The Resolve of an F-Class Investigator
Afternoon sunlight slanted across the desk after lunch, leaving the faint scent of coffee lingering in the office. Jaehoon hyung turned his terminal toward me.
“The Namyangju dungeon report just came in. Hyunmu outsourced it to Hwasung Tech Division.”
“Hyunmu isn’t going in themselves?”
“They said this section is for testing. The main goal is verifying equipment performance, so they’re only handling oversight. Hwasung takes the field.”
“This isn’t the first time equipment testing has gone to civilians, right?”
“Not the first, but the scale this time is the largest yet.”
Jaehoon hyung enlarged the screen. Corporate and guild logos sat side by side.
“Looking at this, I can’t even tell anymore whether guilds are clinging to corporations or corporations are buying guilds outright.”
“It all comes down to who holds the initiative.”
“The money’s already locked in, so the power structure won’t shift. Hansung Tech is tied to Hyunmu, and every other top guild has its own corporate backer.”
“So the equipment naturally goes to them first.”
“All official models head straight there. We’re next in line—we just verify whatever trickles down.”
“Official gear does reach us eventually, though.”
“It does… but the schedule keeps getting pushed back. Official lines get deprioritized, and what reaches us first are always the samples.”
“They send samples ahead for data collection?”
“Exactly. Output fluctuates too much, so they need baseline values. We establish those before the final model gets locked in.”
“And only after that do we get our allocation.”
“That’s how the order works. Top guilds first, us dead last.”
“So in the field we make do with samples, and proper equipment only arrives much later.”
“Roughly, yeah. We generate the data, the finished product goes to the top, and the investigation teams get it last.”
“Doesn’t sound very efficient.”
“Efficiency isn’t the priority.”
“You feel it too, don’t you? These sections aren’t as straightforward as they used to be.”
“The readings keep getting strange. The entrance is stable, but inside the fluctuations spike… the patterns don’t match older dungeons.”
“They know. But upstairs they want to stamp everything ‘no anomalies.’”
“Because of the budget.”
“Budget and accident settlement costs. If something goes wrong, the first thing they calculate is liability.”
“That’s why we have to be even more thorough. At the very least, the reports need to be accurate.”
“You’re right about that. I heard a few of your recent reports went straight upstairs.”
“Mine?”
“Yeah. They needed them. Said your organization was clean.”
“…That’s good, I guess.”
“It’s more than good. No need to carry extra pressure over it.”
Jaehoon hyung closed the last file and looked up.
“Jihoon, you picked up on something this time, didn’t you? The report flow felt different.”
“…A little.”
“That ‘little’ can make a big difference later.”
“I just need to stay alive first.”
“That’s the baseline.”
Our voices settled quietly into the office. The coffee scent had almost faded; only the sunlight on the documents continued its slow crawl across the desk.
Then Jaehoon hyung scrolled through the monitor and lifted his head.
“Jihoon, did you see the news?”
“What news?”
“Logan Height. The SS-rank who went to America.”
“Logan Height? He’s Korean, isn’t he?”
“Real name Ha Taejun. Signed with Eden Strike.”
“Really? I heard he was still getting offers from Seoul until recently… so he went after all.”
“Eden’s different. Equipment, research labs, funding—the specs are on another level.”
“Now Korea only has one SS-rank left: Kang Muhyun.”
“That guy’s a combat type. Pure force.”
“Logan Height is a recovery support. In the end, they both stand on the same battlefield.”
“They say there are barely ten SS-ranks in the world, and America already snatched three. Ha Taejun’s one of them.”
“Korea originally had two. Now it’s just Kang Muhyun.”
“The other two went to Sahasra Dev in India and Mukunda in South Africa. Both signed with Eden Strike this time.”
“Power really does follow capital.”
“Still, some people might come back someday.”
“Hyung, that line was in the news ticker today.”
“Then we’re good. I’m keeping up with the times.”
Jaehoon hyung stood, stretched, and started packing up to leave.
“Hey, let’s head out. We’ve got document review tomorrow.”
“Yes. You go ahead.”
After everyone had gone, I stayed behind to organize the files when my phone rang. The screen showed “Mother.”
“Jihoon, have you eaten?”
“Not yet. I was going to eat in a bit.”
“Honestly, stop living off work. Don’t just grab something for lunch—take proper care of yourself.”
Father’s voice overlapped from the background.
“He’s not still living on cup ramen, is he?”
“He doesn’t. He’s been eating properly lately.”
“Really? Make sure you keep it up! And stay away from dangerous places. The news has been chaotic again.”
“This one’s in Deokso. It’s just an inspection and done.”
“Still, nothing about your job is ever ‘just.’ Just come back alive. That’s all we need.”
“I will. Don’t worry too much.”
“How can we not worry, you brat? Stop by the house this weekend. I made side dishes.”
“Okay. I’ll come. Make something delicious too~ I want Mom’s kimchi stew.”
“Fine. Just come home! I’ll make as much as you want! I’m hanging up now. Get off work and eat properly.”
The call ended and the office fell silent again. Only the neatly stacked documents remained under the fluorescent lights.
I looked at the equipment crates piled in the corner. Normally they were heavy enough that I needed both hands. When I grabbed the handle and lifted, the crate rose smoothly and hung motionless in the air.
