More Comfortable, Yet Weaker?
Why had things gotten easier, yet I felt weaker? The puppy went flying far off from my casual Lightning Fist.
“Kyaaack!”
It was too shallow to finish it off. The thing quickly regenerated its wound and charged back in.
“Yeah, that's it.”
A proper sandbag shouldn't burst on the first hit.
I didn't want to end up in debt again. Treating this as practice for controlling my power output, I peppered it with jabs.
Meanwhile, I kept checking for presences around me. Witnesses would be a problem.
“They still haven't all left. Who the hell assigns C-rankers to gate security anyway?”
I could still sense that gate guard duo I'd chased off earlier. Please just leave already.
“Kraaaargh!”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it—you're tough. Stop barking and fight.”
I cranked up the power a notch and nailed it under the chin. A satisfying crack echoed as it flew back again.
“Huh?”
The sensation was different from before. Up until now, it had felt like just slapping the surface, but this time, something inside had shattered.
And sure enough, the wolf that had always regenerated and charged while collapsing was now crumbling into dust without getting back up.
“So B-rank's about this level.”
That axe guy earlier had called this an A-rank. Guess I'd have to check outside if he was scared or just mistaken.
“What a shame. If it'd been a bit tougher, I could've tested my next technique.”
If everything melted away at this level, would I be stuck with Lightning Fist as my one-trick pony for the rest of my life?
Regrettable, but there were gains, so I'd call it satisfactory. No more risk of unleashing grade-defying power recklessly.
“Time to head back to Su-ah.”
Ten minutes—still safe under the bathroom excuse.
Lightning Step.
Lightning wrapped around my feet after ages, and I dashed straight to the exit in one burst.
2.
“So, what's the situation right now?”
“Can we go back into the gate today?”
“We're assessing the current status. We'll let you know once it's confirmed, so please wait a bit.”
At the gate entrance, the F-rank hunters who'd evacuated en masse were pressing the security team for answers.
This might make finishing the request today impossible.
Uncle would nag again. What to do?
Of all places, on my first request, in the safest spot imaginable.
Gurgle.
My stomach let out an untimely rumble.
“I'm hungry~.”
Once unnie comes back from the bathroom, I'll invite her to lunch.
We're both F-ranks, but how is she so different from me?
When Uncle insisted on pairing me with someone because he wouldn't let me go alone—saying he'd add one more—I'd honestly hated it.
[Below F-rank, no gate experience, not too old.]
With those picky conditions I'd racked my brain for, I'd successfully scared off candidates until just two days ago.
Like some novel? How'd she get picked the day before?
I'd figured Uncle bribed some acquaintance with cash, but nope. Hunter Association-verified F-rank, and only three years older than me.
And pretty, too.
From the first moment I saw her, she stuck in my mind. Even in casual clothes, her looks didn't fade, and those... bigger than her head....
Glancing down at my own while thinking of unnie's figure, my scrawny build stared back.
“Sigh, envying what I don't have just hurts my gut.”
Crackle.
“Hm?”
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
Suddenly, my skin tingled. And it wasn't just me—everyone around seemed to feel it too.
“Static in autumn? Not even winter?”
“Is this related to what's happening inside?”
“We're looking into it. Please wait.”
The unease creeping in made a mockery of “Korea's safest gate.”
Gate breaks hadn't happened since Daegu 15 years ago.
“This is unsettling.”
“What's to worry? We're out of the gate.”
“Unnie Ha-yoon!”
As negative thoughts bubbled up, Ha-yoon unnie walked over from that direction.
“The bathroom line was huge.”
“Everyone from inside came out at once, right?”
“Yeah, super crowded. What's the deal over there?”
Ha-yoon unnie glanced at the F-rank hunters and gate staff.
“No clue. The last two came out, but they say we need a full investigation for details.”
“Ah.”
Unnie nodded. Come to think of it, she was wearing a new hat?
“Unnie, you weren't wearing a hat before the bathroom, right?”
“Hat? Oh, this?”
Hearing me, she took it off and plopped it on my head.
“Wore it this morning but took it off for a bit. Suits you too.”
“R-really? Hehe...”
The mask dangling on her chin bugged me, but all my focus went to the hat she'd put on me.
“Yeah. Lunch once we're done? Your uncle said make sure you eat.”
Best uncle ever!
“Uncle's such a worrywart... I'm not a kid.”
“Adults see everyone as kids. Let's go.”
“Yes!”
And so I followed unnie toward the food court.
Request unfinished, plenty nagging at my mind—but right now, lunch with unnie mattered more.
3.
