I'm Gonna Become a Martial Arts Master!
"You're really 29?"
"That's what I've been telling you."
"It'd be more believable if you said you were 9…."
"What the hell, you punk?!"
The senior grilling meat with his tiny hands, exuding an adorable charm—his name was Deputy Nam Juyeong.
He'd been working at the Association ever since awakening eight years ago, a veteran awakener. On his way to our meetup spot, he'd stopped for a smoke and gotten mistaken for a delinquent teen by the cops, which made him late… Honestly, I couldn't blame them. How could anyone see him as an adult?
"That's why I told you to come to my neighborhood. The shop owners there know me."
"We have to meet halfway. How am I supposed to trek all the way out there? Fine for me, but it'd take Sion an hour."
"Buy 'em dinner, and they'll come running."
"People call that boomer talk these days."
"I'm one of the young ones too."
"You sure look it."
"Hey!"
He'd known Senior Hyeji since her onboarding—they were pretty close. She'd been his trainee back then, right? In a way, it made him like the senior to both me and Hyeji-senior.
"Anyway, it's been a while, and we've got a newbie, so let's have a celebratory drink."
"Cheers!"
"H-hey, cheers…!"
The after-work drinks were pretty harmonious in their own way. It was still a company gig, so it didn't get as rowdy as hanging with friends, but the vibe stayed upbeat and fun.
"Oh, right. Next dungeon raid, it's the three of us."
"Huh? With you, Deputy?"
"It's a higher-rank one, so yeah. The guilds will handle the actual clearing anyway—no need to worry."
As the drinks flowed, I got spoiled on the next raid details. Couldn't spill everything since it was confidential, but it was an A-rank dungeon that had popped up in Gyeonggi Province.
"Wait, I'm still just a C-rank tagalong."
"Truth is, we're just bringing you for the experience. Don't sweat it."
"What if someone pulls some shady shit like Dan-gun Guild did…."
"The raiding guild's a collaborator of ours. Solid folks, so it's fine."
Apparently, unlike Dan-gun, this was a guild with a long history of smooth relations with the Association—practically allies. And there was only one such guild.
"You mean Cheonam Guild?"
"Bingo."
Korea's number-two guild in rankings. They also boasted the most S-ranks in the country.
One of the absolute top mega-guilds.
"Which raid team from Cheonam?"
"The 9th. It's new this year, but word is their skills outmatch most others."
The picture forming was crystal clear: pure freeloading till the end. The team was mostly B-ranks, led by an A-rank hunter, plus Hyeji-senior and the deputy. They'd clear it without me lifting a finger.
"Still, you have a point. Sending a mere C-rank into an A-rank is risky, huh?"
"Pardon?"
What? I'd already braced myself mentally—why the sudden change of heart? I wanna ride the bus too!
"Ahaha… On second thought, I think I can handle it."
"Nah, it's definitely dangerous. Going in as you are would be too much."
With that, the deputy placed a card emblazoned with the Association's emblem on the table.
"Heard you signed a contract with the branch chief? He said he'd hook you up."
"Oh, that contract!"
I'd totally forgotten amid all the looping and dungeon grinding. I'd scarfed the elixirs and put it out of mind, but he'd promised various supports, right?
"Take this to the Hunter Exchange. The funds inside should cover just about anything."
"How much is in there?"
"Two billion."
"What?!"
He'd said support was coming, but this much? Was the rumor true that the Association held thirty percent of Korea's hunter industry cash?
"No way, this kinda money…."
"You got high marks from that last raid. Association's got plenty to spare."
"Can I really blow it all?"
"Said to holler if it's not enough."
"I'll bury my bones in the Association!!"
After pounding drinks through round two and crashing hard, the next day arrived. I grabbed the 1.2 billion from stocks and the Association card, heading to the exchange. (Oh, and I'd already paid off the Dan-gun Guild compensation.)
A day's hardcore looping and stock plays had covered it easy.
"Um… where do they sell skillbooks here?"
"Second floor, D corner."
"Thanks."
Most folks milling around looked like awakeners.
