Chapter 297 – Part 2 – Maintaining Dignity

“Seong-min, where did you go without even eating dinner?”

Choi Seong-min, who returned home late at night, naturally responded to his mother’s question.

“I went to a friend’s house. I ate dinner outside.”

“I see.”

“What about school? Did you register?”

“Yes, oppa! I’m starting school next week.”

His younger sister’s expression as she answered was like a child waiting for a field trip.

“Are you that excited?”

“Yes! When I went to register today, I saw the school for the first time and it was really big and nice. There were lots of students too.”

“There were many students?”

“Yes.”

“That means they’re all children from merchant-class families… There are quite a lot of wealthy people around, aren’t there?”

“There wouldn’t be any commoners there, right?”

“No. Legally, commoners can’t attend school. There wouldn’t be any commoners willing to pay ten million won in annual tuition fees.”

“Oppa, don’t you want to go to school with me? I heard there’s no age limit…”

“I’m a hunter. Instead of school, I need to go to dungeons. Studying wouldn’t be useful anyway. Though I’m unemployed right now.”

He said he was unemployed, but he already had nearly 400 million won in cash.

He wouldn’t be affected even if he didn’t work for several years.

‘I made an incredible amount today too.’

While other team members were idle, Choi Seong-min had gained traits and collected 178 items.

All of them were swept from the E-rank armory.

‘Just selling these should easily bring in 400-500 million won.’

Although prices had fallen since the dungeons opened, hunter items were still expensive.

‘Even if I swept them all up like this, I won’t get caught.’

There was nothing to worry about since the CCTV was off.

He had also wiped away the bloodstains on the floor and buried all the bodies in the back mountain, so there was no evidence.

‘Ah, there is one piece of evidence.’

Kim Gi-hong’s phone.

He had cleaned up everything else but deliberately left only that at the scene.

To frame Kim Gi-hong as the culprit.

‘The phone contains plenty of content that would infuriate the higher-ups.’

If Kim Gi-hong’s dealings with the Yang Dong-i gang were revealed, he was certain they wouldn’t have time to worry about him.

‘They’d frame Kim Gi-hong as the culprit out of spite alone.’

Of course, his death would be revealed on next month’s combat power update day, but that didn’t matter.

There was no evidence that he was the culprit anyway.

‘There’s no way to tell if it was suicide or murder, so how could I be framed as the culprit? That’s ridiculous.’

That’s why he could feel at ease even when the death was revealed.

‘Now that I’ve dealt with Kim Gi-hong, is Gwang-jin the only one left?’

Choi Seong-min had never intended to let Gwang-jin live from the beginning.

‘If he testifies to the Association about receiving items, it would become troublesome in various ways.’

He needed to kill Gwang-jin to finish the job without any loose ends.

‘Most importantly, I don’t like him. The fact that this guy who calls himself a friend spilled information about me.’

Because of the information Gwang-jin had leaked, he and his family had almost been killed.

‘Of course, it was a situation I had intended while knowing everything.’

Either way, Gwang-jin had to die for evidence destruction.

He also needed to retrieve the items he had given him.

‘Of course, I can’t kill him now while he’s at the training camp.’

The day Gwang-jin became E-rank and left the training camp, he would die.

‘If he falls into the trap I’ve set, that is.’

Choi Seong-min went to the bathroom and carefully opened the ceiling.

Then he took out ten million won from the backpack containing 390 million won and handed it to his mother.

“Mother. Use this for living expenses and A-yeon’s tuition.”

“W-we don’t need this much right away.”

“I’m giving it to you in advance, so you can use it.”

“Thank you, Seong-min.”

“I’ll earn even more for you later.”

Ten million won?

Compared to the money he had now, it was nothing.

‘If I sell the equipment I got from robbing the E-rank armory, my total assets would be close to 800 million won, right?’

Compared to that, ten million won was being stingy.

‘Honestly, I want to give more, but I have to hold back. Until it looks like I’m clearly succeeding to anyone who sees.’

It had been less than two days since he became E-rank, so he couldn’t show off his wealth yet.

‘I can’t sell all the equipment at once either. I need to sell them off bit by bit slowly.’

If he sold them little by little through brokers when he had time, like before, there would be no traces left.

‘Honestly, I’m not interested in money anymore. I’ve earned enough.’

Choi Seong-min’s only interest was getting stronger.

For hunters, equipment bonuses couldn’t be ignored, so he had no choice but to be interested in gear.

‘Fortunately, there were items I needed in the armory.’

