Chapter 61

While Siyoon was still thinking it over, Kim Jeonhwan nodded.

“That’s right. Two pieces of information overlap, so there’s no room for doubt.”

Unconquered dungeons were relatively cheaper than conquered ones.

Conquering a dungeon required significant expenses, after all.

The implication was clear.

“Andor will want to recruit you no matter what.”

“Why is that?”

“Based on what your teammates said, they’ll know that you were the one who performed most outstandingly in the unconquered dungeon.”

Siyoon had performed exceptionally in this dungeon raid.

Pathfinding guidance using Path Finder and the exploration of the Hidden Route.

All the way to the final boss kill—there was nowhere his hand didn’t reach.

Kim Jeonhwan looked at Siyoon.

“But you have no intention of joining any organization, right?”

“Right. I hate being tied down.”

Siyoon had absolutely no intention of joining a corporation or guild.

If he had wanted that, he would have found one ages ago.

“Then the answer is clear.”

kkik.

He leaned back in his chair.

“Work as a freelancer. Just like you’ve been doing.”

Indeed, what Siyoon had been doing so far was close to freelance work.

He took personal commissions or cleared dungeons to sell byproducts, after all.

“Andor won’t want to harm you anyway.”

“How can you be so sure of that?”

“Pathfinding abilities are extremely valuable in unconquered dungeons to begin with.”

The skill he had newly acquired—Detector.

Actually, it was the higher-rank skill Path Finder, but even that was quite rare.

Skills for finding paths inside dungeons were fewer than one might think.

“So use that to secure the best possible advantage.”

Understanding what he meant, Siyoon nodded.

As long as Andor wanted Siyoon, the initiative was in his hands.

Through this, he could likely secure contracts for new commissions.

* * *

Siyoon immediately contacted Andor and scheduled a meeting.

And so, the next day.

He arrived at their headquarters after being driven in a vehicle sent by Andor.

‘They certainly work fast.’

He never expected them to schedule a meeting for the very next day right after he contacted them.

It seemed Andor was that desperate not to let Siyoon slip away.

Their intentions were transparent, but that only made him more vigilant.

Even if they took a humble approach, the other party was a mid-sized corporation.

There was no telling what tricks they might pull.

“Hello, hunter Lee Siyoon. I am Seo Jiyeon, deputy manager of Andor’s Dungeon Strategy Investment Department.”

As Siyoon stepped inside, a woman approached and introduced herself.

“Team Leader Kim Jiho is currently in an internal meeting, so I will be guiding you instead.”

“I see.”

“Shall we head to the strategy meeting room inside first?”

Having calmly explained the situation, Seo Jiyeon guided Siyoon further in.

The interior facilities were quite clean and modern.

Polished marble floors that gleamed brightly, with corridors branching off in multiple directions.

Perhaps because it was a corporate building, the atmosphere was quiet and orderly.

“Here at Andor, we continuously research armaments to ensure safe dungeon conquests and equipment enhancement for our hunters.”

“……”

“As such, we put considerable thought into selecting armaments worthy of hunter Lee Siyoon’s outstanding performance this time.”

As if trying to lighten the quiet atmosphere, she struck up conversation.

With nothing better to do, Siyoon listened with half an ear.

“Since Hunter Lee Siyoon is proficient with both firearms and close combat, your position is quite unique.”

“Is that why you called me to headquarters?”

“Yes. To be precise, I’d say that’s one of the reasons.”

One of the reasons, huh.

As expected, they had no intention of hiding their motives.

This was actually more convenient for him.

dalk.

“This is the strategy meeting room I mentioned.”

When Seo Jiyeon opened the door, the spacious interior was revealed.

A glass wall on one side and a long table placed in the center.

In front of it was what appeared to be a holographic device for briefings.

After sitting down and waiting briefly, the door soon opened and a man entered.

“I apologize for the delay. I am Kim Jiho, team leader of the dungeon Strategy Investment Department.”

“Hunter Lee Siyoon.”

After a brief handshake, Kim Jiho sat across the table.

“Let me be straightforward. Andor wants you, Mr. Lee Siyoon.”

Right after the brief greetings, Kim Jiho got straight to the point.

It was a remarkably bold statement.

“You may already know, but we are currently organizing a new team. We would love for hunter Lee Siyoon to walk that path with us.”

Siyoon looked at him without a word.

‘After they made it that obvious, not knowing would be the stupid option.’

He had visited the information broker Kim Jeonhwan precisely to learn about their internal affairs.

Kim Jiho spoke as if he had even anticipated that Siyoon had looked into things beforehand.

“And Andor can offer you quite a lot, hunter Lee Siyoon.”

“Such as?”

“Naturally, armaments would be the primary offering.”

Andor was a corporation that manufactured armaments for hunters.

In other words, a certain level of equipment supply was a given.

