Insurance, Just in Case
“Martial artist…? What’s that trait?”
At my question, Seo Ayoung replied in a deflated voice.
“Just like it sounds—a martial artist. Like something out of an old wuxia novel, with meridians and qi points opened up in their body. So yeah, they awaken with way tougher physical durability and stats than regular hunters….”
“But?”
“They don’t have any martial arts to circulate that qi. I tried hunting around in China where they’re more common, but… the price….”
“The price?”
“They want 500 billion won, those bastards.”
“Whoa, five hundred billion?”
Seo Ayoung let out a deep sigh.
In the modern hunter world, the martial artist class was treated like a total dud card. It was like handing someone a single sword and throwing them into a modern warzone full of bullets flying everywhere. Sure, the body was tough, but without supporting skills, it was useless. Without martial arts, they were just shiny-looking pushovers—that was the martial artist gig.
There weren’t many to begin with, and most were clustered in China anyway.
But not for me.
A conversation I’d had with Jermad a few days ago in the Multidimensional Secondhand Market community flashed through my mind.
I’d already been planning to snag some wuxia martial arts manual to hide my heart’s dragon mana and use it freely.
And right in front of me walked in the perfect constitution for it—Seo Ayoung, awakened as a martial artist.
What the hell? If I buy one martial arts manual from the multidimensional market, learn it myself, and toss it her way… she’d skyrocket to A-rank, hell, even S-rank tank in no time, right?
A-rank hunter? That wasn’t some easy spot you just waltzed into. It took decades of bone-grinding training, heaven-sent talent, national-level backing, and a shit-ton of luck to barely scrape by at the human limit.
Just look at the Roijir Guild master, ranked 11th in Korea—she was still stuck at peak A-rank, inching toward S.
But check out my circle.
Seo Ara, a full-fledged A-rank and Roijir’s vice-master, had already signed an exclusive contract with me.
Taesoo hyung, eternal D-rank, had just awakened to A-rank thanks to my repairs.
And now Seo Ayoung had the potential to hit A-rank or higher with just one martial arts manual from me.
What’s going on here? Why are all these powerhouses suddenly flocking to me?
Too perfect for coincidence.
And then, a ominous text flickered through my mind.
"Your world is about to get wrecked, huh?"
After experiencing that A-rank transcendent mutation gate firsthand, the word “doom” hit different.
Yeah, better safe than sorry. No harm in prepping early, right?
Maybe no grand apocalypse would hit while I was alive.
But life’s unpredictable—who knew? You could get crushed by a falling flowerpot on the street.
Plus, what was the downside of powering up the hunters around me? They’d smash more monsters, which was great for humanity—and even better for my safety.
Perfect. Doom won’t come. It better not. But I’m insuring anyway. Nobody buys fire insurance because they’re sure their house will burn— it’s for the ‘what if.’
I rationalized my meddling goodwill(?) as solid insurance thinking.
“Hey, Ayoung. If your bro here can snag that martial arts manual, how much would you pay me?”
Goodwill was goodwill, but money was money.
“Huh? You? You’d get me the martial arts?”
“Yeah, I’ve got some surprisingly wide connections.”
“R-Really!? Let me show you what’s in my account!!”
She showed me her bank app.
Balance: 98,750 won
“What…? This all?”
“My entire fortune….”
“You’re loaded….”
“My sister’s the rich one, not me….”
“Hmm… guess we’ll need a slave contract then?”
I said it as a joke, but she bit hard.
“I-I’ll do it! Slave contract!”
Daesung, you sly dog!! Good thinking.
“W-What!?”
“I just follow you around forever as support!! I need that martial arts!!”
Any more talk, and she’d demand a slave contract doc.
I brushed it off.
“Not even sure I can get it. We’ll see.”
“…Okay….”
I glanced around casually, and the base camp center had turned into a wild festival.
“Wooooah!!”
“He’s a hero!! The real hero who saved us!!”
“H-Hey! Everyone! You don’t have to— whoa whoa!!”
The crowd swarmed Taesoo hyung, hoisting him up and tossing him in the air.
Dozens of hunters cheered as they kept the henga (air toss) going. Taesoo hyung yelled in panic but couldn’t hide the shit-eating grin—he looked like he owned the world.
Watching bitterly was one guy, parasite pretty-boy Choi Jaewon. He slipped in when Taesoo hyung came down.
“Ahem. Hunter Kim Taesoo. Impressive power. Mind if I ask—which guild are you with?”
Predictable scouting pitch.
As a promising star from Hyunmu Guild, aiming for Korea’s top spot, he couldn’t ignore the hidden master who’d half-slayed an A-rank boss.
Taesoo hyung wiped sweat from his brow and answered straight.
