Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Anomalous Monsters
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"Again?"
The Gate Management Division of the Hunter Association.
This was the department that monitored the status of all gates appearing in Korea and managed their schedules.
Kim Pan-su, the head of the management team at the Gate Management Division, furrowed his brow but reflexively tossed out the question.
Knowing it wasn't a genuine inquiry, his subordinate nodded affirmatively for reassurance.
"Yes. The Aurora Guild sent an official letter. They say a one-eyed giant used fire magic."
"Hah..."
Pan-su let out a deep sigh, swiveling his chair to show his back to the staff member, as if he didn't even want to think about it.
Lately, gates had been reporting clear anomalous signals, albeit infrequently.
Monsters occasionally appearing with traits different from before.
It started three months ago with a report from the level 6 gate 'Heavenly Dragon's Cliff'.
The reporters were a rare private party for that level, claiming they'd been attacked by what seemed like lightning magic while hunting Heavenly Dragon Birds.
Naturally, no one believed it.
The reporters weren't from a certified guild but independents, and coincidentally, their party included a lightning-type mage, making it look like a ploy for compensation.
They had no choice but to summon the party members to the Association for testimony and collect evidence inside the gate, concluding with 'no evidence'.
There were some suspicious points, but it wasn't impossible to replicate at level 6 hunter standards, and crucially, two investigation teams found no monsters using lightning magic like that.
- Come on, Team Leader. As an Association team leader, you should know better than to fall for pranks like this. Sending people back and forth over nonsense.
Especially after hearing that from the S-Rank hunter leading the investigation team—his pride was wounded enough.
Being the Gate Management Division team leader at the Association meant no one ignored you anywhere in Korea, but against an S-Rank, he had to swallow the mockery silently.
The problem was that gate anomalies weren't limited to 'Heavenly Dragon's Cliff'.
If anything, reports trickled in sporadically afterward, showing an increasing trend.
"A few days ago, there was a report from a level 4 gate, right?"
"Yes."
At first, since they centered on level 6 or 5 gates, they brushed it off.
Unusual, sure, but high-level gates had fewer hunting records.
Honestly, no one knew what might happen.
But a level 4 gate changed things.
Level 4 gates were versatile, hunted by low-level hunters too.
Hunting data was plentiful and stable.
Moreover, this 'Island of the Twilight-Weaving Giant' held symbolic weight in another way.
"It's the first time the boss mob has changed."
General monsters? With numbers like that, mutations were possible.
But anomalies in boss monsters were serious.
Boss hunts already had high mortality; adding fire or lightning magic variables was deadly.
Who would risk their life for a boss hunt then?
"Shouldn't we send an official request to foreign associations for cooperation now...?"
The staff member behind Pan-su mumbled hesitantly.
Such phenomena likely weren't unique to Korea.
Gates and the system weren't man-made by one nation or company—they were transcendental, beyond human understanding.
For the system to glitch only in Korean gates? That was naive and reckless.
Similar issues must be happening abroad.
Sharing info with foreign associations might yield clues.
But Pan-su shook his head.
"No... let's observe a bit longer first."
"Pardon...?"
The staff member's face stiffened, but Pan-su didn't see it, facing away.
With no apparent willingness to cooperate, the subordinate returned to his seat with a grim expression.
'I'm not some big shot.'
What held Pan-su back was none other than an inferiority complex.
He was an unawakened ordinary person.
While over half of Association staff were non-hunters, at team leader level, hunters dominated.
How many times had he heard 'not even a hunter'?
His position in Gate Management was pure luck among lucks.
With retirement looming, escalating an uncertain issue?
Incidents were minimal; alerting abroad might make him a laughingstock.
Just like that S-Rank hunter who mocked him.
'If it were serious, foreign associations would've notified us first.'
If monster changes were global, Korea's Association would've heard by now.
So Pan-su decided to watch and wait.
Maybe it'd vanish as suddenly as it started.
***
"Hah... what's this smell?"
Jeong-hyeon sniffed repeatedly.
His superhuman senses, mobilizing every olfactory cell, informed him.
