Now that the boss monster had been defeated.
It was time for the enjoyable settlement.
When I glanced behind me.
“Please take everything.”
“Are you sure?”
“We received the SSS-rank clear reward too.”
Well, if they insisted.
I would offer once out of courtesy.
It was fortunate that I had met decent people in a last-minute raid party.
There were two items obtained after defeating Twin Living Armor.
The first was.
The axe it had used.
[Resentful Axe]
Rank: Magic
Category: Weapon
Durability: 341/400
The resentment of the dead lingers in an axe abandoned on a battlefield.
It grants powerful strength, but there is a low chance that the user will be consumed by resentment.
*Cutting Lv. 34
*When struck, has a low chance to inflict Fear Lv. 10 on the target.
*When the weapon is swung, has a very low chance to inflict Rage Lv. 6 on the user.
Oh.
The Cutting enhancement effect was at the Rare-rank level.
The drawback was that the wielder could lose their mind while swinging it.
But it would still sell for a good price.
【There is one more.】
Sir Isra held out a yellow stone.
“Oh. A lottery ticket.”
“A lottery ticket?”
“Its official name is a Fragmented Soulstone, but everyone calls it that.”
Apparently, using it on an ordinary item could cause an enhancement effect.
“It is usually a dud, though,” one Hunter said with a laugh before glancing at me.
Hmm.
It seemed they could not see these options.
[Fragmented Soulstone]
Rank: Magic
Category: Catalyst
Durability: 10/10
A stone containing a fragment of a soul.
Something good might happen if used on an ordinary item.
*Bound on Pickup.
*Can enhance a Common-rank item.
—Destruction Chance: 60%
—Magic-rank Item: 39%
—Unique-rank Item: 1%
*A portion of a soul dwells within this item.
This item.
Was not an ordinary lottery ticket.
It contained part of a soul!
Just like the options written on corpse byproducts, it was probably visible only to me.
Heh heh heh.
What good luck!
Right.
Before leaving, I needed to organize traffic.
“Everyone. You got a free ride thanks to me, right?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Things will be noisy outside because an SSS-rank clear appeared.”
“We do not know anything.”
They did not need to look so pale.
Someone might think I intended to eliminate them all.
I had no intention of hiding my abilities.
However.
Sir Isra’s improved performance.
The potential of Bone Metallurgy.
My upgraded skills.
It would not be too late to enjoy fame after I had figured out the true value of my strengthened abilities.
If these Hunters kept the secret, it would save me some trouble.
Even if they did not, I would not suffer much of a loss.
“We are secret friends now, all right?”
“Yeees!”
Everyone, please smile.
Someone might think I was threatening you.
***
[Challenge Zone] was a fairly famous Gate.
Its Instant Gate system.
And its five different patterns.
It was a good training ground for Hunters to improve their abilities.
The rewards were generous as well, so many people entered.
Even so.
“An SSS-rank clear appeared?”
The highest rank was not easy to achieve.
Less than an hour after Minho cleared Challenge Zone.
All major guilds had received news of the SSS-rank clear.
For example.
[Director Baek Seonghyeon].
A high-ranking figure from Seven Stars Guild, one of Korea’s five strongest guilds.
“Challenge Zone was a place where one of five patterns appeared at random, correct?”
“Yes. This SSS-rank clear was the corridor type.”
“Was the corridor type not the most difficult pattern?”
Baek Seonghyeon raised his gaze, as though recalling something.
“Living Armor. The boss is the Twin type, right?”
“As expected of you, Director.”
“I came from Human Resources. I should naturally know that much.”
Baek Seonghyeon dismissed it as something insignificant.
The Human Resources Manager swallowed nervously.
‘It has been years since he was promoted to executive level. It is strange for him to remember every detail like someone still working in the field.’
There were hundreds of Fixed-Type Gates in Seoul.
Was it normal to remember the patterns of one D-rank Gate among them all?
Perhaps a new Human Resources employee might.
But even the Human Resources Manager would struggle to look up such minor details and recall them instantly.
After reading the hastily written report several times, Baek Seonghyeon slowly spoke.
“It cannot be a coincidence.”
“Pardon?”
“The S-rank at the Tower of Ascension. And this SSS-rank clear.”
There was a high chance the two Hunters were the same person.
No.
It was better to move under the assumption that they were.
“Director, that Gate requires a party of five to clear.”
Baek Seonghyeon frowned.
“I trust you are not suggesting that all five people have such potential.”
“I-I am sorry.”
“Have you found any witnesses?”
“We are asking around.”
“So you have not found them.”
“It is a place with a high volume of foot traffic...”
The Human Resources Manager fidgeted helplessly.
Baek Seonghyeon let out a short sigh.
“Human Resources needs to be a little more alert.”
At that sharp remark, the Human Resources Manager firmly shut his mouth.
How many years had it been since an S-rank result appeared at the Tower of Ascension?
Park Minho had advanced from E-rank to D-rank.
It was obvious that he would enter D-rank Gates.
Was it not basic to monitor every D-rank Gate throughout the country?
“In my day, monitoring until we had nosebleeds was standard.”
Baek Seonghyeon clicked his tongue.
The Human Resources Manager sweated profusely.
Talk about “my day” was common among office workers.
However, the person before him was different.
He was non-Awakened.
He had entered the guild as an ordinary employee with nothing remarkable about him.
Yet through his own efforts, he had risen to become a director at Seven Stars Guild, a prestigious guild.
