Ch.131131. So Many Lunatics

I thought I was the biggest weirdo out there.

It made sense, considering I’d spent 26 years of my life cooped up at home playing single-player games.

I had zero social skills, and things like manners or etiquette? I didn’t even bother looking for them.

In games, I was king.

For ten years, I lived in a world where I could boss around NPCs or slaves however I wanted, doing whatever the hell I pleased without any consequences.

Of course, I wasn’t completely devoid of humanity. Since I was mooching off my parents and needed to eat, I had to listen to them, so I maintained that bare minimum of being a person.

That’s where my behavior toward Ruru came from too—treating her like an NPC even though she wasn’t one anymore, ordering her around and speaking rudely.

It’s not easy to change. And honestly, I don’t see much reason to. Now I have the power to live that way in reality too.

So I’d been wondering if there was anyone as weird as me in the world, but today I felt like I’d hit that wall.

Strictly speaking, he wasn’t a weirdo.

It was more like meeting someone from my own tribe.

Samut, an SSS+ rank hunter who couldn’t care less about that status and instead saw me as someone good who could supply him with the items he wanted.

After talking to himself for a while, he extended his hand in friendship.

“Would you be my friend? Ah! I’ll never ask for anything for free. My father wouldn’t forgive that. For friends—more precisely, more generously—that’s how we are.”

He was clearly off his rocker, but that hearty laugh and way of speaking was quite likable.

I knew he had absolutely no malice.

“Sure. Friend.”

I accepted Samut’s handshake.

Guys like this are fun to be friends with.

Of course, I just need to be careful not to get tricked into giving away too much stuff because it’s “fun.”

“Come by often. Items you want will be coming up frequently from now on.”

“I should buy a vacation home in Korea.”

Samut then spent about 10 minutes complaining that he really wanted to buy the elixir but unfortunately didn’t have enough cash because he’d spent it on the Greatsword of Madness.

But he didn’t show any particular anger about not being able to buy it.

“I’ll just buy it next time.”

Is that the composure of the wealthy?

They desperately want what they need, but they don’t cling to regrets if they can’t have it.

How does that work?

If it were me, I’d try everything to get it.

Since we became friends, I casually asked about Samut’s connections.

“Pleo? He’s a strong hunter. I’m working hard to collect items to keep up with him. That’s why I stretched my budget for the Greatsword of Madness. Of course, it’s worth the price. I think I could defeat even an SS-rank hunter with this.”

Samut left, saying he’d see me again.

And finally, Kelin.

As soon as she entered, she threw herself into my arms.

“Suhyun. Have you been well?”

A greeting in awkward but understandable Korean.

Her interpreter, Clay, entered beside her.

“What kind of elixir did you buy for 1 trillion won?”

When I asked, Kelin smiled and answered.

“Gift. Dad told me to get it. It’s something the SAINT Guild really needs.”

This auction really drove home the point that this is a world of hunters.

Except for the hair loss medicine, hunters swept up items at prices that defied economic sense.

I may have earned the money, but in the end, it’s the Americans who take it all.

Well, one of them is Middle Eastern.

As long as it’s mutually beneficial, I guess it’s fine.

“…So, how long are you planning to keep hugging him?”

Clay’s glaring eyes felt quite sharp from the side.

But Kelin pretended not to hear, burying herself deeper in my arms and taking a deep breath.

“Suhyun’s scent. I want to remember it.”

“…”

I looked at Clay and asked,

“Why is she acting like this?”

I get that I’m her father’s savior and all that.

I also know she did some light flirting back then.

But that was just her being caught up in the joy of the moment.

Why would Kelin, an SS-rank hunter and American hero, be interested in me?

I understand that I’m also a famous hunter now, have become quite handsome, and am not inferior to her, but emotions usually need something to spark them.

Clay sighed and said,

“You’re Kelin’s ideal type.”

“…Me?”

“Yes. Strong. Kind. Handsome.”

“…”

“And you’re the benefactor who saved her father.”

“I’ve already been compensated for that…”

“If you want to reject her, you can.”

“I do want to reject her, so please get her off me.”

“I believe your strength is greater than hers, sir.”

I know that. I do.

But saying “Why is a mage so physically strong?” seemed pointless when I couldn’t bring myself to use force to remove Kelin.

