Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Humming Through the Hunt
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A foundation for growth so overwhelming it bordered on burdensome had been established, but Su-hyeok harbored no worries about any potential price tag that might come attached.
God's machinations?
Some hidden burden?
Or a gift designed to saddle him with responsibility?
None of it mattered to him in the slightest.
'Whatever they offer, I'll devour it all.'
He was a profoundly greedy man.
There was no reason to turn down what was freely given.
If someone tried to snatch it away, he'd just grip it tight and never let go.
And if they dared impose any kind of oppression, he'd shatter that too.
Su-hyeok simply embraced the current situation with pure, unadulterated glee.
"This is totally a jackpot."
Thanks to it all, his growth was accelerating far beyond his expectations.
With these extra benefits piled on, reaching his goal of becoming a first-rate martial artist seemed achievable much sooner than anticipated.
He wouldn't even need the full two weeks of the practical training period.
He could probably slash it exactly in half.
Beaming with excitement, Su-hyeok finished his battle in the portal and started humming a cheerful tune without realizing it.
Deep within a dense field of tall green reeds that obscured vision just a step ahead.
"Uncle, you okay?"
Baek Yi-yeon, spotting his demeanor, asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"No, you just seem way too hyped. Given the situation right now..."
Baek Yi-yeon gestured to the dagger in her hand and the monster carcass sprawled on the ground.
A small, green-skinned bipedal dwarf-like goblin lay there in a gruesome state. The sharp stab wound right in the center of its chest suggested it was Jin Chang-hyeok's handiwork.
Of course, harvesting byproducts meant wielding a dagger—or whatever was handy—and butchering the thing mercilessly.
One had to face the nauseating stench of blood, the monster's unique musky odor, and its hideous mangled form up close.
Su-hyeok had handled all of it effortlessly from the start, but he hadn't looked anywhere near this delighted before.
No, anyone watching him laugh and hum happily while butchering a monster would find the sight downright bizarre.
"Oh, maybe a little."
"More than a little."
"Well, it's all money, right?"
Su-hyeok brushed it off casually.
Some people could find joy in this gruesome task by thinking of the cash it brought in.
"Still scary, though."
"Indeed, your current state does appear somewhat precarious."
Even Shar chimed in, backing up Baek Yi-yeon's words.
At this point, Su-hyeok had nothing left to say.
"Uh... sorry. Wasn't intentional."
He couldn't deny that getting swept up in the thrill of rapid growth had made his emotions overflow a bit.
"Ugh, anyway, you two seem totally used to it now. I'm jealous. Especially Chang-hyeok oppa—he struggled so much at first, but now..."
Baek Yi-yeon's gaze shifted to Jin Chang-hyeok, who was dissecting the monster corpse with a blade extending from his fist.
In truth, among the three, Jin Chang-hyeok worked the fastest.
Probably thanks to using his body directly instead of a dagger, but it was a far cry from his retching struggles on day one.
Baek Yi-yeon had toughened up too—she could now handle the gruesome sight and stench right under her nose without flinching—but compared to Jin Chang-hyeok, her progress felt sluggish.
Then again, adapting to all this in just three days like he had was the real impressive feat.
'He's probably doing it for the money, for real.'
Su-hyeok didn't know the full details, but he knew Jin Chang-hyeok desperately needed cash.
And as mentioned, monster byproducts meant money.
No time for him to whine about not being able to stomach it.
After wrapping up the goblin butchering amid these various thoughts and stowing all the byproducts in their bags, the group stood up.
Shar checked the time on her Awakener-exclusive license bracelet and nodded.
"The byproduct disassembly went faster than expected."
Both Su-hyeok and Jin Chang-hyeok ranked among the quickest trainees, and Baek Yi-yeon, irked at being the slow one, had pushed herself to an unexpectedly brisk pace, leaving them with extra time.
Too awkward an interval to head back to the Association just yet.
"Let's hunt one more pack.
You all okay with that?"
Shar asked, and the three nodded in unison.
"Yes."
Su-hyeok, having largely confirmed his abilities and savoring the thrill of growth, felt the same as Jin Chang-hyeok and Baek Yi-yeon, who were getting a real feel for combat through their powers. They were all tasting the joy of leveling up, after all.
"Good. Then let's move out quick."
The moment the decision was made, Shar locked in a direction and started moving.
Another of her strengths Su-hyeok had come to appreciate.
'Her decisiveness is top-notch.'
Once something was settled, no hesitation.
From Su-hyeok's perspective, her straightforward action-oriented style was immensely appealing.
"Over there."
They hadn't walked far when Jin Chang-hyeok spotted another cluster of nearly ten goblins.
Shar nodded, and the group cautiously lowered themselves, stifling their presence as they crept closer bit by bit.
Goblins were no stronger than Rank 1 portal monsters, but they traveled in huge packs by nature. They also possessed a sliver of cunning intelligence, enabling sly tactics in battle. That made them trickier than typical Rank 2 portal foes. Hence, ambushing for maximum gain was ideal.
It made fights easier and quicker, after all.
Su-hyeok took point.
No need for Shar to spell it out—Jin Chang-hyeok and Baek Yi-yeon already acknowledged him as leader.
Anyone could sense his overwhelming strength; it was unavoidable.
Su-hyeok, holding his breath and nearly upon the goblins, raised his hand to signal.
