Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: [Reality] Variant Gate
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“Hey! You bastard! Where the hell are you right now?!”
I had my smartphone on speakerphone mode, keeping it well away from my ear.
An all-too-familiar voice, grating on my nerves.
“You think I'm a joke, huh? You send one damn text and ghost me? Do kids these days have no manners? No basic decency?!”
“Ah, Boss. Calm down.”
A torrent of abuse poured out without giving me a chance to breathe.
In the old days, I would've been terrified.
I'd have apologized profusely, begged for forgiveness, and pleaded just to get my paycheck.
But what did I care how much he'd suffered?
What right did he have to yell at me?
He's so consistent.
Kim, the owner of the convenience store where I'd worked.
The epitome of bullying the weak while kissing up to the strong, the incarnation of power trips.
After getting kicked out of my house, I'd scraped together enough from my mom to rent a cheap studio, but I still needed a part-time gig to cover living expenses.
For some reason, though, every interview ended in rejection before it even started.
[Ugh, that smell... I mean, sorry, kid, but we've already hired someone.]
[Customers might get scared. Sorry.]
The only place that took me in was Kim's convenience store.
Not out of kindness, of course.
It was a neighborhood where night shifts were hard to fill, and more importantly, someone like me had nowhere else to go—perfect for exploiting.
Unpaid minimum wage, scolded for taking expired bentos, docked an hour's pay for being a minute late.
Overtime pay? Forget it.
When I'd be cleaning up some drunk's vomit, he'd plug his nose, complain about the stench, and curse me out instead of helping.
Back then, I was scared.
Scared that if I got fired, I wouldn't make rent and would starve.
So I lived with "sorry" on my lips.
But now?
Not even funny.
Who was I?
I'd beaten people and smashed monster heads in comic-book worlds.
Hell, I'd gone back to the Joseon era, thrown the Chief State Councillor in jail, duped the king, and tumbled with the queen for three days straight.
“You listening? Get your ass to the store right now! If you don't, forget your pay—you won't get a single won...”
“On my way.”
I cut him off with a curt reply.
“I'm coming to get my money, right now.”
Click.
I hung up before the boss could say another word.
The phone rang again, but I ignored it and shoved it in my pocket.
The store was a five-minute walk from home anyway.
Better to go in person and talk face-to-face.
If he won't pay up, I'll make him.
Legally or otherwise.
Of course, a hunter beating a civilian would bring down the Awakener Special Act headaches, so no actual hitting.
But intimidation? Plenty of ways.
And honestly...
I was curious what face this guy would make when he saw what I'd become as a hunter.
Ding-.
I pushed open the convenience store door, and there was the familiar face behind the counter.
Balding head slick with grease, protruding gut.
Kim the boss.
For the record, I didn't know his first name.
Thought I heard it when I started, but forgot.
Kim was glaring at his smartphone, huffing and puffing—clearly pissed that I'd hung up on him.
Then he heard the door and looked up, greeting out of habit.
“Welcome.”
He tossed out the greeting reflexively, then did a double-take at my face before glancing back at his phone.
Didn't recognize me.
No wonder.
The me he remembered was a scrawny anchovy with a potbelly and pockmarked skin.
According to the system, I reeked and was filthy back then.
I grabbed a canned coffee from the fridge, set it on the counter, and spoke up.
“Long time no see, Boss.”
“...Huh? Who are you?”
The boss stammered politely.
Couldn't even recognize my voice?
Wonder if it was the changed looks or voice.
No way to know.
People don't really hear their own voices properly anyway.
This is fun.
I smirked at the absurdity.
“It's me, Lee Jun.”
“...Who?”
“Lee Jun. The guy who worked here.”
“What?!”
The boss's face twisted grotesquely.
Utter disbelief.
“Lee Jun? You?”
“Yeah. Here for my back pay.”
“D-Don't lie! Lee Jun doesn't look like this. You his replacement? That bastard's...”
The boss started ranting.
