Chapter 55
Chapter 55
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Off to Sergeant - 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Sussusu—
A report from the Night Walker that anomalous phenomena would occur soon.
‘Exactly when?’
Sussu….
The Night Walker didn’t know that precisely, but it replied that changes would happen within five days.
‘Five days, huh….’
That meant a four-night, five-day trip would do the trick.
‘If you’re wrong, you know what happens? You’re getting scolded.’
Kim Min-jun immediately applied for leave.
“Wait there. Corporal. We’re heading out right away.”
If they didn’t promote him to sergeant even after this one….
I’ll leave the rest to your imaginations, generals.
**
The next day.
Having finished his leave report, Kim Min-jun headed straight to Chuncheon.
“Chuncheon means spicy stir-fried chicken first and foremost.”
Since he didn’t know when the gate would pop, he decided to enjoy himself for now.
Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t preparing.
He planned to kill time without straying too far from the spot the Night Walker had pinpointed.
KakaoTalk!
Son Eun-seo: Hey, you’re on leave, right? Where are you now?
What’s with her.
How does she know I took leave?
Kim Min-jun: Chuncheon. Heading to eat some spicy chicken now.
Son Eun-seo: I’m on leave today too. I’ll head right there, so wait up.
Kim Min-jun: ? What’s up.
Son Eun-seo: I said I’d buy you a meal. I got it today.
Kim Min-jun: No thanks on the pickup line.
Son Eun-seo: What’re you saying. It’s not like that.
Kim Min-jun brushed off Son Eun-seo’s wait-for-me message and entered the restaurant.
“If she shows, I’ll get another free meal, whatever.”
As he checked out a few restaurants like that, Son Eun-seo arrived in Chuncheon.
“Hey. I said wait while I buy you food. Couldn’t hold out that long?”
“I can eat again. I’m still hungry.”
“…Fine? Whatever then.”
She wasn’t in civilian clothes, but in her hunter military uniform.
She’d rushed straight from the base to where Kim Min-jun was, without even stopping by home.
‘She’s definitely up to something again.’
Half the reason she’d come out on leave matching his schedule was curiosity.
Every time he went on leave, something happened, and he racked up massive performance scores with his feats.
‘That guy, last leave during the civilian aid op—bam, gate pops right on time. And just recently on leave, a camouflage dungeon shows up.’
Twice could be coincidence.
But if a third emergency hit with ghostly timing….
‘He’s basically a walking natural disaster.’
Of course, she was jumping the gun a bit.
Still, around that guy… he just gave off this vibe, different from everyone else.
She couldn’t put it into words, but it was this weird feeling.
KakaoTalk!
Kim Kwang-sik: Son Eun-seo! Have you met Corporal Kim Min-jun? He’s on four-night, five-day leave starting today.
Son Eun-seo: Yes. Thanks.
Kim Kwang-sik: So what’s your relationship….
—Son Eun-seo has left the chat.
Kim Kwang-sik: …….
Kim Kwang-sik, who’d provided her the info, got nothing in return.
“So why’d you come all the way here?”
“Just had some business nearby. Heard you were in Chuncheon, so figured I’d buy you food too.”
“Yeah? Auntie! Bring us ten servings of the pricey beef!”
“Got it!”
A bit later, inside the barbecue joint.
Kim Min-jun, who had no concept of restraint, ordered expensive cuts without hesitation.
“You definitely said you’re paying, right? Don’t try backing out later.”
“Yeah. Order whatever.”
“Oho, daughter of the division commander, as expected.”
“It’s coming out of my salary.”
Son Eun-seo downed a glass of water, then questioned Kim Min-jun.
“But seriously, what’s your secret to ranking up so fast?”
“Ranking up? Just block emergencies well, ace training scores, rack up performance points. That’s it.”
What’s that different from saying study Korean, English, math hard and you’ll get into Seoul National University?
His nonchalant answer drew a sigh from her automatically.
“Your strength stat’s 65, agility 60, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Then the rest are around that level too?”
“Pretty much.”
“…Unbelievable.”
Even she, inheriting her father the division commander’s excellent genes, only had main stats at 45.
But the guy in front of her had all stats at 60.
‘He’s just born that way.’
Hearing that, even the lingering competitive spirit she had faded away.
40 and 60 didn’t look that different at a glance, but in reality, it was heaven and earth.
The higher the stat, the harder it got to raise it by even 1 point.
That’s why the notoriously tough cutoff for Hunter Officer Academy was in the 50s.
“But any tips for raising stats well? I bought all this beef—tell me something.”
“Tips, huh.”
Kim Min-jun smirked as he placed beef on the grill.
Rolling around risking his life in that other world.
If that wasn’t a tip, what was.
‘Plus, the stat gap comes from skills in the first place.’
Not just that—since returning to Earth, he was even gaining skills he couldn’t get in the other world.
He trained his body in his spare time, ate spirit herbs his summons brought occasionally.
