I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter Chapter 15 - Leap (2)

The list of items and skills in ‘Devil Lord 3’ is endless.

 

The character in the game went out into the field, hunted monsters, accumulated countless ‘Evil Souls’, and used them to purchase items.

 

That was the problem.

 

[Current Evil Souls possessed: 121]

 

Kang Ian only had a little over 100 ‘Evil Souls’.

 

“Sigh… This is really low.”

 

He let out a deep sigh at the meager number.

 

It was a lot compared to the first day of his awakening.

 

However, Kang Ian’s standards were based on the game.  

 

In the game, you could collect hundreds or thousands of Evil Souls after a few hours of demon hunting.

 

By continuously upgrading items with those souls, he could eventually be decked out in incredible gear and become a true ‘Knight of Valhalla’.

 

But the reality was that he barely had a hundred.

 

Naturally, he felt deflated.

 

However, Kang Ian soon shook his head.

 

‘No.  There’s no need to think negatively. The beginning may be humble, but the end will be glorious.’

 

Killing an F-rank monster yielded 1 Evil Soul, and a D-rank monster yielded around 10.

 

Higher-ranked monsters provided more Evil Souls.

The stronger the monster, the more Evil Souls he would earn.

 

The stronger he became, the more difficult gates he could enter, and the stronger monsters he could defeat. His growth would skyrocket.

 

Like a snowball rolling downhill.

 

Fortunately, he had more Nobility than Evil Souls.

 

[Current Nobility possesed: 268]

 

His efforts in running around the beach and rescuing Hunters had paid off.

 

With this much Nobility, he could buy something quite helpful.

 

That was where the next dilemma came from.

 

‘Should I buy several decent items, or one really good one…? I need to decide on this.’

 

His Evil Souls and Nobility were limited.

 

This was a crucial period for rapid growth—one wrong choice could delay his explosive progress.

 

Therefore, Kang Ian made his decision carefully.

 

He simulated various scenarios and visited game information sites for comparative analysis.

 

And he reached a conclusion.

 

“Alright. I’ll go with one good item!”

 

He had already obtained a good shield as a quest reward.

 

This meant he had saved the Evil Souls he would have used on defensive equipment.

 

So, Kang Ian thought he might as well reinforce his defense even further.

 

Increasing his attack power wasn’t a bad choice, but it was better to be as solid as a rock.

 

After all, unlike in the game, he couldn’t just revive if he died.

 

With that in mind, he decided to spend all his Nobility on a single skill.

 

It was better to have one powerful ability than multiple weak ones.

 

– Ding!

 

[You have purchased ‘Blessing of the Golden Eagle’ by consuming 260 Nobility.]

 

“There’s nothing better than this for a Knight of Valhalla in the early stages.”

 

It was a blessing that offset the weaknesses of the Knight class.  

 

It had been excellent in the game, so it would surely be just as great in reality.

 

Next, Kang Ian turned his attention to the in-game shop NPC, where he could use his Evil Souls.

 

His screen was filled with dazzling equipment.

 

Just looking at them made him greedy.

 

However.

 

“Equipment… Let’s keep that for later.”

 

He decided to wait.

 

There were several items he could purchase with Evil Souls that wouldn’t be bad to use now.

 

However, the Valhalla Beginner Knight Set he was currently using wasn’t bad either. 

 

And the new shield was a masterpiece, so he didn’t need better equipment right away.

 

“Right now, what’s important is not increasing the number of good items, but training my own abilities.”

 

He had realized this when he entered the Black Gate.

 

The D-rank monsters inside were certainly manageable, but due to his own lack of ability, there were times when he missed their movements.

 

The ability to see the opponent, the strength and speed to counter them, the stamina to maintain the fight, etc.

 

The roots needed to be strong for a larger tree to grow on top.

 

Kang Ian was willing to sacrifice the present for the future.

 

So, he saved most of his Evil Souls and bought just one thing.

 

– Ding!

 

[You have purchased ‘Lowest-Grade Elixir of Growth’ by consuming 10 Evil Souls.]

 

Consuming it slightly increased the character’s growth efficiency.

 

If this were the game, he wouldn’t have even considered using a lowest-grade elixir.

 

Only mid-grade and above showed noticeable effects.

 

But since he needed to conserve his Evil Souls, this was his best option.

 

‘Even if it’s the lowest grade, it should help.’

 

Kang Ian could grow stronger through training like ordinary Hunters, and he also had the concept of levels.

 

The Growth Potion would be helpful for both aspects.

 

Satisfied with his reasonable purchase, Kang Ian leaned back in his chair with a smile.

 

“Ha…”

 

Perhaps it was because he had finished shopping well, or perhaps it was the accumulated fatigue, but his eyes slowly closed.

 

***

 

When Kang Ian opened his eyes again, he found himself in a magnificent place. 

 

Warm light surrounded him, and a beautifully maintained garden stretched out before him.

 

Elegant marble statues stood in between the greenery.

 

‘A dream?’

 

He instinctively knew he was in a dream. 

 

And he also recognized the location.

 

‘Isn’t this Valhalla’s Sanctuary?’

 

Valhalla’s Sanctuary. 

 

In ‘Devil Lord 3,’ it served as the home base for the Knights of Valhalla.

 

He turned his head and saw his attire. 

 

He was wearing the Valhalla Beginner Knight Set. 

 

A chuckle escaped his lips.

 

‘I’ve been too immersed in the game. Now I’m even having dreams like this.’

 

Just then, a knight emerged from between the statues and approached him.  

