Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Chapter 165 – Reorganization (2)

“Spirit Master.”

So, the requirement to gain access to this profession was getting Sallyon’s abilities up to level 10?

Naturally, unlocking the profession itself was only the first step.

It was highly likely that the Job Research Institute itself needed to be upgraded to a higher level before any actual research could be initiated.

At the moment, the Job Research Institute stood at level 5.

“What a relief.”

After taking a closer look, I confirmed that the research option for the Spirit Master class had indeed been unlocked.

Much like the requirements for other professions, beginning this project required a level 5 ‘Priest’ class.

[Would you like to initiate research on the ‘Spirit Master’ profession?]

[Yes / No]

“Begin.”

Ding!

[Spirit Master]

…Research ongoing…

Time left: 39 hours 59 minutes 58 seconds

Just then, a notification popped up.

[Troell has leveled up.]

[The elemental power of the earth inside the territory is enhanced by 100%.]

With this, Troell had attained level 7.

“Elquines is currently level 9, Sylphid is at level 8, and Troell has reached level 7.”

While the precise mechanics of the Spirit Master’s advancement were still unclear to me, I reckoned that pushing all of the Spirit Kings to level 10 would be the most ideal path.

The sphere of flames, which had been utterly absorbed in drawing in the lifeforce of the World Tree, gave a sudden shudder and addressed me.

[…What is with that look on your face?]

“I was just curious. Are you capable of supervising them like this continuously?”

[Naturally. You just need to have faith in me.]

“I do believe in you.”

[Hmph, fine.]

Sallyon proved to be far more straightforward and uncomplicated to handle than I had anticipated.

“Have I sorted out most of the urgent tasks?”

With the sudden influx of residents, I had to dedicate my attention to domestic management for the time being.

My primary goal was to construct a habitable environment within the Earl’s territory, specifically around the vicinity of Seoul Station.

I upgraded the housing blocks, such as the apartment complexes, and restored the damaged roadways.

I positioned retail outlets in key spots and coordinated with entrepreneurs who had established themselves in Busan to open branches up in Seoul.

I made sure to strategically set up Instant Dungeons to promote active monster hunting, utilizing the growing workforce to bring in a steady stream of income as the population expanded.

“Having a central anchor really makes a difference.”

By this point, Seoul had developed enough to sustain itself.

A few individuals began scavenging luxury cars or high-end appliances tucked away in secure zones to trade them on the open market, while others leveraged their old-world expertise to launch new ventures before any monsters could disrupt them.

“…Seoul is truly teeming with highly skilled individuals.”

Among these newly minted business owners, several were proactively hunting for financial backing to scale their operations.

As expected of a major hub like Seoul, which naturally drew in the finest minds of Korea, the concentration of skilled professionals was immense.

Among the awakened population, there was no shortage of S-rank powerhouses, and those with A-rank or B-rank status were incredibly plentiful.

As a direct result of this abundance, the roster of vassals had expanded dramatically.

“An army of 80 vassals.”

With this headcount, managing the building and upkeep of the defensive outposts was no longer a major strain.

Even so,

“Relying solely on vassals will not suffice.”

If there was one vital lesson I took away from bringing Seoul under my control, it was the sheer power of numbers.

“The difficulty of establishing the domain made that lesson painfully clear.”

There was no denying the strength of the vassals.

They possessed more than enough combat prowess to swiftly hunt down any boss-tier beasts roaming around Seoul.

Yet, when all was said and done, they remained mortal.

Even with incredible assets like warp magic, the ability to lead a squadron of 100 Steel Knights, or the capacity to rain down luminous arrows from the back of a soaring Kellican to clear out threats, they were bound by human limits.

A single warrior can only patrol a finite radius before running into physical constraints.

During the development of the territory, I had to sweep the surrounding areas of monsters to lighten the load on Ha Dong-geon and Oh Eon-ju, and the vassals by themselves simply couldn’t cover everything.

That was the precise moment the ‘Hunting Team’ proved its worth.

Through their collective efforts, I managed to secure the territory successfully.

“Even in the aftermath of the Ice Dragon’s passing.”

Their assistance was directly responsible for preserving countless lives.

Furthermore, the firearm-equipped Hunting Team proved capable of eliminating a surprisingly high volume of beasts.

