Book 1: Chapter 1: Hunter Without Skills |
“It’s the first time I’ve seen the worker class.”
On the day he succeeded in awakening, the Seoul branch of the Hunter Management Center was in some confusion. The receptionist tilted his head and handed out the papers.
“Look, only about 30 classes have been identified so far. But the worker has never been seen.”
The 20-year-old man looked over the contents of the documents he maintained. Classes with high recognition such as swordsman, magician, and thief were listed, but no workers were visible.
“Then I was the first to awaken? As a worker class?”
“Awakening is awakening, but skills and characteristics are important. What did you get?”
The receptionist’s glasses flashed, but Ji-ha couldn’t say anything. It’s because I didn’t get any skills.
“Nothing.”
“You didn’t get any skills? No characteristics?”
“Correct.”
“It’s really odd. Usually, when you awaken, you get one or two combat skills… you have to be able to enter the dungeon and fight.”
“I know, right?”
The receptionist informed me that Ji-ha was the only exception. In the end, only the most basic things such as personal details and classes were written on the documents.
“What will happen in this case?”
When Ji-ha asked, the pen hand stopped, and the receptionist smiled awkwardly.
“Honestly, I don’t know. You know what I do? It’s about registering and managing awakened hunters. We also receive complaints. I can introduce you to a suitable company or guild, but it is a bit difficult for Mr. Ji-ha without any skills.”
“Is that so.”
Unexpectedly, the expression on Ji-ha was calm. Thinking that he must have been too shocked, the receptionist hurriedly said,
“Shall we set up an interview with the manager in case you have questions?”
He recommends an interview with a manager-level official at the management center. However, everyone knows that a hunter without skills is useless on the battlefield in a dungeon.
“No. So, I don’t have to pay fees, right? Because there is no income.”
For now, that is correct. The hunter fees only occur when there is income……”
“That’s it.”
Mr. Ji-ha became the first hunter without skills. Everyone in the management center was shocked by the birth of a hunter who was no different from a normal person.
“Shouldn’t we clap? When I look into your eyes, you awakened once.”
“What kind of applause is there for a hunter without skills. I can’t even enter the dungeon……”
“But you don’t look like you are very upset.”
“Even if your face is like that, your insides will burn… It’s better not to awaken. If you awaken late at that age, and you can’t enter the dungeon…”
“Still, can’t you go in as a latecomer (implied scrapper after the dungeon is cleared)?”
“It would hurt my pride to become a hunter and enter the second team.”
“It’s too bad, it’s too bad. It’s the lowest that has been confirmed.”
The staff at the center looked at the back of Ji-ha. The lowest ranking Korean hunter was born.
***
The day has come. The day the dungeon opens and monsters pour out. It was almost at the same time, that a very few rare people succeeded in awakening and were called Hunters. Society has changed rapidly since then. Various resources from the dungeons brought a ray of hope to mankind, who were tired and defeated in the war against the monsters. Ether Stone, which comes out after hunting monsters, has been in the limelight as a next-generation fuel. Someone said this,
“From now on, the ranks will be divided into the hunters and the non-hunters.”
It is unknown if this will actually happen, but it is true that many privileges have been granted to hunters who hunt monsters in the dungeons. Because it was them that supported human society.
One day, 10 years after the first dungeon was opened.
Two hunters went to a general store in the 7th district of Seoul. Yu Ji-ha, a 25-year-old man wearing glasses, looked up while reading a book.
“Welcome.”
“This is a place that sells potions, right?”
“That’s right, I am an awakened worker class.”
As the two hunters entered the store, their eyes briefly focused on the golden eyes of Ji-ha. Ji-ha smiled and replied to the two hunters who looked like newcomers.
“Yes, this is a general store. As you can see, we sell potions and other items.”
“Stamina potion… Here it is.”
On the shelves that filled the walls, various potion bottles, scrolls in jars, and maps were displayed in an orderly manner. The male hunter picked up a potion bottle dripping with red liquid, and the female hunter whispered in his ear.
“But will this work well? Wouldn’t it be better to wait until the stock at the Hunting Grounds arrive?”
