Chapter 489: Changing Incheon (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 489: Changing Incheon (2)
The test results were broadcast for all to see.
`[E-Rank Kang Min-ho, Successfully Promoted by Two Ranks to C-Rank]`
The announcement flashed across the waiting room screen. Perhaps that was why, the moment Kang Min-ho stepped outside after finishing his test, a crowd swarmed him like a pack of starving hyenas.
"Mr. Kang Min-ho! If you have a moment, would you care to join me for a cup of tea?"
"I'm from the Silence Guild. We would love to officially recruit you, Mr. Kang Min-ho. Let's have a quick chat."
"You are truly incredible! Jumping two ranks from E-Rank straight to C-Rank, skipping D-Rank entirely! Do you realize how unprecedented this achievement is? Our guild master said he would welcome a talent like you with open arms. We will match any condition you desire!"
It was absolute chaos. People were throwing recruitment offers left and right.
This was a staple of the promotion exam site's unique culture. Commonly known as "recruiters," these headhunters loitered around the waiting rooms and pounced the moment a promising talent like Kang Min-ho appeared. Kang Min-ho couldn't help but feel bewildered. When he took his promotion exam years ago, not a single soul had spared him a glance. Now, well over a dozen people were crowding around him.
In truth, it was only natural. From E-Rank to C-Rank. While C-Rank itself was highly valued, jumping two ranks at once meant there had to be a very special reason behind his sudden growth.
Among the hands thrusting business cards at Kang Min-ho, one offer in particular caught his attention.
"We are from the Heavenly Sword Guild. We contacted you before, but regardless of Roman Dmitry's choices, we absolutely want to bring you into Heavenly Sword. We will, of course, guarantee a high salary, and if you accept our offer, we will help you and your daughter settle down in Seoul. The Great Disaster will strike soon. If you care about your future, you should secure your family's safety within Heavenly Sword's territory."
Heavenly Sword. One of South Korea's top three guilds.
They had clearly done their research on Kang Min-ho, presenting an incredibly tempting offer centered entirely around his daughter's safety. It was an exceptionally good deal. Securing a high salary and settling down in Seoul were things Kang Min-ho had only dreamed of back when he was scraping by as a lowly E-Rank hunter. In fact, when he first approached Roman Dmitry, it had been with the sole purpose of achieving that very dream.
But things were different now.
Having undergone a profound transformation through Roman Dmitry, Kang Min-ho knew that only by staying by his side could he truly become strong. The life of the strong—it was a realm he had never been able to experience before. But now, after defeating a C-Rank hunter, a new dream had taken root in his heart: to become strong enough to protect his daughter with his own two hands.
Kang Min-ho spoke firmly. "Thank you for the offers, but I must decline them all."
He turned on his heel. Ignoring the desperate cries of the crowd behind him, Kang Min-ho headed straight back to Incheon, where Roman Dmitry was waiting.
* * *
At that same moment, Lee Tae-seong received the news about Kang Min-ho.
"...To think he actually succeeded in jumping two ranks."
It was an incredible achievement, especially considering his opponent for the promotion exam. Ki Myeong-jun was notorious for his maliciousness. As a skilled C-Rank hunter, he acted entirely on whim, and it was not uncommon for him to cripple challengers simply because he didn't like them. On top of that, his skills were top-notch. When Lee Tae-seong first heard that Ki Myeong-jun had been chosen as Kang Min-ho's opponent, he assumed the double promotion attempt would end in utter failure.
The result was the exact opposite. It was shocking. Kang Min-ho hadn't just survived for three minutes; word was that Ki Myeong-jun had been knocked out cold and rushed to the hospital.
Just what kind of magic did Roman Dmitry work?
A month ago compared to now... Kang Min-ho was a completely different person. According to Lee Tae-seong's own investigation, Kang Min-ho had definitely been at a level fitting of an E-Rank just a month prior. Yet, in that incredibly short span of time, he had successfully risen to C-Rank. He could only conclude that Roman Dmitry had performed a miracle.