If anything, it was weird he wasn’t way ahead of normal hunters.
“Nothing but hard work.”
“Lame answer. I’m the idiot for asking.”
“Oh, I have eaten spirit herbs before. Picked some up on a mountain ages ago. Turns out they were the real deal.”
“Spirit herbs? That only works at low stats. Past 40, barely any effect. Hard to find too.”
That’s how it was.
Yeah.
The Red Marble he’d scarfed last time mostly benefited from the demonic energy effect.
“Oh, right. Just between us, there was a meeting at Hunter HQ recently.”
“What meeting.”
“What else. Your special promotion to sergeant. But it was 4 yes, 6 no—didn’t pass. Dad told me. Our division commander and his buddy voted yes. Close one.”
“6 nos, huh….”
Kim Min-jun smirked at her words.
He’d half-expected the special promotion thing.
‘Still, 4:6 means if I handle this gate right, sergeant’s a lock.’
After the meal, Kim Min-jun stepped out satisfied.
“Hey. That was good. Place knows its stuff.”
“Jeez. 500,000 won worth? You got no shame?”
“I’ll buy you a brand coffee.”
“Forget it? I got business now. See ya.”
“Yeah. Thanks for the grub.”
Kim Min-jun waved as Son Eun-seo walked away.
As expected of the division commander’s daughter.
Got info even I didn’t know.
Pretty useful.
‘Stomach’s full now. Any dungeons nearby?’
This is when he missed his prime power.
Even with the Night Walker’s skill upgraded, it wasn’t A-rank level.
“…Hold up.”
Come to think of it.
How’s that Lee Bong-gu doing?
No reports?
—Hey! Lee Bong-gu!
Kim Min-jun contacted Lee Bong-gu, who was overseas.
—Ah! Mr. Kim Min-jun! You called?
—Where you at?
—I’m at a ramen shop in Japan… no, flying over Japanese airspace, investigating dungeons!
Lee Bong-gu was currently in Japan.
Thanks to his zealous devotee skill, he reported he was still full of energy.
—Don’t push too hard. Finish the dungeon scout and come back.
—Yes sir! No worries!
Good answers, but something felt off no matter what.
“If anyone’s coming, why him? Kim Seo-hyun would be a hundred times better.”
Lee Bong-gu would’ve cried about being hurt if he heard, but Kim Seo-hyun was that competent.
Kim Seo-hyun.
Like Lee Bong-gu, an Isgardian without a name.
So he’d given her that name too.
Back in the other world days, she handled all the odd jobs.
Kept the devotees in line when he was away, fetched whatever was needed without being asked.
A total competent secretary type.
“…Nah. On second thought, better if Lee Bong-gu comes.”
With him gone from the other world already, no way to control devotees without her too.
She wasn’t the type for life-or-death gambles.
“Gonna grind some Dungeon & Fighter today.”
Kim Min-jun headed to a nearby PC bang.
**
Sussu—
At 3 a.m., a report came from the Night Walker.
“Alright. Heading out.”
Signal that the gate was about to pop.
Kim Min-jun rushed to the spot.
“Reported to base, support prepped. About 5-6 civilians passing by around here.”
He’d handle it before base support anyway, but manuals required reporting.
With that thought, he waited quietly for the gate.
“Jeez. Of all places, this dump?”
Where he stood was a children’s park.
Lucky it was dawn; daytime gate would’ve been a disaster.
“Hunter forces aren’t omnipotent.”
Irregular gates and emergencies like this.
Hunters trained brutally to prepare.
Still, casualties were inevitable.
Too many dungeons and monsters, not enough hunter troops.
“Man. If demonic energy was easy to get, I’d solo everything and get my stars. But that’s the problem—hard to farm.”
Kim Min-jun grumbled while waiting.
Then at 4 a.m.
Sussussussusu—
“It’s here at last. Knew it would come.”
Cracks began forming in the sky.
Gate precursor.
Sussusu—
“What. Another one?”
Two gates in one spot happened occasionally.
More monsters was better anyway.
Big performance scores, stat ups.
“…Jackpot?”
Gates didn’t stop at two.
As time passed, more appeared one by one, ending at six gates.
“Loyalty! Corporal Kim Min-jun here! Gate at Chuncheon children’s park! Request immediate support! Six gates!”
—W-what? Six? Got it! Sending support now—evac any civilians nearby!
“Roger!”
Perfect.
That’s the report done.
“Hope some strong ones pour out.”
Against expectations, one monster per gate.
Monsters with hooks on both hands: hookers.
“These mid-tier, right?”
Scrawny like chopsticks, but their hook-pull strength was no joke.
Military shield would handle easy.
Hooks their only attack.
But this was downtown Chuncheon, not base.
Hook a civilian, it’s over.
“Six of ‘em. Gotta mop quick.”
As Kim Min-jun drew his whip to strike.
“What. One jackpot out of six?”
He grinned spotting one with a pitch-black head.