Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Breaking My First Love (1)
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Dr-r-r-ruck.
The Hunter Management Center under the Hunter Administration Department in Seoul's Mapo-gu.
Park Won-jun, having completed his first Tower climb, had come to exchange his Mana Crystals.
Mana Crystals were an excellent resource, but in South Korea, where the Hunter Administration held strong authority, the state essentially bought up every single one.
The Hunter Management Center wasn't much different from other government facilities.
You pulled a number ticket based on your business and waited your turn.
"I'd like to dispose of some Mana Crystals."
"Yes, please place them over here."
Won-jun took the Mana Crystals from his inventory and set them down in front of the staff member.
You could enter any Tower nationwide, and these sub-space inventories existed too, but Mana Crystal transactions required physical handover only.
Of course, since he hadn't brought many, it didn't take long.
"All done."
"Thanks."
"The deposit may take 1-2 business days."
"Got it."
Won-jun nodded with a gentle smile.
Compared to the glacially slow bureaucracy he'd endured in the murim, South Korea's civil servants were practically angels.
Besides, after the 3.3% withholding tax on 200,000 won, he wasn't exactly strapped for cash.
He always made sure to secure a few months' living expenses.
Dr-r-r-ruck.
Evening time.
Winter meant it got dark quickly.
"Hm..."
He checked his phone—it was time to head out for his part-time job.
Today, he was a man earning 200,000 won a day.
And for Won-jun, whose daily income doubled with each passing day, hall serving for slightly above minimum wage felt like a waste of time.
Still, he wasn't about to pull an MZ-style quit-on-the-spot move.
He didn't have anything better to do with that time anyway.
His stomach was starting to growl right about now.
Grabbing a bite near the bar and wandering a bit before work seemed perfect.
Hongdae was annoyingly crowded, but it had plenty of spots good for solo dining.
Won-jun headed straight for Hongdae.
"Enjoy your meal."
A restaurant about ten minutes from the bar where he worked part-time.
The pork cutlet and stir-fried pork set he'd ordered arrived.
This is it.
Modest for someone who'd made 200,000 won in ten minutes, but it was a meal he could never have in the murim.
Just pure bliss.
"Huh?"
Before he could scoop up a bite, his eyes caught the TV screen.
[The Hunter Administration Minister stated that the Seoul Tower will proceed without issues this time as well, urging citizens to rest assured.]
"Don't just say 'rest assured'—show it. Prove you can clear it anytime before the collapse timer runs out."
The restaurant auntie, deftly serving tables, clicked her tongue.
Her loud voice drew the other customers' attention to the TV too.
Seoul's Tower had an even shorter collapse timer than Busan's.
And being the capital, it naturally drew more focus.
"But what happens if our Hunters can't clear the Tower? Does the country just go under?"
"Nah, we can team up with the US, China, or Japan. No worries."
"I heard Europe's been fighting over joint ops."
"They'll probably bully us hard even if they do help."
Won-jun listened to the surrounding chatter.
Of course, before heading to the murim, he'd been used to a society where Hunters tackled Towers, so he knew the basics.
But hearing it now felt different.
"Hmm."
What would I do?
Even at the beginner level of his main martial art, he'd overwhelmingly cleared the 1st floor.
Towers naturally ramped up in difficulty, but floors 1 through 9 weren't worlds apart.
The system jumped sharply in difficulty and rewards when the tens digit changed.
So, up to the 9th floor should be no problem at his current level.
No—maybe even higher.
But it was all meaningless to Won-jun.
He kept getting stronger. No plateaus for him.
"It'd be great if our country had some powerhouse Hunter who could throw our weight around at other nations."
"As if. Our top Hunters wouldn't stand a chance in the US or China."
"Still, it'd be fun if we could."
"..."
Won-jun finally took a bite of his soul food and overheard the next table.
Yeah, that would be fun.
Korea's top Hunter.
A Hunter who could sway other countries.
What an intriguing life that would be.
He could achieve anything.
"Table 21 needs clearing."
"I'll get it."
"Defense squid set and Nagasaki jjambbong for table 7!"
Not a weekend, but with school break, Hongdae's evening bars were packed.
Won-jun hustled as a part-timer, serving tables.
