Value Investing

[Authenticated]

Despite the late hour, the Hunter Net authentication was instantaneous. It was the moment I first accessed Hunter Net's posts.

[Are the Gates getting harder these days, or is it just me? (15)]

[Is there really a Spatialist? No way, right? (31)]

I immediately clicked on a post that seemed related to me.

┗ I wonder what rank this guy is;; Read the news once in a while

Unlike the workshop, there were many people who recognized my value since it was a place with experienced Hunters.

Even though it was anonymous, I felt pretty good about the outpouring of praise.

-Just the fact that a non-combat job broke the Knight's record makes them a special prospect. You have to consider the Subspace too.

┗But is that possible? The Knight thing was sensational too.

┗There is a way.

┗What is it?

┗The Awakened skill is S+ or A+. Skills with a + grade have stat boosting effects.

I knew about this too. Certain skills, by themselves, give additional effects to stats.

For example, +3 to all stats. It can stack as the skill level goes up.

That doesn't mean it's marked as S+ in the Status Window.

It's just a name that Hunters gave to + grade skills.

'That's a good excuse.'

It was something I hadn't thought of. Right now, my stats are beyond the normal range thanks to the dragon.

If someone notices this, I can just say my skill is + grade.

[This is Dawnlight Guild. If the Spatialist is using Hunter Net……. ]

When I searched for Spatialist, I saw several guilds looking for me.

Among them, one stood out.

Dawnlight Guild.

It was the second-ranked guild in the country, but its recognition was much higher than the first-ranked guild.

Because 'Shin Chang', the highest-level Hunter in the country, belonged to it. The reason it was the second-ranked guild was because it was an elite group.

It felt like they were focusing on top-tier Gates rather than the number of Gate subjugations.

'Dawnlight isn't bad, is it?'

It was just a passing thought, but I shook my head. I didn't need to take the initiative in the first place.

I wasn't the one in a hurry.

I also wondered if it would be good to join a guild right away.

'If I join, I'll have to work as a team…….'

I have a lot to hide.

The Dragon Egg that I'm trying to hatch, as well as the Weaponry from my stats or Subspace.

Considering the attention I'm getting these days, it feels like I don't have to hide it…….

But there's no need to show it off.

'Looking at the kidnapping of the American ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠S-class Healer, you never know what might happen.'

It's better to grow first and then cooperate. Dawnlight is a high-level elite group anyway.

Even if I join, it would be difficult to work with them right away.

In that respect, I was going to form my own team.

If the egg hatches, Uncle Cheolgi will be included, so I thought it would be good to have a magician or healer.

People who are tight-lipped and trustworthy, who won't reveal my secrets even if they notice them.

Of course, it won't be easy to find such people.

'I'll have to look slowly.'

* * *

After browsing Hunter Net for a while, I applied for Gate entry.

'Labyrinth's Dead End'.

It was one of the survival-type Gates. You have to survive in the Labyrinth's Dead End, avoiding the monsters that swarm in.

'Monsters swarm in at regular intervals.'

In fact, it's not a standard survival-type Gate. Since the back is blocked, it's similar to blocking the entrance.

But it didn't matter.

The recommended level is 5-10, so even if it's difficult, the difficulty will be appropriate. I also have the Elegant Sword in my Subspace.

Since it was a Gate that more than 3 teams had failed to subjugate, the application itself was easy.

'I wonder if it will be approved.'

However, whether the application would be approved was another story.

I'm sure I can clear it, but the Association won't think so.

Well, if it's not approved, I was going to tell them about my ability. That I can go inside the Subspace.

A specialist in survival-type Gates.

Since I can target Gates that others avoid, it will definitely be a plus for my value.

I'm not planning on only going into survival-type Gates.

After that, I came into the Subspace.

It was time to experiment with dragon hatching. Before going to the workshop, I ordered a Heater.

[Heater (D-grade)]

-Heater made of low-grade Magic stone.

-Releases heat when Mana is infused.

It's something Hunters use.

Since you can't bring electricity into the Gate, it's a device that operates with Magic stone and emits heat.

I bought it because it was something I would need someday, and also to try hatching the egg.

I turned on the Heater and hugged the egg. Even at the highest temperature, it didn't feel hot.

'Is this A-grade Flame Resistance? That's crazy?'

It felt like it wouldn't be hot even if I touched real fire. If this doesn't work, should I hold the egg over a bonfire?

