Chapter 32
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Draw, If You're Confident
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“Then how much will it cost…….”
“Just give me this.”
Mr. Jang wiggled three fingers.
“Three hundred?”
“What are you talking about? Obviously three thousand.”
“Huh? But earlier you said you’d give me a discount…….”
“This is cheap for what it is.”
“But it comes with materials.”
“Something this damaged actually takes a lot more work. Even so, I cut the six thousand asking price in half out of sympathy.”
Ah. We’re screwed. Where am I supposed to get three thousand from all of a sudden?
Three thousand might sound small, but for me right now, it was an unreachable dream. I didn’t even have a hundred thousand to my name and had to sneak weapons from the training grounds—what the hell was I supposed to do to scrape together three thousand?
As I fidgeted anxiously, the old man casually added something.
“If you don’t have cash, magic crystals or other hides will do. A single untreated orc hide is worth about a million, so bring any extras you’ve got. Of course, that’s assuming it’s in good condition.”
He must’ve been eyeing that orc hide deep down. Makes sense—it was a rare item, enough to tempt anyone.
Suddenly, I remembered the magic crystal from the hobgoblin. Pretending to rummage through my pockets, I pulled the hobgoblin’s magic crystal from my inventory.
“What about a magic crystal like this?”
“Whoa~ Everything you pull out is top-shelf. The mana inside is impressive—practically 2-star quality. This alone could fetch at least a million. Perfect. I’ll get started on the crafting. You can pay the rest whenever.”
Maybe because it came from an otherworld hobgoblin, but he gave it high marks. I promised to contact him if I got any more hides and left the leather workshop.
But Instructor Song, who’d followed me out, had a troubled look on her face.
“Let’s talk for a sec.”
She grabbed my hand, her expression full of worry and suspicion. She wasn’t letting go until I explained myself properly.
“What’s going on? Otherworld orc hide? And what’s with that magic crystal? Where the hell did you get it…… No, who gave it to you?”
It didn’t look like I’d get out of this without a convincing excuse.
“My brother.”
I threw my nonexistent brother under the bus.
“Your brother?”
“Yeah. These are things he left behind.”
“You have a brother?”
I put on a wistful expression and gazed off into the distance.
“Not anymore. He never came back. But in that orc hide! In that magic crystal! His will, his convictions, and his honor are sealed! I… I’ll carry it all and keep fighting. Because I’m his one and only little brother!!”
As you might’ve guessed, it was a slightly tweaked version of a classic storyline and iconic line from Cheon-sang Dolpa.
“I can’t believe it…… So that’s what happened.”
Instructor Song hugged me tight, tears streaming down her face. Cheon-sang Dolpa never fails! No one can hear that story and not get moved. Masterpieces transcend genres and generations.
“I get it. My big brother left to research the otherworld, and it’s been over five years since he came back…….”
“Huh?”
This was an unexpected twist. Cold sweat trickled down my back as I furtively rolled my eyes side to side.
Who knew my throwaway lie would tie into Instructor Song’s real family situation……? The guilt stabbed at me for exploiting her feelings.
“If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll help. But! Promise me you won’t do anything reckless.”
Her teary eyes were filled with sincerity. I could barely meet her gaze. Suddenly, I felt like the worst scum.
But I couldn’t exactly spill my secrets either. In the end, all I could say was:
“Got it. I promise.”
* * *
“The reason raid parties are capped at ten people max is simple: to maximize efficiency per headcount. With so few members, every single one has to pull their weight to clear a dungeon. Rookies like you who charge in blind just drag the team down.”
The instructor sneered at the trainees as usual and continued the lesson.
“Now you get why hunters form ten-man raid parties to enter gates, right? Next up: movement formations and combat formations. For movement, a high-agility archer takes point to scout for enemies or traps. If foes are spotted…….”
The instructor lectured at length on combat formations before wrapping up class.
He announced that starting next week, we’d be forming squads to fight in teams, flashing a nasty grin.
“Of course, it’s pointless for everyone outside the top twenty…… But who knows? Rankings might shift again in the meantime. Heh heh heh. So give it your all—like your lives depend on it. Entertain me a bit.”
“Ugh. He’s a real demon.”
“Sometimes I can’t tell who the real monster is.”
The trainees ground their teeth at the instructor’s mocking cackle. How many times had we been stabbed or had limbs broken just to amuse that bastard?
Even with healing magic, the pain of getting hurt was no joke. And the spars were only getting more brutal as time went on.
People who’d hesitated to even stab at first were now swinging for hearts and heads with killing intent. They’d grown numb to blood and pain.
Plus, the occasional real fights against monsters had leveled everyone up. Attacks hit harder now—a moment’s lapse meant serious injury.
Sure enough, ten people had already dropped out from injuries or trauma.
