Chapter 3

003 Military Discharge (1)

A gate appeared in Daejeon, Doan Forest Park.

It was an E-class gate that was left intact without destroying its core, as it was determined that the Break phenomenon could be easily suppressed.

Thud.

A young man got off the bus and looked at the black space, the gate, created at the entrance of Doan Forest Park.

"Huh? A soldier?"

"Looks like a discharged one? There's the discharge mark. That's it."

"Huh? Isn't that the guy from the internet?"

"Oh, the one who awakened at the moment of discharge?"

"Wow! I thought it was just a rumor. He really is pitiful."

The newly discharged soldier, almost failing to maintain his composure at the sound of people's voices in his ears, glanced at his attire.

Civilian clothes?

None. He had sent all his belongings by courier. With only a wallet in hand, where would he get other clothes?

Money?

None. The day before his discharge, he had a party, leaving only enough money for transportation after spending all his savings on his juniors. Where would he get money?

"Haa..."

The newly discharged soldier, who had visited the city hall upon arriving in Daejeon to obtain a temporary hunter ID, sighed deeply as he looked at the gate.

"When will I get home?"

Remaining time: 5 days.

Remaining value: 130.

It had been one day since he was discharged and became just a civilian.

Han Yul, still in his military uniform, headed for the gate.

***

Not much is known about the gates.

However, through continuous research, a few facts have been revealed. One of them is that even if the core of a gate is destroyed, the gate does not disappear.

What happens if the core of a gate is destroyed?

The gate closes.

However, it reopens after an hour.

What if the core of a gate is destroyed again?

The same thing happens.

But the number of monsters appearing from the gate decreases.

Depending on the gate, if the core is destroyed five or more times, the gate will finally disappear.

The second fact revealed through continuous research is the existence of mana stones.

When a person awakens as a hunter, a place to store the energy of their supernatural ability, commonly known as mana or qi, is created in their body.

The awakened supernatural ability consumes this energy, and mana stones have the effect of expanding the space to store this energy.

How to use them?

It's simple. Just swallow them.

How do you distinguish between consumption mana stones and resource mana stones?

It's also simple. Use the support system or emotions.

"Resource mana stones are sold, and consumption mana stones are sold."

The extremely valuable consumption mana stones are best consumed.

However, Han Yul's occupation has changed from a newly discharged soldier to a debtor.

If he cannot meet the value of 130 within 5 days?

The dimensional trade will be sealed, and he will have to register as a hunter officially, able to use only the Magic Missile spell.

"Deep breath, exhale!"

Taking a deep breath, Han Yul resumed his steps.

Thud, whoosh!

The moment he stepped into the gate, his field of vision changed.

Han Yul nodded, confirming the vast plain where people had gathered and the forest visible in the distance.

Surprised?

Unlike in the past, modern soldiers mostly have combat experience due to the existence of monsters as enemies. Therefore, the world of the gate did not give Han Yul much excitement.

Moreover, the thought of his debt often lingered in his mind.

"Soldier?"

"Why is a soldier here?"

A hunter with a bow and a hunter with a sword were among those who fixed their gaze on Han Yul, each holding weapons suited to their abilities, such as gauntlets and axes.

"Oh, I saw on the internet that someone awakened on the day of their discharge."

"Wow!"

"Wow, so pitiful."

After serving for three years... After serving for three years and being discharged, he became a hunter with the benefit of being exempt from military service.

Some laughed, some looked at him with pity, and others approached to confirm the facts.

But Han Yul acted first.

Thud, thud, thud.

Han Yul moved away from the entrance, called the safe zone, while receiving people's gazes.

"Playing solo?"

"I saw on the internet that he awakened yesterday."

"Hey, let's go see. Let's go see."

The hunters, who had been whispering, stood up. The fact that he was a newly discharged soldier and could play solo as an awakened person piqued their curiosity.

It's not a nuisance.

Those who follow at a safe distance can also help in case of danger, so if the spectators are hunters, their actions are not a nuisance.

Well, if he were extremely shy, it might be a nuisance.

But Han Yul, the subject of the hunters' attention, smiled for a different reason.

'Good.'

The ability of dimensional trade must be hidden.

In other words, it's better if people think his awakened ability is magic rather than dimensional trade, so having many witnesses is actually desirable.

'But why am I so annoyed?'

Clearly, he had gathered the attention he wanted, but strangely, he felt annoyed.

"Let's focus for now."

Han Yul cleared his mind of distractions and refocused on the gate.

Doan Forest E-class Gate.

The monsters that appear are the Blood Wolves with red fur roaming the plain, the living trees called Treens in the forest, and finally, the goblins guarding the core.

Rumble!

Not long after leaving the safe zone, a Blood Wolf roaming the plain stopped and turned its head.

One Blood Wolf.

Just like when he entered the gate, Han Yul took a deep breath and recited a spell.

"Ranged ability!"

"Wow! I'm so jealous!"

Those who awakened with melee abilities envy ranged ability users because they need to undergo repeated combat training, while ranged ability users envy melee ability users because they can never match their physical prowess no matter how much they train.

The melee ability users let out exclamations of envy, while the ranged ability users looked at the blue arrow that appeared above Han Yul's head with curiosity.

Roar!

He had been reciting the mana breathing method and repeatedly casting Magic Missile to increase his casting speed without sleeping.

Additionally, he had only learned Magic Missile, so there was no risk of confusing it with other spells.

"Magic Missile."

