Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Troll Hunter (3)
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“Where are we headed right now?”
“To buy gear, obviously. You weren’t seriously thinking of hunting trolls with your everyday equipment, were you? I told you last time that troll hunters use specialized gear.”
“Oh, right!”
As Suhyun stared at him blankly, Kim Chang-sik gave an embarrassed, hearty laugh. It was humiliating to realize he’d been outthought by a rookie with far less experience.
“So, how much does the gear for hunting trolls usually cost?”
“That depends on the person. It’s the same with mercenaries, isn’t it? The more you invest, the easier the hunt gets…”
Mercenaries varied wildly in how much they invested in their gear. Those who blew their money recklessly or saved it for other things often skimped on equipment, even if it meant taking bigger risks.
Rookies especially tended to do this, which was why veterans would lecture them with lines like, “Pinch pennies and you’ll die poor.”
“I’m planning to spend about ten million won.”
“What?! For real?!”
“Doesn’t look like you’re the type to skimp on gear, so why are you so surprised?”
“Because you’ve already sunk a ton into this stuff. You have to spend even more just to deal with trolls?”
“You make money by hunting trolls. Investments need to be bold.”
“Even so, that’s overkill… What are you even buying that costs so much?”
“Truth is, I’m planning to stock up on gear for other uses while I’m at it.”
“Ah. Makes sense—you probably don’t have much beyond the basics.”
Jo Seung-hyun had fronted the initial gear out of his own pocket when they started, but it wasn’t a complete setup. Just a rifle, basic armor, and some miscellaneous tools. To really get into the game, Suhyun needed to gear up himself.
“Let’s start with a rifle. Where’s that gun shop you go to, hyung?”
“Huh?”
Kim Chang-sik had been following along as Suhyun led the way, so when Suhyun finally asked him something, his face lit up.
“Yeah! I know a great place. Follow me!”
Suhyun had always used military-issued gear, so he had no clue about the good gun shops in the city. Kim Chang-sik hurried off, thrilled at the chance to finally play the knowledgeable senior.
* * *
The discovery of Cameron Planet sparked a boom in more industries than one could count. Weapons development was among them. Combat on Cameron Planet was nothing like on Earth—it demanded entirely new approaches.
Rifles were no exception. As a new frontier, Cameron Planet drew explorers, and guns tailored for them flooded the market. In less than a century, countless unique models were born and buried.
The rifle they’d used on this mission was the M19—a steady seller in the firearms world. It had reliable performance for any situation and the solid reputation of its manufacturer. Not a bad choice for rookie mercenaries starting out.
‘But it’s a bit too vanilla.’
That’s what Suhyun thought. The defining trait of Cameron Planet was how situations could flip in an instant—and by massive margins. In that environment, middling performance just wouldn’t cut it.
Even Calcutta Hell Crocodiles required a war of attrition with the M19, so firepower was lacking there. Against trolls or Calcutta Gorillas? Forget it.
Sure, those tough bastards were usually handled with dedicated weapons or heavy gear from the start…
“Welcome. Looking for anything specific? Catalog’s here, or you can check the stock out back.”
“Do you have a Barrett M110 by any chance?”
“What?”
The gun shop owner stared at Suhyun in disbelief. Instead of responding to Suhyun, he turned to Kim Chang-sik, whom he already knew, and scolded him.
“Hey, looks like you brought your rookie along, but come on—this kind of prank isn’t cool.”
“What? I didn’t say anything! He’s the one who blurted it out! Hold on. You do know what that gun is, right? You planning to lug that thing through the jungle?”
“I can disassemble it and carry it in parts normally.”
“What about the weight!”
“You’ve got to handle that much. Without that kind of firepower, there’s no point going up against monsters in the first place.”
The Barrett M110 was a monster-slaying sniper rifle chambered for powerful rounds. Monsters often had thick hides and tenacious vitality, so anti-monster sniper rifles needed the punch to pierce and damage them.
The problem? Generating that firepower meant the gun had to be huge. Cameron Planet demanded constant mobility and quick escapes at any moment. Oversized weapons were a double-edged sword.
The Barrett M110 had been launched with high hopes by a firearms company after humanity’s early shock encounters with large monsters on Cameron Planet. It drew initial buzz for letting individuals take on big game, but interest faded fast—thanks to its weight and bulk.
