23. Function Recovery (3)

After securing Number 1 in room 402, I stepped outside again.

I hadn’t earned a single point yet, but obtaining a useful minion gave me a satisfying feeling nonetheless.

‘From now on, I can leave all potion-making and miscellaneous household chores to that bastard.’

Despite appearing weak, its combat capability was sufficient to easily tear apart and kill an average adult male.

It could probably handle three or four goblins alone. Perfect for menial labor.

“Hmm… Before heading out…”

Before leaving the building, I decided to test the Multi Jump ankle bracelet. A sudden curiosity had struck me.

‘Can this really prevent fall damage…?’

Yes, that’s what I wondered. If Multi Jump could eliminate fall damage, there’d be no more deaths from falling.

‘Then…’

I jumped straight down from the 4th floor to the 3rd-floor landing.

“Hup!”

Right before my feet hit the ground, I activated Multi Jump.

“Ooh..!!”

No impact on my ankles. It works. But since this height might be manageable due to my enhanced physical abilities, I needed to test from higher up.

‘A higher place…’

I stood before the broken window on the 3rd-floor landing. After smashing all the sharp glass shards with the steel pipe I was carrying, I vaulted over the railing and jumped down.

“Huuuuk!!!”

Thud.

“Haah… Fuck. It really works.”

Success. By using Multi Jump right before hitting the ground…

‘No fall damage.’

This revealed another use for the ankle bracelet. Not just for reaching high places, but also for fall damage prevention.

‘Fucking insane.’

Just eliminating fall damage makes it a top-tier accessory. Plus, with up to five jumps possible, it’s the best accessory ever.

‘Then…’

This time, I decided to check out the neighborhood where the demons had settled. To observe their movements and see if there were any easy kills.

It’d be wise to properly assess the nearby threats.

‘Especially since the Blue Cross Group has started their activities…’

Others must be mobilizing too. Military-affiliated hunters or civilian guilds would be roaming around. With the government dysfunctional, it’s the era of guilds now.

From now on, guild factions, monsters, and Awakened without bases will all go wild.

“Kyaaaaahhooo!!!!”

Just then, a euphoric scream pierced through the rain in the distance. A human voice. What the hell?

‘A lunatic?’

Screaming like that either means luring something or genuine madness.

‘If it’s bait, what-or who-are they trying to lure?’

Probably monsters. Curious, I headed toward the sound.

“That’s…”

Upon arrival, I found a Bluetooth speaker tied to a mannequin, blaring the drunken screams of a man.

Someone had recorded screams and tied the speaker to a convincing mannequin to attract nearby monsters. With the rain, the sound wouldn’t carry far-perfect bait for the situation.

I quickly leaped onto a building overlooking the mannequin, planning to observe from hiding.

‘The speaker’s bait for a mass hunt… What’s their weapon? A mage? Archer? Maybe a magic gunner…’

The identity of the bait-setter wasn’t immediately visible.

They must be hiding somewhere, watching the approaching monsters like me.

Ranged weapons or attacks would make this method highly effective.

If monsters swarm the bait, a grenade or explosive could wipe them all out at once.

“Keeeee!!!!”

“Kuaaaa!!!”

As I pondered the hunter’s identity, monsters began gathering, drawn by the recorded screams.

‘Machungs…’

The same creatures I fought yesterday alongside the Mud Midgets.

By now, this neighborhood must be under their control.

‘So many… Their numbers have exploded.’

Dozens swarmed the mannequin in seconds. No wonder I hadn’t seen a single goblin today-these bastards must’ve eaten them all.

Fwoosh-

A mana-constructed arrow flew toward a Machung.

Thwack!

“Kyaaa!!!”

The head of a Machung biting the Bluetooth speaker was blown off instantly. Impressive firepower. The accuracy was unreal.

‘Mana arrows…’

The hunter was an archer. One using mana arrows, no less. Hard to tell if they’re just an Awakened or a trained hunter with specialized skills.

Likely the latter. Most who wield ranged projectiles this well are academy-trained hunters.

‘And with that level of firepower as a basic attack, their mana capacity must be high. Either an Awakened or a hunter.’

A silhouette was briefly visible when firing-face covered, but with flowing brown hair. Probably female.

‘Wait… Brown hair… Mana arrows…?’

A side heroine came to mind.

Han Jin-kyung. A senior in the protagonist’s monster-hunting club, who had a brief romantic tension with him before being killed by villains.

In the original novel, “side heroines” are female characters who die before fully developing a relationship with the protagonist-thus failing to become heroines.

