"Please don't take photos!"
"Please evacuate as quickly as possible!"
The soldiers surrounding the area shouted repeatedly at the gathered civilians, desperately trying to clear the danger zone. Their voices echoed through the streets, but their warnings fell on deaf ears. Instead of retreating, the crowd pressed closer, eager to witness the unfolding battle with their own eyes.
Many people continued taking pictures and recording videos despite the obvious danger. One man even grinned proudly as he snapped a quick selfie, making sure the enormous rampaging monster was clearly visible in the background.
"What are all the hunters doing?"
"How much longer are they going to fight that thing?"
"I wish they'd hurry up and get rid of it already!"
"This is a complete disaster!"
"Please evacuate immediately!"
The soldiers had fulfilled their duty, but the crowd barely acknowledged their presence. Their warnings, commands, and pleas were completely ignored.
"They're causing so much property damage!"
"What if the value of the buildings around here drops?"
While the civilians complained and watched from a supposedly safe distance, the hunters were engaged in a desperate struggle for survival.
"Healers!"
"Focus your healing on the tank!"
Clank!
A massive stone fist slammed against a shield, sending the tank skidding backward across the broken pavement.
"We're doing the best we can!"
"Damage dealers! What are you doing? Doesn't it look like this guy hasn't taken any damage at all?"
"Its defenses are way too strong!"
"And we don't have enough mage hunters to break through its armor!"
Hmm... these hunters are weak.
Jinwoo silently observed the battlefield while surveying the surrounding crowd. To the civilians, the battle seemed almost entertaining. Their eyes sparkled with excitement as if they were watching a live performance rather than a deadly confrontation.
This is dangerous.
None of them seemed to realize how close they were to becoming casualties. One mistake. One stray attack. One failed defense. That was all it would take for the situation to turn into a massacre.
"Please let me through!" shouted the soldier accompanying Jinwoo.
His voice was completely drowned out by the noise of the crowd. Everyone was too busy trying to secure the best angle for their photos and videos.
The hunters' attacks aren't coordinated at all.
They were probably called here at the last minute and forced to assemble an emergency raid team.
Most of them are low-ranking hunters.
Eight E-Ranks and one D-Rank.
That D-Rank is actually skilled. His positioning is solid, and he's doing a good job keeping the monster's attention. Unfortunately, he's a tank. He lacks the firepower necessary to finish the fight.
That's why this battle has dragged on for so long.
The support team consists of two D-Rank healers and one B-Rank healer.
Ah, right.
Lee Joohee.
Looks like she still hasn't completely overcome her trauma. A faint look of hesitation appeared on her face every time the monster attacked. Well, I'll visit her soon and recruit her into my guild. Nothing romantic. She's simply too valuable to ignore. A talented B-Rank healer was an asset that every guild wanted.
All right.
Time to end this little show.
I opened my inventory and pulled out the worn dagger that was already nearing the end of its lifespan. Small cracks ran along the blade, and its durability was practically nonexistent.
Its final purpose will be killing that monster.
I planted one foot firmly against the ground and shifted my weight forward. Every muscle in my body tightened as I gathered as much strength as possible into a single throw.
This boss is around D-Rank.
A full rank below the one I fought earlier.
"Hyaaaah!"
With a powerful motion, I launched the dagger toward the battlefield.
Whoooosh!
The weapon cut through the air like a bullet.
I deliberately aimed for the area just above its eyes.
Meanwhile, the hunters continued their desperate struggle.
"At this rate, we're all going to die!"
"If high-ranking hunters don't arrive soon—"
"Urgh!"
"N-No!"
"The tank's going to be killed if this keeps up!"
"I'm almost out of mana!"
"Huh?"
BOOM!
Crack.
Crack.
Crack.
Thin fractures suddenly appeared across the monster's stone skull.
For a brief moment, nobody understood what had happened.
Then the cracks rapidly spread outward like a giant spiderweb stretching across its entire head.
"It's collapsing!"
"Just a little more!"
"Now's our chance! Attack!"
The hunters immediately surged forward, unleashing every remaining attack they had.
Pow!
Crash!
BOOOOM!
Weapons slammed into the monster from every direction.
Moments later, the giant stone body lost its balance and crashed to the ground.
"We did it!"
"We defeated it!"
Cheers erupted across the battlefield.
Whoooosh!
The tank suddenly felt a cold chill run down his spine.
Years of combat experience screamed a warning deep within his instincts.
"What?"
Something wasn't right.
Up until a moment ago, our attacks weren't doing anything.
Not even a scratch.
So why did it suddenly collapse?
This doesn't make any sense.
None of our attacks were working.
Then what changed?
"What was that thing that just flew over her? Did that somehow knock out the golem?!"
