S-Rank Perks and VIP Surprises
"Oh, and this is off the record..."
The director leaned in, whispering conspiratorially.
"The country gives a 1 billion won awakening bonus."
He'd learned it from the tablet right in front of him, so calling it "off the record" was a bit disingenuous. It just meant the manual explicitly outlined this level of treatment for S-rank hunters. No surprise there. Each S-rank hunter was a national asset, after all—power tied directly to the country's strength. The bidding wars between nations were fierce. For a government to pull strings like this to keep their hunters from defecting was only natural.
The public might cry "tax waste" or "elitism," stirring up resentment. But S-rank hunters operated beyond that. Even imagining yourself awakening, you'd dream of B- or A-rank at best—S-rank felt out of reach. At least, that's how I'd always seen it.
"Sounds good."
No reason to turn down free money. I had no plans to shop around for better offers abroad.
"I'm thrilled to hear that."
Just then, a staffer arrived with coffee—ice clinking prettily in a glass of stunning clarity. Not quite on par with the brews at Kim Seol-bi's or Kang A-jin's places, but way above what you'd expect from a government office. I took a sip through the straw.
"Mmm~"
The director watched me anxiously.
"How is it?"
You're not the cafe owner—don't sweat the small stuff!
"Delicious."
Having skipped a proper breakfast after waking early, that sip perked me right up.
"Phew! Glad to hear it!"
Relieved by my approval, he continued. "The country also provides S-rank hunters with free gear rentals for a full year."
"Free rental?"
"Well... Ideally, we'd just give it outright, but the prices are insane. Blame the technicians—they take a huge cut."
He'd misread my surprise, throwing the techs under the bus. Sure, top artisans pocketed fat margins, but that wasn't why S-rank gear cost a fortune. The materials were astronomical.
I was stunned they'd loan it for free. Gear had been my biggest worry when I'd imagined diving into S-rank dungeons. Hunters generally stuck to equipment matching their rank—using higher-grade stuff didn't boost efficiency; it backfired. Gear broke easier, too. I'd researched this after my ranking, planning to shop post-certification.
S-rank gear? Tens of billions per piece baseline. Decent ones ran hundreds of billions; limited-edition artisan masterpieces hit trillions. S-rankers had no ability caps, so even same-rank hunters varied wildly—hence the trend for custom fits. Customs? Exponentially pricier than off-the-shelf.
I doubted the loans were customs or limited runs, but free? Huge. The one-year limit probably factored in at least one S-rank raid. A soft mandate—you'd need to raid to keep the gear.
S-rank dungeon hauls were legendary. I'd tasted low-rank crystal profits, so I got the vibe. Exact figures? Unknowable.
"That sounds great too."
"Really? Awesome!"
My back-to-back positives lit him up like he'd closed the deal of the century. Not wrong, really.
He rattled on about other perks. At some point, it all blurred into one ear and out the other.
There's a ton of this stuff.
The big ones came first; the rest were minor. Free public transit. Overseas trips tied to work? Flights comped—he whispered most "vacations" got approved on request. Affiliated builders, restaurants—freebies or deep discounts galore.
S-rankers raked in cash but barely spent it. Everyone bent over backward to lavish them.
"Too much to remember. Text me the list later?"
"Of course!"
I finished the coffee and stood, as planned. He looked reluctant to let me go, but there was nothing left to hear. I pocketed his business card in my inventory with genuine thanks.
"Appreciate it."
"Anytime! Come back, and we'll roll out the red carpet even more!"
I left amid group bows from him and the staff.
Get this treatment often enough, and it'll feel normal. Adaptation was everything.
Next stop: a gear shop.
Asking the director about rentals, he'd immediately called ahead: "Newly awakened S-rank hunter dropping by today." It reminded me of the DH Department Store VIP treatment—just for being with Kim Seol-bi. I wasn't expecting meals or fawning, just quiet solo shopping.
"Hmm..."
Waiting for a taxi, I realized I needed a car.
One billion, right?
Thoughts turned to the bonus. House with a loan within budget, car with the rest. License renewed, and suddenly everything clicked. Valentina timing her outing was perfect in hindsight.
Life flips just like that.
Going solo? Smart move. With the girls, I might not have felt my new status so viscerally.
Fun. This is fun.
Heading to the shop, my mood soared.
My wish for private shopping came true instantly. The director must've called ahead.
Before my taxi even pulled up, a middle-aged woman—likely the owner—and staff waited out front. They didn't clock me as S-rank arriving by cab, ignoring me till I approached.
One employee spoke up. "Sorry, sir, but we're closing early for store business. Please come back tomorrow or we'll direct you elsewhere."
Bold move. From my Dungeon Management Office days, I knew hunters hated that. Even civilians would bristle; ego-driven hunters? Explosive. But hearing the reason would've defused it.
"An S-rank hunter has a reservation."
She blurted it before I could respond, face screaming don't yell at me.
"And that S-rank... is me."
"Pardon?"
The one who'd shooed me froze. The owner hurried over, puzzled.
"Sir, sorry, but today we're—"
"No, boss!"
The thawed employee yelped. "This is the hunter—the new S-rank who just awakened!"
"What?!"
Her eyes widened. She'd seen me exit the taxi—no way she'd pegged me as their VIP. License fresh, my face and name weren't public yet. Director's oversight: no photo sent. Theirs: no request.
She composed herself, bowing deeply. "Thank you for visiting, Hunter!"
The rest outside followed suit.
"Thank you for visiting, Hunter!!"