Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Goblins’ Forest (F)
Taesan Guild located in Yongsan.
Han Sang-il, head of the HR Team 3, tilted his head while reading the report.
‘Something feels off.’
The report submitted overnight by Baek Un-seok.
It was about the Goblin Cave cleared yesterday, but the description of the mage in it was quite unusual.
‘Frozen Shield, Terra Crush, and even Flame Lance.’
Light, well, that could be excused.
But this wasn’t the kind of performance an F-rank mage who had just entered a Gate for the first time would show.
And what was even more absurd was the destructive power.
“Taking down a Giant Goblin with a single Flame Lance…”
It was hard to believe.
Of course, unless Baek Un-seok had lost his mind, he wouldn’t fabricate content for an official report.
In that case, the possibilities narrowed down to a few.
Irregular
Those who deviate slightly from the rules of the world.
For example, someone with 1500% destructive power, things like that.
They are not common, but they do exist if you look for them.
Chaos-aligned mages
Those who deviate significantly from the rules of the world.
Compared to irregulars, they are far more powerful and free, but also far more dangerous.
In their case, due to the influence of ominous mana, they often go mad or become criminals.
Even so, there are those who overcome it and rise to the rank of great mages.
Villains
These bastards are simply trash that must be eliminated.
‘It doesn’t seem like a villain.’
Villains are personality-deficient scum… the kind that you can smell instantly.
From his direct call with Baek Un-seok, Kim Do-yoon seemed quite calm and composed.
He was described as having a slightly nihilistic tone, so a chaos alignment couldn’t be ruled out.
‘That’s something we can determine after recruiting him.’
As long as he wasn’t a villain, he was worth recruiting.
At the moment, Taesan didn’t have the luxury to be picky.
“Please… let us recruit a proper mage… so we can finally shake off this reputation of being a tank-only guild…”
Han Sang-il muttered as he kept glancing at his phone.
Before long, a message arrived from Baek Un-seok.
Buzz.
[Baek Un-seok: He said no.]
“He said no.”
Lee Hye-na said calmly.
She had expected this much.
“I told you, Team Leader. This person is a T type. Whether it’s Taesan or Cheongryong, he’ll probably make his decision strictly based on calculations. Honestly, if you were in his position, you’d do the same, right?”
“…That’s true.”
A middle-aged woman with streaks of white hair, Park Un-nyeom, head of HR Team 2 at Cheongryong Guild, nodded.
“Grabbing the bait right away is something only fools do.”
“Still, couldn’t he at least take the test? It’s Cheongryong Guild, after all.”
“That’s why you’re F-rank. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you’ll win a hundred battles. First, we need to clearly understand our own capabilities.”
Hye-na pouted.
That woman really thought T types were everything.
“But it’s good news. He doesn’t seem completely uninterested since he agreed to hunt with us today.”
“Even with that meat shield guy?”
“Yes.”
“Clever. Very clever.”
Park Un-nyeom nodded with a faint smile.
He was playing both sides—Taesan and Cheongryong—without letting go of either, raising his own value.
However, there were clear conditions.
“He must be quite confident in his abilities.”
Even if the Taesan tank was one thing, Hye-na’s role was that of a scout.
If she tried to raise her value with half-baked abilities, her weaknesses would be exposed.
“I’ll observe carefully and judge.”
“Good. I trust you’ll handle it well. But remember what I always say.”
“Think rationally? Rational, rational, rational?”
“Yes. Otherwise, you’ll end up missing things.”
“Yes ma’am! Understood!”
Hye-na exaggeratedly replied as she left the meeting room.
Watching her back, Park Un-nyeom thought,
‘She does seem like chaos-type.’
From the Terra Crush emerging from the wall to her casual remarks, Park Un-nyeom hadn’t missed a detail.
—When preparing Flame Lance, I felt like the torch flame was being drawn toward it.
The flame of Flame Lance.
The flame of a torch.
If that was true, it meant manipulation of the environment.
“There’s no way an F-rank newbie who just awakened could perform something only a mage of 3rd tier or higher could do.”
Perhaps he wasn’t an irregular specialized in destruction.
He might be a mage of gray chaos alignment.
And if that was true…
Cheongryong Guild might not yet be ready to accept him.
The scars left by that “gray mage” had not yet healed.
‘But I have no intention of giving up.’
People tend to avoid risks.
But Park Un-nyeom thought differently.
Nothing in this world comes for free.
If underdog Cheongryong wanted to catch up to Haeseong, it had to take some risks.
“Besides… if what that Haeseong guy is doing is true…”
She muttered quietly, then shook her head.
Not even the smallest mistake could be allowed in the current situation.
And now, she believed it was her time to step forward.
The next morning.
I stood in front of my bag, lost in thought.
“Hmm…”
Fifteen low-grade mana stones.
Each costing 200,000 won, totaling 3 million won.
“……”
Was it right to sell these?
A quick calculation was needed.
Fifteen mana stones, 3 million won.
Five low-grade mana potions consumed in Goblin Cave, 2.5 million won.
Selling the mana stones would leave a net gain of 500,000 won.
Absorbing them would result in a net loss of 2.5 million won.
I hesitated for a moment, but…
“…Well, what choice do I have.”
What I needed right now was growth as a hunter.
For immediate medical expenses, my savings and severance pay would be enough for now.
I let out a light sigh and reached out.
The cold surface of the mana stone.
Feeling the pure energy emanating from it, I began absorbing the mana.
A surge of energy flowed in.
It wasn’t as large as expected.
Perhaps because they were low-grade mana stones.
After absorbing all fifteen, my total mana increased by 5.
‘That’s more than I expected.’
Of course, the effect would diminish as I absorbed more of the same type, but it was still a meaningful increase.
