Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 26
Uh, um... It's not a weird or troublesome request, is it?
Maybe it was because she'd heard that regression required death. With her resolve softened, Se-ra asked tentatively, and Kang Se-jun let out a light laugh.
I told you, you can refuse. I'm just putting it out there.
What? If that's the case, sure.
If she could refuse without issue, there was no downside for her. It wasn't like pondering it cost money.
Alright. Then I'll handle half. I'll give you all the horn ore stones, so calm down. Remember, you came in here just to gauge my strength.
His sharpened gaze softened again.
But you handle the other half. I want to see your skills.
Got it, so hurry up and go first. Money's on the line, so I'll let it slide this once.
...... You're awfully generous.
Se-jun snorted in disbelief but stepped forward anyway.
Unlike his perfectly sculpted face, his scarred hands reached out. A reddish glow infused with flames flickered in the air. When Se-jun swiped his finger downward, a rain of crimson fire poured down on the monsters.
He really knows how to control his firepower.
Se-ra squatted down and watched the flames like it was a show.
It looked like a reckless barrage, but in reality, it precisely pierced the rhinos' bodiescarefully avoiding the horn ore stones that would incur her wrath if even slightly damaged.
Mages really excel at AoE damage.
It hadn't even been long, and half the ore rhinos were already dead, reeking of burnt flesh.
Hmm, killing them all at once like this means I won't get a proper read on L-rank abilities.
I can't make easy things hard on purpose. Just rate me as overwhelmingly strong and call it a day.
So you're saying you're ridiculously overpowered right now? Fine. That'll be my assessment.
Don't you know how to say things nicely?
Uh, not something I want to hear from Mr. Regressor, who started with informal speech on first meeting.
......
As if he had any comeback. Se-ra giggled at how he furrowed his brow but ultimately shut his mouth.
My turn now? Honestly, I don't have much to show. It's only been a few days since I reawakened as S-rank, so I haven't fully grasped my own abilities yet.
The werewolf dungeon incident? I heard. You survived thanks to contracting with an adult beast then?
The god bestowed a miracle upon me. Maybe in your past, you never saw me because no miracle happened back then.
You say that so casually?
Why?
Se-ra tilted her head, genuinely puzzled.
I don't remember it anyway. What matters is that the miracle happened now, and I'm alive and well. I always prioritize the present.
Se-ra grinned and raised her gun.
Lots of them, only one gun, and she had to handle them solo. Plus, unlike the werewolves, she couldn't damage the horn ore stonesthis was a handicap.
How to handle it?
First, multiply the weapons.
Heat conversion.
Se-ra tapped the sniper rifle she held. The glowing red Heat split into two. Twin pistols filled her hands with solid weight.
A transforming weapon?
Se-jun's eyes widened.
You have something that rare just days after becoming S-rank? Jacket of Revival, transforming weapon... Did you hunt a diamond adult beast or something?
Whoops. Se-ra rolled her eyes. She'd thought there was no point hiding her skills from Kang Se-jun anyway, but she hadn't realized transforming weapons were that rare.
Especially since this was free-form transformation...
'Gotta keep that under wraps.'
Aw. Right, you gave me this treasure. Se-ra smiled fondly at her cute Administrator and took a step toward the monsters.
Field deployment.
As the skill activated, red cubes materialized in the air. Her left eye, stained red, locked onto coordinates.
It was the same skill, but different from the harpoon snakes. Dozens of small cubes now targeted the monsters' foreheads. Unfortunately, there weren't quite enough cubes.
Low skill proficiency?
Too bad, but focus on thinning numbers first. Se-ra charged straight into the monsters.
Bang, bang! Mana bullets poured from the twin pistols in her hands. They seemed fired haphazardly, but Heat, resonating with the skill, burst foreheads with just a graze from the cubesprecisely enough not to damage the horn ore stones.
Every time Se-ra darted around, monsters with exploded foreheads collapsed limply.
Not just a sniper trait, huh.
Se-jun, hanging back, observed her movements closely.
He'd assumed she was a pure sniper from how she used the sniper rifle on the harpoon snakes. But the skill felt too unconventional for a simple combat archer or sniper.
Not just boosting firepower or accuracyit specified space itself. There was only one possibility.
Unique ability type.
Awakener traits fell into four broad categories: combat, magic, healing, and unique abilities.
Unique abilities were exactly thatspecial powers unlike the others. Only a tiny fraction of Awakeners unlocked them, making them incredibly strong.