"Attack."
With a quiet command, he charged out.
Jin Chang-hyeok followed right behind.
Baek Yi-yeon clasped her hands together, her eyes gleaming.
"Kieek-!"
The goblins ahead belatedly noticed Team 8's approach—including Su-hyeok—and shrieked.
"Too late."
In the same instant, Su-hyeok's fist exploded a goblin's head.
'One down.'
He dropped the second in a flash.
Even as Rank 2 monsters, they made no difference.
To Su-hyeok, who grew stronger by the moment, they were mere post-meal exercise.
'Three down.'
By then, Jin Chang-hyeok had pierced the first goblin's heart and hoisted it high overhead.
He hurled it at the remaining six in panicked flight.
"Keeek!"
"Kieek-!"
As the startled goblins screamed.
Mid-battle, Su-hyeok sensed something parting the tall reeds.
'Someone approaching?'
The footsteps were heavier than any goblin's.
Thinking it an enemy, he circulated his internal energy to intercept—
"Seems like fellow Awakeners. Hmm, trainees."
Shar's clear voice rang from afar.
The words barely finished when an arrow shot from the reeds opposite.
Ironically, it wasn't aimed at a goblin—but at Chang-hyeok, deep in combat focus.
Su-hyeok accelerated.
Timing it perfectly, like a predator snatching prey, he reached out.
His arm trembled as he barely snagged the arrow's tip.
His palm stung, probably torn.
Glaring irritably into the reeds—
Two presences burst out with shouts.
"Uwaa-!"
"Charge-!"
Two men.
Vaguely familiar faces from Su-hyeok's memory.
'Team 3?'
Their instructor was a Guardian from the Imugi Guild, one of the major guilds, as he recalled.
Their intervention turned the fight into a one-sided goblin massacre.
Cowardly, treacherous goblins didn't even dream of fleeing amid the overwhelming pressure.
Yet it was no victory to celebrate.
"Whoa, sweet finish."
"Thanks to teaming up, it was easy. I even leveled up once."
Ignoring the somewhat flustered Team 8, the two men grinned at each other and chatted.
"You guys... Team 8? Instructor Shar's group?"
A woman emerging late from the reeds eyed them and asked.
"That's right. Aren't you Team 3 trainees under Instructor Jeon Su-jeong?"
Shar flew to the center between the groups and inquired.
"Yes. I'm Jin Chae-yeon."
The woman answered first.
"Kim Cheol-ik."
"Lee Jeong-uk here."
The two men waved cheerfully at Shar with smiles.
Su-hyeok's brow furrowed deeply.
"I never requested your intervention."
Shar asked.
"Aw, do we need a formal invite? Better for everyone if we make it quick and easy, right?"
Kim Cheol-ik, sturdy-built and wielding a short spear, replied.
"C'mon, no need to nitpick this stuff. She's not our instructor anymore, is she?"
Lee Jeong-uk, short and pudgy, clutched his belly laughing as he spoke.
"Are you kidding?! Chang-hyeok oppa was almost in danger! If it weren't for our uncle..."
"Sorry. Wasn't on purpose—just a mistake. But he's not hurt, right?"
As Baek Yi-yeon yelled, Jin Chae-yeon scoffed back.
Shar's smiling expression hardened briefly.
"You all..."
Before Shar could finish—
"We apologized, didn't we? You gonna lecture my kids too?"
A woman in a revealing black dress blocked Shar's path.
Jeon Su-jeong.
The infamous witch renowned in Korea for her top-tier curse abilities—she was Team 3's instructor.
"Isn't it only natural? Though I'm handling Team 8 now, I have a duty to guide and educate all trainees."
Shar met Jeon Su-jeong's gaze coldly.
A tone Su-hyeok—and likely every trainee—had never heard from her before.
"Chilly. Just like they say about the Flower of Death. Brutal, brutal. Cut 'em some slack. Kids make mistakes, right?"
Jeon Su-jeong turned to Jin Chae-yeon with a grin.
"Yeah. It was just a slip-up."
She shrugged with a matching smirk.
"Even if a mistake, it was a clear threat. A proper apology is required. Plus, barging into an honorable battle uninvited is a serious issue."
"Ugh, so rigid! This is why I hate dealing with elves. Let's not cross lines, yeah?"
"Jeon Su-jeong."
Shar's voice turned glacial, hard as permafrost.
Yet Jeon Su-jeong, locking eyes, showed no flicker of unease.
"Seems you've forgotten—beyond Team 8 instructor, I'm overseeing this entire training. Don't forget you're the one crossing lines."
"God, you don't listen. Not even old-school mindset, just bossy as hell. Annoying. Kids, let's go.
Take the byproducts. Too filthy and cheap for us. Won't touch 'em. Ugh, that rotting corpse-flower stink. Complain to Imugi if you hate it. I'm out."
"Jeon Su-jeong!"
Shar called her name again, but once she'd turned, Jeon Su-jeong vanished into the reeds without looking back.
"Well, enjoy the shade then."
Kim Cheol-ik followed with a casual wave.
"Don't forget you made easy money thanks to us."
Lee Jeong-uk bellowed another laugh, belly jiggling, then sauntered off waving.
Jin Chae-yeon blew a raspberry at Shar without a word and walked away.