Copying Runes to Become the World's Strongest - Chapter 5

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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 5
“Eek-!”
“That makes six.”
Hyeonjun finished off the unconscious Rune Rabbit and wiped the sweat from his brow.
“Finally caught it.”
Sweat trickled down from his hair in steady drops.
His legs felt as heavy as if weights were strapped to them.
“I don’t think I’m going to be able to catch them anymore.”
At first, he’d been able to catch the Rune Rabbits just by running after them.
But at some point they’d started slipping through his fingers by a hair’s breadth, and they only grew harder to catch.
“Well, I expected this much.”
His Agility had reached 100, but his Stamina was still stuck at 10.
It was like a gun with a powerful punch but only a handful of rounds in the magazine.
Catching six of them was still an impressive feat.
“If I want to keep hunting Rune Rabbits, I’ll need to raise my Stamina.”
Whether to raise Stamina and go after Rune Rabbits,
or raise Strength and try taking down other monsters instead.
There were two options.
“Hmm.”
Hyeonjun gave it some thought.
The answer came quickly.
“Either way, I’m going to need Stamina in the end.”
With only Strength or Agility raised, there was no way to hunt a large number of monsters.
Raising Stamina first was the most urgent task.
“I’ll keep focusing on Rune Rabbits for now while I build up Stamina.”
Today, after catching six, I’d grown a little more used to hunting Rune Rabbits.
There had been some gap between what I’d known in theory and reality, which had given me trouble, but little by little I was getting better.
From here on, they should be even easier to catch.
I should be able to bring in more income this way than by hunting other monsters.
“Alright, that’s enough for today.”
Hyeonjun dressed the Rune Rabbit he’d just caught and gathered the spoils.
The weight of the hides made his bag quite heavy.
“I must have hunted for about an hour and a half.”
That should include the breaks I took here and there.
It fell well short of what I’d expected, but considering it was my first hunt, it wasn’t a bad result.
“I didn’t think I’d catch a single one at first, after all.”
And yet I caught six.
It wasn’t just “not bad” — it was an enormous achievement.
“And from here on, the numbers are only going to climb.”
Hyeonjun chuckled to himself and headed for the hunting ground’s exit.

.

Once he was outside, Hyeonjun didn’t head home. He went straight to the Exchange.
He meant to get rid of the spoils.
The closest Exchange was the Gwanak Branch, where he usually worked part-time.
But Hyeonjun set his steps toward a place a bit farther away.
‘If I sell there, they’ll get suspicious.’
The staff who didn’t know the details would be fine.
But the branch manager, who knew everything, was a different story.
If he suddenly showed up with ten Rune Rabbits, there’d be a lot of questions.
‘Rather than wasting time making excuses, it’s better to go somewhere else, even if it’s a little far.’
The place Hyeonjun ended up at was the Seoul South Exchange.
In franchise terms, it was essentially the company-run flagship. It was far larger than a typical Exchange branch and much busier.
Hyeonjun took a number ticket and sat down to wait.
‘First, I’ll sell the hides and the magic stones.’
The thing that weighed on him most was the Rune Fragments.
Should he sell them outright?
Or should he collect four more and craft them into a Rune?
Since he was already here, he pulled out his smartphone, logged into the Exchange app, and checked the current market prices.
“Sixteen thousand won. A thousand won more than I calculated.”
Let’s think in terms of ten units.
If I sell them, I can lock in 160,000 won.
But what if I turn them into runes?
‘The cheapest F-Grade rune is…’
I applied a filter for F-Grade runes and searched sorted by lowest price.
-F-Grade Rune of Defense: 45,000 won
It’s a Rune of Defense that Hunters who have awakened tank-suited Traits tend to use.
Once absorbed, it grants a new stat called Defense, but given the nature of the Soul Circuit, which caps how many runes can be engraved, it wasn’t a popular option.
‘Even so, isn’t 45,000 won way too cheap?’
This time I searched sorted by highest price.
The five Stat Runes came scrolling up one after another.
Of those, the most expensive was the Rune of Strength.
The lowest Exchange price for it was currently 310,000 won.
‘Minimum 45,000 won. Maximum 310,000 won. If I just sell the Rune Fragments, 160,000 won is guaranteed.’
Let me assume the worst case.
Then the decision becomes easy.
‘45,000 or 160,000.’
A difference of 100,000 won.
It’s like gambling 100,000 won.
If my luck is absurdly good, 310,000 won.
If it goes horribly, 45,000 won.
‘I’m a Hunter now, and I’m going to flinch over a 100,000 won difference?’
Hyeonjun nodded with confident spirit.
‘Of course I should flinch.’
100,000 won.
That’s a fairly big sum to gamble.
Isn’t it nearly a full day’s wages?
‘How could I just throw that away?’
Even after becoming a Hunter, the frugal habits that had sunk into his bones over the past several years hadn’t faded in the slightest.
‘And it’s not like I’m exactly flush with cash right now.’
Soon, Hyeonjun’s number was called.
