Chapter 257: First Day at Work (1) (Part 2 Start)

「A-Rank Dungeon. Crystal Spider Nest」

After becoming a B-rank Hunter affiliated with Eun & Ok Co., Ltd., and furthermore joining the A-rank Hunter party, Sky Blue Shield.

My heart, which had been thrilled about my first official party hunt, quickly sank within just a few minutes.

The reason being, as soon as we entered today’s expedition dungeon, the Crystal Spider Nest, two party members started a heated debate regarding my position.

“You shouldn’t put Taekyung on the front lines yet, Yuri-ssi. How could you even consider assigning our Taekyung such a dangerous position?”

“What’s wrong with someone who uses swordsmanship as their main skill standing at the front? Sungchul… no, Taekyung might be a B-rank Hunter who hasn’t been in the company long, but even so, aren’t you being a bit too overprotective, Hye-eun?”

“It’s not overprotection, it’s a necessary procedure. Taekyung, who isn’t used to party hunting yet, should first learn by watching how Jihee-ssi and I move on the front lines. From the rear, he can observe how the battle unfolds and better understand the monsters’ attack patterns.”

“If you put someone whose skills are already proven in the rear, what’s the difference from a scarecrow? Anyway, the field Sungchul… Taekyung wants to be on is the front line, so is there any need to place him elsewhere? Don’t you think it’s a waste of our fighting power?”

“I understand what you mean, Yuri-ssi, but still, Taekyung should be in a slightly safer place…”

“Stop the overprotection. Hunter activities are, after all, an act of taking risks, right? Without tension, there’s no growth…”

An A-rank dungeon for my first assignment as a member of Eun & Ok Co., Ltd. and Sky Blue Shield.

Even though more than ten minutes had passed since entering the dungeon, the A-rank party, Sky Blue Shield, could hardly move forward.

Because of the two people’s argument, which had been going nowhere for quite a while now.

Party Leader Kang Hye-eun.

Firepower Specialist Cha Yuri.

Because the direction each of their arguments pointed was clear, their debate naturally seemed unlikely to conclude.

“Hye, Hye-eun! And Yuri Unnie! Since both of you have valid points, please don’t argue so much…”

“No matter how I think about it, Taekyung should be safely in the rear…”

“I can handle the rear lines alone. Any more than this is a waste of fighting power…”

Min-ah, the mood-maker, interjected into the conversation to mediate the two people’s heated debate, but the argument’s conclusion still seemed unlikely to happen.

To understand the origin of this conversation, it was necessary to go back a little earlier.

From this morning, which started with a very trivial incident.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Part 2… no, the first morning of a new day beginning as B-rank Hunter Sung Taekyung.

My heart pounding, my eyes opening on their own, I automatically sat up in bed.

Starting today, I am no longer B-rank Hunter Kim Sungchul of the Hunters’ Autonomous Union. I am B-rank Hunter Sung Taekyung of Eun & Ok Co., Ltd.

…Well, I’m just saying that in words, but I’ll maintain my status active in the Hunters’ Autonomous Union for a while and use it when necessary.

It was a good place to meet Hwayoung Sunbae or Cha Yuri, and for meeting Do Sihee to have dungeon dates inside dungeons, there were fewer eyes watching and fewer restrictions than at the company, so I thought I would probably be doing activities at the Union concurrently for a while, even though my main affiliation has moved to the company.

Of course, it will be limited to occasional visits on holidays, not company workdays, so the frequency of showing my face will decrease significantly, I suppose.

In the first place, since it’s a status created under a pseudonym, I don’t plan to hold onto it dearly. It can serve as a second base of operations, usable occasionally whenever needed.

In the first place, there were hunters like Cha Yuri who openly juggled activities between the company and the Union, so I wasn’t such a peculiar case.

Of course, operating as ‘the only male Awakened, Sung Taekyung’ even within the Hunters’ Autonomous Union would be a bit cumbersome, so I’d need help from an identity-concealing mask when heading to the Union, but…

Even so, it felt like a shame to give up the activities at the Union, which still had several advantages.

Setting aside my Union status, there was another, much more important piece of news today.

Today was B-rank Hunter Sung Taekyung’s first day at the Eun & Ok Co., Ltd. Guild.

The efforts I’d made over the past half-year or so to reach this point felt like they were flashing before my eyes.

‘Who am I?’

「I am B-rank Hunter Sung Taekyung, affiliated with Eun & Ok Co., Ltd.」

‘Ah, yes. …Thanks.’

