Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Flex
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“A B-rank Healer wanted for a foreign expedition with a strong guild! Someone to make new history like in the recent Russian incident! Come on over!”
“Buy A-rank potions here! From basic stamina and healing potions to all kinds of performance-boosting options—plenty to choose from!”
The airport was the same as always.
Hunters waiting for their flights.
And street vendors targeting those hunters.
“Hey~ young man! Grab a chicken skewer before you go! This isn’t just any ordinary stuff! It’s a chicken skewer that boosts your stamina recovery for a full day!”
Of course, the vendors were all hunters too.
Ever since humanity gained unique abilities upon turning twenty.
They were just production-class hunters, not combat ones.
“Phew, here we are again.”
About two weeks since last time?
That lined up with the Russian expedition departure.
Wearing my mask, I took in the airport scene.
The soft, unfamiliar sensation on my face.
A black fox mask I’d bought on impulse from a roadside shop.
More precisely, a squinting fox mask.
“Seriously, you even pick masks like yours.”
The old man muttered.
“What’s wrong with it?”
“It looks shady as hell at first glance—like you’re hiding something.”
“Huh? Me, shady? Who’s more straightforward and honest than me?”
“Hmph, yeah right.”
Exchanging pointless banter with the old man, I looked around.
Everywhere.
People wearing masks just like me.
Their common trait.
They’d all removed the badges on their belts that showed their hunter ranks.
“That’s how it should be. I never got it, even back then. The weak should hide themselves as a basic rule, but here everyone struts around like they’ve won a trophy, badges and all... Ridiculous, isn’t it?”
“Nah, it’s not about being weak. I just don’t want the hassle of people swarming me...”
“Not you, you idiot—the idiots over there.”
“Hmm.”
I had to agree with the old man, to some extent.
In this world, showing your rank.
Was like exposing your weakness.
“But hey, it’s worth bragging about, really.”
As a former three-year E-rank hunter.
From my experience.
“Once you hit B-rank or higher, you’re the pride of your family, top 5% talent... Wouldn’t you want to show it off? After all that effort, they just want some recognition.”
Now that I’d become a high ranker, I finally had the leisure to think that way.
If I’d barely scraped B-rank back in the day.
I might’ve strutted around with my shoulders back, just like them.
“Tsk tsk. Well, our world had plenty of those types too. Local hotshots who thought they were hot stuff. All ended up as my meal, though.”
“Man, there sure are a lot of people here.”
Ask anyone where the busiest hunter market in Korea is.
A hundred out of a hundred will name two spots.
Gangnam Go-Two Mall underground.
And Incheon International Airport.
True to its reputation, the place reeked of humanity.
After walking a bit.
[Ding!]
A green light flashed in the chat window.
[Water Witch: What? What! For real, Hoon?]
[Water Witch: You’re coming to Oxford for fun?]
[Water Witch: Of course I welcome you with open arms!]
An hour ago.
I’d announced my destination in the alumni chat.
She must’ve been busy—only checking now.
[Water Witch: Why are you coming?]
[Water Witch: Sightseeing in England?]
[Water Witch: Or visiting the Magic Tower?]
[Water Witch: Oh, wait—did the Tower Master invite you last time? No way!]
She was making such a fuss I regretted mentioning it...
‘Bigger problem though.’
Someone even more excited had been spamming the chat non-stop.
[Kim Jin-ah: Guild Master!]
[Kim Jin-ah: This is our chance!]
[Kim Jin-ah: You know the Magic Tower’s impossible to enter without an invite, right?]
[Kim Jin-ah: It’s number one on every tourism geek’s bucket list!]
[Kim Jin-ah: You have to take it all in!]
[Kim Jin-ah: The layout, the buildings, how they host guests—everything.]
[Kim Jin-ah: We need to benchmark it!]
[Kim Jin-ah: Got it? You must! Must! Must! Must!]
Total...
Chaos in the chat, from both sides.
“Hey, kid. Why’d you stop dead in your tracks? Let’s keep sightseeing. This world’s way more colorful and fun, for sure.”
No, not both sides...
Three directions.
‘Sigh.’
How’d it come to this?
I sighed inwardly, tossed off some replies in the chat, and shoved it to the edge of my vision.
Pushed to both sides like that.
It blinks green every time a message comes in.
And if it’s urgent, Kapu can force it open—so I could relax and do what I needed.
Step, step.
I headed slowly toward the boarding area.
Time to check in for the flight.
I pulled a shiny card from my pocket.
The S-rank hunter exclusive card from Choi Tae-seung.
“Hello, sir. This is the VIP exit, so if you could just verify your identity...”
“Here.”
I flashed the card at the polite flight attendant.
“They said this gets you business or first class for free, right?”
“...!”
The attendant flinched upon seeing the card.
