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Chapter 9
“I’ll tell you right away.”
“Wait a second.”
Yujin held up a hand to the excited Sword Ghost.
Nothing ever goes well when you’re overly excited.
Staying calm was the bare minimum.
“Not here. Somewhere else.”
“Somewhere else?”
“Yeah. We still have to meet the second condition anyway—hunting a thousand monsters C-rank or higher.”
Yujin nodded toward him.
“Take me to a C-rank dungeon.”
“Dungeons are dangerous.”
“I don’t care. It’s faster to learn while fighting for real, right?”
Of course, for someone of Yujin’s current level, a C-rank dungeon was dangerous.
Even as a regressor, overconfidence could be fatal.
But that’s only if you don’t have a ride.
Yujin looked at the Sword Ghost.
A reliable ride is standing right next to me. No reason for me to hold back.
The Sword Ghost.
A fool who threw away his own life for the sword.
But was he incompetent? Absolutely not.
This much is nothing for him.
Especially since what Yujin aimed to take advantage of was his trait—Level Up.
Even if he only landed the last hit, he’d gain experience.
As long as he contributed in some way to the kill, he’d get experience.
In other words, I can leech XP.
“You don’t mind, do you?”
“Of course not.”
The Sword Ghost grinned.
“I’ll take you wherever. As long as you can fix my sword.”
“Great. Then—”
“We leave now.”
“Right now? What about booking the dungeon?”
Raiding a dungeon required serious preparation.
Gear was a must, and since you’d need to eat and sleep inside, supplies were essential.
Teammates were a given.
Unless you were already in a party or belonged to a guild, it usually took a long time to join a raid.
But that didn’t apply to an S-rank hunter like the Sword Ghost.
He pulled out his phone, tapped quickly, and turned around.
“I booked a nearby dungeon. Let’s go.”
“What about the money?”
“I wouldn’t take pocket change from you.”
Dungeon bookings start at a minimum of 10 million won.
Yep, definitely an S-rank hunter. Acting like a rich guy.
“You’re not bringing anything?”
“No need. We’ll be done in three hours, tops.”
“Oooh…”
Overflowing with confidence.
A little too much, in fact—he seemed to be missing something important.
Yujin gave him a flat stare.
They were heading into the dungeon to meet Vigrid’s condition, yes, but also…
“Can you get a skill in just three hours?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Even if you weren’t a swordsman but had a support class like an enhancement sorcerer?”
“And why would that matter?”
Their top priority was unlocking Sword’s Ghost.
Yujin looked at him with a face that clearly asked, You seriously think that’s possible?
But the Sword Ghost looked serious.
Not a single change in tone or expression—he truly didn’t get why it wouldn’t work.
This is why geniuses are annoying.
People like me will never understand them.
—“That guy was so fucking annoying!!”
Now he understood why that woman had said that.
Clicking his tongue, Yujin spoke.
“You need me, so let’s go. Otherwise, give me the sword back.”
“…Fine. Let’s stop by somewhere first. What do you need?”
“Food. Something for rest and sleep.”
“Humans can last three days without food…”
“Buy it.”
“Understood.”
He didn’t get it, but the Sword Ghost obeyed his benefactor.
His brain is just a lump of muscle.
He also recalled what the woman had said about the Sword Ghost.
—“He’s dumb and hard to get close to, but once you do, he’s reliable and sweet.”
…Yeah, he was starting to get it.
“You’re paying, right?”
“Of course.”
The Sword Ghost was both rich and famous.
So there was no need to shop around for better prices.
“G-Ghost of the Sword!”
“Mhm.”
“Ten low-grade mana potions, ten low-grade healing potions, and a sleeping mat, please!”
“Y-Yes, sir! That will be 1.1 million won…”
So expensive.
Maybe I feel this way because I used to make them myself, but I still can’t get over the fact that a single potion costs 50,000 won.
Still, that’s probably why the industry is so profitable.
“Use this.”
The Sword Ghost casually handed over a card—jet black, gleaming.
Yujin let out a low whistle.
“Ooh. A black card.”
“It’s my Sword Ghost card.”
“…Right.”
What’s the difference again?
“I’ll take some shelf-stable chicken breast too.”
“S-Sure! You can have those on the house!”
“Thanks.”
Yujin was packing the items into his bag when something struck him as odd.
They were in the shopping district.
You could get just about any hunter-related item here, even mana stones if you paid enough.
“The reason your sword’s still incomplete is because it’s lacking in magic stones.”
“I know.”
“Then why not give me some spare stones you’ve got lying around?”
Even the poorest hunters have a few stashed at home.
And he’s an S-rank hunter. There’s no way he has none—
“I don’t have any.”
“What? Why?”
“I sold them all.”
“….”
Yujin soon figured out the reason.
Yeah.
He probably failed several times and burned through all his stones.
He even stopped raiding to focus on fixing his sword.
“Click-click. You wasted all your cash. Don’t ever touch stocks.”
Still, he couldn’t help but click his tongue.
The Sword Ghost frowned.
“I don’t do that nonsense.”
“Got burned before?”
“….”
“Oh, so it’s true.”
This guy really lives for the sword and nothing else.
Yujin clicked his tongue and shook his head.
The Sword Ghost looked like he had a lot to say.
