Special Benefits
I watched Seong Yu-mi as she brought the juice can to her lips, her mouth opening absentmindedly.
Even as an S-rank hunter, her face looked exhausted.
That was common knowledge—Association hunters had it rough.
Sure, it stung to give up the money as a slave to capitalism, but those withered grapes? No need to force them down.
The juice I was drinking was brutally sour and bitter? Nah, just my imagination...
“……”
What the hell is this?
Why is this juice so damn sour and bitter?
I frowned when I realized I'd grabbed a grapefruit juice can by mistake.
Should've gone for the apple juice next to it.
I quietly set the can down and turned my gaze back to Seong Yu-mi.
She seemed to be coming to her senses now, her expression calm as she stared at me.
“……So you're refusing?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
Truth be told, withered grapes or not, it didn't matter.
I couldn't join anyway, so what could I do?
Seong Yu-mi let out a long sigh at my firm answer.
“Reason?”
“I've got places to be.”
“If I asked, would you tell me?”
“Hm……”
I quietly rolled my eyes to the side.
The Master of the Twisted Underworld says to think carefully and answer well.
Cheeky bastard.
Threatening me in the most straightforward way possible.
Seong Yu-mi nodded as if she understood from my pursed lips.
“Fine, just answer this one thing clearly, and I won't ask more.”
“What is it?”
“Which group are you planning to join, Black Dragon?”
“Not thinking about it right now.”
To make a living as a hunter, I'd have to eventually.
But not now.
Something more important came first.
Maybe she liked my answer—Seong Yu-mi nodded like she'd gotten it.
“That's good enough. Yeah, that's all I needed.”
“But why?”
“Oh, just... there's one place I really don't want you joining.”
A place she didn't want me to join?
As I tilted my head, Seong Yu-mi grabbed an apple juice can, cracked it open, and chugged it down.
“Seolhwa Guild.”
“Isn't that Korea's number one guild?”
Korea was an awakening powerhouse.
In this small chunk of land, there were ten S-rank hunters.
The S-rank title was for those whose strength defied current measurement—irregulars.
With ten such outliers, Korea earned its status as an awakening powerhouse.
‘Of course, it's weak compared to our neighbors.’
China and Japan had three times as many S-ranks, easily.
Ten was a lot globally, but it felt unfair.
Even abroad, guilds topped out at two or three S-ranks.
Yet in Korea, with only ten total...
“Four S-rank hunters in one guild.”
A guild with four national-level powers.
Everyone knew about it—
“What are you talking about, Black Dragon? Seolhwa has five S-ranks now.”
“……Five? Who joined?”
“Taeyang—Kim Taesung. The hunter who's been with Seolhwa since F-rank.”
“……?”
I blinked blankly.
Taeyang?
What the hell was that?
And...
“Who's Kim Taesung?”
“Oh, you wouldn't know? While you were wasting 4444.4 hours in the Tutorial Tower, A-rank rookie Kim Taesung got promoted to S-rank.”
“……”
My jaw dropped.
I'd seen the article before entering the tower—solo-clearing an A-rank gate.
But S-rank in half a year? Possible?
“You know him?”
“Yeah... not on great terms, though.”
We got along fine at the construction site.
Things soured after he awakened.
Celebrity syndrome or something—he ignored all my texts.
The first and last message from him as a hunter: ‘Our worlds are different now. Please don't text me anymore.’
That guy was a big reason I wanted to become a hunter.
Wanted to smash his smug face flat.
“Got it. Then here's another proposal.”
“What?”
“Remember what Chan-woo mentioned before the exam? The special benefit?”
I nodded silently.
“Promise you won't join Seolhwa Guild, and I can bump your hunter rank straight to C-rank.”
“……!”
My eyes widened at her words.
C-rank hunter.
Meant I could tackle gates with orc-level monsters freely.
In other words, shave two months off my timeline.
“What do you say?”
“……Why go that far for me?”
“Hm... Guess I need to explain my unique skill first.”
Seong Yu-mi quietly covered her left eye with her right hand.
As the hand lowered, her red pupil was slit like a cat's.
“This is my unique skill. Called Magic Eye.”
The effect was simple.
Piercing through the ‘essence’ of things.
“You know? I hate even being in the same room as you right now.”
“……”
“Black Dragon. Every time I see you, I get chills.”
Even without activating it, years of using Magic Eye had conditioned her body.
