Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Abandoned Village
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Having fully experienced the effects of the mysterious mask artifact, it was only natural that the next morning began with me heading to work while wearing it again.
Yesterday, I'd stayed at the guild until fairly late even after finishing my hunt. All to accomplish my 'second objective' for visiting the guild.
Because of that previous incident, I couldn't earn points from Hye-eun anymore. Of course, if she wanted it, I'd gladly shove my dick in her for free, but even in this world where women had strong libidos, Hye-eun didn't seem particularly interested.
As for Cha Yu-ri, she'd said she'd contact me when she was ready, so I had no intention of rushing things by asking her first. Hye-eun was my childhood friend, so I'd been bold enough to approach her aggressively, but Cha Yu-ri and I had only shared one night despite having known each other for just three days.
However, even after scouting around the Autonomous Guild area from morning till evening yesterday, it was harder than expected to find a partner who could provide satisfactory awakening points.
Either the expected point gain was too low, or their looks were too hard for me to accept by my standards, or they just looked like the type who'd be juggling multiple partners.
There were a couple of women who nearly met all the criteria, but they already had partners. One even had a kid, and since she was still hunting, I could infer her relationship with her husband was pretty solid.
As I'd said before, what I wanted was a mutually beneficial relationship where we exchanged lust and points—not some sticky mess where I wedged myself between a solid couple and wrecked their home.
Having achieved nothing all day yesterday, I needed to secure a new point source today no matter what.
'Maybe the first two—Hye-eun and Cha Yu-ri—spoiled me. My standards might've gotten too high without me realizing it.'
I knew it full well.
The fastest way to gather awakening points and level up my skills was the straightforward, reliable method of grabbing any female hunter I saw and fucking her brains out.
But if I kept having mindless sex like that, word about me would start spreading vaguely through the hunters and guilds. Worst case, regardless of my awakening ability, I'd end up as the official dick for the strong female hunters.
Having gone through something similar in high school, I was acutely aware that I had to avoid that at all costs. So every time I added a new point partner, I had to be cautious in my own way.
Someone might say the mask makes it irrelevant since no one would recognize me, but unfortunately, my artifact wasn't that omnipotent.
I'd just realized it wasn't suitable for mindlessly expanding my female relationships.
This morning, the day after getting the mask, Hye-eun—who happened to leave for work at the same time—recognized me right in front of the house.
"Oh, Tae-kyung. Heading out?"
"...Yeah?"
"Why the shocked face? I just asked where you're going."
"...Sorry. Was lost in thought for a sec."
"Taking a walk? Or something else?"
"...Just a short walk. You're heading to work now, right, Hye-eun?"
"Yeah. My schedule's set for mornings. My usual party members prefer it too."
"Cool. Work hard."
"Yeah, gotta hustle. ...Especially since you're here."
"Huh?"
"Oh no, I'll be late. Going ahead! Sorry!"
"......"
The moment Kang Hye-eun left, I brought my hand to my face just in case, but the Mysterious Mask was definitely still on.
It had worked fine yesterday, so had it broken overnight? As that thought crossed my mind, a system message appeared before my eyes.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The effect of the 'Mysterious Mask' only applies to those who do not remember the user's real face. It has almost no effect on those who know the face behind the mask. They should've properly noted restrictions like that on the shop screen from the start.
It wasn't a huge issue considering my original purpose for buying it, but it still meant additional limitations.
So rather than relying solely on the mask's function to pick one-night stands, it was far more efficient—and safer for avoiding rumors—to lure partners for ongoing relationships.
With my policy for expanding point sources reaffirmed in my mind, I double-checked the mask was on properly and headed to the Autonomous Guild.
Today, I was determined to find a proper point partner.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "A promotion?"
It was what the staff member said after scanning my ID tag as I tried to enter the Ancient Tree Graveyard Sector A through window six, just like last time.
"Yes, a promotion. Kim Sung-cheol. Based on your recent achievements, the Autonomous Guild has decided to promote you to C-Rank Hunter."
Hearing about a promotion on a day I'd shown up with zero expectations left me speechless. A faint sense of bewilderment welled up.
The guide didn't seem to be lying, but the statement itself was hard to believe outright.
"You're sure it's skipping D-Rank straight to C-Rank?"
"Yes. Please go to window one to exchange your Apprentice Hunter ID for a C-Rank one."
