31 chapter - Natural Healing Pension (1)

We finished the entire raid schedule and arrived at the pension just in time for dinner.

The place we booked was called Natural Healing Pension, and it lived up to its name—it was nestled perfectly in nature, blending right in with the surroundings.

After quickly unpacking, we started grilling meat.

There was a designated area on one side of the pension for barbecuing, and the facilities were excellent.

A minor problem was that even though Seong Yohan was grilling diligently, Im Jin-sol was stuffing more than half of it straight into her mouth.

Thanks to that, the rest of us had to wait for the next round of meat after barely getting a single bite.

“Im Jin-sol.”

“Whef?”

Maybe her conscience got to her, because her chopstick movements slowed down—but they didn’t stop.

“It’s a present.”

But the moment she saw what I handed over, her chopsticks froze mid-air.

Im Jin-sol’s pupils trembled as she looked back and forth between me and the item.

“Seriously?”

She hurriedly swallowed the mouthful of meat crammed into her cheeks and asked again.

“You’re really giving this to me?”

It was the gun from inside the Gate—the one taken from the corpse of that dead man.

Just like the one I bought, it was a basic model, the cheapest available, but even then it cost over ten million won—a luxury item, no doubt.

“Yeah. It’ll be the most efficient if you use it. You know how to shoot, right?”

“Obviously! What kind of question is that? Who doesn’t know how to shoot these days?”

Ever since monster threats became a reality, private gun ownership had been partially legalized.

That sparked a shooting range craze, and it became trendy to at least know the basics of firearm use.

As a result, most people knew how to handle a gun.

There’s even ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) a saying: “You might not know how to drive, but nobody doesn’t know how to shoot.”

High schools now even included firearms training and live practice as part of the curriculum. Which means, if you graduated from high school in South Korea, you could probably shoot a gun.

“Why do you keep doing things that make you so lovable, Boss?”

“And slow down with the meat.”

“Tch, can’t believe you’re policing how I eat…”

“Want me to take the gun back?”

“…You’re good at being annoying too, huh. Is there anything you can’t do, Boss? Hahaha.”

Apparently, she didn’t want to lose the gun, because her eating pace noticeably slowed.

“And Hong Soo-ah.”

Hong Soo-ah, who had been eating quietly, looked at me with her usual blank expression.

I pulled a mana stone out from my pocket.

It was shaped like an ice crystal—the mana stone from the Snow Leopard.

“I’m planning to order a custom wand for you using this.”

Hong Soo-ah’s eyes widened.

“…Really?”

The others reacted similarly.

Especially Im Jin-sol, who looked even more shocked than when I handed her the gun, and immediately protested.

“Hold on! I thought you set that aside to auction off? That thing’s worth at least tens of millions, right?!”

Not all mana stones were created equal.

The ones from spirit-type monsters sold for absurd prices compared to regular mana stones because they carried innate elemental properties infused within the mana.

On top of that, the Snow Leopard was a boss monster that had devoured all the mana inside a D-Rank Gate.

Its value could rival, if not surpass, most C-Rank bosses.

“If Soo-ah uses a wand crafted from this, her magic power will skyrocket. And it’s perfect, since she uses ice magic.”

“Well… yeah, but still! If we sell it, the party cut alone—”

“By that logic, I should be charging you for the gun I gave you. Just so you know, that thing’s worth around fifteen million won.”

Realizing where this conversation was going, Im Jin-sol sat back down obediently.

“I hope the wand turns out pretty, Boss.”

That’s exactly why I gave Jin-sol her present first.

I tucked the Snow Leopard mana stone back into my pocket and spoke again.

“And Yohan, Yuna. Is there any Hunter gear you’ve been wanting?”

“I mean, yeah, there is…”

Seong Yohan looked at me, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Tomorrow, we’ll head to the Taeseong Warehouse. Pick out whatever you want. I’ll buy it.”

The Taeseong Warehouse—a massive retailer that sold Hunter-exclusive gear, even artifacts.

