One month had passed since I was swept into the D-Rank Sudden Gate. During that time, I repeated my routine of resting for three days and entering E-Rank Gates twice, eventually reaching Lv.4.
'When I saw the features unlocked at Lv.4... honestly, I doubted my eyes.'
First, I became able to rent A-Rank skills at Lv.4, but renting A-Rank skills wasn't the important part. It was because an effect had been added that allowed me to permanently acquire a skill if I rented it for a certain amount of time.
'The condition is a bit tricky, but my Origin Power has risen from 135 to 405... so I can just use the remaining Origin Power for skill rental.'
Among the rentable A-Rank skills, there was one I absolutely wanted to obtain.
[Regeneration - A][Passive] [Increases all recovery speeds by 320%] [Acquisition Progress: 11%/100%] [Rental Cost: 80/h]
It was none other than a skill that increased "all" recovery speeds. To ordinary Hunters, it would be a skill helpful for recovering from injuries, since they recover all their energy in 7 to 8 hours anyway.
'But I had to wait three days to fully recover.'
So, I had been continuously renting the skill, keeping my Origin Power around 70 only on days I went to the Gates.
'Considering the percentage increase, I think renting it for about 25 hours will fill it to 100%.'
While anticipating the permanent acquisition of the A-Rank Regeneration skill, someone I had been seeing constantly for the past month caught the corner of my eye.
'That person shows up every time, huh?'
Ever since I first reserved and went to an E-Rank Gate, I had spotted the Chief Officer hiding in a clumsy disguise. Back then, I pretended not to notice and acted as if I was just happy to be able to enter an E-Rank Gate alone.
'Is there no other staff to handle surveillance, or does he suspect me that much?'
Even now, after I finished my second Gate of the day, he was still keeping his spot until the very end. He would stay like that, and then disappear once I stopped by the Association to sell the mana stones.
'Should I be glad he doesn't follow me home?'
Actually, Regeneration wasn't the only skill I rented after reaching Lv.4. Among the support skills, there was a detection skill. I rented a skill capable of detecting anything containing mechanical parts or special energy.
'Thanks to that, I know there are no bugs or hidden cameras in my house, so I don't have to act when I'm home.'
After selling the mana stones and arriving home, I checked my status window. The experience for my innate ability was exactly at 6%.
'Upon reaching Lv.4, the experience gain dropped from 0.2 to 0.05. At this rate, leveling up with my current routine will become difficult.'
Realizing the experience gain had decreased after reaching Lv.4, I went to an F-Rank Gate thinking I should use up my remaining Origin Power.
'But it didn't give me experience, saying the enemy's level was too low.'
If the level of the monsters I face increases, the experience gain should return to normal. That means I have to go to the Association and report that my ability level has risen.
'Should I report it at a level where I can clear D-Rank Gates once in a while?'
To clear a D-Rank Gate alone, I could report that my mana rose to around 100. But that would mean my growth rate is excessively lower than before, so they'll catch on that I'm lying.
'I must avoid raising unnecessary suspicion.'
It seems my Origin Power consistently grows by three times, but for ordinary Hunters, their first growth spurt is equal to their maximum potential growth.
'And from then on, they grow between 85% and 100%, so in my case... I should report that it became at least 114.'
Then, I would be judged as capable of running D-Rank solo, but unable to enter C-Rank even in a party.
'Then the only thing left is the part where everyone obtains a skill during their second growth.'
In my case, it seems to have been replaced by the ability to rent skills when I reached Lv.3, but normally, one obtains a skill then.
'What skill should I say I obtained?'
Obviously, I can't say I obtained the Regeneration skill. Since Regeneration is already a well-known skill, they would try to drag me into the Association somehow.
'Since they could send me to C-Rank Gates several times a day, they might even offer to match a monthly salary of 100 million won.'
D-Rank mana stones are 200,000 won each, so if I hunt all month, I'd earn 120 million. However, considering safety, it's better to belong to the Association with a 100 million won salary.
'...The safest bet is a support skill, but what would be good?'
Looking through the rentable support skills, a healing skill suddenly caught my eye. It said A-Rank consumes 40 resources at once, while B-Rank consumes 20.
'No, a healing skill won't do. If the 30x efficiency applies to this too, it would effectively surpass the effect of an S-Rank skill.'
Then the remaining skill is....
**
"Hunter Han Seo-jun. Please come to Counter 2." "Hello. I went through my second growth, so I came to report it." "Ah~ Yes. You went through a second growth?"
