Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: National Power-level (4)
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If they could just bring in Park Kang-hyuk, they'd wield influence rivaling the three major guilds.
On the flip side, if the Teynen Guild managed to recruit him, they'd rise to a position dominating Korea's hunter world.
"Uh... do you happen to know where Hunter Park Kang-hyuk's home is?"
"Pardon?"
The secretary stared at Yu-jin with a baffled look on her face.
Yu-jin dropped her head weakly.
"N-no, forget I asked."
In the end, Yu-jin stepped into the elevator and pressed the first-floor button with her foot.
Kang-hyuk had put all the scouting offers from the various guilds on hold.
"I'm not ready to join a guild just yet. For now... I want to get more used to real combat and learn more about the guilds out there."
"Then, we'd be grateful if you'd at least consider Teynen Guild at some point."
Kang-hyuk nodded once at the polite demeanor of the S1-rank Hunter, Kim Min-chan.
"Sure, got it."
"It was a real pleasure meeting you today."
Kang-hyuk shook hands with Min-chan and parted ways right after.
"Never thought I'd get to meet in person someone I only ever saw on TV."
Kang-hyuk let out a small wry chuckle.
He'd never had any intention of joining a guild in the first place.
Because of his memories from his past life, working under someone... just didn't sit right with him.
Kang-hyuk visited a real estate office and bought a 30-pyeong apartment in Dongjak-gu, along with three nearby commercial buildings.
The one for his parents was on a 50-pyeong lot—two stories above ground and one below.
The purchase price came to about 1.3 billion won.
He snagged the apartment for around 1 billion.
The other two commercial buildings went for about 2 billion each—also 50-pyeong lots with three stories above ground and one below.
The odd thing was how few shops were actually operating inside them.
Was it because the economy had tanked?
Seemed like the number of self-employed folks was dropping fast.
Kang-hyuk met with the shop owners still holding out and handed them moving compensation before clearing them out.
Then he got to work: floor refinishing, wallpaper replacement, fresh paint on the exterior—a full remodel.
Furniture and bedding started filling up the interiors.
Watching it all, Kang-hyuk reminisced about the past.
"Back when I started my own sect, it began just like this."
He'd used a small wooden outpost as a base, summoned homunculi, and formed a mercenary group called the Black Moon Sect.
That was the foundation of the Heavenly Demon God Cult.
"Feels nostalgic."
Kang-hyuk stepped into the newly renovated building and summoned his homunculi.
"We greet our creator."
Their gear was similar to his past life.
Shabby leather armor straight out of the Middle Ages and rusty iron swords missing teeth.
Outfit so poor even an F-rank hunter might look better.
"First, I'll teach you some basic common sense. The rest, learn from the computer."
He'd downloaded lecture videos for North Korean defectors settling in Korea onto the computers ahead of time.
There were about 30 machines ready to go.
After covering the essentials, Kang-hyuk handed out inner cores to them.
The ones he gave were 'LV.12 Inner Cores,' boosting magic power by 120 in one go.
A way to raise magic power without spending AP.
'I benefited a ton from these inner cores in my past life too.'
One per day max.
Even taking two at once only gave the effect of one.
Kang-hyuk summoned homunculi one by one, trained them up, and boosted their magic power.
The commercial building—from basement level one to third floor above ground—was all for the homunculi.
Dorms, cafeteria, classrooms, you name it.
Half the old underground parking on B1 was now a training hall and storage.
While the homunculi adapted to Earth life, his family moved to Dongjak-gu.
Their hardware store inventory got loaded onto trucks and shifted to the new building under his parents' names.
"Why are your eyes...?"
His father pointed at Kang-hyuk's red irises.
"They changed color a bit after my re-awakening."
"Your face looks... a little—no, a lot different too..."
Kang-hyuk gave a wry smile.
"Anyway, check out the building first."
"You bought the whole thing?"
"Yeah. Use the second floor for storage. I'll get a freight elevator installed separately."
"Wait, what the..."
The old hardware store had been a measly 24 pyeong.
Now it was 50-pyeong shop on the first floor, 50-pyeong storage on the second.
The underground parking could double as storage too, no problem.
"How in the world did you afford..."
"Oppa!"
His now-adult little sister, Park Yu-na, shoved her smartphone in Kang-hyuk's face.
"O-oppa, you're a National Power-level Hunter?!"
At Yu-na's question, both parents looked stunned.
"They say Park Kang-hyuk, the one who went into the Gwanggyo Mountain Gate, became a National Power-level Hunter! From E-rank to S1-rank...! And you were an E-rank hunter too, oppa!"