But Kim Jiho didn’t stop there.

“In addition, a monthly salary of 10 billion won, along with skill books, elixirs, and custom armaments for your growth will be provided without reservation.”

“Hmm.”

After taxes it would be less than that, but by simple calculation, it was a package worth over 100 billion won annually.

Add the other items offered, and it would far exceed that figure.

‘The conditions are quite substantial from the start.’

They were genuinely favorable terms for Siyoon.

The only problem was that he had no intention of accepting whatsoever.

At that moment, Kim Jiho signaled Seo Jiyeon with his eyes.

She then placed a small trunk she had been carrying onto the table.

“What is this?”

“A modest gift from us.”

dalk.

With the click of metal latching, the trunk opened.

Seeing the contents, Siyoon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

Inside were none other than firearms.

Not the sniper rifle he had been using—a shotgun and a pistol, one of each.

Each one had the appearance of a snake coiling around a pitch-black barrel. They looked far from ordinary.

“This is the Black Death’s Fang we prepared for you this time.”

“Didn’t you originally only manufacture melee weapons?”

“Haha, these aren’t firearms manufactured by Andor. They’re items we prepared in advance for individuals like yourself, hunter Lee Siyoon.”

“You’ve brought quite an expensive gift.”

Kim Jiho coughed softly.

It was evident they had put considerable effort into winning Siyoon over this time.

But Siyoon shook his head.

“However, I must decline the recruitment contract.”

“…I believe these are the best terms among hunters of your caliber.”

Perhaps not expecting Siyoon to refuse, his expression briefly stiffened.

The conditions he had offered were generous enough that they wouldn’t be considered standard treatment for a B-Rank hunter.

“I have no intention of joining any organization.”

“I see.”

“Instead, I can accept commissions.”

A glint of interest appeared in Kim Jiho’s eyes.

“Commissions?”

“According to rumors, Andor has been winning auctions for unconquered dungeons.”

“Hmm…”

Siyoon looked directly into Kim Jiho’s eyes.

Their unwavering gazes locked in the air between them.

“You need my abilities for unconquered dungeons, don’t you?”

“So you’re saying you’ll decline recruitment, but accept incoming commissions instead.”

“Yes. I’m planning to operate properly as a freelancer now.”

This was a deal leveraged on Siyoon’s abilities.

It was only possible because Andor coveted Siyoon, who had demonstrated outstanding performance in dungeon conquests.

Above all, Siyoon’s skill—Path Finder—was one specialized for unconquered dungeons.

Simply finding the right path would lower the difficulty of conquering a dungeon.

Kim Jiho pondered for a moment, then looked at Siyoon.

“…Commission fees will be calculated per request. Additionally, we’ll attach supplementary compensation based on the rank of the dungeon in question.”

“That’s a bit lacking. Add compensation based on risk level and ownership of any equipment obtained inside the dungeon.”

“Agreed. Furthermore, consumables such as potions and ammunition will be fully covered by us.”

He hadn’t even asked for consumables.

Quite generous.

Then again, from Andor’s perspective, simply clearing an unconquered dungeon was already profitable.

They might consider it a cheap price for acquiring a cash cow.

Just then, Kim Jiho, after checking the details Seo Jiyeon had organized on her tablet, spoke up.

“We’ll bring a formal contract later, based on the conditions you’ve requested, hunter Lee Siyoon.”

“When approximately?”

“It’s difficult to say exactly.”

“Hmm…”

“We need to assemble our team first and coordinate our efforts. However, I promise we’ll have everything ready and contact you within a month at the latest.”

That was good enough.

Siyoon nodded and extended his hand.

“I look forward to working with you.”

“We’re also pleased to establish a commission contract with you.”

Siyoon exchanged a brief handshake with Kim Jiho.

* * *

Siyoon’s acceptance of Andor’s commission was, ultimately, for the purpose of entering unconquered dungeons.

His primary objectives were the Hidden Route and first-conquer reward settlement.

For someone with the Enhancement skill, such rare items were far more valuable than money.

“There’ll be downtime until the conquest team is fully assembled.”

Kim Jiho had spoken as if he’d assign a commission right away, but that was impossible.

Hiring and selecting hunters alone would take considerable time.

In the past, he would have entered some suitable dungeon.

But this time, he didn’t.

[ ‘Black Death’s Fang’ ]

Because he needed to enhance his newly acquired weapons.

For reference, Black Death’s Fang were firearms.

Curiously, the shotgun and pistol were treated as a single piece of equipment.

‘It’s about time I established my combat style.’

Siyoon’s combat style was quite unique.

Like a marksman, he could snipe from long range, while also switching to close combat as a gunslinger.

This was a significant advantage, but things didn’t always play out favorably.

In close quarters especially, there were many times when heavy firepower was necessary.