With Kang Min-ho's double promotion, we've lost any excuse. If we fail, he will exclude us from the Directly Controlled Unit for failing at something even Kang Min-ho achieved. That is absolutely unacceptable. But just because Kang Min-ho succeeded, does that mean we can too? Setting aside the other members of the unit, even I can't possibly promote to A-Rank right now.
A-Rank. It was a towering wall.
After promoting to B-Rank, he had trained fiercely with his sights set on A-Rank, but he knew deep down that he was still lacking. A-Rank was a truly special realm. Hunters of that rank were monsters often referred to as "one-man armies," and nations around the world measured their national power based on their number of A-Rank hunters and above.
How many A-Ranks they had. How many S-Ranks they possessed. The moment one stepped into A-Rank, it was undeniably a completely different world from B-Rank.
"...This is driving me crazy."
He felt utterly lost. He didn't want to leave the Directly Controlled Unit. He wanted to remain by Kim Jun-hyeok's side until the very end, but Roman Dmitry had set unprecedented standards that the old Incheon simply couldn't handle. Would he allow himself to be left behind like this, or would he cross that wall by any means necessary?
He stood at a crossroads. He gritted his teeth. There was no way he could solve this on his own. To resolve this issue, he had to find out the secret behind how the impossible had been made reality.
I must go see Roman Dmitry.
That was the only way.
* * *
Lee Tae-seong's plan hit a snag right from the start.
Kang Min-ho told him, "Lord Roman Dmitry has entered the forge."
"...The forge?"
"Yes. He plans to craft a weapon himself, and he mentioned it would take about a month."
It was an absurd answer. Crafting a weapon!
Since the Great Disaster, the value of modern firearms had plummeted. It wasn't that they were completely useless against monsters, but the beasts' hides proved highly resistant to bullets. Consequently, people began using old-fashioned weapons. Cold weapons infused with mana through skills could slice through monster hides in a single blow, and from then on, the existing paradigm shifted rapidly.
Now, twenty years later, there were only two ways for hunters to obtain weapons: either by looting weapons used by monsters in hunting grounds, or by crafting new ones using monster byproducts and mana stones. Weapons suitable for channeling skills could only be acquired through these two methods.
Naturally, weapon crafting flourished. The value of professions like blacksmiths and researchers skyrocketed, and weapons were graded from S to F based on how much they amplified skill power. The sword Lee Tae-seong used was a B-Rank weapon. It was an incredibly valuable item that would cost billions of won to purchase on the market, yet it had shattered with pathetic ease during his clash with Roman Dmitry.
His mind was in a state of confusion. The idea of Roman Dmitry crafting a weapon was simply beyond Lee Tae-seong's comprehension.
"...Are you sure? As you know, weapon crafting isn't something just anyone can do. Even those who possessed outstanding crafting skills before the Great Disaster had to hone their techniques for decades to suit this new world just to barely produce a B-Rank weapon or higher. That's why A-Rank weapons command astronomical prices. How on earth does Lord Roman Dmitry plan to craft a weapon?"
Roman Dmitry's strength? He acknowledged it. If he had a special background, such as being an Inheritor or a Chosen One, his absurd strength was understandable, even if it defied common sense.
But the realm of crafting was different. It required decades of dedication. It was impossible for Roman Dmitry, who looked to be only in his twenties, to encroach upon the domain of master craftsmen.
Kang Min-ho couldn't fully resolve Lee Tae-seong's doubts. He, too, had only heard the statement from Roman Dmitry and didn't know the exact details.
"I don't know either. All I know is that if you wish to see Lord Roman Dmitry, you'll have to come back in a month."
A month. That was the deadline Roman Dmitry had set.
If they waited until then to find an answer, the members of the Directly Controlled Unit who failed to promote would be cut loose without hesitation. He had no expectations of mercy. Judging by his actions during the Red Moon incident, Roman Dmitry was not a man who left room for compromise once he gave his word.
It was a desperate situation. Lee Tae-seong couldn't bring himself to walk away. As he agonized over his options, his gaze fell upon Kang Min-ho.
How did he manage to succeed in a double promotion?
Come to think of it, the answer was right in front of him. Even if Roman Dmitry wasn't here, the man standing before him would surely know the answer.