As the name implied, it was run by the Taeseong Guild.

“W-Wait, seriously?”

“Yeah.”

While Seong Yohan practically bounced with excitement, Lee Yuna spoke with concern clouding her face.

“Hunter gear’s expensive though…”

Of course, it’s expensive.

Even the cheapest basic items cost in the hundreds of thousands.

High-end products, like artifacts, easily soared into the tens of millions.

I looked at them seriously.

“But.”

Everyone’s attention snapped to me.

Their expressions tensed slightly.

No such thing as a free lunch. Anything wrapped in shiny, generous packaging always hid some dark, selfish motive underneath.

“Come with me into a C-Rank Gate.”

A brief silence hung in the air.

It wasn’t an easy decision.

To enter a C-Rank Gate, you had to be at least a C-Rank Hunter.

Normally, once Hunters hit C-Rank, they broke off to form their own parties.

It was the most profitable path.

Our current party structure showed that.

Each party member only took 10% of the total earnings.

The remaining 60%? Mine alone.

Even after covering operational costs and bonuses for exceptional contributions, it was still a lucrative setup.

That’s why C-Rank Hunters could earn like successful small business owners.

But raiding C-Rank Gates was a different beast altogether.

The risk was higher, and the payout? Not so much.

It required at least 20 people to even attempt it.

The costs were massive.

Government subsidies? Practically nonexistent.

When you weighed it all, being a party leader running D-Rank Gate raids was more profitable.

Im Jin-sol’s expression turned sly as she spoke.

“Hmph, so that’s why you’re buttering us up with gifts. I was wondering.”

It was instinctual—the moment she sensed her bargaining power increase, she pounced.

I was debating whether to play my final card when—

“…Guess I’ll have to prep for the C-Rank exam then.”

“Huh?”

It was Hong Soo-ah.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“…If you’re going, I’m going too, Boss.”

That was a green light.

“M-Me too! If you’re going, I’m going!”

Lee Yuna blurted out her decision in a rush.

Then Seong Yohan chimed in right after.

“Count me in. I’ve always been curious about what C-Rank Gates are like.”

One by one, following Soo-ah’s lead, they all agreed.

In the sudden shift of atmosphere, Im Jin-sol scratched her head in frustration.

“Haa… I get why Soo-ah unnie’s going—she got the fancy gift. And Yuna’s powers kinda force her to stick with you. But!”

She yanked on Seong Yohan’s ear mid-sentence—he was still diligently grilling meat through the whole conversation.

“Why the hell are you so eager to follow along!?”

“Ahh! N-Noona, that hurts!”

“Even if we do go, you should at least squeeze every possible benefit out of it before saying yes! Ever heard of negotiation!? Negotiation!?”

Relaxing from the tension, I let out a small laugh and spoke.

“Listen, it’s not that bad a deal for you guys either. From now on, I’ll bump your party cut by 5% each.”

A pay raise.

From 10% to 15%—a 1.5 times increase.

It was a generous offer, plain and simple.

“I’ll handle all the headaches. You guys just need to show up and give it your all during raids.”

“Understood, Boss! Whatever you say!”

With Im Jin-sol’s reluctant agreement, everyone was onboard.

After that, it was all eating, drinking, and partying without a care.

“Let’s go! To C-Rank Gates! Cheers, cheers!”

The reason I invested so heavily today was simple—the raid earlier revealed their potential.

The moment the Snow Leopard appeared, I saw it—the spark hidden in each of them.

Utility-focused Im Jin-sol, Hong Soo-ah with her devastating magic strikes, and Seong Yohan, who still places his trust in me even after nearly dying by my hand.

And Lee Yuna.

The finishing touch—without question, it was Lee Yuna.

Not only could she heal physical injuries, but she could block mental attacks and even empower direct strikes against spirit-type monsters.

A skill like peeling an endless onion—layer after layer of hidden usefulness.

And on top of that, her ability is specialized for me alone.

