Chapter 131: Attraction (1)
After sending Yuhyun, Yerim, and Peace off, instead of returning to the Breeding Facility, I headed towards Myungwoo’s workshop. Though not the Golden Forge from the pocket world, this studio within the building served its purpose well. Interestingly, Myungwoo had barely spent his own money on the equipment — the Hunters who went shopping with him had known exactly what to get.
The more specialized equipment, like the mana furnaces, had been provided by the major guilds — Haeyeon, Sesung, Breaker, MKC, Hanshin, and others all contributed. While the cost wasn’t significant enough to require contributions from such prominent guilds, it was more about sharing recognition for the project.
“Hello, Lord.”
As I entered the workshop, a woman in her early thirties greeted me. It was Seo Dongbaek, formerly of Sesung’s Equipment Management Team, who had transferred here to become Myungwoo’s assistant and apprentice, just like Lee Minseok from Haeyeon’s Equipment Management Team working over there.
“…Lord?”
“Ah, the building owner. Do Hamin keeps calling you that, and it just stuck.”
That Do Hamin — doesn’t pay a cent in rent yet goes around starting unnecessary trends. The building still had many vacancies with no income flowing in. Fortunately, the contracted guilds handled the management, leaving only taxes as an expense. Perhaps I should consider putting a café on the first floor.
Beyond a safety wall in the spacious workshop, Myungwoo was hammering something that looked like red, translucent metal. The rhythmic clanging filled the air as he shaped it with what appeared to be a blunt pickaxe rather than a hammer. It was mesmerizing watching the metal stretch like taffy under his expertise. His wrist, noticeably thicker and stronger than when I’d first met him, moved with precision as he flipped the tool and snapped the metal with a decisive clang. Without hesitation, he grabbed the glowing-hot metal with his bare hand and tossed it into a small mana furnace before him.
With a sizzle, the melted metal floated like a crimson droplet. Myungwoo now held something resembling a long needle. He wrapped the drop with the needle, moved it to the work plate, and broke it off into perfect bead-like spheres.
The entire process flowed seamlessly, each movement precise and purposeful.
After gathering the beads in a round, flat container and giving them a single shake, Myungwoo turned to look at me. The aura of a master craftsman radiated from him with almost blinding intensity.
“It’s hot in here, let’s go outside.”
Myungwoo said, wiping away sweat with a towel Seo Dongbaek handed him.
“What are you making?”
“Arrows.”
“Arrows? Are those beads arrowheads before being shaped?”
“They’re transformable arrowheads. They can change into piercing, explosive, or hook types. They can also hold mana or elemental power.”
Though I’d never properly used a bow, even the description alone impressed me. Myungwoo gulped down the cold water prepared for him, then looked at me with regretful eyes.
“I wish I could make your gear first.”
“Gear that increases stats are low-grade, right? They’re readily available in the market, so it’s better to focus on crafting high-performance ratio-increasing weapons first. Your time and materials are valuable.”
“Still, special skill types would be useful.”
“Please make weapons and other gear first. Are the arrows a request from Sesung?”
“Yeah. I started on them since they seemed like a quick project.”
I wondered about the price of those arrows. I reminded him to charge appropriately — Sesung had deep pockets, after all.
Perhaps it was the heat or his skill’s influence, but despite Myungwoo’s tanned face, his expression radiated genuine happiness. It was enough to lift anyone’s spirits just by looking at him.
“When I’m working with metal, I feel like I’ve returned to my childhood. This is what it means to truly live — doing what I love, earning well, and being respected. Sometimes it feels like more than I deserve.”
To have both wealth and recognition while pursuing your passion — that was indeed the ideal life.
“If it weren’t for my worries about you, everything would be perfect.”
“And why am I being brought up?”
“How could you not be?”
Myungwoo frowned, his eyebrows now thicker than before. Well, my track record…
“Life happens, you know. You almost signed a slave contract and got sold off, remember?”
“…You sure know how to make someone speechless.”
We’d make quite the human trafficking survivor support group. The world could be harsh indeed. Between our combined skills and worth, we could probably buy a small country.
After chatting with Myungwoo for a while, I headed to find Noah on the rooftop, but first stopped by Seok Hayan’s team. Computer fans whirred beneath the air conditioning’s steady breeze. A pseudo-dungeon gate stood in one corner — an absurdly expensive piece of equipment.
“Ugh, Lord. Chirp is here too. H-hello, Chirp.”
— Chirp.
