Chapter 14: The Wind of Change

Everyone was amazed that a Perfect Clear of the 3rd floor had appeared for the first time.

That was because a Perfect Clear of floors 3–9 was a sort of wall for hunters who had not yet matured.

Because of this, Perfect Clears, which occurred occasionally after the 10th floor, were nonexistent from floors 3 to 9.

Even the SS-ranks, the strongest in the world, did not even dream of a Perfect Clear of floors 3–9.

Perhaps that was why?

The world’s top rankers also reacted violently this time.

“Did you see it too?”

—I saw it.—

As Korea’s No. 1, Cheon Tae-san, asked while staring at the system window with an incredulous expression, the person on the other end of the phone replied in a voice filled with the same emotion.

“James. What do you think?”

─What do I think? He is a monster who is likely at a grade above us.─

As the US No. 1 and the reigning strongest of the magic field spoke with conviction, Cheon Tae-san also smirked as if in agreement.

─It is certain. Not only me, but even that bastard William could not get a Perfect Clear on the 3rd floor.

“He could not even do it after breaking through the 9th floor.”

—Yeah. He is already a monster.

“And he is smart, too.”

Hiding his identity alone showed he was quite clever.

─He has grit, too.—

“He seems to have a sense of honor as well.”

─A temperament William would like.─

The two showed satisfied smiles at the appearance of a ‘proper hunter’ for the first time in a long while.

Not sticking to a safe path just because it was a bit dangerous.

Working for humanity or the country, not just for oneself.

Hunters who walked this difficult path had suddenly stopped appearing at some point.

“I feel like there were quite a few ten years ago…”

—Can you really blame the hunters? It is because the governments acted like idiots that it turned out like this…—

“Bitter.”

In the past, world governments had stopped exchanges under the pretext of protecting their own hunters.

Was that all?

They also monitored them under the pretext of preventing other countries from poaching their hunters.

There were even governments that forced them to climb using only data for the most efficient strategy routes without really knowing anything.

The SS-rank hunters went on a rampage because they were pissed off by such oppression, and when many hunters joined in, the current system was created.

Then, this time, they changed their methods and divided the hunters.

If they could not do it with power, they tried to reduce the hunters’ strength somehow through politics and schemes.

—Still, your country seems to show signs of change, does it not?—

When James spoke as if envious, Cheon Tae-san nodded as if in agreement and said, “If the Nameless Hunter continues to show this trend, it will change.”

—I wish the wind of change would blow all the way here.—

“It might turn out that way. We are already seeing a trend where major guilds around the world are trying to invest in low-floor hunters.”

Having said that, Cheon Tae-san smiled and looked at the low-floor hunter support plan in his hand.

Even though he had not said anything, the staff, who were busy trying to create even one more high-level hunter, had come up with a support plan for hunters on floors 1–9 on their own.

Since even his own guild, the most conservative one, was like this, most guilds in the world would likely show this trend.

It was when he was blankly staring at the plan his subordinates had made.

—It is strange that such an out-of-spec existence appeared at this point. Is it the system’s arrangement?—

At James’s words, Cheon Tae-san sighed softly and said, “Whew… well. What is certain is that hope has been created.”

—If he just grows up safely, I feel like we might be able to take a breather too.—

James spoke while thinking of the monster-like rookie who appeared in a desperate situation.

Then, Cheon Tae-san also sighed once more, as if in agreement, thinking of a secret he had not told even his closest aides.

The guilds established by SS-rankers were all spending massive amounts of money to raise hunters.

Efficient growth.

Efficient distribution of resources.

This trend continued, and they remained silent as its ill effects spread throughout the world.

It was because they hoped even one more strong person would appear.

They kept their mouths shut in the hope that even one more person in their 50s would be created.

They gave unstinting advice to S-ranks who had broken through the high floors, hoping that even one of them would reach the 60th floor.

‘They all failed.’

Cheon Tae-san gave a bitter smile.

There was only one cause.

‘Lack of basics.’

The S-ranks who reached the 50th floor quickly through stable strategy routes soon revealed their limits in the face of overwhelming danger that could not be covered by S-rank skills.

Moreover, because bad habits were already engraved in their bodies as they climbed the 50 floors, it took an enormous amount of time to correct them all.

Was that all?

Proven S-ranks were no different from each country’s strategic weapons.

That is why the government would whine at even the slightest danger.

In a situation with many limitations, the SS-rankers selected only candidates who were likely to go higher and told them the truth.

‘Let’s just hold on somehow until they all grow up!’

They had thought like this until now, but the situation had changed.

They wanted to invest in a possibility that seemed more certain.

“Whew… I want to help in some way, but it is frustrating.”

—Actually, wouldn’t this be better? He is climbing well on his own, so if we force our help on him, it will just be a hindrance.

“That is true, but…”

—Besides, if we can contact him, the government can contact him too.

The government had already intervened, and countless talents were losing their way.

It was better for him to hide his identity and slowly go his own way as he was doing now, rather than seeing such a thing happen again.

“I really hope he reaches where we are.”

—Before that, the bomb we have been trying so hard to stop might go off.—

Cheon Tae-san shook his head as if just thinking about it gave him a headache.

Would modern hunters, who had only safely tackled the tower according to strategies spanning over a decade, be able to withstand this situation?

