I was Mistaken for a Noble Hunter Chapter 96

Promotion (4)

 

Kang Ian busily moved around Jeonju city.

He didn’t discriminate between important tasks and menial ones.

If there was anywhere that needed help, he ran there without hesitation.

Ding!

 

[You have helped people in distress.]

[Nobility +28]

 

“Phew.”

Only after a long time had passed since the sun rose… when it had become broad daylight, did Kang Ian finally stop.

‘Good thing I’m a hunter.’

It felt incredibly rewarding.

Of course, helping people made him happy, but…

[Current Nobility: 6893]

‘If this isn’t duplicating nobility, then what is…!’

He had accumulated an enormous amount of nobility.

It felt like he was full without even eating.

Nobility, which had been so difficult to obtain, was now increasing rapidly from just doing this kind of work.

It made rushing over to the site late at night, almost forcing his way there, completely worth it.

And behind him, someone was wearing a similar smile.

‘Hehe. To think I’d hook a catch this big!’

Reporter Shin Sorim.

She had come here to report on the Jeonju gate outbreak incident and also to help people.

She ended up following Kang Ian around doing volunteer work, and before she knew it, she too had become someone who genuinely found happiness in helping others.

She had come intending to both work and volunteer, but never expected to see Kang Ian here.

Thinking it was a great opportunity, she kept following him.

Photos of Kang Ian rescuing people, and even some shots of him dealing with the few monsters left in the city…

She had secured several excellent shots.

This would definitely bring in high view counts for her next article.

‘That bald octopus of a chief will love this.’

Thus, both Kang Ian and Shin Sorim smiled happily.

“It’s time to go now.”

Lee Chaewon approached and spoke.

“Ah, already? Understood. Looks like things are mostly wrapped up here, so let’s head out.”

Kang Ian nodded and followed her.

Lee Chaewon had received a request from an old, influential landowner in Jeonju.

Vroom

After leaving the city slightly by car, a vast plain appeared.

There stood a massive mansion.

A wealthy family that had owned tens of thousands of pyeong of forest land for generations.

While riding in the car, Chaewon suddenly spoke.

“…You don’t secretly think I’m pathetic, do you?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, you spent the whole night saving people, while I’m just trying to make money off the rich.”

“……”

Kang Ian scratched his cheek.

To be honest, he couldn’t exactly say his own motives were pure either.

Of course, he wanted to help people… but he had also come here for the sake of gaining nobility.

“I don’t think that at all. In fact, freelance hunters like us from the same office should respect you.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Everyone’s just trying to make a living. A hunter who can secure such big requests is someone worth learning from.”

Chaewon let out a small laugh.

She could tell he was speaking that way to comfort her.

Not only were his actions kind, but his character itself was also genuinely good.

‘If someone like this were my frontliner, I could trust him.’

“By the way, why did you ask me to come along?”

Kang Ian asked curiously.

Chaewon had asked him to accompany her on her request.

He had come along since he wanted to get closer to her, and the rescue work was mostly done, but he wondered why she needed him.

“You remember what I said before, right? That rich people hire necromancers like me to transfer ownership of summoned skeletons for secret tasks?”

“Yes.”

“When I transfer ownership like that, my skeleton summoning skill gets sealed for a day.”

“Ah…!”

Only then did Kang Ian understand why she had called him.

Unless they had multiple skills, most hunters possessed only one.

If that skill were sealed, they would basically be reduced to just someone physically strong.

Of course, Chaewon was a B-rank hunter, so she had other abilities… but still, her combat power would drop significantly.

A frontliner to protect a caster. In other words, she needed a guard.

“I see. Got it.”

Kang Ian nodded.

It didn’t seem too difficult.

There likely wouldn’t be much danger; he’d just follow her around and keep her company.

“I should give you something too, since you’re helping with my request. I’ll share part of the payment. Is 70–30 fair?”

“…Huh?”

“Sorry, but I can’t give more than that. The total fee is 5 billion won, so your share would be 1.5 billion.”

“!!?”

Kang Ian’s eyes widened.

“Th-that much?”

He hadn’t even done anything.

He would’ve gladly bowed for even 100 million won… but 1.5 billion?

Chaewon smiled faintly.

“Of course I should.”

It was a generous share that included a lot of goodwill.

Usually, people would just give a small fee, not a percentage like this.

A single kind word can repay a thousand debts.

Though Kang Ian didn’t realize it, Chaewon had been deeply comforted by his words and actions since yesterday, which led her to be this generous.

 

***

 

Since transferring ownership of the summons required meeting in person, they met the mansion’s owner.

An elderly man with white hair and a stern appearance.

When Chaewon quietly chanted a spell, ownership of the skeletons was transferred to him.

“It’s done. The skeletons will follow your orders for one month, and after that, they will be unsummoned.”

