Chapter 20 – Hunter Training Business

If you look at social media and the like, people who awaken their powers usually don’t receive any training.

They just learn everything through real combat.

Well, maybe that’s possible. But if you go into a real fight unprepared, nine times out of ten, you’re going to die.

Of course, in reality, there is basic hunter training.

However, it’s barely more than the kind of training you’d get in the military.

That’s not enough.

Training that’s merely a rite of passage won’t save your life.

Lately, my income has been good.

I received a 3.3 billion signing bonus from my exclusive contract with the Hanul Guild. On top of that, I made a profit of 450 million from selling items I acquired while hunting.

My current capital is 3.75 billion. It’s a waste to let that money sit idle, so I decided to pursue a business I’ve wanted to start for a while.

A curriculum that goes beyond the typical training room, designed to forge the body through military-style drills.

Anyone who completes this curriculum will likely go on to do great things.

I discussed this business idea with my former boss.

The gay guy from the Star Center—no, the director—was also very pleased.

For now, I decided to do a trial run. If it goes well, I’ll launch the training business in earnest and expand its scope.

“Hello. I heard this is where you offer hunter enhancement training. Is that correct?”

A customer had arrived.

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

The visitors were people I recognized.

It was the mage and the assassin I’d met in the Anyang Resort dungeon.

“You two came together?”

“Yes, well…”

The male assassin scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.

The female mage smiled shyly, looking embarrassed.

Huh, this atmosphere is a little strange.

“After what happened back then, we started seeing each other often, and one thing led to another… we started dating.”

“Ah, I see.”

Right, I had told the assassin to protect the mage back then.

I’d asked the mage to keep the orcs in check. The assassin got seriously injured protecting her, to the point where he was on the verge of death.

It seems they fell for each other because of that incident.

“Ah, congratulations. Are you both planning to do the training?”

“Yes.”

I remembered the assassin being quite skilled.

Even in a dungeon meant for newbies, his level and stats were pretty high.

The mage, on the other hand, was a complete mess.

She couldn’t even properly use Magic Missile, a basic attack spell, and was flailing around.

“To be honest, we need to join a guild to work as hunters stably, and we were wondering if this curriculum would help. Of course, I’ve been in this line of work for a while, so I’m fine, but Ah-ra is new…”

Ah-ra. That must be the mage’s name.

She nodded her head vigorously. Her timid demeanor hadn’t changed a bit.

It made me wonder if she was cut out to be a hunter at all.

“Ah-ra is good with support magic and has great instincts. I think she could grow quickly with the right support from a proper guild.”

“I see. Miss Ah-ra, what magic skills can you currently use?”

“Ah, one moment.”

Park Ah-ra began listing her skills one by one.

“Open, Sleep, Detect Magic, Bind, and Fire Wall.”

“Can you use reverse magic?”

“Yes, I can!”

Five support spells. Fire Wall is technically an attack spell, but still. If she could use all of these, she was at a decent level.

“Can you both share your status windows with me now?”

“Yes.”

I couldn’t just let them into the guild recklessly, even if we’d fought together.

That would make me no different from the guys who were here before.

First off, the assassin was C-rank. He showed the potential to reach B-rank soon.

The mage was E-rank. Far behind.

“I hear you’re running a team at Hanul, Hyunbin.”

“Yes, I’m currently managing Team 3.”

“Then, is there any chance we could join your team?”

“It’s possible. But you’ll have to pass the basic curriculum first.”

Hearing my words, the assassin, Shin Woo-jin’s, face lit up.

Just as I expected. Shin Woo-jin wanted a guild that he and Park Ah-ra could join together. And Hanul, despite its low ranking, had solid financial backing, making it a place that always drew attention. With the recent change in guild leadership, rumors were spreading that it might just blow up.

I was planning to completely overhaul Team 3. To do that, I needed talent.

Shin Woo-jin. He was definitely good. But Park Ah-ra was ambiguous in many ways.

I wouldn’t just add them to the team because I knew them. Business is business, and personal is personal.

Of course, it’s not like I’m jealous because I’m single.

Really, I’m not.

“If a couple joins a guild and then breaks up… ah, of course, this is just a hypothetical, so please don’t take it the wrong way. If you were to break up, wouldn’t it be awkward to be in the same guild?”

“We won’t break up!”

The woman, who had been quiet until now, answered as if screaming.

“I know you might see it in a negative light, but there are quite a few couples who work together in guilds. And… to be honest, the reason I came to this guild is because I was looking for a place where I could work with Ah-ra.”

They were practically dripping with honey.

I could almost see the pink love beams shooting from their eyes as they looked at each other.

“Alright. Let’s get you registered for the curriculum first.”

I’ll train them first, and if they do well, putting them on the team won’t be an issue.

The mage nodded. As if to say she could do it.

In the end, the two of them decided to undergo the training process to get stronger, and ultimately, to join my team.

“Okay, then I’ll give you the training contracts.”

I handed the documents printed from the printer to the two of them.

“Yes, there’s nothing special in the terms. Don’t fill in the salary section since we haven’t negotiated that yet. Yes, write your name in block letters below that and sign next to it.”

I got their signatures.