The moment he finished the incantation, the blue arrow that appeared above his head flew towards the Blood Wolf charging at him.

Whoosh!

Thud!

"Hmm?"

"It seems to be a piercing type."

"Right. But isn't it difficult to play solo with that ability?"

"He was a soldier. He received training..."

The hunters, still puzzled, began to converse with their companions. Han Yul was the same. The Magic Missile, which is an explosive spell, had embedded itself in the Blood Wolf's body, causing him to frown slightly as he looked at the Blood Wolf.

"It was clearly an explosive spell..."

Boom!

The Magic Missile embedded in the Blood Wolf's body exploded late.

"..."

Han Yul fell silent.

"..."

The hunters also fell silent.

A massive explosion.

Flesh scattered in all directions.

"..."

Someone made a retching sound and turned their head, while someone else stared blankly at where the Blood Wolf had fallen.

Han Yul was the latter.

"Piercing followed by explosion."

The explosive Magic Missile he learned was a modified spell by Rest.

"Damn, this is good."

Good. Despite being only a 1st Circle spell, it showed an invisible but tremendous destructive power to a newly awakened hunter.

What about a 2nd Circle spell? What about a 3rd Circle spell?

"I will definitely pay it back. One hundred and thirty."

***

"Like a hyena searching for prey, I have been wandering the plain, hunting Blood Wolves for four days."

Han Yul muttered to himself and launched a Magic Missile.

Thud!

Boom!

Piercing followed by explosion.

"Perfect."

After eliminating the Blood Wolf and recovering the mana stone, he would repeat this process a few times, then return to the gate entrance, called the safe zone, to recite the mana breathing method and replenish his mana before heading out to hunt again.

For a newly awakened hunter who has not fully adapted and has no combat experience, it is natural to take a break and review the battle after a hunt.

"It's taking too long."

But Han Yul had no time.

Name: E-class Mana Stone (5).

Description: An E-class mana stone containing mana.

The value of an E-class mana stone is 5.

He could meet the value with 26 E-class mana stones.

"The item I need to secure is not a mana stone but a medicinal herb."

Han Yul shook his head.

What Rest wanted was not a mana stone but a medicinal herb. Therefore, he needed to sell the mana stones he secured and use the proceeds to buy medicinal herbs.

He could try to negotiate with Rest to mix mana stones and medicinal herbs, but...

"I can't do that, it would be too embarrassing."

It was embarrassing.

His pride was hurt by the thought of having to resort to tricks again to overcome the crisis.

Of course, if he couldn't find a solution by the last day, he would swallow his pride and make the proposal, but until then, Han Yul intended to pay off his debt normally.

"What should I do?"

Mana stones are not always guaranteed when hunting monsters.

Statistically, one mana stone per five monsters.

Moreover, E-class mana stones are not expensive.

What if he modified the spell to use a piercing Magic Missile to preserve the monster's body and sell it?

The E-class gate is a place that hunters often visit. Selling monster bodies would be a waste of time, energy, and mana.

"Damn it."

Han Yul turned his head to look at the vast forest in the distance.

The monsters living in the forest, the Treens, drop D-class mana stones at a very low rate.

The price of a D-class mana stone is three times that of an E-class mana stone.

"Moreover, I can find medicinal herbs there."

The habitat of the Treens, unlike the Blood Wolves, is in the forest, so with good luck, he could find medicinal herbs.

"Ugh..."

There are two methods.

The first is to find a temporary partner and hunt together.

The advantage is that it allows for safe and quick hunting.

The disadvantage is that the profit will decrease, which could be the worst problem in the current situation.

The second is to continue solo play by moving to the Treen habitat.

The advantage is that he can quickly secure mana stones and, with good luck, find medicinal herbs.

The disadvantage is that the Treens, which occasionally drop D-class mana stones, are much stronger than Blood Wolves and live in clusters, unlike the Blood Wolves scattered across the vast plain.

In other words, he would have to take a significant risk.

"Sniff."

But the conclusion was already decided.

He had to pay off his debt within 5 days.

"This is why you shouldn't be a debtor."

***

At the entrance of the forest called the Treen habitat.

"...Huh? A soldier?"

"Discharge mark... Ah, it's the pitiful discharged soldier."

Fewer hunters were resting there compared to the dungeon entrance, but they started whispering when they saw Han Yul.

"Hehehe. The pitiful discharged soldier."

Was it because he was heading to the gate alone, or because he was still in his discharge uniform?

Despite using the 'ranged supernatural ability' Magic Missile to hunt Blood Wolves, people gave him the nickname "the pitiful discharged soldier."

"Discharged soldier! Are you already active in the Treen forest?"

"..."

Someone raised their hand and asked, and Han Yul, who had stopped walking, turned his head to look at the person.

A woman was sitting on a large rock, maintaining her bow.

...She's beautiful.

"Yes, that's right."

"Heh. Do you want to hunt together?"

He wanted to say 'Yes.' He could fight monsters safely, and if he did really, really well, he could add her phone number to his contacts...

"Oh, I sold it."

He had sold it.

He had sold it before enlisting.

So...

He wanted to say 'Yes.' He could fight monsters safely, and if he did really, really well, he could write her phone number in his notebook, which he always carried with him.

But he couldn't.

"No, no."

The pitiful discharged soldier, Han Yul, shook his head, greeted the woman with a regretful expression, and headed for the Treen forest.

"Damn debtor's life."

If only he didn't have any debt!

Clenching his fist, Han Yul grumbled and refocused on reality with a deep sigh.