Episode 29: Becoming Stronger
Episode 29: Becoming Stronger
"I'm Hwaran."
Another party member greeted them afterward. Their attitude was strangely affectionate, which felt odd considering there was no reason to be so friendly to Seol-hwa, who was merely a Porter.
Seol-hwa took a seat.
"Now that all party members are present, let's get straight to the point. We've discovered a Drake nest. Not in a High-Level Zone, but right on the border of a Mid-Level Zone. We'd prefer to keep this between ourselves, but the situation is complicated, which is why we approached you."
This was eye-opening news.
Drakes. High-tier monsters like Minotaurs.
The value of their byproducts was astronomical.
"I'm sure none of you want to wander the outskirts forever, right? Consider this your chance to experience a Mid-Level Zone. Opportunities to receive support from Advanced Hunters don't come often."
"But why us? We couldn't even scratch a Drake. There are plenty more qualified parties..."
The Party Leader trailed off, though she clearly recognized this as a golden opportunity.
"Haha, we two can handle the Drake hunt ourselves. But we can't afford to deal with the mobs simultaneously. That's why we sought you out. Among the low-rank parties operating in the outskirts, yours shows exceptional promise. You'll perform well even in a Mid-Level Zone."
The subtle flattery worked. The corners of the Party Leader's mouth twitched as she visibly struggled to suppress a grin.
"Understood. How could I refuse such a generous offer? We accept your proposal."
"Excellent. Thank you for agreeing."
The deal was sealed.
He sprang to his feet.
"Let's test our coordination then."
"Right now?"
"Yes, we have no time to waste."
He exited the café, with Hwaran following close behind. The party members scrambled after them, letting him take full command.
"Got any decent intel?"
At the guard post, he greeted the Hunter who usually checked IDs like an old acquaintance. They moved to a secluded corner for a lengthy discussion.
"My contact says an Orc Colony has formed near the outskirts. Probably due to the Minotaur's recent descent. We'll head there today."
He returned with usable information. An Orc Colony-perfect for testing their coordination.
He took point, advancing without hesitation. Not a single monster crossed their path until they reached the border zone-a testament to an Advanced Hunter's seasoned instincts.
"We're here. Mi-ae-nim's party will lead the attack as practice. We'll cover your rear, so fight without reservations."
"Y-yes, understood."
The usually composed Party Leader tensed up completely.
Seol-hwa swallowed hard. Only ten Orcs-hardly enough to be called a colony-but they were Mid-Level monsters. Facing such foes for the first time, her nerves were stretched taut.
"Beginning now."
She resembled a green recruit on their first deployment. With the Advanced Hunter's permission, she charged into the Orc Colony.
Squeal!
The Orcs spotted her. The horde charged with guttural roars.
Mana enveloped the Party Leader's sword-the Branding Skill. Her mana-enhanced blade struck an Orc but failed to pierce its dark hide. The Branding Skill wouldn't activate without drawing blood.
Eeek!
The Orcs bypassed the Party Leader, all except one. They lunged at the Swordsman who'd been waiting to strike from a distance.
The Swordsman shrieked and fled toward the main group.
"F-fireba-Kyaaah!"
The Magician's spell fizzled as she screamed, eyes squeezed shut in terror.
Swoosh!
An Orc's head tumbled to the ground. The observing Advanced Hunter had finally intervened. With a shing, he sheathed his sword after swiftly ending the skirmish.
I summarized the battle in one word: clusterfuck. From start to finish, nothing went right. In a real engagement, this party would've been wiped out.
"Our apologies..."
Even the Healer who'd contributed nothing hung her head. An awkward silence blanketed the group as they exchanged uneasy glances.
"Well, it's your first time. Can't be helped. Just improve next time."
His single remark dissolved the tension. "Let's harvest the Magic Stones and move to the next location."
At his signal, the waiting Seol-hwa stepped forward. Using a hand axe, she cracked open the Orcs' skulls to extract the embedded Magic Stones.
"Why didn't you join the fight?" Hwaran asked, though she'd remained passive too.
"I... don't have any proper abilities yet..."
I'd warned her to hide her true strength-tall trees catch the wind. The time to reveal her power would come after training at the Hunter Gymnasium and successfully joining a guild. Premature exposure might get her expelled from the party out of jealousy.
"Ah, is that so?"
Hwaran smiled cryptically. Though beautiful, her expression carried an unsettling edge. Seol-hwa seemed to feel it too, goosebumps rising on her arms.
"Let's proceed to the next location."