Domestic unofficial rank 1, Song Han-na, and rank 2, Joo Eun, had both awakened unique abilities.
'I really need to recruit her somehow.'
Space-manipulating Awakeners were exceedingly rare, so targeting Yoon Se-ra over Joo Eun or Song Han-na made strategic senseespecially after failing to recruit those two.
That's why he'd insisted on selling directly to Suhorang Guild: to keep a connection with her.
'Her movements are a bit rough since it's so soon after S-rank, but time will polish that. Pure potential-wise, she's the top in Korea.'
A way to lock in ties with Yoon Se-ra. Looked like she'd have to squeeze Suhorang properly for cash.
Greedy Suhorang Guild Master Yoo Su-eun had a tight grip on healers and mages, so plenty of money to go around. Se-jun decided to forget scruples. Preparing for the future was what mattered.
Ah, skill ran out.
Oblivious to Se-jun plotting ways to fundraise on her behalf, Se-ra clicked her tongue as the skill ended. It consumed more mana than against the harpoon snakestoo much to reuse now.
Got it. Multiple small cubes drained way more mana than one big one. Okay, understood.
Heat conversion.
The twin pistols merged back into the sniper rifle. Se-ra shouted loudly toward Se-jun.
Hey, mage! Quit spectating and make a foothold up on that wall over there!
Mr. Regressor, Mr. Mage. Real comfy nicknames you've got there.
Se-jun scowled but thumped the wall. High up on the cave wall, dirt gathered sluggishly, forming a small foothold big enough for one person.
Ooh. You really can use other attributes too. L-rank perks?
Title effect. Unlocked it in my fourth regression.
What kind of title?
Omniscient Mage. L-rank title.
Climbing onto the foothold and aiming at the rhino monsters, Se-ra blankly stared at Se-jun upon hearing that. She checked his info again.
Name: Kang Se-jun (L-rank)
Titles: Eternal Wheel of Fate , Omniscient Mage (L-rank), Bearer of Hellfire (S-rank), Indomitable Will (A-rank), Humiliated Loser (A-rank)
Trait: Combat Mage Fire Element
Contracted Adult Beast: Sands of Destiny Hourglass
Special Notes: Regressor
She'd been too shocked by the regression before to notice, but there was plenty more intriguing stuff.
Eternal Wheel of Fate screamed regression-related, and the sole L-rank title, Omniscient Mage, stood out now.
'Whoa, Omniscient? Does that mean he can use all traits? What a cheat character. But what's Humiliated Loser?'
It was totally out of sync with the others.
Maybe tied to his regressions. After all, when they'd first met at the rank-2 dungeon, he'd looked furious.
Se-ra glanced at Se-jun. How did he end up regressing? What was he after, regressing over and over?
'I sense it, I sense it. The gut feeling that I shouldn't know.'
That office worker instinct for sniffing out nuisances that disrupt early quits and vacations prickled her skin.
'Yeah, got it. No long-term entanglement with Mr. Regressor. But money matters, so just this once.'
As always, Se-ra put her own well-being first.
Alright, horn ore stones first.
Se-ra aimed at the few remaining ore rhinos. Higher ground really opened up the viewsnipers were meant for this.
She pulled the trigger on a rhino's head through the scope. One-shot, one-kill again. The gun's explosive cracks felt oh-so satisfying.
* * *
Alright, Mr. L-rank. Take good care of my money.
Se-ra happily collected all the horn ore stones, meticulously checking for scratches before handing them entirely to Kang Se-jun.
His face glowing, Se-jun silently stored them in his inventory.
I'll keep you posted on the Suhorang negotiations in real-time, so stay in touch.
The two exchanged numbers perfectly before exiting the gate. Of course, Se-ra planned to block Se-jun right after this deal.
We've taken too long. Team Leader's gonna get suspicious.
Stowing her jacket, Heat, and gloves in her inventory, Se-ra slipped back into her suit. She fixed her hair and dusted offgone was the money-mad miner, replaced by the perfect civil servant.
Stepping out of the gate, Se-ra stood confidently before Do Jun-young.
Rank-3 dungeon cleared.
Gazing at Do Jun-young, Se-ra panted like she was exhausted. Yet her dark eyes sparkled with the joy of having endured and succeeded.
Se-jun stared at her in stunned disbelief.
Where had that maniac cackling over mana stones gone?
```