Considering this, the sniper rifle wasn’t bad, but it was admittedly somewhat unwieldy.

For alternating use in close combat, a shotgun was far better.

‘I’ve already decided what to use as material. Shall I begin the enhancement?’

Siyoon picked up the Shield Generation Stone along with the two firearms.

Truthfully, he had deliberated quite a bit between the pendant and the shield.

Both had excellent options, after all.

After much deliberation, Siyoon chose the shield as material.

‘Surprisingly many dangerous situations arise while firing.’

No matter how proficiently he handled his weapons, keeping track of magic beasts approaching from the sides while firing was no easy task.

It was manageable, of course, but it inevitably disrupted the flow of his shooting.

Being forced to stop mid-burst when he could have fired five rounds.

The single second consumed in between was that much inefficient.

The shield was an item that would address this problem.

[ ‘Shield Generation Stone +6’ has been consumed as enhancement material for ‘Black Death’s Fang’. ]

[ Congratulations! ]

[ Enhancement successful. ]

Siyoon proceeded with the enhancement without hesitation.

The Shield Generation Stone had been prepared in advance, so it needed no adjustments.

The consumed Shield Generation Stone crumbled and seeped into Black Death’s Fang.

In one go, Siyoon enhanced the shotgun to +6.

paaat!

The two firearms, instantly enhanced to +6, emitted a radiance different from before.

An even deeper black body, overlaid with a faint, translucent film.

Simultaneously, the snake motif engraved on the barrel exuded a peculiar sense of intimidation.

A design both sleek and beautiful.

Siyoon immediately checked the shotgun’s information.

+

【 Black Death’s Fang +6 】

◇Embedded with shield generation functionality.

― Can form a protective barrier around the body while firing.

▶Aiming is significantly improved.

▶Noise is significantly reduced.

▶Recoil is significantly reduced.

▶Penetration is increased.

▶Attack power temporarily increases with each enemy killed.

+

Enhanced using the Shield Generation Stone as material, Black Death’s Fang had become a perfect integration of offense and defense.

“As expected, choosing the Shield Generation Stone was the right answer.”

It felt anew like Enhancement was almost cheating.

If this held true, he could attack enemies while simultaneously defending with a barrier.

It was exactly the effect Siyoon had wanted.

tiring!

Just then, a message arrived on Siyoon’s phone.

Checking it, he found it was a text from the information broker, Kim Jeonhwan.

【A decent Designated Commission came in. Interested?】

【It involves bringing back boss byproducts from the dungeon within two days…】

A Designated Commission, huh.

Since he had been processing work through Kim Jeonhwan, the contact had apparently gone to him first.

He had been planning to visit a dungeon anyway, so the timing wasn’t bad.

【Send me the location. I’ll head there now.】

Siyoon expressed his acceptance and left home. Shortly after, a link containing location information arrived via text.

Confirming it, Siyoon headed to the dungeon without hesitation.

* * *

The commission that came to Siyoon was for a dungeon on the outskirts of Seoul—Pamelo’s Forest.

The difficulty was exactly B-Rank. It was perfect for testing his weapon performance.

‘I heard Designated Commissions have been coming in fairly often lately. Guess it was true.’

A Designated Commission. In the past, he couldn’t have even imagined it.

After all, Designated Commissions went to hunters whose abilities were guaranteed.

seuk.

Siyoon immediately entered the dungeon.

After a peculiar sensation of his body shaking passed, a dense forest came into view.

As if snow had fallen all around, it was an entirely white winter forest.

“That way.”

Siyoon utilized Path Finder and immediately found the path.

Pamelo’s Forest was a dungeon that had been conquered quite some time ago.

There was no need to waste time exploring the surroundings.

How long had he walked like that?

-kieeeek!!

-kiaaaah!

Pamelo, the dungeon’s magic beast, appeared.

Pamelo was a mid-rank magic beast, resembling a large reindeer with antlers.

Reindeer in name only—its eyes were blood-red, and its protruding antlers were sharp as thorns.

Moreover, its instantaneous leaping power and speed were considerable—one wrong move and he could be impaled.

kwadeudeudeudeut!

The Pamelo charged forward, violently kicking off the ground.

Power strong enough to make the earth tremble beneath its feet.

Each time its hooves pounded the ground, nearby trees quivered.

Through the snow scattered by the impact, the Pamelo left afterimages as it thrust its antlers forward.

seuk.

Siyoon didn’t dodge.

He simply raised the shotgun and aimed precisely at the Pamelo.

And the moment it closed in, he deployed the barrier.

kuuong! ppudeudeudeuk!

-kuuoeoeoeong!!

The barrier that absorbed the Pamelo’s attack didn’t break.

Instead, the Pamelo’s antlers snapped on impact, and blood dripped steadily from the break.

“So this is the barrier’s durability.”