"Wooooooo!"
"What the hell was that?! That giant stone monster's head just exploded! Looking at the worn and battered sword lying on the ground, the boss-level golem didn't even budge when multiple hunters attacked it together. Their combined attacks barely left a scratch on its rocky body. So how could a mere dagger knock it out in a single hit? Who the hell was responsible for that?"
"Hey, you!"
"Yes? Are you talking to me?"
"Did you happen to see the person who threw this dagger?"
"Oh, it belongs to that hunter over there... huh? Eh? That's strange. There was definitely a hunter standing there just a moment ago."
"The strength... the destructive power behind that attack... could it have been a high-ranking hunter? No ordinary hunter could have produced a strike like that. Whoever it was disappeared before anyone could get a good look at them."
--------------------------------------------------
I casually stretched my arms and shoulders as I walked away from the scene. The muscles in my back still felt slightly tense from putting so much force behind that throw.
With that little experiment, I've basically confirmed it.
My current abilities are somewhere between D-Rank and C-Rank.
Compared to before, the difference is enormous.
Maybe I'm only one or two steps away from becoming a genuine C-Rank hunter.
Not long ago, surviving even the weakest dungeons was a struggle.
Now I had casually killed a D-Rank boss monster with a single throw.
The improvement was impossible to ignore.
Still, standing around thinking about it wouldn't accomplish anything.
For now, it was time to head home.
More importantly, it was probably time for me to finally be discharged from the hospital.
There were still plenty of things I needed to prepare for.
The future was moving faster than I had expected, and stronger enemies would inevitably appear. Compared to what was waiting ahead, today's battle was nothing more than a warm-up.
As I walked away, leaving the confused hunters and celebrating crowd behind me, I glanced down at my hands.
Soon enough, these hands would need to become far stronger than they were now.
Because what was coming next would be far more dangerous than a mere D-Rank boss monster.
_______________________________
Name: Sung Jin-Woo
Level: 18
Job: None
Fatigue: 70
Title: Wolf Assasin
HP: 2220/2700
MP: 350/2700
Strength: 47
Health: 27
Agility: 30
Intelligence: 27
Sense: 27
Available Ability Points: 0
________________________________________
"Huff... Huff..."
A young black-haired man could be seen exercising vigorously inside his hospital room. Sweat dripped from his toned upper body as he completed another set of push-ups. His muscles burned pleasantly from the effort, but he continued without slowing down.
Just then, the door opened.
"Excuse me—"
Rattle.
The nurse stepped inside and immediately froze.
"Oh my God!"
"Ah, I'm sorry!"
The young nurse quickly turned around, her face turning bright red.
"N-No, I'm the one who should apologize".
I quickly grabbed a shirt and slipped it on.
The nurse took a moment to compose herself before speaking again.
"Um... you're being discharged today, right?"
"Yes."
"That's good to hear."
An awkward silence followed.
The nurse fidgeted with her fingers and avoided eye contact.
It was obvious she wanted to say something.
Finally, she gathered her courage.
"Do you think... I could get your number?"
I couldn't help but smirk slightly at her shy and embarrassed expression. Her cheeks were still red from earlier, making her look even more nervous.
She was surprisingly cute when she got flustered.
"Sure. Hold on a second."
The nurse's eyes widened with surprise before a bright smile appeared on her face.
"Really?"
"Really."
------------------------------------
A few days after being discharged from the hospital.
"Hey, Jinah! Are you heading to school?"
"Huh? What the—? You're awake?"
My younger sister stared at me with visible surprise.
"I woke up a while ago."
I glanced outside the window.
Dark clouds were beginning to gather in the distance.
"Be careful on your way to school."
"Ahhh... sigh."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Jinwoo... have you been working out?"
"Yeah. A little."
"A little?"
Her gaze traveled up and down my body.
"Hmm..."
"What?"
"You look a lot more muscular than before."
"Do I?"
"Definitely."
She tilted her head.
"But does exercising make you taller too?"
I laughed.
"Do guys even grow after turning twenty?"
"Not usually."
"Then how did you get taller?"
"Just consider me a late bloomer."
"That's suspicious."
"Stop asking so many questions."
I grabbed an umbrella and handed it to her.
"Take this with you."
"I don't think it's going to rain."
"It probably will."
"Besides, my bag is already heavy."
"Stop whining."
Ignoring her complaints, I opened her backpack and slipped the umbrella inside.
"Hey!"
I zipped the bag shut and handed it back.
"There. Problem solved."
Jinah pouted but eventually accepted it.
"Fine."
She walked toward the front gate before turning around.
"See you later."
"See you."
I waved as she disappeared from the door.
Once she was gone, I stretched my shoulders.
Hmm...
