LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 8: Adaptation (2)
Primitive magic knowledge.
At the same time, IT devices made with unimaginable technology.
I’m curious about why this place has undergone such a grotesque evolution, but first, there’s something to clarify.
‘So, if I use the absorption artifacts here, no one would notice, right?’
The difference in information equates to a difference in power.
With this, I realized one thing.
Perhaps, I could manage to live decently on Earth even without using magic.
*
A week passed since then.
“Yawn.”
How many days has it been since I came to Earth?
By now, I’ve gotten pretty used to Kim Gi-ryeo’s body. I got up from the bedding.
Once again, magic was still nowhere to be found.
Nevertheless, I nodded with satisfaction while looking at myself in the mirror in front of the bathroom.
“I’ve gained some weight.”
Thanks to diligently taking in nutrition, my health was recovering rapidly.
I expressed gratitude for this small achievement and returned to my room.
It was a leisurely morning.
‘Let’s have the eggs I saved up today!’
However, in reality, my current situation was far from leisurely.
In fact, I was in a crisis. This was because I had intensely felt the bitter realities of society over the past week.
‘I hope this problem gets solved before I finish these eggs.’
A profession that can sweep up millions of won with just a mindset—the Hunter.
But unlike the fantasies depicted in the media, the lives of F to E-class Hunters were nothing less than hell.
Since most Awakened ones belonged to these ranks, not only were there no decent hunting grounds, but they had to hop around regions just to tackle a single Gate…
Weak monsters that anyone could defeat didn’t earn money.
So, to hunt monsters that actually pay, numerous risks awaited.
Taking on life-threatening risks, an F-Class Awakened makes about 4.3 million won in a month.
Honestly, after investigating Hunter jobs for the past week, my final evaluation of F-class living was ‘a lower version of manual labor.’
‘Gi-ryeo’s brain has some related memories, though. Still, Awakened are stronger than non-Awakened. It seems that all the F-class who sought safety ran off to construction sites, stealing jobs away…’
Moreover, my situation was particularly dire.
The reincarnated one had issues with one leg, and I was completely unable to use magic.
What could I possibly defeat with such a trashy body?
‘Poison butterflies don’t earn money. The association doesn’t even buy them.’
At this rate, I’d run out of savings and end up starving to death again. So I devised a new strategy for making money.
“For now, I’ve brought back tons of absorption artifacts.”
I casually glanced up.
In the already cramped studio, black bags were piled high.
These were the bits of soil I had steadily collected from the Gate, and I knew a few magical creatures I could kill with it.
After searching, I found that there were similar monsters on Earth, but…
“The problem is how to get into that C-Class Gate where they live.”
Being an F-class Gi-ryeo meant that, according to the association’s regulations, I couldn’t access C-Class Gates.
“How do I handle this?”
I pondered for a moment to come up with a good idea.
‘It’s a bit awkward to jump into selling absorption artifacts when I don’t know much about Earth yet. And the fact that I chose an F-class body from the get-go feels weird. Surely something was off during that Awakening Test…’
And then…
Beeeeeeep!
Whooosh.
What the heck is that noise!
“Yikes!”
Suddenly, a loud ringtone echoed from Kim Gi-ryeo’s mobile phone.
This had never happened before, right?
Beeeeeeep.
I jumped in surprise and hurriedly checked the mobile phone.
Then I saw a flood of text messages filling the screen.
https://ww······.]
“Uh… what does that mean?”
I, for a moment, couldn’t comprehend the situation despite reading the text.
However, the commotion didn’t end there.
As I was dumbfounded by my first experience, I realized the outside corridor was bustling.
The thin walls of the studio couldn’t suppress the booming sound of a door from the neighboring unit and…
Listening closely, I could hear people starting to murmur and run.
At this point, anyone not noticing would be a fool. I immediately opened my front door and evacuated with the residents.
‘Whatever it is, staying calm seems dangerous.’
Is a monster approaching?
I was curious about the details but had no time to ask questions.
Gi-ryeo’s aching leg struggled to keep pace with the fleeing residents. All I could do was focus on walking.
“Huh, whew…”
By the way, this body is definitely out of shape.
After awakening my magic, why am I already out of breath from running? Panting, I chased after the back of a neighbor.
Soon, we arrived at a place where…
“Wow~ It’s huge. Is that really a B-Class monster?”
“Everyone, fall back!”
“Hello~ Y-Tube viewers! Today’s live broadcast is…!”
Damn!
This human wasn’t evacuating at all!
‘Now that I can’t run, I’m stuck following the slowest person around…’
It seems I chose the wrong person to follow. This place was not a shelter but a gathering of spectators.
“Get back, I said!”
In the distance, the disaster alarm’s protagonist could be seen.
A reptile, three times larger than a Beginner Killer, was rampaging and destroying the city park…
“Oh.”
Simultaneously, I saw Hunters moving to curb it.
‘Wait, one of them looks familiar?’
While observing the active Hunters, I recognized a familiar face.
Even from afar, that hairstyle stood out. Isn’t that the Hunter?
‘So that’s the primitive magic used by Earth’s Hunters. But it’s too far to see clearly…’
I twisted and turned through the crowd to see the fight up close.
Of course, I didn’t cross the police line.
‘I finally understand what this yellow tape means.’
Having learned the Earth’s no-entry culture, I thought it wouldn’t be a problem. Just then.
“Ah, excuse me! Let us through~”
Thud!
Someone pushed through the line in front. At the same time, they shoved me aside.
“Oof!”
My frail body couldn’t withstand even this little shock…
Suddenly, bam, a small commotion broke out.
This side ended up tipping over, breaching part of the police cordon.
“Oh! I’m so sorry.”
I hurriedly picked myself up and apologized to the police while swiftly turning around.
I wanted to confirm the cause of the shock.
‘Was it that guy?’
However, the culprit was quite different from my imagination. I expected a muscle-bound pig three times bigger than Gi-ryeo, but…
The person standing behind was just an average-sized guy you’d see on the street.
That thin arm knocked me over? Unbelievable.
‘This is the first time I’ve faced such humiliation. Back home, I moved around with layers of protective magic and never got hurt.’
I realized my miserable state and almost felt like crying. But then, a rough voice erupted from the guy who pushed me.
“Not like I shoved you that hard, you’re overreacting!”
“……”
“Don’t glare. You were blocking the path. Got a problem with that? You trying to start something?”
Uh, I didn’t glare at you.
I was just observing the Earthlings without any particular thoughts, but there seemed to be a misunderstanding somewhere.
The cocky man looked me over and then smirked as he said.
“Wow, scary? Hey, I’m a Hunter, you know.”
He consistently displayed a condescending attitude.
“I’m just here checking things out for work. Not some random guy loitering around with monsters nearby, okay?”
Ah, so that’s why there were so many bystanders.
“So, chill out. You could poke an Awakened with your finger and still just get a sore hand~”
The guy, who introduced himself as a Hunter, took out a tripod and began setting it up.
Not only did he push me, but now he misunderstood everything. I felt wronged and aimed to set the record straight.
“I’m a Hunter too, you know. I was here for the exact same reason.”
“Huh? What rank?”
“…F-Class.”
But this Hunter just snickered at my answer.
“Ah, F-Class, huh?”
He probably thought that anyone hanging around instead of being in the Gate during this time was either unemployed or a low-tier Hunter.
No way the lowest, F-Class would be here.
“Don’t you think there’s a notion in Korea that you should apologize if you push someone?”
The guy completely ignored my response and focused on his own business. My spirits dwindled for a moment.
‘Earth’s culture is puzzling at times.’
It was then.
A thundering sound echoed from afar, enough to make my heart drop.
That was the sound of the giant lizard crashing down in the city, and then the surrounding people shouted.
“Woah! We got it!”
“I’ve got to post this on SNS.”
“Look! Hunters are coming this way! Can I get an autograph?”
Just as they said, Hunters were heading in this direction.
To be more precise, one Hunter suddenly dashed forward, and the others followed in confusion.
“It’s Ahn Yoon-seung! Ahn Yoon-seung! I’ve only seen him on TV, wow!”
“That young guy is impressive.”
“Guys, do you see? It’s A-Class Hunter Ahn Yoon-seung!!”
Recently, I learned something through searching.
In this world, A-Class Hunters belong to the top 3% of Awakened, elite individuals. They’re essentially the main contributors to urban safety.
These high-ranking Hunters were regarded as national icons.
So, people showed enthusiastic reactions towards the approaching Hunter.
“Wow… Ahn Yoon-seung is this close…”
Respecting A-Class Hunters was just as true for the brash guy.
He fixated his camera lens on Ahn Yoon-seung like he was in a trance. But Ahn Yoon-seung, ignoring even the police, rushed closer and closer to us?
“Uh?”
As the guy stood there dumbfounded.
Finally, the destination Ahn Yoon-seung reached, he stopped sharply in front of the spectators, panting heavily, then said:
“Ah, ah, ah! Hello!”
After that, he grabbed my hand with both of his warm hands.
“You’re that person, right? That’s you! It’s nice to see you here! I owe you my life that day! Oh, wait! You might not remember me, but I was that one you helped out in the Gate before…”
“I remember.”
“Thanks a lot, man!”
The nation’s idol humbling himself in front of a regular human with a sweeping 90-degree bow!
The onlookers were in shock at this moment, but Ahn Yoon-seung kept talking at lightning speed.
“You’re still in Mapo! What a coincidence! But what are you doing here… Ah, it’s because of the Dungeon Break. Of course, you couldn’t possibly not come. But it’s alright now. I’ve taken care of everything…”
However, a moment later.
Ahn Yoon-seung suddenly stopped speaking. He quickly turned to look at the guy standing next to me.
The camera guy, who had just had an argument, was now staring at me intently due to all the commotion…
Ahn Yoon-seung briefly asked, as if he was confused by the person stealing glances at me.
“Is this your companion?”
But there was something I hadn’t spoken.
Last time, I wasn’t in a proper state due to the injury, so I hadn’t noticed until now.
Ahn Yoon-seung’s appearance upon our reunion was like this:
A buzzed skinhead cut so short it looked green.
Colorful scratches all over his body.
Dark under-eye circles.
And a silver piercing adorning his left nostril…
Honestly speaking, if Ahn Yoon-seung just kept his mouth shut…
“Excuse me?”
He had a presence that could make even a thief look away.