My Skill Book, Episode 26
Episode 26
Investigating the newly acquired 'Bookmark' ability had to be put off for the moment.
The Vice Guild Master was running toward where I was.
Hunters from other guilds were following behind him.
"What the hell did you do!?"
The one who shouted was the hunter who had been commanding the dealers. I remembered him introducing himself as an S-rank hunter from the Pacheon Guild.
"Was that lightning just now your skill!?"
The Pacheon Guild hunter asked me, his eyes wide and his face bright red.
"It is, but……."
"My God."
The Pacheon Guild hunter froze with his mouth agape.
"Mr. Jinhan, why didn't you tell us in advance?"
The woman wielding a greatsword said to the Vice Guild Master.
"If you had an SS-rank hunter, you should have told us beforehand. We wouldn't have had to go through such hardship."
The Vice Guild Master gave a wry smile to the two hunters.
"Our guild only has the Guild Master as an SS-rank hunter……. Anyway, with this, it seems we can cancel the emergency support."
"Ah."
The Pacheon Guild hunter opened his mouth, then took out the earphones from his ears and pulled out his phone.
"Hello? Yes, this is Jeon Jeongha. The raid has ended. That's right. The Mad Armadillo has been annihilated. From Atlas Guild……."
He glanced at my face and furrowed his brow.
"I'll explain the details in person. Yes. We'll return after the item distribution is finished."
The Pacheon Guild hunter who ended the call put his earphones back in and looked for his guild's hunters.
The female hunter wielding a greatsword also made a call with similar contents.
"We should help out too. Mr. Hwajin, please join the other guild members and rest."
"Understood."
The moment I tried to leave, the Vice Guild Master stopped me.
"Being surprised is one thing, but I should express my gratitude. Thank you very much. Thanks to Mr. Hwajin, we were able to maintain the guild's dignity."
Having said so, the Vice Guild Master requested Ms. Hyeri, who was on the support team, and another healer to come over.
I went to where the other guild members were as instructed by the Vice Guild Master.
On the way back, I ran into Ms. Hyeri.
"Mr. Hwajin, what happened?"
"…I'll explain properly later. For now, please go to the Vice Guild Master."
I said that and continued walking.
"Hwajin!"
The middle-aged man who had been with the guild members ran to me the moment he saw me.
"What happened? There was a loud roar, and then the Mad Armadillo disappeared—did someone catch it?"
The guild members also seemed curious and looked at me.
I hesitated to answer, "Yes, actually, I caught the Armadillo……."
"Yes. The situation is over. They're recovering items right now."
So for now, I glossed over it with a vague answer.
***
"I'm home."
I opened the front door and entered the house, speaking loudly. My voice echoed through the hall on the first floor.
This damn mansion was so spacious that an ordinary speaking voice wasn't enough for communication.
It was completely different from the old days when I would open the door and immediately see the sofa where Jinhee was sitting.
'Maybe I should just sell this house and move somewhere more modest.'
As I was thinking that, Jinhee came down the stairs.
"Where's Seono?"
"He's busy making something in his room. Did work go well?"
I nodded.
"One hundred million won."
"Huh?"
"I earned one hundred million won in a single day."
Jinhee's expression turned strange.
At first, she furrowed her face slightly as if she couldn't understand, then her eyes and mouth went round. After that, her eyes narrowed, and she laughed.
"Come on, you're joking, right?"
She seemed to have concluded that I was teasing her.
Without a word, I opened my banking app and showed Jinhee, and her eyes and mouth went round again.
"Gasp……!"
A brief silence passed.
Soon, Jinhee let out a shriek of delight and grabbed my hand, spinning round and round.
"Kyaaa! Amazing! I knew you could do it, Oppa!"
Watching Jinhee, who was overly delighted, I gave a wry smile.
"Is something going on?"
Seono came down, perhaps having heard the commotion.
"Seono, you come here too!"
Jinhee took the approaching Seono and spun round and round with him. Seono smiled and danced without knowing anything.
'It was worth the effort.'
Watching Jinhee, whose smile wouldn't leave her face, I recalled what had happened at the guild.
After returning to the guild, the hunters who had participated in the raid were immediately given their reward.
"The reward for those who participated in this raid is 50 million won. Please check your accounts. And Mr. Hwajin."
I, who had been about to open my phone's banking app, raised my head.
"Mr. Hwajin, your performance was outstanding this time, so a bonus has been added."
"Outstanding performance?"
The middle-aged man tilted his head before letting out an "Ah" as if realizing something.
"Well, if it weren't for Hwajin, everyone would have been done in by the poison."
"Yes. That too, but……."
The Vice Guild Master seemed hesitant about whether to speak or not.
"The one who eliminated the Mad Armadillo this time is Mr. Hwajin."
The guild members who had participated in the raid stirred in commotion.
The middle-aged man and Ms. Hyeri turned to look at me. The middle-aged man had an expression as if asking if what he'd just heard was real, and Ms. Hyeri had an expression as if she was dumbfounded.
"Mr. Hwajin will be given twice the reward this time—100 million won."
This time, it was my turn to be surprised.
I had thought a bonus meant a few million won extra; I hadn't expected double.
"Everyone, thank you for your hard work in today's raid. You are now dismissed."
Though the Vice Guild Master said we were dismissed, I couldn't leave immediately.
"Hwajin, did you really catch that giant armadillo?"
In front of the elevator, the middle-aged man grabbed me and asked. I hesitated before nodding. At that, the middle-aged man muttered, "Hah, well I'll be……."