Let's take it easy today.
Only a ten-kilometer run left.
I've definitely gained a considerable amount of muscle mass recently.
The changes are becoming harder to hide.
I'm guessing it's the direct effect of my increased stats.
The improvements are honestly ridiculous.
Even my little sister is starting to notice.
Not just her, either.
People around me keep giving me strange looks lately.
Maybe they're wondering why someone who was hospitalized only days ago suddenly looks healthier than ever.
"Keke."
I chuckled to myself.
Just kidding.
The truth is, I'm still pretty lonely.
Pathetically lonely, actually.
Still, I don't really mind.
Right now, getting stronger is more important than anything else.
-----------------------------------
Name: Sung Jin-Woo
Level: 18
Job: None
Fatigue: 40
Title: Wolf Assassin
HP: 2220 / 2700
MP: 350 / 2700
Strength: 47
Health: 27
Agility: 30
Intelligence: 27
Sense: 27
Available Ability Points: 12
-----------------------------
Am I investing too heavily into Strength?
I stared at the status window while considering my options.
Strength was important.
The harder I could hit, the faster I could kill monsters.
But raw power wasn't everything.
Agility was just as important.
A powerful attack meant nothing if it couldn't connect.
Speed affected movement, reaction time, and overall combat efficiency.
Ideally, Strength and Agility should complement each other.
A balanced build would be much more effective than focusing entirely on one stat. After thinking it over for a few moments, I began distributing my remaining points. This should be enough for now.
-------------
Name: Sung Jin-Woo
Level: 18
Job: None
Fatigue: 40
Title: Wolf Assassin
HP: 2220 / 2700
MP: 350 / 2700
Strength: 50
Health: 27
Agility: 39
Intelligence: 27
Sense: 27
Available Ability Points: 0
-----------------------
Much better.
A small smile appeared on my face. The increase in Agility would significantly improve my combat capabilities, while the additional Strength ensured my attacks would remain deadly.
Rrrrrrring!
Rrrrrrring!
The loud ringing of my phone interrupted my thoughts.
I glanced at the screen.
A familiar number appeared.
The landlord?
Or maybe someone from the Hunter's Association?
Curious, I answered the call.
"Hunter Sung Jinwoo speaking."
"Geez! You finally picked up!"
The familiar voice on the other end immediately complained.
"Jinwoo! Why haven't you been answering any of my calls?"
"Sorry about that. I got into an accident and ended up staying in the hospital for a while."
There was a brief silence.
"Tsk, tsk."
The landlord clicked his tongue.
"I see. No wonder I couldn't reach you."
His tone softened slightly.
"Anyway, Jinwoo..."
"Yes?"
"I'm calling because I haven't received this month's rent yet."
"..."
Ah.
Right.
I completely forgot.
Between the hospital stay, the daily quests, and everything else that had happened recently, paying rent had completely slipped my mind.
"If you can't pay right now," the landlord continued, "I can give you another month or two. You've been a good tenant, after all."
I blinked in surprise.
That was far kinder than I had expected.
Most landlords would have started threatening eviction by now.
"It's okay," I replied.
"I'll deposit the rent later today."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Well, that's a relief."
The landlord sounded noticeably more relaxed.
"Take care of yourself, then. Recover properly."
"I will."
After exchanging a few more words, the call ended.
Click.
I lowered the phone and stared at the screen for a moment.
Money.
That used to be my biggest problem.
Every month felt like a battle just to survive.
Hospital bills.
Living expenses.
School tuition for Jinah.
Rent.
There was always another payment waiting around the corner.
But things were different now.
A small smile slowly formed on my face.
With my current strength, earning money shouldn't be difficult anymore.
Even low-ranking hunters made more money than ordinary office workers.
And I wasn't an ordinary hunter anymore.
I could already defeat monsters that would give most D-Rank hunters trouble.
As long as I continued growing stronger, money would eventually become a nonissue.
First, I'll pay the rent.
Then I'll start saving.
Maybe I can even move Jinah and me into a better apartment.
A safer apartment.
A larger apartment.
One where we wouldn't have to worry about every single expense.
The more I thought about it, the more excited I became.
My future, which had once seemed hopelessly dark, was finally beginning to brighten.
I clenched my fist and looked at it quietly.
The power flowing through my body felt completely different from before.
A grin slowly spread across my face.
After all...
With my potential, becoming the world's strongest hunter wasn't a question of if.
It was only a matter of time.
------------------------------------
Story available on my Patreon for advanced chapters
patreon.com/xavien1
Beginner ( currently the only available membership)
- 2 chapters available for Solo Levelling: I am Jinwoo
- 2 chapters of Breathing Techniques in Naruto( to be posted- unavailable at the moment)