Since one Crocas gave 250 points, it seemed he had killed 25 of them in that forest.
Adding the 10 points he received for finding the Starflower, the total was exactly right.
“Haha. You have a great sense of humor. This joke… this joke… it is a joke, right…?”
Manager Song Sang-yeop, who had tried to laugh it off, realized it was the truth after seeing Lee Taeseong’s eyes and expression.
“…Surely you don’t mean you really surpassed 6,000 points?”
“Yes.”
Manager Song Sang-yeop’s eyes widened.
‘No way!’
It was the first mission.
No matter how much the Association pre-trained and warned people, there were always those who failed and died.
There were always unlucky cases, even for the first mission.
But Lee Taeseong had succeeded brilliantly.
Moreover, judging by the time he had waited, it hadn’t taken long to clear the mission.
Just as he had inferred from looking at his skills, it was clear that he was a talented hunter.
Even at this level, the Association would be delighted that a hunter capable of significant growth had been born after a long time.
‘But this isn’t just some talent level, is it?’
6,000 points on the first mission?
Manager Song Sang-yeop had never heard of such a thing.
“Th-then, would you like to try purchasing some mana stones? No… if it’s 6,000 points, there might be something more efficient than that….”
It was an amazing claim, but he had to see it for himself.
Lee Taeseong opened the Score Shop window as he suggested.
Lower-grade mana stones requiring 10 points, intermediate-grade mana stones requiring 500 points, and above them, advanced and top-tier…
The basic types of mana stones were about that many, and there were all sorts of other items.
Weapons, armor, accessories, jewelry, magic items with special processing…
However, the prices of these things fluctuated wildly, so they were not something the current Lee Taeseong could easily approach.
“What would be worth the most cash?”
“Do you need cash?”
“Yes.”
It had already been over six months since he retired.
He had been getting by on unemployment benefits, severance pay, and the money he had saved up, but there was a limit to that.
Since there was no steady income but the money spent on food and living expenses continued to increase, it was stressful in its own way.
So, for now, he needed his bank account to be full.
“Mana stones are the easiest to liquidate and have the best value.”
Since mana stones played the role of the modern era’s top resource, surpassing crude oil, the demand could never be insufficient.
Rather, the supply was always lacking. If he sold them to the government, they would deposit the money into his bank account immediately.
Lee Taeseong purchased 12 intermediate mana stones and 26 lower mana stones.
As soon as he made the purchase in the Score Shop, they were created in the air and fell onto the table.
“It… it was real.”
Manager Song Sang-yeop muttered in amazement.
Of course, he didn’t think he was lying, but… seeing it with his own eyes felt different.
“Just give me your account number, and I’ll have the sale proceeds deposited within today.”
Handling the sale and distribution of mana stones was naturally something the Association had to do.
Manager Song Sang-yeop wanted to get up and leave quickly.
‘This person is definitely a super rookie.
I must report this to the higher-ups immediately.’
At this level, he should be able to report directly to the Association President.
It was clear that a tremendous genius hunter had been born!
***
Lee Taeseong finished the paperwork and left the National Hunter Association.
The Association remained noisy until right before he left.
Talk of a direct report going to the Association President, or that a request for a special hunter contract would be sent soon, and so on.
Because Lee Taeseong’s performance was so impressive, the Association was in an uproar.
“……”
However, Lee Taeseong’s mind was calm all the way home.
No matter what others said, he did not forget.
‘I shouldn’t relax just because the result was good. I almost died.’
The fact that the Crocas’s attack missed and hit a nearby tree.
The fact that it was fortunately a forest terrain, and even an environment where fire caught easily because the air was dry.
If it hadn’t been for that, the arson strategy wouldn’t have worked.
He would have just been anxiously hoping to barely succeed in the mission.
He would continue to go on missions in the future, and he couldn’t rely on luck every time. What if he wasn’t lucky next time?
He would have no choice but to die.
That was why he had to build his skills. So that he could trust himself.
So that there would be a basis for the fuss the Association was making about him.
And unlike other hunters, Lee Taeseong had a definite way to become stronger.
‘Dream World’
Everything he wanted was in that world full of dreams and hope.
***
Lee Taeseong logged back into the game with a calm mind.
Time in Dream World flows the same as in reality.
He had logged out right after finishing a bloody brawl with members of the Crimson Brotherhood in a corner of the market.
Several hours had passed since then.
When he logged in and looked around, the people in the market were whispering while looking his way.
However, since it was a corner of the market, there weren’t many people, and because it was a murder case, people were reluctant to approach, so the scene was preserved.
That, too, would have its limits.
Lee Taeseong thought it was fortunate and cleared the scene as much as possible before more people gathered and left.
After packing as many items from his enemies and comrades as he could carry, he headed straight for the Flying Dragon Pavilion. He went to find the General Manager and reported what had happened in the market.
When he reported that everyone except himself had been wiped out, the General Manager clenched his fist.
“Those crazy bastards from the Crimson Brotherhood. They’re really going all out now. How dare they launch an open attack in our territory?”
A natural killing intent emanated from him.
Lee Taeseong was startled and stepped back.
The General Manager of a large sect like the Flying Dragon Pavilion was not just an office worker, but an expert.
Basically, his skills had to back him up!
‘I shouldn’t mess around.’
Originally, he had no intention of treating NPCs carelessly.
