Chapter 26

026. Preemptive Occupation (1)

Most of the goals I originally aimed to achieve upon returning have been accomplished.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve had a good rest, and I passed the Hunter Exam too.’

I felt a sense of satisfaction with the achievements I made in less than a day since my return.

Previously, I had felt uneasy about whether I had returned too hastily or wasted 500 points...

But now, such thoughts no longer crossed my mind.

‘Things are going better than expected.’

I had initially planned to secure a spot before the Hunter Exam’s evaluation criteria changed.

However, thanks to the items I brought from the Tower of Trials, I managed to sell them all at once, contrary to my expectations.

Considering the items that will soon flood the market, this is the right approach.

‘Lower-grade items might soon be sold at rock-bottom prices.’

The timing of when the challengers staying in the Tower of Trials return to Earth is a concern.

Given the nature of the trials, it won’t take them long to reach the 8th floor.

‘I need to use my time more efficiently.’

Despite this thought, I stopped by a nearby street vendor and bought a bunch of fish-shaped pastries.

I had tried to suppress my urges, but since I returned to Earth for this, I decided not to hold back.

Of course, considering the balance in my bank account, it was clearly an overindulgence.

‘Well, I can always sell the items in my one-room to resolve that.’

I decided not to dwell on it.

After buying various snacks from the street vendors and stuffing my mouth, I returned to my one-room.

Click.

“...It’s still the same here.”

I smiled involuntarily at the unchanged sight of my one-room, just as I left it.

Clearly, my life’s trajectory had drastically changed outside.

But when I returned home, it felt as if everything had been a dream.

“...Come to think of it, I’ve been living in this place for quite a while.”

It was a residence I obtained through the Player Support Policy, and time had flown by.

Now that I’ve officially become a Hunter, I could move to a larger place through the support policy.

‘But what would I do there, anyway? I’ll be returning to the tower soon.’

Given that my return to Earth was only for three days, I decided to avoid unnecessary actions.

Thud.

“Maybe it’s best to rest a bit today.”

Lying on the bed, I muttered to myself and pulled out my smartphone.

I wanted to catch up on the latest developments and relieve some stress.

However,

‘Nothing has changed.’

There was no news of anything particularly special happening in the world.

I even searched for information on the ‘Tower of Trials,’ but found nothing.

It seems the other challengers haven’t returned from the tower yet.

Certainly, for the lower-ranked challengers, buying a return stone would be a significant burden.

‘Without additional breakthrough rewards, I wouldn’t have been able to return either.’

While the situation might change in a few days...

My circumstances weren’t good enough to wait leisurely for returnees from the Tower of Trials.

‘I need to sell the items I need to dispose of first.’

Even though I’ve used the equipment well so far, it’s time for an upgrade.

The Assassin’s Cloak and the Black Iron Dagger, for instance.

As my stats increased, the agility option on the Assassin’s Cloak became ineffective.

The Black Iron Dagger’s buffs were also inefficient compared to other equipment in the store.

‘What items should I sell...’

After some careful consideration, I reached a decision.

Since I rely on agility, I’ll keep the Assassin’s Cloak.

However, I decided to sell the Black Iron Dagger and the Dead Colossus Shield.

The Dead Colossus Shield, in particular, no longer suits my fighting style.

While I once used the shield’s buffs as a turning point, it’s now a bit precarious.

My main combat style involves quick strikes, so it’s not a good fit.

‘Then it’s decided.’

Tomorrow, I’ll visit the Hunter-exclusive store to sell these two items.

After making this decision, I realized I had nothing else to do.

I definitely need to rest, but...

“What was I supposed to do again?”

I’ve only trained at home, so I’m not sure what to do.

I don’t really have any hobbies, either.

‘Hmm, maybe I should play a game for the first time in a while.’

But I didn’t feel like playing games right now.

If only I were back in the tower, I could have practiced.

I chuckled to myself, realizing I had this thought.

“I must be going crazy.”

