Chapter 145: Hive Removal (2)
“Something very rare… like an item. Maybe an SSS-rank weapon, for example.”
I added an explanation under the piercing gazes directed at me. If you turned the Permeating Predation skill into an item, it would probably be worth at least that much. Right now, it was likely at S-rank, and by the time Song Taewon died—assuming my theory—it could have grown to SS-rank.
And based on my guess, the ability to gift a skill itself might actually be an effect of the SS-rank Predation skill. For now, it only degraded the target’s skill level, but as it grew, it might truly become “predation”—able to outright steal. If applied to oneself, it might allow the transfer of skills to others as a reverse effect.
‘If that’s the case, then the rumor about giving a gift might actually be true.’
Of course, this was just my speculation.
“I do not possess anything that the Sesung Guild Leader would covet.”
“It could happen in the future, couldn’t it?”
“The likelihood is extremely low. Hunters affiliated with the government do not have ownership of items obtained during dungeon raids. While they may receive priority access, an item of the level you’re describing would be beyond my ability to purchase.”
“What? Why don’t you have ownership? Isn’t it normal for reward items to go directly into your inventory, and you just keep them?”
Typically, group rewards like magic stones or other materials are pooled and distributed according to pre-arranged shares, even for private teams, but personal rewards are different. Whatever you receive is yours to keep. Items that go straight into an inventory are hard to track in the first place.
Sure, if you end up in a bad guild or team, they might threaten you into emptying your inventory, but that’s a criminal act. But government-affiliated hunters not having ownership of items?
“I’ve also heard that the dungeon revenue distribution rate is low. Isn’t this a bit too much?”
“That’s why there aren’t many hunters affiliated with the Awakener Management Office. One of the main reasons the management of Awakeners has shifted to the Hunter Association is because of this.”
Song Taewon explained calmly. While the Association’s terms weren’t great compared to guilds, at least they provided the basics. For high-ranking hunters, they even offered better conditions.
“A national institution in name only… no, is it because it’s a national institution? Still, shouldn’t they at least let you keep personal rewards? Equipment costs are the biggest expense, aren’t they?”
I suddenly remembered that Song Taewon didn’t pull out a weapon suitable for his rank last night. Sure, he fought well with mid-tier weapons, but surely it wasn’t because he literally didn’t have anything better? It must be that mid-tier weapons were enough for him.
“You do have at least one S-rank weapon, right, Mr. Song?”
“I have an A-rank weapon.”
…Ah, damn. My eyes suddenly felt hot. At least he has an A-rank weapon. S-rank weapons are admittedly rare in the country, but come on. There are only eight S-rank hunters in Korea. Can’t the government loosen the budget a bit to get at least one S-rank weapon for someone like him?
“I feel like my patriotism is about to drop sharply.”
“It’s because I’m a troublesome person.”
Song Taewon spoke as if talking about someone else. Originally, the position of head of the hastily formed Awakener Management Office had been planned for someone else. However, the sudden appearance of an S-rank Awakener who stayed in public service disrupted those plans.
They couldn’t treat an S-rank Awakener poorly. Not only was he invaluable to the country, but they also had to consider the opinions of foreign governments and hunters. Plus, during a time of chaos, having an S-rank hunter officially affiliated with the government was a significant PR advantage. Showcasing someone at the very top with the message, “Look how secure our nation is!” would have been the obvious move.
So, they handed over the position of director to him. But the sight of a young, inexperienced man—who had no academic or personal connections—holding such a high position must have been an eyesore to many.
Considering the average age for someone in Song Taewon’s position was over fifty, with stellar resumes all around, this was understandable. Whether in a good way or a bad way, his situation would have stood out. And from their perspective, it likely seemed like sheer luck.
A young guy who awakened as S-rank by chance and ended up sitting above seasoned veterans who had painstakingly built their careers? …Yeah, it wouldn’t be surprising if the higher-ups saw him as a common enemy.
‘I thought he tolerated this treatment because he lacked ambition.’
Of course, if Song Taewon had shown proper ambition, they wouldn’t dare openly undermine him, even if they whispered behind his back. He probably wouldn’t be out on the field like this either.
“The current administration wanted to strengthen the Awakener Management Office, but the Association apparently had too many connections to allow it.”
So the Association effectively took over the management of Awakeners, leaving Song Taewon to handle things like cleanup after high-ranking hunters. I don’t know much about politics, but it sounds like there was quite a power struggle.
‘Could the reshuffling of the Association’s leadership be related to this?’
The current administration did do a good job. The fact that things had stabilized this much in just three years showed how effective their initial response was. There were still plenty of countries overseas where things were a mess.
But as soon as the situation settled, people looking to profit must have appeared. The rest is a predictable story—no need to elaborate further.
