Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: The Cursed Ore
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Kang Jin-hyuk skimmed through the data handed over by Jeong Dae-yoon.
The hunters investigating the background were all A-rank Hunters.
With levels exceeding 200, along with illustrious careers and records, they were clearly hardened veterans of this world.
The fact that they could spare such personnel even in these tight times truly befitted guilds vying for first and second place domestically.
“An archer and a mage...”
“Both are masters of camouflage techniques and disguise magic. Even if you know their faces, you can’t afford to let your guard down.”
“You actually left such top-tier personnel for me. As expected—even rotten, it’s still bluefin tuna.”
Kang Jin-hyuk peeled off only the photos from the data and shoved the rest toward the incense candle on the table.
The paper touched the flame and quickly burned up, billowing smoke.
“Nothing else besides this?”
“Of course there is.”
Jeong Dae-yoon rolled up his sleeve to reveal the bracelet fastened around his left arm.
The bracelet, shaped like an electronic watch, was an unfamiliar item to Kang Jin-hyuk.
“Have you heard of the Monster Counter?”
Hearing Jeong Dae-yoon’s words, Kang Jin-hyuk recalled the time he had cooperated with Titan.
“I’ve seen one that looks like a pocket watch.”
From his memory, the counter was a device that recorded points based on the number and types of monsters hunted.
Kang Jin-hyuk couldn’t grasp why Jeong Dae-yoon was bringing up such a device at this timing.
“Trying to promote a new product? I’m not in the market for one.”
“You’ll end up wearing one soon enough, like it or not.”
“What do you mean by...”
Kang Jin-hyuk trailed off as a lightning bolt of realization flashed through his mind.
What had surfaced in his head was the reason the Monster Counter had been developed.
“A tool to prevent cheating, and now we’re forced to have it whether we want it or not. In one word, a shackle.”
“That’s right. It’s only on Tyrant Guild members for now, but it’ll spread to other hunters before long.”
It was the Hunter Association’s policy to ensure nothing like Alraune’s elixir ever happened again.
According to Jeong Dae-yoon’s explanation, the association planned to inspect the counters once a week to accurately track hunters’ growth.
If someone’s stats surged dramatically but their counter numbers were conspicuously lower by comparison...
They’d conclude an item like Alraune’s elixir had been used and make an on-the-spot arrest.
For a measure from the association, it was remarkably effective.
“Why is the association—which always just watched the major guilds’ moves—suddenly rolling out such a radical policy?”
“Looks like even they don’t want to get flagged by the International Union.”
“As usual, they only get moving when the fire’s scorching their feet.”
The association was finally ditching its hands-off approach and doing its job, just as he’d always wanted—yet Kang Jin-hyuk felt unsettled.
‘Hunting in dungeons could become a problem too.’
The more monsters he hunted in a dungeon, the more honestly the counter’s numbers would pile up—and it was obvious the association would demand the source of such massive totals.
The window to explosively boost his power was before the policy extended to regular hunters like him.
Right now.
And beyond the dungeons, Kang Jin-hyuk had another reason to hurry.
“This might be presumptuous meddling, but if you plan to take the elixir, you need to hurry.”
Jeong Dae-yoon voiced the other reason Kang Jin-hyuk had in mind.
It was just an open secret between the two anyway—no need to hide it.
“Given the elixir’s effects, I’d prefer to take it as late as possible.”
“An item that doubles your stats—I get wanting to use it after growing as much as you can.”
But time wasn’t on Kang Jin-hyuk’s side.
Tyrant Guild was out hunting the culprit, and now the association was trying to slap shackles on hunters with new policies.
In this situation, there was only one best course for Kang Jin-hyuk.
“Good tea.”
Kang Jin-hyuk rose from his seat without hesitation.
Jeong Dae-yoon stood up in surprise, following suit.
“Where are you headed?”
“Where else? To hunt.”
“The guilds will make it tough for you.”
“Is that anything new?”
“I mean it’s way worse than usual.”
This was the period when members of the major guilds—who’d been abroad on commissions—were trickling back one by one.
‘Feeling it’s unfair that foreign media treats all Korean hunters like criminals, they’re boycotting.’
That was the excuse most major guilds gave for returning home, but it was merely surface-level.
Their true aim was to carve out territory from the crumbling Tyrant.
With everyone in a standoff over who’d claim which zones first, a guildless hunter trying to hunt was out of the question.
However, that only applied to ordinary hunters.
“Doesn’t concern me.”
Kang Jin-hyuk smirked and promptly opened the door to leave.
His destination was the attic of his own house.
A dungeon known only to him.
* * *
The dwarf stared at the ore in his hand, his expression subtly complex.
“So this is what you brought back?”
He’d sent him to find a mine, and instead he’d spouted excuses for over thirty minutes.
This fist-sized ore was supposedly his consolation prize.
The dwarf debated whether to smash Kang Jin-hyuk’s thick skull with it or with the hammer in his other hand.
“No word for weeks—I thought you’d kicked the bucket...”