His father and mother had their suspicions too.
The name Park Kang-hyuk was blowing up on TV and the internet.
They'd stayed quiet since his face wasn't public, but seeing their son buy a whole building turned doubt into near-certainty.
"That's right, your brother's Park Kang-hyuk, the S1-rank hunter. So from now on, if anyone gives you grief, call your brother right away."
"F-for real? Oppa, you're really an S1-rank hunter?"
"Is it true?"
"Kang-hyuk, you really...?"
Kang-hyuk pulled out his hunter license from his pocket.
"Here."
The pristine white card clearly read S1-rank.
"No more being Mom and Dad's pack mule. I put this building in both your names jointly. The apartment too. Deposited about 1 billion in Mom's account for now. Pay off all the loans. And Yu-na, I put 10 million in yours. Go have fun with your friends properly."
The whole family stared at him in shock.
"N-no, 1 billion?!"
"Let your son play the dutiful role for once. Don't make a fuss. Buy a new car with some of it. Oh, and taxes—no worries. The association said they'd handle it."
"O-oppa, I love you!"
Yu-na threw herself into his arms.
"No more hunting for used books. Get new textbooks. I'll deposit 2 million every month—use it for tuition too."
"Got it!"
Kang-hyuk ruffled her hair.
"You're not pushing yourself too hard, are you?"
"I'm fine. Once I start raiding dungeons for real, the money will roll in. Don't worry—just check out the shop inside. Make sure the shelves are all in place."
His parents headed into the store to inspect the shelves.
He'd even ordered a new signboard, so the move wrapped up in a flash.
The new apartment came furnished with all new furniture and top-of-the-line appliances.
"Like it?"
"Yeah, it's perfect..."
"This my room?"
"Yep. Study hard in here."
"And oppa... you're gonna keep living independently?"
"Bought an apartment nearby. Planning to live there."
"Oh..."
"Why not just move in and live with us?"
Kang-hyuk gave a wry smile at his mother's question.
"Dungeons might keep me out late. Coming home at dawn would just be awkward... I'm almost thirty anyway. Time to live on my own."
"True, you need to start dating..."
Kang-hyuk messed up his little sister's hair again.
"Eek..."
"I'm planning to form my own guild. Met some folks while porter-ing—gonna raid with them."
"Alright, be careful."
"Nothing dangerous like last time..."
"I'm a National Power-level Hunter, remember? Even an S-rank magic beast goes down in seconds. No need to worry."
Hunter work was life-on-the-line stuff, so parents would fret no matter what.
"Anyway, for a while, I'll stick to low-rank dungeons just to build real combat experience."
To ease their worries, Kang-hyuk stressed there'd be no life-threatening risks and even mentioned the team size.
"Thirty people?!"
"Yeah, so I'm buying a bus and hiring a driver."
"Th-that much?"
"Safety in numbers."
The family nodded at the figure of thirty.
That many together? Yeah, somewhat reassuring.
"Oh, right—jjajangmyeon sound good? We just moved in..."
"Yeah, and some tangsuyuk too..."
Kang-hyuk ordered jjajangmyeon and sat on the floor with his family, chatting idly over the meal.
Afterward, he quietly established GH Guild.
Not officially registered.
Just an informal group.
Four 25-seater buses parked in the underground lot of the buildings designated as GH Guild's First and Second Headquarters.
"You don't have IDs, so no association gates for you. We'll head down to Jeolla Province and hunt magic beasts. I'll subdue them—you finish them off quick."
The eighty or so homunculi gathered in the First HQ basement nodded with determined faces.
"Arbon, I'm appointing you vice master of GH Guild. Take command when I'm away."
"Understood."
The black-haired twenty-something, Arbon, replied flatly.
"Drivers arrive, we roll out—so check your gear!"
The homunculi inspected their issued armor and weapons, while Vice Master Arbon checked the stock of lowest-to-low potions.
Once prep was done, the bus drivers hired by GH Guild arrived at the basement lot.
"Y-you're really paying 2 million? Gas too...?"
"Destination's Wanju, Jeolla Province. Drop us off, stay in Sejong City, pick us up in five days. Pay's 2 million, plus 50k per day for four nights motel—200k—and 150k meals. Total 2.35 million."
"Ah..."
"50k cash upfront."
Kang-hyuk glanced at Arbon, who handed prepped cash envelopes to the drivers.
"Got your licenses?"
"Yes, of course!"
"Thanks for the next five days. Everyone, board up!"
The homunculi started climbing aboard the buses.
The drivers chuckled softly at the sight.
Who'd expect armed hunters holed up in a commercial building basement?