Seok Hayan greeted me like a zombie from amid her pile of files. The others looked equally half-dead. During daytime visits, they were almost always in this state. Apparently their minds worked best in the early hours. While I understood their preference for working at dawn, they should get proper sleep if they’re staying up all night. They had nice homes to return to. I felt like an exploitative employer.
“Looooord, look at this.”
Zombie number 3 shuffled past Seok Hayan towards me. He thrust some data covered in numbers, English text, and graphs at me, but what could I possibly understand from this? Math and English weren’t exactly my strong suits.
“The mana of the gate fluctuates in a consistent curve. And here, immediately after passing this point, it temporarily transforms into a sphere. Then, by substituting the surrounding mana distribution into the values based on the gate’s grade?”
He offered a kind explanation, but I couldn’t grasp a word of it.
“Theoretically, we can accurately measure the saturation state of the gate! Additionally, we could also locate the gate’s position.”
Seok Hayan raised her head slightly, calling out with half-lidded eyes.
“Theoretically?”
“We still lack experimental data… We need more magic stones. Give us magic stones.”
“It would be good to have about five more mana measuring devices. The more we have, the higher the accuracy.”
“I heard there’s a new mana sample in the US, can we get it, Jesus?”
They started as simple data collectors, but now these zombies chirped like hungry chicks begging for food. Still, they were showing results — how could I refuse?
After telling the zombies to get some proper rest inside, I headed up to the rooftop. There I found a platinum-blonde young man precariously balanced on the thin railing, overlooking the Breeding Facility. His presence still carried that ethereal glow. He shifted slightly on his toes, turning to face me with a smile.
Even knowing he’d be fine if he fell, I couldn’t help but worry — to my eyes, he appeared entirely human.
“Hello, Yujin.”
Noah jumped down gracefully from the railing and greeted me in Korean rather than a foreign language. He’d been studying diligently, clearly planning to settle in Korea permanently. Such a dedicated learner.
“There’s no shade here, aren’t you hot? The weather’s been getting warmer lately.”
“Not at all. It’s good sunlight for basking.”
Basking? Had he been coming to the rooftop specifically to sunbathe? Was it because of his reptilian nature? Did that mean he was sensitive to cold?
After some light conversation, I gazed down at the Breeding Facility below.
“I wish I had a flight skill too. I could go down directly.”
Myungwoo had crafted a flying item for Chirp, but that was only possible due to Chirp’s small size and weight. Apparently, the materials needed scaled with the weight of the object meant to fly — a small anklet might end up as large as a tire.
“But you have me instead.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll take you.”
Though I was slightly startled by his sudden move to scoop me up, this wasn’t the first time. I should be used to being carried by now. Noah leapt lightly into the air. With a single wingbeat, we began a gentle descent.
Moments later, my feet touched the grass of the rooftop garden. It was undeniably convenient. Noah shook his head bashfully at my thanks. Though he’d improved greatly since we first met, praise and gratitude still seemed to make him somewhat awkward.
— Kyaawoo!
The moment we landed, Blue flew over, acknowledged me, then bumped her head against Noah. She seemed to view Noah, who was both powerful and capable of flight, as a friend. They’d spent considerable time practicing flying together.
‘Comet also feels close to him, maybe because they’re the same Dragon species.’
He was quite popular, though not necessarily as a human. Like with Kang Soyoung and Moon Hyunah.
“How about you go for a spin with Blue? The law has changed now.”
The amendment to the special law regarding monster breeding had passed just yesterday. It had been stalled for some time, but after I mentioned how the delay was causing problems, it was quickly processed.
Now, monsters could move freely almost anywhere when accompanied by a Hunter capable of subduing them, except for certain locations like hospitals and facilities for the elderly. Moreover, monsters certified by the Association didn’t even need a Hunter escort, though certification wasn’t easy to obtain.
Currently, Peace, Chirp, Blue, and Noah all held certification. Though Noah wasn’t actually a monster, there had been complaints about him flying around the city center in Dragon form, and since no relevant law existed yet, he’d been certified as a safe monster for the time being.
“That’s not possible. I was told not to leave Yujin’s side since Peace isn’t here.”
Noah stated firmly. I wondered whether it was Yerim or Yuhyun who’d given that order.
“So Noah, you’re tied down because of me. Then, is there anything else you’d like to do?”
“Then… please help me study Korean.”
Such a model student. I nodded, happy to assist.
