Chapter 07 - Solo Awakening as an Ex-Rank-Munchkin
[You have defeated the Horde of Berserk Blood Rabbits.]
[Congratulations, you have cleared the hidden stage.]
[As a reward for clearing the hidden stage, you will receive 5 Blood Rabbit's Claws and 2 Intermediate Magic Stones.]
[You have succeeded in clearing it in the shortest time.]
[An additional reward will be given.]
[You will receive 2 Intermediate Magic Stones as an additional reward.]
[You will receive a Blood Rabbit's Heart as an additional reward.]
[You have mastered Beginner Greatsword Arts.]
[Blood Rabbit's Heart]
Grade: S
Attribute: An energy crystal that emits a red light.
Can grant a self-repair option when used in weapon crafting.
It was a jackpot.
A top-tier material item was given as a reward.
It was known to be worth billions if sold at auction. And Na Dan-sik had worked at a Hunter equipment manufacturing company.
He knew more about materials than anyone.
Of course, he had no intention of selling it.
“I’ll have to craft a weapon.”
He’d been feeling the need for a better weapon anyway.
With a self-repair option, it would automatically fix itself even if it broke.
Besides, the biggest jackpot of the day was the fact that he had finally acquired an area-of-effect skill.
[Munchkin's Domain]
Grade: EX
Attribute: Causes an explosion of mana targeting all enemies within a 100m radius.
He recalled the moment the mana had exploded in a whirlwind.
It was a thrilling moment that sent shivers down his spine.
The downside was that his combat suit was torn.
Of course, it had also been ripped by the claws and teeth of the monsters during the fight.
He had gotten scratched and wounded, but he didn't feel any pain. All he could remember was the thrill of that moment.
“Did I always like fighting this much?”
Until now, Na Dan-sik had always suppressed his anger whenever he was treated unfairly. He would imagine smashing his department head's skull dozens of times a day.
Na Dan-sik exited the Gate.
Just as he thought.
[Power Inflation has been applied.]
[The Grade 1 Gate will be upgraded to a Grade 2 Gate.]
It happened just as he had expected.
The administrator looked at Na Dan-sik with a shocked expression, but Dan-sik quickly returned the watch and headed home.
Tossing aside his torn combat suit, Na Dan-sik treated his wounds first. Since they were minor, Beginner Regeneration was activated.
He took a quick shower and tidied up the house.
That was when Yu Il-sik showed up.
When he opened the door, Il-sik waved the chicken he had bought.
“Let’s have some chicken and beer.”
Il-sik came in and, seeing the combat suit on the floor, made a comment.
“Your combat suit is in tatters.”
“I got ganged up on.”
“For real?”
“Yeah.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Nope.”
“Be careful, man.”
“Let’s just have our chicken and beer.”
Na Dan-sik took out some canned beers from the fridge.
In the meantime, Yu Il-sik set up the table and opened the chicken he’d brought.
“Two of them?”
“One spicy, one fried.”
“Right, you can’t handle spicy food.”
“Could you call it a preference?”
Yu Il-sik pushed the spicy chicken toward him with a grin.
“Eat up, my friend.”
“You eat up, too.”
They toasted with their beer cans.
“Alright, cheers!”
“Cheers!”
He chugged the cold beer and then tore into a spicy chicken leg.
Bored, he turned on the TV and saw Choi Kang-in being interviewed.
“Choi Kang-in just oozes presence, even on TV.”
Just watching him on screen, he felt like he could sense his strength.
Choi Kang-in truly was the best.
“I went to a Gate today.”
“Really? How was it?”
“It was fun.”
“Oh, so you have a knack for it, surprisingly?”
“You think so?”
“Still, be careful. You can get hurt in an instant.”
“Don’t worry.”
“Just be careful, man.”
Working as a porter, Yu Il-sik had often seen Hunters get injured. It really did happen in an instant.
“Let’s just watch TV.”