I thought I would rest and relieve my fatigue upon returning to Earth.

But it seems that training in the tower suits me better than resting.

Ironically, while I endured the trials hoping to return, I’ve become more accustomed to the Tower of Trials.

Of course, this is because I’ve adapted well to the tower.

‘It’s a bit strange.’

I thought I would enjoy everything to the fullest upon returning to Earth.

But after eating a bowl of soup and some snacks, I lost my appetite, and just taking a shower was enough to satisfy me.

‘Well, I wasn’t the type to indulge myself even before entering the tower.’

I always focused on training and finding ways to improve my Hunter abilities.

Since my parents passed away seven years ago, I’ve lived this way.

Over time, my lifestyle adapted to the Tower of Trials.

Devoting all my remaining time to training and preparing for the trials.

‘I guess I’m really immersed in the Tower of Trials.’

Of course, I have no complaints since it helped me survive.

‘The higher I climb in the Tower of Trials, the stronger I will become.’

I don’t know how many floors there are, but if the 4th floor’s rewards are this good, what will the future hold?

The trials will become more dangerous, but the rewards will also increase.

As I progress, I’ll learn more about the tower.

Of course, this isn’t just a baseless guess.

‘The Question Voucher, the Administrator, and the trial rewards.’

The Tower of Trials doesn’t rigidly enforce rules like a dungeon; it treats challengers quite generously.

It allows us to use intuitive commands and ask questions.

This means that as I climb higher, I’ll learn more.

However, I don’t plan to use the Question Voucher even if I return to the tower now.

‘I should at least use it on the 8th floor.’

It’s a more efficient time to use it, as many new features are added at that point.

I have a hunch that I’ll learn something significant as I climb higher.

‘But that’s a different matter.’

Interrupting my thoughts, I stretched out and closed my eyes.

Having not had a proper sleep in a long time, I needed to take a normal rest rather than train.

‘I won’t be able to sleep this comfortably once I return to the tower...’

It’s best to fully recover from my fatigue while I’m here.

My eyelids slowly closed, and my senses dulled.

I had worried about not being able to fall asleep, but it was a needless concern.

Just a few minutes ago, I felt like I needed to move my body, but now, closing my eyes, I felt sleepy.

‘Physically and mentally, the fatigue from the tower has accumulated.’

Once I realized this, I didn’t resist the sleep but embraced it.

After enduring the harsh trials, a proper rest was necessary.

It was a deep sleep, something I hadn’t experienced in a long time while in the tower.

***

Rumble, rumble.

I woke up to the vibration from my bedside.

Shaking off the drowsiness, I fumbled for my smartphone.

It seemed I had been asleep for quite a while, and it was time to wake up.

I got up from the soft bed and checked the time on my smartphone.

And then,

「AM 11:30」

“...Huh?”

I blinked, staring at the smartphone screen.

‘If it’s 11:30 AM now...’

I had fallen asleep around 8 PM, so I had slept for almost 15 hours.

“Crazy, I slept this much?”

Before entering the tower, I usually slept for 8 hours at most.

“Maybe I was more fatigued than I thought...”

Crack.

I stretched my body lightly and got up.

Although I had slept a lot, my fatigue was completely gone.

‘Now that I’ve rested, it’s time to sell the items.’

Looking at the neatly arranged items in the room, I smiled wryly.

These were the equipment that had been with me through life and death.

It felt a bit sad to think about selling them...

‘But if I don’t sell them, it will be problematic.’

I needed to sell the items now for when I return to Earth in the future.

If the equipment from the Tower of Trials floods the market, lower-grade items might be sold at rock-bottom prices.

With this in mind, I quickly prepared to leave.

With my fatigue fully gone, there was no reason not to move.

I put the items in my bag discreetly, put on a hoodie and jeans, and left the one-room.

Since it was a residence provided by the Player Support Policy, there was a Hunter Association nearby, and the Hunter-related industry was quite active.