“Welcome. Please hand over your Hunter ID and load your items into this basket.”
The clerk at the purchase window set a steel basket on the counter.
Hyeonjun set his ID to one side and filled the basket with his loot.
Six F-Grade Rune Fragments.
Six Rune Rabbit hides.
And six F-Grade Magic Stones, too.
“Do you sell the Rune Fragments outright, or do you craft them into runes?”
At the clerk’s question, Hyeonjun hesitated.
Hearing the story, a greedy urge stirred up again for no good reason.
How fickle the human heart is. He had a strong feeling that if he gambled, things would go well.
‘Ugh, no. I have to resist the temptation!’
Hyeonjun pinched his own thigh and barely held back the desire.
“No, that’s fine.”
“Understood. Then I’ll proceed with the purchase process.”
The Exchange’s purchase process is simple.
Once received, the items are checked by purchasing staff, who assess their value.
“Please wait a moment.”
The clerk picked up the basket and left his post.
He waited for a little while.
Before long, the clerk returned carrying an appraisal sheet.
“Please check the assessment details and the purchase amount.”
Hyeonjun looked over the assessment.
It was nearly identical to what he had expected from his four years of experience.
‘As expected, the hides got good ratings.’
Nearly all the hides were rated superior. The few he thought he’d botched during preparation had their prices lowered, just as he’d suspected.
“Confirmed.”
“Please sign at the bottom of the form and write down the account number where you’d like the settlement sent. You only need to enter the account number once, and from then on the transfers will go to that account automatically.”
Hyeonjun filled out the form and stood up.
Not long after leaving the Exchange, a message arrived from the Exchange.
It was a notice that the money had been deposited, with a receipt attached.
“149,800 won…”
Hyeonjun grinned from ear to ear as he read the message.
It wasn’t just because the money had come in.
To him, the 150,000 won wasn’t simply money. It was a shred of hope for cutting free from a miserable tether, and proof that he had truly become a Hunter.
“Now I’m finally starting to feel like a Hunter.”
His steps felt as light as if he were walking on clouds.
But the good mood didn’t last. One line on the receipt caught his eye and wouldn’t let go.
[Commission (30%): 64,200 won]
“…Oh, right. There was a commission.”
When you sell items at the Exchange, they take a commission.
The Exchange is a national institution, so it’s basically a kind of tax.
“No wonder the amount was so small.”
Hyeonjun let out a sigh.
64,200 won.
That’s more than the price of six leather pieces.
That much would cover half a month of meals.
The loss stung so badly he felt sick to his stomach.
“They really take a huge bite. Rank is everything, I swear.”
If society is supposed to tax ordinary people lightly when their income is low, the Hunter world works in reverse: the lower your rank, the bigger the commission they take.
F-Grade pays 30%.
E-Grade pays 20%.
D-Grade pays 8%.
As ranks rise, the number of Hunters shrinks, so the commission drops sharply.
‘It’s a kind of way to secure national competitiveness.’
Since the Hunter world has no borders, talent often bleeds out to other nations.
A dramatic cut in commissions was part of that policy to keep talent from leaving.
“That’s it. I need to get to E-Grade as fast as I can.”
Reaching E-Grade alone would cut the commission by 10%.
I have to hit E-Grade as quickly as possible and claim that benefit to minimize the loss.
“First, I’ll raise my stats quickly.”
The problem was the runes.
He wanted to buy a rune right now, but his money was already spoken for, and he had no cash on hand to use immediately.
And he couldn’t sell the F-Grade Agility Rune he currently owned, either, since his Agility was still only 99.
“Ugh. Guess I’ll just have to wait until tomorrow.”
Hyeonjun left the Exchange and headed home, his regret trailing behind him.
***
The damp, musty smell of mildew in the basement room.
In the cold, cramped room, Hyeonjun opened his eyes.
Mold spotting the ceiling greeted him.
“…I’ll have to leave this place someday, too.”
After getting back from the Exchange and sleeping for a few hours, Hyeonjun went to the Gwanak Branch on schedule.
The workplace where he’d spent the last four years.
It was time to say goodbye to the place where a chunk of his youth had melted away.
“Branch Manager, I have something to tell you.”
Hyeonjun went straight to the Branch Manager’s desk.
The Branch Manager, who had been sorting documents, looked up.
“Oh, Hyeonjun’s here? What’s with the serious face?”
“Well, I’m planning to work only until the end of this month and then quit.”
Hyeonjun said it politely, his hands clasped together.
The Branch Manager’s eyes went wide.
“Quit? All of a sudden?”
“Yes. I want to focus on Hunter work. I went hunting today, and thanks to the runes, it’s been more manageable than before.”
The Branch Manager shot to his feet and grabbed Hyeonjun’s hand firmly.
“That’s wonderful! You always wanted to be a Hunter!”
“You remember that?”
“How could I forget? When you first Awakened, you were so thrilled, and you swore you’d make it big as a Hunter.”
Hyeonjun, recalling those days, bowed his head in embarrassment.
