Copying Runes to Become the World's Strongest - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 28
Every new year, the Awakening Management Bureau, a government agency, hosts a New Year’s gathering.
The attendees are the executives of guilds.
From the three large guilds officially and publicly recognized across South Korea,
down to the mid-sized guilds that represent their regions or have made a name for themselves.
The Bureau would gather them all in one place and lay out the operating policies and plans for the coming year.
“Big brother. This is my fifth time attending here, you know?”
A banquet hall in a high-end hotel.
Baek Jejung glanced at the banner reading [2031 Joint Government-Private New Year’s Greeting Gathering] and spoke up.
“But it’s the same thing every year. What’s the point of this, anyway?”
“Just sit down already.”
Baek Jegeon grabbed his grumbling younger brother by the scruff of the neck and steered him to their assigned round table.
A simple spread of snacks and tea sat on the table.
“You know I’m right. Am I wrong?”
“They said it’d be different this year.”
Baek Jehyeok turned around.
A man in a tight-fitting suit was standing there.
“Whoa, long time no see, Mister.”
“Has it been two years? That long hair you ought to chop off is still the same, I see.”
Kang Daewoong shook hands with the two of them.
“What brings you here? You always skip these.”
“They said they really wanted me to come this time.”
Kang Daewoong sat down beside the two brothers as he said this.
“Isn’t this a reserved seat?”
“I don’t want to sit at the same table as that woman.”
“So Hunter Yun Mihui is attending too.”
-Hohohoho!
Just then, an affected, nasal burst of laughter rang out.
The two brothers’ gazes turned toward the entrance.
“Ugh.”
Baek Jehyeok scrunched up his forehead.
Walking in through the entrance was a middle-aged woman in a red gown.
It was the kind of outfit that might make someone think they’d wandered into a party.
“Ms. Yun Mihui has gone all out again.”
“Well, she always does.”
“Who’s that next to her?”
Beside Yun Mihui stood a young woman in a red dress with modest cut, dressed like a matching couple’s outfit.
Or rather, her appearance was better described as youthful than young.
“She’s a promising prospect from our guild. She didn’t need to come, but she insisted on bringing her anyway, tsk.”
“Ah, so that’s the one.”
“You know her?”
“Seong Sohui. Her trait is Element Affinity, and apparently she got scouted by Seongsam after setting off fireworks on Shorts.”
Kang Daewoong’s gaze, which had been fixed on the woman with his arms crossed, softened a little.
“Her rank is low, but she has tremendous potential. I don’t care for her personality, though.”
“She seems like quite the attention seeker too.”
The two of them strolled toward their seats, savoring the gazes of the others as if they were the guests of honor at the party, but then.
They abruptly veered in this direction.
“Why is an old tiger sitting in someone else’s house?”
A strong wave of perfume hit me as Yun Mihui approached.
Baek Jehyeok frowned.
“Oh my? You couldn’t read your own future, but you sniff out a scent remarkably well.”
“Nice to see you too~”
“You said you were hunting for jewels in a trash heap. Did you find anything?”
Yun Mihui let out a scoff, as if she hadn’t really expected an answer, and continued.
“You didn’t find anything, I’m sure. Real rough gems always find their own owners, after all.”
She gestured gracefully toward Seong Sohui, who stood slightly behind her.
“Like this one here.”
“What’s wrong, Ms. Yun? Did something bad happen? Why’d you come over and pick a fight~”
“Pick a fight? I’m only stating the facts.”
Yun Mihui smirked, then glared at Kang Daewoong, who hadn’t spared her a single glance.
“Looking forward to this orientation. Give it everything you’ve got so Sohee can shine. As for Michuhol… oh, right, they’ve got nothing.”
Yun Mihui turned and walked away.
Baek Jehyeok let out a heavy sigh.
“Hearing that kind of thing makes my blood boil, but I can’t even argue with her.”
“Just ignore it. Is this the first time that woman’s acted like this?”
“Aren’t you on the same team, though? Why’s she treating you like that too?”
“She’s always been like that toward anyone she doesn’t like. You’re asking something obvious.”
The lights in the banquet hall began to dim.
Before long, Choi Jaeil, Director of the Awakening Management Bureau, stepped onto the stage.
“Good evening, everyone. This is the first time I’m addressing you at the New Year’s gathering.”
Last year, the previous Director stepped down at the end of his term, and Choi Jaeil was newly elected in his place.
He opened with the usual New Year’s greetings.
“Hwaam. Same as last year.”
Baek Jehyeok let out a big yawn.
