“Squeak-!”
“That makes six.”
Hyun-jun wiped the sweat from his forehead as he ended the knocked-out Rune Rabbit's life.
“Barely caught that one.”
Sweat dripped, drop by drop, down his hair.
His legs were heavy, as if weights were attached to them.
“I don't think I can catch any more.”
At first, he had caught up to the Rune Rabbits just by running.
At some point, he started narrowly missing them, and they gradually became harder to catch.
“Well, I expected it.”
His Agility had reached 100, but his Stamina was still 10.
He was like a gun with great destructive power per shot but only a few rounds in the magazine.
Catching six was already a great feat.
“If I want to keep catching Rune Rabbits, I need to raise my Stamina stat.”
Raise Stamina and target Rune Rabbits.
Or raise Strength and try catching other monsters.
There were two options.
“Hmm.”
Hyun-jun deliberated.
He reached a conclusion quickly.
“Either way, I'm going to need Stamina in the end.”
He couldn't hunt many monsters with only high Strength or Agility.
Raising Stamina first was the urgent task.
“Let's keep targeting only Rune Rabbits for the time being while raising Stamina.”
After catching 6 today, he'd gotten a little used to hunting Rune Rabbits.
There were slight differences from the theory he'd known, so he'd had some trouble, but he was gradually getting better.
From now on, he would be able to catch them even more easily.
It would raise his income more efficiently than catching other monsters.
“Then I'll stop here for today.”
Hyun-jun dressed the carcass of the Rune Rabbit he'd just caught and collected the loot.
The weight of the hides made his bag quite heavy.
“I hunted for about an hour and 30 minutes.”
Including breaks here and there, it would be about that much.
It fell far short of the number he'd expected, but considering it was his first hunt, it wasn't a bad result.
“I didn't even think I'd catch one at first.”
But he'd caught 6.
It wasn't just not bad; it was a tremendous result.
“And it's only going to increase from here.”
Hyun-jun snickered as he headed to the Hunting Ground's exit.
.
.
.
After coming out, Hyun-jun headed straight to the Exchange instead of going home.
He planned to dispose of the loot.
The nearest Exchange was the Gwanak Branch, where he usually worked part-time.
But Hyun-jun turned his steps toward a place a little farther away.
‘If I sell it there, they'll think it's strange.’
The staff who didn't know the details were fine.
But the Branch Manager, who knew all his circumstances, was different.
If he suddenly caught 10 Rune Rabbits and brought them in, she'd ask all kinds of things.
‘Rather than wasting time making excuses, it's better to go somewhere else, even if it's a bit far.’
And so, the place Hyun-jun arrived at was the Seoul South Exchange.
If it were a franchise, it would be a kind of company-owned store. It was much bigger than an ordinary Exchange branch and had more people.
Hyun-jun took a number ticket and sat down to wait.
‘First, I'll sell the hides and Mana Stones.’
What he was most torn about was the Rune Fragments.
Should he sell them?
Or gather 4 more and make them into a Rune?
While he was at it, he took out his smartphone, opened the Exchange app, and checked the exact market price.
‘16,000 won. It went up a thousand won from what I calculated.’
Let's think in terms of 10.
If he sold them, he could definitely get 160,000 won.
But if he made them into a Rune?
‘The cheapest F-Grade Rune is.......’
He set the filter to F-Grade Runes and searched by lowest price.
-F-Grade Rune of Defense: 45,000 won
The Rune of Defense was mainly used by those who'd Awakened Traits suited to tanks.
When absorbed, it created a new stat called Defense, but because the Soul Circuit had a fixed limit on the number of Runes that could be engraved, it wasn't a very popular option.
‘Still, isn't 45,000 won way too cheap?’
This time, he searched by highest price.
The five Stat Runes appeared one after another in order.
The most expensive among them was the Rune of Strength.
The Exchange's lowest price was currently 310,000 won.
‘Minimum 45,000 won. Maximum 310,000 won. If I just sell them as Rune Fragments, 160,000 won guaranteed.’
Let's assume the worst.
Then the decision becomes easy.
‘45,000 won or 160,000 won.’
A difference of 100,000 won.
It was essentially gambling 100,000 won.
With amazingly good luck, 310,000 won.
With damn bad luck, 45,000 won.
‘I'm a Hunter now, and I'm going to chicken out over a 100,000 won difference?’
Hyun-jun nodded confidently.
‘Yeah, I am.’
100,000 won.
It was a bit too big an amount to gamble with.
Wasn't it close to a whole day's wages?
‘How could I just throw that away?’
Even though he had become a Hunter, the thrifty spirit that had rooted itself deep in his bones over the past few years hadn't faded in the slightest.
‘It's not like I'm that well-off right now anyway.’
Soon, Hyun-jun's number was called.
