Chapter 71 – Worse Than Strangers

‘Who is it?’

Min Do-jun’s eyes widened as he looked at the intercom screen.

‘Big uncle and little uncle?’

His deceased father’s brothers had come to visit.

Min Do-jun’s eyes narrowed.

‘These people who haven’t shown their faces since my parents died, what business do they have here?’

Though relatives, they weren’t close enough to visit regularly.

Hence, their sudden visit was suspicious.

“Do-jun, are you home?”

“Open the door!”

As he hesitated to open the door, they kept ringing the doorbell.

‘What an inconvenience.’

Min Do-jun opened the door anyway.

And greeted them first.

Though worse than strangers, they were still relatives.

“Hello.”

“So you were home?”

“Why didn’t you answer our calls?”

Having ignored his phone due to annoying classmate contacts, he hadn’t known about their calls.

“I don’t check my phone much.”

“Really? Anyway, can we come in?”

“Yes.”

Min Do-jun opened the door with a sour expression.

His expression hardened seeing his cousins entering behind them.

“Hi, Do-jun.”

“Long time no see?”

‘They even brought their children.’

Cousins he’d barely spoken with tried acting friendly.

“Come in.”

Unable to turn them away at the door, Min Do-jun let everyone in.

“Do-jun, sorry for coming unannounced.”

“We just wanted to see your face after so long.”

“…”

Min Do-jun didn’t respond to his uncles’ words.

‘These people who fought cursing about not wanting to take me in…’

After his parents died from monsters, relatives treated Min Do-jun like a burden.

They fought over who would take in the lone child.

Shocked by this, fifteen-year-old Min Do-jun declared he’d live alone, only receiving living expenses.

No, rather than support, it was debt.

Big uncle had threatened that he’d have to repay everything immediately upon inheriting his parents’ assets when he became an adult.

Of course, he’d repaid all debts as soon as he became an adult, so relatives had no reason to visit like this.

Min Do-jun had no reason to be grateful either.

To him, relatives were just annoying beings disturbing his rest.

When Min Do-jun remained silent, the uncomfortable relatives cleared their throats and looked around the house.

“Wow, you keep it neat.”

“Do-jun, are you still living alone in this big house? Aren’t you lonely?”

“No. Thanks to you, I developed independence.”

“Ahem…”

Faced with his cold response, the relatives pretended to look around the house.

“Hasn’t it been over 5 years since this house?”

“I heard property values went up, haven’t you sold yet?”

“It’s the only inheritance from my parents.”

“That accident happened when the family went out together, right?”

“At least fortunately the monsters didn’t destroy the house.”

“Fortunate?”

Min Do-jun’s previously calm eyes sparked at his little uncle’s words.

“Is that something to say in front of a nephew who lost his parents? If the monsters had destroyed the house instead, I’d have only lost property and my parents would still be alive. Are you saying money is more important than life?”

“No… I meant what would you have done if you lost the house too… Is that something to get so angry about?”

“Hey, hey.”

Big uncle elbowed little uncle’s side, giving him a look.

Understanding the situation, little uncle shut his mouth.

Big uncle spoke instead.

“Haha, sorry, Do-jun. My brother spoke wrongly. I apologize on his behalf. You apologize too.”

“S-sorry.”

After the two apologized, silence fell.

Big uncle spoke to break the awkwardness.

“Ah, by the way Do-jun, I heard you became a hunter?”

“Where did you hear that?”

“I didn’t hear it, I showed them.”

Big uncle’s son Min Dong-hyun cut in.

“I happened to see a video of you while browsing YouTube.”

He seemed to be referring to the video from seven months ago of stopping the dungeon break in Gongju city.

“At first I thought Dong-hyun was joking, but there were news articles too and it seems you really became a hunter? Is it true?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m a hunter.”

At those words, the relatives’ eyes widened.

A hunter.

To think a so-called “chosen one” would appear among their relatives.

“Wow, a hunter! I’m proud of you, Do-jun.”

“I knew you’d succeed!”

The two uncles were busy praising Min Do-jun with hearty laughter.

The cousin brothers weren’t quiet either.

“Amazing, amazing! My cousin is a hunter.”

“Do-jun, so you’re like a magic swordsman or something?”

“Yeah.”

“Comments say magic swordsmen aren’t that great…”

“They say one-handed warrior is stronger and makes more money.”

Min Do-jun smirked, finding it amusing that civilians were giving advice to a 10-year hunter.

“Brothers, do you work at a guild or hunter management center?”

“No. Why?”

“You seem to know the industry better than me. What are your jobs then?”

“Hey, what jobs at our age? We’re in college.”

“We’re only twenty-two.”

“Oh, really? Then you haven’t even been to military service?”

“Th-that’s right.”

“You’ll be busy with job hunting after military service.”

Min Do-jun spoke with a subtle mocking tone while smiling.

After all, hunters were exempt from military service.

Moreover, his future was already secured as a hunter.

Unlike some, he didn’t need to worry about studying or finding employment.

The cousins fell silent, realizing they weren’t in a position to meddle.

The uncles broke the awkward silence.

“Haha, job hunting can wait. Anyway, you’re lucky, Do-jun. No need to worry about employment.”

“Instead I have to worry about my life.”

“Right. They say being a hunter is dangerous. But you must make enormous money.”

“Dad. Do-jun isn’t at that level yet. D-grade is among the lower ranks of hunters.”

The cousin tried to belittle Min Do-jun as if seeking revenge for earlier.

But he was mistaken about something.

