I Am a Reincarnator
I opened my eyes and immediately started groping all over my body.
"Back again."
The Reincarnator Gift wasn't a one-time thing after all.
My once-in-a-lifetime gamble had paid off!
Once I'd grasped the situation, I checked [My Information] right away.
Seeing my stats, my eyes flashed.
I clenched my fists tight and wanted to thrust them into the air with a cheer.
I'd finally escaped the eternal intern life!
With my Gongryeok at D-rank, I was now a full-time employee at Hunter Stock Company.
Full-time employee—that was the rank for hunters with D-grade stats.
The only regrettable part was that I hadn't fully absorbed the power of the Jade Legged Blood Hand's inner core.
But that was only natural.
I'd been a mere intern without any proper internal energy cultivation method.
It was absurd to think I could fully take in the inner core's spiritual energy like that.
Plus, right before I died, Madric Blood had sucked up all the blood infused with that energy.
But in that moment, I was happy. Truly.
Skipping straight from eternal intern to full-time employee, bypassing even contract worker E-rank—it was a meteoric promotion.
As if reading my mind, the department head standing in front of me asked,
"Newbie. Got some good news or something?"
This was right after starting at the company, during my interview with the department head.
My regression point was exactly this moment.
"No, ma'am."
"What's your name?"
"Kim Jeongha."
I answered Madric Blood, and she asked,
"Stats?"
"Gongryeok at D."
"Come take the exam later."
"Understood."
When I was F-rank—an intern—she hadn't even mentioned exams.
But instead of passing me by as I expected, Madric Blood's face drew closer.
"Sniff sniff."
"……?"
Suddenly, she sniffed me and tilted her head.
"Is something wrong?"
I quickly guessed the reason.
Probably the lingering scent of the Jade Legged Blood Hand's inner core wafting from me.
I didn't know exactly what she sensed, but maybe the aroma of blood or something.
Madric Blood was extremely sensitive to anything blood-related.
"Hmph... Nothing."
As she passed by my side,
"Ha, seriously. What the hell is this guy even doing?"
Oh right, that guy was here too.
The one with the bright yellow-dyed hair.
His swaggering walk screamed deadbeat.
The fool who got his throat slit after mouthing off to Madric Blood.
Why do fantasy novels always have one of those characters?
Suddenly dragged to another world.
Mouths off to the mission-giving entity and gets executed as an example.
After that, everyone realizes it's no joke, panics, or steels themselves.
That was exactly this guy's role.
In my previous life, that was the corpse Choi Heejeong and I incinerated.
Madric Blood scowled.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"What do you mean? Why should I listen to someone li—"
It happened when the deadbeat got close.
Thwack!
"Gahk!"
The guy crumpled after my fist met the back of his head, knocked out cold.
"……?"
Madric Blood glanced between the fallen guy and me, her eyebrow twitching.
"You'd better explain what this is about."
"Haha... Truth is, he's my friend."
A lie, of course.
With my third life secured, I planned to save anyone who crossed my path if I could.
Knocking him out with a punch wasn't hard.
"Is that so? What's his name?"
I sighed inwardly in relief and answered.
"Kim Hansu."
I'd heard his name in my first life, right before the department head killed him.
"Stats?"
"Not sure. He never told me."
Madric Blood nodded.
"Bring him to the exam room together later."
"Yes, ma'am."
Glancing sideways, I saw Choi Heejeong staring at me with a look of wonder.
This life, I'd already made a strong impression from the start.
On everyone here.
On the way to the exam room.
Kim Hansu's body, sprawled in the lobby, twitched.
He pushed himself up, rubbing the back of his head and groaning.
"Aigoo... My head."
Finally awake.
Looking around, he seemed to be searching for his attacker.
Our eyes met, and Kim Hansu suddenly spoke.
"What're you staring at? Fuck."
"……."
Listen to this guy talk.
Maybe I should've just let the department head kill him.
"Nothing."