While higher-tier creatures were immune to standard rifle fire, those high-level threats could easily be handed off to the vassals.

Because the Hunting Team suppressed the lesser threats, the vassals were spared from wasting their valuable stamina on trivial monsters like goblins or orcs.

“I must elevate the general populace.”

For the elite vassals to truly shine, they required a foundation of highly skilled citizens backing them up.

The most practical method I possessed for elevating the public’s strength was by unlocking professions for them.

Even a simple advancement to the ‘Marksman’ class would exponentially boost the lethality of their ranged weapons.

This single change would dramatically elevate the threat level of monsters the ordinary citizens could successfully engage.

“I could distribute the details concerning the Job Research Institute via Kim Dabin.”

However, I chose not to pile more responsibilities onto Kim Dabin, who was already buried in work.

“Initiate quest distribution.”

[Quest Assignment]

Objective: Proceed to the Job Research Institute and advance to the ‘Marksman’ class.

Duration: 168 hours 00 minutes 00 seconds

Rewards: A minor experience boost, Rifle Certification, K-2 firearm.

Penalty for Failure: None.

With that, I dispatched targeted missions to the individuals I had been monitoring.

Taking a break to eat instant noodles near Bucheon Station, Kim Myung-hwan suddenly noticed a glowing holographic screen materialize in front of him.

“Class up to Marksman?”

To Kim Myung-hwan’s knowledge, both the term ‘Job Research Institute’ and the class ‘Marksman’ were entirely unfamiliar terms.

“Does this work like being a Hunter?”

As a man who survived by hunting monsters for a living, the concept of a hunter was second nature to him.

Yet, he had never once come across the Job Research Institute.

“…Wait, the reward includes a personal firearm license?”

The weapon he currently relied on was merely rented.

If he managed to pull off this mission, he would earn ownership of his own rifle, along with a K-2.

“This would save me a fortune.”

He had been pouring a significant portion of his earnings into gun rental costs.

Completing this objective meant he could cut those expenses entirely and bypass the tedious administrative forms required for every rental.

“It’s an excellent deal. But how am I supposed to achieve this?”

Right at that moment…

[Greetings, Hunters.]

The resonant voice of Kim Jae-hyun vibrated directly within his thoughts.

[Any individual who has been granted this mission is to request leave from their respective squad and make their way back to Busan.]

Because the announcement had been transmitted to every hunter in the area, he was spared the trouble of making an individual report.

“Did any of you get a notification for this quest?”

Kim Hyena, who led their party, called out to the group, prompting Kim Myung-hwan to raise his arm.

“You did, Senior?”

“That’s right.”

“What are the details?”

“The system tells me to advance to a Sharpshooter, though I’m still in the dark about how to do it.”

“Oh, so that’s the one.”

“You’ve heard of it?”

“Yes. Doesn’t it require traveling to the Job Research Institute?”

Kim Myung-hwan looked at her, clearly startled.

“Is it a well-known place?”

“Not quite. It’s still a secret to most, but word is going around that a brand-new path, separate from the standard Hunter, has opened up.”

“An entirely different class…?”

“Mhm. Classes like Warrior and Sharpshooter. They apparently offer passive enhancements for both hand-to-hand and distance combat. Oddly enough, you have to undergo an examination to actually qualify for the class.”

“An exam?”

“I don’t have all the details on that portion…”

With a light chuckle, Kim Hyena went on.

“Still, it’s an incredible opportunity. They say that once you promote to a Sharpshooter, your firearm damage increases exponentially. Supposedly, you don’t even have to target an Orc’s vital spots like the skull or heart; a single bullet to any body part is enough to drop them.”

“…The difference is really that massive?”

Orcs were notoriously resilient beasts.

Their bodies were packed with dense muscle, making them highly resistant to standard caliber rounds.

With a conventional gun, a hunter had to land a precise shot to the brain or the heart to guarantee a kill.

If they could be taken down by simply hitting any non-vital area…

“That is going to completely revolutionize how we hunt.”

“Exactly.”

An encounter with an Orc would cease to be a deadly gamble.

At that point, a lingering doubt entered his mind.

‘But why was I selected for this quest?’

If transitioning into a Sharpshooter was such a massive upgrade, shouldn’t every single Hunter relying on firearms have been given the same opportunity?