"The Vice Guild Master wouldn't lie……. Mr. Hwajin, if you don't mind me asking, you aren't an SS-rank hunter deceiving us, are you?"
At Ms. Hyeri's words, a hollow laugh escaped me.
"No, Ms. Hyeri. You took the A-rank hunter exam with me."
"I know. That's why it's even more absurd. Where in the world is there an A-rank hunter who catches a raid boss?"
"I didn't think I'd take it down in one go either……."
If I told them that my strength stat had risen to 13, I might have been able to convince them to some extent, but to tell them that, I would also have had to reveal that I could refine mana stones.
"I knew Hwajin was different from us, but this is on a completely different level."
The middle-aged man spoke in a voice that seemed slightly shaken.
"You'd probably sweep through 4 to 5-star dungeons alone even without us."
I couldn't bring myself to say, "No way."
Just a few days ago, I had been hunting centaurs alone to obtain mana stones.
'Ah, mana stones……!'
I told the two that I still had business to attend to and went back to the guild alone.
'I had forgotten that I used up the mana stones that had dropped from the field monsters during the raid.'
I had to report to the Vice Guild Master that I had used ten mana stones.
I couldn't see the Vice Guild Master in the guild hall, so I asked the clerk at the counter and was told he was in the Guild Master's room.
I went to the Guild Master's room and knocked on the door.
"This is Lee Hwajin. I've come to speak with the Vice Guild Master."
After a few seconds of silence, I heard the Guild Master's voice permitting entry.
When I opened the door and entered, the Guild Master sitting in front of the desk and the Vice Guild Master standing right beside him came into view.
"Oh, Mr. Hwajin. I was just hearing from Jinhan about what happened today."
The Guild Master gestured toward the Vice Guild Master with his eyes.
"You caught the Mad Armadillo alone?"
"No, saying I caught it alone is an exaggeration."
I explained that the hunters, including the Vice Guild Master, had drawn the Armadillo's attention, and that the dealers participating in the raid had already created cracks in the Armadillo's shell.
"But it's true that you alone pierced through the shell and destroyed the core, correct?"
"That is…… yes."
The Guild Master smiled.
"Mr. Hwajin, you were definitely an A-rank hunter."
"Yes."
"Personally, I feel it's a waste for someone with such skill to remain an A-rank hunter. If the opportunity arises, try taking the S-rank hunter exam. But what was it you wanted to say to Jinhan?"
"Ah, right. Vice Guild Master. There was something I couldn't tell you earlier……."
I reported that I had used mana stones to raise my magic power in order to use skills and items. In response, I was told that he had already heard about it from Ms. Hyeri.
"That was factored into your reward today. If you hadn't used the mana stones, you would have received more."
"I see. Understood."
I silently let out a sigh of relief.
'Since mana stones that raise magic power are expensive, I was worried I might have to give back my entire reward and still end up in debt. What a relief.'
With my mind at ease, I left the guild with light steps and took a taxi to return home.
I had earned a lot today, so this much luxury should be acceptable.
After Hwajin left the room, Jinhan stood before the Guild Master.
"As I mentioned earlier, I find Mr. Hwajin suspicious."
"Hmm."
The Guild Master stroked his beard.
"He used a detoxification skill as if he had been waiting for the Mad Armadillo to use poison, and as an A-rank hunter, he defeated a field boss with his own strength. Even if the detoxification skill was truly a coincidence, defeating a field boss alone is something only possible for at least an S-rank hunter, and one whose skills and stats are both focused on offense."
The Guild Master took his hand away from his beard and looked at Jinhan.
"I too have felt that Mr. Hwajin is different from us in some way. But that doesn't mean we should blindly suspect him. On the contrary, I am pleased that such a unique young person has joined our guild."
"You're too good a person, Guild Master. He could be a spy from another guild."
"If you think so, then from now on, Jinhan, keep an eye on Mr. Hwajin. Though I don't think anything will come of it."
"I was planning to take it upon myself even if you hadn't said so."
Jinhan's voice sounded slightly sulky.
"That aside, I'm talking about the Mad Armadillo that appeared today."
At the Guild Master's words, Jinhan put on a serious expression.
"Yes. The Mad Armadillo, which normally only knows how to roll around and strike with its tail, sprayed poison."
"As expected, this field boss too must be a new species."
The Guild Master stroked his beard once more.
"New species field bosses appearing one after another across various regions……. Perhaps the world is trying to change once again."
As the Guild Master spoke with the smile gone from his face, Jinhan pressed his lips firmly together.
***
After dinner, lying in bed, I summoned the book.
'Bookmark…….'
The ability of 'Bookmark' that I had checked while coming home by taxi was astounding.
My unique skill, which allowed me to create skills, was already beyond common sense, but Bookmark took it a step further.
Perhaps, even if it meant getting my [Refinement] skill discovered, I might have to keep Bookmark's ability a secret.
'But then it would be a meaningless ability…….'
While I was lost in thought, my phone vibrated.
A message had arrived via the official government hunter app I had installed not long ago.
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Quest Details: Overflow value of Dongdaemun Dungeon No. 2 rapidly increasing. Exterminate monsters until the value drops below 7,000.
Condition: Hunter rank A or higher.
Reward: 2 million won per 100 decrease in value.
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A search revealed that Dongdaemun Dungeon No. 2 was a 4-star dungeon.
It was about five bus stops away.
'It's not that far. Shall I go check it out?'
I prepared my inventory and headed outside.