoke at the same time. It seemed they had thought he might leave the guild.
“Yes. I’m not selling the item. I’ll use it myself. Luckily, my armor was damaged beyond use, so it’s perfect timing.”
The rare light armor he had first bought got destroyed to the point it could no longer serve its function while fighting a horde of monkeys. He was relieved to receive a new piece of armor just in time. Selling it had never been an option he considered.
“You really seem to understand that there’s something more important than money.”
“Si-hyun oppa, can I look up to you?”
Min-jun and Eun-hye teased.
Eun-hye, who had experienced her family’s downfall because of her father, and Min-jun, who was raising a family on a single income, both understood the weight and power of money well. They knew that this was no easy decision. Though they joked around, the gravity of Si-hyun’s response was unmistakable.
Si-hyun scoffed gently.
“Hey, stop pumping me up. Speaking of which.”
“What is it?”
“What is it?”
Min-jun and Eun-hye leaned close to Si-hyun simultaneously. The scene was amusing, yet he stifled a laugh and spoke.
“It’s about humans… have you heard?”
He lowered his voice to avoid being overheard. Whether they understood the meaning behind it, both Min-jun and Eun-hye changed their expressions.
“Uh… Let’s get in the car first.”
Min-jun gestured towards the first-floor parking lot where his car was parked.
◈ ◈ ◈
Min-jun’s car was a used white sedan of mid-sized class. Of course, it wasn’t a brand-new vehicle equipped with a Magic Stone engine; it ran on gasoline.
Si-hyun sat in the front seat, while Eun-hye claimed the back.
“Now we can speak freely.”
Min-jun said.
“Right. Since I think I heard everything, I’ll ask directly. What do you think?”
Si-hyun inquired.
“It’s such a bizarre thing that I can’t say I fully understand it. Still, it made me think this.”
“What kind of thought?”
“The monsters that crossed over through the Gate are ultimately aiming to enslave Earth’s humans, aren’t they?”
“I had the same thought.”
Min-jun agreed with Eun-hye’s words.
Si-hyun summarized their remarks.
“So, the humans from the original world, who have already been dominated, are looking to establish colonies on another planet?”
“Yes.”
“It seems like we all share the same thought on that.”
“But if someone hears this kind of story, most would likely think the same.”
“That’s definitely true.”
Si-hyun nodded. Then he continued.
“Then why is there such a significant time difference?”
“How can anyone know that with that degree of information? I have no idea.”
“…Well, I feel the same.”
Si-hyun agreed with Min-jun’s response. With such limited information, coming up with any speculation was nearly impossible.
“That aspect seems to hold the most crucial secrets, but I’m not certain either. But one thought did occur to me.”
“Of course, Eun-hye is smart.”
“Indeed, Seoul University is on a different level.”
Both Min-jun and Si-hyun praised her statement sincerely, though it came off as teasing. Eun-hye blushed slightly at their remarks.
“Oh, it’s really nothing. It’s embarrassing.”
“No, come on, just say it comfortably.”
“Umm… You know about parallel worlds, right? I was thinking that the other realm might be a parallel world. It sounds kind of silly, but… It’s just a ridiculous guess since there’s no evidence.”
Si-hyun’s expression resembled someone who had just been struck with an epiphany at Eun-hye’s words.
“So, you’re saying there are two other realms? One that grants us the power of Awakening and another where we become slaves to monsters? That makes a kind of sense! Amazing! How did you come up with that?”
“Wow, incredible. As expected of the brain of our guild.”
As Si-hyun and Min-jun gushed, Eun-hye turned her gaze away, feeling genuinely embarrassed.
“…Why are you doing this? It’s really nothing special. There are so many works dealing with parallel worlds. I just came up with that idea based on that. To be honest, I think it’s ridiculous. Just a thought…”
“No, no. It totally makes sense. Who knows? If it turns out to be true later on, you might be right.”
“Yes, Si-hyun is right. Just coming up with such a thought is impressive.”
“Oh, come on…”
Eun-hye completely redirected her gaze to the window.
Min-jun smiled and added, “In any case, when it comes to such a troublesome issue, there’s one important thing: monsters are the enemies of humanity, and to avoid dying or becoming slaves, we need to take them all down.”
◈ ◈ ◈
The long weekend came to an end. It was the first time in his life that Si-hyun felt the weekend was this long. It was likely due to everything he had experienced over those two days.
As usual, Si-hyun sat in the break room, checking his stats.
[Status]
Strength: 263 (D)
Agility: 266 (D)
Intelligence: 270 (D)
Stamina: 267 (D)
Mental Strength: 430 (C)
Magic Power: 101 (D)
Having defeated the Giant Monkey, all his abilities had significantly increased. It seemed that if he completed just a few more quests, he’d reach C-rank soon.
Among those, the most noteworthy was the increase in his magic power. It finally reached triple digits, advancing its rank to D.
This carried more significance for Si-hyun than just a simple increase in strength. He had now met the qualifications to see the 7th-grade special recruitment. He could apply for the special recruitment this year. It was a chance to advance to the 7th grade less than a year after reaching the 8th grade.
‘But before that.’
He planned to do everything he could at the Daehan Correctional Facility.
First up was Jang Hak-ki. Since there was a quest, he had to take him down without using the Iron-Blooded Guard ability. Of course, he had already devised a means for that.
All that was left was to put it into action.
‘I wonder when would be good.’
Si-hyun mumbled to himself as he gauged the timing.