It hadn’t shattered, but had cracked slightly.

Strong enough to break if Siyoon threw a knife-hand strike with an enhanced arm.

That put it on the fairly durable side.

kwaaang!

In that stance, Siyoon fired the shotgun at the Pamelo.

A deafening boom that reverberated through the surroundings.

With slight recoil, a black-stained round burst from the muzzle with a sharp crack.

The Pamelo, struck head-on, was blown to pieces in an instant.

As expected of a shotgun, it possessed tremendous destructive power at close range.

“Not bad.”

At this level, he’d be able to fight multiple enemies with ease.

Satisfied with the performance, Siyoon now aimed the pistol at the remaining Pamelo.

-keuh, kuwoeoeeong!

Seeing its companion turned to a bloody mess right before its eyes, the creature began to flee.

But its fate was sealed regardless.

tatatang!

The pistol’s brief report echoed through the area.

The moment he pulled the trigger, the round punched straight through the Pamelo’s torso.

If the shotgun was about destructive power, the pistol was a firearm specialized in speed and penetration.

“This is enough. No need to test further.”

Power overwhelming enough to obliterate mid-rank magic beasts.

Even with the noise significantly reduced, it was this powerful—he couldn’t fathom how loud it must have been originally.

In any case, satisfied, Siyoon loaded fresh rounds.

The test was over. He planned to head straight for the boss.

* * *

About ten minutes had passed since Siyoon entered the dungeon.

And in a mere ten minutes, Siyoon had devastated and cleared the B-Rank dungeon.

kuuong!

A massive magic beast collapsed before him.

More powerful than the other specimens, with four antlers protruding from its head—the alpha Pamelo. The dungeon’s boss.

Or rather, should he say “had been”?

A single shotgun blast from Siyoon had split it in half, killing it instantly.

ttuduk.

Siyoon snapped off the dead boss Pamelo’s antlers and stored them.

What the commission required was precisely the boss Pamelo’s antlers.

“Not bad.”

The practical performance of his newly enhanced firearms exceeded expectations.

Both the shotgun and pistol didn’t just one-shot mid-rank magic beasts—they obliterated them.

buoong.

As soon as the boss kill was confirmed, Siyoon exited the dungeon.

Including travel time, completing the commission took exactly one hour.

Even considering that Pamelo’s Forest was a dungeon with widely known conquest information, it was an impressive result.

This was further confirmed by Kim Jeonhwan’s reaction.

“What…? You already finished?”

“Yeah.”

As soon as he exited the dungeon, Siyoon headed to the exchange operated by Kim Jeonhwan.

When he tossed the sack containing the harvested antlers, Kim Jeonhwan caught it in flustered surprise.

“How long has it been since you took the commission and you’re already done? Is this for real?”

“Yeah.”

“Hah.”

Kim Jeonhwan’s jaw dropped as he checked the contents.

“It’s real. And these are freshly harvested alpha Pamelo antlers…”

“Are there any other commissions?”

“What?”

“I have time to spare. There’ll be a gap before Andor gives me the next commission anyway.”

At Siyoon’s words, Kim Jeonhwan shot him a look of sheer disbelief.

“There are more Designated Commissions, but… since when did you go around taking commissions like this?”

As he said, Siyoon hadn’t been the type to actively take on commissions.

He’d accept them if they were advantageous and brush them off if not.

That principle still held true now.

Only the circumstances had changed slightly.

“I just… felt like I couldn’t keep avoiding it forever.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Part of the reason Siyoon had been acting passively was because of his skill.

The Singular-Rank skill, Enhancement.

He still had no intention of revealing it.

However, Siyoon’s reputation had risen considerably after clearing an unconquered dungeon.

In this situation, avoiding attention would likely only deepen suspicions about his abilities.

So he planned to take on commissions while keeping his skill as hidden as possible.

‘It’s not like making more money is a bad thing.’

Additionally, having received around 50 billion won this time, he’d grown greedy for equipment.

Siyoon’s Enhancement drew out far superior performance even from equipment of the same rank.

The more equipment he possessed, the stronger his combat power would become.

“Hmm… well, alright. If that’s what you want.”

Kim Jeonhwan said as he packed away the antlers.

“So what kind of commissions are you looking for?”

“Nothing too entangled. Something dungeon-related like this one would be ideal.”

Experiencing real combat as quickly and concisely as possible while getting accustomed to his equipment was also a goal.

For that purpose, facing magic beasts across various dungeons would be best.

At that, Kim Jeonhwan hummed in thought, seemingly considering something deeply.

“Hmm… actually, there is another decent Designated Commission. But it comes with some risk.”

“How dangerous are we talking?”

“Have you ever heard of a Dungeon Break?”

At that moment, the corners of Siyoon’s eyes twitched.

“Dungeon Break?”