"Noona, you said you'd support me, right? How exactly will you do that?"
If possible, I'd love for you to support me with that amazing body of yours. I swallowed the unspoken words.
"Just wait a moment."
Contrary to my hopes, Jin Seyoung left the training room and returned about a minute later.
She approached me carrying a long, slender box in both hands.
"There are five types of support. First, free membership. Second, a personal training room. Third, personal training... meaning individual instruction. I promise to teach you wholeheartedly. Fourth, practical combat support. Fifth, weapon support. I'll give you the sword I'm holding. What do you think?"
From my perspective, these were perfect conditions.
For now, I have no intention of joining a guild, so that's off the table. My goal is to become stronger, not to join a guild and work like a dog.
"Alright. But what's this sword you're offering me?"
My gaze shifted to the long, narrow box she was holding. The sword must be inside.
Jin Seyoung carefully placed the box on the ground, retrieved a key, and unlocked the latch.
Inside, wrapped in fine cloth, lay a crimson-hued sword.
The blade had a single-edged tip and no guard, while the hilt was a luxurious black, contrasting sharply with the crimson blade.
A black, rod-like scabbard lay beside the sword, but my eyes were drawn only to the crimson blade.
I stared at the sword in a daze. Though I lacked the eye for weapons, the palpable aura emanating from it told me this was no ordinary blade.
The iron sword I possessed was mere trash compared to this blade.
"The sword's name is Fire Lotus Flying Dagger. It's an Iris Blade."
"Iris Blade? But it's a sword, right?"
"In Yeongcheon Ryu, the distinction between swords and blades is meaningless. In our style, a 'sword' simply refers to any long, bladed weapon. We don't bother differentiating between swords and blades. Moreover, given Yeongcheon Ryu's emphasis on swift kills over prolonged battles, we favor daggers and light swords. The Iris Blade is perfect for this purpose."
"Ah."
Come to think of it, Yeongcheon Ryu's basic techniques were all designed for one-handed swords. There were even movements involving gripping the sword in reverse and swinging it. This was clearly not a swordsmanship style meant for direct, head-on clashes.
To wield the blade freely according to Yeongcheon Ryu's defensive principles, it was better to have no guard at all.
For Yeongcheon Ryu, which emphasizes speed and concealment, a lighter sword is preferable, while a greatsword would only hinder the technique.
"If you don't like this one, I'll prepare another."
"No, no, no! That's impossible! I absolutely love it!"
"Really? I'm glad."
I subtly extended a finger and brushed it across the blade. Given its reddish hue, I expected it to be hot, but it was surprisingly cool.
"The Fire Lotus Flying Dagger was crafted by the Poetic Artisan in Gangwon Province."
The Poetic Artisan!
I'd heard of this renowned smithy before. Their skill was so exceptional that they were considered one of the best in South Korea, with their reputation even reaching overseas.
"The blade is forged from Dark Iron and Fire Dragon scales, while the hilt is carved from Fire Dragon bone."
"Hah... Fire Dragon!"
This was the SS-Rank Monster that had shaken South Korea to its core ten years ago. For reference, an SS-Rank Monster meant its power was immeasurable.
Fortunately, before it could escape the Dungeon, all ten of the Top 10 Guilds had cooperated to hunt down the Fire Dragon.
"Don't be so surprised. This is a failed prototype. That's why it's called the Sorrowful Blade. They originally intended to create a sword capable of manipulating flames, but it seems they failed. Aside from its exceptional durability and the fact that the blade never dulls even without maintenance, the Fire Lotus Flying Dagger is just an ordinary sword."
"B-but that's still incredible! How much would this sell for?"
"Not much. Maybe around 300 million won? Performance-wise, even 100 million would be overpriced, but the materials Fire Dragon scales drive up the price."
"Are you really... giving this to me?"
Jin Seyoung nodded without hesitation.
"Yujin. If you keep your end of the bargain."
I met her gaze directly and said earnestly, "Noona, hurry and bring the contract. I'm in a rush."
I was completely captivated by the Fire Lotus Flying Dagger.
Real Combat.