“Welcome. Please give me your Hunter ID and put your items here.”
The staff member at the purchasing counter placed a steel basket on the counter.
Hyun-jun set his ID to one side and put the loot into the basket.
6 F-Grade Rune Fragments.
6 Rune Rabbit hides.
And 6 F-Grade Mana Stones.
“You're just selling the Rune Fragments instead of making a Rune?”
At the staff member's question, Hyun-jun paused.
Hearing that, greed welled up again for no reason.
The human heart was fickle; he had a strong hunch that if he gambled, he'd get something good.
‘Ugh, no. Overcome the temptation!’
Hyun-jun pinched his thigh and barely suppressed the desire.
“That's okay.”
“Understood. Then I'll proceed with the purchasing process.”
The Exchange's purchasing process was simple.
Once items were received, the purchasing staff examined them and assessed their value.
“Please wait a moment.”
The staff member took the basket and left.
He waited a moment.
Not long after, the staff member came back with an assessment sheet.
“Please check the assessment details and the purchase amount.”
Hyun-jun checked the assessment.
The results were almost identical to what he'd predicted with his four years of experience.
‘As expected, the hides were rated well.’
Almost all the hides were rated high grade. A few that he thought he'd made mistakes with while dressing had their prices cut, just as he'd thought.
“I've checked it.”
“Please write your signature and the account number to receive the payment at the bottom of the form. Once you write the account number, payments will be transferred automatically to that account from then on.”
Hyun-jun filled out the form and got up.
Not long after he left the Exchange, a message came from the Exchange.
It was a message with text saying the deposit had been made and a receipt attached.
“149,800 won.......”
Hyun-jun beamed as he looked at the message.
It wasn't simply because money had come in.
To him, 150,000 won wasn't simply money but hope for breaking free from the wretched shackles, and proof that he'd become a real Hunter.
“Now it finally feels real that I've become a Hunter.”
Hyun-jun's steps were light, as if he were walking on clouds.
But that feeling was brief; one item stamped on the receipt caught his eye.
[Fee (30%): 64,200 won]
“......Ah, right. There was a fee.”
When you sold items at the Exchange, they took a fee.
Since the Exchange itself was a national agency, it was a kind of tax.
“No wonder the amount was low.”
Hyun-jun sighed.
64,200 won.
A bit more than 6 hides were worth.
That money was half a month's worth of food.
It was such a waste that his stomach churned.
“They take a damn ton. Grade is king, seriously.”
If society was one where low-income ordinary people paid less in taxes, the Hunter world took more in fees the lower the Grade.
F-Grade was 30%.
E-Grade was 20%.
D-Grade was 8%.
The higher the Grade, the fewer Hunters there were, so the fee was cut by a large margin.
‘It's a way of securing national competitiveness.’
Since the Hunter world had no borders, talent often flowed out to other countries.
The dramatic reduction in fees was part of such outflow-prevention policies.
“This won't do. I need to reach E-Grade quickly.”
Just reaching E-Grade would cut the fee by 10%.
He should reach E-Grade as fast as possible and enjoy that benefit to reduce his losses.
“First, let's raise my stats quickly.”
The problem was Runes.
He wanted to buy a Rune right away, but he had expenses going out, so he had no cash immediately available.
He couldn't sell the F-Grade Rune of Agility he currently had, either, since his Agility was still at 99.
“Tsk. I have no choice but to wait until tomorrow.”
Hyun-jun put his regret behind him and headed home.
***
The damp, moldy smell of the semi-basement.
Hyun-jun opened his eyes in the cold, cramped room.
The mold blooming on the ceiling greeted him.
“......I need to move out of this place later too.”
After returning from the Exchange and taking a nap, Hyun-jun went to work at the Gwanak Exchange on time.
The workplace where he'd worked for the past four years.
It was time to bid farewell to the place where part of his youth had melted away.
“Branch Manager, there's something I need to tell you.”
Hyun-jun went straight to the Branch Manager's desk.
The Branch Manager, who had been organizing documents, raised her head.
“Oh, Hyun-jun, you're here? What's going on that has you so serious?”
“I'm planning to work only until the end of this month and then quit.”
Hyun-jun spoke politely with his hands clasped together.
The Branch Manager's eyes went round.
“Quit? All of a sudden?”
“Yes. I'm going to try focusing on Hunter work. I went hunting today, and maybe thanks to the Runes, it was more manageable than before.”
The Branch Manager sprang up and grabbed Hyun-jun's hand.
“That's great! You wanted to be a Hunter!”
“You remember?”
“How could I forget? When you first Awakened, you were so happy and said you'd definitely succeed as a Hunter.”
Recalling the old days, Hyun-jun lowered his head in embarrassment.
The shame of saying he'd succeed as a Hunter, then kneeling before harsh reality and coming back.
