Chapter 11 - Bait
Bait
Translator : Elizabeth
Chapter 11: Bait
The first thing I checked after returning home was the "Simultaneously Rentable Skills +1" part. I hadn't been able to test it due to a lack of Origin Power before, but upon checking it now...
[Rented Skill Limit 2/2] [Cannot Rent]
‘I was planning to rent multiple skills and permanently acquire them once I leveled up this time...’
Thanks to that, I had to rethink my plan, but renting two skills was sufficient. However, the part about being able to "select and completely possess" a skill gave me a headache.
‘First off, being able to learn a skill by consuming Origin Power is similar to the acquisition process.’
If there was a difference, it lay in the consumption of Origin Power. B-Rank: 2,000. A-Rank: 4,000.
‘The total Origin Power consumed while acquiring the A-Rank Regeneration skill this time was 2,000.’
However, to learn an A-Rank skill through "Complete Possession," it costs double that. Although the difference is between learning a skill instantly by consuming double the Origin Power versus learning it over time...
‘It wouldn't have been included as a Lv.5 function just for that.’
Ultimately, I pondered until late at night but couldn't find an answer, so I decided to focus on leveling up my innate ability for now. I believed that as I continued to level up, I would naturally understand the reason for distinguishing between acquisition and complete possession.
**
A few days later. I intended to endure some experience loss for a while to keep a minimum growth interval, but the Chairman of Daemyung Group suddenly contacted me for a meeting.
“You don’t look very surprised.” “…I am surprised.” “Hmm... First. I have something to ask. Why didn't you use the Daemyung Guild’s Gates?” “Because I didn't want to incur the hatred of the Daemyung Guild.”
The Chairman nodded with a very satisfied expression, then said something that made me flinch involuntarily.
“You... have grown, haven't you?” “No. I am still...” “Yes, I suppose you would say that.”
The Chairman laughed as if he knew everything, then took out an envelope and a palm-sized wallet.
“The reason I called you this time... right, first, because there is something you need to know.” “Something I need to know?” “Yes, read that.”
I stared at the Chairman for a while, completely unsure of his intentions, but he nonchalantly began grinding coffee beans.
‘Just how important is the content that he called me even before the scheduled day... huh?’
The contents of the envelope handed to me by the Chairman bore the seal of the Hunter Association. I paused in surprise at first, but pulling it out further, I understood why the Chairman had called me.
“Is additional surveillance being attached?” “The Chief Officer who monitored you until recently acted on his own initiative. It was not the will of the Association.” “No, why...?” “From the start, the upper echelons of the Association did not permit monitoring or scouting you.”
He added that if the Association had truly decided to monitor me, they wouldn't have done it with such clumsy disguises.
“Then why try to monitor me now?” “Because you closed a Field-type Gate alone.” “That’s obviously because the Association assigned it to me...” “Normally, when assigned a Field-type Gate, forming a party is the standard procedure.” “Ah....”
I only knew it was a Field-type Gate after entering, but it seems the Association focused on a different aspect. For a typical C-Rank long-range attack Hunter, clearing a Field-type Gate solo is next to impossible.
“But you closed the Gate without suffering a single scratch...” “…I made a mistake.” “Well, if you are careful like before, there won't be much of a problem.” “Still, did you call to inform me so that I would know I'm being watched?”
The Chairman looked at me with a subtle expression, took a sip of coffee, and looked out the window.
“Chairman?” “If possible, I would like you to leave Korea, but you wouldn't want that, right?” “Perhaps, if there is something I don’t know...” “Stop there. It is not something you need to know yet.”
I looked at the Chairman with a stiff expression, and he nodded, telling me to submit a request for rank adjustment.
“I...” “Right, you probably haven't grown yet. But can't you go up to B-Rank?” “Ah. Come to think of it....” “Since I adjusted your rank to C, if you submit an adjustment request, you can become B-Rank.”
He meant that I should adjust the rank back to B, which had been adjusted to C for mutual benefit. Since I was planning to undergo a rank upgrade review sooner or later anyway, there was no reason to refuse.
“If I raise my rank, won’t the surveillance become more severe?” “It will depend on your choice, but that won't happen.” “My choice?” “Either borrow the name value of the Daemyung Guild, or borrow the power of the Purifiers.”
Both were equally unappealing, but relatively speaking, the Purifiers were less burdensome. The problem was creating a rational reason to ask the Purifiers for help.