One guy even had a sword at his hip and got warned by staff. Hunters were such a weird profession.
"Welcome. Hunter Skillbook Exchange."
"Looking for B-rank skills."
"Right this way."
The warehouse the staff led me to was packed with skillbooks—easily over a thousand varieties. Basically a library.
"All these are skillbooks?"
"B-rank ones. Lots of duplicates."
I'd heard Korea was an awakener powerhouse, but feeling it firsthand was new. And this wasn't even all—the other ranks had their own stashes too.
High-ranks probably weren't this plentiful, though.
"So, what skillbook are you after?"
"I did my homework. Pain Ignore, Instant Acceleration, and Three Extremes Heart Technique. Got those three?"
To maximize my infinite loop advantage, I'd researched fitting skills.
Pain Ignore for three minutes of no pain was a no-brainer. Instant Acceleration's quirky movement suited my control-freak combat style. And Three Extremes Heart Technique from a murim dungeon would boost my overall physicals, padding my scrawny frame.
But the staff's face darkened at my picks.
"We have all three in stock, but…."
"Problem?"
"B-rank+ martial skillbooks are under exclusive contract for the next three months. Three Extremes might be tricky."
"What?!"
Were there still assholes hoarding? The Association banned skillbook monopolies ages ago.
"They'll probably drop by today… Ah, here they come."
"…That person's got the exclusive?"
The staff pointed, and in walked someone in a mask and hat with another employee, opening the warehouse door. About 170cm, female build. Rich enough to hoard skillbooks?
"…Any new martial skillbooks today?"
"Just one B-rank."
The staff handed it over politely with gloved hands. Watching her take it like it was nothing soured my mood hard.
How am I supposed to grow as a noob like this?
"Um, excuse me."
"Huh? Yeah?"
"Why are you glaring?"
"Uh, well, that skillbook's kinda crucial for me…."
Does she have eyes in the back of her head? How'd she notice? Hoarding with cash was bad enough, but she screamed high-rank hunter. A little consideration for newbies?
"Hmm…."
"I mean, not like that or anything…."
"Little sis."
She strode over, locking ruby-red eyes with mine, hand on my shoulder.
Loop time already?
"Y-yes?"
"Ever thought of learning martial arts from me?"
"Pardon… what?"
Her words were way off my script.
"Your channels are narrow, but your internal energy's top quality. Real talent."
"Oh… really?"
"Dunno why, but your upper dantian’s cracked open too. First time I've seen this."
"Eek!"
The mystery woman patted my head.
Do I look like I need petting from some stranger at my age?
"Hey. Hands off."
"Huh? What's…."
"Taking skillbooks and messing with my hair? What the hell?"
"Oh, uh… I got a bit excited."
"That's your excuse? What kinda person are you?!"
"S-sorry…."
Missing one skillbook had me pissed already; this pushed me over.
"Upper dantian open so you pet my head? What, middle open and you'd grope my tits?"
"No, that's not—"
"Not into martial arts—find someone else!"
I grabbed my stuff and bailed the warehouse. High-rank or not, I wasn't taking that crap. I wasn't a pushover.
With my male identity already wobbling, I was touchy about this stuff—she'd lit the fuse.
"Gotta get some spicy pork stir-fry for dinner."
Time to man up with some testosterone fuel.
Two weeks later, raid day arrived. Got Pain Ignore and Instant Acceleration from skillbooks, but no good physical booster. Good ones busted budget; cheap ones were worthless.
"Here comes the raid leader taking charge today!!"
Still, bus-riding today—no biggie.
Rumors said Cheonam 9th's leader was top-tier A-rank….
Wait, why's that woman coming out?
"…Hey. Sorry about last time."
"Uh… N-no problem."
The head-petting woman from the exchange.
She was an elite A-rank, leader of Korea's second-ranked guild's raid team.
And I'd told off someone that huge when she offered to take me as disciple.
Haha, what an idiot.
Fucking hell.
Only one fix for this.
You have looped!
"Ever thought of learning martial arts from me?"
"It's been my lifelong dream to become a martial arts master."
Please take me as your disciple.