Chapter 122: Inevitability (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 122: Inevitability (4)
This was too much of a coincidence.
“Of all the times for something to come up… Ah.”
This is what the kids these days call ‘getting screwed over,’ I guess.
I never really understood what that meant before.
“Ah, this is so unfair.”
Now I get it. Perfectly.
“In one hour…”
Even as I stood there deliberating, time was ticking away.
One hour from now would be exactly 3:00 PM.
In other words, the exact same time I was supposed to meet Yu-jeong.
Trying to do both was damn near impossible.
There was no telling when the dungeon conquest would end, and it was a given that a date with Yu-jeong would last well into the night.
“A key…”
The reward for the conquest was a key.
The fact that they emphasized the name ‘Scramble’ probably meant… only a select few could obtain it.
If everyone could get one, they wouldn't have used a word like that.
“It sounds like something good.”
The fact that not everyone could get it kept swaying my heart.
Limited-quantity rewards are always more valuable.
Since it was a key, I figured it would open some kind of treasure chest or a path to a place where treasure was hidden…
“Haa, this is a tough one.”
I was ranked 504th.
The very last among five hundred and four people.
Of course, that rank didn't necessarily reflect my actual skill.
But if we were going by the order in which we started benefiting from the ‘One with Aptitude’ trait, then I was indeed dead last.
I was the guy who barely managed to hop on the last train after everyone else had already enjoyed all the perks.
“That’s why this is even more important.”
Training alone wasn't enough to close the gap between me and them.
While I was training hard, they wouldn't be sitting around doing nothing, so it would be difficult to catch up with just that.
A limited-quantity reward. I had to secure it and use it as an efficient means of growth to increase my chances of survival.
Well… the more actively I pursued rewards, the higher the risk of getting killed by others would be.
“Life’s all about taking that one big shot.”
That’s what a Hunter is.
A being who cannot grow stronger without crossing the line of death.
To surpass B-rank and reach not just A-rank but S-rank, you had to live with death as your constant companion.
But I had experience that others didn't.
The experience of finding a path to survival and taking that step, time and time again, in crises where death had its hands around my neck.
That difference was quite significant.
And the more urgent the situation, the wider that gap would become.
It was a race I never wanted to join, but I had to do my best.
Because being eliminated from this race meant death.
I had just started to enjoy life; it would be a shame to die so young, wouldn't it?
An opportunity too good to miss versus just one of the countless dates I would have in the future.
Suddenly, a memorable line from a manga I watched as a kid came to mind.
The food you never ate and the dreams you never achieved.
On your deathbed, which would you truly regret?
“……”
Once my thoughts reached that point, my decision was made.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
[A rift will be generated shortly.]
The numbers on the right side of the map had ticked down to 00:01.
Only one minute remained until the rift opened.
With a slightly nervous heart, I waited for the final number 1 to turn to 0, counting down the seconds in my head.
59, 58, 57…
Around the time my internal count reached 10, something in the distance, something distinctly different from its surroundings, caught my eye.
I slowly raised my hand and waved.
“Yu-jeong!”
She was wearing tight skinny jeans, a crop top that revealed her sleek waist and stomach, and a thick cardigan over it.
Her outfit, similar to her usual style yet subtly different, drew the gazes of not just me, but every man passing by.
She stood out.
On a street bustling with so many people, it felt as if she was the only one shining.
“What the… When did you get here?”
“Around two?”
At my answer, she asked again, her tone laced with confusion.
“Why?”
“The weather was nice, so I was just grabbing a coffee.”
“Hmph… It’s not that you were too excited for your date with me to stay at home?”
I wasn't a fan of her confident expression, but I decided to play along.
This time was for her, after all.
“Well, I guess there might be a little bit of that…”
“Heehee.”
Seeing her smile so happily made me think I’d made the right choice.
Suddenly, a message window popped up, obscuring her bright face.
[Rift generation complete!]
Who gives a damn.
I immediately deleted the message.
Between a dungeon where I could get a key and Shin Yu-jeong, I chose the latter.
When I thought about the question of what I’d regret more on my deathbed—the food I never ate or the dreams I never achieved—the answer came quickly.
Wouldn't any man on his deathbed think about the woman he never got to fuck?
I had no idea what kind of reward the key would grant me, but I boldly chose to give it up.
It wasn't like they said my qualification would be revoked if I didn't go, like last time. And it probably wasn't the only chance I'd get.
