Elementary Farewell and the Puppet Workshop
Whoa, my stats have grown.
Is it because I ran so hard? Agility and Vitality both hit E-rank. And Mentality even climbed to D-rank.
I didn't expect this much growth just from clearing the 1st floor.
As expected of Nightmare Difficulty. The growth was bigger than I thought.
Of course, hunters say that up to B-rank, you can grow through effort no matter what. That's why Tower-awakened hunters have the highest proportion of B-ranks.
The problem comes after that. A-rank and S-rank don't come just from climbing the Tower. They say you need to meet some specific condition or have an additional awakening, but even hunters don't know exactly how those conditions are fulfilled.
That's why most Tower-awakened hunters end up stuck at B-rank.
Anyway, it means if you just keep climbing the Tower, you can become a B-rank hunter. No wonder Tower-awakened hunters get treated like mass-produced ones.
My stats went up, which is great, but...
Looking at the key reward in my hand made my feelings complicated. Why on earth did they give me something like this?
But it's a Nightmare reward.
It has to be something out of the ordinary, right? Like, maybe there's a trigger or something.
That had to be it. As a test, I held the key up in the air.
"O-open up."
I whispered quietly so no one would see, and turned the key with a click.
And after a moment...
Embarrassing.
As expected, nothing happened. I just ended up as the girl who turned a key in thin air.
I'm almost 14 now, an age where it's hard to brush off as kid stuff if someone laughs.
I decided to head home obediently. But then, suddenly...
"...Wait a sec."
My gaze slowly shifted to the spider puppet.
According to my vague knowledge, the Tower is configured differently for each hunter. And with different configurations come different reward systems.
The Tower gives rewards tailored to the hunter who challenges it upon clearing. Which means...
My eyes turned back to the key. A key larger and heavier than my hand.
"...Puppet Sewing?"
At that instant, golden thread flowed from my palm. The thread instantly wrapped around the key and began reshaping it.
I just stared blankly at the sight. Moments later, where the golden threads had bound it, a golden key puppet lay.
You have completed the Key Puppet'Puppet Workshop Key'.
It worked. It really worked!
And it's called the Puppet Workshop. This key was clearly a reward made for me.
As expected, Nightmare wasn't just for show!
No need to hesitate. I quickly grabbed the key and instinctively pushed it into the air.
Clunk—
The sound of the key slotting in and something opening rang clearly in my ears.
I looked up, and there was a translucent door. A door with a keyhole. It stood motionless in place.
Not a Tower door. A strange mix of tension and excitement. With both emotions swirling, I pushed the door open hard.
The moment I opened it, smells of oil, metal, and aged wood rushed in at once. I covered my nose instinctively, and the surroundings came into clear view.
The ceiling was high and dark. Iron chains and pulleys hung tangled like spiderwebs.
Tools lay scattered haphazardly on the workbench. It was obviously a workshop, plain as day.
And that wasn't all. Looking further out the workshop window, there was an infinitely expanding space. Like a place to store and use any puppet.
Outside stretched to the horizon without end.
And...
My gaze slowly turned to the side. On the wall. There were familiar shapes.
Several goblins and black orcs. The monsters I'd hunted in the Tower just recently. Their corpses were there.
A nauseating smell hit me, making me dry-heave, but I held it in. I had to get used to monster corpses if I was going to keep hunting.
But why were the monsters I'd hunted here?
The question didn't last long.
The reason the monster corpses are here is obvious.
To make puppets with them. Monster corpses already sell for high prices depending on the materials. Dimensional break monsters especially fetch top dollar.
That's hunters' main income source. Which means they're plenty good as puppet materials too.
Of course, I'd never heard of using Tower monsters as materials outside. If you try to take a Tower-hunted corpse out, it vanishes.
The Tower gives rewards on clear anyway, so Tower-awakened hunters never fussed over it.
But in my case, it was different.
This place is probably...
A separate space provided by the Tower. That's why it could store Tower monster corpses too.
But even if I make puppets, no guarantee I can take them outside.
Puppets made from monster corpses. Who knows if they can operate out there.
Still, puppet-making was totally worth it.
That freak bird on the 1st floor. No way a 1st-floor hunter could hunt that thing. Spider puppet alone wouldn't cut it.
