Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Translated by: ShawnSuh

Edited by: SootyOwl

Provoked by Min Sung, Yang Bong’s face twisted into a scowl.

“He must be out of his mind…! Sir, don’t even bother. We’ll take care of this,” one of the interns said, and the other nine got in position for a fight.

Then, looking toward them, the hunter said, “Stop! He’s not your match…”

Before Yang Bong had even finished his sentence, the interns charged toward the champion simultaneously. Caught off guard by how quickly things had escalated, the hunter looked at the interns and let out, “Damn it…!” It was too late. Sure enough, a series of sounds that sounded like tires exploding echoed through the bathhouse.

‘Bang! Bang! Bang!’

Spilling the water in the tub, the interns were sent flying across the bathhouse in all directions, and concrete debris fell from the ceiling.

“Ugh…!”

“Agh!”

“Cough…!”

In the blink of an eye, the ten interns were on the ground, vomiting blood and moaning in pain. Taken aback by the sight, Yang Bong looked toward Min Sun, who was standing completely still in the tub. The water swishing was the only proof that he had actually moved.

‘What the…!? I didn’t see him move a muscle!’

Despite being completely unarmed, the champion’s movement was far beyond that of a level-150 hunter.

‘Is he… a Celestial? No, that wouldn’t make sense. Focus, Yang Bong Koo. Concentrate! Be confident!’ Yang Bong thought, clenching his teeth and grasping his machete tightly, which started to glow blue. It was the Sword Aura, which was only accessible to hunters who were at least at level 200. The aura was energy imbued with magic. When applied to a bladed weapon, it immediately turned the weapon into a frightening thing that could cut into practically anything. Although the effect varied depending on the hunter’s level, even the faintest of Sword Auras was often enough to put the opponent on edge. After all, concentrated magical energy contained enormous power. Should a normal person even graze past a blade imbued by an aura, they were bound to get mutilated.

Glaring at his target fiercely, Yang Bong squeezed the handle of his machete, and the blue aura around his weapon became more vivid. However, unfazed, Min Sung brushed his hair up and asked, “What’s that supposed to be? A duster?”

“You just don’t get it, do you? You won’t be that calm when I’m through with you…!” Yang Bong said with a cold expression on his face. Then, with an explosive sound, the hunter leapt toward the champion. Staring at the hunter and the blue machete coming down on his head, Min Sung reached up and grabbed the blade with his thumb and index finger. Then, with a loud metallic noise…

‘Claang!’

… the machete snapped in two. At the unexpected development, Yang Bong’s jaw dropped, and before he could even touch the water, Min Sung’s fist landed on the hunter’s side, breaking Yang Bong’s ribs and sending him flying across the room.

With a loud thud, the giant fell to the floor and rolled across the bathhouse, coughing up blood by the entrance.

“Cough! Cough! Ugh!”

With his hands on his hips, Min Sung walked toward the hunter and looked down at him with disdain. Vomiting blood, Yang Bong looked up at the champion with bloodshot eyes and said, “How… How can a level 150 like you… catch a weapon with Sword Aura with bare hands…? Cough!”

“I’ll take my two roasted eggs and a soda now.”

“Are you mocking me?” Yang Bong asked, gritting his teeth.

Nevertheless, Min Sung looked at the wounded hunter, tilted his head and said, “I said two roasted eggs and a soda.”

“Wait, you’re serious…” Yang Bong said, bewildered. Looking up at Min Sung, who was furrowing his brow by that point, a dazed look appeared on the hunter’s face. Then, swallowing nervously, he looked around, particularly at the interns, who were staring at him and nodding as if saying that he should bring the champion what he wanted. With a look of shame, Yang Bong dropped his head.

—

With Yang Bong and the ten interns watching, Min Sung sat on the wooden bench after drying his hair and getting dressed. Then, he put an entire roasted egg into his mouth and started chewing, savoring the bouncy texture and the smoky aroma.

‘Yes… It tastes just like how I remember it. Maybe I was just really hungry after the bath back then, but it tasted just as good,’ he thought. Then, as he reminisced to his childhood, he swallowed the egg in his mouth, opened the can of soda and drank from it.

‘Glug! Glug!’

The effervescent liquid tickled his tongue and throat, washing down the stuffiness of the egg yolk and filling his mouth with a pleasant sweetness.

‘Ah!’

