A Public Servant Hunter Who Exploits Skill Combinations – Chapter 38
Translated by: Hanzo
Chapter 38: An Unexpected Gift (1)
A mana wave that awakened those creatures from their slumber.
It was not Sword Aura, but basically just a release of my mana through the sword.
This was a technique I learned back in my guild days by watching an older hunter.
I couldn’t even count how much alcohol I had to buy to learn it...
And he earned more than I did. Unbelievable.
Still, he was such a great senior that I never thought it was a waste.
I’ll have to meet him again soon.
The skill I picked up through those expensive drinks turned out to be quite effective.
The expensive lessons paid off quite well.
The wave that touched the ceiling spread little by little, dislodging the creatures hiding in rocky shells and clinging to the walls—perfect.
I had asked them to keep a close watch on Ma Tae-ho, who seemed like he was about to pounce, and the shell crabs were sufficiently soaked.
Honestly, after discovering the stone-shell crab monsters, I expected to come in second place.
But because of one crab Ma Tae-ho didn’t catch in the end, the rankings flipped.
Should I say it was luck…?
Hong Pal-gwang came running toward me with arms wide open.
The headmaster hugged me tightly and exclaimed in an excited voice:
“I thought you weren’t coming, you rascal!”
What’s with this old man?
Surely not again…?
‘How much did you bet this time?’
Teacher Choi Jung-gang stepped in to calm the headmaster down.
It’s a relief there’s someone around to restrain him a bit.
“Come on, Headmaster, the students are watching. What are you doing…”
“Ahem, ahem.”
Clearing his throat, the Hong pal-gwang leaned in to whisper to me.
“Come to my office later.”
Why did it sound creepy?
Why is he acting so suspiciously…?
It’s making me uncomfortable.
But it didn’t feel unpleasant at all.
Calling me right after finals means…
He has something to give me again.
Heh. I can’t help but feel a little excited.
The professor in charge of the exam, Choi Jung-gang, gazed at me warmly and then spoke with a satisfied smile.
Ah, these elders… Why do they look at me so blatantly?
“Everyone, you’ve worked hard.
The guilds you’ll train with haven’t been decided yet, but once they are, you’ll be notified individually.
Thank you for your hard work over the past six months.
If you’re struggling or have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Your teacher is always ready to help. So… see you in a month.
Take care, and stay healthy.”
At Professor Choi Jung-gang’s words, a mix of emotions flickered across everyone’s faces—emotions they couldn’t quite hide.
Relief that the exam was over.
Satisfaction at something being finished.
Regret at what could have been done better.
Fear of a new beginning.
Sadness at not seeing familiar faces for a while.
These expressions were probably obvious to me because I’ve experienced them myself.
In the past, I must have looked like that, too.
A guild, huh…
I wonder which guild I’ll get to train with this time.
‘I’m curious about where I’ll be assigned.’
Since it involved exploring dungeons, at least it wouldn’t be as dull as school.
***
Jung Tae-sung left the exam hall and headed for the chancellor’s office.
“Headmaster, I’m here.”
“Oh, Tae-sung! Let’s get straight to the point. Remember that defensive item we talked about?”
“Yes. I thought you’d forgotten about it since it’s been a while.”
“That’s not the case. It’s just that there wasn’t anything suitable for you.”
Hong Pal-gwang had tried to purchase a defensive item that Tae-sung wanted using his winnings from the previous bet, but he couldn’t find anything satisfactory.
The amount was too small.
But this time, he’d won big.
He called Tae-sung to make sure he got it right this time.
“This time, I can get you anything. Be specific if you’d like.”
The headmaster spoke with a grin, a grin Tae-sung didn’t miss.
“I think I can even get something up to an A-grade.”
Feigning surprise, Tae-sung asked again.
“What? Up to A-grade?”
‘This old man… is he betting in the hundreds of billions?’
It was almost as if you could hear Tae-sung’s mind calculating.
A-grade items start at a minimum of 10 billion won.
The high price was due to multiple attached attributes, and even within the A-grade, prices vary greatly.
Starting around 10 billion, they could go up to 100 billion won.
Of course, the disparity in abilities matched the price difference.
“Are you really saying I can just name anything?”
“Ha ha ha, tell me what you want.”
After a moment of thought, Tae-sung made his decision and spoke.
“The Demon Spirit Garment.”
“Hm?”
“You said I could name any A-grade item, didn’t you?”
Tae-sung wasn’t the type to hold back when it came to getting what he could.
He had a reason for choosing this item.
It was something he wanted—not desperately, but enough. It was too expensive to justify buying with his own money.
Ultimately, it was an item he wanted but felt hesitant to purchase himself.
Just as A-grade items had price differences, not all A-grade dungeons were equal.
There was a stark difference between the weakest monster and the strongest monster within A-grade.
The Demon Spirit, a high-level A-grade monster, dropped this item.
The Demon Spirit was not only one of the stronger A-grade monsters but also rare to find in a dungeon. Even if you did find it, the drop rate for its items was low.
That was why the item was so expensive.
On top of that, its design was simple and practical, so you could wear it casually without standing out.
Meanwhile, Hong Pal-gwang struggled to keep his expression in check, knowing full well the price of the item.
He had expected Tae-sung to ask for something in the lower 10 billion won range.
But a 90-billion-won item…
It might as well be an S-grade item!
“...Do you truly want that?”
“Yes.”
He decided to ask again.
“Why...?”
“It’s because it’s the closest thing to regular clothing.”
“You’re saying it’s because of the design...!?”
‘Kids these days... Looks are all that matter to them.’
A style more focused on appearances than practicality.
“Yes, so I don’t care about the options. Even the cheapest version will do.”
Finally, Hong Pal-gwang’s expression shifted.
An A-rank Demon Spirit Garment without strong options could be purchased for less than 30 billion won.
Of course, Jung Tae-sung had a specific plan in mind.
He knew how to awaken the Spirit Garment.
It was one of the most civilian-like armor options available.
And since it was still relatively high-ranking gear, when imbued with mana, it boasted incredible defensive power.
If Tae-sung had worn that armor in the past, his arm wouldn’t have been so easily severed.
‘Plus, the abilities it gains after awakening are incredible. I might not get a chance to awaken it, but you can’t awaken what you don’t have.’
Generally, the options attached to armor included defense boosts or regeneration rates.
The difference in price depended on the numerical values of these abilities.
But what mattered was having the item in the first place. If it was obtainable, it was better to get it.
Especially when it was free.
If I were paying for it yourself, it would indeed feel like a waste. If someone else offered to buy it, there was no reason to refuse.
And Jung Tae-sung wasn’t the type to miss such an opportunity.
Hong Pal-gwang nodded, seemingly understanding.
“I’m not sure if there’s stock available, but I’ll contact you as soon as I can prepare it.”
“If it’s too difficult, you don’t have to push yourself. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll choose something else.”
That remark sparked Hong Pal-gwang’s pride.
Impossible? For Hong Pal-gwang? Such words didn’t exist in his vocabulary.
This was one of the reasons he always ended up entangled in bets.
“No, no. You’ve saved my face so many times... Even if I have to dip into my personal funds, I’ll make sure to get it for you.”
Jung Tae-sung immediately bowed in gratitude.
“Thank you.”
“You really don’t know how to refuse, do you?”
“I was taught that it’s rude to decline what elders give you.”
“Your honesty is refreshing. Hahaha.”
Hong Pal-gwang’s fondness for him seemed unshakable.
“By the way...”
“What is it? Why are you hesitating?”
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“A girlfriend? No, I don’t.”
“Well, I have a daughter...”
“...Pardon?”
In his memories, Hong Pal-gwang didn’t have a daughter. He’d never even mentioned being married.
“You were married?”
“It’s an adopted daughter, someone people don’t know about.”
“An adopted daughter?”
“Ten years ago, during a gate incident, a monster attack left her orphaned. I took her in and raised her.”
“I see... That must have been difficult.”
“So, what do you think? Would you consider meeting her? She just entered high school...”
“Wait, she’s a high school student?”
“Yes, why? Is something wrong?”
For Jung Tae-sung, who had already lived past the age of 50 in his previous life, dating a high schooler felt like a moral crime.
“What do you take me for? High school students are out of the question.”
“She just started high school! I’m saying, if you’re still single in three years, you could meet her after she graduates.”
“Oh...”
“What kind of man do you think I am?”
Hong Pal-gwang stroked his chin, furrowing his brow.
“Haha, I was joking.”
“You’re ahead of others in mana levels, and now you’re ahead in other ways too...”
“...”
***
Leaving the headmaster’s office, I was on my way to the dormitory to pack my things.
Did I push too far by asking for something so expensive? Is that why he brought up his adopted daughter to catch me off guard?
Anyway, the Demon Spirit Garment..
‘I thought he’d just buy me some basic armor, but this guy is surprisingly generous.’
There are various types of armor, but most are uncomfortable and not particularly helpful.
The higher the defense, the bulkier and more cumbersome they became, which wasn’t ideal for hunters who needed agility.
Only those playing tank roles used full armor. Most relied on skills or activated mana for defense.
‘Still, something is better than nothing.’
When I reached the dorm entrance, a few people were chatting, their belongings packed.
“Oh? Tae-sung’s here.”
“Hey. Jun-hyuk, did you finish your tests?”
“Yeah, I’m done. I was just saying goodbye to friends heading home.”
“Really? Hi, everyone. Have a safe trip home, listen to your parents, and don’t recklessly charge at monsters if a gate opens.”
“Why do you sound like such an old man?”
Old man, huh...
Jun-hyuk waved goodbye to his friends before turning to me.
“When are you heading home?”
“I’m about to leave too.”
Jun-hyuk looked slightly regretful.
“There’s no chance we’ll end up in the same guild, huh?”
“Who knows... It’s hard to say.”
Guild assignments were entirely random. Even with knowledge of the future, this was one thing I couldn’t predict.
After saying goodbye to Jun-hyuk, I packed my bags and left the dormitory.
At the entrance, some people were waiting for me.
“Excuse me, are you Jung Tae-sung?”
“Yes, that’s me. And you are?”
“We’re from Pohang.”
....
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