“Oh my, you didn't even kill one?”
At the pile of ashes where the mutated wolf's corpse had been, the owner of that silky voice bent at the waist.
Foo.
She scooped some ash onto her palm and blew, scattering it to dust.
“Were my expectations too high? Or was there someone worthy enough to beat you?”
She'd injected power far beyond what the pigs outside could handle. Rotten to the core, maybe? She couldn't pinpoint the cause.
“It's fine! Even if I'd given your power to that one, no one would've died anyway!”
An old friend would've become far stronger, but she figured the result wouldn't differ much.
That one might've caused collateral damage but wouldn't have harmed people no matter what.
“Interesting. Guess I need to prepare fully.”
With those cryptic words, her figure vanished.
Only the wolf-ash drifting in the air attested to her recent presence.
4.
“Unnie, check this out!”
“Oh.”
Jeong Su-ah showed me the news on her smartphone while I stuffed rosette tteokbokki in my mouth.
Wow, real-time updates. Official news apps beat communities for this stuff.
Rosette tteokbokki, huh? Why pay for this? But it's chewy and sweet...
'A-rank?'
Weird. I definitely sensed B-rank. Did it evolve mid-fight?
“Oh my god, unnie, it's A-rank! We almost got in big trouble...”
“Really? Red Path Guild folks were outside anyway.”
I skewered a rice cake with my fork and popped it in. Not quite rice or wheat, but so chewy.
“Huh? But those two were B-rankers?”
“B-rank?”
“Yeah! Uncle said Suwon Gate 3 is so safe they don't waste A-ranks—B-ranks guard it by custom!”
“Got it.”
I nodded, chewing the rice cake. The info mismatch dulled the taste on my tongue.
So what I pegged as B-rank is now A-rank? Is power deflation happening one rank at a time?
Suddenly, that sloppy security chief's stance came to mind—lax even if I downgraded him to old C-rank.
Missing enemy moves was basic; inefficient mana infusion into his axe. Gaps galore from the start. Monsters hadn't strengthened. Hunters had regressed.
“Su-ah.”
“Mmff, yeahff?”
“Finish chewing before talking. All of it.”
Su-ah quickly polished off her tteokbokki chew.
“Do you know how F-rank hunters your age train?”
“Train?”
“Yeah. Reflexes, handling bad stances, escaping stronger foes, efficient mana-to-skill use, special environment counters...”
“Wait, wait! Unnie, that's too much!”
Su-ah waved frantically at the D-rank training manual I'd barely cracked open.
“F-ranks get state-assigned safe-gate requests to build skills.”
What.
“Around C-rank, dungeons needing that stuff appear, so we use status windows to party up and dive.”
What.
“B-ranks join guilds—no solos. Prep thoroughly with gate analysts' data, enter only what we can handle.”
What the hell am I hearing?
Even in this peaceful world, were hunters treated like greenhouse flowers?
“Strengthening varies by 'Given Purpose' in status windows—I don't know details. Mine's blank.”
Quests alone level you up sans training?
“Unnie?”
She checked my face—I'd zoned out.
“Huh? Yeah, got it. I'm a sudden awakening case, so info's sparse.”
“Ah... Come to our place sometime! Uncle's got tons of files!”
“Sure, when I have time.”
Peace is great, but... something's off.
5.
I parted with Su-ah and booked a nearby motel.
“Hm.”
Unable to find the A-rank monster, the Association deemed it risky and sealed the gate temporarily, ending the day.
Hunters' requests auto-succeeded; Association fills shortfalls.
“If they'd said early, early out.”
I got zilch—no requests taken.
Without a status window, they couldn't verify anyway.
“Pumping this much lightning through my body and no mana circuit damage? This body's the best!”
Back then, one Lightning Fist caused micro-damage. As Lee Ha-yoon now? Zero issues.
One word: thrilled.
Dunno about other techs later, but in this lowered world, I'm set for life.
“Still, better check circuits before bed, just in case.”
I lay on the comfy bed, happily scanning my mana circuits for anomalies.
A light flow through everywhere to test function—routine stuff.
Zzt. Zzzzt.
All clear, pulling back mana—
“Huh?”
Mana across my body surged toward the chest circuits.
Without intent, it converted to lightning, cycling through the chest pathways.
“Hngh, ngh, fu-ngh.”
Not pain or lewd—just low-frequency massagers buzzing all over my chest.
Tingly from inside, I couldn't stifle the leaking moans.
“Ow, this can't be, hii, a side effect, hngh, ngh!”
After about 20 minutes of “massage,” the electric rubdown finally released me.
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