His lips parted several times.
But in the end, he didn’t speak.
“Without this guy, I can’t fix my sword.”
Even if he wasn’t the brains type, he knew that much.
He couldn’t afford to lose this thin thread of hope.
“…Hmph.”
“Got a spare sword?”
“Don’t need one. A stick off the ground is enough.”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
They had food, and they had bedding.
That should be enough.
“…Hm?”
“What is it?”
Just as they were about to leave, Yujin’s steps halted.
They’d stopped in front of a small smithy run by a hunter with a blacksmith class.
If this were the Earth he knew, it might be surprising—but this was a game-like world filled with hunters.
Huh. That guy’s here? Guess I never noticed because I didn’t have the cash to shop back then.
A strange NPC stood outside the smithy like he had nothing better to do.
The Fated Blacksmith.
A rare encounter—if you built rapport with him, he’d craft powerful weapons using a special item called Fate Stone.
May as well start building some rapport.
An enhancement sorcerer could turn crap into something resembling gold.
And Yujin was no ordinary one—he was a Soulbound Enhancement Sorcerer. A named class. He could turn it into something like bronze or even brass.
But he couldn’t make something from nothing.
Enhancement only improved existing potential; it couldn’t create it.
The base has to be good.
In that sense, the weapons made by the Fated Blacksmith were more than decent.
They could last until late game if lucky.
“Do you sell weapons?”
The blacksmith glanced lazily at Yujin.
“Just take whatever’s over there.”
Rude to the max.
But Yujin, unfazed, walked over to the indicated box.
A pile of weapons.
Most were made from weak, one-star fate bonds—barely enough to register each other’s presence.
“How much?”
“Just give me 100k. It’s clearance stuff.”
“Got it.”
Yujin paid the amount without complaint.
That attitude made the blacksmith eye him curiously.
“…Weird taste, huh.”
“I’ve always been into weird stuff.”
Yujin answered shamelessly.
The blacksmith let out a chuckle and nodded.
“Come again. I’ll give you something better next time.”
“Thanks. Consider this a deposit.”
Yujin handed over the rest of his cash and left before the blacksmith could protest.
Watching from behind, the Sword Ghost glanced at the blacksmith and asked:
“Old friend of yours?”
“Destined to be.”
“…?”
The Sword Ghost looked puzzled.
Yujin waved him off.
“Let’s go.”
“Alright, I’ll confirm the party. One E-rank hunter… Han Yujin… and… S-S-rank hunter, Sword Ghost?!”
“Mhm.”
“Why do you get called by your title and not your real name?!”
The Hunter Association staffer stared at the Sword Ghost with trembling eyes.
Those pitch-black eyes, expressionless face, short-cropped hair, and long sword at his waist—he radiated strength.
He was definitely the Sword Ghost.
Why would an S-rank hunter be entering a C-rank dungeon…?
He hadn’t been showing up to dungeons lately.
Then what’s this?
Han Yujin. Just a normal E-rank hunter…
Ah, his record had a note—Re-evaluation required.
But that happened often enough.
F and E ranks fluctuated the most.
F-rank had a stat threshold of 1, and E went up to 14.
Even as a public employee, the staffer had a stat of 17. With effort, anyone could escape E-rank.
Could it be… the Sword Ghost’s friend?!
“Hey. What’s taking so long?”
The Sword Ghost asked in an annoyed tone.
The staffer panicked and bowed.
“N-No, sir! Identity confirmed! You may enter!”
“Then let’s go.”
“Right.”
The Sword Ghost’s oddly protective behavior caught the staffer’s eye.
Is he… playing support? The Sword Ghost?!
Who was that man?
Regardless of his confusion, Yujin and the Sword Ghost stepped into the dungeon.
“Hmm.”
“Looks like a cave-type.”
The interior was dark and wide, but not quite spacious enough to swing a sword freely.
“Bit of a shame.”
“Bit? That’s a huge shame.”
“Space doesn’t matter.”
Shring!
The Sword Ghost unsheathed his sword and took his stance.
“?”
Yujin’s eyes widened.
RUMMMBLE!
The cave collapsed.
A single sharp motion—too fast for the eye to follow—had slashed the wall apart.
The Sword Ghost smiled, satisfied, looking at Vigrid.
Then he glanced at Yujin as if to ask, Well?
But Yujin wasn’t paying attention.
That stance just now…
It looked familiar.
“Space is no longer an issue.”
Shriiing!
Having enjoyed the swing, the Sword Ghost sheathed Vigrid and said:
“Now, let’s begin your sword training.”
Guess I’ll understand once I try it myself.
Yujin nodded.
“Alright. Grab your sword and get into stance. This one should do.”
The Sword Ghost tossed him a cheap iron sword.
Yujin caught it and readied his stance.
A strange aura emanated from him.
A common phenomenon for those with some sword skill.
“…Hmm?”
The Sword Ghost tilted his head.
The stance and the aura—it all looked too familiar.
The only people who had ever shown skill with his sword were his deceased master, himself… and that woman.
Even she hadn’t reached this level of form or presence.
“Just gonna ask, just in case.”
The Sword Ghost’s voice turned serious.
“Were you my disciple?”
“….”
Do I look like your disciple?!
