F-Rank Secretly Becomes Stronger - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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42

[Training Room upgrade and mana replenishment for driving 65/100….]

“Hah….”

The artifact that I had poured all the magic stones into after returning from the last A-rank Gate.

The gauge only filled a small percentage as expected.

‘It won’t be as easy to go back and forth like last time.’

A stagnation in growth speed.

Of course, if I entered A-rank Gates about 5 more times, it would be enough to enter again, but it had become incomparably slower than before.

‘Since the difficulty has increased that much, is it actually a good thing?’

The difficulty that became even more powerful after being contaminated by the Dream Herb.

After going there once, the artifact seems to have come to its senses as there are no typos visible in the messages.

‘Still, it’s dangerous, so I need to quickly find that demon called Garitos.’

Contaminated by the Dream Herb, it wouldn’t be strange if it caused problems at any time.

Until I become stronger, I have no choice but to use the artifact, but I need to become stronger by going there as few times as possible.

‘If it’s the demon who made this artifact, he should know how to remove it from my body.’

After becoming strong enough, I’ll go to Garitos and have the artifact removed from my body.

That’s the most important goal I have right now.

‘Actually, if that’s completed, there’s no need to create a guild alone….’

Whether the artifact can be removed from my body is uncertain.

That’s why I need to prepare a second plan of creating a guild alongside it.

[Even if you make it with a small elite group, you’ll need at least 4 billion won.]

The amount Yena roughly estimated was 4 billion won.

I need to save up 4 billion won while investing magic stones in the artifact.

An amount I couldn’t even dream of a year ago, but currently I’m a Hunter who can clear A-rank Gates alone.

About 4 billion won can be sufficiently saved if I diligently collect for about half a year.

‘No, if I think about clearing it with at least 4 party members gathered, it would take much longer.’

Unlike monopolizing everything alone until now, when normally going to Gates, the amount would be divided by N with party members.

Since Hunter management regulations prevent me from entering Gates alone, the amount I can earn is reduced to at least one-fourth.

‘In that case, filling the artifact and saving money will take even longer.’

A period that’s extending longer than expected.

I feel anxious carrying a time bomb that could explode at any moment, but at times like this, I needed to act calmly.

‘Let’s do what I can do now.’

Looking for A-rank Gates by entering the official Hunter app on my cell phone.

Since they’re so rare, it’s hard to find even one listing, so I browse out of habit, but without a guild, it was difficult to find them easily.

‘It was convenient asking Yena to find them every day, but I didn’t know it would be this difficult.’

Gates I always found through Yena.

I heard from Hunter Park Hanseong that finding A-rank Gates wasn’t such an easy task, so I decided to solve it alone from now on and resolved not to receive help anymore.

But when I actually tried to find Gates alone without help, it wasn’t easy to find A-rank ones.

‘I even posted my profile, but there’s still no contact….’

A bulletin board like a part-time job app where you post your personal information and Hunter rank to indicate you’re looking for work.

I posted my profile here too, but only C-rank parties contact me and A-rank ones are nowhere to be seen.

‘Should I just ask for help again…?’

A situation where time is of the essence.

The thought that it might be better to just receive help rather than trying to do everything alone pretending to be capable.

Just as I was contemplating whether to contact Yena with her contact information open.

Buzz—

My cell phone rang with a call from an unknown number.

“Hello?”

[Yes, is this Hunter Jung Juhyeok who posted a profile on the app?]

“Yes, that’s correct.”

[Well, we’re scheduled to be dispatched to an A-rank Gate that opened in Gangneung, would you be interested in going with us?]

An A-rank Gate.

At those words, Juhyeok jumped up from his seat and answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“I’ll go.”

[Haha, thank you for the quick answer. Then I’ll send you detailed information via message.]

“Yes, thank you.”

The call ended after that really brief conversation.

Juhyeok lightly clenched his fist.

“Nice.”

The A-rank Gate he’d been waiting for so long was finally coming.

‘Phew, thank goodness.’

I thought I’d just be spacing out and wasting time like this.

I finally managed to get into a party.

‘Gangneung is a bit far, but if it’s an A-rank Gate, I should definitely go.’

Feeling relieved, he poured water down his parched throat.

As he was refreshingly gulping down the water, his cell phone briefly rang and he checked it again.

[This is about the A-rank Gate I just called you about.]

Information about the A-rank Gate from the call just now.

Juhyeok was slowly reading through the content that seemed fine, when he suddenly paused at a certain section.

[Total of 5 members. (Including Hunter Jung Juhyeok) 4 A-rank Hunters, 1 B-rank Hunter.]

“…B-rank Hunter?”

A B-rank Hunter is joining an A-rank Gate?

‘A B-rank Hunter normally wouldn’t be able to join an A-rank, right?’

That’s why he himself had gone directly to the Hunter Association to take a test in order to enter A-rank Gates.

A-rank Gates were places that couldn’t be entered with B-rank abilities.

Juhyeok sensed something strange and contacted the phone number the message came from.

