Blissful Retirement: Eat, Nap, Hunt, Repeat
Park Jaeyoung leisurely savored his meal. What a crazy thought. This time, it was kimbap. He took a big bite, filling his mouth completely. With every chew, flavors burst forth—soy-braised fish cake, rolled omelet, pickled radish, spinach, ham, crab sticks, and more.
He swallowed the mouthful of kimbap, and just like that, two minutes had passed. Next up: instant noodles. Crack! He split his wooden chopsticks and grabbed the bowl. Two quick swirls of noodles, and they vanished—but he wasn't disappointed. That scant portion was part of the charm. From then on, he alternated between slurping broth and munching kimbap.
"All done."
He polished off every last bite without leaving a crumb, then leaned back on his hands. His body tilted slightly, bringing the sky into view. Through the vivid green leaves, a brilliant blue sky shone, with a gentle breeze rustling softly. The happiness he'd longed for was right here.
Park Jaeyoung stayed still for a while.
"Time to get moving."
Having fully indulged in the moment, he set off toward the peak ahead. A short climb later, he crested it, revealing a flat expanse. He tossed his backpack aside carelessly and surveyed the area.
"This is perfect."
To the right of the clearing stood a dense forest—timber on demand if he needed it. Descending the slope to the left revealed a stream, crystal-clear to the bottom and substantial in volume by the look of it. No worries about water shortages for crops or livestock. He'd checked via satellite already, but seeing it firsthand made it even better. No need to scout other sites.
This is the spot.
Park Jaeyoung pulled the tent from his backpack. Tossing it at the pre-selected site, it unfurled automatically—an artifact embedded with a mana stone, no doubt setting up the interior too. He unpacked a camping chair, set it up in front of the tent, and flopped into it.
Wobble! It tilted sharply, but the chair was an artifact as well. Balance magic kicked in, steadying him. Sinking into the chair, he gazed at the sky. A bright summer afternoon. Just existing felt good. A grin crept across his face.
I'll nap a bit and think later.
He closed his eyes. There was no rush at all.
His head was fuzzy from sleep. Yawn! Park Jaeyoung stretched his mouth wide in a massive yawn. Another stretch changed nothing, so he gave up waking fully and burrowed back into the camping chair. If sleep wouldn't leave? Sleep more. He could do that now.
"……."
No sooner had his eyes shut than sleep claimed him again, his steady breathing the only sound.
Park Jaeyoung woke again as the sun dipped low.
"What time is it?"
His smartphone read 6 p.m. A four-hour nap. The most relaxed siesta since becoming a hunter. Before founding the association, gates meant constant clashes. As president, he prevented them. Twenty-four-seven vigilance. All ancient history now.
"More rest?"
Then his stomach growled. Grrrowl! Six o'clock—dinnertime. With a big stretch, he climbed down from the chair and approached his backpack beside the tent. Subspace expansion, lightweight, freshness preservation, theft-proof—the works. It held everything for settling in.
He unpacked a mini fridge, another artifact that ran without electricity. Most of his gear was like that; money was no issue.
He unfolded a spacious cooking table—big enough to lie on—and set up his tools.
"Kimchi stew it is."
One menu popped into his head amid options. Sometimes the classics were best. Ripe kimchi, pork belly, tofu, minced garlic, green chilies, scallions, chili powder, sugar, bottled water. He grabbed ingredients from the fridge and got cooking.
Once the pot heated, in went the pork belly, sizzling as it browned and released an appetizing aroma. Monsters might come sniffing, but no sweat.
Just kill 'em.
No beast in these uninhabited zones threatened him. Worldwide, few did. He'd have raided them as president otherwise—city invasions spelled disaster.
The pork was nicely seared; the stuck bits would add flavor. A splash of water, then prep time. He sliced scallions and chilies on the bias, cubed the tofu in its pack, shredded the kimchi long and thin.
"Perfect timing."
The pot had reduced nicely. He added kimchi and stirred. Once softened, more water, garlic, chili powder, sugar. Now, simmer.
"A light drink?"
He dragged the camping chair over, fetched a beer from the fridge. Pop! Hiss! Cicadas for ambiance, he chugged the cold brew.
"This is paradise."
The can emptied fast. One wasn't enough; he grabbed another. Sipping, he scanned around. No monster presence, even expanding his senses. Just small fry. Unlike lunch, no interruptions.
"Smells insane."
The stew's aroma peaked. In went tofu, chilies, scallions. He added soju and hunter-grade instant rice—mana-activated for instant heating, pricey but irrelevant.
One spoonful of stew, and his eyes went wide.
"Holy shit."
Makes food exceptionally delicious.
From then on, Park Jaeyoung focused solely on eating. He only set down his spoon to pour soju. Not a word until the pot was scraped clean. Worth every penny of that 100 million skillbook.
Dinner done, the moon was up. Croak croak! The nearby stream amplified the frogs. Park Jaeyoung tidied up and unpacked gear from his backpack. Nothing pressing, so a forest stroll.
Minimal load: rings etched with shield and fire resistance, canteen at his belt, ever-present sword. Honestly, even that felt excessive. Post-SSS-rank, he often went sword-only—even on disaster raids. But no support team now; solo meant precautions. Old hunter habits.
Rustle rustle!
He pushed through underbrush, not bothering with stealth. He stomped branches deliberately, luring monsters. Living here meant regular cleanups—like checking home after errands.
Thud! Thud!
A troll appeared right on cue. Park Jaeyoung drew his sword in a long vertical slash. The troll split, white flames erupting from the wound.
Whoosh!
The fire erased it instantly—no regen chance. Even the trickiest B-rank troll was trash mob to him.
"Hm?"
Heading on, a faint presence pinged—missable without the sword drawn. He turned.
Whoosh! A small shape leaped branch to branch, fleeing fast. No hostility; it would've attacked otherwise.
Park Jaeyoung pressed deeper. Post-association and government neglect, gate breaks had flooded the zone. Variety increased inward: werewolves, giant mantises, dullahans. Unpredictable, but more fun than monotony.
A training ground for hunters later? Nah, what a crazy thought.
He shook his head vigorously. The association would manage. He trusted Kim Minseo—and himself for training her. No frontline return. He was truly retired.