Lee Tae-seong spoke. "I know this is an incredibly rude request, but could you please explain to me how you were able to succeed in your double promotion?"
His voice was earnest. Clutching at straws, Lee Tae-seong looked at Kang Min-ho.
* * *
At Lee Tae-seong's plea, Kang Min-ho was surprised. He hadn't expected Lee Tae-seong to swallow his pride like this, but it wasn't as if he hadn't anticipated a situation like this.
Before entering the forge, Roman Dmitry had told him:
"If Lee Tae-seong asks you for help, make the appropriate judgment of your own accord. If you consider him a comrade you can trust with your back, tell him everything. If not, draw a line immediately."
Roman Dmitry had anticipated Lee Tae-seong's actions and left the choice to Kang Min-ho.
Kang Min-ho looked at Lee Tae-seong, falling deep into thought.
He means for me to teach them the Asura Sword Technique and the Asura Mind Method based on my own judgment. Lee Tae-seong and the Directly Controlled Unit... are they worth it?
They were far superior to him in terms of raw talent. What mattered to Kang Min-ho, however, was not their strength, but whether they would be useful to Roman Dmitry.
Lee Tae-seong cannot be considered Lord Roman Dmitry's man. He blindly follows Incheon Mayor Kim Jun-hyeok, which creates a fundamental difference between him and me. But if you ask whether he is untrustworthy, the answer is no. He is a man who swore loyalty to Kim Jun-hyeok even when presented with highly tempting offers from Seoul. Being Kim Jun-hyeok's man means that as long as Kim Jun-hyeok follows Lord Roman Dmitry, he too will remain a reliable ally.
For the future, Incheon needed talents like the Directly Controlled Unit. He was no different from them. Seeing Lee Tae-seong cast aside his pride for a clear purpose, Kang Min-ho didn't need to deliberate any longer.
"Very well. I will explain to you how I succeeded in my double promotion. No—I will teach you."
At a time when people were abandoning Incheon one by one, a wind of change was blowing through the city.
* * *
Meanwhile, Moon Tae-jun, an investigator from the Central Government, showed clear signs of fury at the recent developments in Incheon.
Slam!
"Cheongsan? What the hell are those bastards doing? What gives a guild led by a mere C-Rank the confidence to stay in Incheon?"
"...I apologize." His subordinate bowed his head.
Since Moon Tae-jun had openly targeted the Incheon government, he naturally expected all of Incheon's guilds to pack up and leave for other regions within a few days. But to his surprise, the guild known as Cheongsan announced their decision to stay. Of course, with every other guild leaving, his goal of weakening Incheon's military power was technically a success, but he despised the fact that an exception like Cheongsan dared to exist.
Furthermore, to make matters worse, more news arrived that thoroughly displeased him.
"And who the hell is this Kang Min-ho? I thought he was a nobody, so how did he manage a double promotion?"
"...Even the promotion exam site claims they don't know the reason. When we checked his records from years ago, Kang Min-ho barely passed the E-Rank exam, but this time, he actually defeated the C-Rank hunter Ki Myeong-jun."
"Useless bastard. Losing to a hunter from Incheon of all places."
He hated absolutely everything about this. He wanted to ensure that Incheon would never find an opportunity to bounce back, whether through Cheongsan or a hunter like Kang Min-ho.
Moon Tae-jun spoke coldly. "A simple warning won't cut it. Pressure Incheon economically and militarily. Make sure the entire nation of South Korea shuns Incheon, believing that it will fall the day the Great Disaster arrives. Understood?"
"Understood."
"By the way, where is Roman Dmitry right now?"
Ever since their meeting in Incheon, Roman Dmitry had become a target of high vigilance. They had been keeping a close eye on his movements, but Roman Dmitry hadn't taken a single step outside for the past few days.
"...According to our investigation, he seems to be staying in a forge, but we don't know the reason."
"A forge?"
It made no sense to Moon Tae-jun. A forge. What could possibly be happening there? The possibility of Roman Dmitry crafting a weapon never even crossed his mind.
"What on earth is he doing in there?"
At that time, Moon Tae-jun thought nothing of Roman Dmitry's actions, nor of the winds of change brewing in Incheon.