With nearly ten hall staff and two floors, the large izakaya was pure chaos.
"Enjoy!"
Amid the peak rush where even managing expressions was tough, Park Won-jun smiled at customers as he worked.
Maybe it was from living life on the edge in the murim—this barely qualified as hard.
"Won-jun's really grinding today."
"Hasn't he always?"
"Hahaha, true that."
Won-jun chatted with the male manager while carrying dishes.
"Whoa? Min-ju, where'd you disappear to?"
"Just the bathroom."
"Ah... okay."
Right then, hall part-timer Park Min-ju, 23, reappeared. She'd been gone about 20 minutes.
Too long for just the bathroom, but the manager—who hated confrontation—just nodded.
"..."
Right, Park Min-ju.
Won-jun eyed her fiddling with her phone amid the bustle.
Park Min-ju, the same age as him, female part-timer.
Always half-assed at work.
Couldn't even fake a smile, constantly getting complaints for her attitude.
From the boss's view, she was fireable.
But she's pretty.
Park Min-ju was the type to turn heads on the street.
Not super tall, but leggy.
Slender figure.
Foxy face that suited heavy makeup.
The kind of girl destined for popularity anywhere.
He'd seen customers asking for her number dozens of times.
But Won-jun had another issue with her.
"Park Min-ju, those customers already paid."
"Huh?"
Won-jun asked her to help clear the table.
Truth was, they had bad history.
"You wipe the top."
"What?"
"What do you mean? You clear, you wipe."
"..."
Won-jun efficiently sorted and prepped the dishes.
He directed Park Min-ju to wipe the table with a rag.
She wiped it with a disgusted face, no retort.
Her specialty was dumping work on male part-timers.
But not this time.
Not even on her usual pushover, Won-jun.
Thud.
Won-jun dropped the dishes in the kitchen.
Thinking back, it pisses me off.
He used to grovel around Park Min-ju.
Unreasonable demands, taking losses—he forgave because she was a pretty girl.
The first time they met, when she smiled at him, Won-jun fell hard.
Enchanted, he worked hard for her as much as for the job.
What did he get? Pathetic self-satisfaction.
If she were his girl, fine—but playing nice for a girl with a boyfriend who picked her up in a car? Cringe-worthy.
He wanted to punch his past self.
But now? Changed.
Even hailed as a hero after 30 years of effort, it hadn't brought happiness.
Groveling for another man's girl? Absurd.
Especially since his broke college kid days were history.
"Good work, Won-jun."
"Thanks."
Closing time.
As opener, he finished earlier than most and smiled at the manager.
Order chicken at home, sleep, then hit the Tower tomorrow evening.
"Hey, Park Won-jun."
"Yeah?"
But outside, Park Min-ju grabbed him.
"What's up all sudden?"
Won-jun asked her business.
"You got a problem with me?"
"Problem? Nope."
"Then why act like that?"
"Act like what? Did I do something wrong?"
"You've been snapping at me."
"Never happened."
Her high-school-delinquent whine, laced with irritation.
But Won-jun met her eyes straight on.
Damn, she's a real psycho.
Throwing a fit over basic part-time tasks she'd ordered him to do.
He wanted to smack his past self for tolerating her.
"Gotta catch the late bus. Store's still busy—don't half-ass it."
"What?"
Min-ju snapped back.
Won-jun walked off without a word.
Fucking bitch.
Shitty personality, but her face, voice, sex appeal? Top-tier.
And after 30 years in another world, his body's memories of her were too vivid—a lingering attachment.
"Hoo..."
Park Won-jun's studio apartment.
No boiler on in winter, yet it felt warm.
"Weird sensation, as expected."
After closing, Won-jun meditated, building qi until Tower entry time, then opened his eyes.
This bizarre phenomenon.
He'd clearly circulated qi and built internal energy, but felt none.
No leakage, yet...
"Guess I'll find out inside."
Tower entry.
Clearing Seoul's 1st floor unlocked the 2nd.
Busan someday? Not needed yet.
"...As expected."
Won-jun felt the internal energy in his dantian.
Clearly stronger than yesterday—much stronger.
"Time to clean up?"
No plans for other arts.
Quick sweep.
Won-jun unleashed his Blazing Flame Divine Art.