"...Got it."
It seemed the fifteen Black-headed Eagle cores from Peregrine Plains yesterday had made a big impact.
Even for C-Rank beasts, submitting materials from fifteen in a single day was enough justification for promotion.
It wasn't impossible—quite common, in fact.
Among women visiting a hunter guild for the first time right after awakening, some were naturally gifted with exceptional abilities from the start.
Forcing such talents to stick to D-Rank dungeons forever would hurt the guilds too, so promotions to C-Rank often skipped steps like this.
Of course, this only applied to female hunters. Male hunters without awakening abilities had to take one more promotion test at the end, but fortunately, my gender wasn't publicly known in the guild.
As mentioned before, the Autonomous Guild was lax on managing affiliates. Especially Apprentice Hunters, who were a dime a dozen—they weren't even considered 'affiliates' from the guild's perspective.
They might become hunters eventually, but until then, no one cared what they did or where. It wasn't strange that my gender wasn't recorded.
'Not the same guide from Peregrine Plains yesterday either.'
If it had been, they might've recognized me like Hye-eun, but no such luck.
With the mask on, even a hunter named Kim Sung-cheol—a man—didn't raise suspicions. Besides, submitting fifteen Black-headed Eagle cores automatically ruled out a male hunter.
Hunting was practically a women's domain, so ID tags didn't even list gender.
Kim Sung-cheol, C-Rank "Haha..."
With my pre-awakening physical abilities, even D-Rank would've been iffy. Yet here I was, not even a week after my first time with Hye-eun, already C-Rank.
What had all my ten years of effort been for? The thought flickered through my mind.
...Better not dwell on it.
For all I knew, my awakening condition could've been 'train for ten years.' Regretting the past gained nothing. Plus, the knowledge from back then was still serving me well.
With the C-Rank insignia in hand, I now had one thing left to do.
The bastard that turned me into an orphan overnight—the driving force that made me endure all sorts of sexual harassment at hunter training high school just to become one, despite the abysmal odds for male awakeners. My first goal as a hunter, in a way.
The chance to kill that damn monster, Trerallodon.
'Couldn't enter B-Rank dungeons as an Apprentice, but now it's different.'
Even if I entered the B-Rank dungeon now and killed a Trerallodon, it wouldn't be true revenge. The one that ate my parents was slain back then by Hye-eun's mother, who happened to be nearby.
What I wanted was simple verification: Could I protect my parents now, with my current growth?
Ever since childhood, even after becoming a hunter, top of my bucket list was slaying the monster that killed my mom and dad.
Over a decade later, that lingering regret still burned in my chest.
Swordsmanship rivaling a B-Rank, 2-circle Flame Magic, and healing comparable to an Apprentice Priest.
This should be enough to take down a B-Rank monster.
"Abandoned Village, Sector C."
"Abandoned Village Sector C is a B-Rank dungeon. Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Understood. Entry fee for B-Rank dungeon is 200,000 won."
After handing over some cash from selling the Black-headed Eagle cores yesterday, I stepped onto the mobile warp and headed straight in.
To see how far I'd grown from that powerless 12-year-old kid.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚔ STATUS ⚔ B-Rank Dungeon. Abandoned Village Sector C After paying what amounted to highway robbery for the guild maintenance fee, I arrived at a place resembling a ruined village—almost a wasteland.
To be precise, it was a real village that had become ruins.
"Feels weird coming back after so long."
This former inhabited village-turned-dungeon was once the Chuncheon City area in South Korea.
A monster wave starting at a nearby factory had dungeonized the surrounding villages in an instant. Hunters arrived late and suppressed some monsters, but it was too late to stop the dungeonization—a massive incident.
In the end, healing awakeners' holy barrier magic blocked monster exits, and guilds installed mobile warp gates for steady clears. That's how this 'Abandoned Village' dungeon was born.
'Kee-eek!'
A hoarse cry came from the right, followed by a gray lump charging at me.
No need to draw my greatsword. I extended my right hand, incinerated it with a fireball, and the infected sewer rat—a C-Rank monster—left behind a core before crumbling to ash.
I ignored the other monsters fleeing at the sight of fire, pocketed the single C-Rank core, and headed straight for the playground where I'd lost my parents.
...I hadn't come here today just to hunt these pathetic critters.