Chapter 35
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Core of the Monolith
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A week had passed since clearing the Gate and meeting the Prophet.
As promised, Kang Sa-hu headed to the meeting spot to see Director Lee Jae-man and was led to a place containing numerous stone slabs—Monoliths—prepared just for him.
Monolith.
The word combined mono, meaning one, and lith, meaning stone. It referred to the mysterious structures that had appeared all over the world before Gates and Awakeners ever showed up.
Unlike constructions pieced together from various stones, a Monolith was carved from a single massive block of stone—indestructible and impervious to any deformation, its origins unknown.
And above all else, it was known as the only object capable of quantifying an Awakener's abilities. But the truth was, a Monolith's powers went far beyond that.
It served as a simple shop where Awakeners could spend Gate points to purchase enigmatic items from another world.
Even more crucially, it was an indispensable tool for "job advancement"—the process of elevating an Awakener's class to a higher tier.
Of course, only the Prophet and a handful of NIS executives who had gleaned this intel from her knew the full story.
Aware of just how vital Monoliths were, Director Lee Jae-man had taken the initiative to collect them from around the globe. Thanks to his efforts, Korea now unofficially possessed the largest stockpile anywhere.
Which was why Director Lee Jae-man had no earthly idea how to react to the scene unfolding before him.
Shards of Monoliths littered the floor.
And standing calmly amid the wreckage was the very man who had destroyed them—Kang Sa-hu, who had apparently foreseen this mess and summoned his minions beforehand to shield everyone from the blast.
"As expected, no dice. This time, I'll dial back the mana infusion. Got another Monolith ready?"
Kang Sa-hu made the request with perfect composure, already having pulverized nine of them. The NIS Hunter flinched in panic and scrambled to fetch the next one.
Spotting this, Lee Jae-man snapped out of it and lunged to grab the agent.
"Hey, hey! Where do you think you're going!"
"D-Director? H-Hunter Kang Sa-hu asked for another Monolith..."
"You moron! Can't you see what's happening?! He's gonna smash every last one we scraped together!"
While Lee Jae-man whispered fiercely to the agent,
Kang Sa-hu glanced at the three Giant Hounds and the Corpse-Eating Ape he had summoned earlier.
Kiiik.
Kwor... kwoong...
The Giant Hounds' cheeks bulged out, the ape cramming one final something-or-other down their throats by force.
Once he confirmed all three hounds' mouths were stuffed to bursting, Kang Sa-hu nodded and reverted his summons to soul cores.
'Can't risk touching another Monolith after this.'
No matter how hushed their whispers, the quiet auditorium carried every word straight to Kang Sa-hu's sharp ears.
He had already harvested far more Monolith cores than anticipated, so there was no need to push his luck.
That said, restraint didn't mean he'd let the matter drop.
"Director Lee Jae-man."
Lee Jae-man, midway through chewing out the agent, whipped his head around at the summons.
"H-Hunter Kang Sa-hu."
"How much longer must I wait? A week ago, you personally staked the NIS's name on providing full support until the measurements were done."
Lee Jae-man broke into a cold sweat as Kang Sa-hu recited his own words verbatim.
"W-Well... Even full support has its... limits."
"Are you saying those limits kicked in at nine Monoliths?"
A glint of cold intensity leaked from his eyes, leaving Lee Jae-man speechless, mouth clamped shut.
Kang Sa-hu eyed the sweating director silently before checking his phone.
Quite some time had elapsed, and his missed calls and messages brimmed with ones from Kang Ji-ye.
"Looks like we should call it here for today. I'll head out."
"W-Wait!"
Lee Jae-man reached out as Kang Sa-hu turned away in apparent disappointment, but the hunter shook his head firmly, resolve etched on his face.
"This won't be our last meeting, Director. Just make sure you're ready next time—with promises you can actually keep."
The words drove home like a wedge, leaving Lee Jae-man no room to argue. He fell silent.
Kang Sa-hu paused mid-turn, as if struck by a sudden thought.
"Oh, right. I recall three conditions promised in exchange for that report I wrote for Team Leader Lim Chang-ju."
"Ah, yes. I remember."
Kang Sa-hu nodded at the reply.
"Given this mess—and the Gate's upgrade from C-grade to B-grade over that nasty business—can I look forward to some adjustments to those terms?"
"......!"
Lee Jae-man's eyes bulged in horror at the devilish Monolith-shatterer's suggestion.
'...I got him wrong.'
The reports to date. Their face-to-face talks.
Even quizzing the Prophet on surface-level Awakening and Gate trivia—Lee Jae-man had always sized him up as a lightweight.
No longer.
Playing on the fact that he couldn't gauge his own grade via Monolith. Coaxing unbreakable promises. Maneuvering him into a blunder for leverage.
And now, leveraging that to renegotiate prior deals. The man's guile was inhuman.
Lee Jae-man squeezed his eyes shut.
It might smack of unfairness in the moment, but this fiasco—coupled with the Prophet's intel on hunter levels—left no doubt.
Hunter Kang Sa-hu would grow incomparably stronger than he was now.