“Y-yes, that’s correct, Ranker.”
Calling me a ranker just from the S-rank mark.
Did it reveal my identity precisely?
‘Well.’
It had to, for ticketing.
This was an airport, after all.
Beep, bleep!
She checked the system and asked cautiously.
“Joo Dong-hoon, correct? If it’s not too much trouble, could you remove your mask...?”
“Sure.”
I lifted.
The black fox mask slightly.
The attendant’s eyes widened even more.
“V-verified. Any luggage to check?”
“Nope, I’m good.”
No issues—Dmitri made me this backpack.
“Yes, the flight to Heathrow in two hours, right...? Here’s your ticket, sir.”
Well-trained, she guided me calmly without fuss.
Couldn’t afford to inconvenience a VIP with drama.
“Um, sir.”
But she couldn’t hide her fangirl vibes.
“Could I maybe get an autograph...?”
“Sure, why not.”
She’d mustered the courage despite the risk.
Least I could do.
* * *
“Heh heh heh, quite the celebrity now, eh? You know that girl back there? Her heart rate doubled just from seeing your face.”
Talking about the attendant?
“...Well, I’m a ranker.”
I’d been the same once.
Never met one in person, but I’d glue myself to the TV whenever they appeared.
Only 1,000 such seats worldwide.
And high rankers were the top 10% of those.
So I got it—understood people’s feelings.
Idols.
I was a hunter idol now.
“So thanks to you, old timer.”
“Huh, suddenly?”
“Yeah, without you, I’d still be struggling down there.”
“Heh heh, is that so?”
The old man grinned.
“So, what now? Still time before that scrap heap takes off.”
Scrap heap—his term for the plane.
“Gonna browse the stalls.”
I’d given all my emergency rations to Russian civilians last time.
Never knew when or where a dungeon might pop.
Time to restock fully.
‘Let’s see.’
Card limit was 10 billion won a year, right?
They give you a limit, might as well use it up—common courtesy?
“The stalls?”
“Yeah, shopping spree.”
* * *
Bustling.
Market packed with hunters and merchants.
Big street markets naturally sort into sectors over time.
Better to sell where demand clusters than grab spots randomly.
“Come on over!”
“Food here—expiration dates guaranteed! Dungeon-ready!”
“Bought food? Grab potions too! Special ability potions—take a look!”
Food and potions end up in similar sectors.
Dungeon-goers stop by both, buying a few of each.
“Hey, Kim!”
“Huh?”
A scattered uncle looked up.
Kim’s unique ability: 「Chef」.
His dishes grant all kinds of buffs.
“Business picking up?”
“As if. Sigh, too many production types...”
Production abilities were relatively rare.
About 10% compared to combat ones?
And within that.
Blacksmiths, tailors, chefs, jewelers, alchemists, perfumers—tons of categories, so yeah, scarce.
But.
Scarce relatively.
Still plenty.
Out of billions worldwide, same-job folks numbered in the hundreds of thousands at least.
And not just that.
Business or combat—world only cares about number ones.
Markets are brutal—you gotta satisfy one.
Top quality.
Or killer value.
“Tsk tsk, your cooking’s top-notch, but you gotta advertise.”
“Advertise? Place is swarming already.”
The two uncles.
Venting frustrations, sharing the grind.
That’s when.
“W-what? You’re buying EVERYTHING here?”
“Y-yes! Take this too! 30% off if you clear us out!”
“Hey, check this product!”
Uproar.
Chaos erupted in the middle of the sector.
“Huh? What’s up?”
“Damn, a whale alert!”
“Whale?!”
Those rare big spenders who drop massive cash, saving the street economy.
Industry calls them whales.
“Look over there!”
In their direction, a man was buying food and potions.
Wearing a pitch-black fox mask.
Examining items the merchants offered.
“Hm, quality’s meh. Pass.”
“Oh, this is decent. Market price 400k won, right? I’ll take it for 500k. Gimme everything you got.”
“Hmm, this one’s iffy. Half off at 150k, and I’ll buy it all.”
Like possessed.
He appraised and priced on the spot.
Fair prices too.
Merchants handed stuff over without complaint.
Good stuff even above market.
Iffy ones discounted.
“Crazy.”
“Not just picking some—he clears the stock if it meets his bar! Ten or a hundred, doesn’t matter! Jackpot. How much money does he...”
“Who the hell... Huh?”
Mid-sentence, Kim’s eyes lit up.
“That’s an Association exclusive S-rank card? Right?!”
“What, an S-rank hunter?!”
“Yeah, let’s go! Train’s leaving!”
The two uncles bundled their goods.
Their shop’s best, best-sellers, top performers.
Not just them.
Every merchant in the sector.
Had to be.
Opportunities don’t knock twice.