This is the biggest concern for novice Hunters.
Hunters enter Dungeons to hunt monsters. The problem is that Dungeons, except for their entrances, are separate spaces isolated from Earth. This isolation leads to frequent criminal activity within them.
This is why hastily formed parties through the Association avoid high-rank Dungeons, and it's also the primary reason Guilds were established to combat Hunter crime.
Unreliable comrades. Comrades who stab you in the back. Comrades who turn into robbers.
A novice Hunter with no connections or backing can only join hastily formed parties through the Association, making them hesitant to engage in real combat.
This was a concern I shared myself. But now things are different. Beside me stands Jin Seyoung, a trustworthy comrade and my protector.
Jin Seyoung is a B-Rank Hunter, and the dungeon we've entered is the F-Rank Ratman's Den. Even if nearby Hunters turn into bandits and attack us, Jin Seyoung could handle them in under three minutes.
"Don't worry about your first real combat," Jin Seyoung said, clad in practical leather armor. "With your skills, Ratmen will be no problem at all."
"I-if Noona says so, then it must be true," I replied, gripping the hilt of the Fire Lotus Flying Dagger at my waist.
I was wearing leather armor similar to hers, but with additional protective plates on my shoulders and chest. Originally, I wanted to be heavily armored for maximum protection, but the Yeongcheon Ryu style emphasizes agility, forcing me to choose lighter gear.
The armor wasn't mine; I had borrowed it from Jin Seyoung.
Ugh... I'm so damn nervous.
This wasn't my first time entering a dungeon. During training exercises, I had faced goblins one-on-one.
But this was different. Back then, I was surrounded by people, and goblins are the weakest monsters, easily defeated even by ordinary people with weapons.
I called it "live combat" with a touch of bravado, but it was really just practice. This moment, right now, is my first true live combat.
"You're too tense. Take a deep breath."
"Inhale... exhale. Inhale... exhale."
As I focused on my breathing, I reached for my smartphone instead of the sword hilt. Touching the phone felt far more grounding than gripping the hilt.
With some of my tension eased, I returned my hand to the Fire Lotus Flying Dagger at my hip.
"This reminds me of my early days. I was so nervous at first too."
"How did you calm down, Noona Seyoung?"
"After my first real battle, the tension eased. You'll probably feel the same. Once you've done a few, you'll realize being a Hunter isn't such a big deal after all."
The F-Rank Dungeon, "Ratman's Den," is a wetland-type dungeon. The floor is muddy and swampy, with dense trees and marshes scattered throughout.
The Ratman, a bipedal rat that roams freely through the swamp, stands 150cm tall and attacks with its claws and teeth. Its byproducts fetch an average of 10,000 won per claw, while Magic Stones sell for around 80,000 won.
We continued walking deeper into the dungeon, chatting as we went.
Whenever we spotted another person, we immediately moved out of sight. As an Open Dungeon accessible to any Hunter, we had to be mindful of other Hunters' locations.
"Yujin-ah, look over there. It's a Ratman."
I turned my head in the direction Jin Seyoung was pointing. About 30 meters away stood a Ratman with black fur.
Even from this distance, its size was unmistakable far larger than a goblin. The rumors that three goblins couldn't defeat a single Ratman seemed to be true.
"I'll demonstrate first this time," Jin Seyoung said, stepping toward the Ratman. The Ratman bristled, claws extended, assuming a combat stance. Most monsters instinctively attack humans on sight, and even when outmatched, few ever flee.
"Kiyaaaaak!"
Jin Seyoung didn't falter as the Ratman charged. She swung her sword in a swift, glancing motion. The Ratman's head flew through the air, landing on the ground with a crimson splash.
At first glance, it looked as if the Ratman had simply run into its death.
That's Wall Step, a practical technique from the Yeongcheon Ryu style. I'm nowhere near that level. My Noona's mastery of combat techniques is truly extraordinary.
From a distance, it seemed like a casual slash. But from the Ratman's perspective, Jin Seyoung must have appeared much farther away than she actually was.
The Wall Step technique, unique to the Battle Step Wall Step style, blurred an opponent's sense of distance.