“Ah, I’m set to join Roijir Guild exclusively. Sorry, but if it’s a scout offer, I’ll have to pass.”
“Oh? ‘Set to join’? Not officially contracted or onboarded yet?”
“Yeah. Signing in a few days.”
“Perfect timing then! Any interest in Hyunmu? I’ll personally convince the master—1.5x, no, 2x or more than Roijir’s offer! A hero like you belongs at Hyunmu!”
An insane offer. Hundreds of millions, maybe billions in salary on the table.
Any normal hunter would’ve pretended to mull it over.
But Taesoo hyung shook his head without a second’s hesitation.
“Appreciate it, but I’ve got prior commitments. Roijir’s good for me.”
“You won’t even hear the terms…! It’s Hyunmu! Top guild in Korea!”
“Haha, circumstances, you know….”
No more groveling—pure A-rank resolve, firm and heavy.
Choi Jaewon swallowed his regret, shoved a business card, and backed off smacking his lips.
Once cleared, Taesoo hyung sauntered over to me with a grin.
“Hear that, Daesung? Bro’s popular as hell.”
“They offered double, and you said no? Must be stuffed.”
“Hey, asshole. It ain’t about money. I ain’t going nowhere. I’m sticking with you for life, Daesung.”
“Ugh, so creepy. Go away, you smell like old man.”
“Puhaha! I know my place better than you think. Forget who gave me this sword, and I’d be beast, not man.”
We chuckled, slapping shoulders.
Even after cheating death and becoming heroes, we were still those back-alley soju buddies.
“Alright, gate’s normalized—let’s head out. They’re waiting.”
I led Seo Ayoung and Taesoo hyung toward the light-blue portal at the forest edge.
Flash—!
The dimensional dizziness faded, our feet hitting frozen Seoul outskirts soil under biting winter wind.
“W-What the hell? War break out?”
Taesoo hyung and Seo Ayoung gawked, mouths agape.
The peaceful D-rank gate control line from hours ago? Gone.
Screeech—!
“Eyes front!! Strike team, fire prep, hold!!”
Hundreds of fully geared Hunter Association strike hunters lined barricades. Behind: ROK Army special forces armored vehicles, helicopters, even anti-tank launchers—all muzzles trained on the gate.
Like dropping into a kaiju flick’s climax. Insane scale.
In the tense air, a spotter officer screamed himself hoarse.
“G-Gate’s reverting!! Purple to sky-blue!! Holy shit, it’s cleared!!”
Roars exploded from military and hunters alike.
“Cleared!! Transcendent mutation gate cleared!!”
“Break’s stopped!!!”
Gates that jumped 3+ ranks from origin? “Transcendent mutation gates.”
Clearing one pre-break by insiders? Miracle rarity—top five in Korean, hell, global hunter history.
And those top fives always birthed a “hero.”
“Survivors out! There!! That’s him!!”
“He tore the A-rank boss apart!!”
Someone blabbed already—cameras and lights from dozens of networks blasted Taesoo hyung emerging from the portal.
Flashes popped wildly; reporters shoved mics like they’d breach barricades.
“Hunter Kim Taesoo!! A word, please!!”
“Thought you were D-rank! How’d you take the transcendent boss!!”
I slipped to a camera-dead zone, watching Taesoo hyung flail in panic.
No jealousy, no envy. Just genuine pride and congrats.
Plus, he’d pledged lifetime manager duty. All that hero fame, scouts, backing? It’d flow straight to me, the puppet master.
Heh heh heh.
Hm. Frontman tanks all the aggro, while I siphon sweet cash and perks from the shadows. mastermind boss vibe—turns out it’s my jam?
I was smirking villainously inside, nodding to myself—
Click-clack, click-clack.
Amid boots and weapons clutter, crisp high heels echoed.
A black-coated, overwhelming black-haired woman strode out slowly.
Ignoring the hero-treated Taesoo hyung and Seo Ayoung, she headed straight for me in the shadows.
Stopped in front, flashed a seductive smile.
“You’re President Kwon Daesung, right?”
“……Yeah. Who’re you?”
My bored reply got a light laugh from her.
“Oh my! Way handsomer than I heard. Glad you made it back safe. Nice to meet you. I’m Baek Hayeon.”
“Baek Hayeon……?”
Rings a bell…?
As I furrowed my brow digging memory, clingy Seo Ayoung beside me paled, poking my side mosquito-soft.
“B-Bro, greet her quick!”
“Ow, hurts. Who is she?”
“Roijir Guild master!!”
Her frantic whisper blanked me.
“……Ah?”
Wait—this busy lady came here to rescue us?
Ooh, kinda touching.