You look like a different person, Jinwoo.
When I haven't changed at all.
Well, a lot has happened.
And experience affects everyone differently.
You're right.
I think I might be too timid to be a hunter.
I've tried to get over it, but it never works out.
I should really be participating in A and B-Rank raids... or at least C-Rank.
But I chose D and E-Rank ones on purpose.
That's how I met you, and found myself healing you time and time again.
At first, it was a little annoying how often you got injured...
But you always managed to survive.
I'll never forget the way that your eyes always seemed to radiate vitality.
We promised to go out to eat somewhere, right?
You can have this back.
Wait...
I'm going to retire.
I'm moving back in with my parents.
If you ever find yourself in the area, let me know, okay?
I can show you around.
I'll invite you out again, if that happens.
Right.
I don't believe an E-Rank like yourself could defeat a B-Rank like Kang Taeshik.
You've already been examined for a potential reawakening, after all.
But I feel I should warn you anyway...
If you want to live a long life, be careful out there.
What do you mean?
After the incident where Hwang Dongsuk's strike team was wiped out,
with you and the D-Rank hunter as the only survivors...
Hwang Dongsuk's younger brother, Hwang Dongsoo, may be targeting you both.
Hwang Dongsoo, the S-Rank hunter, is after me?
Correct. It doesn't matter what actually happened in there.
All he cares about is that Hwang Dongsuk died, while you managed to survive.
The law is powerless to deal with S-Ranks.
They have the potential to bring forth either miracle or calamity.
In other words, one of the monsters that even monsters fear is out for your blood.
If possible, I'd recommend taking your family and leaving the country.
That's one more reason I need to get stronger.
Because if I don't...
I won't be able to survive.
Uh, Jinho? What am I looking at here?
What do you mean? It's obvious!
This is our strike team!
I prioritized people who are qualified to be hunters but have reasons they can't work
and people who are having trouble getting by when making my selections.
You've got injured people... and drunks.
That works better for us, right?
We need a minimum of eight people to raid C-Rank gates, after all.
Hey, you've got a kid here, too.
As long as they've awakened, there's no legal issue with recruiting minors.
Hey.
That's kind of rude.
I am a qualified hunter, y'know.
But you're in high school, right?
Do you have any raiding experience?
N-No.
What rank? E?
So what if I am?
I guess it doesn't matter.
You'll be waiting out here anyway.
Jinho and I will be the only ones going into the dungeon.
Hey... Is it seriously going to be just the two of you?
And does this job really pay three million just for waiting outside?
Right. Three million per raid.
Pretty sweet deal, considering you don't have to fight, right?
The only stipulation is that you can't talk about it.
If you publicize our deal, the contract specifies
you'll have to pay back ten times that amount.
The Stealth rune stone that I got by beating Kang Taeshik...
Might as well use it now.
Okay. Looks like it worked.
I'm ready to go.
What are you wearing now?
A full set of buff-boosting armor made by an Italian manufacturer!
If we're gonna hit the dungeon together, boss,
I need to be at least this ready!
I'm not trying to be mean here, but take that stuff off.
Okay...
Boss, can you help me get up?
All right. Let's get going.
This is kind of nerve-racking.
You've, uh, still got something on your head.
At least let me keep the helmet!
Fine, fine. Let's go.
Right!
They're seriously going in alone. Is this gonna be all right?
We did warn them. And the contract's been paid out already, so what's it matter?
A D and an E-Rank taking on a C-Rank raid by themselves?
Those two greenhorns don't have a damn clue what they're getting into.
Is Song-yi skipping today?
How long's it been?
About an hour. Even a normal strike team would take at least two hours,
so we've got a while—
So they ran away. They're lucky to be alive.
N-No! They didn't run away!
The gate's starting to close!
Are you kidding me? They beat the boss?!
Where's the next gate?
About an hour from here.
Got it. Let's hurry on.