I didn't want to get involved, so I turned to keep walking.
"Hey, bro."
"……?"
He called me over and strode up.
"You know why I was passed out? Felt like something thwacked the back of my head."
"Department head hit you, you passed out. End of story."
"Department head? You mean that redhead chick from earlier?"
"Yeah."
Kim Hansu furrowed his brow.
"Hmm... She was right in front of me, though. How'd she hit the back of my head?"
The guy had sharp instincts.
"Newbies like us can't even see her moves, she's that fast."
"Yeah?"
"Yep."
I nodded calmly.
"Whatever, fine."
He grinned, sticking out his hand.
"What's this?"
"We met like this, so shake on it. Oh, and drop the formal talk, bro."
I could guess his game.
"Sure."
I grabbed his hand casually and squeezed.
Kim Hansu's face twisted.
"Agh! Hold on hold on hold on!"
This was the power of the Jade Legged Blood Hand's inner core, intern boy.
I let go, and he chuckled, "Heh heh."
"Whoa, bro's got some grip. You work out?"
Not just the inner core—I'd trained my body steadily for 20 years.
Even without it, normals were no problem.
Though at that level, you'd die easy here.
But not anymore.
I pointed at his face.
"Plenty of ways to get strong besides working out."
"Hmm. Like?"
"Seen your stats?"
"Yeah, pretty clean. Heh heh."
"What's your Gift?"
"Not telling."
Tch. Not biting.
Sharp guy.
In past lives, Kim Hansu died early, so I never learned his stats or Gift.
"Fine, whatever."
I turned to walk again.
"Good timing, though. Follow me to the exam room. Unless you want an earful from the department head."
"Her orders?"
"Yep."
He scowled, ruffling his hair.
"Ah, damn. What a pain."
So I walked through the lobby with Kim Hansu.
Inside the company—bathrooms, cafeteria, etc.—anything without a special name was just called the "lobby."
It had stuck in employees' mouths, like linguistic culture.
Soon, looking up at the sign, Kim Hansu spoke.
"Hmm, so this is the Technical Information Division, huh."
The rank exam room was in the Technical Information Division.
He continued.
"Gonna tour and pick a good department?"
"Nah. You and I are already in Safety Planning Department."
"I never signed up anywhere."
"That's why you're in Safety Planning."
"Huh? What kinda logic is that?"
"Shouldn't have passed out."
New hires came daily.
Hunters died daily.
Departments took turns with priority recruitment rights.
When I first arrived, it was Safety Planning's turn.
That's why Kim Hansu and I were assigned there.
"Can't say no?"
"Too late."
Kim Hansu clearly didn't like the department head.
Makes sense—fated to die at her hands on first meeting.
Be grateful, punk.
Clank.
We entered the Safety Planning Department building.
"A company inside a company building. Wild. Heh heh."
Technically, it was an internal department building, but whatever.
We headed up to the exam floor and ran into Madric Blood waiting.
Now, just seeing her face brought back the feel of her lips.
My last memory before death—I wouldn't forget it anytime soon.
Though she'd never remember.
Regrettable.
Madric Blood's red lips parted.
"You're here."
She glanced at my side.
"Quite close with your friend, I see."
"Yes, ma'am. He was itching to take the exam too."
"Mmph? When did I— Mmph!"
I clamped my hand over his mouth.
"I see. Right on time."
Madric Blood nodded at the glass-walled exam room.
"Go in. Starting now."
"Got it. Private room for two, please."
"Fine."
"……Mmmph!"
I dragged Kim Hansu inside.
I let go, and he gasped, "Puhah!" then whined.
"Bro! What the hell? I never said I wanted the exam."
"Gotta know your ally's level. Match breaths that way."
"Hmm……."
He pondered, then chuckled and nodded.
"Fine. I'll play along. Curious about this Gift thing anyway."
"Smart."
We entered the glass enclosure.
Prepare!