"New house smell..."
New house smell.
It had been two weeks since 'King's Playground'.
That period was historic for Jeong-hyeon.
First, he fully repaid the mana injection procedure loan tormenting him for years.
His body felt light enough to fly,
And today, he finally escaped the one-room village he'd lived in since leaving the orphanage.
"Not huge, but it'll do."
Jeong-hyeon looked around contentedly.
Others might not find it impressive.
His new place was a house at Seoul's outskirts.
A few other houses nearby, but post-gate, it was essentially an abandoned neighborhood.
Gates ignored terrain, but people sought safe havens.
Real estate was extremely polarized.
Seoul's prime spots clustered ultra-high-rises around Association or guild HQs—highest prices.
Prices plummeted further out.
The trend held in other cities, centered on hunter facilities replacing old downtowns.
Elite hunter neighborhoods or apartments commanded billions in key money, no vacancies.
Thus, Jeong-hyeon's house had been neglected for years.
Far from downtown, surrounded by wild hills—no demand.
The owner practically dumped it on him, no deposit or down payment, desperate to offload.
"Still short some cash, though..."
Even depreciated, Seoul land wasn't cheap.
After debts, his 430 million barely covered; short 200 million.
Fortunately, the Association handled it.
Truthfully, they were thrilled about his move.
"You really see the world differently after becoming S-Rank."
Jeong-hyeon recalled his chat with Investigation Bureau Chief Go Min-seok, smiling.
- You're moving?
- Yeah, got some money now... tired of the one-room.
- Great. Why not a house while you're at it?
- A house?
Jeong-hyeon echoed the unexpected phone suggestion.
Min-seok affirmed brightly.
- Yes. Easier for Association protection than an apartment.
- Not bad...
- I'll scout suitable properties and get back.
- Wait. But I can't afford a house—
- We'll cover the shortfall. Full government funding works too.
- Thank you.
He accepted without question.
Jeong-hyeon preferred self-funding maximally.
He took aid but on quick-repayment terms.
Min-seok said S-Ranks needn't worry about money in Korea, but Jeong-hyeon hated debt vibes.
Repaid one loan, took another—but this felt lighter.
'Interest-free loans forever—pure bliss.'
Association aid: fully interest-free, no repayment deadline!
Debt as asset? This felt like one.
After sniffing at the new home's gate forever, Jeong-hyeon finally entered.
"Ooh..."
For a house neglected years, the interior was surprisingly clean and luxurious.
Clean from the owner's cleaning service, fine—but finishes, optioned furniture screamed quality.
"Real estate guy was right."
Owner said pre-gate, it was upscale.
Dismissed as sales talk then; dust hid it during viewing.
"Polished up, it's night and day."
Post-touchup, beyond expectations.
Orphanage or one-room: Jeong-hyeon always bought cheapest furniture.
Post-hunter, earnings poured into gear—contrast huge.
Plus house meant far more space than apartments; palatial vs. one-room.
Everything perfect for him.
New house—who wouldn't love it?
"Wow, this bed slays!"
He dove into the plush bed rivaling Jeongjin dorm suites, marveling.
Only new furniture bought: bed.
Non-hunting/training time mostly abed; top-tier ruined him for less.
Sleep quality is life quality, right?
And bed demanded priority.
"Trait Shop."
Long time no see.
Light level 4 hunt midway, but moving prep and bed shopping ate two weeks—no proper check.
"Hunting's easier than shopping."
Muttering, the familiar window appeared.
[「Trait Shop」(Lv.4)
Coins to next level: 192
Equipable Traits / Stored Traits: 0 / 8
Trait Probabilities: F 20%, E 30%, D 25%, C 14%, B 7%, A 3%, S 1%
Current Coins: 15]
"Hmm..."
15 coins held.
Spendable now, but he shook his head after pondering.
'Not enough for anything now.'
15 meant something for E/F buys; now, midsummer snow.
One C or B? Third gone—teasing.
Level 4 recent; no level-up push.
Decision made, Jeong-hyeon grinned darkly.
"Let's aim for 50 this time?"