The problem was, the noodles I cooked tasted so bad he had to make a new batch.
Not wanting to waste food, I offered the first batch to Oppa, but he spat it out immediately.
Were my instant noodles really that terrible?
When I finally tasted the noodles Si-hyun made, I nodded in realization, I was the idiot all along.
The springy, chewy noodles paired with a perfectly balanced savory broth, what were those soggy, bland, watery things I’d been eating before?
After enjoying the delicious noodles, we started discussing which Gate to tackle next when Oppa suddenly cut in.
"So you're saying you want to go to the Iron Plains B-Class Gate with me?"
"Yeah."
I really couldn’t understand why an S-Class like him would want to join our Expedition.
"What’s your reason?"
Oppa launched into a lengthy explanation.
Apparently, the Iron Plains Gate is one of the least visited by Hunters.
The Monsters there are humanoid pig creatures called Orcs. They move in groups of thirty or more, acting like a military unit, and possess considerable intelligence, making them tough to handle. That’s why the Gate is rated B-Class. But the issue is, each individual Monster is only D-Class strength, their Magic Stones are characteristically small, typical of D-Class. Even though it takes at least ten D to C-Class Hunters to clear this dangerous Gate, the Magic Stone yield isn’t worth the effort, and there are no special byproducts from defeating them.
Over time, this became one of the Gates with delayed clearance progress. But if left unattended, the Monsters could break through, so someone has to guard it. Deploying the military is too costly, so they periodically hire relatively cheaper A-Class or higher Hunters instead.
In short, it’s more cost-effective to send individuals than an army.
And Oppa, who had nothing better to do, took the job.
"But why do you have to go with us?"
"Because I’m bored."
He’s totally planning to use Si-hyun and me, isn’t he?
"Besides, Si-yeon, you just gained Mana, right? Orcs are the perfect test subjects for actual combat."
Actual combat test? I was tempted.
I had no idea what my current level was after gaining Mana. Jumping straight into a C-Class Monster fight would be too risky. I badly needed real combat to get used to my Ability. And I’d been wanting to fight bipedal, humanoid Monsters for a while now.
With Si-hyun and Oppa as backup? Even if things got dangerous, they could handle it easily.
"Sounds good to me?"
Si-hyun seemed to think the same.
"So it’s settled?"
"Alright, let’s go!"
And so our next Gate Expedition became a trio.
Cheers to Oppa’s generosity~!
He even said all the Magic Stones we get from the Gate are ours.
As expected of a wealthy S-Class, cheers again for such lavishness~!
-
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I woke up early to pack for the Expedition. Once ready, I went to wake Oppa and found him scratching his belly as he came out.
"Haven’t you prepared anything?"
"What’s there to prepare? Just showing up is enough, right?"
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
Oh right, this damn brother of mine is S-Class, he doesn’t need to prepare.
He just threw on some clothes and came out with me.
"Here, catch."
Oppa suddenly tossed something at me. I was carrying my luggage and reacted too slowly.
It hit my head with a thud, hurting like hell.
"You fucking bastard!"
Furious, I channeled Mana into a flying kick, but the asshole who started it was the one yelping in pain.
"Damn it..."
"You couldn't catch it and you're blaming me?"
"You shouldn't have thrown it in the first place!"
I picked up the weapon, it was a square box.
Inside lay a pair of earrings.
The ruby-studded earrings emitted a prismatic glow.
"What is this?"
Could this be an Artifact? Artifacts aren't just ridiculously priced, they're rare items that can't even be bought on the market.
Even if Oppa is S-Class, this is too extravagant.
"What does it do?"
"I appraised it, it recovers fatigue and boosts agility by one rank below B-Class."
?? Isn't that cheating?
"It looks expensive?"
"I picked it up from a Gate."
Not bought but obtained through an Expedition?
"How much could we sell it for?"
"Well... someone offered 2.2 billion before, but I didn't sell."
......2.2 billion? My concept of money is shattering.
"Oh, and this is Soulbound Equipment."
Just the effects alone are insane. Boosts agility by one rank below B-Class? Meaning a C-Class agility user could become B-Class? Can I really use such an Artifact?
"You're really giving this to me?"
"My stuff, my choice who to give it to. Who cares what others say?"