“Are you a die-hard Choi Kang-in fan or something? Is this all you watch?”
“Yeah, he’s my role model.”
“Choi Kang-in is every Hunter’s role model.”
It was true. Choi Kang-in was the ideal Hunter that every Hunter in Korea aspired to be.
Na Dan-sik respected him too.
“Hey, enough of this. Let’s watch soccer.”
Yu Il-sik snatched the remote and changed the channel.
Just like the soccer fanatic he was, he only picked channels that were broadcasting a match.
***
When morning came, Na Dan-sik made a phone call.
Working at a company allowed you to build various connections, and the place he was calling now was one of his important clients.
One of the few connections Na Dan-sik had.
RRRRR-
- Assistant Manager Na?
“It’s been a while, sir.”
- What’s up, Assistant Manager Na? I thought you said you weren’t doing business with us anymore.
“I’m not calling about business. And I’ve quit my job.”
- What?
“There’s something I’d like to discuss with you in person. Could you spare some time?”
- Come to the workshop tomorrow evening. I’ll buy you a drink.
“Yes, sir. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
After arranging the meeting and hanging up, Na Dan-sik felt hungry and cooked some ramen.
“Ramen is the best cure for a hangover.”
The night before, he and Yu Il-sik had drunk until dawn.
They finished all the beer in the fridge, then went to a convenience store for soju and snacks for a second round.
He listened to some of Il-sik's complaints, they cheered each other on, and watched the soccer match.
Yu Il-sik’s hobby was soccer.
He was in a club and had even suggested that Dan-sik join him, though Dan-sik had refused every time.
Na Dan-sik went out.
It was to sell the magic stones.
He took a bus to the Magic Stone Exchange and sold all the magic stones he had.
45,800,000 won was deposited into his account.
His total assets were now 72,500,000 won.
He felt like he was rich.
Na Dan-sik headed to the market.
He bought pork belly, pork neck, and some meat for stew, along with green onions, onions, and zucchini. For fruit, he bought some strawberries and cherries.
He returned home with his hands full of grocery bags at 3 p.m. He decided to do nothing and just rest for the day.
You need days like that sometimes.
After organizing the fridge, he went on Coudang and bought some bottled water and beer. Online ordering was the best for bulky items.
He washed some cherries to eat as a snack and logged into Hunter Net.
The comments flooding the real-time feed on the anonymous message board were insane.
- The Suwon Goblin Gate got upgraded to Grade 2.
- The record for this place was broken too, who the hell is it?
- A major guild will probably scout them.
- Guys, the Blood Rabbit Gate in Cheoin District was upgraded too.
- Whoa, for real?
- Does anyone know what the hell is going on?
- I’d like to know too.
Na Dan-sik was lost in thought.
“The gates were upgraded to Grade 2 right after I left.”
It seemed like the fact that he was the cause would be revealed soon. Looking through Hunter Net, he even saw notices from guilds looking for him.
There was no word from the Association yet.
He had a feeling they would be contacting him soon.
***
Korean Awakened Association
Association President Kang Cheol-man listened to Vice President Kim In-ho’s report with his hands clasped.
“Following Suwon, the gate in Cheoin District was also upgraded to Grade 2… Do you think this is a coincidence?”
“It is likely not a coincidence.”
“On what grounds?”
“The person who visited the gates right before they were upgraded to Grade 2 is the same individual.”
“Na Dan-sik again.”
“Yes, there is a definite connection.”
His class was certainly unusual.
Munchkin.
“Would it be better to contact this man?”
“The guilds have also started to keep an eye on him.”
“Already?”
“Yes, there are even notices on Hunter Net looking for him.”
Hunter Net was managed anonymously, and personal information was not disclosed.
The guilds had posted notices because they had no information on Na Dan-sik.
“Try to contact him.”
“Yes, Association President.”
After leaving the President’s office, Kim In-ho immediately made a call.