“Hm. Is security guaranteed?”

“Yes. Skeletons can’t talk to anyone in the first place. They’re just workers who do what they’re told. They can fight a bit, too.”

“Good. Since you’re from President Shim’s office, I’ll trust you. I’ll transfer the payment immediately, so you may leave.”

“Thank you.”

As the old man waved his hand, Chaewon bowed and stepped back.

There were ten skeletons in total.

Kang Ian was impressed.

‘That’s 500 million per skeleton.’

Unbelievable.

Earning that much just for using a single skill.

In some ways, it might even be more impressive than his own awakening.

Of course, not all necromancers would earn like this.

Chaewon likely had built up trust in the industry, and her skeletons lasted a full month even after the transfer.

And for someone that wealthy, 5 billion probably wasn’t a big amount.

Seeing the mansion on the way in, it was truly enormous.

He wondered what they planned to do with the skeletons… but it was probably better not to know.

“I’ll transfer your 1.5 billion right away.”

“Oh my. Thank you.”

As they left, Kang Ian bowed politely with both hands in front of him.

To receive such money for doing nothing…

Afterward, the two returned to Jeonju city.

They planned to wrap things up and head back.

And in the process, something came up for Kang Ian.

“Graa-”

“!”

From the gap in a collapsed wall, something black shot out like lightning.

Warakarakal.

A C-rank monster resembling a jaguar.

It hid in dark places and was attacked by ambush, making it tricky despite its rank.

If caught off guard, even a hunter of the same rank could be killed in one hit.

Bang!

Kang Ian swung his shield to block it.

If he were alone, he would’ve dodged and counterattacked… but Chaewon was behind him.

So he chose the safer option and struck it away with his shield.

“Yelp-”

“Are you okay?”

He glanced back.

“Yes.”

Chaewon calmly nodded.

As a B-rank hunter, she wasn’t the type to panic at the sight of a monster.

Instead, she carefully observed it.

“It’s a Warakarakal. Looks like it was hiding here.”

This is why gate outbreaks in cities are dangerous.

Escaped monsters can hide throughout the ruins, making complete extermination extremely difficult.

They could hide in garbage piles, break into sewers through manholes…

There were countless hiding spots in a human city.

That’s why monsters must be eliminated at the gate.

This one must have escaped and hidden here.

“Stay right behind me.”

Kang Ian threw his shield.

The spinning shield flew toward the monster’s right side.

It leapt swiftly to dodge… its speed was so fast it looked like an afterimage.

Slash!

And before anyone noticed, Kang Ian had already appeared in front of it and cut off its head with a blade aura.

Watching from behind, Chaewon’s eyes widened.

This wasn’t a monster that could be handled so easily.

It was fast, agile, and intelligent… usually requiring multiple hunters to corner and kill.

‘He deliberately threw the shield to the right to guide its movement.’

Then he moved ahead in advance and struck.

The movements were so smooth that it looked like the monster had placed its own head onto its blade.

“We’ll need to stay more alert from now on. I didn’t see a single monster all night, but I guess some were still left.”

Kang Ian said as he returned to her side.

If she got injured, the request could fail… and he might have to return the 1.5 billion.

‘That absolutely cannot happen.’

Kang Ian’s eyes burned with determination.

He decided to stick close and fully carry out his role as her guard.

 

***

 

Somewhere in the United States.

Several people had gathered in a dark room.

By the faint light, a ritual altar could be seen at the center, layered with multiple overlapping magic circles.

“Finally… the time has come!”

A man standing before the altar muttered.

Someone kneeling nearby asked:

“Oh, Master. Is the ritual finally being performed?”

“Yes. After pouring in so much devotion, it’s complete.”

They were the same followers of evil that had appeared in Kang Ian’s quest.

They had been working in the shadows… and now, they had finally completed it.

“We will begin the summoning ritual immediately.”

“Where shall we designate the location? Washington or New York?”

“…No.”

The man called “Master” shook his head.

“We’ll do it in Korea.”

“…Pardon?”

Normally, questioning the Master was unthinkable.

But this was puzzling.

Why Korea, when they could strike the core cities of the world’s strongest hunter nation, the United States?

Of course, Korea was strong… but not compared to the U.S.

“Isn’t there someone in that country who has screwed us over multiple times?”

“Ah…”

The one who killed the Giant Mantis at the UHN forum and stopped their plans twice.

At the time, they couldn’t take revenge due to the CIA and other priorities.

But this man held grudges.

“Once the ritual succeeds the first time, it’ll be much easier after that. Think of the first as a test in Korea.”

“…You’re absolutely right.”

“Heh heh. We’ll offer that guy as the first sacrifice of the summoning.”

In the darkness, the man’s laughter echoed for a long time.