He had his doubts.

“Just as he changed the ecosystem of low-floor hunters, I hope he changes the strategy trend as well.”

At Cheon Tae-san’s murmur, James, on the other end of the phone, also fell silent as if in agreement.

Did he hear the wishes of the two SS-rankers?

As soon as Min-hyuk came out of the tower, he immediately went into stamina recovery.

“Hmm… this is surprisingly delicious.”

Eating rabbit meat well-roasted over a campfire with steak sauce was delicious.

If it tasted this good even with his poor cooking skills, what would it taste like if he even roasted it well?

“There is more to do.”

He smiled brightly as he looked at the meat he had butchered.

Since awakening, he always felt like he was short on time.

That would get worse as he climbed the floors.

He had to combine more things.

More monster by-products would come out.

There would be more techniques to master.

‘I cannot do everything alone.’

That is why he prepared strategy videos.

Just as he did on the 2nd floor, he intended to share what he discovered on the 3rd floor as well.

He was earning enough money.

Since he could not reveal his identity right away, there was not much he could enjoy.

All he had left was revenge and a desire for fame.

Revenge would be sufficient if he just kept going like this, but since he had already drawn his sword, he planned to strike quickly.

Since he felt like there would be more to do as he climbed the floors, he planned to quickly wrap up the ill-fated relationships he had at his previous workplace.

The second was the desire for fame.

He planned to make sure that more hunters would not pass through the lower floors in vain in the future.

‘The hunter who revived floors 1–9, which were almost skipped.’

He liked this title quite a bit.

At first, he started simply because it helped with his revenge.

However, seeing the comments from those who expressed sincere gratitude every time a strategy video was uploaded, his mind changed little by little.

‘Is this how people feel when they donate?’

He uploaded the strategy video for his own goal, but it seemed to be considered a great grace by someone.

Perhaps that was why?

The desire to gain fame kept wriggling inside him.

The SS-rank hunters whose names were famous for saving the world.

He was not like them, but at least he wanted to be the first person mentioned by hunters who were just starting out.

“But it is a bit tough.”

After Min-hyuk finished tackling the 3rd floor, the first thing he looked up was the identity of the power the boar emitted.

Although he had learned it, he did not know the name for sure.

After scouring Hunternet diligently for a long time, he finally found the name.

“‘Fighting Spirit’ is a bit hard to explain in a way that is easy to understand…”

How could he explain this concept, which he had barely learned through sensation, in an easy-to-understand way?

Honestly, it was hard.

‘Try mixing mana and momentum!’

Even if he gave such advice, there was no way they would understand.

Since he had not even mastered it perfectly himself yet, he needed training.

If he tackled it repeatedly like he did on the 2nd floor, he would be able to find a way to explain it easily.

For now, he fell asleep immediately, thinking he should just sleep today.

The next day.

“Wow… this effect is incredible.”

Min-hyuk, who marveled in spite of himself, had a surprised expression as he looked at his refreshed body.

He had prepared to be bedridden for a few days, but after eating rabbit meat with various traits attached, his fatigue had recovered.

“At this rate, I can go straight to the strategy.”

He said so and packed his camera.

Like a camera worth hundreds of millions, it was equipped with AI and levitation functions, so it was possible to take strategy videos even now if he fought near the campfire.

Even though he fought without even a campfire, it would be enough if he took breaks in between.

But that was arrogance.

Min-hyuk, who was injured while fighting against animals rushing in from all directions while also protecting the camera, hastily lit a campfire.

“Huff… huff… fighting while protecting the camera is tough.”

No matter how much it was him, it was nearly impossible to take a strategy video with ease while protecting the camera right now.

Still, he did not want to give up.

“Hmm… I do not necessarily need to show a perfect strategy video from the start, do I?”

He was not a high-ranking hunter, just a hunter who had just started climbing.

So, he focused on what he wanted to convey through the video rather than a perfect strategy.

‘Lower-floor hunters climbing more stably.’

The meat obtained on the 3rd floor needed aging, so results would not come out right away.

He needed time to create a route that tackled even the boss perfectly.

Therefore, Min-hyuk intended to upload videos starting from incomplete strategies, and he stuck his face into the camera and spoke.

“I am going to start the 3rd floor strategy now. I plan to upload the perfect strategy separately later. For now… I want to explain why you should climb while tackling the lower floors as much as possible.”

The explanation ended there.

He planned to explain the rest by showing himself hunting.

As soon as he left the campfire radius, he deflected the attack of a flying squirrel that flew in unnaturally fast with his Great Saber.

Then, he avoided the surprise attack of a snake with his steps and began hunting in earnest.

Before long, the ground around the campfire was filled with blood, and Min-hyuk, gasping for breath on top of it, slowly returned to the camera.

“As you saw… it is difficult. But it must be done. I will upload strategy videos every day from now on and explain the reason.”

He finished filming as if today’s video was over. Since he was not in a relaxed enough situation to hunt the boar again while filming, he gave it his all to hunt the boss again and came out.

The next day, and the day after that, were the same.

When it finally reached the 5th day, he uploaded the strategy video.

He wrote the title exactly as what he wanted to convey through this video.

「The Reason You Must Climb Slowly from the 1st Floor!」