Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: An Irreplaceable Talent
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Chapter 34
"Everyone worked hard out there. The end was really tough, wasn't it?"
In front of the 'Cursed Castle' Gate.
Seo Jin-uk's voice was the same whether they were heading in or coming out.
The others, on the other hand,
"Great job, sir..."
Were lucky if they could even muster a reply.
Most just...
...
Nodded silently, offering no real response.
Had this hunt been particularly grueling?
In truth, no.
Barring a few incidents, it had been a fairly standard and smooth raid.
For Level 1 hunters Kim Seung-hyeok and Lee Woojun, this was practically their first time stepping into a Level 3 Gate, so they had little sense of what to expect in terms of difficulty.
For Jeong-hyeon, though,
'Is this about average for a Level 3?'
It was the opposite—no real baseline for comparison.
The previous Rock Spider Cave had forced them to fight a sudden mutant boss right away, so this felt manageable by comparison.
Of course, his wounds were far worse this time.
But Park Sang-jun saw it differently.
'Why was this one so damn hard?'
He had plenty of experience with Level 3 Gates.
Raids tailored to a gate's exact level limit usually weren't that brutal.
And the ghouls' combat power hadn't truly threatened him.
That line of thinking led Sang-jun to one inevitable conclusion.
His sharp gaze swept over the other hunters.
'These assholes were the problem, huh?'
The ones below his skill level hadn't pulled their weight.
Considering the power Jin-uk had unleashed in the final fight, it was even clearer.
If the party had been all D-rank Level 3s—at minimum, or even just like him—they wouldn't have struggled so much at the end.
"Bro, you okay? You look beat."
"You're asking the obvious? You and that prick—put in some real effort next time."
"Uh, y-yeah?"
Kim Seung-hyeok had just tried striking up a casual chat, only to get cursed out.
Obviously, he hadn't slacked off.
Everyone had busted their asses, so getting snapped at like this out of nowhere?
Even if he wanted to impress Sang-jun, this would tank any goodwill.
And D-rank Level 3 wasn't some overwhelming gap anyway.
Seung-hyeok was close to Level 3 himself.
Sang-jun, already fuming, didn't notice the feral glint in Seung-hyeok's eyes.
Frankly, Sang-jun hadn't exactly shone beyond expectations either.
More like...
"Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon, great work out there."
"Oh? Uh, yeah. You too, Hunter Kim Seung-hyeok."
"I mean, I kinda botched that last part, right?"
"Anyone would've."
The unregistered hunter Han Jeong-hyeon turned out to be the real deal, the more he saw.
Seung-hyeok approached warmly, and Jeong-hyeon smiled back, keeping the conversation going.
- There's some unregistered punk joining today. Don't let it drag us down. Act accordingly.
That was the message Sang-jun had sent Seung-hyeok and Woojun before the gate.
At first, Jeong-hyeon had agreed—annoyed that some nobody was tagging along on their Jeongjin hunts after he'd just joined.
But now? His mind was completely changed.
Woojun seemed to feel the same.
"That dagger throw was insane. And your close-quarters combat... How's the arm holding up?"
Woojun especially admired how Jeong-hyeon had fought through that final battle, knowing full well what he'd endured.
His arm shredded to ribbons.
The blood loss alone could've downed any hunter without toughness traits from shock.
Yet he'd charged the last ghoul with a single dagger, eyes blazing—that indomitable spirit fired up every hunter there.
"Oh, Hunter Lee Woo-jun. You too—great job. Mine's all fixed up thanks to Junior Manager Seo Jin-uk... And if not for your covering fire, I'd be dead."
"Huh? Nah, I should've done more... Next time, I'll back you up properly."
"Appreciate it."
Jeong-hyeon glanced at his forearm with fresh eyes.
Second time benefiting from C-rank healing.
Coincidentally, his right arm again.
'Well, it's my main arm—can't be helped.'
Either way, healing was incredible.
A faint scar remained, with a slight throb, but moving it freely was no issue.
- Healing draws on your own strength either way, so the rest heals naturally with rest. That's the rule.
No wonder he'd felt his energy drain bit by bit after heals—he hadn't known.
Jin-uk had only glanced at the back wounds without healing them.
They were milder than the arm, and
'Plus, my enhanced physical abilities handled most of it.'
Jeong-hyeon's natural recovery covered it easily.
Natural healing was slower than trait-based but better in ways like this.
Even with an E-rank trait? Imagine D or C.
'Physical Ability Enhancement is essential. Wonder if it synergizes?'
It boosted not just natural recovery but senses and the strength Jeong-hyeon lacked—truly a jack-of-all-trades trait.
Unlike the frosty welcome at the start, Seung-hyeok and Woojun's attitudes were now friendly—a relief.
No real need to win them over, but parting on bad terms felt off.
You never knew when paths might cross.
Sang-jun, though, still glared daggers at Jeong-hyeon.