Was the soft feeling of her chest against mine too much of a temptation for a healthy 26-year-old man to resist?

Just as I was subtly trying to move my hips back, Kelin seemed to notice. She looked up at me with a fox-like smile, and only then did she finally let go.

“I’m so happy to see you, Suhyun. I really missed you.”

“…Aren’t you going to dungeons?”

“I already did. I’ve already cleared two A-rank dungeons today. Suhyun, won’t you join our SAINT Guild? I have spots for both healers and damage dealers in my party.”

“Wait, there are open spots in the party of an SS-rank hunter from America’s top guild?”

“I can make spots!”

“…”

Seeing Clay shaking his head with a sigh, Kelin seemed like quite the weirdo too.

Well, she’s probably just being casual because she feels comfortable with me, considering the image I had of her when we first met.

I didn’t specifically reject Kelin.

There was no reason to.

It’s not like she’s asking me to make a decision right now, and if she’s showing interest in me for whatever reason, that’s a win for me.

However, fairly and equitably, I told Kelin:

“This is a bit of a different matter, but many people have wanted me for various reasons, so I’ve set a standard. If someone wants me, they first need to bring an SS-rank item, and then I’ll consider it…”

I showed her the Holy Ring that Kelin had given me.

“Hahaha! Suhyun, you’re so funny.”

Kelin laughed heartily and nodded.

“Alright. I’ll get another SS-rank item from an S-rank dungeon. Then will you accept me?”

“That depends on what kind of item it is, the progress might be a little different…”

“I guess I need to find an item that can make a baby in one go.”

The face that smiled slyly as she stood up was, unlike her light tone, serious and not at all casual.

Wondering if she was serious, my heart raced a little.

Men’s self-esteem soars when a woman shows interest in them.

Regardless of the intention.

How many men in the world could reject Kelin standing right in front of them?

I’m no different.

It’s just that I need to be careful because, whatever her intentions, I have an important task ahead—the dimensional rift.

“Phew.”

The final hurdle to receive over 2 trillion won was cleared.

“Oppa. Let’s go eat meat. Buy me meat.”

I rented out an entire restaurant for Lee Jihyun, Kim Sujeong, Dad, and all the company employees.

———————

After eating meat and drinking until late at night, I woke up late, had some hangover soup that Mom made, and was lounging on the sofa when Kim Sujeong, who had also woken up late, came over with a tablet to show me.

“Oppa. There’s a message from Kang Spung?”

“Who’s that?”

“The guy you sniped a few days ago.”

“The bomb?”

“Yeah.”

“What does he say?”

The message was too long, and I didn’t feel like reading it.

“He says he enjoyed the video. He thinks it would make good content and asks if we’d like to meet and film a video together. How about a competition to see who can hunt more monsters in an A+ rank dungeon? He says you should bring your party too.”

“Hmm. Maybe I will.”

The purpose of the video was to promote auction items, and though I twisted it at the end, it was ultimately a video meant to provoke Kang Sungjun. It seemed right to properly conclude the video rather than leaving it hanging, especially if I wanted to move on to the next challenge.

“But oppa, be careful. They’re known for playing dirty with these kinds of things. There have been cases where they pretended to compete while hunting in dungeons together, then ‘accidentally’ injured competitors with AoE skills. One S-rank hunter even ended up with a permanent disability.”

“Really? That’s even better.”

The intention behind this approach is too obvious.

The competition itself is ridiculous—if it’s about who can kill more monsters, of course Kang Sungjun with his area-of-effect skills would have the advantage.

Moreover, he’s known for having a solid party, while anyone who subscribes to my channel knows I’ve always played solo.

But that might be exactly why he took the bait.

It’s a situation where I’d clearly be at a disadvantage.

Whether he’s an SSS+ rank hunter or at least an S-rank hunter.

You can still win under unfavorable conditions.

He probably had the confidence that he could do what he’s always done in such a situation.

“Before I go, I need to destroy this bastard. People seem to really boost the view count on videos where they get to see some satisfying justice.”

I told her to reply that we should set a dungeon and date as soon as possible.

“You’ll be coming with me when this is over, so get ready.”

“Finally going to the farm with my junior. Oh yeah!”