Feeling refreshed, Min Sung took the second roasted egg and put it into his mouth. The bouncy texture of the roasted egg and its stuffy yolk followed by a sip of ice-cold soda was an unmatched combination. Then, without hesitation, he downed what was left of the soda in a single breath and slammed the can on the wooden bench. Meanwhile…

“…”

… Yang Bong Koo and the ten interns watched the champion quietly. Nevertheless, Min Sung rubbed his belly, glanced at them nonchalantly and left the locker room. At that moment, while the eleven were staring in his direction, a loud noise came out of nowhere.

‘Crunch!’

It had sounded like an egg cracking, and Yang Bong Koo and the remaining interns looked toward the sound simultaneously to find an intern about to put a roasted egg into his mouth. Noticing the piercing gazes from the hunter and his fellow interns, that intern had no choice but to spit the egg out.

—

Upon arriving at ‘Item Mania,’ Min Sung took his loot out one by one. The more items the champion took out, the darker the merchant’s expression grew. On top of that, the items Min Sung was pulling out were found only on the topmost floor of the Grayed Dungeon, which meant they were far from ordinary or common.

“All right! That’s… that’s quite enough,” the merchant said, shaking his head while looking stumped. When Min Sung looked toward him, the merchant said, “This is all I can buy from you,” and pulled only five items toward himself.

“Then, where can I sell the rest?” Min Sung asked the merchant with a puzzled look.

“You might wanna check out the Central Hunters’ Institute. There should be a lot of merchants there.”

“And how far is that from here?”

“About fifteen minutes by cab. Hold on,” the merchant said, walked toward the driver’s seat and came back shortly after. “Here. For your stuff.”

At that moment, Min Sung looked down at his hand with widened eyes. Selling five of the most useless items in his inventory had brought him five million won. Astonished by the increase in item value, Min Sung put the money in his pocket and put the rest of the items back in his inventory.

‘Now, where can I find myself a cab?’ he thought to himself as he turned away from ‘Item Mania.’ Then, a certain man came into view, and the champion realized that there was no longer a need for a cab.

—

Blowing cigarette smoke through his nostrils, Ho Sung Lee, the head of the Diamond Clan, spat at the ground while shaking his leg anxiously.

‘Kyung Tae would’ve sent an expert to find out more about that freak. What’s taking him so long?’ he thought with the cigarette still in his mouth. Then, feeling somebody tap against his shoulder, he flared up and said, “Who the hell…!” Upon looking back, the cigarette in his mouth fell to the floor.

‘Lv150 Min Sung Kang: The First.’

To his surprise and misery, it was Min Sung Kang, whose level and title only added insult to injury.

‘He got to level 150 in just a few days…? And that title! How the hell?!’

“S-sir! I… I’ve been waiting for you!” Ho Sung said, clasping his hands together politely and making up an excuse. Thought he had been waiting for his clansmen in order to recruit additional members, Ho Sung couldn’t help but lie. Perhaps, it was fear, or maybe he felt pricked in the heart, which was thumping as if about to jump out of his chest.

“Start the car,” Min Sung said, and without hesitation, Ho Sung ran to his car and opened the backseat door. As the champion got in the car, Ho Sung ran to the driver’s seat as fast as he could and started the car in order to avoid his clansmen asking questions or saying anything that would get him in trouble.

Seeing that they were getting farther from the Grayed Dungeon, Ho Sung, feeling relieved, wiped the sweat off his face.

“I came across some goons earlier today. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” Min Sung asked in passing while looking out the window.

“Of-of course, not! I would never do such a thing unless I was tryin’ to get myself killed! Besides, I don’t have that kind of power.”

Staring out the window quietly, Min Sung felt the breeze on his face.

“So… where are you headed?” Ho Sung asked.

“The Central Hunters’ Institute. I have some stuff to sell.”

“Ah! I see! In that case, I know just the place. They’re honest and offer an impressive selection.”

Min Sung remained silent and watched the scenery pass by. Ho Sung swallowed nervously and drove faster.

—

Soon, Min Sung was brought to the merchant whom Ho Sung had mentioned, the Gangnam Exchange Center. Although it seemed quite run down on the outside, the interior was anything but. There was not a speck of dust in the building.

When Min Sung took his items out of his inventory, with the exception of a rare crystal dagger, Ho Sung stared at the impressive array of items with widened eyes. After crunching the numbers on a calculator, the owner nodded and said, “That comes out to four hundred million for ya.”

Then, slamming a bag of cash on the table, he added, “You could make a lot more if you sold your loot to other hunters. Of course, it’ll take much longer. So, do you still wanna do this?”

Min Sung looked at Ho Sung, who nodded affirmatively and said, “He has a reputation for being trustworthy. You can trust him.”

After a moment thinking, Min Sung took the bag of cash. Slightly dazed by the amount of money he had made in a matter of days, he left the store.