Chapter 36: Wakin's Request (1)
Kim Jeonghyeon had just closed the quest window and was heading out of the Kingdom Guild to persuade the Wakin sisters.
"Long time no see."
Han Serin approached him, dressed in her guild master uniform. The shoulder epaulets of her perfectly fitted outfit were adorned with countless medals—awards from the Hunter Association and the nation for every major raid and battle victory she'd claimed.
"Oh. What brings you here?"
Jeonghyeon greeted her warmly with a raised hand.
"Visiting the sick."
Serin's curt reply carried a chill, her pride still bruised from their last encounter as she extended her hand.
"What's this?"
In her palm was a medal engraved with a tiny golem emblem.
"That raid. There was a misclassification. The monster was a type that had never appeared before, labeled C-rank, but it was at least A-rank."
"Ah."
Jeonghyeon took the medal without protest.
"Thank you."
His compliant attitude was, of course, all because of the quests tied to Serin. Creating more rivalry now would only make dominating her far harder down the line.
"You must've worked hard."
Just in case, Jeonghyeon channeled mana into his right eye.
Target: Han Serin
His Demon King's Eye flashed as he locked eyes with her, attempting the skill.
Zzzt!
But all he felt was a sharp sting in his eye—no domination took hold.
What the hell? Again, Attribute Domination.
Zzzzt!
Failed
The pain intensified on the second try. Jeonghyeon grimaced involuntarily, and Serin tilted her head, puzzled.
"Something hurt? Need more rest?"
"No, I'm fine."
Her favorability must be too low for domination. Makes sense—after all that fighting and scraping her pride as guild master, it wouldn't be easy.
In clicker games, you had to level up to snag the strong characters, right? Same principle here.
"Don't your muscles feel itchy?"
To boost her favor naturally, Jeonghyeon stretched casually as he asked.
"All that boring meeting time must've had you itching for a fight."
"Ha. You get it."
Serin smirked in agreement and walked the corridor with him.
"Everyone's safe, hiding behind the Association, shoving hunters into the meat grinder. This time, they wanna downgrade some D-rank monsters to F."
"F-ranks are weak enough that hunters need to defend them while getting used to their powers and training on their own."
"...You think so too?"
"Of course. Even A-ranks started as F-ranks. Dying before they grow would be a waste, right?"
Serin finally let out a deep sigh, like she'd found a friend who truly understood her.
"Exactly! That's what I've been saying. Treating F-rank hunters like disposable trash pisses me off to no end."
Her face flushed with uncharacteristic emotion as she ranted.
"Thanks for getting it."
Of course. Those were your words.
Jeonghyeon smiled awkwardly, averting his gaze. In a way, Serin knew him best, and he knew her best— he'd just regurgitated her old lines from memory.
"So, wanna spar sometime?"
She'd be tired, but racking up points now would build a friendly rapport, paving the way for Attribute Domination and securing that S-rank card...
Or so he'd thought.
"Huh? I have no interest in fighting you."
"What? Why?"
"You're a porter. I admit you're strong, but my focus is elsewhere."
This was unexpected.
And from Serin's lips came a name he never saw coming.
"Your hunter. Philip. He's my target."
Ah. Value Proof proved itself too well. Serin was the type to obsess over "the strongest human," training maniacally to surpass them. It didn't have to be Jeonghyeon—just happened that his future self was. Realizing that left him with a strange mix of relief and bruised ego.
"But Philip just woke up. Not ready to fight yet."
"What do you think Kingdom's healers are for? Give him an hour after waking, and he'll be fully healed."
"Oh. Right."
Wish you'd do that for me sometime.
Jeonghyeon felt a refreshing escape from Serin's obsession, yet oddly stung that the sword she'd aimed at him her whole life—growing alongside his—was now pointed at Philip.
So I look weak now, huh?
"I've learned a lot from you anyway. I'll call on you for order-giving next time too."
Jeonghyeon chuckled at her words.
Fair enough—issuing orders was a leader skill, not an awakener's raw power.
Being a dominating porter meant his role was shifting like this, bit by bit. Jeonghyeon turned from her.
"Then take good care of our hunter."
Build rapport with Philip through training, and eventually dominate Serin through him. As long as he reached the Demon King, it didn't matter how.
Sending a tiny pity to the Philip who'd suffer for life, Jeonghyeon opened the Remote Status Check and applied Auto Hunt to him. He'd learn plenty sparring Serin.
