The All-Time Best Talent was F-Class Purification - Chapter 3

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

3
Chapter 3 – An Elite Talent Awakened as an F-Rank Purifier
The moment my resolve solidified, I halted my steps toward the dilapidated Goshiwon and pivoted without hesitation in the opposite direction.
‘That’s right. I need to find a partner.’
My mind had never been clearer. Yet one problem remained: securing a trustworthy C-Rank or higher tank was not something accomplished overnight. I needed to make inquiries, verify credentials, and above all, earn their trust. It would take time.
‘What if I can’t find a tank immediately? How do I survive until then?’
I couldn’t afford to face another situation like today—venturing alone into a Hidden Space only to perish. I had to increase my survival odds in the next hunt by even a single percentage point. I needed the best solution available to me right now, working alone.
With money earned, I resolved to purchase equipment for myself and made my way to the most bustling Hunter Equipment Shop District in the Middle District.
Upon entering the shop district, my eyes widened. Weapons and armor of every conceivable type gleamed beneath brilliant lighting, displaying their magnificence.
Ornate blades shimmering with cold radiance and shields radiating holy light were displayed enticingly, yet I turned away without hesitation. What I needed now was not a sharp spear to pierce an enemy’s heart, but tough leather to keep my life safe from their fangs.
“Welcome, sir. Is there something I can help you find?”
The Shop Clerk approached with a perfunctory smile and inquired.
“I’d like to see armor that an F-Rank can equip. I don’t need attack options—just the highest physical defense possible.”
The Shop Clerk’s eyes swept over the bloodstains and dust clinging to my worn combat uniform, and his interest evaporated instantly. The moment the word “F-Rank” left my lips, the artificial smile vanishing from his face without a trace.
F-Rank equipment was neither expensive nor sought after. With obvious reluctance, he guided me to the dustiest corner, tucked away in the back.
There lay the despair of F-Rank Hunters on display. Worn leather vests, dented steel protectors. It resembled a junkyard more than a shop’s showcase.
“This is all we have for F-Rank. Please choose whatever suits you.”
The Shop Clerk spoke dismissively and departed to attend to other customers. Unbothered, I began meticulously examining the displayed armor.
The limitations of F-Rank were unmistakable. The synchronization rate with Core Energy was so low that equipment imbued with mana was nearly impossible to equip.
Most armor gains various magical effects as its grade increases—boosting strength or agility, for instance. But F-Rank lacked the physical vessel to accept such effects. Consequently, most F-Rank equipment was essentially hollow shells devoid of magic.
I began searching for pearls among those shells. Comparing price tags and performance specifications repeatedly, I mentally sketched the optimal combination. Flashy appearance and others’ gazes were irrelevant. Only survival mattered. That alone was my criterion.
After considerable deliberation, I selected several pieces of equipment.
First was a titanium alloy combat vest. Though F-Rank equipment, its material was a special alloy used in C-Rank armor. Classified as F-Rank due to complete absence of magical effects, its pure physical defense rivaled upper-tier E-Rank. The price: 1.5 million won. Exorbitant for a hollow vest, yet the weighty titanium’s texture inspired confidence.
‘With this, I should be able to deflect a Werewolf’s claws.’
I picked up the vest.
Second was a reinforced plastic protector set. Protecting elbows, knees, and shins, it was lightweight and durable, preserving mobility while providing minimal defense. Price: 800,000 won.
Finally, Steel Core combat boots. Thin steel plates reinforced the sole and instep, capable of withstanding most monsters’ fangs. Price: 500,000 won.
Total: 2.8 million won. A sum yesterday’s me couldn’t have imagined. I called the Shop Clerk without hesitation.
“Please ring these up.”
The Shop Clerk examined my selections with a puzzled expression, likely thinking internally that an F-Rank was wasting money. Yet upon seeing the payment confirmation on the card terminal I offered, he wordlessly packaged the items.
Leaving the shop, I felt considerably more fortified than before. Not a perfect shield, but I’d obtained at least minimal insurance—enough that even a grazing blow from a Stoneskin Rat’s tail wouldn’t kill me instantly.
I adjusted the bag containing my new equipment across my shoulder. The weighty burden actually calmed my mind. Yet I realized the fundamental problem remained unsolved.
‘This is merely insurance against grazing blows. It can’t withstand the boss’s direct assault.’
This equipment would extend my survival time by mere seconds. I’d spent nearly 3 million won for those few seconds. It wasn’t a true solution.
I entered a dilapidated Hunter Cafe nearby, one that operated twenty-four hours and was frequented by Hunters. The air mingled with damp dust and cheap coffee aroma. I sat in the most secluded corner and ordered the cheapest coffee.
I needed a real shield.
I opened my smartphone and accessed Hunter Net, the nation’s largest Hunter community. The dimly lit interface and chaotic forums overflowing with profanity and information—this was the modern-day gold rush. I entered the party recruitment board.
The screen blazed with a parade of impressive credentials.
[S-Rank prestigious Guild recruiting one A-Rank dealer. Guild house provided.]
[C-Rank elite raid team Black Mamba seeking B-Rank or higher healer. (F-Rank rejected, no time-wasters)]
[D-Rank Dungeon Clear Party. Seeking D-Rank or Higher Tank and Dealer. F-Rank applicants need not apply—not even as porters.]
F-Rank. The world didn’t consider F-Rank hunters as hunters at all. The further I scrolled, the more I felt the crushing weight of reality’s walls—how impossibly high and unyielding they were. I smiled bitterly, ignored every single posting, and clicked the write button in the lower right corner. The conventional approach was hopeless. If that was the case, I’d have to forge my own path.
After much deliberation, I decided to dangle my only weapon—money—and an exclusive business opportunity as bait.
[Title: Seeking F-Rank Dungeon Contaminated Zone Specialist Party Member (Tank)]
[Content: Position: Tank. Requirements: Sturdy and discreet. Rank and experience irrelevant. Profit Share: After distributing all standard mana stones and items, perfect 50-50 split of net profits.]
Even I had to admit the posting was absurd. I hesitated for a moment before hitting register.
As expected, mocking comments began flooding in less than a minute after posting.
-F class looking for party members? Hahahahahaha
– Contaminated Zone specialist? How many lives do you have? Recruiting suicide volunteers?
– Profit 5:5? Hahaha, newbies don’t read the notice. Is Tanker fighting with you because you’re crazy?
– Contaminated Zone? The mana density there is so high that even C-Ranks avoid it. If you’re gonna kill yourself, do it alone.
‘Yeah, I knew this would happen.’
I scrolled through the comments with cold indifference. Maybe it really was impossible. A skilled tank would never take interest in such a ridiculous posting. I smiled ruefully and was about to close the window when it happened.
A new notification appeared at the top of the screen. Not a comment—a private message.
[You have received a message from Park Jae-jung.]
There was no profile picture, but next to the username gleamed a distinct copper shield emblem proving C-Rank status. I froze. Was this a joke? A scam? My hands trembled as I swallowed hard and opened the message.
[Park Jae-jung: Saw your posting. Would you be available for a call sometime?]
A single line of text floating on the screen. I read that sentence over and over again. A C-Rank hunter. If this wasn’t a prank or a scam, it was the first response to my desperate gamble.
‘Stay calm. Nothing’s been decided yet.’
I forced my pounding heart to settle and sent a reply. Rather than a call, I suggested meeting in person—that way I could read the other person’s expression and atmosphere, tilting the game in my favor. Fortunately, they seemed to think the same way, and we quickly arranged to meet.
[Park Jae-jung: Then I’ll see you in an hour at Steel Heart, the pojangmacha near Middle Zone Gate 7.]