I needed stronger puppets. And it wasn't just the bird.
The Tower's difficulty ramps up the higher you go. Plus, Nightmare might keep triggering.
Only one way to prepare: Make more puppets.
My eyes fell back on the corpses.
Puppet-making for Tower climbing. Let's start.
"Puppet Sewing."
Of course.
"Ugh."
With my pitiful mana reserves, it was going to take forever.
Time flies by.
December to January, February, March.
Since I used up my break early last time, this winter break was barely a week.
In the meantime, I got along decently with the kids. Though I kept a bit of distance from the boys.
The girls had already accepted me as their leader anyway. Might as well lean into hanging out with them.
And so...
"Yuna, don't forget us in Hunter Middle School!"
"You better keep in touch for real!"
The girls hugged me tight, tears streaming. Did I overdo the bonding? Or are girls just like this?
Kids, we've only been close for a few months. Still adapting to girl world, I just smiled awkwardly.
Chaerin...
She didn't even come to graduation in the end.
Always busy. Lately, her messages have been fewer too.
I'd been busy with puppet-making and Tower climbing, so I hadn't checked on her much.
Is she okay? She seemed kinda down lately.
In middle school, I'll look after her properly.
"Ha Yuna."
Then, another familiar voice.
I turned. There was Han Seojun.
Kids grow fast, huh. At 14, he was already a full head taller than me.
He really shot up quick.
Why can't I grow like that? I go to bed before 11 every night too.
Genetics are so unfair.
"...We couldn't go to the same middle school."
Han Seojun said he wanted to go to the same one as me. He seemed regretful about it.
Hunter Middle School doesn't accept normals, after all.
"Ha Yuna, you're gonna become a hunter, right?"
"Uh, wha— no, not really?"
My eyes shook wildly, and he gave a short wry smile.
"You've always shaken your eyes when you lie."
My ears burned red. Caught lying by a kid. Humiliating!
More importantly, when did he figure out I'd be a hunter? Even Mom doesn't know.
"If you're gonna be a hunter..."
As he opened his mouth again, I rushed over and covered it.
Short as I am, I'm an awakened hunter now. Blocking a normal kid's mouth was easy.
He stared at me with wide eyes, so I shushed and put a finger to my lips.
"Can't let others hear. Speak softly."
He stared through my hand, then tapped my knuckles. Oh, gotta let go for him to talk.
He glared like it was bad for his heart, then sighed quietly.
"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone, ever."
He's always been tight-lipped anyway. I can trust him.
"...I wish I could be a hunter too."
What, Han Seojun wanted to be one?
Makes sense. Boys around this age all dream about it once.
But you need awakening for that; can't force it.
"Can't choose that. I won't wish for it. But instead."
He looked down at me with his usual serious eyes.
"I'll do hunter-related work."
"Hunter-related?"
Hunter businesses pay well, sure.
"Yeah. To help you."
Different reason.
"To help you, the hunter."
"...Why?"
His serious gaze was intense. But he's always been like this.
"That life you saved that day."
You'd have a hard time in modern society. Plenty of people screw over their benefactors.
Straight-laced guys like him get battered by the world.
But I didn't hate it.
I lightly tapped his chest.
"Got it. I'll look forward to it."
Smart kid. He'll be useful someday.
Seeing my reaction, he just grinned brightly.
And so, I graduated elementary school.
"Our girl's already a middle schooler?"
"Mom!"
Mom picked me up, and as I got in the car, she smiled warmly.
"What do you wanna eat today?"
"Tonkatsu then."
"That place? Sure."
Our usual spot. She ruffled my hair and started driving.
"After dinner, let's visit Dad."
Makes sense for her to want to show her husband our daughter's graduation.
Mom seemed to have made some peace with Dad's absence. Better to focus on the daughter by her side than chase a missing man forever.
But she didn't know. That I hadn't given up on Dad yet.
Hunter Middle School. Thinking of what awaited there, I quietly stared out the window.
And at the same time.
"Who the hell is itttt?!"
"Uwaaah, the deputy exploded again."
"Casualty alert!"
Hunter Management Association deputy Jang Seungcheol was screaming at the hunter he'd failed to find for months.