Forcing the thought of the 2.5 million won out of my mind, I left the house and headed to the meeting point.
“Nice to meet you. You were already waiting.”
At the Gate we had agreed to clear next, Baek Un-seok and Lee Hye-na greeted me and bowed slightly.
“Welcome.”
“Good to see you, Do-yoon.”
Baek Un-seok approached first, pulling something from his bag and handing it to me.
“The HR Team Leader sent this. They said it’s for when you get thirsty.”
“…Is this a mana potion?”
“Oh? I was told it was a grape-flavored drink.”
Baek Un-seok laughed playfully.
“Honestly. How petty.”
At that moment, Lee Hye-na popped out from beside Baek Un-seok.
Pouting, she glared at him before rummaging through her bag.
“Boots, armor, and a staff… seriously!!!”
Baek Un-seok muttered in disbelief.
It seemed he thought it was over-investment.
“This is how you invest properly. Unlike Taesan’s usual stinginess.”
“…Hmph.”
Lee Hye-na looked pleased.
Unhappy, Baek Un-seok crossed his arms.
Watching them, I felt something strange.
‘As a scout, maybe Hye-na sensed something more.’
Maybe, maybe not.
But it didn’t matter much.
What mattered was that I had no intention of accepting those items.
“I appreciate the thought, but I won’t accept anything before I decide where I’ll go.”
Both reassured me not to feel burdened, but I didn’t want to owe any favors that could become leverage.
“I want to work with you not because you’re from Taesan or Cheongryong, but because you’re both principled people. If you impose this kind of burden, I’ll have to look for another party.”
That wasn’t entirely a lie.
Of course, I did want to secure a good contract through them, but right now, my priority was growing safely with trustworthy people.
“Hm. Then we won’t force it.”
“I guess I brought something unnecessary.”
They packed their items away.
It was a bit amusing, but I held back a smile.
Focus on the goal.
My primary objective was to earn enough contract money and salary to treat my mother.
And if possible, move her into an intensive care unit I once had to give up due to cost.
“Let’s go.”
At my calm words, Baek Un-seok nodded.
He disappeared into the Gate, and I followed him in.
Upon entering Goblins’ Forest (F),
I began forming a strategy.
Looking up, I saw a blue sky.
But ahead stood a dense conifer forest at least 20 meters tall, blocking everything.
‘No sky play… I’ll have to use the forest.’
Numerous spells flashed through my mind.
I discarded some and revived others, gradually forming a plan.
I immediately cast the necessary spells.
Mana Expansion.
Mana Respire.
I increased my mana pool and boosted mana regeneration.
Frozen Shield.
An icy barrier formed around my body.
It felt thicker than yesterday.
Naturally so.
No matter how much it resembled a skill, it was still magic at its core.
The more it was used, the more refined it became.
‘Higher-ranked hunters improve this faster.’
But in my case, being F-rank, that progress wouldn’t be fast.
However, there was another way to solve that problem.
There exists a 2nd-tier spell that accelerates magic proficiency.
“Let’s go.”
The two who had been quietly waiting began moving.
They headed toward the wide dirt path cutting through the massive forest.
Whoooosh…
The wind rustled the trees.
Distant cries echoed from somewhere within the forest.
Perhaps due to the pressure of leading the team, Baek Un-seok trembled slightly.
At that moment—
“Kiik!!”
“Kik!”
Goblins leapt out from behind thick tree trunks, charging at us.
Small bodies, barely reaching chest height.
Reddish skin as if burned.
Makeshift armor and rusty helmets.
Chipped swords.
“Goblins! Same strategy as yesterday!”
Baek Un-seok shouted briefly.
The plan was the same.
I would take the first strike, and Baek Un-seok would draw aggro from the remaining monsters, then finish them off cleanly.
‘Let’s do this.’
I extended my hand toward the ground and gathered mana.
With a sharp motion, I released it downward and pulled my arm upward.
Root Quake.
Roots that had been quietly expanding their territory for centuries burst from the ground like living organisms.
Thud, thud, thuuud!
“Kiiaaak!”
The roots pierced through the goblins’ bodies.
Six goblins were launched into the air.
Some died instantly, their hearts pierced.
Others who barely survived flailed in midair, bleeding heavily.
Gulp.
While drinking a mana potion, a loud impact rang out ahead.
Crash, boom!
Baek Un-seok blocked several strikes with his shields, then countered by slicing the goblin’s knee beneath its guard.
Lee Hye-na’s blade pierced another goblin’s neck.
Wind Cutter.
A blade of wind cleanly severed another goblin’s head.
Thud. Roll…
Finally, the last goblin was taken down by Lee Hye-na.
She slowly turned toward me.
Her eyes were slightly unfocused, filled with visible shock.
“Good heavens…”
She said in a trembling voice.
“How is this even possible, Do-yoon…?”
“Yeah… how is this possible?”
Baek Un-seok was just as stunned.
But the strange thing was…
I was equally confused.
‘What is that…?’
Behind Baek Un-seok, thick roots rose high into the air.
Goblins were impaled on them, their blood dripping down, adding a grotesque atmosphere to the dark forest.
‘Something’s off.’
The destructive power of the magic.
The absence of cooldowns.
The ability to control the environment.
There was something beyond all that which couldn’t be explained.
‘Could it be… because of 5th tier?’
The 5th tier, a level no mage had ever reached.
The “Magic Master” trait that allowed access to all magic had forcibly opened this unprecedented realm.
Maybe because of that…
The more magic I used, the more its power increased exponentially.
“Good grief.”
If that were true…
Then this Magic Master trait might not be limited to simply using multiple spells.
Anything could happen.
No one could predict it.
Because…
The 5th tier was a realm only I had reached in all of history.