Chapter 92. I’ll Take A Break For A While

In the top floor office of the Association's headquarters.

"The compensation will be covered by the government, as part of the additional exploration budget."

As they listened to the explanation about their pay, Hwang Hyun-Woo and Seok Dae-Kyung couldn’t help but let out a small gasp. The amount was surprisingly high for something funded by the government.

"It's because this is one of the initial explorations," said Son Chang-Il, the President of the Association, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Early explorations were always crucial, whether it was a dungeon or anything else.

Writing the report is going to be a bit of a headache...

However, even considering that, it was still a profitable deal. At least, better than spending the same amount of time diving into a dungeon.

"Hyung, how about a drink tonight? Dae-Kyung hyung is coming too," Hwang Hyun-Woo whispered to Kim Do-Joon once the conversation with the Association President wrapped up.

Normally, Kim Do-Joon wasn’t a big fan of drinking, but he wasn’t that antisocial to turn down such an invitation.

A night out won’t hurt.

Besides, after spending so much time together, eating and sleeping side by side, he was no longer awkward around these two.

"See you tonight, then!" the two said, walking off with their arms around each other’s shoulders, playfully nudging each other like old friends.

Watching them, Kim Do-Joon chuckled to himself. Funny how close they had become in such a short time.

"You did well out there," Son Chang-Il said once they were alone.

Now, the real conversation was about to start. When Hwang Hyun-Woo and Seok Dae-Kyung were present, they had only discussed formalities.

Lifting the teacup in front of him, Kim Do-Joon replied, "No, it was a valuable experience for me as well."

"Really? I heard you didn’t find much interest," Son Chang-Il said, raising an eyebrow.

Meeting an elf contracted with the Spirit King, and encountering the Spirit King himself were certainly surprising experiences, even for someone as seasoned as Son Chang-Il. Yet, despite these extraordinary encounters, Kim Do-Joon’s group had gained little.

They had brought back a few monster corpses stored in their inventories, a few spirit stones held by Hwang Hyun-Woo, and some herbs imbued with the energy of fire that Kim Do-Joon had collected.

The corpses would fetch a good price, and the Spirit Stones were rare and valuable crafting materials. However, Kim Do-Joon’s true goal, which was to obtain the elixir, remained unfulfilled. The herbs that he gathered barely held any power, far from what could be considered an elixir.

Son Chang-Il knew that Kim Do-Joon had a particular obsession with finding an elixir, so the man’s calm demeanor struck him as odd.

"Just having been there was helpful enough. It’ll definitely make a difference the next time we go in," Kim Do-Joon said, concealing the fact that he had obtained the Fragment of Heart of Flame.

He hadn’t mentioned it to anyone—not Son Chang-Il, not Hwang Hyun-Woo, and not Seok Dae-Kyung. The only ones who knew about that were Jecheon Seong and Siwelin. Hence why Son Chang-Il found Kim Do-Joon’s reaction puzzling.

"I see," Son Chang-Il said, nodding.

The idea that the experience itself was valuable made sense to him. It was common knowledge that what one learned from one trip could be invaluable on the next.

"Explorations into the Stem will become more frequent from now on, especially after knowing the environment inside isn’t too hostile. But..." Son Chang-Il hesitated.

"The elves, right?" Kim Do-Joon interjected.

"Exactly."

The interior of the Stem was like a massive dungeon. But unlike dungeons, it housed a diverse range of monsters, and its expanse was vast, almost reminiscent of a continent. Still, it wasn’t an impossible place to explore.

According to Shin Yoo-Sung’s report, it was initially assessed as comparable to an A-rank dungeon. Some areas were more dangerous, while others safer. The real issue was the elves, who posed an unpredictable threat.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

"We’re planning to officially announce the existence of the elves soon," Son Chang-Il revealed. "We’ll position them as a new type of monster emerging from the Stem, rather than a terrorist group as we initially thought."

“

Ah

, I see," Kim Do-Joon replied, nodding thoughtfully.

It’d likely cause quite a stir, but probably not to the level of mass panic. After all, not only were people on alert after the initial announcement about the so-called terrorists, this world was also no stranger to the sudden emergence of bizarre creatures.

“Elves are intelligent beings hostile to humans. They’re elusive, capable of showing up anywhere at any time. Considering this, the difficulty inside the Stem can’t simply be classified as A-rank,” Son Chang-Il sighed.

He had to deal with the headaches. The industry was abuzz with debates on how to regulate access to the Stem, turning into a significant social issue.

Obviously, they couldn’t just let anyone enter because it was too dangerous. At the same time, they couldn’t just restrict access too much. Hunters were pushing for laxer regulations, wanting to bring in as many people as possible, even if just as Laborers.

This had led to a flood of suggestions, and sometimes outright demands, from various guilds. Politicians linked to the major guilds were constantly calling, so much so that Son Chang-Il felt like he had aged a decade in the past few weeks.

“You’ve been working hard,” Kim Do-Joon remarked calmly as he sipped his tea.