We're moving, everyone! The goal is to hit three locations today.
That means you could potentially earn nine million in one day. Are you coming or not?
These guys...
Who the hell are they?!
Boss! I'm done mining!
Got it!
I better wrap up here, too.
I'm heading out.
Huh? More work today?
Yep. Don't forget to lock up.
He was hiding a skill like that?
Boss has gotten stronger again...
This Stealth skill...
It wasn't fun to earn, but it's useful.
Fighting while unseen is really effective.
My Dash skill leveled up, too.
And my new skills, Advanced Dagger Wielding and Fatal Strike...
They seem pretty useful!
Great work!
Once I'm finished grabbing this stuff, we'll be done, so you can take it easy.
Right. Thanks.
I've got some handy new skills.
But I don't have enough mana to use them for very long.
I'll need to work on my intellect ability going forward.
Things are moving smoothly, so do I head to the Demon Castle next?
No. Right now, I'd say I'm somewhere between B and A-Rank.
Would I really be able to take that dungeon on?
"The Player has reached the required level"?
A job-change quest?
Take a look at this, Manager Ahn!
What is it, Kichul?
Well, it's about the C-Rank gates...
One hundred and fifty million?!
Someone's spending 150 million on the rights to C-Rank gates?
Right. There's a strike team that's been spending
nearly double the market rate on C-Rank gates...
And the leader is... Yoo Jinho? Never heard of him.
He's the younger son of Yoojin Construction's president.
Yoojin Construction?
This could put them in the red over time...
Seems excessive for a rich kid playing hunter.
Sung Jinwoo... E-Rank?
Yes, sir. Their whole lineup seems thrown together.
I have no idea what the plan is.
Hang on. I remember seeing this "Sung Jinwoo" name
connected to the double dungeon incident...
There's something here. I can smell it.
Sorry we're late!
Nah, it's fine.
You're ahead of schedule, even!
Collecting the mana crystals took longer than I thought.
Okay, let's get going.
You've gotta be exhausted. You want me to drive?
I've had nothing to do all day, so I'm honestly kinda bored. Would that be okay?
Oh, I see.
What is it?
But the contract says you don't need to worry about doing anything, so it's fine.
Nothing.
You think this Sung Jinwoo hunter has reawakened?!
I sure do.
Based on what?
Hunter Sung has been through three major disasters and survived every time.
First, the double dungeon.
Second, the wiping out of Hwang Dongsuk's strike team.
And third, Kang Taeshik's murder spree.
Every time, there was a large body count, but every time, he was among the survivors.
The only explanation is that he reawakened.
I guess you're right...
So where are you headed, Manager Ahn?
Isn't it obvious?
I'm off to scout a promising rookie.
What is this, a picnic?
Mister.
This area's off-limits, y'know?
Ah, you'll have to forgive us!
We saw a bunch of hunters and got curious.
That's a gate, right? Is it safe for you to be so close?
Don't treat me like a child. I'm a hunter.
Then are you part of this strike team?
Yes.
But...
Hunter Sung! He must've left his group behind to tackle the dungeon himself!
If my gut's right about this, he could be a huge find! Even bigger than that!
I see. Well, sorry for disturbing you.
You be careful, now.
Wait, are we leaving already, Manager?!
The captain's back! Everybody get ready to head out!
What's the schedule looking like for tomorrow?
I remembered I have something to do. Can I get the day off?
For tomorrow?
I had reserved some gates... You want me to cancel them?
Let's not go that far. It seems like a waste of money.
I can hold onto them for another two days.
Let's delay them for now, then.
You got it!
Sorry about the wait, everyone! Off to the next one we go!
The same dream... again.
It's almost time.
Good work today!
I apologize if this is sudden. Hunter Sung...
It's nice to meet you.
I'm Ahn Sangmin, manager of the White Tiger Guild's Second Administration Team.
Could I trouble you for a moment of your time?