“Once you're a Hunter, your earnings will get much better. I'm so relieved.”
She was truly happy for him.
Usually, if a part-timer suddenly said they were quitting, the boss would be troubled or angry, but the Branch Manager was different.
‘She was always like this.’
She was a warm-hearted person.
That was also the reason Hyun-jun had worked here for four years.
“Thank you.”
“Ah, but you said you went hunting today? Aren't you tired? You didn't get hurt anywhere?”
“My muscles are a bit stiff, but I'm okay.”
“Just don't come in from tomorrow. We can find someone slowly, so you focus only on Hunter work. Okay?”
“That makes me feel too sorry.......”
“What's there to be sorry about? Do as I say. Taking care of your body is the most important thing for a Hunter. Or what, is it because of money?”
“No. It's not that.”
“Then it's settled. Just treat me to something tasty once you make it big~”
Hyun-jun bowed his head and returned to his usual duties.
He always worked hard, but that day he put in even more effort than usual.
Whether it was because he thought it was the last time or because he wanted to repay the Branch Manager's consideration, his body moved on its own.
He organized the warehouse, carried Hunters' items, and even handled difficult customers with a smile.
“Hyun-jun, I heard you're quitting?”
“What a shame.”
“Don't forget me when you make it big!”
His coworkers heard the news one by one and came over with words of encouragement.
As he worked frantically like that, before he knew it, it was almost time to clock out.
As he came out after changing his clothes, the Branch Manager called Hyun-jun.
“Hyun-jun, can you come to the break room for a moment?”
“Ah, yes.”
Hyun-jun headed to the break room without knowing why.
The moment he opened the door.
Bang!
“Congratulations on quitting!”
Cheers erupted along with the sound of a party popper.
The Branch Manager and his coworkers were standing there holding a cake.
Hyun-jun asked with a dazed face, “Wh-What is all this?”
“We felt bad just sending you off like that, so we prepared it. Here, make a wish and blow out the candles.”
When Hyun-jun hesitantly blew out the candles, the Branch Manager held out two boxes.
“This is something the staff pooled money together to buy.”
“Why would you give me something like this...... I already feel sorry for leaving so suddenly.......”
Hyun-jun carefully opened the box.
Inside the first box was leather armor for Hunters.
Hyun-jun looked at his coworkers with wide eyes.
“Wear it well!”
“You absolutely can't die!”
“Don't get hurt!”
Hyun-jun's eyes reddened.
Holding back the tears about to flow, he bowed at the waist.
“Thank you, everyone.”
“Okay, if you've all said your goodbyes, go out and get back to work.”
“Boo, the Branch Manager wants to send Hyun-jun off by herself.”
“Make sure you come to the next staff dinner!”
The staff each tossed out a word as they left the break room.
Hyun-jun wiped his eyes.
The beloved place where he'd worked for four years.
Thanks to meeting good people, those times hadn't been only hard.
“Everyone really likes you.”
“I guess so. Even though I didn't do much.”
“Where else is there someone who worked as hard as you? Everything is coming back to you as much as you put in.”
The Branch Manager held out the second box to Hyun-jun.
“Take it. This one is from me personally.”
When he opened the box, a stone with unknown characters written on it revealed itself.
“Th-This is.......”
“It's a Rune of Stamina. I wanted to prepare Strength, the most expensive one, but there weren't any listings.”
“Th-This alone is a huge gift.”
“I told you. Considering how you've worked here all this time, this is nothing.”
The Branch Manager firmly grabbed Hyun-jun's shoulders.
“Don't get hurt, and don't die either. Got it?”
The sincerity in those words hit him heavily.
Hyun-jun bit his lip and swallowed his tears.
“Thank you so much. I'll make good use of it.”
.
.
.
Hyun-jun came out of the Exchange.
The cold night air brushed his cheeks, but his heart felt warm, as if he were hugging a heater.
“Whew.”
Hyun-jun let out a white breath and looked down at the boxes.
The armor his coworkers had pooled money to buy and the Rune of Stamina the Branch Manager had given him.
“It's heavy.”
It wasn't physical weight.
It was the sincerity of the people cheering on his future.
That weight pleasantly pressed down on his shoulders.
“I have to succeed.”
Hyun-jun murmured quietly.
He engraved each heartfelt plea, not to get hurt and to come back alive, into his heart.
“For myself, for my family, for the people who cheer me on and believe in me.”
Hyun-jun raised his head and looked up at the night sky.
Darkness without a single star.
But in Hyun-jun's eyes, a brilliantly shining future was taking shape.
“Let's do this.”
Hyun-jun strode forward vigorously.
The time of part-timer Go Hyun-jun, who had suffered through grueling work every day, was over.
Now it was the time of Hunter Go Hyun-jun.