Kim Do-Joon understood Son Chang-Il’s struggles, but he didn’t feel particularly concerned. It wasn’t his problem. As Son Chang-Il pouted at his indifference, he reached into his coat.

“By the way...” Kim Do-Joon said, pulling out a few Hunter IDs that weren’t Korean.

“This is...” Son Chang-Il muttered.

“I found these at the ruins where we first encountered the elves. It looks like they belonged to Chinese Hunters.”

The IDs that Kim Do-Joon had handed over to Son Chang-Il were all written in Chinese characters, making it clear they were from China. Son Chang-Il took them with a more serious expression.

“Thanks. I’ll make sure they get to the Chinese Association.”

Although relations with the Chinese Association weren’t great, this was a separate matter. Every country had an agreement that the IDs of Hunters who perished in dungeons should be returned to their families.

After carefully placing the IDs aside, Son Chang-Il looked back at Kim Do-Joon.

“So, what are your plans now?”

He glanced at the new Hunter ID lying next to Kim Do-Joon’s teacup, freshly issued and gleaming with the bold letter A—his new rank.

“Thank you for the promotion. It’s nice not having to go through the hassle of building up more achievements,” Kim Do-Joon said with a smile.

“The promotion was part of the deal from the beginning,” Son Chang-Il replied, returning the smile. “There were some twists and turns, but you made it through safely.”

Thinking back, it had been a strangely long process. The idea of a special promotion had come up right after Kim Do-Joon defeated Eldora. However, when he was offered the chance to take his promotion exam in the Stem, he declined. Instead, he chose a regular A-rank dungeon, only for a Dark Elf to appear out of nowhere.

Then, after speaking with the Dark Elf, Kim Do-Joon had eventually decided to enter the Stem anyway.

“There are still concerns about your short career, but even with that, an unaffiliated A-rank Hunter is bound to draw attention,” Son Chang-Il pointed out.

“Is that so?” Kim Do-Joon asked, somewhat surprised.

“Of course. There aren’t any unaffiliated A-rank Hunters. Well, there are a few, but even they are closely tied to certain guilds, even if unofficial. But you are different.”

Kim Do-Joon’s career spanned just one year. During that time, he hadn’t joined any guilds, choosing instead to operate entirely on his own. This made him a highly desirable asset for any guild, much more so than mediocre rookie.

“If you want, any guild would welcome you with open arms. Or, you could continue as a solo Hunter—being a high-ranking one is actually a mark of skill. In fact, you can even start your own guild. The possibilities are endless.”

Even with a short career, being A-rank meant people would flock to him. In an industry where most Hunters spent their entire lives stuck at B-rank, an A-rank was like a golden ticket.

“

Hmm

...” Kim Do-Joon hesitated before slightly parting his lips.

The Association President watched him intently, waiting for his next words. Kim Do-Joon was, without a doubt, one of the most promising talents of recent times. He had only been promoted to A-rank due to his short career, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he reached S-rank soon. Hearing about his future plans would be a significant plus.

Finally, Kim Do-Joon spoke, “I think I’ll take a break for a while.”

For a moment, the association president blinked in surprise, feeling a bit deflated.

“

Ah,

right, of course. You’ve been through a lot. It makes sense that you need some time to catch your breath.”

Kim Do-Joon nodded. He wasn’t particularly interested in guilds or dungeons at the moment. A little later, as the conversation wrapped up, Kim Do-Joon stood up, placing his teacup down. “Thank you for the tea.”

***

Of course, when Kim Do-Joon said he was taking a break, it didn’t mean he was literally going to do nothing. He simply meant he wouldn’t be engaging in any public activities for the time being. There were many things he had put off that needed his attention.

First on the list was moving.

“

Wow!

”

“...!”

“

Ooh?

”

His family had successfully moved into the house with a yard that Kim Do-Joon had previously scouted. The house was perfect, with two floors and a basement that could serve as a shelter. It was large enough to comfortably accommodate the three including Siwelin, and even Jecheon Seong, who joined later.

Thanks to this, unlike when they all had to cram into the small room above the store, each person had their own room. Besides, Kim Do-Joon had taken the time to buy all new furniture, so the place had a fresh, new-home feel to it.

Kim So-Eun’s room, in particular, was adorably decorated. A cheerful-colored bedspread, a bookshelf filled with fairy tale books, and a small round table added a cozy touch. If it had been just Kim Do-Joon, the room would never have turned out so well. The decorating had been a team effort between Kim So-Eun and Siwelin, both girls putting their heads together to shop for the perfect items.

However, one thing did stick out. It was a rustic wooden sword leaning against the bed.

Hmm

...

Kim Do-Joon mused, noticing the one item that seemed out of place in the cheerful space.

“Grandpa said I should always keep it with me! Oh, except when I go to kindergarten, of course,” Kim So-Eun explained.

“Oh, did he?” Kim Do-Joon replied, trying not to let his opinion show.

He wasn’t the type to be judgmental, but the sword did seem a bit odd in the otherwise bright and girly room. Still, he quickly shook his head.

Well, if she likes it, then it’s fine.