I'm sure you already know this,
but the White Tiger Guild is one of the country's best.
However, we're always on the lookout for promising new talent.
And to get directly to the point,
if you'll join us, I'm willing to pay you double what Yoojin Construction is offering.
If you have any additional conditions, I'd be happy to arrange those, as well.
How about that?!
This is too good an offer for someone who was E-Rank just a while ago!
He's bound to say yes!
How much is the White Tiger Guild's HQ valued at?
Huh?
Well, uh, I'd say somewhere around fifty billion...
And that's what you're offering me?
I... I don't follow.
Th-Thirty billion?!
Did you hear that?
That's the market value of the building that Yoojin Construction has offered me.
You offered to double that, so I was thinking a building worth fifty billion would do.
I've got the documentation here, if you don't believe it.
I, er, I must admit,
an offer like that isn't something I'd be qualified to make on my own...
I'd need to talk to my superiors—
I think we're done here, then.
I was too desperate.
I should've dug into his deal with Yoojin Construction first!
I am curious, though. Who did you hear about me from?
You haven't been snooping around, have you?
H-Huh?!
That... That was the Stealth skill!
A reawakened with Stealth?!
That'd explain the size of the offer Yoojin Construction made!
I-I do apologize for looking you up without any word.
But I meant no harm—
Don't turn around.
The tight dungeon market has led to a delay in rookie training,
without which they can't be sent on raids as per Guild policy.
I was investigating who was buying up so many gates
when I came across your name, Hunter Sung.
Who else knows about me?
Just me and one of my subordinates.
I'd rather keep a low profile.
If people start hearing about me, Mr. Ahn, you two will be the first people I suspect.
I'm obligated to make a formal report to the head of my guild...
but I don't want to die. I'll make sure my subordinate keeps his mouth shut, too.
I appreciate that.
I guess monopolizing the C-Rank gates has been causing some trouble.
I'm sorry, but we'll need to continue doing so for a while longer.
That is a shame. It puts a real bottleneck on our developing hunters.
How about a deal, then?
A d-deal?
I'm willing to sell you the rights to three of our C-Rank gates.
If you pass on this, you may as well consider your guild
locked out of C-Ranks for the foreseeable future.
He giving me the hard sell.
But...
Understood. For how much?
Three hundred million apiece.
Three... Three hundred million?!
The mana crystals and essence stones are only worth 200 million on a good day!
Could you at least lower the price to two—
All right.
Consider it a deal.
Th-Then we'll be taking three off your hands...
Right. Three C-Rank gates, for a total of 600 million.
A-All right, then.
Transfer the money here by the end of the day.
One other thing. You can have this.
Close your eyes and open your mouth, please.
It's okay. I won't hurt you.
No way! The cut is gone!
Good evening.
If you're willing to show me all this, can I take it as a sign that you trust me?
As long as you keep your mouth shut, yes.
M-Manager!
How'd it go? The scouting.
Well, Kichul...
I think he might be a bigger deal than I had even imagined.
Boss, I confirmed the transfer. The six hundred mill is really there.
We were about to cancel these gates... How'd you sell them at such a crazy price?
And to whom?
Let's call it a trade secret.
What do you mean there are extra C-Rank gates in our jurisdiction?!
Just that!
The three we bought were the only ones that Yoojin Construction had purchased!
And the rest are all selling for 70 million or less!
He tricked you!
Y-Yeah...
Not only did I fail at scouting him, but he scammed me, too!
What a nightmare!
I guess if you're strong enough, you become bold enough to do anything?!
A message? But from who?
This is Sung Jinwoo.
With this, we're even. I'll forget the fact that you spied on me.
Okay. So that's how it is.
That's one in his favor.
This guy sure isn't to be messed with.
Was that from Hunter Sung?
Yeah.
He might have raked me over the coals, but I've got Hunter Sung's contact info.
I'll be satisfied with that for now.
A job-change quest, huh?
Should be interesting.