“You’ve been through a lot in many ways.”
As someone who also had a younger brother often dismissed as cheeky or arrogant, I couldn’t help but sympathize. I glanced over at Yuhyun, who was absentmindedly fiddling with the still-wrapped straw. He hadn’t even touched his coffee.
“Should I get something else for you? Or maybe for Mr. Song?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Yuhyun shook his head, insisting he didn’t dislike coffee. Neither of them would likely feel much effect from caffeine anyway, so perhaps I should’ve gotten something different. It’s just that coffee felt like the go-to choice for work situations.
“In any case, this is hypothetical. I’m saying if Mr. Song were to give the Sesung Guild Leader a gift.”
“…His birthday is coming up soon.”
Song Taewon replied reluctantly. I hadn’t expected him to keep track of Seong Hyunjae’s birthday, let alone care. His response was surprising.
“Not that kind of thing. You’re not exactly the type to celebrate birthdays.”
“I celebrate them to avoid unnecessary trouble.”
…What is Seong Hyunjae even? Does he make a fuss if people don’t acknowledge his birthday?
“It’s better to deal with it preemptively rather than leave room for complaints.”
Yuhyun, who spoke up from beside me, also sounded reluctant. Seriously, what is this?
“Does that guy really hold a grudge if you don’t celebrate his birthday? He’s not a kid.”
“It’s not exactly that, but he sometimes brings up random grievances later on.”
“He’ll use excuses like, ‘I’m still upset about how I was ignored on my birthday,’ to make unreasonable demands.”
Both of them wore the same tired expressions, as if they’d experienced this firsthand. Should I also make a note to celebrate his birthday? Hopefully, gifting something like Predation wasn’t considered a birthday present.
If I were to ask directly, “Why did you give your skill to the Sesung Guild Leader?” I’d probably get a flat, “I don’t know, and stop making up nonsense,” look. What kind of situation had even led to that? Why give it to him? Did they bond over mutual annoyance in the span of a few years?
Instead, I switched to another question.
“Is it possible to apply the Predation skill to yourself?”
“I’ve never tried, so I’m not sure.”
If it’s applicable, he might have given the skill directly. Otherwise, he would’ve needed the help of someone else or some item. Asking him to test it right now would be a bit much—it does lower skill levels, after all.
“It seems to be possible.”
Wait, what?
“This allows me to determine the duration of the skill when used on an S-rank target. Thank you for the suggestion.”
“Oh… uh, you’re welcome.”
Well, I guess he must’ve used it on a skill he didn’t particularly need. If it works on himself, then it’s even more likely he transferred it directly. It’s still not confirmed, but it’s leaning that way.
“Is there any way to cancel the skill? It’s a bit inconvenient.”
“No, there isn’t. Don’t you think the inconvenience might be due to your perception? You seem to be moving around just fine despite the supposed discomfort.”
Song Taewon said, glancing at my eyes, then at the glasses I was wearing. No, thank you very much, I’m having a hard time here! If it can’t be canceled, I’ll have to endure this for at least a few more days—how depressing.
After briefly discussing our next steps, we headed to Do Hamin’s “Happy Hamster Den.” The old shop’s sign had been propped up against the wall next to the entrance. When we stepped inside, piles of stacked delivery boxes blocked our view.
“Ugh, the Lord is better off far away!”
Do Hamin, who was sorting merchandise, didn’t bother hiding his irritation. Fair enough. Whether it’s a landlord or the literal “Lord,” they’re better off at a distance—especially the latter, since meeting Him basically means a one-way trip out of this world.
“Hamin, I’ll need your help again this time.”
“I’m busy taking care of the kids.”
Do Hamin clutched a bag stuffed with straw-like material. Do hamsters even eat grass?
“Aw, come on. We had a deal that you’d help out when needed. Just track the locations of about five or six people at one-hour intervals.”
It might even be more than that. Hearing my request, Do Hamin frowned deeply.
“Even one person is a hassle!”
Do Hamin’s skill, Connected Threads, didn’t instantly reveal a location upon activation. There was a specific process—it required inputting the unique identifier of an item the target had used for at least a year, then following certain calculations based on that identifier to pinpoint the location.
As a result, using it multiple times in a short period left him feeling as exhausted as if he’d been overworked for several days. If he had the actual item in hand, the search process became easier. For missing persons cases, most detective agencies couldn’t secure the items in question, so they relied on the identifiers instead.
“I should’ve added limits on the number of uses and targets to the contract!”
“I’ll do my best to provide as many physical items as possible.”
“Tracking five or six people at one-hour intervals will leave me bedridden for days.”
“I’ll, of course, cover all the expenses, and if you cooperate well in the future…”
Ah, right, there’s that. I leaned in and spoke gently to the sulking Do Hamin, who had slumped over his desk.