By evening, several more Association members I had threatened — or rather, persuaded — contacted me. Some agreed willingly, while others set conditions like asking me to speak well of them. Regardless, everyone who reached out agreed to step down from their positions, citing responsibility for the current situation.
“Thanks to that, I’m stuck here for at least a week.”
I said to Song Taewon over the phone, watching my story still playing on TV.
“Not that I had anywhere to go anyway. I couldn’t even get my license because I was kidnapped. I even paid the application fee. From Intermediate Hunters onward, the test sites are separate, and the practical exam fee is a whopping five million won.”
[It’s because it’s a license tailored for Hunters. It’s a bit different from a regular driver’s license.]
“Mister Song, you must have gotten your license before Awakening, did you have to take the test again?”
[Yes. The regulations changed not long ago, so I retook the test early last year.]
“Is the practical exam very difficult?”
[You won’t be able to pass the test for Advanced Hunters.]
I wondered what it entailed. Leaning back on the sofa, I continued our casual conversation. Song Taewon proved to be surprisingly good company. He listened attentively and responded thoughtfully. When discussing ordinary matters, his demeanor was perfectly normal.
‘At times like this, I can’t sense anything twisted in him.’
If anything, he seemed more grounded and dignified than other S-class Hunters. If I said, “If we can’t stop the dungeons, the world will end, we need your help,” he would probably reply, “Yes, I would be glad to help.”
But his true nature remained a mystery. Perhaps he hoped for an ordinary end through fair destruction. Might that lead him to become an enemy? Though he didn’t seem the type for overt opposition, it was still wise to be cautious about sharing my thoughts.
Beep!
Just then, a warning tone sounded from my phone, and breaking news flashed across the TV screen.
[A-class Estimated Advanced Dungeon Break Occurred!]
It was in the Gangseo District. But there hadn’t been a dungeon break in Seoul around this time. Growing suspicious, I spoke to Song Taewon.
“Where is it? If you’re nearby, come here. It’ll be the fastest.”
Traffic would be blocked immediately, creating gridlock. Being dinner time would only make it worse. The Association would dispatch helicopters, but that would take time.
I hung up and rushed outside. An unexpected break. Had we missed finding a new dungeon, or… had someone triggered it deliberately?
I doubted the latter, but you never know.
Shortly after, Song Taewon arrived, and Noah transformed into a dragon. After getting directions from Seok Simyung, we took to the darkening sky.
“Have you received a report on exactly what kind of dungeon it is?”
“The boss monster hasn’t appeared yet, and judging by the state of the normal monsters, it seems to be A-class.”
Song Taewon replied. That was somewhat relieving. Even if it were S-class, two S-class Hunters could handle it, but the surrounding damage was the real concern. We could rampage freely inside the dungeon, but people lived outside. We needed to be careful with our skills.
“Noah, please avoid using poison as much as possible.”
— Yes.
Noah’s poison carried a high risk of secondary damage. It was particularly difficult to use outside dungeons, especially near residential areas.
“Han Yujin, there’s no need for you to come.”
“Just in case. And this, I think it might be deliberate. The timing is too perfect.”
Most S-class Hunters were currently inside dungeons. Notably, there wasn’t a single S-class with wide-area elemental skills capable of handling multiple normal monsters at once. In other words, it was perfect for maximum damage spread.
“Dungeon breaks can be delayed by sending in Hunters.”
Yuhyun and Yerim’s dungeon conquest had been scheduled for days. Perhaps someone had waited for their departure before triggering this. It was just speculation, but the timing was suspicious.
At my words, Song Taewon’s expression hardened. It wouldn’t take long to figure out who would benefit most from triggering a dungeon break now.
Soon, the red warning lights of a barricade appeared in the distance. Fortunately, the dungeon gate seemed to be located in the mountains, though a residential area wasn’t far. There was also an elementary school nearby. If it weren’t evening, it would have been catastrophic.
“Shall we write a contract in advance?”
I took out a contract and pen from my inventory and handed them to Song Taewon. He gave me a questioning look.
“It’s nothing much, just a statement that when sharing skills, you won’t use offensive skills on fellow Hunters. Of course, if you’re attacked first, it’s an exception.”
I was too anxious to share without precautions.
“…Just what kind of skill is it?”
Song Taewon asked after skimming the contents. What indeed?
“Doubles the effect of offensive skills.”
His eyes narrowed slightly, but he signed the contract. Let’s deal with this quickly before the damage spreads.
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt