My Selfish Skill Book
Chapter 9
I looked down at the boy who had asked if I wouldn't use him as a porter.
He was looking up at me, unable to hide his anxious expression.
"P-please! Please hire me as your porter!"
Had he taken my silence as a sign of refusal? The boy cried out desperately.
"Hold on. First of all, who are you, and why are you suddenly asking me to hire you?"
"Ah…."
The boy opened his mouth, then froze.
Shortly after, I sat down in a quiet place and listened to what he had to say.
"My name is Yu Seono."
Seono was a D-rank Hunter with a single auxiliary skill.
The skill's name was [Dexterity], and it seemed to help with manual work.
However, since it wasn't much help in combat on its own, he said he mainly tagged along on hunts working as a porter.
"But the Hunters I usually went with kept reducing my pay, and now they won't even give me anything when I ask…."
I could guess the rest of Seono's situation without hearing more. A young Hunter reduced to working as a porter. It was obvious they'd worked him like a slave.
"So I was looking for new teammates. It looked like you were traveling alone without an inventory or a porter, hyung. Can't you use me as a porter? I can skin hides too!"
On Seono's waist, along with a knife, were several tools for dismantling monster corpses.
'What should I do….'
Since I too had experience following Hunters around as a porter, Seono's situation seemed pitiful.
But I had to leave the hunting ground dungeon soon.
"I-I only need enough pay for today's meals!"
Reading the troubled look on my face, Seono cried out with a desperate expression.
Damn, the guys who took this kid around didn't even give him enough for food?
"…Three days. I might have to leave even earlier than that."
I said, looking at Seono.
"If you're still fine with that, I'd like to hire you as a porter."
Seono's eyes went wide.
"Ah! Yes! Of course that's fine! Thank you so much!"
Seono bowed his head deeply.
***
[You have entered Seoul Yeongdeungpo Dungeon No. 8.]
[This is a 2-star dungeon.]
[Overflow: 110/1000]
[Monsters have been generated.]
As soon as I entered the dungeon, I spoke to Seono.
"There's something I need to do before we start hunting in earnest. Follow me."
After exploring the second floor for about ten minutes, I discovered the monster I'd been desperately searching for in a place unusually thick with trees.
A height of about 150 centimeters, an ugly face full of wrinkles, greenish-gray skin, and thin arms and legs.
Commonly known as a forest goblin.
In its hand was a crudely made spear.
"Hyung, why the forest goblins…."
"Shh."
I signaled Seono to be quiet, then surveyed my surroundings.
Like skeleton dogs, forest goblins had a habit of moving in groups.
However, being surrounded by them was far more dangerous.
They carried various weapons—axes, bows, clubs, and spears.
Moreover, being humanoid, unlike skeleton dogs that relied on simple attacks, they were capable of diverse coordinated assaults.
'As expected, it's not alone….'
About five meters behind the spear-wielding one were a bow-wielding forest goblin and two knife-wielding forest goblins.
Due to their skin color, they were difficult to spot unless they moved.
'!'
When I saw the back of the bow-wielding forest goblin, I inwardly cheered.
That goblin was carrying something like a green leather bag on its back.
"Seono. Stay here and don't get noticed."
Without answering aloud, Seono simply nodded.
I raised my shield.
'Charge!'
I gradually accelerated.
I could see the goblins' surprised faces.
Boom!
After sending the outermost goblin flying, I hurled with all my strength the dagger I'd kept tucked in my waistband.
Thwack!
"Kieek!"
The goblin that had been nocking an arrow stumbled back in panic.
'As expected, ordinary daggers can't pierce their hide.'
Bringing Seono along had doubled the entrance fee. Because of that, I'd bought iron weapons instead of expensive monster-material weapons.
I picked up the spear dropped by the goblin I'd just sent flying.
The two goblins that hadn't been attacked yet came rushing at me with their weapons raised.
I waited for them to get close enough, then reached out my hand.
'Fireball.'
The Fireball launched from my hand struck one squarely in the head.
The one beside it flinched.
In that opening, I charged once more, this time holding the spear instead of my shield.
Crunch!
The goblin with a hole in its stomach collapsed.
I thrust the spear into its blazing companion as well.
After felling the two, I turned and saw another goblin drawing its bowstring.
'Point Defense.'
Twing!
The deflected arrow fell powerlessly to the ground.
"K-kieek…."
The bow-wielding goblin flusteredly tried to nock another arrow.
"Charge."
Thud!
That was the end.
Crack!
The wooden spear shaft broke.
Likely from the strain of using [Charge] so forcefully.
[You have slain four forest goblins.]
[You have acquired 40 Exp.]
Immediately after hearing the Exp acquisition message, another voice rang out.
[You acquire a new Word:
[You have acquired 10 Exp.]
The sound of acquiring a new Word was incredibly welcome.
"Wow!"
Seono, who had been hiding in the bushes, sprang up.
"Amazing! Four forest goblins all by yourself! And you finished them in an instant!"
I beckoned to the excited Seono. He scurried over and stood beside me.
"Heave-ho!"
When I rolled over the goblin's corpse, the green bag it had been carrying on its back came into view.
I stripped it off and handed it to Seono.
"Ah! This is!"
Seono peeked inside the bag and was startled.
"This! This is an inventory, right!?"
I nodded.
Among monsters, particularly the humanoid ones that moved in groups, there were individuals who carried inventories.
The inventory carried by forest goblins was the lowest of the low-grade; despite its small capacity, it was large enough that it had to be worn on the back.
Because of its size, it blocked vision and impeded movement, making it a hindrance in combat, so carrying one was foolish.
But it was fine as long as I wasn't the one carrying it.
"I'd like you to carry this around. Is that alright?"
"Yes, of course."
Seono immediately slung the inventory on his back.
Inside were mushrooms and moss and other things the goblins had stored.
I emptied all of it out and put in the knives, bow, and arrows the goblins had been carrying.
"Now, let's dismantle these guys."
"Yes, hyung!"
Seono drew a knife from his waist.
After obtaining the inventory from the forest goblin, we roamed the first floor gathering materials.
The second floor was still too much since I hadn't bought proper weapons yet.
'Incredible.'
Watching Seono dismantle a Bigfoot Rabbit's hide, I was impressed.
It was clean, delicate, and fast; there was nothing to criticize.
'I thought I worked pretty meticulously, but compared to that, I was clumsy.'
Seono said it was thanks to his unique skill, [Dexterity].
It was a chance meeting, but I felt incredibly lucky.
Having finished collecting materials, we left the dungeon.
The forest goblin's inventory could hold about three times as much as the bag I'd been carrying.
With not only the inventory but also my bag stuffed to the brim, Seono and I headed for the market.
'With this much, not only the entrance fee for two people, but I might even earn enough for weapons.'
I needed weapons capable of withstanding skills.
'Besides, I just acquired a new Word. I want to buy something I can use with it.'
Lost in such thoughts, I was entering a material shop when—
"So I'm buying this much from you. Surely you can give me a discount."
"B-but no matter what, that price is…."
I could hear that conversation from inside.
"Here, the money."
"Ah…."
When I entered the shop, I saw a Hunter holding a bag full of materials.
"P-please wait!"
The shopkeeper grabbed the Hunter, who was turning to leave.
'Oh no.'
I had a bad feeling.
Bang!
"Keok!"
The thrown shopkeeper hit his back against the counter and collapsed to the floor.
"A mere ordinary human daring to lay hands on a Hunter?"
The Hunter said that to the groaning shopkeeper, then walked toward the entrance where we were.
"What? What are you staring at? Got a problem?"
I shrugged and stepped aside. I could feel the shopkeeper's gaze from behind the counter.
"Hyung…."
I stopped Seono with my hand before he could say anything and pushed him behind me. The Hunter snorted.
The Hunter passed by me.
'Let me borrow this.'
I reached out and grabbed a monster bone that was lying in the shop.
'Crush.'
The monster bone I swung hurtled toward the Hunter's shoulder.
Crunch!
"Kuaaack!"
The Hunter screamed and collapsed.
I stepped on the man's stomach and reached my hand toward his head.
'Fireball.'
With a crackling sound, flames gathered in my hand, and the screaming man froze with his mouth gaping open.
"I'm a regular here, you know. I brought a whole lot of materials to sell today, but if a robber shows up, the owner can't do business."
"U-uugh…."
"If you understand, put the stuff down and get lost. Pull this kind of shit here again, and I'll burn your face clean off."
When I removed my foot, the man left the shop clutching his shoulder.
I picked up the bag full of materials and approached the shopkeeper.
I took the shopkeeper's hand and helped him to his feet.
"Thank you so much."
The shopkeeper bowed his head.
"Don't mention it. If something happened to this shop or to you, I'd be in a tough spot too."
When I grinned, the shopkeeper let out a bitter smile.
After selling the materials and leaving the shop, I felt a gaze and turned around.
'Hmm?'
Seono was looking at me with sparkling eyes.
"Hyung, that was totally cool."
"Cool, my foot."
It wasn't like I was burning with some sense of justice.
Just as I'd told the shopkeeper, if something happened to him or the shop, it would be hard to sell materials for a good price.
And I'd taken care of that Hunter because he happened to be a nobody.
Monster materials stuffed into a bag because he didn't have an inventory.
No proper weapons anywhere on his body, and no protective gear worn.
And the fact that the thrown shopkeeper was completely unharmed also showed just how weak that Hunter was.
If he'd been even moderately strong, the shopkeeper would have died for sure.
That was why I'd had a bad feeling when the shopkeeper grabbed him.
'Anyway, things worked out well.'
I smiled as I looked at the long object in my hand.
It was a long bundle wrapped in white cloth.
Something the shopkeeper had given me as thanks for helping him.
'Now, with this, I can go to the dungeon and….'
That was when—
"Hyung!"
A sudden impact struck me from behind.
I fell to the ground without knowing why, then raised my upper body to assess the situation.
Seono was lying on top of me, having embraced me.
"What the—why all of a sudden…? Ugh!?"
Looking at Seono, I gritted my teeth.
A knife was lodged in Seono's back.
I quickly raised my head and saw the Hunter from the material shop fleeing into an alley.
'That bastard!'
I started to chase him but froze. Seono's clothes were soaked with blood.
'Damn it!'
I picked up Seono and ran to the pharmacy where I'd bought burn ointment before.
"Phew."
After returning to the inn, I laid Seono down on the bed in my room.
Thanks to the medicine, the wound on Seono's back had healed cleanly.
Since Seono was a Hunter too, he would fully recover by tomorrow if he got a good rest.
I watched the sleeping Seono for a moment, then went outside.
I had something to do.