If my guess is right… that woman is Han Jin-kyung, a second-year at the Hunter Academy.

Minor in the grand scheme, but her early death left a strong impression on readers when the story’s tone was still unstable.

‘Hoh.’

Since the main plot hasn’t fully unfolded yet, Han Jin-kyung was still alive and well.

Her goal seemed to be hunting the nearby Machungs-likely for their paralyzing venom.

Strong enough to knock out a minotaur, so it’s worth coveting.

“Keeeeee!!!!”

As their kin fell, the Machungs began a collective frenzy.

But unable to locate their attacker, they could only rage helplessly.

Han Jin-kyung cleverly repositioned, firing single shots from hiding.

The Machungs, vulnerable to ranged attacks, couldn’t easily find her.

The rain further masked sound and presence-a hunter expertly using the environment.

‘Hmm. How can I maximize gains here?’

Left alone, that archer-likely Han Jin-kyung-would kill all the Machungs.

Should I let her and move on?

‘No. Kill her first. Take her mana bow, then clean up the remaining Machungs…’

That’s the most profitable path. The thought alone made my stomach growl in anticipation.

Kill Han Jin-kyung for 30 points, loot her weapon and corpse, then devour the remaining Machungs.

This is my territory. No unauthorized hunting allowed.

Of course, killing her might provoke reactions from the protagonist or academy members, but…

‘She’s just a minor character who dies early…’

A fleeting romantic interest for the protagonist.

And since the protagonist, Jang Yi-sang, flirts with most female characters, he likely wouldn’t care much if she died.

Last I saw, he’d abandoned all human women to focus on monster hunting-she probably never even made the heroine shortlist.

‘I’ll give the corpse to Number 1…’

Then Number 1 could absorb her memories and mimic her form. Essentially feeding it experience points.

Plus, the middle-school-girl body it currently mimics is too small for chores-an adult female form would be better.

‘Then…’

I leaped onto the rooftop to hunt Han Jin-kyung as she thinned the Machung numbers.

My building’s roof was higher than hers.

“Hoo…”

Jumping from 12 stories up made my limbs tremble slightly, but hesitation wasn’t an option. I’d already tested the ankle bracelet’s fall-damage reduction-no reason to hold back.

“One, two…!”

I jumped.

Wind whipped past my face.

Thankfully, the bike mask and goggles kept me warm and my vision clear.

“Hup!!”

No need to draw aggro with noise, so I kept my mouth shut.

Just before landing on Han Jin-kyung’s rooftop, I activated the Multi Jump bracelet.

-Whump!

The bracelet negated most of the fall damage right before impact.

Crash..!

“Ugh… Fuck.”

From this height, it wasn’t a complete negation, but the effect was still dramatic.

Surviving a fall from this height unscathed defies logic.

“Huh.?”

Han Jin-kyung turned, sensing something.

I ducked behind the rooftop entrance, out of sight. The pouring rain masked my breathing.

“Hmm.”

She snorted dismissively and resumed firing from the railing.

Seemed unaware of me.

‘She blocked the rooftop door.’

Had I taken the stairs, opening the door would’ve alerted her. Sneaking onto the roof unseen required circling around.

But I’m here now-time to pluck the sweet fruit.

‘Aim for the back to prevent screaming.’

Approaching would alert her. Combustion magic is too loud. Only option left: Regina’s Blade.

“Huuuuk..!!!”

I threw the blade with all my might.

-Crash!!!!

“Ghhhaaa-!”

Impaled through the lung, Han Jin-kyung couldn’t even scream. I yanked the blade free and stabbed repeatedly until the point notification appeared.

[30 points acquired]

Five blade throws did the job.

Even a Hunter Academy second-year can’t counter a rainy-day ambush. Without veteran experience, academy students are just students.

Especially a minor character fated to die early-mediocre skills at best.

Mediocre and reckless with loudspeakers? Deserved death.

“Hoo…”

I stuffed Han Jin-kyung’s bag and corpse into my inventory, then picked up her primary weapon-the mana bow.

“Oh…”

Surprisingly heavy. As a mana bow, it lacked a physical string. Instead, focusing mana at the fingertips formed a “string,” releasing mana arrows when drawn.

Useless without mana control.

“Hoo.”

Peering down, about twenty Machungs remained.

“Heheh.”

I fired arrows at them.

One shot, one kill…

“Huh?”

Missed. And they noticed me.

“Shit…!!”

This is harder than expected. Didn’t think I’d miss at this range.

“Damn it…”

The Machungs began scaling the walls.

Nothing ever goes smoothly.

Need bow practice when I have time.