TOP 76

Chapter 76

Suspicion of a Red Hunter Crime

A Frost Giant leather jacket.

I immediately grabbed the item and stashed it away.

“A unique-grade item that can grow into a legend…”

Right now, it was unique-grade, but if I could unseal it, it would rise to legend-grade.

And the best part? Nobody else knew that.

Only I, with the “Tenaujes System,” could recognize its hidden option.

“Not bad. I’ll be getting something good at the price of a mere unique item.”

Naturally, I could undercut its real value.

“And the system even tells me how to unseal it.”

The “Tenaujes System” was truly extraordinary.

Not only did it show that the item was sealed, it even revealed exactly how to unseal it.

Of course, that method wasn’t easy.

‘Honestly, it’s impossible for now.’

But since I knew the method, I could attempt it once I was strong enough.

“Heheheh.”

As I was chuckling happily over this unexpected loot, Prill and Yoo Seol-ah approached.

【What’s with that creepy laugh, Yujin?】

“Master! Did you pick something good?”

“Yeah, better than I expected. What about you two?”

“This one! Prill recommended it to me.”

Yoo Seol-ah handed me a staff.

《Frost Giant Bone Staff – Staff, Unique》

• A staff made from the bones of a Frost Giant.

• Increases the power of ice-element spells by 40%.

• A fragment of the key that opens the gate to the Spirit Realm. (Hidden!)

“…The Spirit Realm?”

The staff’s abilities were impressive enough, but the hidden option revealed by the Tenaujes System was on another level.

【What exactly does it say, Yujin?】

“It says it’s a fragment of the key to open the Spirit Realm.”

Prill crossed her arms and nodded.

【No wonder. I could sense a strong aura of spirits from it.】

Yoo Seol-ah asked with a hopeful look.

“Then… does that mean we can go to the Spirit Realm someday?”

【Unlikely.】

“…Why not?”

【It’s just one piece of a key. Finding the others will be like reaching for the stars. Don’t get your hopes up.】

“Oh…”

Yoo Seol-ah looked crestfallen.

But my thoughts were different.

‘Hmm.’

More precisely, my intuition felt different.

‘Why do I feel like I’ll end up going there someday?’

It was an inexplicable sense, almost a certainty.

【Don’t get your hopes up. Just think of it as a good item.】

Maybe Prill sensed my conviction, because she looked straight at me and said that.

I only shrugged.

I couldn’t explain the feeling anyway.

“Anyway, let’s head out now.”

“Yes!”

And so, we left Geumwa Group’s item warehouse.

Geum Yu-gang gave us a glance and spoke.

“Looks like you picked some good things.”

He had scanned the items we brought out.

At the same time—

“8.6 billion, and 1.8 billion.”

His secretary, standing silently behind him, announced the appraised value.

So, 8.6 billion won for my items, and 1.8 billion for Yoo Seol-ah’s staff.

Geum Yu-gang added an explanation.

“Ahem. I’m giving them to you cheap, without any margin.”

He seemed to think I’d consider the price steep, but that wasn’t the case at all.

In fact, this was a bargain.

‘He doesn’t know that this jacket is actually a sealed legend-grade item.’

If he did, just that one jacket alone would fetch over 10 billion won.

“Even after this, you’re still owed money.”

“That’s right.”

The “Permafrost” had been worth 10 billion.

The total value of the items I took out was 8.6 billion.

That still left 1.4 billion owed to me.

I already had a plan for that.

“I’ll take the rest in mana stones.”

Until now, mana stones had no real use for me other than selling for cash.

But now, they had a purpose.

“…That much mana stone would be quite a lot. How would you carry… ah, no. You should have no problem.”

“Yes.”

After all, I had the vast subspace of the Dragon’s Lair.

I could store any amount with ease.

And I didn’t plan on just storing them—

• Mana stones can be consumed to level up the Dragon’s Lair.

• As the lair levels up, its functions improve!

• Lv.1: Auto Healing Potion Production (current).

• Lv.2: Auto Ether Production (locked).

• Lv.3: Dwarf Workshop (locked).

• Lv.4: ……

I needed to level up the Dragon’s Lair.

At level 1, it functioned as a potion factory.

At level 2, it would produce ether automatically.

That meant my Mithril Golem, which had been idle due to fuel issues, could be deployed freely again.

‘Unlimited access to a 5-star combat force.’

That kind of power at my fingertips was no small matter.

But there was a problem.

“President! Suddenly releasing that many mana stones is impossible!”

The secretary panicked.

“Hmm… true. 1.4 billion worth is… difficult.”

Geum Yu-gang agreed.

“Why’s that?”

I asked.

“…Mana stones may be common now, but they’re still a national strategic resource.”

So large-scale transactions weren’t simple.

“I see… So what does that mean, exactly?”

I asked for a simpler explanation.

“Officially, we cannot sell you 1.4 billion worth of mana stones.”

“……”

“But unofficially, it can be done.”

“President!”

The secretary jumped again.

“T-that’s far too much!”

“At the very least, I want to help him to this extent.”

“Still, realistically—”

“Then tell me. What’s realistically possible?”

The secretary broke into a sweat before answering.

“A-about 300 million won worth…”

“500 million.”

“P-president…!”

“That’s already a big compromise. I’ll even use my personal funds.”

“…Understood.”

Finally, the secretary bowed his head.

Geum Yu-gang looked at me apologetically.

“As you heard, my apologies. It’s not easy to do more.”

“I understand.”

There was no helping it.

Mana stones could be sold by individuals easily, but buying them in bulk was another matter.

So I decided to just take what I could.

“Then I’ll take 500 million worth.”

I resolved not to sell mana stones in the future, but to use them myself.

“Good. The rest will be deposited in cash.”

“Sounds good.”

I thanked Geum Yu-gang.

Thanks to him, I’d gotten a significant power boost.

‘I got lucky.’

If I had used the “Permafrost” to craft an item as originally planned, the best I could hope for was a single unique item.

But—

‘Because Geum Yu-gang needed it, I was able to get a huge upgrade.’

On top of that—

‘I even formed an alliance with him.’

Our friendly ties all started with that “Permafrost.”

‘Though it seems this also put me in direct conflict with the Gaia cultists…’

But I would’ve had to fight them eventually anyway.

If making enemies sooner meant gaining such an ally, it was well worth it.

“So, Yujin. What will you do now?”

Geum Yu-gang asked.

“Hmm.”

“If you don’t have concrete plans, how about joining my Geumwa Guild?”

He made a sudden recruitment offer.

“…Thank you, but I’ll decline.”

“Why? It wouldn’t be a bad choice.”

“I already have a guild I’m working with. They’re not on good terms with Gaia either.”

“Oh? Then that works too. If they’re allies, your being with them is no issue.”

He nodded at my response.

But really—

‘That was just an excuse.’

Realistically, if I joined Geumwa Guild, I wouldn’t be able to maintain initiative.

I was able to ally with Geum Yu-gang because of the “Permafrost” and my performance against Gaia’s attack, but that was as far as it went.

Inside his guild, I’d be at their mercy.

And besides—

‘If I want to take down Namgung Myung, I can’t tie myself to Geumwa Group.’

This was also about revenge.

“Understood. Then at least tell me the name of your guild. If possible, I’ll lend them support.”

“That would be appreciated.”

Truly, Geum Yu-gang was like a tree that gave endlessly.

I told him the name.

“It’s the New Cherry Guild.”

The New Cherry Guild’s guildmaster, Shin Chae-ri, was staring blankly at the document she’d just received.

Blinking slowly.

“What… is this supposed to mean?”

It was an official notice from the Hunter Management Bureau.

• Investigation into New Cherry Guild hunter, Kim Yujin.

• The hunter is required to appear before the Bureau.

Kim Yujin—the hunter she had signed a contract with not long ago.

The notice was about him.

And—

“But Kim Yujin can hardly even be called our guild’s hunter!”

Officially, yes, but in truth, the New Cherry Guild and Yujin were equals in their deal.

In fact, he might even hold the upper hand.

“…Sigh.”

Still, technically speaking, he was affiliated with her guild.

“I’d better check what’s going on.”

Shin Chae-ri immediately called Yujin.

“Hello?”

“…Hunter Kim Yujin?”

“Yes, Guildmaster Shin.”

“The Bureau just sent us a notice requiring your appearance. Could you explain what’s going on?”

“Ah, that.”

And then she heard the story from him.

About the deaths of hunters in the “Burning Lands” dungeon, where he had gone for his rank evaluation.

“Well, that’s what happened.”

“……”

“I’ll be appearing tomorrow at the Bureau. Would you like to come along?”

“……”

“I’d appreciate it if you could vouch for my innocence.”

“Wait, that’s…”

Shin Chae-ri was at a loss for words.

Her relationship with Yujin was strictly symbiotic.

She could use him as guild power in dungeon expeditions—

—but only in dungeons that would benefit his growth, and only if he agreed.

If he wanted, she also had to find dungeons he requested.

Still—

‘…It’s worth it since we get the loot by-products.’

After the paladin attack in the “Snow Mountain Cave” wiped out half her guild’s power, their deal wasn’t bad.

But—

‘Vouching for him as guildmaster wasn’t part of the deal!’

This was more troublesome than she expected.

Still—

She had no real choice.

“…Fine. See you tomorrow.”

“Oh, thanks. Just come to the Bureau by 2 p.m.”

“Yeah…”

She hadn’t even gotten to properly make use of him yet.

She’d have to put up with this much hassle.

Still, she added one request.

“Once you get your 5-star hunter license, please come with me to a dungeon. I’ve prepared a few of that level.”

She wanted him to work once this matter was settled.

But—

“Ah, about that.”

“…?”

A sense of foreboding hit her.

“I became 6-star. Haha.”

“?????”

“So, if you could prepare 6-star dungeons instead, I’d appreciate it.”

“……”

Yujin had surpassed her imagination yet again.

The next day.

“Becoming 6-star overnight, really?”

“Well, that’s how it turned out.”

At the Hunter Management Bureau, I met up with Shin Chae-ri.

I expected things would go smoothly, but just in case, it was better to have her backing.

Having the guildmaster of Seoul’s 107th-ranked guild vouch for me would help.

“Sigh. Well, at least 6-star dungeons will bring more money…”

“It won’t be a loss for you, Guildmaster.”

I reassured her.

She would be useful to me, so I couldn’t let her feel our deal was a bad one.

I’d have to bring her some profit too.

“…Fine. Anyway—congratulations on reaching 6-star.”

She gave me a genuine smile.

It was, after all, an occasion worth celebrating.

“Thank you.”

I smiled back.

Then—

“And this person is…?”

Shin Chae-ri gestured to Yoo Seol-ah at my side.

She too had been in the “Burning Lands” dungeon, so she was summoned as well.

“Hello. I’m Yoo Seol-ah. A mage.”

“Shin Chae-ri, guildmaster of New Cherry Guild.”

After a quick introduction, she stared at me.

Her intention was obvious.

She wanted to recruit Seol-ah.

“She’s currently unaffiliated.”

“Oh…!”

“But she won’t be joining New Cherry Guild.”

“Ah…”

Her face brightened, then immediately dimmed.

Seol-ah had to follow the Yuseong Group’s path, after all.

Anyway.

“The hearing is ready. Please come in.”

Following the staff’s guidance, we entered the chamber to explain the incident.

“Hunter Kim Yujin.”

“Yes.”

“What is your unique trait?”

“I will not disclose it.”

“You’ll have to disclose it.”

“Pressuring a hunter to reveal their trait is illegal. You know that.”

“Correct. Except in the case of Red Hunters.”

“…?”

“We suspect you are a Red Hunter.”

“……”

Just like that, I was treated as the culprit of this case.