The people had changed, but the event hadn’t.
A tedious, drawn-out speech dragged on for quite some time.
Just as I was starting to think I’d skip this next year.
“South Korea has no future.”
A rather abrupt and provocative statement scattered out through the speakers.
What followed was a deliberate silence.
The mood in the banquet hall shifted noticeably. Focus sharpened in the eyes of everyone looking at Choi Jaeil.
“The Hunter ecosystem in South Korea is shrinking. Meanwhile, the threats coming from Anomalous Spaces keep growing.”
A large screen had been set up behind the stage. On it appeared statistics on Anomalous Spaces.
They rose with each passing year.
It was a gentle curve, but unmistakably an upward one.
“Add the crimes of Villains to that, and the problem becomes even more serious. We’d like the number of Villains to decline as well, but these bastards are slipping in from overseas too.”
Choi Jaeil paused for a moment to catch his breath.
With that, the screen changed.
“So what am I trying to say? Here it is.”
[Mid-to-Low Rank Hunter Intensive Development Project]
Large letters appeared on the screen as it switched.
“Ninety-five percent of Hunters fall below B-Rank. And among them, there may be talent that can’t be judged by Soul Circuit rank alone.”
Several Guild officials began murmuring among themselves.
Supporting Low-Rank Hunters.
That was the exact opposite of the elitist approach the world had pursued until now.
“Several projects are already underway. The rank-based orientations for which official notices were sent to various Guilds are also part of this policy. I imagine many of you anticipated a plan like this at that point.”
“That’s bad news for us.”
Baek Jehyeok muttered under his breath.
The Rough Gem search project they had only recently started.
They had just fired the starting signal, and already the competition had multiplied.
“Some policies are already in progress, and we plan to keep adding more quickly. The reason I’m bringing this up here is so that you’ll take this issue seriously and cooperate closely with us.”
“I’d like to make two main requests. First, I ask that Guilds observe our projects. I understand you’re busy, but please see them with your own eyes and devote yourselves to selecting talent.”
“Second, I ask that the Guilds personally train the individuals selected through these projects. You’ll be given the authority to choose whomever you wish.”
“In proportion to each Guild’s contribution to the project, the Bureau will provide every benefit it can offer. Reduced Exchange fees, tax breaks, discounts on Gate auctions, and more. Aren’t you tempted?”
A silence settled over the hall.
Everyone kept their eyes fixed forward, but in their heads, they were already running the numbers.
Choi Jaeil curled the corner of his mouth slightly and advanced the slide by one.
“Here is the schedule ahead. There are still many empty slots, but we plan to fill them without any gaps.”
The nearest event on the schedule was the E-Rank Hunter Orientation.
***
[Stats]
-Strength: 38
-Agility: 100
-Stamina: 100
-Mana: 1
-Willpower: 100
[You have absorbed .]
Orientation D-Day 7.
Hyeonjun, having absorbed a Stat Rune and learned a new skill.
Today, too, he finished a long hunt at a Hunting Ground with no one else around, sold his haul at the Exchange, and then headed home.
“Two days’ worth and it’s already piled up so much.”
Large and small E-Rank Magic Stones were heaped high in the basket.
The urge to sell them all right then surged up in him, but he forced it down, thinking of the hefty commission fees.
“Just one more week. I can wait.”
Hyeonjun’s routine didn’t change the next day.
Wake up, absorb the runes.
Throw himself into hunting like a madman.
Head to the Exchange and quickly sell whatever needed to go.
Pour the Magic Stones into a fresh basket and bite back the craving to cash in.
The grind went on without a single day off, right up until the day of the Orientation.
“Phew.”
Hyeonjun, having wrapped up his dawn hunt without overexerting himself.
He poured out the Magic Stones with a satisfied look.
“Hehehe. Once the Orientation’s over, I’m going to sell every last one of these.”
A locking box he’d newly bought to store his Magic Stones.
Hyeonjun checked the lock thoroughly, then tucked the box into a drawer.
“Mmm, big brother, where are you going?”
The sliding door opened, and Hyeona stumbled out, still half-asleep.
“It’s the Orientation today.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
Hyeona went back into her room and came out carrying a bag.
“Here, take this.”
“What’s this?”
“I put together a bunch of stuff in advance.”
The bag was stuffed with first-aid supplies and protective gear, along with sports jelly, sports supplements, and other items that would come in handy for rough training.
“Where’d you get the money for all this?”
“I bought it with my allowance~”
“Thanks.”
“If you’re grateful, don’t you dare get hurt!”
Hyeonjun left the house, seeing his little sister off at the door.