Although it wasn’t intentional, after recharging my confidence once with Esila’s voice, heard after a long time, as soon as I stepped outside the front door with my Mithril Greatsword, the sound of a front door opening was heard from the house next door too.

Since I had a rough idea of who would come out, I waited beside the gate, and right away, Kang Hye-eun, looking like she had just woken up, casually walked out the gate.

“Good day, Kang Hye-eun Sunbaenim!”

“Eek?! Ah, it’s, it’s Taekyung…”

My childhood friend… no, my colleague and senior, startled by my prank this morning, showed a considerably surprised expression.

“Are you heading to work now, Sunbaenim?”

“Wh-what senior? … We’re just colleagues working at the same guild…”

“Sunbaenim, please let me carry your bag.”

“Stop playing these weird pranks, Taekyung-ah…. What’s all this fuss about this early in the morning…”

“Sorry, sorry. My heart is just so excited, I can’t contain myself.”

To others, it might have seemed like a trivial and childish prank, but I couldn’t help grinning like this; it was an uncontrollable instinct.

The goal of becoming a Hunter and joining Eun & Ok Co., Ltd. had been set as one of my dream-like goals since my very childhood.

One might say that the affiliated guild wouldn’t matter if I just became a Hunter, but still, the thrill of achieving the goal I first set was naturally indescribably fulfilling.

Moreover, being a Hunter alongside my childhood friend Hye-eun was also a dream I’d had since childhood.

Now, it’s a memory so old I don’t know when I first decided it, but the goal of wanting to live the Hunter life alongside her was still very much alive.

Thinking that another item on my life’s bucket list would be checked off today, my heart started feeling quite excited for the first time in a while.

They say small achievements are what make humans move forward.

“Good grief, are you that happy? I’ve really never seen someone grinning like that while going to work.”

“Of course! I can finally keep the promise we made to go on party hunts together, you know.”

“…You still remembered that.”

“Would I possibly forget? In the first place, you decided to become a Hunter because you said you’d follow me, right? Although, in the end, I ended up chasing after you.”

“…That doesn’t matter! Because Taekyung always works hard! Someday you’ll surpass not only me but even our mom, so what does the order matter?!”

“…Well, to be honest, that’s also my next goal.”

Compared to my ultimate goal of creating a world where people aren’t killed by monsters, becoming a B-rank Hunter and successfully transferring to the company were such light beginnings, barely the first steps.

I shouldn’t be this excited. Not over just this.

I shouldn’t be like this… I know that…

“Ah, Min-ah! Hi, hi!”

“Hye-eun hi! …Uh, and… Taek, Taekyung h…”

“Did you sleep well, Han Min-ah Sunbaenim!”

“…Huh?”

At the intersection, Han Min-ah’s expression momentarily changed, as if dumbfounded by my 90-degree bow.

“Hye-eun-ah, what’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know. He must be happy about going to work. He’s been like this since we met this morning.”

“Han Min-ah Sunbaenim, are you heading to work now!”

“…You can tell just by looking, can’t you? You’re acting ridiculously since this morning, really.”

“Thank you for the kind words!”

“This bastard’s got a severe case…”

No matter what criticism came back, it didn’t matter at all.

Right now, I was truly in a Perfect Sung Taekyung state, immune to all mental damage.

Rather, I would have been grateful if it could calm down this excited feeling, as I was excessively elated right now…

Thump.

…Huh?

“Taekyung-ah, my arm hurts, so carry this bag for me.”

“……”

“You called me Sunbaenim yourself, didn’t you? If you’re a junior, you should obediently follow your senior’s words, you know that, right?”

“…Of course, Sunbaenim.”

As soon as I noticed Han Min-ah’s bag suddenly placed on my back, my excited Perfect Sung Taekyung mood instantly sank back into my usual Sung Taekyung self.

As expected from a childhood friend, her skill in dealing with me in this state was top-notch.

“Han Min-ah Sunbaenim… You’re truly not someone to be underestimated.”

“…Taekyung-ah, how long are you going to keep that up?”

“I planned to do it only until we reach the company; I’m getting bored of it anyway.”

“What a shame. If you had kept it up all day today, I was planning to make you do various things inside the dungeon too.”

“I figured you would, so I decided to stop.”

When I play silly pranks, Hye-eun takes them well, and Min-ah immediately counterattacks – this combination.

For the first time in a while, a memory from around my middle school days surfaced.