 

The knight was clad in thick armor, leaving no gaps.  

 

Perhaps due to the armor, his physique was truly enormous, and his height easily exceeded two meters. 

 

And surprisingly, wings made of light fluttered behind his back.

 

‘Wings of the Sanctuary…’

 

One of the Valhalla Warrior’s Blessing skills, granting all sorts of buffs. 

 

Even in the game, it was something you could only obtain after completing numerous quests and reaching a high level.

 

“Young Knight of Valhalla-”

 

The knight addressed Kang Ian.

 

“Well done. You have successfully carried out the mission bestowed upon you by the Sanctuary.”

 

Although the helmet covering his entire face obscured his expression, Kang Uan felt that he was smiling.

 

“But there is still much for you to do. Evil continues to invade your world.”

 

“I will diligently fulfill my duties as a knight.”

 

Kang Ian replied appropriately.

 

‘Even if it’s a dream, it’s best to play along.’

 

He could have treated it lightly since it was just a dream, but he didn’t.

 

After all, it was this ability that had drastically changed his fate.

 

Even if it was only in a dream, he didn’t want to act rudely.

 

“A good attitude. There are already places in your Earth that have been completely tainted by evil, so you will have to work hard.”

 

“…Excuse me?”

 

Kang Ian flinched at these words. 

 

Earth? 

 

That wasn’t something a Knight of Valhalla NPC would say in the game.

 

Of course, it could just be his brain tweaking the dialogue in a dream…

 

‘…No. Something’s off.’

 

The overwhelming sense of realism.

 

Deep down, Kang Ian knew that the knight’s words were true.

 

“If you do not wish to live with regrets like I do, you must be the first to protect your world, young knight—”

 

As the knight finished speaking, the dream world slowly started to blur.

 

It was a sign that he was waking up.

 

“W-Wait a minute. Who are you? Is this ability not something I just obtained?”

 

– My name is Tezeros. We will meet again. Until then, do not fall to darkness and protect your land well.

 

Tezeros’s last words faded, becoming so faint that they were almost inaudible.

 

– Flash

 

And then Kan Ian woke up.

 

“Ah!”

 

He sat there, staring blankly.

 

“…What was that?”

 

Checking the time, less than 30 minutes had passed.

 

Yet, the dream remained vividly clear in his mind.

 

Especially the last part—

 

Tezeros’ words, ‘Protect your land well,’ were engraved into his thoughts.

 

“Demons? Are the monsters demons?”

 

It had been over 50 years since the first Gates and monsters appeared.

 

In the early days, the chaos was catastrophic.

 

Some nations had even collapsed, unable to withstand the crisis.

 

But now, 50 years later, things were different.

 

Humanity had discovered how to use the magic stones, sparking a revolution in energy and industry.

 

The world now was more prosperous than ever before!

 

They still hadn’t found the reason for the appearance of Gates, monsters, and hunters. 

 

They had simply discovered certain rules and were enjoying the byproducts.  

 

Now, they even considered it a blessing from God.

 

However, the knight in his dream had issued a warning. 

 

He had told him not to take this lightly.

 

“What is the truth…?”

 

He wanted to dismiss it as just a dream, but it didn’t feel that way. 

 

However, there was nothing Kang Ian could do right now.

 

What could a mere F-rank Hunter do? 

 

Improving his skills was the priority.

 

“Sigh… should I find a Gate and enter it?”

 

He no longer needed to rely solely on Team Leader Lee Jigwang.

 

There was also Team Leader Choi Seobin of Red Rose, and Section Chief Jeon Jaewon of the Association had told him to contact him anytime if he faced any difficulties.

 

It might have been just polite words, but wouldn’t they at least grant him a request to enter a Gate?

 

– Ring~!

 

Just then, his smartphone rang.

 

“Hmm? It’s Team Leader Lee Jigwang?”

 

Speak of the devil.  

 

Kang Ian had just been thinking about him, and now the man was calling.

 

He briefly wondered why he was calling.

 

Kang Ian’s face soon brightened. 

 

Wasn’t there one reason why he would call?

 

‘He said he’d get me a good offer from Ohseong Guild. Did it work out?’

 

Team Leader Lee Jigwang had said he would contact him with the detailed conditions after internal discussions.

 

Red Rose Guild had offered 500 million won. 

 

How much would Ohseong Guild offer?

 

They were known for being wealthy, so they would offer more… 600 million? 700 million?

 

Heh heh.

 

Suppressing an odd chuckle, Kang Ian quickly picked up the call.

 

“Yes, Team Leader.”

 

– Hello, Hunter Kang Ian. Do you have a moment to talk?

 

“Yes. I’m resting at home, so it’s fine.”

 

– It seems you wrapped up the Black Gate incident well.  I’m calling because there’s someone I’d like to introduce you to.

 

“Introduce?”

 

Kang Ian tilted his head.

 

“Ah, I thought it was about the recruitment offer. It’s not that, then?”

 

– I did talk to the higher-ups about that, but since it’s a sensitive matter, it seems like it will take some time for the detailed conditions to be finalized.

 

“I see.”

 

– So, if you have time, would you like to grab a cup of coffee?  The person I’m introducing you to could be a beneficial connection for you, Hunter Kang Ian.

 

“Yes. Let’s do that.”

 

It wasn’t the call he had expected, but Kang Ian nodded casually.

 

He had finished all his urgent tasks anyway, and if someone like Team Leader Lee Jigwang was making the introduction, it would be good to meet them.

 

He quickly got dressed and went outside.