It instinctively analyzed opponents now.
Her eyes, never wrong, were ringing alarms.
Don't even try to comprehend.
So she chose to heed the warning.
“I don't want to make an enemy of someone holding an unknown bomb.”
Unknown bomb.
If that meant Black Dragon, spot on.
It really was a time bomb, always on the verge of blowing up inside me.
I nodded, fully getting it.
“Sure, whatever.”
Not a tough promise.
I'd never join the same guild as that Kim Taesung prick anyway.
Seong Yu-mi smiled, satisfied with my ready agreement.
“Good. By end of today, Black Dragon, you're C-rank.”
“Thought we'd need a contract or something.”
“Nah. This is about trust, right? Gotta give it first.”
“Appreciate it.”
Unexpectedly huge perk.
Straight to C-rank.
‘But Black Dragon won't be satisfied with orcs.’
The ‘Black Dragon’ inside me couldn't be pleased with mere orcs.
C-rank or not, to raise sync rate, I still needed the tower.
“Alright, C-rank hunter Han Mir. Let's see each other more from now on?”
“……Hanging with Association hunters often? That a curse?”
“Uh……”
Seong Yu-mi winced at my retort.
Association hunters were basically hunter cops.
Frequent meetings weren't ideal.
I watched her scramble excuses, lost in thought.
‘Speaking of, missing person…’
I'd heard on the news: solo Tutorial Tower entry flagged as missing.
But Shin Seon-woo was with me when I entered.
Should've been ‘Tutorial entry report,’ not missing.
‘Not good.’
Figured he'd call eventually, but no.
Time to visit his place.
‘Today.’
Out already, so swing by before heading home.
I stood up, decided.
“Business done? I'm out.”
“Wait. Can I get your number?”
“……You already investigated it, right?”
“Yeah, but manners.”
I smacked my lips lightly and gave Seong Yu-mi my number.
And.
“Here, mine.”
Somehow scored an S-rank hunter's number.
“Call if anything comes up. I'll help if I can.”
“Doubt I'll need to, but what's this?”
“Oh, Chan-woo's number. Bonus.”
A-rank top dog's number as a freebie.
* * *
Right after exchanging numbers, Seong Yu-mi snapped her fingers, sending me out of the room.
That room's location was top secret, apparently.
One second later, I was on the first floor. I clicked my tongue and eyed my brand-new hunter card.
“……Real C-rank.”
F-rank to C-rank in one go.
How many steps up was that?
I pocketed the card in my wallet and walked out of the Awakening Association.
Crowded streets.
But felt like I forgot something...
“Kkung?”
“Oh, right. Cheori.”
Cheori poked its head from my pocket, like all done?
Forgot it came with me.
I gently scratched its head with my index finger and looked around.
‘Taxi it is.’
Half a year ago, unthinkable.
But C-rank now? This luxury felt fine.
“Quick detour, grab food, then home.”
“Kkung!”
Already beat—body aching too.
Seemed ready to crash, but handle this now.
Hated putting things off.
I called a taxi on my phone and yawned lazily under the noon sun.
* * *
“……I'm insane.”
What balls did I have to take a taxi?
Still, it was comfy—way better than subway or bus.
“Think positive.”
Less fatigue for the cash.
Good deal.
I consoled myself as I boarded an apartment elevator.
“Hyung's on the sixth floor.”
Arrived at six, stopped at a door.
622.
Not often, but unforgettable.
“Hope sister-in-law's doing well.”
She'd text to visit, load me with side dishes.
Her cooking was killer—one batch lasted a week.
‘Should've bought something proper.’
Long time no see—felt cheap showing empty-handed, so grabbed drinks.
Should've gone bigger.
I smacked my lips and rang the bell.
“……”
Ding-dong—
Cheerful chime.
Footsteps from beyond the door.
Door opened—I was speechless.
“Who is it?”
“……Huh?”
A total stranger.
I stared, eyes trembling, at who seemed the new owner.
Definitely the place.
Checked the address saved on my phone.
No doubt.
Shin Seon-woo's home.
But someone else lived here.
I swallowed dryly.
“Excuse me, do you know where the previous tenants went?”
“Dunno. Got it cheap as a vacancy, so...”
Thanks.
The tenant shut the door and went inside.
Alone in the hall, I quietly wiped my face.
No wonder luck felt off today.
Totally got Kim Cheomji's vibe.