The Knight Appointment Trait seemed to only activate under very specific, complicated conditions.

It might even be that only one person could be appointed at all.

There’s no choice but to bring her along.

Lee Yuna couldn’t grow as a Hunter without me, and I could cover my weaknesses as long as she was around.

An ideal symbiotic relationship.

First step is getting Yuna promoted to C-Rank.

As everyone knows, the core of the C-Rank test is proving qualifications.

Teaming up with Yuna to pass that test wouldn’t work with average ability.

The reality was that without me, Lee Yuna was practically an ordinary civilian, so I needed to find Hunters capable of passing the test as a duo.

And those kinds of Hunters aren’t common.

Im Jin-sol, Hong Soo-ah, Seong Yohan.

With this party, it was possible.

“Let’s drink till we drop! Someone grill more meat!”

The atmosphere was at its peak when—

“Kyaaaaaah!”

A piercing scream erupted from the direction of the parking lot.

Our faces all hardened as we turned toward the sound.

Even Im Jin-sol, completely drunk, snapped to attention.

“Please help me!”

A desperate cry for help.

I immediately bolted toward the voice.

The area was dark, outside the range of the pension’s lights.

To make matters worse, the moon was hidden behind clouds—just enough visibility to barely make out shapes.

At the scene, a large man was grabbing a woman by the hair, dragging her as she struggled to escape.

I closed in fast, aiming to knock the man unconscious with a high kick.

Thunk!

I intentionally pulled my strength so I wouldn’t kill him if he was just a civilian.

But the man didn’t budge—he stood there, solid as a rock.

A Hunter, huh?

I wasn’t shocked. His body was pure muscle—it was already obvious.

I took a step back to re-center my stance.

At that moment, the clouds parted, moonlight spilling down.

“Krrrk.”

The thing standing there wasn’t human.

It was massive, towering over a normal person, with greenish skin and protruding tusks and fangs.

An Orc?

The bastard locked eyes with me.

Fortunately, the woman had slipped free from its grasp and was fleeing. Looks like my kick had some effect after all.

“Kwuooorgh!”

In its hand, a spear lunged for my heart.

The blade grazed my side as I twisted, my left arm snaking around the spear shaft while my opposite elbow slammed down hard.

Crack!

The shaft splintered in two, and the Orc visibly panicked.

I seized the opening and drove my elbow straight into its jaw with full force—whether it lived or died didn’t concern me now.

Smash!

Its jaw snapped sideways as its massive body collapsed.

To finish the job, I grabbed the broken spear and plunged it deep into the monster’s throat.

That’s when the others arrived.

“Oppa, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“But you’re bleeding! Let me see your hand.”

As Lee Yuna activated her power, light flooded the area and the wound along my side closed up.

“Hun-ah! Hun, wake up!”

It was the woman from earlier—the one the Orc had grabbed.

The name she called out was directed at the man lying on the ground.

There was another victim.

“Seong Yohan, follow me.”

“Yes, sir!”

If necessary, I’d have Yohan transfer the man’s injuries onto me.

The man’s condition was worse than expected.

Deep lacerations along his side and back—judging by the blood loss, he wouldn’t last much longer.

“Yohan.”

“Yes.”

Seong Yohan didn’t need extra instructions—he absorbed the man’s wounds into himself.

“Should I transfer it to you, Party Leader?”

I was about to nod when—

“Krrrk?”

The sound came from nearby.

Two more Orcs were watching us.

I wiped the blood from my side and brought it to my right eye as I gave Yohan his orders.

“No need to transfer it to me. Take the one on the left. You can handle it, right?”

Seong Yohan scowled but yelled confidently.

“Hey, you bastards! Look over here!”

The Orcs turned toward Yohan.

“Kreeegh!”

The one on the left collapsed, screeching in pain.

Now!

The moment the remaining Orc froze, I closed the distance and fired off a high kick.

Crunch!

The sickening sound of its neck snapping echoed as the Orc crumpled to the ground.