I’d had my close calls too. Through endless spars, I’d picked up ways to counter throwing skills one by one.
Like wrapping yourself in thick iron armor, or charging with a shield covering vitals.
‘It threw me off at first, but I’m still coming out on top.’
I wasn’t slacking either—I’d drop them with new weapons each time.
Iron-clad foes got a slingshot bullet to the head for a knockout. Shield-rushers ate a thrown axe that split their shield clean in two.
That’s probably when it started. The challengers dried up fast. Some even came late, begging to learn throwing.
Most left scoffing at “Throwing is an art,” but a few swallowed their pride and shouted it.
Even they gave up soon enough. Just like me at first—they wanted axe-throwing shortcuts, got chewed out by Instructor Song, and bailed.
In the end, the throwing range went back to its old state: one instructor, one student.
It looked kinda pathetic, but it worked for me. Meant more one-on-one lessons with Instructor Song.
‘At this rate, am I gonna end up dating her?’
…….
Of course not. She did look at me with even warmer eyes now, but it felt more like shared suffering than affection.
And every time, the guilt would hit me.
‘Keeping a secret…… It’s harder than I thought.’
I was starting to feel the plight of comic-book heroes on a personal level.
* * *
While the leather armor was being made, I roamed the forest, clearing goblin villages left and right.
Over two months, I wiped out all the villages around the dungeon (five total, including the previous ones) and headed west for bigger ones.
The local villages were small-time, easy pickings. But the western ones were on another level.
‘Nearly got in deep shit this time. Didn’t expect a goblin chieftain.’
Past a certain size, goblin chieftains showed up. A variant of goblin shamans—2.5-star monsters.
And their minions scaled up too: two goblin shamans and nearly thirty hobgoblins.
Good thing I bolted the second I saw the chieftain. If they’d caught me, I’d have been toast.
‘Too tough to solo the western villages.’
My eyes shifted to the gate inside the goblin village.
Here’s something I’d learned: monsters congregated around gates. Every village had one—without fail.
Today, I was diving into one. Fully prepped, of course.
Orc-leather forearm and shin guards on my arms and legs. Chest piece over my torso to shield heart and vitals.
[Orc Leather Armor (E)]
[Defense 20. Durability 30. Weight 12]
‘Orc leather’s no joke. Defense of 20?’
And he’d hardened it for extra toughness. Even a hobgoblin couldn’t pierce it.
“Damn right. I traded three magic crystals for this.”
Finally, before entering the gate, I pulled a mask-like item from my inventory.
Leather material, open around the eyes for visibility. Crescent moon emblem on the forehead.
You guessed it: my homemade Kage Gatsu cosplay hood.
Just in case I ran into other guild hunters inside like last time—had to hide my identity.
Would rather not need it, though……
“No gate without an owner. Better safe than sorry.”
I stepped cautiously into the gate.
Sure enough, it was a goblin village transplanted wholesale. Teeming with goblins, naturally.
The shaman started chanting the second it spotted me. Hobgoblins and goblins charged like maniacs.
“Thanks. You guys are making me feel what it’s like to be the popular guy for once.”
I loosened up by rambling nonsense as I loaded a steel ball into my sling.
Sling at this range? Sharp eyes might notice the steel ball looked different.
Same oval shape, but covered in fine cut lines if you looked close.
Yep. It was a pre-sliced steel ball.
Holds shape while spinning in the sling, but on release……
Whoosh—crackle!
“Kee-yek!”
“Grrr!”
It shattered into fragments, shredding multiple foes at once. Like a nerfed cluster grenade or C4.
Basically, a throwing hunter’s anti-personnel weapon.
Not my invention, though—Instructor Song Hye-rin’s years of trial and error.
‘Owes her big again.’
After the Cheon-sang Dolpa sob story, she’d taken me under her wing like a cultural heirloom keeper, spilling every secret technique.
‘Sorry for the lie. When I can tell the truth someday, you’ll be the first to know, Instructor Song.’
Even after shredding dozens with the shotgun sling, goblins kept coming. They closed in fast, so I switched to dart throws.
Goblin numbers halved in a blink. The survivors were right on me now. No room for throws.
Left hand behind my back, right to my waist—I grabbed a throwing axe (tomahawk).
Instant dual-wield setup. I wiggled my index and middle fingers over the axes and said:
“Draw. If you’re confident.”
As if they understood, the goblins zombie-rushed me. Right on cue—the goblin shaman’s berserk spell.
I dodged a goblin swing and slashed its wrist. The hand clutching the bronze sword shot into the air, spraying blood.
“Oops! Don’t cross the line. Or you’ll lose the whole arm.”
I hadn’t even finished talking, but throwing wasn’t all I’d learned from Instructor Song lately.