Thanks to this, I could reach the Hunter Market without wasting time.

Normally, I wouldn’t be able to enter without proving I’m a Hunter.

「Please verify your Hunter License.」

「Hunter Han Seung-yoon, verified.」

With a Hunter License, I now met the entry requirements.

‘Definitely, this is a place for Hunters, it’s huge.’

This was my impression upon entering the massive building, which was about 10 stories tall.

The Hunter Market, a department store for hunters.

The building was filled with items that any Hunter would want to see at least once.

There were sections for professional repairs and enhancements, and displays of weapons.

Of course...

‘Not all the items are that good.’

Most of the items were of intermediate grades, ranging from F to D.

There was nothing I actually needed, so I moved quickly.

True to its name, the Hunter Market, I found the item selling section easily.

“Welcome, sir.”

A young female employee with glasses greeted me as I entered the store.

“What items are you here to sell?”

“I’m here to sell a shield and a dagger I obtained by chance.”

“A shield and a dagger, two items. Their grades are...”

“One D- and one E-grade.”

“Oh, quite high grades.”

“I was lucky to obtain them.”

After a casual explanation, the woman nodded without further questions.

“I see, please show me the items then.”

Approaching a modestly decorated table, I took out the items from my bag.

The Black Iron Dagger and the Dead Colossus Shield, a total of two pieces of equipment.

The female employee’s eyes widened in surprise.

“What quality... Are you really selling these?”

Her eyes showed disbelief.

She seemed to have judged that these were not ordinary items.

“Yes, I don’t think I’ll need them anymore.”

“...Ah, you must be a high-ranking Hunter.”

Seeing the female employee nod as if she finally understood, I remained silent.

Of course, I’m not a real high-ranking Hunter, but I decided to go along with it.

“Hmm, after evaluating, the Black Iron Dagger can be sold for 65 million won, and the Dead Colossus Shield for about 100 million won.”

Hearing this, I widened my eyes and asked.

“...For an E-grade item, 40 million won would be more appropriate. The Dead Colossus Shield would be around 55 million won.”

“No, no, that’s not the case. Both are high-quality items.”

When I mentioned the information I knew, the woman shook her head.

“The options are more numerous than expected, and there are functions not indicated in the system.”

“What kind of functions are you referring to?”

“The raw materials of the Black Iron Dagger and the creation origin of the Dead Colossus Shield.”

Only then did I understand why the Black Iron Dagger and the Dead Colossus Shield were highly valued.

‘They must have seen the value in the fact that they were made of black iron and created for a paladin.’

I had overlooked these aspects due to my lack of knowledge in this area.

Having never worked in this field, I couldn’t help but feel my shortcomings.

‘I need to pay attention to these details next time.’

While making this resolution, the woman continued.

“Of course, you can get more than the average item if you sell them as they are, but the information in the item descriptions is quite useful.”

“So, the total is 165 million won.”

“Yes, that’s correct. If you wish, you can check with other stores.”

“...No, that’s fine. I’ll sell them here.”

Since I could sell them for a higher amount than expected, there was no need to go elsewhere.

It wasn’t because I was a pushover, but for another reason.

The Hunter Market isn’t just any place that requires a Hunter License.

Unlike regular stores that anyone can enter, the Hunter Market’s stores operate on trust.

Once a Hunter, there’s no point in making enemies.

‘Especially if they think I’m a high-ranking Hunter, it’s even more so.’

There’s no need to provoke a high-ranking Hunter and risk angering them.

“Then, please provide your account number. I’ll transfer the money immediately.”

I readily provided my account number, and soon my smartphone vibrated.

Opening my smartphone to check the account,

「165 million won has been deposited.」

「Balance – 172.38 million won」

I confirmed that the amount from selling all the items had been credited to my account.

Only then did the reality of having 100 million won hit me, and my lips trembled.

‘...Now I feel like I’ve truly become a Hunter.’

And I was certain.

Returning to Earth using valuable points was the right choice.