Chapter 110. The Fourth S-Class (3)
So I finally made it this far.
Huff!
That’s right.
This has been my intention from the start.
I wouldn’t have sought out the Association in the first place if I didn’t have some leverage like this.
“First, please listen.”
Based on our conversation so far, I presented them with several demands.
First, take responsibility and restore my fallen honor.
Second, I will no longer heed any orders from the Association, and I won’t accept any penalties for that.
But the last condition was somewhat good news for them as well.
“And third, put my name on the S-Class Hunter list.”
“Eh…?”
I decided to defy their expectations and become Korea’s new S-Class.
The Association President questioned why their attitude suddenly changed after saying they wouldn’t grant what they wanted.
There’s a bit of a discrepancy here.
I never said I wouldn’t declare myself as S-Class.
“What I meant was that I didn’t want to listen to your orders. Recognizing my rank is a different matter.”
Looking back, I chose this stance after a long deliberation.
Now that I had attracted national attention, it would be relatively safer to rise as an absolute powerhouse.
A hunter with special abilities capable of taking down S-Class monsters.
But what would happen if it turned out that guy was a low-tier Awakener?
Kidnapping, theft, and all sorts of dangers.
No matter how I think about it, getting kidnapped three times is just unacceptable.
So, I grudgingly decided to accept the position of S-Class Hunter.
“Y-You’re really going to acknowledge me as S-Class?”
But.
Using threats to break the obligations of a high-ranking Awakened wouldn’t change the fact that if I didn’t show my face during the Dungeon Break, I’d be scorned by the public.
I should compensate myself in advance for the mental distress that might come from them in the future.
“Of course, it won’t be for free. I expect the Association to prepare 3 billion won for me as a price for becoming Korea’s fourth S-Class…”
“What?”
“Just so you know, the funding source would be from your personal savings, Chairman Go. I don’t want to be blamed for touching tax funds. Being the representative here, that’s your responsibility.”
3 billion.
For an Awakened who has been hurt by various slanders to get a ‘breath of fresh air’, this amount would be just right.
“Is the address and reputation of an S-Class Hunter not worth even 3 billion?”
I got straight to the point.
I was planning to extort money from them.
“You’re not even handling the Gate, and you’re saying you want 3 billion just for adding my name?!”
Chairman Go started to get furious at those words, but seriously, he shouldn’t be so surprised.
I was going through this agony because the Hunter Association hadn’t properly protected my personal information.
“Chairman, this is actually a bargain. Look at other countries! Bringing in just one S-Class Hunter costs multiple times more than this…”
“That’s under the premise they work under them. The conditions are different!”
When the public’s attention is focused like this, it’s hard to make money too.
I needed to secure some kind of compensation for survival.
“It’s, it’s okay if I can’t give that money?”
However, the other side seemed to have lost their composure due to the sudden proposal. It was time to clarify the situation again.
“It’s fine if you don’t pay.”
“Uh?”
“If you truly can’t pay, then it’s enough to just untie the investigation.”
“…!”
“Or, some other issues might arise.”
Tap.
I briefly remarked while retrieving the phone I had placed on the table.
“You don’t even know what kind of Awakener I am.”
What could be a more brutal darkmail than this?
Since the Gates appeared, Earth’s intellectuals have been busy figuring out each other’s skills.
But now, just seven years into the Dungeon Shock, could all the secrets of the world have already been unveiled?
“Anyhow, if I have the talent for psychokinesis and decide to crush your brain with an invisible hand… what will you do if something pushes you onto the street while you’re walking one day?”
“……!”
“Also, don’t even think about trying to silence me. I’m genuinely worried here; another S-Class could get really angry if something were to happen to me.”
Magic is an unknown territory for them.
Like deep-sea creatures, skills that earthly beings can’t even imagine could appear at any moment.
Gargle!
By now, the Association President must feel like he’s on his deathbed.
The public’s focus is still on the ‘Unavoidable Malice’ incident, a disaster unprecedented in history.
If it’s revealed they ignored the Appraiser’s report, the backlash would be tremendous.
What if they end up having to resign?
Moreover, that alone is a headache, and on the opposite side, there’s a potential S-Class Hunter applying all kinds of pressure.
It’s truly a situation where they’re caught red-handed.
“Is 3 billion from personal savings burdening you too much? Should I add more conditions?”
I tried to sound magnanimous as I added.
“Let’s make a promise. Once I’m recognized as Korea’s S-Class Hunter, I will never oppose the Association again.”
“What?”
“Since I’m ignoring orders anyway, will there be any conflict? I especially will not harm the Chairman.”
To be precise, as an F-Class, I can’t even harm them.
“B-How can I trust that? You’re currently threatening me like this, and then you might change your words later…”
Worrying that the Chairman might say such things, I had also prepared a proper tool in advance.
In this modern society, there was a more reliable way to make promises than pinky-swearing.
Rustle.
I took out a piece of parchment folded in half from my pants pocket.
[Knight’s Pact]
The Chairman began to sweat profusely as he read the contract written on the item.
Even though I have mostly lost my strength and can’t peer into others’ hearts, I can at least infer what that man is thinking.
He’s probably shivering with hatred towards high-ranking Awakened.
It was somewhat natural for the established class here to dislike Hunters.
For them, Awakened individuals are nothing more than disgraceful predators who seize the power they’ve cultivated their entire lives through violence.
*
A few hours later.
[[Full Video] Press Conference of Hunter Association President Go Byeong-do]
I turned off the video I was watching on my phone and got up from my seat.
