Chapter 45

I Am Not a Reincarnator Chapter 45

Monster Hunt (1)

After completing three months of seclusion training, the first place I headed to was the Association.

“Huh? Is that person...”

“Isn’t it Oh Jin?”

“What? Didn’t he die at the Gate?”

It seems a rumor had spread during my three-month absence that I had died at the Gate.

I passed by the gathered Awakeners in front of the Association and entered the main building.

*Knock knock.*

“Yes, come in.”

I knocked on the office door and entered.

A middle-aged man with a large build that made the spacious desk seem small was visible.

“Oh, Oh Jin?!”

*Thud!*

The team leader jumped up from his seat.

“It’s been a while, Team Leader Han.”

After three months, even his bulging muscles felt strangely welcoming.

“Haha. I’m not a team leader anymore.”

“Really?”

Then he smiled and handed me a business card.

The position of 'Disaster Countermeasures Department Director' was proudly written next to the name Han Junman.

“Wow, when did you get promoted?”

“It’s all thanks to you, Oh Jin.”

Team Leader Han, or rather, Director Han, smiled and gave a thumbs up.

‘Well, it was Han Junman who recruited me to the Association, after all.’

Such a rapid promotion was understandable.

“Haha. Should I treat you to a meal then?”

“Sure, why not? Oh, it’s lunchtime, how about we go eat together?”

“Sounds good.”

Free food, no reason to refuse.

“Let’s go. I know a good place.”

Thus, I left the Association with Director Han.

The place he led me to was a luxurious hanok.

Glancing at the sign, it was a restaurant specializing in Korean beef.

‘Korean beef!’

Oh Jin’s eyes gleamed with greed.

Although he now had some financial freedom, old habits die hard.

The thought of eating expensive food for free made his heart race.

“Haha! Go ahead, order whatever you like, Oh Jin!”

Director Han laughed heartily.

“I won’t hold back then.”

Oh Jin called the waiter.

“Yes~ What would you like to order?”

“Everything from here to here, please.”

He traced a line from the left end to the right end of the menu.

*Flinch.*

Director Han’s shoulders trembled.

“Eh... All of this?”

“Yes.”

*Smile.*

Oh Jin nodded with a bright smile.

“Cough, cough. Even so, isn’t that a bit much?”

“Come on, I have to order this much to show my appreciation for your promotion.”

“*Sigh.*”

Director Han swallowed and made a pained expression.

It might have been a bit much, but...

‘He got promoted thanks to me, so this is fine.’

*Hm.*

He nodded and waited for the food to arrive.

“Did your training yield any results?”

“Yes, it wasn’t bad.”

Over the past three months, he had reached the 4th rank and opened up a new area of synthesis skills.

While not entirely satisfied, the results were sufficient.

“If it wasn’t bad, to what extent...”

“I reached the 4th rank.”

“Really?”

Director Han’s eyes widened.

His mouth gaped open as if he had seen a ghost.

“4th rank? You reached the 4th rank in just three months?”

“Yes.”

“Wow...”

He rubbed his forehead in disbelief.

For an Awakener who had been awakened for less than half a year to reach the 4th rank was unheard of.

“...Even the Seven Stars didn’t progress that quickly.”

Especially considering that the stronger the Sacred Mark, the harder it is to advance in rank, this was an incredible speed.

“If I’m going to be a rookie receiving worldwide attention, I need to be at this level to hold my own.”

“Haha! Recruiting you to the Association was truly a stroke of genius.”

“By the way, did anything significant happen during the past three months?”

*Chirp chirp!*

He asked while placing the meat on the grill.

“Significant... There was a major incident.”

Director Han’s expression stiffened slightly.

“What happened...?”

“A Gate surge occurred near Sokcho.”

Gate surge.

A phenomenon where monsters from inside the Gate pour out.

“Especially problematic was that the monsters that emerged were not ordinary monsters but demons.”

“Demons?”

It was a term he had never heard before.

“Oh, you were inside the Sacred Sanctuary, so you wouldn’t know. Didn’t I mention before that there was a sudden increase in variant monsters worldwide?”

“Yes, you did.”

In fact, Oh Jin had encountered quite a few variant monsters.

“With the number of variant monsters increasing so much, a new term was designated to refer to them.”

“Is that what demons are?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Demons.

Considering that variant monsters were several times more ferocious and powerful than ordinary monsters, it was a fitting name.

“Anyway, currently in Sokcho, demons are rampaging in the city, making the situation quite serious.”

While monsters rampaging in the city was not unusual on a global scale, Korea was considered relatively ‘safe’ in terms of monsters, so this was a rare occurrence.

“What’s the scale?”

“Well, most of them are hiding in the mountains outside the city, so it’s hard to get an accurate count. But we estimate there are at least a thousand.”

“...That’s a huge number.”

Over a thousand demons.

Just imagining it was daunting.

“By the way, a hunting team has been organized for this.”

Hunting team.

‘Hmm... Should I join?’

If he had to go to a place where over a thousand demons were swarming alone, he would have tried to avoid it, but this wasn’t the case.

‘Not bad.’

A hunting team organized for such a powerful group of demons would not only help him gain practical experience but also allow him to test the power of his newly acquired 4th rank Sacred Mark.

“Is there a reward?”