“Wait, without knowing when the goods will arrive? And the interior here is a bit run-down, but the potion effect is fine.”
“Who told you that?”
“Seong-ho hyung.”
“Ah.”
When the name Seong-ho came up, the female hunter shut her mouth. To her, who has just graduated from the academy and become a new hunter, the words of a top 100 hunter were like gold. The male hunter whispered to her.
“Here, things are okay even if it looks a little run-down generally speaking.”
“But why are there no guests? Oh, there is one nearby.”
There means Hunting Ground, a shop dedicated to hunters. As a large conglomerate franchise, they have used a wide store selection and quality service to establish chain stores nationwide. Since there is such a large chain nearby, it is unlikely that many hunters would be interested in such a small general store. While the two hunters had a conversation they put some potions into the basket. The female hid her curious gaze with a book and looked over at Ji-ha. Hunter, not hunter. This is what the owner of the general store was called. Although the awakening was successful, it is said that there are no characteristics or skills. No one knows what the worker class means. The hunter is ranked 12,782nd. If you want to know how many hunters are registered in Korea, you just have to look at what rank Yu Ji-ha is.
“Hey, don’t you have any actual skills?”
“There are no characteristics.”
“How many years have you been without skills? How are you hunting?”
“I can’t hunt. I go in as a latecomer and only gather resources.”
“Ah, that’s how you have been working.”
They guessed it roughly. It seems that they are the type of person who lives off the various resources that come out of the dungeon. They were about to ask more questions when they heard a loud noise from outside.
*Kururureung-*
Long-wheeled armored vehicles equipped with various heavy weapons were speeding down the road making load noises, followed by police cars and ambulances.
“A category 3 dungeon must have been opened.”
“I know. I haven’t seen an ambulance in a long time… I also want to go into a category 3 dungeon sometime…”
“With our skills, we can’t even dream of it yet.”
“Oh, hey, check this out, please.”
The male hunter held out a basket and a card to the low-level hunter. The black card issued only to hunters was like a dream to Ji-ha, a small business owner. After paying for their items, the two hunters left the store. Ji-ha stood on the threshold of the store and gently pushed up his glasses. If it was a category 3 dungeon, there would be many resources, but he would not be contacted.
“It is unavoidable.”
It would be better to contact a proper alchemist or pharmacist rather than someone who cannot be treated as a hunter. He smiled bitterly and went back to his seat to open the book. It was getting late in the evening. Five years have passed since Ji-ha awakened. He got an extraordinary class called a worked, but it was useless because he had no skills and characteristics. He couldn’t even dream of entering a dungeon with other hunters and hunting monsters. Instead, he was faithful to his work as a latecomer. It was a job to collect scrap resources from dungeons run by companies or guilds and sell them at general stores. It’s something that no one knows about, but there was no problem with buying old books, which is a hobby and something that he does on occasion. As usual, Ji-ha closed the store, washed up, and lay down on the bed, opening an old book he had bought from the wholesale center. It was a genuine copy of the book from the ruins in the dungeon. It was dirty and old, but it still was readable. Carefully turning the page, he saw an unknown word in his eyes. Obviously, the main character in the illustration… it seems to be pointing to a tree, but the text is not in a common continental language, so he couldn’t understand it.
“What am I reading this for?”
Even if he stares at it, no understanding comes. Ji-ha continues to read. In the world inside the dungeon, the huge tree seemed to boast of a god-like majesty. As he read the mythology of each tribe entangled in the giant tree, he didn’t even notice the passage of time. He forgot about the erosion of time, and immersed himself in books. All around was completely silent, and his consciousness was clouded.
“Shall I sleep…”
He didn’t think to refuse the sweet temptation. Falling asleep while reading a book was his daily routine. He closed his eyes without taking off his glasses. The words for the giant tree in the book glowed brightly, but he didn’t notice. His consciousness was sucked somewhere. Soon after, feeling the sensation of falling endlessly, he opened his eyes.
“OMG!”
When he came to his senses, he was in a forest.
Translator’s Note: The name Ji-ha literally translates to basement/underground. So even his name is saying that he is the lowest of the low.
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