“I’ll get you a gold hamster.”
“Golden hamsters? I already have plenty.”
“Not golden. Gold. A hamster with actual golden fur. It’s a boss monster from a D-rank dungeon in Central Africa. It’s two to three times larger than regular hamsters, with dazzling golden fur. Its nape has streaks of silver, its eyes look like blue gemstones, and it’s incredibly smart.”
Although the gold hamster was small and had weak defenses, its aggressive nature and powerful attack skills for its rank made it an exceptionally difficult monster to capture. For now, its fur alone was likely being sold at a high price. In about two years, it would become a highly popular pet—though, of course, an obscenely expensive one.
“…A golden hamster? But that’s a monster.”
“It’s only D-rank, so it’s tameable. The cost to acquire one will be no joke, but for someone like Do Hamin, it’s worth it. So, how about it? Should I try to get one?”
“Wild hamsters are probably happiest staying in their natural habitats.”
“Well, it’s a boss monster, so it’ll be hunted anyway.”
“…Deal!”
“Alright, then. You’ll help me without complaining from now on, right?”
“Just don’t work me to death.”
Of course, I’ll make sure to take care of his health. Maybe I should ask Seonghan where he gets his herbal tonics and share them with Seok Hayan’s team as well.
Capturing a live gold hamster from a dungeon in Central Africa won’t be easy. Even before dungeons appeared, that region was already chaotic. Acquiring the rights to raid that dungeon will be a challenge in itself. On top of that, since it’s a boss monster, a tamer would need to personally enter the dungeon and tame it on-site. Simply capturing it wouldn’t allow the dungeon to be cleared.
‘The first live Monster Mount tamed overseas will have to be exchanged for a gold hamster.’
Still, any guild capable of handling high-level mounts should manage to obtain one. Whatever guild ends up taking on the task—good luck to them.
After notifying Seok Gimyeong and spending some time training Blue, it quickly became evening. Along the way, there was a brief moment when Noah, mistaking Yuhyun for Kim Minui, bared his teeth at him. However, once Noah realized the truth, he calmed down immediately. Taking the opportunity, I invited Noah to join us for dinner.
“So, you’ll stay as Kim Minui until the dungeon raid is finished?”
“And you’ll stay with Yujin?”
“There’s no way he can go back to his own house.”
It would be odd for Kim Minui to stay at a guild leader’s residence. While I, an F-rank, could pass as someone that needs a B-rank support hunter as a bodyguard, it would be absurd for him to protect an S-rank guild leader.
Although I felt a little bad for Noah, who had been invited for dinner, I didn’t pull out the food Myungwoo had prepared. Instead, I cooked something simple myself. Both of them tried to help, but I told them to stay put since they were guests tonight.
“Noah, if you want to officially become a hunter affiliated with Korea, you’ll need to clear an S-rank dungeon at least once. How about going with Yuhyun?”
The lake dungeon was only A-rank, so it didn’t count toward S-rank certification. For an overseas hunter to transfer their affiliation to Korea without a guild’s backing, they needed to clear a dungeon of the same rank as their target certification, with themselves as the central figure in the raid. While Noah was S-rank, he was a support type and currently without a team, so soloing an S-rank dungeon would be tough. It wouldn’t be impossible for a lower-tier S-rank, but there was no reason to make things harder than necessary.
“…No, I’m fine. I don’t need to be certified as S-rank right away.”
Noah awkwardly glanced at Yuhyun while nibbling on the end of his chopsticks. Now that I think about it, he’s surprisingly good with chopsticks. If the two of them raided a dungeon together, it might help them bond, like Peace and Noah did. Their compatibility in terms of abilities—poison and fire—wasn’t great, though. …Maybe that’s why they don’t get along well.
After finishing dinner, the night passed uneventfully. I went to bed with Chirp, but I couldn’t fall asleep. It would’ve been nice to have Peace around instead—Chirp was just too small. On top of that, my vision became even blurrier after taking off my glasses, which made me feel even more restless.
‘Please, just give me back my fear resistance…’
I tossed and turned for a long while before finally giving up and getting out of bed. Tomorrow would be a busy day, so I really needed to sleep. After some deliberation, I grabbed Chirp in one hand and a pillow in the other, then headed to the guest room where my brother was staying.
“Let’s sleep together.”
“Huh?”
“I can’t sleep because I can’t see well.”
That excuse doesn’t make any sense, but it’s better than admitting that I kept thinking about his death and was scared he might show up in my dreams again. If I stayed close to my alive and well little brother, I figured I’d feel better.
It seemed to work—no unnecessary dreams that night.
The next morning, a hunter capable of extracting information from corpses arrived at Sesung, along with documents related to the monster honey sales.
–TL Notes–
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