An eye for identifying Hunters with great potential!
The tenacity to win a target’s favor by any means necessary!
Even if he failed to recruit someone into the guild.
He would remain in contact, win their goodwill, and ensure that they helped the guild’s operations directly or indirectly.
‘That is why he rose from an ordinary employee to a director.’
The legend of the common employee!
That was the kind of person Baek Seonghyeon was.
So even when he spoke about “my day” in front of the Human Resources Manager, everyone had no choice but to listen carefully.
“Manager Kim.”
“Yes.”
“Pay more attention.”
“Understood.”
“Monitor D-rank Gates, mainly around the capital area.”
In his heart, he wanted to tell them to search every Gate across the country.
Baek Seonghyeon restrained himself.
He knew all too well that modern employees did not work until their eyes turned red, as he once had.
His fingers itched.
He desperately craved the cigarettes he had quit three years ago.
“Manager Kim.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If you find the Hunter who obtained the SSS-rank clear, the entire Human Resources Department will receive incentives.”
“...!”
“So I am counting on you.”
“Understood.”
If you used a whip, you had to offer a carrot as well.
‘This should have made them alert.’
Baek Seonghyeon leaned back until his head touched the chair.
The soft sensation could have relaxed him, but his mind continued working intensely.
‘It has also been five years since an S-rank advancement appeared in Korea.’
Every Hunter who achieved an S-rank stood out in their respective field.
The same was true of the Hunter who received an S-rank before Minho.
Was their rank low?
That was not a flaw.
If anything, it meant their potential for growth was limitless.
If there was a lottery ticket guaranteed to win once scratched.
Would it not be foolish not to buy it?
Therefore.
‘I must find him before the other guilds.’
For the future of Seven Stars Guild.
This was a Hunter they absolutely had to recruit.
Even if negotiations did not go well.
They would have to continue caring for him so that he did not develop ill feelings toward Seven Stars Guild.
After being promoted to executive level.
Baek Seonghyeon tried to avoid stepping forward whenever possible, only setting the overall direction.
This case was an exception.
‘I cannot leave this only to Manager Kim.’
When was the last time he had personally gone around recruiting a Hunter?
This person was worth it.
By now.
The other domestic top-five guilds would be moving diligently to recruit the unknown Hunter who had received an S-rank.
From now on, it was a race against time.
Who moved faster.
And who prepared a stronger offer faster.
That would determine whether they could bring the first S-rank advancement Hunter in five years to their side.
‘The special note would be that he dislikes making himself known.’
An S-rank advancement.
And an SSS-rank clear of a D-rank Gate.
Either achievement alone was enough to become a lifelong source of boasting.
Simply revealing that he had achieved those records would make major guilds lay out a red carpet and welcome him with open arms.
Yet he was still quiet.
That likely meant he disliked fame or was cautious.
‘It is fine. Outstanding people always reveal themselves somewhere.’
An awl in a bag would eventually pierce through.
Even if an exceptional Hunter hid their traces, they would eventually stand out.
The Hunter who had advanced with an S-rank five years ago had been the same.
Baek Seonghyeon had brought that Hunter into Seven Stars Guild.
It had also been the achievement most critical to his promotion to executive rank.
‘Let us first learn the identity of this new S-rank advancement Hunter.’
Flames flickered in Baek Seonghyeon’s eyes.
***
After leaving the Gate.
I headed straight to Hunter Market.
“Ninety-five D-rank Magic Stones.”
“The commission is 10%.”
“Yes.”
[₩47,920,170 has been deposited into KM Bank.]
Like gold, Magic Stone prices changed at set times.
The average price of a D-rank Magic Stone was around 500,000 won.
Even considering the commission, I had received a slightly higher price than usual.
“Heh heh heh!”
【I would appreciate it if you restrained that vulgar laugh.】
“Are you nagging me over how I laugh?”
【If you are my lord, you must possess dignity.】
What was all this talk about dignity?
I let Sir Isra’s complaints enter one ear and leave the other.
【Are we returning now?】
“I am going shopping.”
The rank of [Corpse Crafting] had risen to D.
I could create more varied Undead.
And higher-grade byproducts could now be used as materials.
【What if you ignore rank restrictions and use parts from stronger monsters?】
“They will not perform to their full potential.”
I had not failed to consider the point Sir Isra raised.
A few months ago, I had used money saved over several months to buy Ogre muscles and create an Undead.
[The material exceeds the user’s ability.]
[Performance decreases by 90%.]
The Ogre thigh muscles that had cost more than one hundred million won.
Had performed similarly to Orc materials.
That was when I gave up.
“Now that I have advanced in rank, higher-rank materials should be all right.”
【Will you strengthen this body as well?】
“I will put that on hold.”
【Huuuh.】
“Do not misunderstand.”
Creating Undead was not as simple as stuffing in only strong parts.
It was delicate work in its own way.
“I will modify you once my skill improves a little more.”
【Hahaha. I look forward to it.】
It had just asked such sharp questions.
This knight truly was too simple.
【Then what will you create?】
“A Zombie Warrior.”
With the increase in Corpse Crafting’s rank, I had obtained blueprints for several kinds of Undead.
—Zombie Warrior.
—Skeleton Fighter.
—Skeleton Mage.
—Undead Cavalier.
A Zombie Warrior would be the first one I tried.
【Is there a special reason?】
“I am used to it.”
With Spirit Sight active, I bought this and that at Hunter Market.
Now.
Shall we begin working?