The receptionist searched for something with a bored expression, then suddenly looked back and forth between me and the screen with a shocked face.
"It says you grew... a month ago. Is that correct?" "Yes. That's right. My innate ability became Lv.2 back then." "Wow... Your growth is really fast. To reach Lv.3 in just a month... Oh, right! What skill did you acquire?" "It's a B-Rank Status Effect Removal skill."
I could feel not only the receptionist in front of me but also the people registering at other counters and the other receptionists looking at me with surprised expressions.
"Did you say Status Effect Removal?!" "Yes. B-Rank Status Effect Removal." "P-please wait just a moment!"
The receptionist disappeared, making a huge fuss. In truth, the Status Effect Removal skill isn't that great of a skill. The only issue is that it treats even 'diseases' as status effects and removes them.
"Hah! Huff! H-Hunter Han Seo-jun. I heard you acquired a Status Effect Removal skill. Is that true?" "Yes. I can demonstrate it anytime." "T-then, since we need to verify it, could you come with us?" "Of course."
The place I went to with the middle-aged man brought by the receptionist was, naturally, the Hankook University Hospital right next to the Hunter Association.
"What brings you here?" "We're from the Hunter Association. We need to go to the isolation ward, so please prepare protective suits." "…Don't tell me. Is he a Status Effect Removal skill holder?" "Yes. So please hurry."
The hospital staff guided us while urgently texting somewhere. As soon as we arrived at the isolation ward, we changed into protective suits.
"It's B-Rank. Please take us to a patient that can be cured with B-Rank." "B-Rank? Then... Ah! This way! It's this way!"
The nurse in the infectious disease ward guided us with a very happy expression. In the hospital room we were led to...
"Da-hee. Are you sleeping?" "Mmh... Nurse unnie?" "Thank goodness. You were awake?" "…Are we doing tests again?"
...There was a girl who looked about 7 or 8 years old, all alone. Seemingly called out often for tests, she looked at me and the Hunter Association employee with a fearful expression.
"Not a test, you're going to get treatment." "…Okay. I understand." "Da-hee. It's real this time, you know?" "Yes. I suppose so...."
The child wore a look of complete resignation, but as hospital staff poured in and began sealing the room...
"Can I... get better?" "Yes. Here, this... mister can cure Da-hee." "Then... is the mister a Hunter?" "Yes. He's a Hunter."
Her innocent eyes looking at me seemed to fill with anticipation, but then she suddenly hung her head low.
"…Never mind."
Feeling the emotion of 'giving up' in the child's voice, I and the people in the room couldn't help but be greatly flustered.
"I'm okay." "Da-hee. What do you mean? This person is here to..." "I know too. To call a Hunter who can cure me, you need a lot of money." "No, that's not it...." "Mister Hunter, can't you just give the money back? Please? I'm really okay...."
It seems she thought I was a Hunter called here after receiving money from her parents. So I approached the child carefully, knelt down, and made eye contact.
"You said your name was Da-hee, right?" "Yes." "Mister didn't come here for money." "…Then why?" "Mister gained the power to cure Da-hee this time, you see? So I came to prove that power."
The child blinked her eyes and looked at the nurse, as if she couldn't believe it at all.
"It's true. He came to treat Da-hee... for free." "Really? Can I really go home?" "…Yes. You can go home."
Hearing the nurse's words, the child threw off the blanket with a happy expression, but her revealed body was excessively thin.
"What disease is this child suffering from?" "…It's tuberculosis mutated by mana. Conventional treatments don't work at all." "Ah...."
The child looked at my face through the protective suit and forced a brave expression, saying she was okay, but...
"Cough! K-kuh...." "Da-hee!"
Suddenly coughing violently, she wiped away spit mixed with blood and looked at me with a desperate expression.
"Mister. I want to go home." "…Yeah. I'll let you go home."
It was a Status Effect Removal skill rented simply for my convenience, to certify that my rank had risen, but...
'I chose well. I really chose well.'
Thinking that, I approached the child and used the Status Effect Removal skill. The skill emitted a pure white light, and the child's body exposed to the light began to recover in an instant.
"…Is this really Status Effect Removal?" "Is something strange?" "It's my third time seeing a Status Effect Removal skill being used, but... it never had an effect like this."
The child's excessively thin body had, before we knew it, become chubby like an ordinary child her age.
"That is... probably because this Hunter is a bit special." "Special?" "Yes. Wasn't he famous a few years ago?"
The nurse looked at my face with a puzzled expression, then suddenly widened her eyes and spoke.
"Glass Cannon?!"