“If you intend to borrow the power of the Purifiers, I will spread rumors as if they leaked from within the Daemyung Guild.” “Rumors? What kind of rumors suddenly...” “Rumors that you asked the Daemyung Guild for help, but the Daemyung Guild demanded a contract with toxic clauses.” “…Then wouldn't I incur the hatred of the Daemyung Guild?”
To avoid being hated by the Daemyung Guild, I haven't even been using the Gate entry authority given by the Chairman. But if such rumors spread, it is clear that the Daemyung Guild will become hostile towards me.
“That won't happen. I intend to completely remove the subject.” “…Pardon?” “In the past, there was a Hunter in the Daemyung Guild too... who possessed a Status Effect Removal skill.”
And that Hunter reportedly asked the Daemyung Guild for help for some reason, was refused, and disappeared. The Chairman meant that by leaking that past event to the outside, he would create a situation that the Purifiers would misunderstand.
“…That Hunter was refused...” “A little seasoning makes the food taste better.” “Ah....” “After all, aren't rumors often exaggerated or distorted?” “…Why are you going so far to help me?” “I’m not helping unilaterally. I just thought it was a good opportunity.”
When I looked at him with a puzzled expression, the Chairman spoke with a cold but dignified expression.
“To become my successor, shouldn't one be able to casually quell rumors of this level?” “Th-that, don’t tell me...!” “Yes, I’m sorry, but you will have to become the bait.”
**
I sat in the lobby of the Hunter Association with a blank expression, waiting for my turn. But because of the last words the Chairman said, I had a headache.
‘He’s going to use me as bait?’
Of course, he said that if things went too far and I was in danger, he would step in and mediate himself. But since my life could be in danger before the Chairman intervenes, I feel I need to prepare in my own way.
‘Originally, I planned to acquire an attack skill, but to survive, I need to acquire a support skill.’
First, I rented the A-Rank Troll’s Regeneration skill. Since I also have the Regeneration skill (passive), I can recover from most wounds in the blink of an eye.
‘And for the remaining rental slot, I want to borrow a Teleportation skill...’
Unfortunately, Teleportation wasn't on the list, so as a temporary measure, I rented the B-Rank Blink skill. Blink was a skill that allowed moving only 3m in the direction I was looking.
‘Considering the characteristic of Origin Power boasting 30x efficiency and the resource consumption adjustment function... it has turned into a skill that can move from 9m to 180m.’
With this, even in a considerably dangerous situation, survival is sufficiently possible.
“Hunter Han Seo-jun. Please come to Counter 17.” “Yes. Coming.”
When I arrived at the counter, the Association employee handed me the Hunter license with a very apologetic expression.
“Hunter, I am truly sorry. Due to a very slight error, your rank...” “Ah, forget it. So, am I B-Rank from now on?” “…Ah, yes. If you look at the license, it specifies B-Rank.” “That’s enough. Keep up the good work.”
The Association employee sat down with a very relieved expression, perhaps having braced himself for a scene.
‘Now what’s left is contacting the Purifiers as the Chairman said... but should I wait for now?’
Once the world gets suitably noisy due to the rumors spread by the Chairman, I just need to act urgent and contact the Purifiers. Of course, a question remains. Why is someone who can pressure the Association blatantly wary of the Association?
‘Since he mentioned leaving Korea, it seems he wants to prevent me from contacting organizations that can't exercise influence overseas.’
I sighed softly and looked up at the sky. Ultimately, because the power I possess is weak, the situation where I have to walk on eggshells around others is frustrating.
‘Well... if things go according to plan this time, I can buy time to grow for a while.’
During that time, I should aim to raise the level of my innate ability as much as possible and obtain skills of S-Rank or higher.
‘Since the rank 1 Hunter in Korea was an SS-Rank skill holder, let’s aim for SS-Rank skills first.’
Making that resolution, I started walking, but felt an unfamiliar texture in my pocket.
‘Ah. That’s right. I received this in exchange for risking my life as bait, didn’t I?’
It was the wallet the Chairman had taken out with the envelope—an item imbued with a massive subspace of 50m x 50m x 50m. And not just any subspace item, but an A-Rank item produced by the Mason Workshop in the UK.
‘Mason Workshop’s A-Rank items start at 10 billion won, but since a subspace function is imbued... it must be worth at least three times that.’
It ended up that I received an expensive item in exchange for risking my life... but I have no regrets. To protect my life, I have made all the preparations I can right now.