The shame of having declared he’d succeed as a Hunter, only to kneel before the brutal reality and come crawling back, was almost unbearable.
“Once you become a Hunter, your earnings will go up a lot. I’m so relieved.”
She sincerely cheered for him.
Normally, when a part-timer suddenly says they’re quitting, the manager gets flustered or angry, but the branch manager was different.
‘She’s always been like this.’
She was a warm-hearted woman.
That was also why Hyeonjun had worked here for four years.
“Thank you.”
“Oh, but you went hunting today, didn’t you? Aren’t you tired? You’re not hurt anywhere?”
“My muscles are a little sore, but I’m fine.”
“Just don’t come in starting tomorrow. People can be found slowly, so you focus on your Hunter activities. Got it?”
“I feel terrible about that…”
“What’s there to feel sorry about? Do as I say. Taking care of your body is the most important thing for a Hunter. Or is it money that’s bothering you?”
“No. It’s not that.”
“Then that’s settled. Buy me something good when you succeed, okay~”
Hyeonjun bowed his head with a quick nod and went back to his work.
He had always worked hard, but that day he put in even more effort than usual.
Whether it was because this was his last day or because he wanted to repay the branch manager’s kindness, his body moved on its own.
He tidied the warehouse, carried the Hunters’ belongings, and greeted even the difficult customers with a smile.
“Hyeonjun, I hear you’re quitting?”
“What a shame.”
“When you make it big, don’t forget about me!”
One by one, his coworkers heard the news and came over to offer words of encouragement.
Before he knew it, time had flown by and quitting time was approaching.
As he came out after changing clothes, the branch manager called Hyeonjun over.
“Hyeonjun, could you come to the break room for a moment?”
“Ah, yes.”
Hyeonjun headed to the break room, not knowing what was going on.
The moment he opened the door.
Pop!
“Congratulations on your resignation!”
A cheer burst out along with the sound of confetti poppers.
The branch manager and his coworkers were standing there holding a cake.
Hyeonjun asked with a dazed expression.
“W-what is all this?”
“We just didn’t want to see you go without doing something. Come on, make a wish and blow out the candles.”
When Hyeonjun hesitated and blew out the candles, the branch manager held out two boxes.
“This one is something everyone chipped in to buy.”
“Why would you get me all this… It’s already awkward that I’m leaving so suddenly…”
Hyeonjun carefully opened the box.
Inside the first box was a Hunter Leather Armor.
Hyeonjun looked at his coworkers with wide eyes.
“Wear it well!”
“Whatever you do, don’t die!”
“Please don’t get hurt!”
Hyeonjun’s eyes reddened.
Holding back the tears that threatened to spill, he bowed his head.
“Thank you, everyone.”
“Alright, now that the greetings are done, get out there and get back to work.”
“Ugh, the branch manager went and did this alone just to send off Hyeonjun.”
“Make sure you come to the next company dinner!”
The staff left the break room, each tossing out a parting remark.
Hyeonjun wiped at the corners of his eyes.
The place where he had worked for four years, the place that had grown familiar to him.
Thanks to the good people he’d met, those years had not been nothing but hard.
“Everyone really likes you, you know.”
“They really do. I haven’t even done much.”
“Who else works as hard as you do? It all came back to you in proportion to what you put in.”
The branch manager held out the second box to Hyeonjun.
“Take this. This one is something I’m giving you separately.”
When he opened the box, a stone with unfamiliar characters carved on it revealed itself.
“W-what… is this?”
“It’s a Rune of Stamina. I wanted to get you a Strength one, the priciest kind, but there were none on the market.”
“Th-this is already an enormous gift.”
“I told you. Considering all the work you’ve put in here, this is nothing.”
The branch head gripped Hyeonjun’s shoulder firmly.
“Don’t get hurt, and don’t die. Got it?”
The sincerity in those words settled over him, heavy and real.
Hyeonjun bit his lip and swallowed his tears.
“Thank you so much. I’ll put it to good use.”
.
.
.
Hyeonjun stepped out of the Exchange.
The cold night air brushed against his cheeks, but his heart felt warm, as if he were hugging a hearth.
“Whew.”
Hyeonjun let out a white breath and looked down at the box.
The armor his coworkers had chipped in to buy, and the Rune of Stamina the branch head had handed him.
“It’s heavy.”
It wasn’t the physical weight.
It was the sincerity of the people cheering on his future.
That weight pressed pleasantly down on his shoulders.
“I have to succeed.”
Hyeonjun murmured under his breath.
Every earnest plea to not get hurt and to come back alive, he pressed into his heart, one by one.
“For myself, for my family, for the people who believe in me and cheer me on.”
Hyeonjun lifted his head and gazed up at the night sky.
A darkness without a single star.
Yet in Hyeonjun’s eyes, a future that would shine brilliantly was taking shape.
“Let’s do this.”
Hyeonjun stepped forward with fresh resolve.
The days of Go Hyeonjun, the part-timer who had been worn down by grueling work every single day, were over.
Now it was the time of Go Hyeonjun, the Hunter.

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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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