I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter – Chapter 13 – Exploits (9)

Author: LyraDhani

Kang Ian smiled faintly as he looked at the fallen kangaroo monster.

‘The Mid-Low Rune of Lightning Imbuement—its effect is definitely solid.’

He had applied the mid-tier Lightning Imbuement Rune, which he received as a reward from his previous quest, to his sword.

The ‘Lesser Rune of Lightning Imbuement’ had been remarkably effective. Thanks to it, he had rescued numerous hunters at Lighthouse Beach, accumulating a substantial amount of ‘Nobility.’

However, the mid-low grade rune was clearly on a different level.

With the low-tier rune, he could only take down a D-rank monster in a single strike if it was already badly injured. But this time, the monster had barely been wounded, and yet he had taken it out instantly.

‘I could probably defeat an uninjured D-rank monster in two hits.’

Unless it was an exceptionally tough one, three hits should be enough.

With this, there was no real danger left in this dungeon.

Meanwhile, the Red Rose Guild members were stunned.

“Wait… he’s an F-rank hunter? Wasn’t he just here to observe?”

“At this rate, he’d be the most outstanding fighter even if he joined us in battle.”

Even among the members of a top-tier guild, skill levels varied greatly.

While Team Leader Choi Seobin could effortlessly cut down D-rank monsters, the same couldn’t be said for the rest of her team.

Some of them muttered among themselves.

“Maybe he was just observing from the back to spare our pride?”

“…That’s absurd, but it somehow makes sense.”

If Kang Ian had stepped in from the beginning, he might have wiped out the entire gate by himself.

Based on just this brief display, they had completely misunderstood him.

But it was an understandable mistake—his power was simply overwhelming.

Just then,

“Kyaa-!”

Another monster almost broke through their encirclement.

Startled, the Red Rose Guild members reacted quickly and, fortunately, managed to eliminate it this time.

Team Leader Choi Seobin, who was positioned at the back, called out sharply.

“Are you all losing focus? The battle isn’t over yet!”

“Yes, ma’am! Sorry!”

At her scolding, the hunters immediately shook off their distractions and refocused on the fight.

“…”

Team Leader Choi Seobin glanced at Kang Ian.

Since she was leading the battle, she could afford to take her eyes off the fight for a moment—unlike the other hunters.

Unlike them, she wasn’t overly shocked by his strength.

In fact, out of everyone present, only she and her niece, Jeong Bora, weren’t surprised.

Jeong Bora had already witnessed Kang Ian’s power when he saved her, and Choi Seobin had heard about it from her niece.

Still, seeing it firsthand was entirely different from just hearing about it.

‘How is that an F-rank hunter?’

She now understood why Team Leader Lee Jigwang was so fixated on him.

Most hunters desperately tried to get into first-tier guilds, but in Kang Ian’s case, it was probably the opposite.

If word about him got out, every guild in Korea would go crazy trying to recruit him.

‘I need to contact headquarters and have them draft the best possible contract immediately.’

A talent like this was not someone she could afford to let slip away.

She might regret it for the rest of her life if she did.

Despite the thoughts running through their heads, the dungeon conquest continued steadily.

Before long, they eliminated all the monsters inside the gate and reached the core.

All that remained was to destroy it.

Then, the gate would be cleared, and the rewards, crystal stones and skill stones, would drop.

Just as Choi Seobin was about to step forward, Kang Ian cautiously called out to her.

“Team Leader.”

“Hmm?”

“Would it be alright if I destroyed the gate’s core?”

“?”

Team Leader Choi Seobin tilted her head.

“Why? There’s no special benefit to being the one to destroy it.”

Long ago, when knowledge about gates was limited, there was a belief that destroying the core somehow enhanced a hunter’s abilities.

However, research had debunked that rumor.

It didn’t matter who destroyed the core; the true rewards were the crystal stones and skill stones.

“Haha, I just want to try it.”

“Hmm, well, go ahead. It’s not difficult anyway.”

Team Leader Choi Seobin readily agreed.

If granting this small favor put Kang Ian in her debt, then it was well worth it.

“Thank you!”

Kang Ian beamed as he stepped forward toward the gate’s core.

A pitch-black, spherical object.

As he gazed at it, something deep inside him seemed to stir.

It was as if Valhalla’s Will was urging him to destroy it as soon as possible.

Since there was no reason to resist, Kang Ian raised his sword and drove it into the core.

With ease, the core split in half, and from it, a large mana crystal and three skill stones emerged.

However, that wasn’t what mattered to Kang Ian.

– Ding!

[You have destroyed the Black Gate’s core.]

[You have completed the quest ‘Attack the Black Gate’s core and destroy the gate.’]

[You have received the quest reward.]

[Please check your rewards in a safe location.]

A wide smile spread across Kang Ian’s face as he read the successive messages.

* * *

After the gate raid concluded, the Red Rose Guild members and Kang Ian stepped outside.

“Good work, everyone.”

Team Leader Choi Seobin gathered her team and then approached Kang Ian. Her face showed clear signs of guilt.

