CHSE 9

Chapter 9

“Are you okay?”

Choi Soo-jung quickly handed me some water.

As the cool water went down, my stomach finally calmed.

“Ah, yeah. Thanks. Guess I drank too fast.”

I almost ended up drinking beer through my face instead of my mouth.

“It’s not free, you know. Send me ten thousand won later.”

“…You’re still shaking down your teammates for money?”

“Of course. Gotta save up a little at a time for our team dinners. Anyway, you sure look happy drinking after not seeing me for a while.”

“Yeah, it’s good. But you should’ve bought me something more expensive.”

“Oh? Then if I call you next time, you’ll come again?”

With that vague promise with Soo-jung made, I turned toward Su-hyun’s side.

They were still in the middle of talking about Hunter X. Listening in, I quietly slipped into the conversation.

“I’ve read stuff about X on the community boards too. But you guys don’t actually have anything to do with him, right?”

At my words, Oh Min-seok, the team’s main tanker, slammed his glass on the table.

“Ha, just thinking about all the trouble we went through because of that guy…”

“Why? Did something really happen?”

He looked so irritated and angry that I pretended I knew nothing and asked.

“The whole guild got flipped upside down. The Chinese side investigated everything—what date we entered the Tower, how long the raid took, even what we did on our days off.”

“I couldn’t go camping by the beach because of that. They told us to avoid any private activities.”

“Isn’t that overstepping their authority?”

“Master Chen Long himself was investigating, eyes wide open.”

“Ah…”

Master.

It’s the grand title given to hunters of extraordinary power, even among S-rankers.

Strength, agility, stamina, endurance, mana.

After publicly revealing these five abilities and receiving certification from the World Hunter Association, only the top 10 in the combined ranking are granted the title of Master.

And China’s Chen Long was none other than Rank 6—one of the Master Hunters.

For reference, Korea has never had a single Master. Not even a candidate, except for when I briefly had my name up there.

So even if China made a fuss like this, we couldn’t even protest.

We simply couldn’t handle the backlash.

“….”

I’m sorry.

Because of me, you guys really had it rough.

From what I heard, it seemed every hunter in Korea above B-rank had been investigated.

That’s why nobody could enter the Tower today.

Apparently, they’d all just taken vacation together. That explained why all my old colleagues were here.

So I listened to their complaints, sympathized, and cursed out China and Hunter X together with them.

Then I felt someone’s gaze and turned my head. Soo-jung was staring right at me.

“…What?”

“Nothing. Just feels like you haven’t changed at all, even after leaving the guild.”

“Why are you saying that now? You and I ate more than a hundred boxes of combat rations together in the Tower.”

That’s how much time we’d shared. A few months apart wasn’t enough to make us awkward.

“And it hasn’t even been half a year since I quit.”

“It’s been over half a year. You left before my birthday. Anyway, you’re really not thinking of coming back?”

“Nope.”

I felt bad for them, but after being kicked out, why bother?

Besides, I had my own things to do now. No reason to chain myself to a guild.

While I was sorting out my thoughts, I suddenly remembered something to ask Soo-jung.

“By the way, do you have any spare support-type mana circuits? The engravable kind.”

Her eyes went wide at my words.

“You’re going to try dual-classing?”

“Figured I’d give it a shot.”

“…Are you crazy? Do you know how much mana that eats up?”

I knew.

That’s why I was going to try it.

The old me would never have even dreamed of it, but now I had the Infinity skill.

If I used Infinity to offset the mana consumption?

Dual was possible—and even triple or quadruple seemed within reach.

<So you’ve decided on support as your second type?>

Where did she come from?

Teechi suddenly popped up out of nowhere. Looking closely, her face was redder than usual.

Did you drink?

<Just a little?>

So even teddy bears can get drunk?

Anyway, just like she said, I had chosen support as my second.

I debated a lot between support and healing, but giving myself buffs felt way more valuable.

<Yeah… that makes sense. You’re bound to end up fighting other hunters eventually.>

Exactly.

Plenty of people would surely come after Hunter X.

They’d have more than enough justification—restoring world order by eliminating a threat. And when that happened, buffs would be essential.

“I’m not taking it too seriously. Just want to mess around while looking for a way to fix my mana circuit.”

“Ugh, fine.”

“I read online that if you just overlay a new mana circuit, sometimes the old one gets fixed in the process.”

“That sounds like total nonsense… Anyway, you’re saying you need a support-type mana circuit, right?”

“Yep.”

Soo-jung tapped away on her phone, searching for something.

“You know how to actually dual-class, right?”

“You stabilize your main circuit, then overlay another circuit on top to add it.”

“That’s right. Ah, found it.”

She slid her phone toward me.

On the screen was a pink orb, about the size of my thumb.

“This thing creates a support-type mana circuit? I just eat it?”

“Yep. It’s called a Mana Circuit Crystal. I happen to have one, so I’ll ship it to you tomorrow. You’ll need to go through the engraving process, but for you that shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Isn’t it expensive?”