“D-grade? Me?”

“Yeah, you were level 150 when you stopped that dungeon break. So you’re still D-grade, right?”

Since only 7 months had passed since stopping the dungeon break, he still thought Min Do-jun was D-grade.

“Did you rise to C-grade?”

“Well, C-grade or D-grade, they’re both low level anyway.”

Min Do-jun couldn’t help but laugh at him trying to boost his ego by putting others down.

“Big uncle, little uncle.”

“Yes?”

“I heard you’re in business, have you made tens of billions?”

“Why suddenly ask that?”

“Unless you’re conglomerates, I find it funny how my unemployed cousins are criticizing hunters.”

“Hey, it’s true!”

“What’s the difference between C-grade and D-grade anyway!”

Min Do-jun looked at his agitated cousins with contempt.

“Brothers, even F-grade hunters make 100 million won annually. C-grade hunters make a salaryman’s annual income in one day. Before discussing C-grade versus D-grade, look at yourselves. Are you in any position to criticize?”

“…”

“For all your pretense of knowledge, aren’t you too ignorant about hunters?”

“Anyway, it’s true that you’re D-grade.”

“I’m B-grade.”

“Yeah, you’re D-gra… huh?”

“I said B-grade.”

“What? You?”

The cousins sent disbelieving looks.

“Really B-grade?”

“What level are you?”

“Over 1,300.”

“Impossible. I heard it takes years to become B-grade.”

“It varies by person.”

“Are you lying because we can’t verify?”

“Think what you want.”

Though none seemed to believe him, Min Do-jun didn’t care.

He had no obligation to prove himself.

“Is B-grade very high?”

To the uncle’s question showing ignorance about hunters, his son nodded.

“It’s high. Must make at least several billion won a year?”

“Several billion? Try tens of billions.”

When Min Do-jun corrected him, the relatives’ jaws dropped.

“S-so you make that much?”

“Something like that.”

While the cousins still seemed doubtful, the adults didn’t seem to care.

“What does it matter? Regardless of how much Do-jun makes, he’s a hero who stopped a dungeon break.”

The two uncles grinned.

Regardless of whether he was B-grade or not, they must have seen through articles that he received 2 billion won in rewards for stopping the dungeon break.

‘That’s why they’re flattering me.’

Having seen through their intentions, Min Do-jun asked directly.

“So what’s your real purpose for coming? Is it money?”

“Uh… what?”

When money was mentioned first, the two uncles were visibly flustered.

‘What to do? Admit it? Or not?’

As expected, the two who came to borrow money fell into momentary contemplation.

Pride dictated denying it angrily, but that might prevent them from borrowing money.

With that thought, the deliberation didn’t last long.

“Ahem, yes. I’ll be direct. We did come to borrow money.”

“But Do-jun, we’re not just asking for a loan – we have good information for you too.”

“About where to invest… something like that?”

“Exactly! You know well!”

“Let me explain. This land is so good…”

The two spread out maps from a real estate office and eagerly recommended land investment while explaining the benefits of their invested land.

“This land is really good. With subway and highway planned, accessibility is excellent. Everyone wants to buy here.”

“Buying here guarantees success. Minimum tenfold return, I tell you. Need to buy in bulk before it’s too late.”

“I already bought 1 billion won worth, but if you lend me money, I plan to invest more.”

“I maxed out bank loans and gathered all my assets to invest 2 billion won. But I still want to invest more!”

“So Do-jun, how about investing with us? Your big uncle will help a lot.”

“If you’re uncomfortable investing, just lending is fine. But please lend as much as possible.”

“How much do you have? From the reward money, you must have at least 2 billion?”

“Just lend us 1 billion each, and we’ll repay with hefty interest when land prices rise.”

“Right. Grab the opportunity. This chance is rare.”

Min Do-jun couldn’t help but laugh.

It truly was a rare opportunity.

‘Of all places, this land?’

The land the uncles recommended for investment was where an S-grade dungeon would soon appear.

In other words, a place confirmed to lose half its value.

Far from tenfold returns, it would be difficult to recover the principal for 10 years.

“How about it? Do-jun. Interested?”

Taking his smile as a positive sign, both men’s faces were full of expectation.

“You must really look down on me.”

“Huh?”

“When my parents died, you only cared about money and treated me like a burden, ignoring me until now. Did you think I’d readily lend money just because you came and flattered me?”

“W-what?”

“I don’t want to talk long. Please leave.”

“But you should think more about…”

“I have zero interest in investing or lending money, so stop wasting my precious time and leave.”

“Hey, Min Do-jun.”

Then big uncle’s son Min Dong-hyun stepped forward with angry eyes.

“How dare you speak to my father like that? Did you forget he supported your living expenses and acted as your guardian?”

“Those living expenses – I repaid everything with interest as soon as I became an adult, and as for guardian role, he only came once for school registration. What exactly should I be grateful for?”

“Y-you…!”

“And you wanted proof I’m a B-grade hunter?”

Min Do-jun vanished smoothly.

“Gasp!”

The relatives’ eyes widened at the sudden disappearance.

Min Do-jun deactivated invisibility.

“You may not know, but invisibility is a B-grade skill. Is this proof enough? Or…”

Whoosh-

“Huk!”

A curtain of flames appeared behind Min Do-jun.

“Should I show you some fire to satisfy you?”

“O-okay! We’re leaving!”

“S-sorry for intruding, Do-jun!”

Finally recognizing a hunter’s fearsome nature, the relatives fled without looking back.