“Of course. There’s a reward of one to three million won per demon, depending on the rank. Of course, the Sacred Stones you collect are separate.”

With a substantial reward, there was no reason to refuse.

‘I’ve already treated my sister’s eyes, so now...’

*Chirp chirp!*

Oh Jin picked up two pieces of perfectly cooked beef and placed them on a lettuce leaf.

1 wrap, 2 meat.

A luxury he could hardly imagine in the past.

‘I should enjoy delicious food to the fullest.’

For himself and his sister.

They had both lived through very tough times for a long time.

“Can I join the hunting team?”

“Hahaha. I was about to suggest it, but you beat me to it.”

Director Han nodded with a knowing smile.

“When does the team depart?”

“Probably no later than the day after tomorrow.”

“Perfect.”

That would give him enough time to prepare the necessary equipment.

“This will cause a stir when it’s announced that Oh Jin is joining the hunting team.”

“It’s only getting better.”

Reputation is money.

As long as he can handle it, there’s no reason to refuse.

“Alright.”

Oh Jin smiled brightly and lifted the bowl, now empty.

“Phew. Since we’re leaving for the hunt, I should eat heartily.”

“*Sigh.*”

Director Han sighed deeply, looking at the bill.

“Oh, right. The meeting place for this hunting operation is in Sokcho. Do you have a car, Oh Jin?”

“No.”

In a situation where he had to save every penny, he couldn’t afford a car.

Besides, the meeting place being in Sokcho...

‘Should I take the train?’

But with demons rampaging in the city, would the trains even be running?

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

Director Han pulled out a car key from his pocket.

“This is...”

“It’s a car provided by the Association. It’s a high-end model, so you shouldn’t have any trouble driving it.”

“Oh wow.”

Beef and now a car.

‘Reputation really is money.’

He was getting perks without doing anything.

Before he was awakened, such benefits were unimaginable.

“By the way, can you drive, Oh Jin?”

“I’ll have to learn.”

Two days until the hunt.

Plenty of time to learn to drive.

* * *

After parting ways with Team Leader Han.

Oh Jin returned home.

“Even after so long, this place still feels unwelcoming.”

He clicked his tongue, looking at the worn-out exterior.

*Creak.*

He opened the door and entered.

“Hm?”

Ha Eun wasn’t there.

“Where did she go?”

She rarely went out.

He tilted his head and went up to the roof.

There, he saw...

*Whoosh.*

Ha Eun, with her right arm extended, had her eyes closed and was focusing intently.

‘She must have been training.’

Oh Jin stood quietly, watching her train.

“Huff.”

She slowly exhaled after a deep breath.

*Whirr!*

The Sacred Mark on her left chest glowed.

And then...

*Whoosh!*

A red flame shot up from her hand.

“Hah!”

With a short shout, Ha Eun waved her hand.

A fierce, beast-like flame erupted.

‘Wow.’

A short exclamation escaped Oh Jin’s lips.

When he saw her before he was awakened, she just looked ‘impressive,’ but now, with his own improved abilities, he could clearly see her strength.

‘My sister is that strong.’

After all, she was an Awakener who had reached the 7th rank.

And not just any 7th rank, but one of the strongest.

She couldn’t be weak.

*Whirr! Whirr!*

The red flame spread like a net, dominating the surroundings.

Even from a distance, the intense heat made his skin tingle.

But...

‘...Not as much as before.’

He could clearly feel that her body had not fully recovered.

“Eh? Oh, Oh Jin?”

While watching her train, Oh Jin was noticed by Ha Eun, who was startled and quickly retracted the flame.

“What are you doing here, just watching without saying anything?”

Was she embarrassed to be caught training?

Ha Eun’s face turned slightly red as she approached.

“You seem to have improved a lot.”

“Well... I’m not fully recovered yet.”

Ha Eun shrugged.

“Haha. You must be done with your training. How about we go out for a meal, just the two of us?”

“I just ate.”

“Huh?”

Ha Eun’s expression twisted.

“Haha. I got some Korean beef.”

“Ugh! You selfish brat!”

Ha Eun grabbed his collar and shook him.

Oh Jin chuckled.

“After this job is done, let’s go eat together again.”

“Huh? Job?”

“Have you heard about Sokcho?”

“...Something about demons?”

“Yeah.”

He nodded.

“I’ve decided to join the hunting team for this. So I’ll be away from home for a few more days.”

“...”

Ha Eun’s eyes narrowed.

She stepped closer to Oh Jin.

Her chestnut hair swayed like flames.

“I’m going with you.”

“What?”

Oh Jin’s eyes narrowed.

“You’re not fully recovered yet.”

“I’m recovered enough to take down a few monsters.”

“Still...”

“Moving around a bit will help me recover faster than just sitting around, right?”

“Hmm.”

She had a point.

Just like how practical experience is the fastest way to improve the proficiency of a Sacred Mark, it becomes more active in urgent situations.

“Alright. Let’s go together then.”

For the first time.

They would move together as fellow Awakeners.

“Yay!”

Ha Eun twisted her body in excitement.

*Grab.*

She grabbed Oh Jin’s hand and smiled.

“To make sure you don’t get lost, I’ll hold your hand tightly, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Absolutely.”

She’s going to be a handful.