- Yes, this is Jin Seon-hui.
“Seon-hui, something’s come up. Come to my office.”
He hung up and returned to his office.
A moment later, Jin Seon-hui entered.
“What did you call me for?”
“Take a look at this first.”
Kim In-ho handed her a tablet.
“This person is…”
“Go meet him.”
“And when I meet him?”
“Find out. See if he’s someone we should bring into the fold or not.”
“Are you asking me to decide?”
“Wouldn’t your Appraisal skill be able to figure it out?”
“Alright, I’ll check him out.”
Jin Seon-hui returned the tablet with a grin.
Her S-rank skill, Appraisal, could be used not only on items but on people as well.
It was a skill that could even gauge a person’s latent potential, making her a crucial asset to the Association.
She was confident.
***
The next day, Na Dan-sik headed to Paju City, Gyeonggi Province.
It was to meet the business owner he had an appointment with.
He took the subway, transferred to a bus, and then took a taxi to his destination. It was further than he thought, making him think he should buy a car.
The taxi dropped him off in front of a warehouse building.
When the appointed time came, the warehouse door opened, and a man in his 60s came out.
“It’s been a while, sir.”
As he bowed his head respectfully, the owner gestured.
“Come in.”
“Yes, sir.”
The person Na Dan-sik had come to meet was a master craftsman who made Hunter equipment. His name was Jang Heung-sik, one of the most skilled craftsmen in all of Korea.
Jang Heung-sik led Na Dan-sik to a small office inside the warehouse.
When they entered the office, Jang Heung-sik’s apprentice was working. The apprentice’s face lit up when she saw Na Dan-sik.
“Mister!”
“Jeong-won. Have you been well?”
Her name was Ahn Jeong-won, Jang Heung-sik’s apprentice and an outstanding craftswoman herself.
“Do you know how long it’s been?”
“Enough with the useless chatter and get us some tea.”
“Hmph. Still the instant coffee mix for you, mister?”
“Yes.”
Ahn Jeong-won excitedly went to make the tea and coffee.
When she tried to subtly take a seat, Jang Heung-sik spoke up.
“Apprentice, aren’t you busy? I thought you had something to finish by today?”
“I get it, I’m going, I’m going!”
As Ahn Jeong-won left with a disgruntled look, Jang Heung-sik took a sip of his tea.
“You still only drink Solomon’s seal tea.”
“There’s nothing else like it.”
Na Dan-sik also took a sip of his instant coffee.
“What did you want to talk about?”
“I’d like to commission you to make some equipment.”
“Equipment?”
“I came because I want to have a decent weapon made.”
“Dan-sik, did you have an Awakening?”
“Yes, I did. That’s why I quit my job.”
“It wasn’t because of that bastard, Department Head Kim?”
“How did you know?”
“Section Chief Park, who stopped by a while ago, told me.”
Na Dan-sik looked at Jang Heung-sik with a surprised expression.
“Section Chief Park was here?”
“Yeah, he told me about Department Head Kim, too. Said the guy got fired. Looks like someone reported him to the audit team?”
Section Chief Park was the person in charge of sales at the company Na Dan-sik used to work for.
At one time, Jang Heung-sik had sourced materials through the company Na Dan-sik worked for. But because the higher-ups were messing with the materials, the supplies Jang Heung-sik wanted weren't being delivered properly.
After finding out about the company's deception, Jang Heung-sik cut off all dealings with them. Na Dan-sik, who was in charge of managing client accounts, knew all too well that the sales department caught the flak for it afterward.
After that, an executive's corruption was exposed, and the company went through a shake-up. Then, the company came to regret losing Jang Heung-sik.
You have no idea how much the higher-ups harassed the sales department to get him back then.
“Section Chief Park must have had a tough time.”
“It was a pointless effort.”
Jang Heung-sik was a man who valued trust as much as his own life.
Once you lost his trust, that was the end of it.
End.
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