Chapter 16

Bubbling-

Water infused with Chakra Force passed through several containers and a specially treated filter.

As it did, the dissolved Chakra Force condensed, transforming into a richer, more concentrated extract.

Adding a solution of ground Reincarnation’s Eight-Hand Petal to this extract would cause it to shrivel and harden, forming a solid mass. Cutting this mass into desired shapes completed the pills.

Typically, one pill, similar in size to a regular tablet, held the equivalent effect of about one-fifth of a water bottle’s worth of Chakra Force.

Taking five pills meant accumulating 900 Chakra Points instantly.

While consuming pills was still a chore, it was preferable to absorbing Chakra Force in liquid form.

Kang Yuseong spent five hours making approximately thirty Chakra pills with the prepared ingredients.

The downside was that making the pills required manual labor from start to finish, making it a time-consuming process.

Nevertheless, investing five hours to obtain thirty pills was a remarkable achievement.

If he consumed all of them, he would gain 5,400 Chakra Points in one go.

In truth, that alone was still not enough.

Kang Yuseong was three years behind the Hunters who had been accumulating Chakra Points since the early days.

Although he could grow rapidly using Chakra Cubes, he still had a long way to go.

Kang Yuseong took the pills in doses whenever he had a spare moment.

When taking the pills, he also consumed the Chakra Cube solution to induce a synergistic effect.

*Flash!*

After about an hour of consuming all the pills, Kang Yuseong acquired 6,000 Chakra Points.

Kang Yuseong immediately began Chakra Cultivation.

First, he leveled up the basic Chakra skill, leaving him with approximately 4,000 Chakra Points.

‘And then.’

He brought up a support skill.

He had discovered countless Chakra Cultivation methods, and he chose one he had already thought of.

[Stage 1, Support] Chakra, Carapace Melt Level 1

Covers your weapon with an acidic Chakra membrane for Carapace Melt.
Penetration increases, and cellular necrosis occurs in the penetrated area.
(Penetration +10)
(Cellular Necrosis 50 damage per second, lasts up to 30 seconds)

It wasn’t an attack skill.

However, Chakra, Carapace Melt was an extremely useful support skill.

In fact, even in the distant future, the utility of this support skill was not widely known. But when its effectiveness was discovered by chance, it became an almost essential skill for swordsmen.

The frightening thing was that Carapace Melt didn’t just work on monsters.

It was a skill that had a fatal effect on humans as well, specifically those wearing sturdy armor.

When Chakra, Carapace Melt reached its peak, it could even pierce through armor boasting the strongest defenses.

That was why it was so terrifying.

The upcoming power struggles between nations and the wars between domestic guilds.

In that pandemonium, if one didn’t possess something superior to others, they would be culled.

Amidst all that, the Chakra, Carapace Melt skill would prove incredibly useful.

Of course, it would also be useful when hunting monsters.

Support skills consumed a lot of Chakra Points.

Carapace Melt had devoured a whopping 1,000 points just to unlock Stage 1, but Kang Yuseong didn’t regret it.

With the remaining points, Kang Yuseong unlocked a few more Chakra skills.

[Stage 1, Attack] Chakra, Flame Barrage Stage 1

[Stage 1, Attack] Chakra, Blade Twist Stage 1

[Special] Chakra, Swordsman’s Mindset Stage 2

[Special] Chakra, Butcher’s Disassembly Stage 1

Four Chakra skills.

All of them were invaluable Chakra skills at his current stage.

In the past, Kang Yuseong had madly devoted himself to hunting to discover Chakra Cultivation methods, and his efforts from that time were now bearing fruit.

Chakra skills often overlapped among Hunters, leading to active research on each skill. Some skills could even be learned by defeating specific monsters.

For instance, a Chakra skill like Chakra, Butcher’s Disassembly could be learned by defeating Demec, the Slaughterer, a Level 140 monster.