I spent 10 minutes thinking about that.

"Hmm."

But unfortunately, there was no special reaction. It seemed that the Heater was not effective.

The first time I saw it, the egg reacted just to the heat of the dragon entering the lair.

'Wait?'

Come to think of it, the egg also reacted when I ate the Sun Bloom and breathed out last time.

And I received Flamegrass today.

'Wouldn't it react if I eat Flamegrass and breathe out?'

There was no harm in trying, since I was going to eat the Elixir anyway. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I opened the wooden box and took out the Flamegrass. I could feel the heat.

I was about to bring it straight to my mouth… but with a hopeful heart, I brought the Flamegrass close to the egg.

Crack-!

It was that moment. The egg didn't shake, but I could hear something scratching inside.

"Oh. It's reacting."

I guess so. It was a Red Dragon. Maybe it needs the properties contained in the Elixir, not just normal heat.

'Should I put the Flamegrass on top of it, turn on the Heater, and hug the egg?'

It was the moment I put the Flamegrass on top of the egg.

Rustle-.

The Flamegrass placed on the egg suddenly disappeared with heat.

"Huh?"

So, the egg absorbed the Flamegrass.

"M, crazy……!"

I couldn't help but be flustered.

Flamegrass is a C-grade Elixir. Just the price is in the billions, and the egg ate it instead of me.

Rustle!

However, the movement inside the egg felt a little more active. I could also feel a slight warmth from the egg.

[Red Dragon Egg]

-A Dragon Egg that is not far from hatching.

-A little more heat is needed for hatching.

I immediately checked the egg's description. The content was different from what I had seen before.

'A little more' was added to the second description. It used to be 'Heat is needed'.

'Could it be that it needs to eat Flame-related Elixirs to hatch?'

It's going to cost more money than I thought? I was a little surprised, but it wasn't a bad situation.

Anyway, the direction is clear.

The Elixir itself is in the billions… but a Red Dragon can't be bought even if you have hundreds of billions, or even trillions.

What am I talking about?

Dragon Coin.

Now is the low point.

No matter how many Elixirs the egg eats, I have to do it.

* * *

The next day, in the morning.

Uncle Cheolgi, who I met in front ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of Yongyong Samgyeopsal, sighed with a nervous look, unlike usual.

"Hoo. I'm worried."

"About what?"

"The training center. It's been years since I've done any exercise."

Hunter Training Center.

It's also called Hunter Academy, where you learn Gate knowledge, swordsmanship, Magic, etc.

It's tough because it's only for Awakened.

There's also a gym, but the weights are just different. If you have Strength stats, you can just lift hundreds of kilograms.

Even if you have stats, you have to exercise.

There are people who don't exercise because they trust their stats, but they're fools. It's definitely helpful.

'There was an experiment.'

A strength contest between a muscular man and an ordinary person with the same Strength stats. The result?

The muscular man won.

"You'll get used to it soon."

"But if you think about it, if the dragon hatches, I'll be riding the dragon. Do I need to train?"

When I looked at him with a pathetic look, Uncle said with a confident look.

"No, it's not that I suddenly don't want to exercise, so I'm saying this……."

"It seems like you suddenly don't want to exercise?"

"That's not it."

"Then why?"

"Honestly, I'm riding a dragon, so what's the point of physical ability? If the dragon doesn't hatch, I can't return as a Hunter."

It seemed like half a joke, half serious. The front was a joke, the back was serious.

He doesn't want to get his hopes up and be disappointed. I said with a smile.

"You don't have to worry about that. There's been progress."

"What?"

I explained what happened to Uncle. That the egg ate Flamegrass and reacted. That hatching was getting closer.

Uncle was startled.

"Are you crazy? How much is that worth!"

Ah, that's what you were surprised about?

Uncle seemed even more excited than me. Well, Elixirs are expensive.

"What's the big deal if it hatches? Honestly, if you asked for that Elixir to return, even if there was no Dragon Egg, I would have given it to you."

"What are you talking about……."

I wouldn't mind giving all those Elixirs to Uncle. But he kept making a sorry face, so I jokingly added.

"If you're really worried, pay me back later when the dragon makes you rich. If you're with a dragon, hundreds of billions will be nothing."

"…Okay. I will."

Uncle, who had been speechless for a moment, replied. He must have understood how I felt. We're like that.

