Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: F-Rank Dimensional Rift
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"Once becomes twice, twice becomes three times... Heh heh, that one's top-grade virgin merchandise. No way it's a waste on just one go."
Choi Yang-gyu said as he exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke.
It was a lucky find—a golden goose.
"Will she call you, boss?"
The man in the black suit driving beside him asked.
It was his right-hand man, Deok-gu.
"Heh heh, of course."
"Still, just in case..."
"Tsk tsk, that's why you'll never make it. She'll call tomorrow or the day after."
"Boss, let me have a taste too..."
Deok-gu smacked his lips, seemingly recalling Yu-na's figure.
"Hey now, even water has its proper order."
"Ehehe, of course you'd go first, boss."
"Are you planning to take that bitch's daughter too?"
Choi Yang-gyu scowled.
"You crazy? Do you know how much that's worth?"
"Tch, yeah, you're right."
"You've rolled around in this business for so long, and you're still hung up on virgins?"
Choi Yang-gyu gave him a pathetic look.
"But still, virgins have that special flavor, don't they?"
Deok-gu said sheepishly.
"That girl's expensive enough just to sell as is, and with the virgin premium on top..."
"Yeah, she looks a bit dark, but her face... especially that body. Insane. You'll let me have a taste once the seal's broken, right?"
"Sure, by then it won't even show... Who else is gonna look out for my little bro if not me?"
"Aigoo, thank you, boss."
Ding-dong.
A familiar face appeared on the intercom screen.
It was Hanna's female secretary.
"Did I give her my home address?"
[I provided it. I judged it necessary while you were sleeping, Master.]
"Good job, Suni Secretary."
[Thank you, Master.]
Suni was getting sharper by the day.
Having a competent secretary felt great.
The secretary entered, pulling a carrier-like box.
"Weren't you Hanna's secretary?"
"Not anymore. Starting today, I'm Manager Kim Jin-ah for you, Un-ho. And feel free to speak casually."
She'd seemed like Hanna's trusted aide, so it was odd for her to suddenly become my manager.
"Alright then."
She looked to be in her twenties.
I wasn't some old fogey, but I was definitely quite a bit older.
She probably preferred if I dropped the formalities too.
"......"
Come to think of it, I'd been so fixated on Hanna that I hadn't even learned the secretary's name.
"Ahem. I realize I'm late, but I never asked your name."
Better late than never—manners and all.
"Kim Jin-ah."
She stated it without a change in expression.
"So, what's the visit for?"
"I brought the combat suit you mentioned before."
The carrier must have held the combat suit.
I'd once asked for a basic one with just a mana shield, no fancy options.
My skill-turned combat suit was too flashy.
But wearing clothes over it wouldn't hide it well.
Heading out to hunt like that might make it look like I was hunting naked.
I didn't want to stand out, so I needed to look like a normal hunter in a standard combat suit.
The solution: layer a combat suit over my own to blend in.
Two layers meant defense wouldn't be an issue.
I spotted the logo on the carrier.
"Bluelight?"
A famous luxury brand in the hunter world.
I wasn't about to complain about an expensive luxury item.
For hunters, better gear was always better.
Especially now that money wasn't a worry.
"It's the standard-issue suit for our non-awakened hunters."
"You run a mercenary group too?"
The company was bigger than I'd thought.
"Yes. Friends Mercenary Group."
As expected, it had a size adjustment, fitting my bulked-up frame perfectly.
Tech must've advanced—it felt sleeker than older suits, hugging the body elegantly.
"Helmet?"
"It's integrated. Tap the helmet button on the wrist screen."
The inner wrist had a small screen showing charge status and the helmet button.
I pressed it, and a transparent barrier formed around my head.
It felt solid to the touch—whatever tech made it possible was beyond me.
"Whoa... neat. Is this standard now?"
I couldn't help but marvel at the tech.
"It's possible because the functions are simple. Suits with complex features require a separate helmet."
Made sense—options were endless, and cramming them all in meant a physical helmet was inevitable.
"Not bad... except for this logo."
A cute SD character of a girl in a Hero suit and red cape was emblazoned on the chest.
"Charge it by inserting a mana stone into the Hero Friends logo."
The girl's navy hair and purple eyes reminded me of someone.
"Tch. They made it irremovable."
"It's the CEO's welcome gift."
Hanna was generous to a fault.
"Ahem. Tell her thanks."
Free gift or not, I held back the urge to destroy the logo.
"Want some tea?"
It was the polite thing, after her effort.
"No, thank you."
Jin-ah refused curtly with a cold face.
"What's your schedule today?"
"Did I mention anything?"
I racked my brain, wondering if I'd said something before.
"Never mind. If there's nothing, I'll head back to the company."
Jin-ah seemed ready to leave cleanly if I had no plans.
I'd hunt on my own schedule.
That was the deal when I joined this company.
She was faithfully upholding the contract.
"No. Find me an F-rank rift."
Arranging and locating rifts was a hassle for me.
Might as well use the perks.
That was one reason joining Hanna's company felt convenient.
The F-rank rift was for leveling up and lightly testing my abilities.
I needed to try this Login thing, but it felt too risky right now.
Suni advised maxing levels before entering.
I figured I'd bump up a level or two first.
Is this what awakening feels like?
No way I'd die pathetically after one.
I'd find the safest entry method.
"An F-rank rift?"
"Yeah."
"Party size...?"
"Nah, just me."
Two layers of combat suits. Dying in an F-rank rift would be too embarrassing—even in the afterlife.
"Solo clear?"
Jin-ah looked dubious.
"Yeah."
She pondered briefly before speaking.
"Well... you're D-rank, so it should be fine, but a party would be safer..."
She still didn't trust me fully.
"It's fine. How long?"
"......For F-rank, I can arrange one within an hour."
Jin-ah seemed to accept my stubbornness.
"Please do."
"Yes..."
We were heading to the Hero Friends camp north of Gate Fortress.
Past the association camp, another 10km or so.
My pickup was being driven by Manager Jin-ah.
Keeping hunters in top condition was part of a manager's job, apparently.
I didn't mind—having a driver was convenient.
"Didn't know the company ran a camp too."
"We've operated it for a year now."
After signing, I'd had Suni investigate Hanna.
Hero Friends was rising as a dark horse in the hunter world.
Three company affiliates ranked in the top 10 promising awakeners poised to lead the world.
No one knew how far an awakener could grow.
Yet three of their recruits in two years made the global prospects list.
Stock soared daily.
'Does she really know the future?'
There was the giant Bluelight corporation.
Leaders in mana engineering worldwide.
Hanna was the chairwoman's daughter.
Hanna Bluelight.
I'd glossed over the name, dazzled by her beauty, but she was a diamond spoon.
That explained the insane contract.
10 billion was pocket change to her?
[Master.]
'Yeah.'
I replied mentally with Jin-ah there.
[Found them.]
'What?'
[The sex workers you mentioned.]
'Show me.'
Profiles of women scrolled before my eyes.
Since fusing with the system, Suni could project holograms only I could see.
[Selected ones with high overall ratings.]
She'd data-mined and filtered them.
They were... better than expected.
Profiles could be staged, of course.
Couldn't fully trust them.
Outcall girls meant no in-person selection—unavoidable.
'Hm...'
Still, something felt lacking.