“Not really. It’s useless to normal people anyway. Anyway, I get why you’re trying this dual-class thing, but…”

She sighed deeply while looking at me.

“Think it through carefully before you use it. Once a circuit is built and engraved into your heart, there’s no undoing it.”

“Got it.”

Dual-classing is a talent.

The proof? You needed far more mana than average to even attempt it.

Because having two circuits meant burning through twice the mana.

That’s why almost nobody tried it.

But me? I didn’t care.

<Infinity! Infinite mana! Ooooh—save this world!!! And ours too—!>

The tone-deaf drunk teddy bear started singing like it was an anthem.

Meanwhile, from my heart, mana close to infinity kept pouring out without end.

“Ugh, my head.”

I clutched my splitting skull as I sat up. In the corner of the bed, a squished teddy bear lay sprawled.

Last night it had raised hell with its loud drunken singing. Good thing only I could hear it.

Still… where did it even get the alcohol?

I never gave it any.

Truly a mystery.

“You’re up? There’s soup in the kitchen—eat that for breakfast.”

“Yes. Are you going out?”

“Your dad wants to go hiking.”

I saw my parents off on their morning hike and headed to the kitchen.

“Ohhh…!”

Spicy kimchi bean sprout soup was waiting.

They must’ve prepared it, knowing I’d been drinking last night.

One sip of the broth and the spicy, refreshing flavor blew away the pounding in my head.

I quickly prepped some rice and fried some Spam.

“Mmm!”

With the hearty broth, the crunch of bean sprouts, and the rich kimchi flavor, the meal was gone in no time.

Back in my room, I found the teddy bear slumped against the bed, holding its head.

“You okay?”

<Ugh… feels like I’m dying. Human alcohol is pretty strong, huh?>

“Guess you’re a lightweight, huh?”

It only drank beer though… I’d mixed in soju myself.

“Want a hangover cure? We’ve got kimchi bean sprout soup.”

<No, give me cherry peppers.>

“…”

Without a word, I tossed over some cherry peppers and booted up Save Earth.

At the same time, I browsed through various hunter communities for info.

Just as my colleagues had said, Hunter X was a hot topic among top hunters.

[Who the hell is this bastard? If I find him, I’m gonna punch him in the gut.]
└ Same… I just wanted a vacation, but they all got canceled.
└ But is he even Korean?
└ No. Koreans above B-rank need Ministry of Foreign Affairs approval to leave the country.
└ LOL, it’s just the higher-ups putting on a show.

Most posts weren’t trying to identify Hunter X—just proving they weren’t him.

While I was reading, the doorbell rang.

“Thank you!”

It was a courier delivery.

Soo-jung had sent the mana circuit crystal.

Opening the box, I found the same pink orb from last night’s drinking session, sealed tightly like some relic.

<What’s that?>

“A support-type mana circuit crystal.”

<So you’ll really become a dual-class hunter now?>

“If the circuit builds successfully, yeah. Though I read sometimes it doesn’t work.”

Apparently compatibility mattered.

<Hmm… really? At least it’s not dangerous?>

Teechi folded her arms, her eyes flickering with both curiosity and concern.

“I don’t think so. Haven’t heard any horror stories.”

The transparent crystal glowed faintly pink, with a golden circuit etched inside.

I popped it into my mouth.

I’d heard of failed attempts, but never of anyone dying.

Crunch.

As soon as my teeth cracked it, the crystal shattered and slid down my throat.

A sharp, minty flavor spread out.

“Wait… why does pink taste like mint and not peach—?!”

My mind snapped wide awake.

A cold, refreshing current coursed through my veins.

The new energy slowly gathered toward my heart.

“Hhup!”

<…Oho.>

Teechi’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Golden lines began etching themselves across my skin.

Thin, delicate threads of mana formed, spreading outward like a nervous system.

From my heart outward, circuits branched and curved, weaving together.

It was like watching the Tree of Life sprout new branches—stunning.

<That’s pretty impressive.>

Teechi couldn’t help but admire it.

The golden mana circuits glowing faintly beneath my skin were like living art.

Moments later, another golden circuit emerged.

The newly formed support-type mana circuit.

And the original martial-type mana circuit.

Both flared in alternating light, as though declaring their presence.

Finally, the golden glow flashed once and faded, settling into place.

“Phew…”

At last, I opened my eyes, exhaling deeply. For an instant, golden light flickered in my pupils before disappearing.

“Did it work?”

<Yeah. Success.>

Teechi raised her hand in amazement.

I turned my senses inward.

‘Yeah, it worked.’

I could feel the new mana circuit clearly.

“I’m heading out.”

<Huh? Where to?>

“Obviously, to buy a skill book.”

If you unlock a new circuit, it’s only natural to test it out.

To resist?

That’d mean you’re not a real gamer—or hunter.