Episode 27
Episode 27
Translation: Godtl
[Game session terminated.]
[Data saved.]
[Cheon Mu-jin, Successor of the Thunder Fist.]
The familiar sight of his studio apartment greeted him as he opened his eyes. In the game, he was a candidate for the position of Young Cult Leader, but in reality, he remained nothing more than a hunter hopeful. Of course, that was about to change. He had already confirmed that the abilities he acquired in the game carried over to reality. So what about the Thunder Fist he had just mastered? Cheon Mu-jin clenched his fist and gathered his energy. Whooosh! He could distinctly feel the energy coalescing. 'Perfect.'
Now that he could wield the Thunder Fist, his first order of business was obtaining a hunter license. He would visit the Hunter Association, report his awakened abilities, and once licensed, his options for acquiring weapons would expand significantly. Graduating from Korea University's Hunter Studies department wasn't the only path to becoming a hunter—it merely provided foundational knowledge and training to awaken one's abilities. Without delay, Mu-jin rushed to the Hunter Association. "This is your seventh application, I see."
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"Technically, no. However, your previous six attempts showed absolutely no measurable awakened abilities."
"And?"
"Wouldn't it be better to give up at this point? It's just a waste of taxpayer money."
The association employee kept nagging. Who does this guy think he is? Mu-jin made a mental note to file a complaint against him later. Ignoring the remark, he stepped up to the ability measurement device. The process was simple—channel his full power into the machine, and it would automatically classify and measure his abilities. Whooosh! Power surged into his right hand. He drove it straight into the device.
Thunder Fist, First Move—Thunder Clap!
BOOOOM!
The moment his strike slammed into the measurement device, the numerical gauge beside it skyrocketed, threatening to shatter the scale. Simultaneously, the employee's eyes bulged. "Still not good enough?"
Instead of answering, the man shut his mouth and quietly began processing the paperwork. Just like that, Cheon Mu-jin became an F-rank hunter.
After receiving his certification, Mu-jin headed to the lecture hall for class, where he ran into his friend and classmate, Go Tae-jun. "Cheon Mu-jin! Heard you finally awakened your abilities!"
"Oh, you already know?"
"Of course! News of you getting licensed spread like wildfire."
"Did it?"
Tae-jun clapped him on the shoulder and grinned. "We gotta celebrate with drinks!"
"Yeah, it's been a while."
Soon, several other classmates came over to congratulate him.
"So you're a hunter now? This is just the beginning."
"That's right—heard you've got some kind of shockwave ability?"
"All that's left is for you to make it big."
Most of the well-wishes were perfunctory, but after all the struggles he'd endured, their words still lifted his spirits. Besides, he had enough gold from the martial arts game to treat everyone to drinks.
Then, someone's mocking voice cut through the chatter.
"What's so impressive about becoming a measly F-rank hunter?"
Turning, he saw Lee Yoon-seo—arguably the most accomplished hunter in their department. Rumor had it she had reached D-rank while still in school. Considering that even B-rank hunters wielded significant influence, her achievement was nothing to scoff at. She was also considered quite attractive, which only added to her popularity—and arrogance.
But after growing accustomed to the peerless beauties like Ye-ryeong and Ju-rin in the martial arts game, Mu-jin found Yoon-seo's looks merely average. He ignored her.
"Anyway, to celebrate becoming a hunter today—drinks are on me!"
"Wooohooo!!"
"Cheon Mu-jin! Cheon Mu-jin!"
"Mu-jin is a god, and I am his devout follower!"
The crowd erupted, their attention fully captured by his declaration of free alcohol. With a disdainful scoff, Yoon-seo stormed out of the lecture hall. Mu-jin barely spared her a glance.
***
"Ughhh..."
Waking up with a pounding hangover, Mu-jin immediately reached for his phone on the desk. But an unfamiliar slip of paper lay on the table.
"What's this?"
Had he received something like this before? His throbbing head made it hard to recall. After downing a glass of cold water, a vague memory surfaced.
Last night, after a heavy drinking session, he and his friends had headed to a karaoke bar. Outside, a part-time worker handing out flyers had caught his eye—she was pretty, so he'd taken one without even checking what it was. Now, he decided to read it.
<We'll Make You a Hunter! Practical Martial Arts—Heaven-Shattering Style!>
"...Is this some cult recruitment ad?"