“Who knows? Perhaps the system evaluates your marksmanship, which is why you were chosen, Senior?”

“Hmm. You might be onto something there.”

It was a fair assumption; his accuracy with a rifle was unmatched by anyone else in their squad.

He was a master marksman capable of putting a bullet right between an Orc’s eyes from a distance of two hundred and fifty meters.

‘In that case, Jae-hyun must be aware of my capabilities.’

The thought brought a small, quiet sense of pride to his chest.

“In any case, let’s head back. We’re going to be down a lot of firepower without you around, Senior.”

“Yeah.”

As Kim Hyena continued her praise, a sharp warning shattered the moment.

“Get ready to fight! Monsters incoming!”

The lookouts screamed.

The resting squad members instantly reacted, retrieving their firearms from their inventories to defensive positions.

However,

“!!”

The threat was far worse than expected.

“Fallback! Get inside the building immediately!”

An entity as massive as a sedan burst into view.

The creature was encased from head to tail in a thick, brassy metallic armor plating.

This was the notorious ‘Golden Tiger’, a beast dreaded by the local hunters of Bucheon.

The creature launched into a full-speed charge directly toward their position.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The metallic, brassy hide covering its frame functioned as an impenetrable suit of armor.

Clang!

Assaulting rounds struck the creature’s body, only to shower the area in sparks and bounce harmlessly away.

“I’ll hold it back!”

Kim Hyena, who was the sole Awakened individual in their party, pressed her palm flat against the earth.

The instant her hand made contact with the concrete,

Boom!

An enormous hand formed of solid stone erupted from the ground, intercepting the charging beast mid-stride.

Creeeak!

The colossal hand attempted to squeeze and compress the monster’s heavy build, but—

Crash!

The stone construct burst into fragments.

“Ah!”

Smashing straight through the concrete barrier, the Golden Tiger resumed its thundering charge.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The retreating squad scrambled to provide cover fire from the entrance of the building, but the standard physical kinetic force of their rifles was completely useless against the charging predator.

“Grrr!”

The armor-clad predator, moving like a living tank, snapped its jaws directly at Kim Hyena.

Facing certain death, Kim Hyena braced herself and squeezed her eyes shut—

Crack!

A sharp, breaking sound caused her to slowly reopen her eyes.

She felt no physical pain.

Standing right in front of her,

“Se… Se…!”

Kim Myung-hwan, wielding the remains of a shattered rifle, had thrown himself between her and the beast.

With its teeth clamped firmly onto his shoulder, the beast jerked its massive head, tearing Kim Myung-hwan’s arm clean off in the process.

“Senior!”

A spray of blood painted the air, plunging the entire group into absolute chaos.

Just then, a strange, distinct noise echoed through the area.

“What…?”

Kim Hyena, paralyzed in front of the beast, caught sight of the sudden shift.

An elongated, sharp object had driven straight through the beast’s neck.

Immediately after,

Crack! Crack! Crack!

A stream of long spears rained down from above, repeatedly skewering the monster’s body in rapid succession.

The Golden Tiger, reduced to a horrific pincushion of bone, collapsed under the onslaught and dissolved into gray dust.

Through the clearing air, a female warrior descended from the heavens, riding atop a majestic Kellican.

“…Yang Ha-young.”

She was the leader overseeing the Bucheon and Gangseo District, having recently sworn allegiance as a Gashin.

The projectiles that had impaled the beast’s frame were constructed of elongated, razor-sharp bone.

Whispers among the hunters claimed she could forge these weapons directly from her own skeletal structure.

Stepping onto the pavement, she issued a swift command.

“Get him to a secure zone immediately.”

“Understood. Are you all alright?”

“We can make our own way back. Nobody else is hurt.”

“Safe travels.”

As she watched Yang Ha-young lift off into the clouds with Kim Myung-hwan in tow, Kim Hyena stared down at her own shaking hands.

‘I was completely useless.’

The terrifying beast she could barely delay for a split second had been eradicated in a blink of an eye.

To reach the ranks of the Gashin, one needed to possess that level of overwhelming might.

‘I am far too weak.’

It was her lack of power that had led to her Senior losing his limb.

‘I have to obtain real strength.’

To shield those she cared about, power was absolutely essential.

But how could she achieve it?

‘A profession… Perhaps there is a specialized class waiting for someone like me.’