The community guide said so, and NPCs would be a great help in acquiring skills in the future.
However, seeing the General Manager’s martial prowess, he naturally felt that he should be a bit more careful.
Just as Lee Taeseong was bracing himself, the General Manager regained his composure and withdrew his aura.
“Did you say your name was Lee Taeseong? To think you survived and brought back information that those bastards were launching a surprise attack. We can now prepare in advance. You have performed a great service for this Pavilion.”
-Tring!
[You have completed the quest]
[You have obtained 15 copper coins and a small amount of experience as a reward]
“For now, go back and wait. We will talk more about this achievement later. I have to go now because I need to send an urgent report.”
“Yes, I understand.”
The General Manager said that and left in a hurry.
***
Friction between the Flying Dragon Pavilion and the Crimson Brotherhood.
After that, a full-scale war did not break out between the two groups, but minor disputes and battles occurred several times.
Lee Taeseong received quests several times after that.
They were missions that a third-class disciple could do, most of which were patrols of the Flying Dragon Pavilion’s designated area, guarding, and running errands.
He didn’t know if he was lucky or unlucky with the first quest, but the missions he received after that were quiet, with no particular battles occurring.
An ordinary user would have quit, saying they didn’t buy an expensive connection device to do such menial work, but Lee Taeseong was different.
‘They give money, they give experience, and I can even accumulate contribution points. This is the best!’
There is no pay-to-win in Dream World.
Whether you were a tycoon or a beggar, you had to earn money and level up only by using your body.
Of course, transactions between users could be done somehow.
Trading with real-world currency and meeting in the game to directly exchange items.
Naturally, scams occurred frequently and there were many problems.
However, the game company still did not provide pay-to-win content.
There were countless users pleading to please take their money, but it was said that the hunter who made this game didn’t even bat an eye.
Anyway, Lee Taeseong liked the current situation.
He saved up the copper coins he received as quest rewards, leveled up once as experience accumulated from several successful quests, and also built up quite a bit of contribution.
His goal was to continue on this path and learn another good skill from the Flying Dragon Pavilion.
-Swish!
-Swoosh!
And now.
After returning from finishing another quest today, Lee Taeseong was swinging his sword diligently at the training ground.
“Hap! Ha-ap!”
A faint flame bloomed from the tip of the sword.
In that state, he performed the forms in his mind.
From the moment he learned the skill, the routine was engraved in his head.
He was practicing the skill based on that, but it wasn’t simply to use it well in actual combat.
‘If you keep practicing a skill, the skill level rises.’
It wasn’t that you could only grow it by using skill points.
In this way, if you become familiar with the skill through practice and realize things yourself, the skill level naturally goes up.
In a situation where he didn’t know what other skills he would learn in the future, he couldn’t just use skill points recklessly.
If he could save them through this kind of practice, it was right to do so!
Even when the Flame Sword Technique was at level 1, it was so useful in missions; what would happen if it grew further here?
He naturally felt a sense of anticipation.
And the General Manager was watching him from afar.
‘A decent outsider has joined.’
Outsiders.
They, who began to appear all over the world at some point, were those who caused headaches for the existing residents.
No matter how many times they were killed, they kept coming back to life, had no manners, and possessed their own strange knowledge and culture.
Because of that, they often did not submit to existing powers and committed ridiculous acts.
There were people like Lee Taeseong who familiarized themselves with the atmosphere through the community beforehand, but the majority of gamers—especially foreign gamers—mostly had the mindset of just enjoying themselves.
They acted as they pleased, excited by the virtual reality.
-What does it matter?
I’ll just be resurrected if I die anyway!
Naturally, they had many conflicts with the existing residents, but despite that, various factions accepted the outsiders without rejecting them.
The fact that they are resurrected even if they die and are immune to the fear of death is a tremendous advantage!
If you have such subordinates, there are endless ways to use them.
The only problem was that they couldn’t be trusted, but as a result of watching Lee Taeseong for a few days, he wasn’t bad.
“Oh Chung.”
“Yes, General Manager.”
“What do you think of that fellow?”
The General Manager gestured with his chin toward Lee Taeseong.
The sight of him swinging his sword diligently in a corner of the training ground.
Oh Chung, a first-class disciple of the Flying Dragon Pavilion, took a quick look and immediately gave his answer.
“He’s terrible.”
“Right. He’s clumsy as can be. If you were to draw a picture of third-rate thugs swinging a sword, it would look exactly like that.”
“Yes. Looking at his martial arts uniform, he seems to be a third-class disciple.”
“Indeed. That’s why I’m asking—could you help that fellow out a bit?”
“Pardon?”
The guard Oh Chung tilted his head.
The General Manager was not one to give useless orders, so why was he giving such a completely useless instruction?
“I think if we grow him a little more, there will be many places to use him. It’s also a reward for his previous service.”
Because Lee Taeseong noticed the Crimson Brotherhood’s ambush in advance, they were able to prepare early.
Giving him a few copper coins was not enough of a reward.
The reason the Flying Dragon Pavilion was able to establish itself as a small-to-medium-sized sect was because of clear rewards and punishments.
“Take a look at his talent and physical build as well. Try to gauge how much he can grow. It won’t be easy since outsiders tend to grow stronger beyond their basic talent, but do your best anyway.”
“I understand.”
Oh Chung nodded his head.