Then—
Rumble!
The ground shook violently.
The boss staggered, grabbing the counter as snacks tumbled from the shelves.
A sinister wave rippled through the air.
[Mana Detection] was reacting.
“Wh-What?! Earthquake?!”
The boss screamed, clutching the counter.
I instinctively crouched, steadying myself, and peered out the glass door.
Crack—!
A rift tore open in the air, birthing a blue dimensional gate.
A Gate.
Normally, Gates give a grace period until the mana stabilizes. Do nothing, and eventually monsters spill out.
That's a Gate Break—common knowledge.
Standard procedure: Association sets up a perimeter during the wait, scouts the interior, then hunters raid.
But this one?
“Grrrrowl!”
Monsters poured out the instant the portal formed.
“Variant Gate!”
Someone nearby shouted it helpfully. This was a variant—monsters swarming immediately upon spawn.
The deadliest type, highest casualties.
Usually the Association detects them early, but misses happen.
The disaster alert came late.
“Kyaaah!”
“M-Monsters! Run!”
“Mommy! Mommmy!”
The street was already chaos.
People screamed and fled, cars crashed in panic, horns blaring.
Through the mayhem, black wolf-like monsters drooling saliva pounced on them.
“H-Hiiik! Lock the door! Lock the door!”
I gave the hysterical boss a pitiful look.
As if locking a glass convenience store door would stop monsters.
I stepped outside.
Where are the hunters?
No sign of any.
Nearest hunter response: five minutes minimum, ten to be safe.
No one to hold them off till then.
So what happens to everyone on this street in those ten minutes?
They all die.
The woman who tripped fleeing.
The grandma frozen mid-escape with her dog stroller.
The man trapped in his car wailing.
Monster chow, all of them.
Honestly, none of my business.
Grab my money and bounce.
Boss dies, strangers die—who cares.
No matter how much I'd rolled in comic worlds, publicly I was a fresh C-rank hunter.
Do nothing, and the Association would chalk it up to surprise circumstances.
“Mommy! Wake up, Mommy! Waaah!”
A little girl's wail pierced the air.
“Grrrrowl...”
A house-sized wolf lumbered toward her.
Beside it, an unconscious woman; a man—likely the dad—shielding his wife and daughter.
“St-Stay back! Get away! Uwaaaah!”
The wolf mocked the man's desperate cries, jaws gaping.
Yellow fangs dripping saliva.
That maw could crush a non-awakened family in one bite.
I'm no hero of justice.
Just a selfish everyman chasing comfort.
No need to risk it.
But...
If I'm the only one who can?
Shouldn't I at least stop that kid from dying right in front of me?
It's not like I can't.
My body moved before my brain caught up.
Flash!
Shing.
I pulled the three-section staff from my inventory mid-sprint.
Then I roused the mana dormant in my circuits.
Mana surged through my veins, bulking my muscles, forming a bluish sheen over the staff.
I focused mana into my vocal cords—not some advanced technique, just amplifying volume.
“Look at me!”
I closed the distance in a blink and swung at the wolf monster's head.
Looked simple, but backed by [Body Reinforcement] and [Mana Coating].
Plus [Clubbing] and [Hand of God] skills, and [Earth's Blessing] behavioral buffs.
Five traits and skills in a combo.
“Grk?”
The wolf noticed my shout, turning its head—but too late.
“Too slow, you mutt!”
Splat—!
The staff crushed its skull like a watermelon, blood and brains spraying everywhere.
Dead without a scream.
Blood and chunks splattered into my mouth—disgusting.
Wanted to curse, but held back for the kid and dad.
I shook off the bloodied staff.
Then addressed the stunned father.
“You okay?”
“A-A hunter...? Thank you! Thank you so much!”
I checked the fallen woman.
Blood from her head—probably hit it tripping.
Diagnose.
Mana to my eyes.
First perk of [Royal Physician].
Whoosh.