Kang Yuseong watched the Chakra Cube solution, which was still emitting hazy steam from various devices.

It would take a long time for these to be completed.

Kang Yuseong looked at the calendar hanging on the wall.

A certain date was circled.

It was exactly one week from now.

The D-Day he had planned to enter the D-98-A Dungeon.

He had to finish preparations to enter it within a week.

Because by now, what he had anticipated would be in preparation.

‘Incheon…’

Historically, many Chinese people had settled in Incheon.

While there was the lingering effect of the old Chinatown, the Mega Shock had rendered national borders meaningless, allowing the Chinese to completely take over Incheon.

Initially, the military had managed to hold them back, but now it was useless.

These were individuals who could even dodge bullets.

The existence of Hunters was gradually becoming a strategic weapon for each nation.

Fortunately, after occupying Incheon, they hadn’t expanded their influence elsewhere.

This was because a major domestic guild was holding them back.

But that too would soon end.

Because the Black Society’s surprise attack, which would be known in the future as the “Second Incheon Landing Operation,” would begin in Incheon.

There was roughly one month left.

The Black Society’s surprise attack was incredibly powerful, and the Hunters of South Korea, caught off guard, would be annihilated in an instant.

Perhaps if those exceptional Hunters hadn’t died then, Kang Yuseong might not have died in the future.

And in Busan, as if by prior arrangement, the Tsukuyomi Alliance from Japan would launch an attack. It was as if the endless, tiresome foreign invasions that had constantly occurred throughout the long history of the Korean Peninsula were repeating themselves.

‘This time, things won’t go your way.’

The monsters’ rampages were dangerous, but ultimately, human greed and cruelty were even more terrifying and perilous.

Having experienced that future once, Kang Yuseong clenched his fists.

He had to become stronger.

To stop them.

And to sweep away the traitors who sprouted like rotten mold from within.

He still lacked power.

But soon, the day would come when he gained that power.

Kang Yuseong was waiting for that moment.

* * * * *

Bidding on the Hunter Market was also very active.

A considerable amount of Chakra Cubes had already been collected, and other materials were piling up.

Kang Yuseong also invested a large sum of money to purchase a machine.

This was an automated potion production machine manufactured by Hansen, a world-renowned hunting specialized company. Its price was astronomically high, in the hundreds of millions, enough to make even seasoned Hunters hesitate to buy it.

Even if they bought it, there weren’t many ways to profit from the machine.

This was especially true because large corporations had already monopolized most of this area.

Hunters found it much more profitable to simply sell raw materials rather than collect, process, and sell them.

But Kang Yuseong was different.

He knew recipes that the major corporations currently didn’t possess.

‘Should I release one first?’

What he was thinking about now was a Stamina Potion.

Something everyone needed, but for which research had not yet been done.

Hunters had excellent stamina, but it wasn’t limitless.

While hunting, it was common to miss prey by a single step or suffer critical injuries by failing to dodge an attack.

The Stamina Potion was developed for such moments.

As a Monarch, Kang Yuseong naturally knew the recipe for it.

And he had already gathered enough ingredients from the Hunter Market.

Now, once the machine arrived, his planned potion production would begin.

He planned to apply for patents gradually.

Even just securing domestic patents would bring in a decent amount of royalties.

Of course, he had no intention of ceding patents to foreigners.

When the time was right, he intended to apply for international patents as well.

However, protecting international patents was very risky.

People would commit murder to steal patents.

With astronomical sums of money involved, they would stop at nothing.

Kang Yuseong had already prepared countermeasures for this.

If they dared to touch Kang Yuseong’s patents, they would regret it bitterly.

Because Kang Yuseong had no intention of forgiving anyone who touched what was his.

Whether it was a patent, an item, or his people.

* * * * *

The next day, as soon as dawn broke, Kang Yuseong’s phone rang.

*Ring-ring!*

“This is Baek Myeong-han.”

A deep voice spoke.