“…It really is light.”
I set it down and picked up another. This time I didn’t even force it; the crate rose naturally to shoulder height. A faint sound echoed from inside the metal, but my hands stayed steady. Movements I couldn’t have imagined just days ago. It felt like my mana was reacting before my body.
“At this rate…”
As the sensation in my fingertips settled, I knew exactly what I could do.
“With the power to absorb dungeon cores… if I can keep growing… someday I’ll reach it. The world’s first SSS-rank.”
The next morning, I submitted a leave request. On paper the reason was “personal maintenance and rest,” but the real purpose was to secure time to test my core absorption ability and train my body.
After the morning meeting, Team Leader Yoo Mira approved the request and forwarded it without any questions.
Friday evening. A quiet notification appeared on the monitor.
[Leave Approved – 3 Days / Personal Maintenance and Research]
I closed the screen and steadied my thoughts. Now all that remained was preparation.
Saturday. Uijeongbu Hunter Department Store. The moment I opened the door, cool air mixed with the scent of metal brushed my nose. Equipment lined every display: alloy swords, armor, boots, gloves, consumables—each layer gleaming.
A clerk greeted me and pointed ahead.
“New bombs just arrived. C-rank mana-stone bombs. The most popular model for actual combat.”
I nodded and walked toward the display case. Palm-sized bombs were neatly arranged on a metal tray, safety pins half-exposed, fine circuit engravings on their surfaces catching a soft light. Other gear stood beside them, but my gaze naturally stopped on the bombs. Swords and armor were backups. What always wore out first in the field were consumables like these.
I lifted the bomb crate. The weight in my hands felt strangely familiar.
“How much for six?”
“650,000 won each, so 3,900,000 won total.”
I pulled out my calculator and noted the other equipment prices.
[Price List]
Alloy Sword — ₩2,350,000
Dagger Set — ₩890,000
Reinforced Armor — ₩3,600,000
Reinforced Boots — ₩1,280,000
Mana-Stabilizing Gloves — ₩970,000
Mana-Stone Bombs ×6 — ₩3,900,000
Total ₩12,990,000
Account Balance: 16,300,000 won → After Payment: ₩3,318,000
“I’ll take everything.”
“Would you like to pay in installments?”
“It’s a debit card. No installments.”
My hands trembled. My heart pounded so hard I couldn’t tell if the cold sweat was from the card payment or my own nerves. The terminal screen appeared before me. Swiping it would make my balance scream. Still, it was fine. Today was the day I had decided to do this.
“If I stop here, I’ll stay F-rank forever.”
The whisper pushed me forward. I slowly slid the card into the terminal.
Beep—
With the short payment chime, the neatly arranged tray of equipment came into view. Alloy sword, dagger set, armor, bomb crate—everything was in order.
After paying, I asked the clerk, “Can you hold these for a few days?”
“Up to five days.”
“I’ll leave them. I need them ready by Wednesday.”
The clerk attached a storage tag. “Storage number 27.”
I tucked the receipt and tag into my wallet. When I pushed open the glass door, cold air seeped in. My wallet was lighter, but my mind felt strangely organized.
Third floor. Potions & Medicine. The door opened to the scent of herbs swirling in the air. Red and blue potions stood in rows.
“What potions do you need?”
“Two low-grade healing potions, one mana recovery potion, and one antidote, please.”
The clerk calculated.
Healing Potion ×2 — ₩700,000
Mana Recovery Potion ×1 — ₩400,000
Antidote ×1 — ₩150,000
Total ₩1,250,000
Previous Balance ₩3,318,000 → After Payment ₩2,068,000
I received the box. The glass bottles clinked softly against each other.
Rental Car Center.
“Name of the reservation holder?”
“Byun Jihoon. I reserved a truck.”
The staff checked the terminal.
“Pickup Wednesday morning, correct?”
“Yes. I have a lot of equipment, so I wanted to handle the contract in advance.”
“Dungeon or mountain?”
“Dungeon. Personal inspection.”
“Three-day rental, insurance included—500,000 won.”
I inserted the card. The payment tone sounded.
₩500,000
Balance ₩2,068,000 → ₩1,568,000
“The vehicle will be ready after 8 a.m. Wednesday morning.”
I signed and folded the documents.
Wednesday morning. My eyes opened before the alarm. I ate a quick breakfast, packed the documents and wallet I had prepared the night before into my backpack, and stepped out. The front door closed with a short metallic click.
After picking up the keys at the rental center, I went down to the parking lot. The moment I opened the truck door, a rush of cold air and the smell of oil poured out. The engine started with a low rumble that slowly filled the space.
I retrieved the equipment I had stored at the department store and loaded everything into the trunk—alloy sword, dagger set, armor, potion box. I checked everything once more for any issues. At a nearby grocery store I bought dried food, water, emergency medicine, batteries, and a spare fuel can. After paying, I secured them in the cargo bed one by one. The bomb crate went in the very back; food and potions were placed where they wouldn’t shift.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, I took a short breath and looked down at my hands. My fingertips trembled ever so slightly, but the necessary preparations were already complete.
“Preparation complete.”
As I drove out of the city, I steadied my resolve once more.
“It’s time to see exactly how far this power can take me.”