'I wasn't expecting shit from you anyway, punk.'
Probably twisted seeing Seung-hyeok and Woojun cozy up to him.
People like that were hard to salvage.
With that ego at D-rank Level 3, what use was he?
Higher ranks outnumbered lowers at that level.
"Then I'll head out."
Jeong-hyeon bowed slightly to the group.
And deliberately added to Sang-jun,
"Owe you one today, D-rank Hunter."
...
No reply, but Sang-jun's face cycling red-to-blue was quite the sight.
Meanwhile, Jin-uk smiled inscrutably and nodded at his car.
"Truly great work today, Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon. I can drive you wherever you're headed."
Jeong-hyeon never turned down such offers.
Public transit cost money anyway.
Post-raid fatigue made trekking to the bus stop a chore.
Declining just delayed acceptance.
"In that case, don't mind if I do."
Jeong-hyeon nodded and beat everyone to the Jeongjin Guild car.
Straight to the back seat.
'If I hop out first, shotgun opens up, right?'
Reasonable enough.
***
Cha Jun-won rifled through files in his office.
Dozens poured into HR Team 2 daily—scout targets, official or not.
But dozens? What of it.
Few caught Jun-won's eye.
He met quotas by picking the best of the bunch for hires, but they were always run-of-the-mill low-ranks.
"Sigh... Am I too picky?"
A near B-rank Level 5 like him wouldn't settle easily—that'd be weirder.
Jun-won closed his eyes, rubbing his brow.
Fresh off HR Team 1's Lee Do-hyung's teasing jabs.
- Hey, kindergarten principal. Any results lately?
Just picturing Do-hyung's face and voice snapped the pen in Jun-won's other hand unconsciously.
"That prick—if he weren't the director's son, I'd..."
Do-hyung was unawakened.
Yet he ran HR Team 1 thanks to his background—and, frustratingly, stellar ability.
"How does a non-hunter judge so well?"
Sure, sifting gems from low-rank trash was easier with guaranteed high-rankers.
Still, Jeongjin's performance had visibly spiked pre- and post-Do-hyung.
Foreign guilds had even scouted the unawakened Do-hyung—needless to say.
What could Jun-won say when Do-hyung called Team 2 'kindergarten'?
Even he saw low-level low-ranks as child's play next to high-level high-ranks.
To truly earn your keep as a hunter? Conquer Level 5+ gates at least.
'That's when mission gates start appearing.'
Knock knock knock.
A knock shattered Jun-won's reverie.
- Team leader, it's Junior Manager Seo Jin-uk.
"Ah, come in."
Jun-won composed himself with a smile.
Jin-uk entered promptly.
"Should've rested—told you tomorrow's fine after your hunt."
Lower rank or not, Jin-uk always got polite treatment and leeway from Jun-won.
A first-gen hunter, Jin-uk shunned promotions—junior manager was the bare minimum they'd forced on him.
His experience was impeccable; Jun-won relied on it heavily.
Jun-won urged casual talk when alone, but Jin-uk always refused.
"Wasn't tough. Felt good, like a stroll after ages."
Jun-won offered a seat; Jin-uk took it naturally.
Truth was, Jin-uk had rushed over post-hunt for a reason.
"About that Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon you asked me to check personally."
"Yeah, what'd you think in person?"
"You absolutely can't let him go."
"That good?"
Jun-won's eyes widened slightly.
He'd tasked Jin-uk to scout Jeong-hyeon expecting potential—his call.
But Jin-uk's reaction stunned.
- Probably not worth it.
- Waste of pay, but usable.
- Decent enough.
Jin-uk's harsh grading was infamous.
'Decent' often meant solid performers post-hire.
Basically his top praise.
'Can't let him go?'
Frankly, baffling.
Was Sang-su's hype legit?
Even then, weird.
Catching Jun-won's vibe, Jin-uk continued.
"Didn't expect much from an unregistered at first... But he's off."
"Off how?"
"Raw ability? Slightly below mine."
"What?"
Jun-won raised his voice unusually before Jin-uk.
What did that mean?
Below Jin-uk?
A C-rank Level 3 with inexpressible experience.
A month-ish awakened unregistered nearing that? Too much.
"That's why no trait registration seems odd."
"What do you mean?"
"You know most unregistered are F-rank. Or impossibly high like A/S back when that was a thing."
"Right... You don't say?"
"Yeah, too middling."
Jin-uk nodded; Jun-won agreed, deep in thought.
True.
F-rank Level 3 with minor variance, or total outlier strength? Made sense.
But why mimic a C-rank fringe hunter?
"This'll sound like a joke, but... maybe rank-dimensional growth potential."
"..."
Rank-dimensional growth?
Jun-won replayed the words mentally.
No change however many times.
Jun-won broached cautiously.
"So..."
Jin-uk nodded.
"I don't buy such nonsense myself... But scouting Hunter Han Jeong-hyeon? Best move for Team 2—no, Jeongjin."