Ha ha ha!
As indicated by this reaction, yesterday’s negotiations ended very successfully.
The other party eventually signed the contract.
[(Breaking News) Korea Receives Its 4th S-Class!]
[OECD Ranking of Hunter Holders by Country]
[They say a new S-Class has emerged in the midst of a crisis?]
Public opinion flipped in just one day.
I coordinated with Chairman Go and agreed to become a previously hidden Awakened who had been kept secret by the Association.
We put forth a plausible excuse that I was forced to pretend to be F-Class for the sake of a special sting operation.
Well, that sure shut them up!
Anyway, who would have thought they’d actually hand over 3 billion just for that ridiculous clause of ‘I won’t harm the Chairman in the future’?
If my real rank gets revealed, I won’t just let it go easily.
But for now, I shouldn’t have to worry.
“Is this it?”
I had just proven that I was indeed S-Class.
“Yes, yes! It seems you can really go now. Thank you for your cooperation, Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo.”
I employed a clever trick during the third awakening test meant for rank correction. I drank a potion with magic stones mixed in it to interfere with the machine’s measurements.
So easy!
Reporting inflated awakening levels.
In other words, this time, there’s no excuse—this is genuine rank manipulation!
Who decided to make that machine so poorly designed anyway?
Of course, I felt no guilt after scamming them.
After all, even without testing, I had already been implicitly regarded as S-Class.
This was merely repaying their faith.
“Hmph.”
Thud thud.
After completing the rank examination.
I retrieved the coat I had taken off and stepped out of the measurement room.
But the reactions of the Earthlings I encountered in the corridor were quite a sight.
The passersby eyed me with expressions full of tension.
Fearful glances.
Exactly right.
Those fearful eyes are truly the privilege of the strong.
No one will dare to mess with me now.
I enjoyed their reactions with satisfaction, feeling as if I had returned to my prime.
But then.
As I passed through the Association’s corridor, I spotted a familiar figure near the front desk.
Long, black hair.
To be honest, when I first reincarnated, all Earthlings looked the same to me.
But now I can gradually start distinguishing them.
“Hello.”
Especially a sorceress with such clear mana is easy to recognize.
*
Around lunchtime.
An employee of the Association had just finished her morning work and was taking a short break.
She was pulling out barley tea from the vending machine next to the front desk.
Haa…
B-Class Awakened Seonwoo-yeon.
She was the person most anxious about the revelation that took place over the past three days.
She couldn’t pretend not to notice, as she had been too deeply associated with that Hunter from the start.
Plus, due to everything that happened, she had developed a personal bond with him.
Get out of the way.
If you don’t want to die, stay out of Imugi’s path.
Reflecting on the previous ‘Unavoidable Malice’ incident sends chills down her spine.
If that Awakened hadn’t saved her, she wouldn’t be in this world anymore.
I was so scared back then that my feet wouldn’t move.
Citizens panicking.
Screams echoing.
And the cold-faced man facing the monster.
How was Kim Gi-ryeo able to maintain his composure in such a situation?
Is it just because he’s strong that it was possible?
Seonwoo-yeon recollected the events that had transpired, and indeed, no matter how she thought about it, this wasn’t something that would happen simply because of a high Awakening level.
[(Breaking News) Korea Receives Its 4th S-Class!]
So ultimately.
This situation only felt like the rightful owner of the S-Class title had finally arrived.
The public’s reaction flipped in an instant.
Seonwoo-yeon checked the internet again and felt relieved once more.
Just the day before in the morning, everyone was criticizing an illegal registrant for claiming to be S-Class.
But once the Association Chairman explained, the bulletin board was now flooded with praise for Kim Gi-ryeo.
I’m glad it was resolved well.
Seonwoo-yeon savored the barley tea and fiddled with her phone. A list of comments she had posted over the last three days was displayed there.
[ye*08: Please don’t insult him.]
[ye*08: Please don’t infringe his portrait rights.]
Given that she wouldn’t have to keep making such shy arguments from now on, she felt a sense of relief.
“Hello.”
At that moment.
Seonwoo-yeon quickly turned her head upon hearing a voice from behind.
“Ah, Hunter Kim Gi-ryeo…”
The person at the scene was the talk of the town.
Shortly cropped blond hair and a skinny gaze.
Seonwoo-yeon opened her mouth to greet him, but suddenly paused upon seeing his outfit.
“Hello, Hunter.”
The conversation continued only three seconds later.
“I saw the article. It seems you were newly registered as S-Class this time…”
For a moment, she thought about congratulating him.
But when she considered the current circumstances, it was entirely the opposite of what the man wanted, who wished to live quietly.
“Oh.”
To avoid creating awkwardness, Seonwoo-yeon skillfully changed the subject.
“By the way, I was curious—what kind of item did they give for the ‘Unavoidable Malice’ incident?”
“Eh?”
“The hunting reward for contributors. I just thought of it suddenly.”
“Oh, that.”
Then, Gi-ryeo took out something from his coat pocket.
“In the end, it seems to have come out from the item table for Imugi before it grew, but to be honest, it’s a dud.”
What he took out and showed was a long, thin dagger.
[Scream Stake]
[Grade: Unique]
[Description: Inflicts [Pain] status on the target…].
What kind of performance could it possibly have that he would use the word dud?
[Note: This is a special item that cannot deal physical damage.]
Awakened individuals without analytical skills cannot verify the effects of items with the naked eye.
So Seonwoo-yeon could only think that the dagger’s handle looked luxurious. She couldn’t react in any other way.