"Anyway, it was effective, so I'm going to try more in the future. I think I need to feed it more Flame-related Elixirs."

"Can you get it?"

"I have to try. And well, there's the contract time, right?"

When you become E-grade, you can sign a Hunter contract. Whether it's foreign or Korean, offers will come in.

Honestly, I don't know how much I'll get. Knight received close to 100 billion in total for his first contract.

I broke that record and have Subspace, so I'll get at least the same or more, right?

"I originally wanted Secret Arts or Elixirs. I'm just going to ask for Flame-related Elixirs."

This was something I had thought about even when I was a non-Awakened Hunter. Honestly, it doesn't change anything for me to have hundreds of billions right now.

I'll just buy a house or a car and that's it. I don't know how to spend money because I lived without it.

'It's more profitable to get Elixirs instead.'

This is a contract that promising Awakened often make. You can earn more money if you grow.

"Are you sure?"

"I'll earn more money if I get stronger. I have no use for it. Even if I die in the Gate, there's no one to leave the money to."

"Why not? You have to give it to me."

"Um, you're going to ignore the Elixir that the egg ate and eat my inheritance?"

"……I'll buy lunch and dinner today!"

"Isn't it not just lunch and dinner today, but Uncle has to buy me food until I die?"

Uncle laughed.

"If the egg hatches, can't I do that?"

* * *

"It has been confirmed that the Mana density of the Earth is increasing. The UN Gate Countermeasures Committee has decided to name the abnormal phenomenon that started in Australia as 'Encroachment'."

"Encroachment……."

The president of the Korean Hunter Association nodded, looking at the data.

Australia, which had become a land of monsters, was in a state where high-level Gates were constantly open.

The problem was that the land near the Gates began to change. Into the land of a strange world. It wasn't just one.

The area near the Gates was transformed into more than 12 different worlds that could only be seen inside the Gates.

"What about the Gate problem?"

"Other countries were similar. The proportion of survival-type and story-type Gates has increased, and the Hunter mortality rate has increased significantly."

"Since the Mana density started to increase?"

"Yes. The Gates are definitely getting harder. The problem is that level-restricted Gates are also increasing."

The president of the Association sighed deeply.

It was an inevitable situation.

"The probability of survival-type and level-restricted overlapping will increase."

"It's not a trivial problem."

"Aside from that Encroachment thing, I'm worried about the Gates right now."

'Survival-type' Gates are more difficult than the recommended level, but you can send high-level Hunters.

Even if you give up some experience and rewards, you can prevent the 'Gate Break' itself.

But level-restricted Gates couldn't do that. Unlike ordinary Gates that non-Awakened can enter, only Awakened of a certain level can enter.

The problem was when 'level-restricted' Gates overlapped with 'survival-type'.

If only the appropriate level can enter the already difficult Gate, it will be difficult to subjugate.

The possibility of a Gate Break phenomenon increases.

Australia had become a land of monsters because of the level-restricted survival-type Gate.

"It's driving me crazy. There are level-restricted Gates that I can't solve right now……."

The president of the Association was racking his brains.

He had sent A-grade Hunters to the high-level Gates. If a Gate Break occurred there, it would be impossible to fix.

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠problem was the low-level Gates of ambiguous levels. It was difficult to find skilled Hunters at low levels these days.

In a word, there was a manpower shortage.

If left as it is, a Gate Break will occur and civilians will be harmed.

"Hmm."

Promising people among the low-level Hunters came to mind. But, he couldn't guarantee that they would pass the level-restricted survival-type Gate.

Then, a name suddenly came to mind.

Spatialist Han Hye.

The Subspace ability itself was extraordinary, but it was also surprising that a non-combat job broke the Knight's record.

'Considering the performance at the workshop…….'

If he grows a little more, it will be possible enough.

He had the same thought, but he couldn't make a decision quickly because of the value of his ability.

He couldn't afford to lose the Spatialist in a low-level Gate.

At that time, the secretary burst into the president's office.

"Mr. President!"

"What's wrong?"

"The Spatialist has applied for entry to a survival-type Gate."

The secretary came in immediately because he was told to prioritize reports on the Spatialist.

"What? Who is he going with?"

The secretary scratched his cheek.

"That's…… the number of applicants is one."

"He's going alone?"

The president couldn't help but be flustered.