The hunt resumed. The same scenario repeated-the Party Leader failed to pin monsters, the Swordsman couldn't deal damage, the Magician botched her spells, and the Healer remained useless. The only silver lining was their gradual improvement.
What felt strangest was not knowing whether Mi-ae's party were comrades to rely on or liabilities to protect.
"Good. After... three more practice sessions, you should be ready."
Despite playing babysitter all day, he maintained his amiable smile. I wondered if he was a saint or had ulterior motives.
"Does that mean...?"
"Yes, then we depart for the Drake nest. Ah, Mi-ae-nim's party can keep all byproducts."
The Party Leader, buoyed by their progress, didn't question this generosity. Their footsteps were light on the return journey.
"Seol-hwa. Toss the envelope here."
She threw a pre-prepared envelope filled with clones. I marked the coordinates-our clones would retrieve it after we passed. This replenished the hive's numbers, though our clone supply dwindled with each hunt.
'Need to increase the hive's numbers...'
With hundreds of clones, we could dominate the outskirts. But my controllable clone limit equaled my level-each level-up only added one more. We needed efficiency, not just leveling.
"Thanks for your hard work today. See you tomorrow."
Exiting the danger zone, the party disbanded. The Healer and Swordsman vanished without farewells-consistently rude. The Party Leader stayed behind to process the byproducts.
Only the Magician and Seol-hwa remained.
"Seol-hwa. We're getting married. This is your invitation. You saved my life-you must attend and grace the occasion."
The Magician extended a wedding invitation.
"Yes! I'll definitely come!"
Seol-hwa accepted it, radiating joy. Saving a life felt worthwhile-a proud moment.
"Rest well. See you later."
The Magician left when her boyfriend arrived. Seol-hwa didn't head home but toward a Hunter Gymnasium with excellent reviews near her apartment-run by a veteran Hunter who'd once made a name for himself.
The Manager's large facial scar and amputated left leg below the knee lent credibility to his reputation.
"Hello... I'm the one who consulted over the phone yesterday..."
Seol-hwa opened the door.
"Ah, you must be Yoo Seol-hwa?"
The counter staff welcomed her. Seol-hwa presented a prepared paper listing training programs and prices.
"T-ten million won?!"
Her eyes nearly bulged. Ten million-half the money she'd earned risking her life for three months.
"This price is reasonable. The program combines ability awakening assistance with training support. If your ability awakens, the fee decreases significantly."
In other words, the high cost reflected her status as an F-rank non-ability user. The staff eagerly courted this rare F-rank cash cow.
"Accept it. Didn't you want to succeed? I see talent in you."
Not empty praise-her ability wasn't absent, just dormant. Combined with her determination, she truly had potential.
"O-okay. I'll register."
Seol-hwa shut her eyes tight and handed over her card.
Beep.
The card swiped. A notification confirmed ten million won's deduction.
"Training clothes are here. They're specially made-if lost, you must pay for replacements. The changing room's over there."
"I'll rest. Train hard."
Training required her own effort. I deactivated all traits.
"Yes..."
Seol-hwa changed and emerged.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Lee Ji-ae, your assigned trainer."
A muscular female trainer with a build rivaling men's greeted her.
"You may quit anytime. Results aren't guaranteed for the price. Refunds are possible but partial. Understood?"
"Yes!"
"Good. Let's begin immediately."
The brutal training commenced. The trainer worked her to the bone.
[Acquired Skill: Strength Enhancement. Maximum stats increased. Strength +1.]
[Acquired Skill: Agility Enhancement. Maximum stats increased. Agility +1.]
[Acquired Skill: Stamina Enhancement. Maximum stats increased. Stamina +1.]
Her efforts bore fruit-common skills obtainable by all awakened ability users through pushing one's limits. This was why she'd sought the gym's guidance.
I equipped the latent trait for a nimble body.
[Trait Acquired: Agility Skill Level Up]
[Agility Skill Level increased by 1.]
My level rose. All latent traits shared similar effects.
Huff... Huff... Huff...
"Outstanding work, Seol-hwa-ssi. Your willpower is remarkable. You're the first to gain a skill on day one."
The trainer applauded her enthusiastically.
"You'll return tomorrow? To earn the Achievement, you must attend daily for a week."
"Yes! I'll come!"
Seol-hwa couldn't refuse-she needed her money's worth. Gritting her teeth, she forced her trembling legs home.
"I'll take over your training personally now."
A week later, the gym Manager began instructing her directly.