Kang Yuseong nodded and replied.

He had probably called about today’s hunt.

“The hunt is set for 10 AM today. Have you scouted a location?”

“I’ve secured the D-34 Dungeon. There are other parties, but it’s a large dungeon, so there shouldn’t be any issues. One o’clock seems fine.”

“Understood. You’ve worked hard.”

“Ah, but…”

“Yes?”

“Do you happen to have a porter to accompany you this time? If not, I could introduce someone.”

Kang Yuseong smiled at those words.

‘A porter, huh?’

He knew a pretty good porter.

“No, I’ll find one myself.”

“Ah, I see. Then I’ll see you at ten.”

“Yes, see you then.”

Kang Yuseong hung up the phone and checked the time.

Four in the morning.

‘I need to hurry.’

A veteran porter.

He had to hurry to meet him.

He would probably be ‘there’.

Kang Yuseong packed his weapon and backpack and immediately left the house.

There was no need to worry about locking up; he had already invested a large sum to install a robust security system.

He walked quickly and arrived at a familiar place.

The intersection in front of the employment agency where he had first gone to earn money.

In the distance, several men could be seen burning firewood in drums, warming their hands.

‘Nothing has changed.’

Kang Yuseong smiled as he watched them.

He walked straight towards them.

“Oh?”

But they recognized him first.

“Isn’t that the new guy?”

“Oh, it is, isn’t it? It’s the new guy!”

Having not seen him for a few days, the people there whispered as they saw Kang Yuseong.

“Hey there, Yuseong! Long time no see, eh?”

Yoon Seong-tak, who was there, smiled brightly at Kang Yuseong.

“Long time no see. You’ve been well?”

“Haha, I’ve been fine. But you, are you heading to a dungeon today? You look bright and healthy.”

“Yes, I have to go to a dungeon.”

Yoon Seong-tak smiled and patted his shoulder.

“Then it looks like you’ll be going with this senior again.”

“Of course, I have to go with you again, senior.”

Kang Yuseong grinned.

“Haha, this guy! But which guild have you been assigned to?”

Kang Yuseong looked at Yoon Seong-tak and replied.

“Senior, I have a request.”

Yoon Seong-tak made a puzzled expression.

“Huh? A request?”

Kang Yuseong smiled again.

“Would you be my porter today?”

Yoon Seong-tak frowned.

“What…?”

He stared intently at Kang Yuseong for a moment, then let out an “Ah-” of surprise.

“You don’t mean…!”

Kang Yuseong nodded.

“Yes, I became a Hunter. Somehow.”

“Hmph, this guy… how does one just ‘somehow’ become a Hunter?”

The porters around them also looked surprised at his words.

“I came to find you because I thought I’d feel much more secure if you were with me, senior.”

Yoon Seong-tak looked at him, then chuckled and shook his head.

“Well, I’ll be… you never know what life will throw at you. But what should I do? I already have a contract today…”

Just then, someone next to him stepped forward.

“Captain Yoon, why don’t you go with the new guy? We’ll figure out a replacement for you here.”

“Yeah, today’s a D-rank dungeon, so anyone can go. Hold on, I’ll talk to the team leader.”

One of the porters made a call, then hung up shortly after.

“It’s done. He said it’s a light day anyway, so a different porter can fill in. Captain Yoon, you go with the new guy.”

“Ah, would that really be alright…?”

As Yoon Seong-tak hesitated, the others pushed him.

“Tsk, go teach that greenhorn a thing or two! He looks like a beginner at hunting, so teach him well!”

“Yeah, having Captain Yoon by his side will be reassuring.”

“Ah, alright, alright. Then, Yuseong, I’ll be counting on you.”

Yoon Seong-tak extended a calloused hand.

Kang Yuseong smiled as he grasped the hand with its blunt, severed finger.

“I’ll be counting on you, senior.”

Yoon Seong-tak met his gaze and smiled broadly.