“Ah, the training? It’s only for about a week. Of course, room and board are provided. You know the basic training you do when you first become a hunter? It’s just a slightly enhanced version of that… Miss Ah-ra, being a mage, you might be a bit lacking in stamina. Don’t worry. I’ve put together a great training program.”

It seems they got nervous after signing.

“Ah, why are we going to the basement? Because that’s where the training facility is. It has to be in the basement so you can’t escape… I mean, I wanted to renovate it to be more spacious, and the basement was the only space available. The ventilation system is great, so it’ll be fine.”

We went down to the basement.

“Ah, the door? Why am I locking it?”

I answered with a bright smile.

“For security, of course. Oh, can’t you go out to buy cigarettes? Ehei. No, you can’t… You’re not allowed to smoke during training.”

This time, the woman asked.

“Can’t I go make a call home? Come on. The sooner we start training, the sooner you can enter dungeons and make a lot of money. If you want to be a good daughter, that’s the best way, right?”

In fact, someone else had arrived a day earlier. Someone who wanted to join my team after completing the special training course.

That person was also in the basement training room right now. They already knew each other, so they’d probably get along quickly.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s the mister we caught orcs with back then. Oh, you say he just told you to run? Ehei. He didn’t say ‘run,’ he said ‘nice to see you.’ He just looks a little tired and low on energy, but he’s actually very happy to see you.”

As I said that, I had the two of them change into training clothes. Then I handed them the equipment they would use for training.

“Bite down on your mouthpieces. And don’t you dare spit them out. If you take a hit without one, you’ll be spitting teeth. You think a mage doesn’t need one? Come on. Don’t mages get hit? It hurts when a mage gets hit, too.”

I grabbed the mister, who was trying to escape as if having a seizure, and sat him back down in his chair.

This guy keeps overreacting, making the two newcomers misunderstand.

“Alright, let’s begin the training. This is the first curriculum.”

***

A week passed.

“Alright, shall we have a little sparring match?”

The assassin and the mage flinched.

For the first two days, both of them tried everything they could to escape the basement. But it was no use. It was a basement pri—no, a training facility, so well-made that even Papillon couldn’t have escaped.

After giving up, the two of them diligently applied themselves to the training. And the result…

“Today, you two will be sparring.”

At those words, the two of them relaxed, if only a little.

During that time, the assassin Shin Woo-jin had lost all his excess fat, and his face had become slimmer.

The results of his training were good enough that he’d probably acquired combat skills close to B-rank.

He nervously stepped onto the ring. From the opposite side, the mage Park Ah-ra, who had also climbed in, put on her gloves.

“Hoo, hook.”

Every time she breathed, her massive muscles moved as if they were alive. Her arms were no longer slender like twigs.

Hard muscles reminiscent of a horse’s hind legs twitched every time she clenched her fist.

“Alright, begin!”

The assassin moved with agility. With swift footwork.

“Magic!”

*Swoosh!*

A fist, picking up speed, slammed into the assassin’s abdomen.

“Missile!”

“Keuk!”

The assassin Shin Woo-jin, having taken a body blow from Park Ah-ra, was sent flying into the ring ropes.

Park Ah-ra’s use of support magic was quite good. However, her accuracy with attack magic was terribly low.

So I recommended she use her magic at point-blank range.

“Magic Missile!”

Watching the Magic Missile spell—often mistaken for a straight counter punch—I turned my back to head back to the office.

As of today, their training was complete. This was more than enough.

“Hope you two have a lovely relationship.”

From behind me, I could hear the sounds of the assassin being pummeled. The mage, whose entire body had turned to muscle, was letting out a roar of victory.

***

“Strangely, I think I’m starting to enjoy getting hit. Has something gone wrong with me? Hyunbin? No, Coach-nim?”

“Ehei. You’re perfectly normal. You’re a tanker. A tanker. You’re responsible for your allies’ safety through your own sacrifice, so of course it’s enjoyable.”

“Is that so?”

The mister, Go Ju-yong, who looked like his jaw was drawn on with a marker, had now fully adopted the stance of a tanker.

The potbelly that had been the mister’s trademark was already gone. Wouldn’t his wife be happy about that alone? Oh wait, did he say he wasn’t married yet?

“Hook, hook.”

“Our dear Hunter Park Ah-ra. You’ve increased the weight on your barbell, I see?”

“Hook, hook!”

“Aigoo, take it easy now and then.”

“Muscle loss. Problematic.”

Park Ah-ra, who had initially hesitated to join the guild, had now become a universally acknowledged muscle wizard.

I like it.

The weapon she used to carry was a staff that looked like something an old person would use as a cane. But now it was different. Behold, that massive bat.

“Give me back my girlfriend…”

Everything was going well. However, the assassin Shin Woo-jin—the one who had the most potential, and who was currently grabbing me by the collar—had a weaker mentality than I’d expected.

“You ruined everything…!”

Seeing Shin Woo-jin crying resentfully, I was overcome with a wave of disappointment.

I mean, isn’t a girlfriend you can trust your back to better than one who looks so frail she might break?

“We’re breaking up! I’m breaking up with you!”

*Thwack!*

A smile crept onto my face as I watched the affectionate couple.

They’ll never be able to break up.

The three of them joined the Hanul Guild. But they didn’t join my team.

Those bastards.