The department head's voice boomed through the speaker.
The exam started immediately.
Vrrr!
The test was dodging rotating saw blades.
My Gongryeok was D-rank, so the difficulty matched.
Hot blood energy surged through my veins.
Time to test the Jade Legged Blood Hand's inner core power!
Before, my Gongryeok was a pittance, like a chick's tear.
Now, I felt like I could lift a car one-handed.
Dodging saws with that power? Easy.
I channeled Gongryeok into my body and kicked a blade's side—crunch, metal crumpled.
Yes, this was it.
This power was what I craved.
"Oho. Nice one, bro."
His voice pulled my gaze.
"……?"
Kim Hansu stood still as a saw whirled toward him.
What was he doing?
Test saw or not, it'd hurt like hell.
Then he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.
Snap!
"……?!"
With a sound effect, everything turned blue.
Hummm!
"Heh heh heh."
The blade's spin slowed dramatically.
Vrrr... rrr... ing.
Something halting the rotation? Or time slowing?
Kim Hansu's Gift?
Outside the glass, Madric Blood watched with apparent interest.
Soon, the exam ended.
I exited with Kim Hansu.
Madric Blood's gaze dropped below me.
Following it—my pants were torn, skin scraped, blood oozing.
"It's nothing."
After a lifetime of wounds, this was trivial.
"Hoh. Most newbies just dodge. Not bad."
She smirked and nodded.
"Good. I'll issue your full-time card soon."
"Thank you."
I cheered inwardly.
No more rice gruel with grit!
"And you……."
She looked aside.
Kim Hansu avoided her eyes, pretending otherwise.
Madric Blood continued undeterred.
"We'll observe more. See you on Underground Floor 10 later."
She vanished from sight.
Kim Hansu grumbled.
"What? No card for me?"
"Depends on your performance. They'll match your rank."
"Oh yeah?"
"Even low stats get credit for good Gifts."
Though too low, and Gifts have limits.
"Yours is unique. Bet you'll score high."
After 20 years seeing every Gift, I could say that confidently.
Such talent wasted, dying unseen.
Department head was blind.
Kim Hansu scratched his temple.
"Anyway, I showed mine. Fair's fair—your Gift?"
"Got someone to introduce you to about that."
"Who?"
Seeing beats hearing a hundred times.
I led him off.
Choi Heejeong said she'd tour after eating and invited me.
But this life, exam-bound, I'd refused.
Hunter Stock Company had welfare facilities for employees.
Wouldn't take long to find her.
Interns had limited access.
"There, in the training room."
I pointed.
Kim Hansu followed my finger and sneered.
"Girlfriend?"
"Jealous?"
"Heh heh heh. Nah."
How'd he know?
Anyway, I approached Choi Heejeong, sweating in tight training clothes.
"Heejeong."
"Oh? Jeongha. Who's the guy...?"
I beckoned Kim Hansu.
"Introduce yourself. This is my coworker, Choi Heejeong."
"Says it like I'm not."
Kim Hansu eyed her up and down, bowing half-heartedly.
"Kim Hansu."
"……Haha. Hi, Hansu."
She looked back at me.
"What brings you? How'd the exam go?"
"Department head promoted me to full-time."
Choi Heejeong's eyes widened.
"Whoa! Congrats, Jeongha. No more gritty porridge!"
I brushed it off with a smile, pointing at Kim Hansu.
"He wants to know my Gift. And you need to hear something too."
"Your Gift? You sure it's okay to share?"
"Mine's a special case."
I glanced around and whispered,
"Got a Gift that reveals how to conquer the underground. Something to share with Safety Planning hunters."
"Aha!"
Lying without batting an eye—basic reincarnator skill.
"Department head knows too, then."
I shook my head.
"No. Just us three."
"Huh? Why?"
"She's too lofty to listen. We three can handle Underground Floor 10 easy."
"Hmm……."
"Let's talk somewhere quiet."
"Okay."