On Cameron Planet, the way for an individual to handle large monsters was simple: run. Fights were for those with power armor or heavy weapons. One guy charging in with a single gun? Practically unheard of.
Why risk your life fighting monsters when exploiting Cameron’s resources could rain money? Dodging nimbly to complete the job was far more profitable.
From that angle, the Barrett M110 had too many drawbacks for its firepower. Mercenaries griped that hauling it around just made you prime bait—either caught by monsters or dropping from exhaustion.
But Suhyun loved guns that poured everything into raw power. As a special forces operator, he couldn’t always avoid monsters. Any blocking a national op had to be cleared beforehand. For him, wielded right, these high-firepower beasts made hunts exponentially easier.
“Hey. Let’s look at something else. You’ll wreck your back carrying that!”
“I’m telling you, it’s fine. I’m buying it with my own money, so don’t worry.”
Unaware of Suhyun’s capabilities, Kim Chang-sik fretted that this was reckless.
“You can hunt trolls with other stuff. How about a rocket launcher instead? Way easier. Trolls are weak to fire, right?”
“Rocket launcher? Who said to hunt trolls with a rocket launcher?”
“Huh? Some guy I knew from the army mentioned it once. What’s wrong with that?”
“Anyone who’s hunted trolls with a rocket launcher and lived is a dumbass with insanely good luck. Anyone with real experience wouldn’t dream of it. That nonsense rumor’s been around forever…”
Kim Chang-sik looked puzzled at Suhyun’s response.
“Why? Wouldn’t it be great against trolls?”
“Sigh… Where do I even start? First off, blasting a troll with one tanks its market value. The hide, the blood—everything gets ruined.”
Hunting monsters was life-or-death, but it was also big business for some. Kim Chang-sik nodded, surprised by the practical angle.
“Plus, rockets are too flashy. Use one on a troll, and you’ll have every other monster in the area charging in before it’s down. And the biggest issue? Stopping power. Sure, a direct hit won’t let a troll recover easy, but it can still move in that state. Panic, let it close the distance, and you’re done. If you’re using fire, molotovs or something paired with other weapons are better.”
Kim Chang-sik shivered at Suhyun’s explanation. He’d nearly done something insane based on some army buddy’s bluster.
‘Damn, no wonder it felt off!’
The guy who claimed to know trolls inside out would mumble and dodge details, just repeating, “Rockets! One shot and it’s over!”
“And this gun isn’t for trolls anyway.”
“Huh?”
“There’s plenty of other dangerous stuff out there besides trolls.”
Especially the Calcutta Gorilla that still held a grudge against him—one was still alive. A Calcutta Gorilla’s grudge was terrifying. If they crossed paths later, it’d remember and charge.
This rifle was for that exact moment.
“How much?”
“700.”
“Come on, that’s steep. No one else is buying this thing but me—cut me a deal?”
“What? How can I discount this? It’s basically at cost!”
“At cost? Come on. Hyung, what do you think?”
“Owner, that lie’s a bit much.”
“Ugh… 680!”
“Let’s do 600.”
“You thief!”
“Language. I know you still make profit at 600.”
The owner’s shoulders twitched.
“670!”
“630.”
“650! That’s my final!”
Suhyun smirked and paid up. Kim Chang-sik, watching from the side, was floored by his haggling finesse—push and pull like a pro.
“Where’d you learn that?”
“Born with it.”
With the rifle secured, it was time for troll-hunting gear. The shop wasn’t just guns—it stocked all sorts of monster-hunting equipment.
“Owner, we’re gearing up for trolls. Recommend something solid. What do pro troll hunters usually get?”
“Check the catalog—there’s a troll-hunting package right there.”
“Oh. They have that?”
Kim Chang-sik reached for the catalog, impressed by the entrepreneurs. Cameron Planet lured countless fortune-seekers, and businesses knew exactly what they wanted.
“Don’t look at that package.”
“Huh? Why?”
“It’s useless. Just a bundle of crap they overcharge for.”
“W-what are you talking about!”
The owner protested loudly, but it fell flat on Suhyun.
“Top troll hunters keep their secrets close—no info shared. They customize their own combos. Public packages like that? Just basic junk. Waste of money.”
The owner gaped at Suhyun, stunned. He’d pegged him as a clueless rookie, but the kid knew the business inside out.
Spotting it, Kim Chang-sik boasted proudly.
“That’s my junior!”