“I wish I could give you at least one skill stone, Hunter Kang, for your efforts, but unfortunately…”

“It’s alright. I didn’t do anything to deserve such a valuable item.”

Kang Ian shook his head.

If anything, he was grateful that Choi Seobin had allowed him to participate despite his unusual request.

Besides, he didn’t really need a skill stone.

Moreover, he didn’t really need skill stones.

It was faster to acquire the specific skills he wanted within the game rather than relying on random drops.

He hadn’t intended to receive anything in the first place.

‘Actually, it would be nice to receive one. I could sell it.’

Hunters had an immense desire for power.

Naturally, skill stones were almost never available on the market, as they were typically used by the individuals or groups that obtained them.

However, they occasionally appeared in auctions, fetching astronomical prices.

Team Leader Choi Seobin couldn’t help but smile at Kang Ian’s response.

‘He’s capable of restraint even when tempted. Where did such a perfect hunter come from?’

Anyone would have looked at the skill stones with greedy eyes, but Kang Ian showed no such desire.

It meant he was either truly uninterested or possessed exceptional self-control.

The more she saw, the more she wanted him in her guild.

‘I need to contact headquarters immediately.’

I will bring him to our guild no matter what!

Team Leader Choi Seobin made up her mind.

***

The Red Rose Guild members took a short personal break.

They treated minor injuries, relieved their mental fatigue, and packed up their belongings in preparation to return to Seoul.

Kang Ian, who had nothing to pack, found an empty barrack and stepped inside.

After all, he could store and retrieve his belongings from his subspace inventory at will.

The reason he wanted to be alone was simple.

‘Hehe. Quest reward. I’ve been dying to see this.’

He had been eager to check it since the quest completion message appeared.

He held back due to the presence of the Red Rose Guild members, but he couldn’t wait any longer.

Items in his subspace inventory weren’t visible to the naked eye—they existed as a sensation, an awareness that something was there.

And right now, he could feel a package inside, likely his quest reward.

Kang Ian retrieved the reward from his subspace.

As soon as he did, the package dissolved into the air.

– Ding!

[You have received your quest reward.]

[Level up!]

He gained a level.

Kang Ian immediately felt his physical abilities improve.

His overall stats had clearly increased from just moments ago.

And then,

“Wow. They actually gave me this.”

He exclaimed in admiration.

In place of the vanished package was a large shield.

A shield with ornate gold decorations along its rim.

Saint Kschnu’s Kite Shield.

“This costs 500 Evil Souls. Yes!”

500 Evil Souls.

Even if he hunted D-rank monsters solo, he would need to kill nearly 80 of them to afford this.

Yet, he had obtained such a valuable item simply by tagging along with the Red Rose Guild.

Moreover, his time in the Black Gate made him realize the importance of defense.

Compared to other hunters, his physical endurance was still lacking.

His damage output had increased thanks to the rune, but what he needed first was solid defense.

Unlike in the game, he didn’t have extra lives.

Solid defense was a prerequisite for focusing on offense.

“Knight of Valhalla is the best!”

Kang Ian muttered to himself in excitement before carefully storing the shield back into his subspace.

***

During the short break, Team Leader Choi Seobin contacted Red Rose Guild headquarters.

She then hurried back to Kang Ian with the contract terms she had just received.

“Hunter Kang, I’ve spoken with the higher-ups, and they’re offering a signing bonus of 500 million won, a base salary of 500 million won, additional performance-based incentives, and a two-year contract.”

“Wow…”

Kang Ian unconciously murmured.

A signing bonus of 500 million and a base salary of 500 million?

The signing bonus was an upfront lump sum paid immediately upon signing, while the base salary was an annual payment.

That meant he would be earning 10 billion won a year just for breathing.

Moreover, that was just the beginning.

Hunters earned significantly more through incentives: dispatch allowances, gate clearing bonuses, monster hunting bounties, and various other options.

The more active they were, the more they earned.

‘This is insane…’

It was an excessive amount for a newly Awakened hunter like Kang Ian.

Stunned, Kang Ian was about to respond, but Team Leader Choi Seobin spoke first.

“I’m sorry. The terms are too low, aren’t they?”

“…Huh?”

“Sigh. I told headquarters that we needed to offer better terms, but they wouldn’t budge. They asked how they could offer better terms to a week-old F-rank hunter.”

She then went on a rant, cursing the higher-ups for being clueless and incompetent.

“So, please wait just a little longer. I’ll go and negotiate with them directly. I just ask that you don’t sign with anyone else until then.”

“Um, alright.”

Unsure if those were considered poor terms, Kang Ian agreed for now.

In truth, he had no intention of signing with anyone immediately.

Two top-tier guilds, Ohseong and Red Rose, were trying to recruit him.

Team Leader Lee Jigwang had said he would contact him separately later.

It was best to wait and see how things developed.

He then bid farewell to the Red Rose Guild.

They had offered him a ride, but he declined—he wanted to travel alone.

Just as he was about to leave—

“Excuse me, Hunter Kang Ian.”