Choi Seong-min opened his equipment window to check the information of the items he had acquired.

[Ring of Speed]

-Category: Ring

-Grade: E

-Effect: Agility +12, Movement Speed +10%

-Durability: 1,200/1,200

-Usage Restriction: E-rank or higher

-Description: Allows you to move faster than usual.

It was similar to the Ring of Acceleration but different in that it increased movement speed.

‘For assassins, movement speed is as important as attack speed.’

Movement speed was a great help not only when creating distance but also in close combat.

‘If I increase my base movement speed, I can also draw out more efficiency from the Sprint skill.’

Most importantly, when worn together with the Wind Necklace, he could get a set effect.

‘The problem is that I need to be D-rank to wear the necklace.’

He wasn’t far from D-rank anyway.

His combat power had risen quite a bit from killing hunters in the armory.

‘My current combat power is 8,201. Higher than Kwon Ho-jun, who was the leader of Team Crush.’

Less than 2,000 remained until 10,000.

D-rank was not far away.

‘Come to think of it, I killed three more people and haven’t even checked their traits.’

He had forgotten to check while cleaning up the bodies and aftermath.

‘Well, how good could the traits of guys with low combat power be?’

Since they were traits obtained from catching three weak guys, he didn’t have high expectations.

But then…

[Trait – Rune Affinity]

-Grade: A

-Description: When acquiring runes, there’s a 66% chance the rune will be enhanced. Enhanced runes have double the effect.

‘What’s this?’

It was a better trait than he had expected.

‘Enhanced to double effect when acquiring runes? So what would normally increase Agility by 1 would increase it by 2?’

Although there was a probability involved, getting double the effect from the same runes compared to others was an incredibly overpowered trait.

‘I thought it would be nothing special since he was a subordinate, but he had this kind of trait… If he had been alive, he might have eventually surpassed his boss Yang Dong-hyeon…’

It was a trait much more helpful for growth than Yang Dong-hyeon’s Combat Sense.

‘The next trait is…’

[Trait – Sharp Blade]

-Grade: A

-Description: When attacking with bladed weapons, 10% chance to ignore defense. Does not apply to bows, blunt weapons, staffs, etc.

Seeing it was a trait helpful in combat, Choi Seong-min’s expression brightened.

‘This isn’t bad either. Actually, it’s even better.’

All equipment except weapons and accessories had defense power.

‘Defense power is like a kind of cushion that absorbs impact.’

Hunters protect their bodies with helmets, shields, armor, gloves, shoes, etc.

And when attacked, they absorb impact equal to the defense power of that body part.

‘If defense power is low, you can pierce armor even with a dagger, but if it’s the opposite, damage won’t register at all.’

Being able to ignore such defense power was an enormous merit.

‘No matter how high the defense power of the equipment they’re wearing, if it activates, I can pierce through.’

The activation probability of 10% seemed somewhat low, but there was no problem.

‘It’s a problem that can be solved if attack speed is fast enough.’

Attack ten times and ignore defense once?

Then just attack ten times even faster.

‘If defense-ignoring damage hits, I can deal fatal damage even to tanks.’

For example, if he attacked the head ten times and defense ignore activated, piercing through the helmet with his dagger.

‘No matter how S-rank they are, they’ll die if their head is pierced.’

Of course, precisely targeting only the head ten times wouldn’t be easy.

‘What’s the remaining trait?’

Choi Seong-min looked at the last trait with expectant eyes.

[Trait – Maintaining Dignity]

-Grade: A

-Description: Can wear and use accessories one grade higher. However, only one item is possible.

‘This is… unbelievable.’

Choi Seong-min’s lips curled up after seeing the trait.

He wondered if there was a lucky charm in his inventory.

‘The trait I needed most came out.’

Being able to use items one grade higher, and only accessories at that.

‘I can immediately wear the Wind Necklace and receive the set effect.’

It was like giving wings to his already strong back.

Choi Seong-min immediately equipped the Wind Necklace.

Although it was D-grade, the options were applied due to his trait.

[Set effect activated.]

[Applied Items]

-Wind Necklace

-Ring of Acceleration

-Ring of Speed

[Set Effect – Wind’s Blessing]

-Agility +15

-Attack Speed +10%

-Movement Speed +10%

‘Attack speed and movement speed increased by an additional 10%.’

Including the existing options, it was a 20% increase.

With an additional 15 Agility, his Agility exceeded 250.

‘If Pack Instinct is applied too, it would easily exceed 300.’

This level was similar to the stat level of a C-rank hunter at level 450.

