Chapter 7: Wanna Have a Drink?

Did the Association know about this? And how would they react?

He had his reasons.

He had tried to recruit her into his guild to make her life easier, hoping she wouldn't have to live a hard life anymore, but that hadn't worked out well.

Just as he found out she didn't meet the current revised criteria for a Hunter, he thought he could use that fact to help her so she wouldn't have to struggle.

Even if the country cherishes every single S-Class Hunter, living as a Hunter without mana sensitivity was like walking on thin ice.

"Uh...?"

Of course, meeting Hwang Eun-ha at the Association wasn't something he had intended.

He had stopped by the Association for guild business. Seeing the screen displaying the Test Room, he just watched with momentary interest, wondering if another S-Class was appearing.

Soon, that interest turned into astonishment.

"Is she crazy?"

Han Se-ra, his Guild Master, who had been through all sorts of battles and seen everything there was to see, expressed it exactly like that. Kang Tae-woo nodded as if he fully agreed.

Whether the person in black on the screen was a woman with short hair or a man with long hair, it was hard to tell.

But regardless of how she was doing it...

Watching her pressure the Ghost Steel Frame made him wonder if there had ever been such a powerful Hunter in Korea.

"Is there an S-Class Hunter in our country who can solo a Ghost Steel Frame?"

"There's one right there. Whoever is taking the test right now."

"Aside from that person?"

"...Probably not. Maybe that bastard in the US could catch it alone?"

Is she really going to win against the Ghost Steel Frame?

Including the three of them, every examinee waiting held their breath and watched the scene inside the Test Room.

Will she really win?

They wondered if a powerful Hunter comparable to those in the US had finally appeared in Korea.

Crunch!

[ Haaaat! ]

As if she was genuinely putting in her full power.

Along with the woman's shout, a tremendous vibration crushed the door of the Test Room, and at the same time, a massive tremor was transmitted through the Association building.

The sound of something snapping rang out. The Ghost Steel Frame, which had been using all its strength to escape with its hideously twisted legs, suddenly went limp.

This was broadcasted clearly through the screen.

"Hull." (Korean slang for shock/disbelief)

"Did she just break that?"

The three of them couldn't speak any further, awed by the majesty shown by the unidentified woman in black.

Seeing that sight, the three of them harbored the same thought in their hearts.

Strong.

Overwhelmingly so.

They wondered if that person was truly a Hunter like them.

"She really won..."

Only after the rags of the Ghost Steel Frame fell to the floor like a deflated balloon could the three of them breathe again.

'She got stronger.'

He instinctively knew that there was only one Telekinetic this strong in the country.

He realized who the woman inside was. Because of that, shivers were running down Kang Tae-woo's entire body.

She seemed to want to quit, but was it really right to let someone that strong stop being a Hunter?

"Hwang, Hwang Eun-ha?"

That was why he stammered for a moment when he saw her force open the crumpled Test Room door and step out.

A sense of awe for a Hunter on a completely different dimension.

However, seeing her look flushed and panicked upon seeing the people staring at her—despite having just demonstrated such an incredible feat—Kang Tae-woo tilted his head.

'Why?'

What could possibly panic someone who had nothing to fear?

Just as he was about to ask out of curiosity, he heard a bang, and saw someone rush past him like the wind.

Only after seeing the empty spot where Hwang Eun-ha had just been standing did he realize she had run away.

How should one act in a situation like this?

Seeing the shocked expressions of the people looking at me, I realized belatedly that I had caused a massive accident.

Just because I could catch that monster didn't mean it was easy. I had momentarily forgotten that to others, that thing was an existence akin to a Grim Reaper.

"Hwang, Hwang Eun-ha?"

Mm, okay.

In times like this, there is only one method.

"Hunter-nim, where are you going!"

Hearing Kang Tae-woo's words, I made up my mind. I leaped from where I stood and started running away at full speed.

Trying hard to ignore Yu Ha-young's voice calling from behind.

If they see my face outside, people won't recognize me, right?

I didn't wear a mask because I had to film the video, but I never thought it would be such a mistake.

"Huff, huff."

After escaping the Association building and running for a while, I leaned against a wall to catch my rough breath.

Only after my breathing calmed down did my reason return somewhat.

And only then could I organize my thoughts.

'Did I act like a lunatic just to film a video?'

My goal in filming the video was to fundamentally block annoying things like complaints.

But with this, I've done nothing but show off exactly how high my ability level is.

"Ughhh..."

Blaming myself for being an idiot, I slumped onto a nearby bus stop bench.

I buried my face in my knees and let out a long sigh that seemed to shake the ground.

Why does everything I do just push me further away from living a comfortable life?

"Aah, I don't know anymore."

Shit.

I don't care.

Whatever happens, it'll work out somehow later.

It's natural for a Hunter to beat up monsters, so why should I get attention for that?

"...Let's just go home."

Then, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.

Actually, if that hadn't been an exam site but a real dungeon, it would have been easier to clear.

But if I cleared it even easier than that, wouldn't that have been a problem in itself?

'Ha, fuck. Did I actually think this was okay?'

Finding a tiny sliver of hope that wasn't much help in this dog-like situation, I let out a hollow chuckle and stood up.

I must have fought intensely.

My whole body was drenched in sweat; I wanted to go home and wash up quickly.

Taking a bus felt a bit awkward in this state, so maybe I should grab a taxi.

"Please take me to Jeongwon Apartments in XX-dong."

I got into the taxi and gave the address. Watching the scenery outside rush backward with the sound of the engine, I briefly thought about buying a car.

There's nothing like a personal car to get around without bothering others in situations like this.

'Come to think of it, Kang Tae-woo seemed to drive his own car too.'

Hunters seem to make decent money.

Since I smashed dungeons back in the days when support systems weren't properly established, I don't really know exactly how much Hunters earn these days.

I only occasionally go to dungeons that happen to appear nearby.

And even then, I rarely go unless Ha-young earnestly begs me. Plus, I usually hand over all the byproducts from the dungeon to the party members who went with me.

"Hmm. Mister."

"Yes?"

"How much does a car like this cost these days?"

In that sense, I didn't have much of an economic concept.

To the point where it was more comfortable for me to think in terms of "how many enhancement items in a game" rather than how much money something cost.

Thinking, 'There's no game addict like me,' was a bonus.

"This car?"

"Yes. I'm thinking of buying one, but I don't know the prices well. I don't even know where to look."

"Oho, Agassi (Young lady) doesn't know much about the world. You shouldn't buy a car lightly. It doesn't end with just buying the car; do you know how much money it eats up?"

It eats money?

I thought you just bought a car, put gas in it, and drove it?

"It eats money?"

"That's right. Agassi, are you a university student? Or do you have a job?"

"I am a university student, but..."

"Then don't buy one and study hard. Don't suffer later by buying a car now for no reason. If you study hard and get a job at a good place, you can drive a car like this with ease."

"Yes..."

Shit, so how much is it?

The taxi driver heard "university student" and started giving a lecture.

"So, would it be around 100 million won?"

"100 million? A domestic car like this doesn't go that high."

"Then how many dungeons do I have to smash..."

Anyway, it means it's not 100 million, right?

I started calculating in my head.

But my concentration didn't last long due to the taxi driver's words.

"Smash dungeons? Agassi, are you a Hunter?"

"Yes. I'm a Hunter."

"If you're a Hunter-nim, the story is a bit different. What is your rank, if I may ask? B-Class?"

"I am S-Class, but why do you ask?"

He suddenly asked if I was a Hunter, then asked for my rank.

Of course, asking a high-ranking Hunter for their rank isn't exactly rude or anything.

But as soon as he heard "S-Class," the taxi driver's eyes went wide.

"Aigo, look at this person. Then you should have said you were a Hunter-nim, not a university student. I didn't recognize a Hunter-nim. But S-Class? I feel like it's my first time seeing you, Agassi."

"If you search the Association database later, I should appear. I'm registered, I just don't do much activity."

"Then the story changes completely. Those S-Class Hunter-nims earn a lot, so uh..."

The taxi driver seemed to be someone who really loved cars.

Seeing how his attitude changed completely as soon as he heard my rank, and how he started teaching me this and that about cars.

Of course, naturally, since I knew absolutely nothing about the object called a car, I only understood half of it.

Still, compared to listening to sermons from priests in the other world, talking to a middle-aged Korean man (Ajusshi) was much more fun. I think I spent the time in the taxi quite enjoyably.

[ Insufficient Balance. ]

...That is, until I tried to pay the fare and get off, having forgotten that the support funds hadn't come in yet, and a chilling voice flowed from the meter.

Of course, it wasn't that I had absolutely no money.

"Um, I have money in another account... is a bank transfer possible?"

"Haha, did you buy some expensive equipment perhaps?"

"Ah, yes, well..."

I did buy equipment.

A cool sword for my game character to wear.

"Instead of money, could you perhaps give me just one autograph?"

"Yes?"

"My grandson really loves Hunters. I want to give him an S-Class Hunter's autograph, would that be possible?"

"Ah, if you're okay with that, I'll do it. But I'm not famous like Cha Young-woo, so he might not like it."

"He will like it. It's an autograph from an S-Class Hunter-nim who is hard to meet, after all."

"Ah, then..."

And so, I was able to settle the fare with a clumsily written autograph addressed to the driver's grandson, and a photo taken holding that autograph.

Although I looked like a mess because I had just come from a brawl at the Association.

He said his grandson actually prefers the look after a battle.

"What the."

As I got out of the taxi after paying with an autograph and a photo, I heard a familiar voice from behind and turned my head.

Jin-wook, who must have just come home after his lectures ended, was looking at me with a puzzled gaze.

"Why are you getting out of a taxi there?"

"Ah, I just went to do something at the Association."

"You? The ultimate homebody?"

"Well, even I go out sometimes, you know?"

Waiting for the elevator for a moment.

As the doors opened and we got in, my sweat-drenched body odor must have wafted over, because Jin-wook frowned and spoke to me.

"Ugh, wash up as soon as you get home."

"Why, is it that fragrant?"

"Do you want to get hit?"

"Try it if you can."

When I stuck my tongue out to tease him, Jin-wook frowned, grabbed my tongue, and wouldn't let me pull it back in.

"Hao! Hao! Ah-ha-ge! (Let! Go! It hurts!)" I said, and he finally let go.

"How can you grab a tongue?"

"If you don't like it, don't do it~."

I wanted to say more.

But the elevator notified us with a ding that we had arrived at our floor, so I had to stop.

Instead, I said to Jin-wook as he opened the door.

"Wanna have a drink tonight?"