“Hello?”

[Yes, Hunter Juhyeok. Do you have any questions?]

“Yes, it’s nothing major… but I see there’s one B-rank Hunter in the party. Did the Hunter Association say anything about it?”

Could they possibly be an irregular like himself, though rare?

They wouldn’t be common enough to encounter this easily.

Still, since you never know, he asked as politely as possible, and the answer that came was an awkward laugh.

[Haha… I guess you were concerned about it?]

The man laughed as if he knew this kind of question would come.

Then he began explaining calmly.

[The B-rank Hunter is the grandson of Hanul Corporation’s chairman, and apparently he really wants to enter an A-rank Gate.]

“…Hanul Corporation?”

He knew Hanul well.

It was a name quite a few people would recognize, but it was a mid-sized company, not quite a major corporation.

It was interesting that the chairman’s grandson of such a company was an awakened person, but that wasn’t the important part right now.

[Yes, so it seems he plans to squeeze in between us four A-rank Hunters and go together.]

“…Then we’d have to move in escort formation.”

[Still, since he’s B-rank, he should be able to take care of himself at least.]

“I see.”

Taking someone who’s a B-rank Hunter to an A-rank Gate.

Hearing that story, Juhyeok immediately made up his mind.

“Then I won’t go.”

Let’s not go.

If he went and the B-rank Hunter acted recklessly and got hurt, he’d definitely be held responsible too.

‘It’s obviously going to be a hassle.’

Rather than entering a Gate with one risk factor, it would be much better to wait until another offer came or ask Yena for help.

[W-wait a moment!]

The voice became urgent at his firm refusal.

As if he’d anticipated this would happen from when the call came, he quickly recited new conditions.

[If you clear it without problems, the chairman said he’d separately provide about three big ones.]

“Three big ones means…”

[Yes, 300 million won.]

300 million.

The expected compensation from going to an A-rank Gate would be 1 billion.

Split that among four people and it’s only 250 million each.

A situation where he’d have to slowly upgrade his 4 billion and artifacts while earning 250 million per week.

In the midst of that, if he cleared this, he could receive 300 million on top of his original compensation.

After a moment of contemplation, Jung Juhyeok made his decision.

“The contracts are all prepared too, right?”

[Yes, everyone currently gathered in the party has already signed.]

It was too large an amount to refuse.

‘Let’s just take good care of the B-rank.’

Four A-ranks would be more than enough to clear it anyway, and he was capable of clearing an A-rank Gate by himself.

In that case, adding one B-rank shouldn’t be any problem at all.

“Understood. Please prepare my contract as well.”

And so Jung Juhyeok also joined the B-rank Young Master escort operation.

*

“Hey, this is really okay, right?”

“Fuck, how many times are you gonna ask?”

A dim alley.

About ten masked people had gathered in a deserted location, whispering noisily among themselves.

“One success and it’s just over, okay? Make one big score and flee to China, that’s it!”

“Still, there are four A-ranks attached to them…”

As he spoke anxiously, lacking confidence in the plan, the skinny man who’d been getting irritated beside him said a word.

“Even A-ranks die if they take an arrow to the forehead, and one bastard is F-rank, okay? Where else would you find something this easy?”

According to the information they’d dug up, there were 3 A-ranks and one irregular F-rank.

Though he was an irregular famous enough to appear on the news, no matter how amazing he was, he was surely around their level.

“Still, I heard he’s as strong as an A-rank…”

“Do you fucking believe that?”

No matter how irregular, F-rank was still F-rank.

In the end, there were limits for a human with only that level of mana.

The news had surely gotten excited about a promising newcomer appearing after so long and added some exaggeration.

A guy like that could be handled sufficiently by one B-rank organization member.

“The moment they clear the boss, gang up on them as planned, kill them all, and just kidnap the grandson bastard.”

An invisibility artifact obtained through black market dealings.

Using this, they’d sneak into the A-rank Gate without the soldiers noticing, then pursue their target.

They’d aim for that timing when the hunters killed the boss and their guard was down to launch a surprise attack together.

“We get the magic stones the A-ranks hunted plus 5 billion from the kidnapping ransom, right? Our lives will fucking bloom!”

If they succeeded, it would truly be a life reversal.

They could say goodbye to their life of constantly worrying about getting caught while committing robberies.

“So if you’re thinking of chickening out, leave now. There are plenty of other bastards who’ll do it besides you.”

“Ah, no, I didn’t say I was backing out.”

“Then shut your fucking mouth and follow along when we’re letting you make money.”

“…Got it.”

A chance to liquidate his tiresome illegal hunter organization life and live a new life.

The man had no intention of missing that opportunity.

“If there’s anyone here getting cold feet, leave now.”

The alley fell quiet.

That was everyone’s tacit agreement.

“If not, everyone disperse.”

The skinny man said as he left the crowd.

“Gather at the exact time and place. Done.”

With those words, all personnel disappeared from the scene, leaving only the skinny man behind.

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