Job Change Quest 1
How much time had passed? I could no longer tell if I was swinging the hammer or if the hammer was moving my arm. I just instinctively hammered away, following the mana flowing from the hologram and the metal ingot.
Blending one with the hammer like that, pounding the ingot until finally the sword was complete—and thankfully, the notifications appeared.
Class NPC effect activates.
SS-rank longsword created.
New equipment production auto-registers to mold shop.
Damn. Who the hell is supposed to use this thing?
The notifications were a good sign. The molds were registered, and now we knew the exact equip restrictions. But those restrictions? They were the absolute worst-case scenario I'd imagined.
Who would've thought it really needed 2,000 Strength and Mana? At this rate, no hunter could even use SS-rank weapons, making it pointless to craft them in the first place.
Then it hit me belatedly about armor.
Wait. What about armor? Same deal as weapons?
Weapons had equip restrictions, so armor probably did too. I wondered if they matched the weapons' requirements. But I couldn't craft armor right now. My forging skills weren't up to it yet, and weapons took priority anyway.
I had all the raid team members' specs, so I'd focus on their weapons first. Armor could wait until those were done.
I was about to dive into full production for the raid team's weapons when Jeonghun showed up, saying he had something to say. But his expression wasn't the usual one I knew.
* * *
"Jeonghun, what's with that face? Something wrong?"
Ever since his recovery, Jeonghun always had a smile, but now he looked utterly drained. As I worried over him, he dropped a bombshell.
"Hyung, I think I should leave the raid team."
"Jeonghun, what the hell? Leave the raid team? Why all of a sudden? What happened?"
I was stunned by his sudden declaration. Just recently, when I'd talked to Taegeuk, he'd said there were no issues with the team. I trusted Taegeuk completely, so I hadn't doubted it. But hearing this from Jeonghun himself hit even harder.
"Jeonghun, no matter what, I'm on your side. If there's something I don't know, tell me straight up, okay?"
I spoke calmly to him. A fleeting thought crossed my mind—maybe Taegeuk had lied?—but knowing his personality and his favor toward me, that seemed impossible. Which meant even Taegeuk didn't know.
If someone was involved in this, I'd make them pay. I resolved that much and soothed Jeonghun gently.
"No, hyung, it's not like that. I just feel like I'm being a burden to the team."
"What are you talking about? You, a burden?"
His words only confused me more. Jeonghun, of all people, a burden? It didn't compute.
But his explanation revealed it was all because of me.
"Suho-hyung, my current abilities are barely enough for SS-rank dungeons. In all the SS-rank clears so far, I haven't contributed much. If anything, I've disrupted the flow multiple times. Joining an SSS-rank raid like this is too much. They've held their tongues because I'm from Support Guild, but once I'm officially in, people might start talking. No need to stir up the team over me alone."
Damn! My mistake. Shouldn't have rushed the raid team. No, I should've paid more attention to Jeonghun.
It was all my fault. No need to form the raid team so hastily. Hell, we shouldn't have.
Before the team, guild members were tackling S-rank dungeons. Even those were possible only with Taegeuk, and they'd call on Taesu for risky ones. Thrusting Jeonghun into SS-ranks after that? Of course he'd feel this way.
All my fault. If I'd been more attentive, this never would've happened.
Idiot. Stats make it obvious.
From the raid members' stats I'd received, only Jeonghun and Yeji couldn't equip S-rank weapons. I'd seen that and thought, Impressive they're doing this well despite the stats. Praised his talent.
But that was my delusion. If Jeonghun's talent was top-tier, so were the others'. With pure stat gaps of 400+, same support, talent alone couldn't close it. Jeonghun had become dead weight.
Worried about Yeji too, but maybe this was a silver lining? She was different—a ranged dealer, faring better than Jeonghun. Among archers, her pure bow skill led, compensating for stats.
Have to find a way. Can't just leave Jeonghun like this.
This was entirely on me. I'd find a solution for him. And check on the others too—maybe some were struggling silently. It gnawed at me that I'd formed the team but neglected them.
"Jeonghun, no matter what, I won't kick you off the team. And I won't leave you like this. I'll figure something out, so take a breather."
* * *
"Jeonghun's leaving?"
Taegeuk looked shocked too, confirming he hadn't known. But his next words were unexpected.
"I thought he'd push through, but I was shortsighted. My apologies, Guild Master."
"You knew?"
I was floored, like he'd anticipated this.
"Not exactly knew, but when you first announced the raid team, I talked with Jeonghun and Yeji. Told them the members were Korea's top hunters, leagues above us. To join, we'd have to give it everything. Showing weakness would shame you—the one who got us in through connections. We had to do our best."
News to me. Never imagined that conversation.
Not praise—self-reproach for missing their pressure.
I sighed, laced with guilt, and asked, "Why didn't you tell me? We could've delayed the team indefinitely."
Delaying hurt no one—me, guild, nothing. They knew that. So why hide it?
"We couldn't keep holding you back forever. Without you, Support Guild barely qualifies as one. You make it exist, make the raid possible. We just got lucky meeting you. Everyone knows, so we're desperate not to burden you. Ask our most diligent period since awakening—they'd all say since meeting you."
I hadn't known. Truly.
Never thought they saw themselves as dragging me down.
Shocked into excuses, Taegeuk continued.
"We know you'd never think that. No need for that aggrieved look. It's our own shame."
I realized how little I knew my guildmates. "Not knowing" because they didn't speak was no excuse.
At least I knew now, before too late.
"Thanks for being honest. But... any way to help Jeonghun?"
I asked about Jeonghun first, but Taegeuk's face darkened.
"Closing years of gap? Impossible normally. Rare classes ignore time sometimes, but not for Berserkers. Anyway, hunter stat growth—"
His words made me flinch inwardly, but I kept cool.
"Steady dungeon grinding a year: main stat ~100, subs 70-80. Talent doubles it sometimes. Near 1,000, gains slow. Divides hunters into 1,000 club or not. That's why 1,000 is 'talent realm'."
"I see."
"Over 1,000, talent dictates: some +10/year, others +100. Known fact: SS-rank clears needed for gains."
Fascinating new info. Compared, my stats were broken: Strength over 1,000, Mana 1,500 in a year.
"But Jeonghun's growth is cheat-level. Main Strength near +400 in a year post-detox. Issue: that's max from his talent and your quests."
Taegeuk skirted "no way," elaborately to soften the blow.
At current pace, he'd match raid standards in a year. But I couldn't wait—unknown threats, SSS-rank uncertainties.
So I sought help elsewhere.
"What? Jeonghun? Why so greedy? He's growing fast enough. No short-term method exists anyway. Even if, I wouldn't tell."
"Any reason?"
Taesu, next. His tone screamed tsundere care, not nitpicking.
"Body breaks. Needs time adapting to stat spikes. Instant power-up? 100% balance collapse. Want that? Go try."
Taegeuk and Taesu no help meant none. But I asked one more.
"None. I'd have used it. Nothing like that exists. Fastest way: maximize dungeon time. Non-stop except mana fade."
Taehoon confirmed. Was giving up inevitable?
Really end like this? No way at all?
Next chapter continues... The Hunter Who Awakened as an NPC