Hearing the dwarf’s mutter, Kang Jin-hyuk felt a pang of conscience.
He’d intentionally avoided this place because he’d gone off on a tangent instead of seeking out the mine as asked.
In short, he’d run away out of fear of getting chewed out.
Even he had to admit it was pretty shameless.
“Looks like decent material. What do you think?”
Hoping to shift the topic, Kang Jin-hyuk drew the dwarf’s attention.
The dwarf alternated glances between Kang Jin-hyuk and the ore, sighed, and abandoned the idea of swinging his hammer at the man’s crown.
“Yeah. Being an idiot isn’t a crime.”
“Huh? An idiot?”
“Yeah, you moron. You brought this without even knowing what it is?”
The dwarf wasn’t annoyed because Kang Jin-hyuk had ignored his commission.
The so-called “rare ore” was a cursed item riddled with countless resentful spirits.
“You expect me to make something with this cursed piece of trash? Huh? A cursed sword, maybe?”
“A curse? For real?”
“Yeah, you idiot. Didn’t that elf chick tell you?”
“Not a single word...”
The dwarf realized why Lucia had rushed off to the lower levels alone.
“That wench planned for this from the start.”
It was common knowledge in their world that dwarves were vulnerable to curses.
Strongly pragmatic by nature, they had so few priests that in past wars, a single curse had once wiped out an entire division.
“What I despise most after elves are cursed objects like this—and you bring me one?”
The dwarf grumbled, his face sour.
“Man...”
Kang Jin-hyuk felt deeply disappointed.
He’d expected a fine weapon from an Alraune drop.
He hadn’t anticipated the dwarf hating it this much.
“Sigh... A curse. Now I see why Lucia said it’d be impossible with your strength.”
As Kang Jin-hyuk sighed and reached to take the ore back, the dwarf shot out a hand and grabbed his arm.
“Hold it. What’d you say?”
The dwarf glared at Kang Jin-hyuk with fierce, bulging eyes.
“W-well, Lucia said you couldn’t handle this ore...”
“Goddamn it.”
Grinding his teeth and spitting curses, the dwarf snatched up the ore.
“They must’ve expected me to throw in the towel without even trying... But no way in hell.”
Normally, he wouldn’t give a grudge-infested ore like this a second glance.
But thinking Lucia had set out to mock him, a rare spark of defiance ignited.
“Hey, moron. You want something made from this? Go run an errand for me.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“What else? Purify this ore, obviously.”
Kang Jin-hyuk waved his hands as if in distress.
“My old class was priestly, but I don’t have purification skills.”
“What’re you on about? I never expected it from you in the first place.”
The number of resentful spirits clinging to the ore was more than all ten fingers could count.
To purify that many curses, he’d need at least a bishop-level priest.
It was utterly beyond some human who could only swing a bat.
“Then how am I supposed to purify it? Got someone to hand it off to?”
“No one to hand it off to, but there is a place.”
After his riddle-like response, the dwarf tossed the ore back to Kang Jin-hyuk.
Kang Jin-hyuk caught the ore as it arced in a small parabola—then another object flew toward him.
“Gah!”
Kang Jin-hyuk whipped his left hand up to counter the sudden ambush.
He barely managed to catch it. Inspecting the item, he saw it was an ornate key decorated with jewels.
“What’s this?”
“What else? A key.”
“No—I mean, what does it open?”
The dwarf pointed downward with a finger.
“There’s a place down below called the Dragon Temple. Put that ore on the altar there.”
“A temple? You mean that one on the second floor?”
“Nah. That’s just a mage’s knockoff imitation of a temple.”
The dwarf explained that the real temple was five floors deeper, in the deepest part.
“Even below that cliff?”
“Yeah. Better not stray off this time and come straight back.”
“Haha... I’ve got a conscience. I won’t pull the same stunt twice.”
Even hearing that, the dwarf eyed him suspiciously.
The first time’s the hardest with these things. Second or third? Could happen anytime.
The dwarf figured Kang Jin-hyuk might get distracted and screw around again.
The previous errand had just been “find a mine,” so no big deal—but this one had a time limit.
“I ain’t joking. After three days, peeling off that curse won’t do squat.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Why do you think? The curse devours the ore’s power too.”
“So after three days, it’s just plain iron... That it?”
“You got it. Quit dawdling and get going.”
As the dwarf turned to head into his workshop for other work, Kang Jin-hyuk hurriedly called him back.
“W-wait. Just one more question.”
“What?”
“If I succeed in purifying it on time, what can you make from this ore?”
Kang Jin-hyuk wanted the reward to be worth busting through his packed schedule.
The dwarf caught on to his thinking and flashed a grin.
“At the very least, something way better than lightning blasts.”
The ability enchanted from the new monster Behemoth’s materials was worth billions.
Even equivalent value justified the risk—and the dwarf was openly promising more.
That left Kang Jin-hyuk no reason to hesitate.
His inventory was still stuffed from stocking up to raid a Tyrant branch anyway.
Kang Jin-hyuk resolved to set out right away.