Chapter 30
Junhyeok fluidly switched between his bow, sword, and dagger, maximizing his damage output.
Kung! Kwang! Kukwang!
Zeroth's attacks didn't even graze him. Junhyeok completely disregarded defense, focusing solely on an all-out offensive - a hunting style impossible without extrasensory perception. But with his heightened senses, he became nearly untouchable.
Swoosh!
Thud! Crack!
'Finally, the shield broke!'
It had taken barely 20 minutes to strip Zeroth of all its shields.
Kuuooooh!
Now only the main body's health remained.
'Stun Charging!'
Thwack!
Using the skill copied from Lee Daesoo, Junhyeok stunned Zeroth and immediately followed up with Lightning Strike.
'Lightning Strike!'
The moment Zeroth was stunned, Junhyeok teleported behind it using Lightning Strike and placed his hand on the now shieldless monster's body.
'Copy!'
[Would you like to copy the skill: [Passive] Lowest-Rank Soldier of the Vargos Tribe?]
Since there was only one skill available, no selection window appeared. Junhyeok quickly accepted.
'Yes!'
-Copy complete.
Though he hadn't checked the skill's details yet, simply confirming he could copy skills from monsters was achievement enough.
"Everything's done. Time to finish this quickly."
Thanks to Force Booster and Force Recharge, Junhyeok still had ample energy reserves. He began spamming skills to end the hunt swiftly.
Kukwakwang! Kwakwang!
'Hmm... The noise must be attracting other monsters.'
Junhyeok had kept his map open and checked periodically just in case. While there had been no reaction earlier due to distance, several dots now moved rapidly toward his position.
'Three moving dots. At this distance... about 15 minutes until they arrive. Cutting it close.'
Roughly five minutes had passed since breaking the shields. According to simulations, another monster would likely appear as this hunt concluded. But simulations differed from reality - unexpected variables often emerged in actual combat. Thus, Junhyeok intensified his assault beyond simulation parameters.
Ultimately, Junhyeok completed the hunt safely in approximately 35 minutes - a full minute faster than simulated. The loot consisted only of Zeroth's byproducts and an F-grade crystal. Using Blink to exit immediately, he returned home via the rooftop teleportation circle.
"Whew... At this rate, I can significantly shorten my Second Awakening timeframe."
Typically, hunters bagged two monsters per outing every two or three days. This method required about two years for Second Awakening. But Junhyeok could hunt three monsters per trip plus one solo at dawn - double others' efficiency. If this continued smoothly, he'd achieve in one year what took others two.
"Not bad. Now... about that copied skill?"
He examined [Passive] Lowest-Rank Soldier of the Vargos Tribe:
-ATK +10%
-DEF +10%
-Lowest-Rank Kinship Recognition
(Universal skill - requires deck registration)
While decent stat boosts, they paled compared to his current passives. The Kinship Recognition intrigued him:
"Lowest-Rank Kinship Recognition? What's this?"
Clicking revealed:
-Recognized as kin by lowest-rank Vargos soldiers (non-aggressive). Doesn't apply to higher ranks.
Junhyeok's eyes widened.
"Wait... they won't attack me?!"
Indeed - monsters of equal rank would recognize him as kin and refrain from attacking (though infighting still occurred occasionally). Without territorial disputes, they generally coexisted peacefully.
"This is... insane! I'm equipping this for every solo hunt!"
The ability to focus solely on targets without distraction was invaluable. Though it meant maintaining separate skill decks for party/solo play, he didn't mind - especially since he planned to hunt every other day anyway (to spend time with siblings while still progressing twice as fast as others). Plus, 48 hours between hunts negated 24-hour cooldowns for deck changes.
"An extremely satisfying day," he mused before bed - having struck gold with both a dealer awakening stone from party hunting and now this game-changing passive.
Early the next morning, Junhyeok received a call from the Association. After hearing the Association Head personally requested a meeting, he scheduled an appointment.
"What could it be? Why would someone of his stature want to see me...?"
The meeting was set for 2 PM, but he arrived 30 minutes early.
"Hello, Joohee."
Approaching the desk clerk, Junhyeok offered a light greeting. Joohee responded with a bright smile.
"Welcome, Junhyeok. What brings you here today?"
"I received a call this morning about a sudden meeting with the Association Head. Any idea what it's regarding?"
Joohee's eyes widened in surprise.
"The Association Head? Hmm... It was likely arranged through the secretary's office. Let me check."
She connected via intercom to the secretary's office.
"Yes, this is the 1st-floor lobby desk. Choi Junhyeok, who recently awakened as a Tanker, is here regarding the Association Head meeting. Ah! Yes. Understood."
Hanging up, she turned to Junhyeok.
"They confirmed the appointment. You can head up now. I'll guide you."
Joohee led him to the elevator, and they ascended to the 6th-floor Association Head's office. Moments later:
"I've brought Choi Junhyeok."
As Joohee announced their arrival, a stone-faced secretary nodded slightly and picked up the intercom.
"One moment, please. Association Head, Mr. Choi has arrived."
-"Oh! Send him in."
"Right away."
Click!
The secretary rose and opened the office door.
"You may enter."
Junhyeok bowed slightly and stepped inside.
A robust middle-aged man in his late 50s stood up with a welcoming smile.
"Haha, welcome! Please, have a seat. Ah, may I speak informally?"
He'd already dropped formal speech mid-question. Junhyeok nodded as he sat.
"Of course. I was surprised by the sudden summons. May I ask why you requested this meeting?"
The Association Head smiled.
"Nothing major. I heard you received a C-grade this time."
Junhyeok nodded.
"Yes. It just happened that way."
"Just happened? Modest, aren't we? While C-grades aren't exceptionally rare, they're not common either. Many countries hand them out liberally to seemingly talented individuals - China's particularly notorious."
Junhyeok's response remained terse.
"I see."
Unfazed, the Association Head continued.
"Most C-grades are worthless chaff. If we exclude those, maybe one or two true C-grades emerge yearly - sometimes none. And though you may not know, a 1st Awakening C-grade is the gateway to S-rank."
The minimum requirement for reaching S-rank was indeed a 1st Awakening C-grade. However, most failed to meet subsequent awakening criteria. Still, nations specially monitored such cases.
Junhyeok wondered where this was going.
'Tch. Get to the point already. I didn't come here to waste time...'
Outwardly, he maintained polite attentiveness.
"Yes, I'm aware C-grades are difficult to obtain. But is that reason enough for the Association Head himself to summon me? Or is there another matter?"
The Association Head chuckled.
"Enough preamble. Let me ask directly - have you decided on a guild to join during your novice protection period?"
"No. I'm still considering."
Though he had no intention of joining any guild, Junhyeok dodged the question to avoid further prying.
Leaning forward, the Association Head's expression turned grave.