Though this Oppa always acts arrogantly, to give up such enormous wealth for a gift...
Ahem... Thank you, Oppa."
Hearing the address, Oppa laughed.
It still felt unfamiliar, but surprisingly not uncomfortable.
So irritating.
"But I don't have pierced ears?"
"Just put it near your ear and it'll pierce automatically?"
Following Oppa's words, I brought the earring close to my ear. Suddenly my earlobe stung, and the earring was attached. The same thing happened with the other one.
As the status window appeared, my agility rose from D-Class to C-Class.
"But how do I take these off?"
"No idea? I've never used bound-type Artifacts."
Contrary to my worries, the earrings came off when I pulled them. After removing the Artifact, I checked my ears with a compact mirror, clear piercings stared back.
"Ah! My ears are pierced!"
Yes, pierced. Am I a delinquent now?
"What's the big deal? Even kids get their ears pierced."
Really? Ah, now that I think about it, some girls had pierced ears in middle school. Even some boys wore earrings in high school... Is this normal?
While Oppa and I were bickering, Si-hyun pulled up to the house right on time.
Then Oppa stole my seat. He took my usual passenger seat, forcing me into the back. If not for the Artifact...
The distance to Cheorwon was shorter than expected, and the destination Gate stood eerily quiet. Not a single Hunter or broker in sight, only civil service vehicles and military cars occupied the view.
"Wow, there's really nobody here."
"That's why we can take one commission per month."
Even E-Class Gates had Hunters visiting?
So there really are places nobody wants to come.
"But isn't B-Class enough to come alone?"
"Even if you keep all the Magic Stone profits for yourself, it's still less profitable than going to other B-Class Gates to collect Magic Stones and sell byproducts."
How should I put it... Even after three months as a Hunter, there's still so much I don't understand.
When we went to the Hunter Management Office building to register our entry and exit records, the civil servants were extremely attentive to Oppa.
"Thank you for visiting. Today we've prepared small gifts for Hunters who serve our nation."
Their so-called small gifts were snacks and drinks. All items that could be brought into Gates. Probably worth about fifty thousand won? Though insignificant, I gratefully accepted them.
"Aren't you taking these, Oppa?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"They're nothing valuable, and accepting them would make me feel indebted to come back next time."
So this was the civil servants' subtle way of saying "We hope you'll visit again"?
"But aren't commissions and rewards all approved by higher authorities?"
"Different departments," Si-hyun explained.
He went on to clarify: Gate subjugation commissions fall under the Gate Management Department, while those civil servants belonged to the Hunter Management Office, which typically counts as local government. I don't really understand the distinction, but hearing that if military forces are mobilized, most of the budget has to be covered by local governments helped me grasp it.
Areas with Gates are ultimately inseparable from Hunters, so they provide various benefits to Hunters who settle there.
"What does that mean?"
"Rather than Hunters like us who go on Expeditions, it's mostly local Hunters living near Gates who handle clearing Monsters that appear in their areas."
Aha!
So they use benefits like housing to tie Hunters to the local area? Plus relevant laws allow conscripting Hunters in the area when Monsters appear in Gates, so from a security perspective they prefer Hunters to settle locally.
"So Hunters like us who travel everywhere on Expeditions are actually the exception."
"Of course. Who would pay their own travel expenses to go far away?"
But why did Si-hyun suggest we go on Expeditions everywhere then?
"Then why are we traveling so far?"
"Think of it as tourism?"
Hmm... That makes sense! It really is like touring the country, eating local specialties and visiting attractions, which explains why he wants to buy a camping car.
"Let's hurry up."
Oppa strode ahead while we followed at a distance.
"By the way, Si-yeon, what's on your ear?"
"W-well... Oppa said he'll get me another Artifact, ..."
"Ah~ so those matching earrings are Artifacts?"
Do they really match? Since it's my first time wearing accessories, I have no idea if they look good, but Si-hyun's opinion should be reliable.
"Do they... really suit me?"
I asked while tucking my hair behind my ears to show off the earrings.
"They suit you very well."
Si-hyun's compliment made me happy.
When I have more money, should I try other accessories...?
Like necklaces or bracelets? I'll look into it later.
"Hurry up!"
Our leisurely pace caught Oppa's attention, and he started urging us to move faster.
Let's go. Quickly now.
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