"Magic Stones are usually located near a monster's heart. If not there, they're often in the head."
Jin Seyoung carefully packed the Magic Stones and claws into the pouch at her waist.
Each Ratman yielded one Magic Stone and six claws, worth a total of 140,000 won.
A simple calculation showed that killing ten Ratmen would earn 1.4 million won, but after deducting the 30% tax, equipment maintenance costs, and dungeon entry fees, the actual disposable income was only around 500,000 won.
From a Hunter's perspective, it's no wonder they resent the Hunter Association and the government for taking such a large cut.
Hunters typically operate in parties, averaging five members. If a party killed thirty Ratmen in a day, each member would earn approximately 300,000 won.
"This is high-paying work. You can earn 3 million won in just ten days. Plus, as your skills improve and you hunt higher-ranked monsters, earning 1 million won a day becomes easy."
It's no wonder Hunters are envied by ordinary people. But to me, with my Pleasure World App, such amounts are laughable.
If I truly focused on using the Pleasure World App to make money, I could easily earn around 100 million won.
"Yujin-ah, there's a Ratman over there. Why don't you take the hunt this time?"
"...Alright."
I drew my sword and approached the Ratman, my body trembling slightly with tension. Though I'd killed people in the Game World, this was the harsh reality.
"Kiyaaaak!"
The Ratman shrieked at me and charged. Recalling Jin Seyoung's movements from ten minutes earlier, I activated Wall Step.
As I executed the unique footwork, the Ratman's eyes flickered, and it glanced behind me. Success! The Ratman's sense of distance had been distorted; it likely believed I was several meters behind it.
Compared to Noona Seyoung, this feels a bit risky.
Still, it worked.
I passed the Ratman, swinging my sword in a precise arc that severed its neck cleanly. My strength was lacking compared to typical Hunters, but the blade's sharpness compensated for that.
"W-well, that wasn't so tough after all," I muttered, staring at the Ratman's corpse. It wasn't bravado; I genuinely meant it. My voice trembled only from the exhilaration of successfully executing a Yeongcheon Ryu technique in real combat.
"See? It's nothing special, right?"
"Yeah, I think I can take down Ratmen easily now, Noona. How far do you think I can go with my current skills?"
"You should be able to hunt low-tier E-Rank monsters. Anything higher will be tough. Your Yeongcheon Ryu skills are solid, but your physical abilities are the problem."
Physical abilities.
Strength, stamina, and agility all lacking compared to other Hunters.
I nodded calmly, acknowledging the issue I was already aware of. Her words implied that with sufficient physical conditioning, I could easily hunt E-Rank monsters.
As I collected the Magic Stone and claws from the Ratman's corpse, I said to her, "Alright, let's keep hunting. I'm starting to get the hang of it, Noona."
"Good. We might as well make the most of being here."
I approached the Ratman and killed it instantly. Even without using Yeongcheon Ryu's combat techniques, I could have taken it down with just basic skills.
Five hours.
That's how long it took me to kill twenty-four Ratmen.
I was killing nearly five per hour, but finding them took far longer than the actual combat.
"Only twenty-four?"
"It can't be helped. Open Dungeons have too many competing Hunters. The main thing to watch out for in Open Dungeons is stealing monsters. Eighty percent of Hunter conflicts in Dungeons are over monster ownership."
"I've heard that too. Still, Closed Dungeons are a bit too dangerous... Huh? Why did you stop suddenly?"
"Shh. Someone's lying in ambush ahead."
We were on our way back after finishing our hunt, which meant we had plenty of valuable loot.
"...Bandit?"
Hunter Bandit.
True to their name, these were lowlifes who preyed on Hunters. I cautiously peeked out to observe them. There were three of them, leaning against a large tree and chatting.
"Probably. We could just go around, but then someone else might get hurt. We have to take them down."
Jin Seyoung stepped forward, and I followed close behind.
I wasn't particularly worried.
This was an F-Rank Dungeon, and she was a B-Rank Hunter. The skill level of bandits operating here was obvious without even needing to look.