‘And I’m just E-rank.’

Choi Seong-min smiled with satisfaction, then hardened his expression looking at a message floating in one corner.

‘The synchronization rate is 13.7%, which isn’t very high.’

Compared to the minimal increase in synchronization rate, he had achieved noticeable growth through traits and items.

‘Now if I can just go through dungeons and reach D-rank, I can learn skills and become even stronger.’

Choi Seong-min, who had decided to stop human hunting for the time being, eagerly awaited the day he could enter dungeons.

‘Just two more days of waiting should do it.’

However, today.

He received a call from team leader Bang Tae-man.

A call telling him to come to Team Crush immediately tomorrow.

* * *

“Hello, seniors!”

Choi Seong-min greeted the Team Crush members as he had when working at the center.

“Oh, Seong-min came?”

“It’s not Oh Seong-min, it’s Choi Seong-min.”

“Sim Seong-jin, this bastard is nitpicking again? I know too, man!”

“Hello, Senior Eom Jeong-sik!”

“Yeah, hello.”

Unlike their first meeting, Eom Jeong-sik spoke casually.

It felt like he was finally acknowledging him as a team member.

However, the look in his eyes when staring at Choi Seong-min was somehow disapproving.

“It’s been a while, Junior Seong-min.”

Do Eun-jeong welcomed Choi Seong-min with a fresh smile.

Then Eom Jeong-sik’s expression noticeably hardened.

“What do you mean ‘a while’… It’s only been one day since we last saw each other.”

At Eom Jeong-sik’s grumbling, Do Eun-jeong was surprised.

“Really only one day? Why does it feel like I haven’t seen him in a long time?”

“Because you’re eagerly waiting for the gentleman who saved your life. Kek kek.”

“Ah, Team Leader! Don’t tease me.”

Do Eun-jeong, who had joined not long ago, already seemed to have blended in among the team members.

In contrast, Choi Seong-min still felt awkward about getting close with the seniors.

He had no intention of doing so either.

‘It’s just a team I’m passing through temporarily anyway.’

If he entered under Song Chi-hyeon, one of the 8 Heroes, his relationship with Team Crush would end there.

That’s why Choi Seong-min had no intention of becoming closer than necessary.

“Alright, everyone gather around. Before today’s schedule, we need to form teams first.”

At team leader Bang Tae-man’s call, the four team members gathered in one place.

“The Captain gave orders that we can hunt starting today, so we’ll be entering dungeons every single day from now on.”

“Every single day? No rest days?”

“What rest days! Don’t you want to earn money? Don’t you want to grow? We should think about hunting as much as possible so we don’t fall behind, tsk.”

Choi Seong-min nodded slightly in agreement with the team leader’s words.

“What if we get injured?”

“If someone gets injured, the remaining people will hunt together. What else? Even now we’re short one person, but those are the Captain’s orders to proceed as is.”

Since it was Hunter Yang Jo-young’s order, the team members could no longer express complaints.

“The place we’re entering is the Worwolf dungeon, and as you know, this is a 4-person dungeon. Excluding the supervisor, only 3 people can enter. So we’ll divide into teams like last time.”

“Then since we’re five people, we’ll have to divide into two and three?”

“That’s right. Since Sim Seong-jin and I have the highest combat power, we’ll be Team A, and the remaining three will be Team B.”

Eom Jeong-sik, Do Eun-jeong, and Choi Seong-min were assigned to the same team.

“Will Team Leader and Senior Sim be okay with just the two of you?”

“It’s enough. I can somehow catch Worwolves by myself. Rather, I’m worried about your team, Jeong-sik.”

“I’m worried too.”

Eom Jeong-sik looked at Do Eun-jeong and Choi Seong-min in turn.

He even sighed when looking at Choi Seong-min.

“Whether I can do well with two newbies…”

“Try to proceed as carefully as possible.”

“Can’t we get help from the supervisor?”

“I’ll mention it, but don’t expect anything. We don’t have any bribes to give.”

“When is the supervisor coming?”

“I’ve already requested from the Association, so they’ll probably come soon.”

After a while, the supervisor arrived and Bang Tae-man had some private time with them.

However… “Wrong. Since there’s no bribe, it doesn’t work at all. The supervisor said they’ll just watch whether we live or die.”

“Ah…”

Eom Jeong-sik looked at Choi Seong-min once again with disappointment.

‘Can I do well with such a novice?’

He was worried, but there was nothing he could do.

Whether it turned out to be porridge or rice, he had no choice but to try.

“Let’s go.”