Why remove something that made her happy? Siwelin’s room, on the other hand, was quite sparse. Aside from a bed and the small TV she had used in the shop, there wasn’t much furniture. The room felt empty, but on one side was a cabinet holding a few peculiar items.

Taking a closer look, Kim Do-Joon realized they resembled the tools she had made back when she was a ghoul. Of course, these were much better crafted, made from proper carving wood and stone. They also didn’t have that eerie appearance her earlier creations had.

— I’ve got more space now, so I’m planning to make more of these!

Siwelin said enthusiastically. Although Kim Do-Joon had noticed her working on something occasionally, he didn’t expect her to be recreating those tools. Unlike the previous items, which radiated holy energy, these were more subtle. Yet, their presence made the air feel different. Rather than a regular room, it felt more like a church sanctuary.

“

Um

, yeah. Keep up the good work,” Kim Do-Joon said, a bit unsure but supportive.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to stop her. After all, regardless of the fact that he did it to save her, he did destroy all her ritual tools back then.

Furthermore, Jecheon Seong’s room was simple. Books lined the walls from floor to ceiling, a personal library in the making. With arms crossed, he spoke with a hint of pride.

“I picked these out after seeing them in the library. I only chose the ones that seemed worthwhile.”

Kim Do-Joon knew that Jecheon Seong often visited the library. He regularly borrowed books and even had a library card, which Kim Do-Joon suggested the old man get. Still, it was amazing to think he’d already read so many, and these were just the ones he decided to keep.

Jecheon Seong smiled, looking at his room.

It’s nice to see how excited everyone is.

Kim Do-Joon thought as he went out of Jecheon Seong’s room. After all, they had been squeezed together in the shop’s small quarters for so long.

Seeing them happy made Kim Do-Joon feel proud as well, like a proper head of the household. The expense of the new house and furniture had been worth it.

Then, his phone buzzed in his pocket, interrupting his thoughts. A text message had come in.

Web: This is a message from the Flea Market. Your order has been shipped. The estimated delivery date is...

It was a notification from the marketplace.

Looks like the mana-enhancing items that I ordered are on their way.

Kim Do-Joon recalled the items he had purchased with the leftover funds after buying the house and furnishings. Those items, meant to boost his mana stat, were finally arriving.

Have I handled everything I needed to?

He wondered, slipping his phone back into his pocket. It seemed like everything urgent had been taken care of including talking about the special promotion, moving to a new house, and purchasing items to boost the growth of the Fragment of the Heart of Flame.

With that thought, his steps took him to the basement.

Now, let’s see...

He pushed open the heavy metal door, stepping into the cool, dimly lit space. Then, he pulled out an item from his inventory.

[Tier 6 Labyrinth Key (Selectable)]

It was a reward Kim Do-Joon had received from the Sky Road, where he first met Jecheon Seong. Unlike the usual random keys, this one from the hidden quest said selectable.

Use.

Kim Do-Joon said, gripping the key tightly. Suddenly, a faint glow surrounded it, and a new window popped up in front of him.

[1. Lake of Lava]

[2. Arachne’s Lair]

[3. Frozen Harbor]

Three choices appeared. Kim Do-Joon frowned slightly as he examined them. Without further information provided, the names were all he had to go on.

Just pick based on the name, huh?

The names gave him a rough idea of what to expect, but nothing concrete about what kind of challenges or rewards he might find inside. After a moment of contemplation, Kim Do-Joon made his choice. His hand hovered over one of the options before selecting it.

***

In the northern reaches of the Nitenz Forest of Winds, where the pine trees stood blanketed in pure white snow, an elf stared into a small pool of water. The elf’s face was hidden beneath a deeply drawn hood, but the reflection on the still surface of the pond revealed her silhouette.

The only visible feature beneath the hood was a pair of pink lips that parted slightly as she spoke.

"There's still no sign of Eldora," she murmured, her voice as calm as the tranquil water.

Soon, in contrast, the surface of the pool began to ripple, gradually forming the image of a young boy.

— Elsar, I already mentioned it’s not the time to worry about that.

"But Eldora..." Elsar insisted, unable to let the matter drop.

The boy’s face twisted in irritation at her persistence. Seeing his reaction, Elsar clamped her mouth shut. She knew all too well that upsetting this fickle child would be a grave mistake.

— You clearly don't understand the seriousness of the situation. That human wasn't just any ordinary person.

"Certainly, the resistance from the outside has been a bit stronger than usual this time. But I didn't think it was... that much of a threat," she replied, trying to make sense of his concern.

— Enough! Just listen to what I’m telling you.

The boy interrupted, waving his hand dismissively.

Seeing her fall silent, the boy continued.

— Find that human who was in Vulcanus' territory. Kill him. Only report to me when there’s progress. Don't just sit around and let everything fall apart.

She wondered how she was supposed to find a human she’d never even seen before. As for the abilities he had mentioned, they were beyond belief. It simply didn’t align with her perception of reality.

Even so, despite her growing concern over Eldora’s absence, Elsar had no choice but to bow her head in submission.

"... Yes sir."