Translucent data floated over her: blood flow, pulse, brain pressure, etc.
Intuitive even without medical knowledge.
And though I hadn't learned much, I was still Heo Seol's nominal disciple.
Enough to gauge the situation.
Not serious.
Minor concussion from the bump, nothing major.
“She's fine. Mild concussion. Bleeding'll stop soon.”
“Really?”
The dad asked skeptically.
“Yeah. Can't treat, but basic diagnosis skill works. Breathing steady, pulse normal. Stay put till the ambulance. Don't shake her head—could make it worse.”
“B-But... the other monsters...”
“I'll handle them. Don't worry.”
“Y-Yes! Thank you!”
As he bowed tearfully, the kid stopped crying and stared at me wide-eyed.
I turned to face the rest—then the dad called out.
“Um, hey.”
“Yeah?”
“Be careful.”
Worrying about the hunter instead of his family.
Ridiculous.
Almost snapped back, but...
“...Yeah.”
I mumbled awkwardly and gripped my staff tighter.
Over ten wolves on the road eyed me warily, abandoning their hunts.
My shout had pulled aggro.
Beasts hate loud noises.
Seeing me one-shot their buddy marked me as a threat.
“Come on, you shit-dogs.”
I beckoned mockingly; three charged.
“Grrrng!”
“Kang!”
Front, left, right.
Encircling smoothly.
Wolves were wolves, even monsters—coordinated.
I smashed the first's head.
Thud!
“Yelp!”
Skull crumpling.
The next leaped for my neck—but
“Not today.”
I snatched its throat with my off-hand,
Slam.
Smashed it into the pavement skull-first. It twitched then went limp.
The last rushed my blind spot—but I whipped around with a headbutt.
Crack!
Three down in seconds.
“Woooah!”
“A hunter! The hunter's here!”
Fleeing crowds cheered.
Sheltered onlookers hung from windows; even the boss peeked from inside, trembling.
I leaped at the rest.
Thwack! Crack! Crunch!
The staff danced.
[Brawl] skill kept me solid in the melee.
Fangs? Punched aside.
Claws? Kicked away.
Elbow strikes, knee lifts.
Suddenly, I stood alone.
“Piece of cake, you bastards.”
Talk tough, but bites and scratches stung.
Without [Steel Body], I'd be rags.
Skin torn and bleeding—probably worse than rags.
No more monsters, so small Gate.
Sudden break, but my quick action—no deaths, I hoped.
Please no.
Catching my breath—
Thud—.
A massive shadow emerged from the Gate.
“...What the hell is that?”
Cheers turned to screams.
Red skin, three meters tall easy.
Muscled bulk, two horned bull heads atop its neck, four arms.
Each wielding a massive axe, mace, glaive, chain.
“...Insane.”
Not small Gate.
This boss thinned the mobs.
Twin-Headed Minotaur.
Four-armed variant.
C-rank dungeon raid boss minimum.
Needs ten-plus party.
Not solo material.
Luckily, the blue portal flickered out after it emerged.
Last one.
“Rooaaar!”
Both heads bellowed—numbing pressure hit me.
Limbs locked.
Strong.
Couldn't gauge exact power, but mana dwarfed mine.
Insult to compare to past foes.
Its four eyes fixed on me.
Nearest, sole threat.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
It advanced.
Move.
Move!
Roar froze my limbs.
[Mana Detection] and [Mana Affinity] backfiring maybe.
Sharp senses amplified its power.
Paralyzed by dread of a superior foe.
Stay like this, dead meat.
Crunch.
Bit my tongue hard.
“Ptui.”
Spit out the chunk.
Third gone—numb tip, mouth filling with blood.
But limbs loosened.
Cracked my neck, shaking off tension.
Ridiculous.
Came for back pay, got this mess.
“Snort.”
It halted before me, snorting steam.
Then—
Clang! Claaang!
Clashed its weapons.
Showing off? Cocky monster bastard.
I tightened my grip on the staff.