Steel Heart. It was a pojangmacha notorious among hunters for being the most worn and rough around the edges. Just from the meeting location, I could gauge what kind of person this was—someone who valued practicality and substance over flashiness and pretense.
I arrived twenty minutes early, and the pojangmacha was exactly as I’d imagined. The air was thick with the mingled scents of sweat, cheap liquor, and unidentifiable monster meat grilling on a skewer. Wanted posters of monsters with bounties plastered the walls, and hunters at corner tables were raising their voices, boasting about that day’s haul.
I took a seat in the most secluded corner and ordered a glass of water. Then I ran countless simulations in my head. How would I explain this? How much would I reveal? I needed to keep the core of my abilities strictly hidden while making the business potential crystal clear.
When the appointed time arrived, the pojangmacha’s worn door opened and a man stepped inside. I recognized him as Park Jae-jung immediately. His combat gear was worn but meticulously maintained, and the heavy shield resting on the table bore countless claw marks from monsters like battle scars. But most of all, his eyes told me everything—that cold, settled gaze that only someone who’d experienced countless dungeons could possess.
He sat down across from me.
“I’m Park Jae-jung.”
“Hello. I’m Lee Tae-hyun.”
Park Jae-jung looked me up and down. A cool aura emanated from him, as if the dungeon’s fishy stench and gunpowder smell had seeped into his very being long ago. Despite being equipped with newly purchased gear, I felt exposed under his gaze—an overwhelming pressure I couldn’t resist.
The new armor had improved things somewhat, but I still couldn’t completely shake the look of an F-Rank hunter. I caught the flicker of disappointment in his eyes and didn’t miss it.
“Explain yourself.”
He got straight to the point without preamble.
“What audacity does an F-Rank hunter have to propose a 50-50 split to a C-Rank tank? And what’s this ridiculous plan about specializing in the Contaminated Zone that no one else even touches?”
I calmly delivered the explanation I’d prepared.
“The Contaminated Zone contains resources that other hunters completely ignore. I have a unique technique to process those resources and generate substantial profits.”
“A technique, you say? Would it be alright if I asked what that is?”
“That’s my trade secret.”
He let out a short laugh at my answer.
“A secret. So you want me to risk my life as your shield without even knowing what this secret is? That’s a pretty common con artist routine.”
“In exchange for keeping the secret, I’m offering you 50% of the profits.”
I slid my smartphone across the table. The screen displayed the deposit confirmation I’d received from the Hunter Exchange yesterday with crystal clarity.
“That’s what I earned from an F-Rank Dungeon in a single day.”
Park Jae-jung’s eyes narrowed. He stared silently at the figure displayed on the screen—15,500,000 won—a sum that even he, a C-Rank Hunter, could barely scrape together after grinding dungeons for an entire month.
“You must have discovered a Hidden Space.”
“I got lucky.”
“Luck strikes once, not repeatedly. Is that luck your skill?”
His question was sharp.
“Luck is part of skill. And I’m confident I can create that luck repeatedly. The problem is my body is F-Rank, so I can’t venture into those opportunities alone. That’s why I need someone like you.” I met his gaze directly and continued. “I need your shield, and you need the money I can generate. This will be a perfect partnership.”
I held his stare as I spoke.
“I need your shield, and you need the wealth I’ll create. This will be a flawless business arrangement.”
Park Jae-jung studied me in silence for a long moment. His eyes flickered with conflicting emotions—as if weighing the gaps and truths in my words. After a pause, he exhaled slowly and leaned back.
“Fine. Your pitch passes muster. But dungeons aren’t conquered with words alone. Tomorrow morning at 9 AM, come to Gate 2 of the Abandoned Subway Tunnel. I’ll see for myself whether you’re a goose that lays golden eggs or just a madman.”
He rose from his seat as he spoke.
“If what you’ve said proves true, I’ll consider this contract favorably.”
He left the pojangmacha without waiting for my response.
Tomorrow, I would have to prove my worth.

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