Arriving at the Black Market, Jeonghyeon stood blankly before a stall, cognitive dissonance hitting hard.
"Whatcha starin' at? You look like some errand-boy porter runt. Not buyin'? Scram."
The cranky old man fanning himself had taken over the Wakin sisters' secluded spot, hawking cheap weapons.
What the hell happened while I was gone?
"Uh. Weren't the sisters here before?"
Jeonghyeon asked the old man again.
"What're ya yappin'? This is my spot! Not buyin'? Beat it!"
The geezer, temper matching his ugly mug, shooed him like a fly with his fan.
"Ah, yes sir."
"Lookin' for the Wakins?"
As Jeonghyeon backed away, figuring he'd dodge the hassle, a man piped up.
"Yes? Uh, yeah."
The sudden intruder grinned, flashing his few teeth.
"Heh heh. I've been vendin' here even before them Wakins showed. Info? I'm your guy."
"Sure."
Whatever. The man launched into self-praise.
"Back in my day, mana stones were rare as gold. Like currency itself~ Folks'd swarm for one, unlike now. Ya get me?"
It's been less than 10 years since monsters first appeared, you idiot.
Jeonghyeon sighed, pulling an extra mana stone from his inventory and tossing it to the man.
"This enough to loosen that expert tongue on the Wakins' whereabouts?"
"Hmm~."
"Take it or leave it."
"No no. Why so stingy, young'un?"
The man snatched the stone, inspecting it every which way—even tasting it.
This guy's got no clue about mana stones.
"Hmm. Mid-grade, I'd say."
He doesn't know shit.
"Headed to Seoul South."
"Seoul South?"
"Yup. Said somethin' 'bout experiments there. Bull about makin' mana stone weapons. If it worked, it'd been done ages ago, right?"
The man's words furrowed Jeonghyeon's brow.
The sisters joined a guild and set up in Seoul South later on, right?
Jeonghyeon knew hunter and guild histories cold, but the Wakin sisters' path? A blank.
They'd always been elusive, and he hadn't been close enough to track them.
All he knew: After joining a guild and forging a smithy in Seoul South, they soon prototyped a successful mana stone weapon.
So, some refining process unique to the south—and progress was happening.
"Feels promising."
Jeonghyeon grinned, not even asking exactly where in Seoul South, and left the Black Market.
Unlike the hunter-heavy north or east, Seoul South drew few hunters. It was a commercial hub for non-awakeners in hunter trades—smiths especially.
Hunters visited for item commissions, gear, or consumables. Jeonghyeon rarely went.
I've changed a lot too.
Feeling a twinge of sentiment for his hustling growth—unlike his past self who knew all the answers—yet thrilled at restarting from scratch, Jeonghyeon crossed the Hangang Bridge, doomed to Demon King Army bombardment in a decade.
Hmm. Head to the smithy district first?
Aiming for the smith-packed forge alley like a food street, Jeonghyeon spotted the Wakin sisters effortlessly—no need.
In a former amusement park meadow by the wide Han River plain, a massive flag unmistakably theirs fluttered.
They're lowkey showoffs.
Two snakes entwined around a sword—the future symbol of luxury weapons, mana stone staple, and the sisters' mark.
Entering the plain, Jeonghyeon headed for their flag—big Wakin emblem—and ramshackle tent camp.
"Hope you've been well~!"
His greeting, one hand raised like that old stall-grabber grandpa, lit up the silhouettes of two women huddled in the field.
"Oh! Long time no see!!"
Grinning brighter than Jeonghyeon remembered—borderline uncanny—big sis Wakin (Melani) waved her tiny hand cheerfully.
"Uh...?"
Jeonghyeon's sunny greeting froze.
Because of the weapon in Melani's hand, leaking blue light.
Blue glow from the weapon. Symbol of a mana stone weapon—low-grade, but infused.
"You... succeeded?!"
Jeonghyeon rushed over, eyes wide at the mana stone weapon.
Melani's bright smile dimmed with disappointment.
"No, failure. It holds mana, but the durability's way weaker than normal weapons."
Figures. Can't be that easy.
Jeonghyeon masked his regret, joking with a grin.
"Eh, bound to happen. Mana stones? I got plenty..."
Melani cut him off.
"That's why I have a favor to ask."