Flames bloomed more brilliantly than yesterday.
Roar-r-r-r!
Won-jun walked to the boss room, ashes of slimes in his wake.
"Better than yesterday."
The boss monster, a Large Green Slime, awaited.
Unlike yesterday's feral rabbit, this boss was just bigger.
"No playtime today."
Yesterday, he'd toyed with the Chief Horned Rabbit in fisticuffs for fun.
Once was enough.
Roar-r-r-r!
Same treatment as the trash mobs.
Clear complete.
S-Rank again, double rewards.
"Four of them."
1st floor: 1.
2nd: Base 2.
Bonus: 4 total.
400,000 won equivalent.
"This easy okay?"
Income doubled in a day.
At 23, he was now a monthly millionaire.
Won-jun realized why some Hunters grinded low floors daily instead of chasing the top—pure honey.
Of course, farming had value, and only a few Awakeners could even clear floor 1.
Plus, ambushes from familiar-floor monsters killed plenty.
No bodies left behind.
Even in Seoul's Tower, no parties overlapped spaces.
Unfindable forever.
"Not my problem."
Won-jun had zero confidence in dying low-floor—even empty words.
"Once a week, maybe."
No more daily cash-ins. Weekly from now.
"You worked so hard—it's a shame. Thought you'd stick till February."
"Yeah, sorry."
Next day.
Won-jun gave notice at the bar, mouthing empty words.
Playing normal 23-year-old Korean student post-return had its fun, but not long-term.
Income surged, set to keep surging—no reason to waste time.
"Oppa, did you find a dropped wallet?"
"Wallet? Haven't heard. Customer lose one?"
"No, it's mine..."
The female part-timer looked troubled.
"Come to think, I've heard stuff's going missing lately."
"Someone stealing?"
"Nah, with CCTV?"
"..."
CCTV?
Won-jun raised a brow.
Bar has CCTV, sure—but blind spots?
No cameras in staff changing areas.
Of course, never lost anything himself, so whatever.
Quitting soon anyway.
"Ugh..."
After hustling, Won-jun took a quick 1st-floor break.
Not slacking much, but nailed the brief rest window.
Hm?
Then.
A faint presence. He walked slowly.
Couldn't use qi, but entry-level martial arts sharpened his senses.
Swish.
Near the changing area.
Where staff left outerwear.
Someone there.
He knew her.
Park Min-ju?
Ponytail, slim waist unhidden by uniform.
Park Min-ju rummaging coats.
Not hers, though?
"..."
Instinctively, phone out.
Video mode.
Silent recording.
Wow.
Her pulling a wallet from another's coat—caught clear.
Our Min-ju takes to the camera well.
Thrill shook him.
"Ahem."
"Eek!"
Won-jun's cough. Min-ju startled.
Eyes met.
"What're you doing here?"
"...Nothing."
Usually rude to him, now she averted her eyes like a lamb.
"..."
Call her out? Let it slide?
Won-jun pondered.
Why record her crime?
To use it, obviously.
Rare chance. Crush her? Or hold back?
Play it right, maybe snag the coveted Park Min-ju.
But risks.
Rule-of-law Korea.
Blackmail with her crime? Felony, even if she's guilty.
"You, why? What's your deal?"
But.
Won-jun approached the backing Min-ju.
Another world or not, 30 years as hero—got everything but male fulfillment.
Sex?
Now a high-earning 20-something. Women would be easy—better than Min-ju even.
So what?
"Put the wallet back."
"What?"
Her trembling eyes.
Uniform top unbuttoned, cleavage peeking.
Heavy makeup scent.
Anticipation of what'd come.
Closer, his crotch hardened.
"Check this."
Showed the fresh video.
"Gasp!"
Min-ju, not expecting recording, clapped hand over mouth.
Swish.
Won-jun's hand on her left shoulder.
Sneered slyly.
"Wanna talk?"
Stroked her shoulder, arm as he spoke.
Body touched, she froze speechless.
Yes.
Won-jun decided to advance.
Live fully as a powered Hunter.
Park Min-ju was the woman he craved most now. Memories of wanting her burned strong.
Hold back? Wait? Pointless.
Girl he wants to fuck? Do whatever to fuck her. Live that way from now on.