The place he headed to was a training facility in Gyeonggi Province, owned by the Awakening Management Bureau.
‘Wow, so this is the National Hunter Training Center.’
It was built by the government and private sector together, and it was known as the best training facility in the country.
Its size was enough to make anyone who didn’t know better mistake it for a factory.
Hyeonjun marveled at the overwhelming sight and walked into the training center.
After being guided along for quite a while, he arrived at a lecture hall with computers set up on the desks.
“Find your name on the screen and take your seat, please.”
The interior was laid out just like a university lecture hall.
Hyeonjun checked the name displayed on the screen and made his way to the seat.
‘Looks like I’m the last one.’
Even though he wasn’t late, he felt oddly awkward about it.
For some reason, he could feel a sharp glare from the seat beside him.
When he stole a glance, a woman with a rather exotic look—yellow pigtails—was glaring right at him.
“Could you have come any faster?”
“I’m not late.”
“⋯⋯Hmph.”
The woman turned her head away sharply, wearing an expression of pure disdain.
‘What’s this now.’
And she looks like she’s barely old enough to be here.
Tsk.
Hyeonjun clicked his tongue and looked around.
Twenty hunters had gathered.
He recognized a face or two.
‘Was that Kim Changdong?’
He seemed surprised to see Hyeonjun too. Hyeonjun quietly waved.
Kim Changdong, looking a little flustered, waved back.
-Ahem.
Just then, a cough came through the speakers. A man with a neutral look and glasses stood on the stage, holding a microphone.
-Nice to meet you all. I’m Nam Jaewoon from the Management Bureau, who will be leading the E-Rank Hunter Orientation.
Every hunter’s attention turned to him.
-First, let me explain why we’re conducting this orientation. It’s so that all of you can keep working as Hunters without dying or getting hurt.
-The orientation runs for one night and two days. Over that short stretch, you’ll receive training across a range of areas, covering both theory and practical application. Based on the results, we’ll set the rankings and hand out rewards. We expect everyone to participate with enthusiasm.
“What kind of rewards?”
A man raised his hand and asked.
-A reduction in Exchange commission fees.
“What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Exactly.”
The Hunters began murmuring among themselves.
Hyeonjun found himself baffled.
‘What do they mean, what would they do with such a good reward? What are their brains even for?’
Was there any other perk as good as this one?
If that was their complaint, why had they signed up in the first place? What on earth were they expecting?
-The first-place finisher gets their Exchange commission fees waived for up to 3 billion won for one month.
‘No way.’
Hyeonjun froze in place.
It was the reward he’d only ever dreamed about.
But the Hunters’ reactions were lukewarm.
Some made their disappointment plainly visible.
“That stupid commission fee…”
“We got played. They said there were ranking prizes, so I figured the top spot would at least get us some runes.”
“Should we just leave?”
Nam Jaewoon let out a heavy sigh and lowered the microphone.
“Aren’t you all E-Rank?”
His voice rang out.
His appearance might have seemed rather reserved, but there was real force behind his voice.
“You’re barely one step up from the bottom as E-Rank, so why do you want so much?”
“What?”
“Has this guy lost his mind…?”
The atmosphere grew hostile.
A muscle twitched between Nam Jaewoon’s brows.
“Who just cursed?”
“…”
“You did.”
When no one answered, Nam Jaewoon pinpointed one man.
The man he’d singled out flinched.
“H-hey, I didn’t say anything!”
In an instant, Nam Jaewoon’s figure vanished.
He reappeared right in front of the man.
Bang!
Nam Jaewoon’s hand slammed the man’s head down onto the desk.
It had happened in the blink of an eye.
The air froze.
The man groaned and thrashed, as if trying to get up by any means necessary, but
Nam Jaewoon’s hand didn’t budge an inch.
“Don’t cross the line.”
“Ugh…”
“If you apologize now, I’ll accept it.”
The man forced the words out through his teeth.
“I… I’m… sorry…”
Nam Jaewoon lifted his hand away and returned to the platform.
“Anyone without the will to participate, leave now. I won’t stop you.”
No one left their seat.
Nam Jaewoon scanned the Hunters for a moment, as if giving them one more chance, then raised the microphone again.
-I’ll assume everyone is participating and explain briefly. Once training ends, we’ll immediately run a test for that subject. Total scores are calculated by adding up the scores from each subject, and the rankings are determined based on those totals. Is there anything you don’t understand?
The Hunters fell silent.
Nam Jaewoon nodded, satisfied.
-Then let’s begin the first lesson.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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