Couldn't you say the same thing about the date, that there would be other chances?
Dunno?
It's what my heart wants, so what can I do?
“So, why did you pick Yongsan for our date?”
Yongsan.
Once known as the Yongsan Electronics Market, the mecca of electronics, this place had rapidly transformed with the dawn of the Hunter society.
It had boldly abandoned the sale of electronics, which could now be easily bought online with a few clicks, and switched its focus to selling gear for Hunters.
They didn't just stop at selling equipment.
They rented out workshops to artisans with crafting-related traits and handled all the sales of the gear they produced.
Backed by this support, the artisans churned out high-quality equipment, and the sellers used their slick tongues to sell it at a good price.
Decades passed, and now, Yongsan has earned a new name.
The Yongsan Arms Market.
And with it came a new saying.
If you want to buy good gear, go to Yongsan and fight them.
…I think we all know why you have to fight.
Although the current Yongsan is implementing a ‘Clean Price’ policy to wash away the disgraceful past of the so-called Yong-pal-i [scammy Yongsan salesmen], not everyone has agreed to it.
You have to skillfully avoid the Yong-pal-i hiding in every corner to get your hands on quality gear at a reasonable price.
“I just thought we could check out some good gear, grab something delicious to eat, that kind of thing.”
The Yongsan Arms Market is always bustling with Hunters looking to browse or buy equipment.
Moreover, everyone gathered here is a Hunter with deep pockets.
Smelling money, large corporations rushed to set up shop around the Yongsan Arms Market.
Cafes, restaurants, bars, hotels, and more.
Thanks to them, you could say this place has everything.
“That’s true… you’re still using the gear the Hunter Association lent you.”
“Yeah.”
“Well, sounds good. Since we’re here, let’s buy something nice if we find it.”
“Should we?”
She sidled up to me hesitantly and wrapped her arm around mine.
The sensation of her breast pressed firmly against my arm.
Unlike Jeong-hee’s, which were soft enough for my fingers to sink into, hers were so firm they felt like they’d push my fingers away.
I forced down the corners of my mouth, which were creeping up into a grin without my permission.
Control your expression, control your expression.
“Ahem! L-Let’s go.”
“Alright.”
The Yongsan Arms Market consists of seven buildings in total, from S to F.
Doesn't the alphabet tell you everything?
The quality of the equipment sold in each building is different.
To be precise, the rank of the artisans who craft the gear is different.
That’s not to say that F Building sells trash, though.
You can think of F Building as the place where rookie artisans who have just started crafting churn out their equipment.
Conversely, S Building is where they sell only the finest equipment, born from the hands of those known as master craftsmen.
The minimum entry requirement is to be a B-rank affiliated with a major guild or an unaffiliated A-rank, so Hunters call S Building the ‘Luxury Goods Hall’ instead of its official name.
And in truth, the items displayed there are all worthy of being called luxury goods.
“Where should we go?” the girl hanging onto my arm asked.
“Hmm… to find some decent gear, I think we should at least go to C or D Building.”
The prices of the equipment are set differently for each section.
D-rank, which we mentioned, is where gear priced between 3 and 5 million won is sold, while C-rank is for gear between 5 and 10 million won.
“Whoa, you’ve got a lot of money?”
She clicked her tongue, surprised that I mentioned C and D from the start.
I shrugged and replied.
“I’m not broke, am I?”
Indeed, the amount in my bank account was on a completely different level from when I first entered this body.
There was the reward from the Association, and the money I earned from conquering dungeons.
While it would be difficult to get a full set from head to toe, I could now afford to buy an item or two.
We first entered D Building.
The moment we stepped inside, the salespeople hired by each workshop raised their voices.
“Sir, come take a look over here!”
“Ma’am! The best of D Building, ‘Salamander’s Snort,’ will serve you at a reasonable price!”
“Exceptional quality, reasonable prices, and a trendy design! If you want gear that has all three…!”
An overwhelming barrage of sales pitches followed.
Maintaining your composure against their endless touting—that was the start of the battle.
We looked at each other with grim faces.
“Don’t you dare waver.”
“Hmph, you neither.”
“Alright, let’s go.”
The Yongsan Arms Market.
The Hunters who lost their minds to the aggressive sales pitches, got ripped off, and wept tears of blood call this place by another name.
The ‘Yongsan Dungeon.’
Today, we will conquer this place.