Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Modern (3)
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In front of the C-Grade Rift.
One party handed over their entry tickets to Si-woo with joyful faces.
This rift spawned Antenna Spiders, so they deliberately left it uncleared to sell the tickets.
With its massive spiders, it was perfect for high-rank hunters to train low-rank ones, making it hugely popular.
Antenna Spiders were enormous arachnids over two meters tall. Their sharp legs and vicious fangs made them intimidating, but their weakness was glaringly obvious.
Most of their senses were concentrated in their antennae. Sever those, and they couldn't even stand properly.
Chop off their legs next, and even low-grade hunters could finish them off with a single sword swing.
Solitary by nature, they were easy to handle one-on-one, earning them fame as the ultimate bus monsters.
Monsters gave energy just by standing nearby when they died, but killing them personally yielded far more.
Si-woo planned to film equipment promos in the rift, then spend the rest of the time power-leveling his clanmates.
Si-woo and his clanmates warmed up in front of the rift.
A film crew waited behind them, hauling outrageously expensive gear made from rift materials for in-rift shooting.
Watching Si-woo stretch, the director asked worriedly,
"You sure you'll be okay solo? It's still a C-Grade rift."
"I'll manage."
The director nodded outwardly but wasn't convinced. If things went south, the escorts trailing behind would step in.
'Hope we can edit this somehow...'
Si-woo noticed the director's skepticism but said nothing. Words were meaningless until they saw his skills firsthand.
He glanced at Han So-young and Lee Da-hye. The faster they grew, the easier things got for him. To lead parties with new clan recruits, they needed at least D-Grade.
Seeing them tense, swallowing hard, he said,
"Relax."
It was their first C-Grade rift, and the nerves showed. Lee Da-hye nodded eagerly at his words, while Han So-young gave an awkward smile.
"Whew... I keep getting tense."
"Don't worry. We've got escorts besides me, right?"
He'd brought plenty of bodyguard hunters for any mishaps. Bus runs like this thrived in stable setups.
Besides, Si-woo alone could sweep a C-Grade rift clean.
He aimed to milk the promo shoot for all it was worth.
Inside the rift.
The director gripped his camera tightly, eyes tense. It looked cheap, but it was filthy expensive rift-material gear.
'Whew... Please end safely.'
Entering a rift mismatched to your rank was always terrifying.
He eyed Si-woo, who tracked the Antenna Spiders' traces with expert ease. It eased his mind a bit, but not fully.
A hunter's true worth showed facing the beasts head-on.
A C-Grade solo-clearing a C-Grade rift? While crippling monsters for his low-rank party? Absurd.
But the boss ordered it, so here he was. Without the nervous escorts prepping behind, no amount of money would've dragged him.
'Just do the basics. I'll edit it great.'
A spider over two meters tall spotted the group.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
It shattered the solid ground as it charged. Just walking pulverized the floor, its sharp legs punching holes in rocks.
The director swallowed, filming the hunter called Si-woo.
'Huh?'
-Slash
The man swung his sword effortlessly mid-shot. It looked casual, but the antenna severed clean in one stroke.
"Kieeeek!"
Deprived of its sensory core, the spider shrieked and spun in place, collapsing on its own.
Si-woo dodged smoothly, then sliced off every leg.
Now it could only writhe like a maggot.
"Whoa..."
The director was awestruck. For a C-Grade hunter, the technique was impeccably clean. He'd expected a prolonged struggle at best, but this was effortless.
No edits needed. Raw footage could star in a training manual.
It looked like the spider impaled its own antenna on his poised blade.
'Is this supposed to be this easy?'
He knew better. Antennae were vital spots spiders guarded desperately—tough and resilient to cut.
Only perfect reads of its every twitch allowed that move. Pumped, he shoved the camera closer.
Si-woo finished by stabbing the wriggling spider's head. Shoot wrapped.
"Perfect. Just in case, let's do a couple more."
Si-woo stroked his chin at the director's words. Promo for clan gear, plus showing off bus runs.
"Director, mind filming a version where my clanmates finish them?"
"Hmm... Not a bad idea, but they can't fail to kill in one hit. Makes the sword look weak..."
"That won't be an issue."
Their sparring with him had honed skills above their grade. No way they'd botch a helpless C-Grade maggot.
One massive spider lay butchered.
"Kiiik..."
Han So-young and Lee Da-hye stepped up tensely, but dispatched it flawlessly, piercing its skull.
-Crunch!
The sturdy cranium shattered under the White Lotus series sword.
"Ah..."
The two shuddered as mana flooded in, far more than usual.
The director captured it, yelling,
"Cut! Great take."
Stunning beauties among awakeners, they filmed like a dream. Perfect main models.
SH Smith's new White Lotus Sword piercing the spider's head? Gold.
Easily butchering a C-Grade monster was key.
It'd spark envy in countless low-rank hunters. Mission accomplished.
Filming done, Si-woo's group exited the rift.
He smiled, satisfied at his clanmates' brightened faces trailing him.
Thanks to this, they'd solidly hit D-Grade. Blue Bee Honey training would rocket them further.
They needed growth fast to lead newbie parties.
"Good work, everyone."
After farewells with the crew, dispersing, a man strode up boldly.
"Hey."
Si-woo eyed him—familiar face, but no clear memory.
The director behind recognized him, instantly firing up the camera. Pricey rift-material film, but instinct.
"You're that Choi Si-woo punk?"
"And?"
The man sneered.
"Brat. Attitude like that even seeing me? Cocky about your skills?"
Out-of-nowhere provocation left Si-woo baffled. He sized him up. Unlike this world's mana-dull hunters, he gauged realms at a glance.
'Second-rate. No, C-Grade?'
Pitiful weakling mouthing off. The guy grinned sleazily.
"Heard you're in the mag soon? 'Rookie Prodigy's Secret'? Heh heh heh..."
"You nuts? What's your deal?"
His face hardened, pride stung. Mouth agape in disbelief.
"Hah...! You don't know me?"
Vaguely familiar, but no dice. Seeing Si-woo's blank look, the man's voice dropped menacingly.
"Speedman! You don't know Speedman?"
"Ah, Speedman."
Si-woo chuckled.
NewTuber Speedman. Over a million subs, fairly famous hunter.
His content: picking fights, unilaterally thrashing foes. Awakener duels with consent faced no legal bars.
No consent? He mocked and harassed endlessly.
"Hah... Thought I'd let it slide, but you don't know your place."
"Let it slide?"
"Yeah, punk. Planned to crush you soon."
Speedman lowered his voice suddenly.
"But cough up 100 million, and I'll go easy. Hm... No face hits, at least. Deal?"
"Haha..."
Extorting while promising light beating? Novel. Laughable gall.
"Laughing? 150 million."
Grinning like he deserved a punch. Si-woo fired back,
"500 million."
Speedman blanked at the number.
"500 million...?"
His hobby: inching up demands to rile foes. But this guy jumped straight to 500 million.
Generous enough to spare him.
"S-sure..."
Si-woo cut him off.
"Pay 500 million, and I'll go easy. How's that?"
"What?"
Si-woo smirked at him.
"500 million, and I'll beat you lightly, punk. Not getting it? Ah, I'll spare your teeth at least. Gotta eat, right?"