"Just learning martial arts won't make you a hunter. If that were possible, I wouldn't have failed the hunter exam six times already." But the part-time worker handing out flyers yesterday had been pretty. Thinking back, she had introduced herself as an instructor at the Heaven-Shattering Martial Arts Hall. The moment her face floated into his mind, his lower half was already bulging. Following his lower half's orders, Cheon Mu-jin set off toward the Heaven-Shattering Martial Arts Hall. Of course, this was purely for the sake of training in the Thunder Fist. There was absolutely no other motive.
The Heaven-Shattering Martial Arts Hall was located in the countryside, a full hour beyond the university district where Mu-jin lived. Taking the bus there was grueling. Once I make some money, the first thing I'm buying is a car.
Now that he was a hunter, he could earn money by entering Gates. Of course, he could already afford one just by selling the gold he'd brought from the Murim game, but the problem was the source of the funds. Small living expenses were one thing, but that level of spending would definitely draw scrutiny from the National Tax Service. If that happened, even the things he'd brought over so far could become an issue. But if he became a hunter and claimed the earnings came from inside a Gate, there'd be no problem.
Lost in these thoughts, he suddenly spotted the Heaven-Shattering Martial Arts Hall. Despite its rural location, the scale was surprisingly large. And contrary to its old-fashioned name, the building was a sleek, modern high-rise. "A place this big, and they're still sending people out to hand out flyers?"
Skeptical, he stepped inside. The layout was simple—the first floor was a parking lot for visitors, while the second floor and above were designated as the martial hall. According to the directory, it was a massive facility spanning all the way up to the seventh floor. The problem was, despite its size, there were almost no students in sight. "Is it because the location's so remote?"
A place an hour away from the city center was definitely unsuitable for a daily training academy. Even Mu-jin himself had no intention of coming back a second time.
Creak.
The moment he opened the door and stepped inside, a woman rushed out, beaming. Though she wore almost no makeup, she was undeniably beautiful.
"What brings you here today?"
"I got a flyer," Mu-jin said, pulling out the crumpled pamphlet.
The woman's face lit up with a salesperson's smile as she immediately sidled up next to him. "Oh my! You're a prospective student, then? If you want to become a hunter, there's nothing better than the Heaven-Shattering Style! Would you mind filling out some registration forms first?"
Her speed was astonishing. She then launched into a lengthy spiel about all the benefits of the Heaven-Shattering Style—good for health, prevents aging, blah blah blah. It was so long that Mu-jin gave up trying to memorize it.
Feeling like this was dragging on, Mu-jin pulled out his hunter license from his wallet. "Uh... I don't think I need the hunter basics. I'm already a hunter."
"Eh...?"
"So... does that mean you're not signing up?"
"No, I will. I do want to learn the Heaven-Shattering Style."
"Ah..."
The woman's momentarily stiffened expression softened again. She immediately reached under the desk and pulled out a gym uniform, handing it to Mu-jin. He briefly wondered why gym clothes were stored under a desk but decided to ignore it.
Following her directions, Mu-jin entered the changing room and quickly swapped into the uniform. It felt more like something you'd wear in a sauna than a gym, but he forced himself into it anyway. I'll buy my own proper gym clothes later, he thought as he stepped back out.
Even outside, there were still no people in sight. "At this point, is this place even properly running a business?"
Checking his watch, the hour hand was already pointing at 1 o'clock. Even the laziest person training to be a hunter should be here by now, right? This felt more like a completely deserted place. "Did I come to the wrong place?"
He'd come all this way for one woman, and now this... Just then—
"You're already done changing?"
Turning around, he saw the same woman who had handed out flyers yesterday and greeted him earlier walking toward him. Unlike before, when she'd been in formal office wear, she was now clad in skin-tight leggings.
"Hell yeah. This is what I'm talking about. Coming here was the right call."
All his earlier doubts vanished in an instant as his gaze locked onto her.
Her skin had a healthy glow to it, and not an ounce of excess fat could be found on her body.
Most of all, the leggings she wore revealed every curve of her figure in stark relief.
Damn, those hips are something else. And her chest—that's gotta be a full B-cup, right?
Suddenly, his motivation flared up.
His interest in the Heaven-Shattering Style shot up, and his fascination with the woman before him grew even stronger.
"Are you the gentleman from earlier?"
"Ah, yes."
Cheon Mu-jin immediately stepped forward and introduced himself.
"My name is Cheon Mu-jin."
"Oh, I'm Baek Ha-rin."