Auspicious or ill for national interests? Impossible to say.
Still, he made the best call he could.
"Ah, oppa's back?"
"Yeah."
Kang Sa-hu stepped into the house, hit by a wave of kimchi stew aroma filling the air.
Maybe because proper meals had been scarce during the Gate hunt?
Despite hearty eats at every meal these last few days, his appetite surged, stomach rumbling thunderously at the savory scent.
"Hungry, huh? I'll plate it up—dig in~ I went ahead since you were running late without a peep."
Kang Ji-ye giggled at his gut's betrayal and whipped up a simple dinner: rice, kimchi stew, rolled omelet.
As Kang Sa-hu murmured thanks and reached for his spoon, his phone buzzed.
He nearly ignored it mid-scoop but spotted Han Si-yeon's name. Recalling how he'd brushed off her meeting pitch earlier, he picked up.
"Hello."
[Hello, Hunter Kang Sa-hu! Hope you've been well? Sorry it's taken me this long to reach out.]
"Yes, hello. No worries—you've been swamped too."
He shoveled in a bite of rice and slurped some stew.
Unbeknownst to him, starvation had crept in deep; the kimchi stew soaked into his gut like it belonged there.
[Anyway, about this. After the 'C-Grade Gate Reclassification Incident,' no hunters have signed up. There's a D-grade Gate at risk of breaking, so I'm begging—shamelessly—for your help hunting it...]
Han Si-yeon pressed on in deep apology, but Kang Sa-hu just quietly speared a piece of omelet with his chopsticks.
Reading his silence wrong, she rushed ahead.
[N-No, not for free, of course! Standard pay for a D-grade is ten million won, but we've doubled it for you!]
"...Got it."
His reply lagged as he chewed.
Half the rice down, fullness crept in, vigor flooding back.
"Hoo."
A soft exhale—and chaos erupted on her end.
As he puzzled and resumed eating, her voice spiked in urgency.
[A-And! Military-owned land as a bonus—we can swing that too!]
"Military land?"
Intrigued by the curveball reward, he perked up. Pages rustled on her side.
[Yes! The army owns a huge tract in Pocheon City. If you're interested, we could hand it over as comp—thoughts?]
"Large military land" sparked light in Kang Sa-hu's eyes.
'Was just thinking I need a spacious plot—free to use anytime, anywhere—for smoother work.'
Sure, he could boss a Gate, stall the timer. But lugging gear in carefully? A nightmare.
He knew the hassle firsthand now. Military land? Tempting as hell.
"Yeah, that's compelling. Bundle it with B-grade Gate pay—I'll take the land."
[Got it. I'll push for the biggest chunk possible.]
"Thanks. One thing: entry limit on that D-grade?"
Caught off-guard but quick on the draw:
[Thirty max. But zero takers so far—we're hunting high and low...]
She faltered; he pounced.
"So if I solo-clear it, how's comp calculated?"
[...Pardon?]
Blank at first, uncomprehending.
Then it hit—shock exploded through the line.
Late night.
Before heading out, Kang Sa-hu peered cautiously through the cracked door into Kang Ji-yeon's room.
Hunting fatigue must've piled up sky-high; even after days off, she snored deeply—dead to the world, unlike her usual self.
Fast asleep confirmed, he eased open the front door and slipped out.
Reaching a quiet spot, he summoned a Giant Hound.
Kyung!
The beast barked a joyful welcome.
Size meant volume—loud enough to rattle the neighborhood.
A distant yell: "Hey! Shut that dog up!" Kang Sa-hu zapped a mental warning.
...Neng.
He patted the apologetic whimper, vaulted aboard with a kick-off.
Three meters tall, yet hunts had toughened him—he mounted smooth.
Thud-thud-thud.
Straight-line sprint ditched the winding roads; destination in a blink.
Daylight would've terrified folks—no riding then. But this hour? Sparse traffic, empty streets.
"Hah, huff!"
The soldier camped at the Gate yelped as the Giant Hound touched down dead ahead.
Instinct kicked in—gun swung toward the hound.
Smack. A helmet tap from behind.
"You idiot! What the hell?!"
"B-But, th-there...!"
Pity in his eyes for the babbler, the hitter snapped a crisp salute to Kang Sa-hu.
"Hunter Kang Sa-hu—good to see you again!"
"Ah, you were with Hunter Han Si-yeon. Gate run not even ten days back, and you're already on watch?"
"Y-Yes, sir! Honored you remember!"
Chest puffed—no way he expected recognition.
Kang Sa-hu nodded, eyed the Gate.
"Clear to enter now? Or license check first?"
"Who'd question you? Go right in—orders from up top."
Han Si-yeon's pre-call, deduced. He nodded.
"Off I go, then."
Giant Hound bore him into the Gate.
"W-Wait...! Is that allowed? D-grade Gate!"
The clueless soldier gawked; Pride-and-Joy smirked.
"Relax. That's the guy—even iffy on C-grade, he could solo it."
"...Huh? Come again?"
Blank stare met silence, just an thrilled gaze fixed on the Gate.