Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 195: The Phenomenal Hunter (1)

Han-Yeol was undoubtedly a phenomenal person. No, he was a Master Rank Hunter who had the potential to become an even more extraordinary Phenomenal Hunter.

Additionally, he possessed the ability to summon demons to assist him in combat and could hatch monster pets from monster eggs, which allowed him to earn easy money. The monster pet he owned was known as a Mini Dragon, surpassing the strength of most high-leveled monsters.

[I don’t care what people say. He’s a phenom… a Phenomenal Hunter…]

[The Phenomenal Hunter, Lee Han-Yeol…]

This was going to happen in the future, but everyone present in the Cheolwon hunting ground would start referring to Han-Yeol as the Phenomenal Hunter once they finished the hunt.

It was a common practice for people to give nicknames to Hunters based on their abilities or traits, but it proved challenging for them to come up with one for Han-Yeol due to his multitude of skills. It was the Egyptians who eventually coined the term 'phenomenal' to accurately capture Han-Yeol's exceptional qualities, and this term quickly gained popularity.

‘I'm going hunting with the Phenomenal Hunter!’?The Egyptians grew excited at the prospect of hunting alongside Han-Yeol.

While it could be argued that Mavros played a role in this whole situation, it was Han-Yeol who received the praise of the people, as he was the one controlling the black dragon.

[Stop spacing out and go dismember the monsters Mavros hunted!]

[Yes, Manager-nim!]

The Porters immediately sprang into action upon receiving the command, and most of them appeared to be content with their job. While some Korean Porters might have grumbled about being overworked, the Egyptian Porters showed no signs of complaining whatsoever.

However, this didn't imply that the Korean Porters were slacking off compared to their Egyptian counterparts. In fact, the Korean Hunters were known for their diligence and superior skills compared to the Egyptians. After all, Koreans were culturally inclined toward hard work, making them naturally more industrious than the Egyptians.

Nonetheless, the most significant distinction between the two groups lay in the incentives they received. The incentives provided to the Egyptian Porters brought smiles to their faces, while the incentives given to the Korean Porters often resulted in tears or complaints. Developed countries like the United States, Germany, and others focused not only on incentivizing Hunters but also on providing benefits to Porters. Working as Porters in these countries allowed people to enjoy a good standard of living.

Egypt also made similar efforts to improve the pay and living conditions for all Porters. They witnessed a remarkable twelve percent increase in Porter applications within just one month after announcing their initiative. Their approach involved offering decent wages and incentives to Porters, and those who failed to awaken after four years were recognized as Veteran Porters. These individuals were then recruited by guilds or government raid parties, which offered significantly higher wages.

“Come here, Mavros.”

“Kieeeek!”

Mavros’ charisma was strong enough to overwhelm anyone in the vicinity, but he turned into a docile puppy the moment Han-Yeol called him over.

.

“Good job, Mavros.”

“Kieeeek!”

It was said that praises could make even a whale dance, and this proved to be true as the black dragon was elated after receiving Han-Yeol's praise. It seemed as though the dragon was on cloud nine.

‘Mavros' temperament resembles that of a hunter. Could it be because he is a dragon? Why did he feel the need to engage in a fight that was unnecessary for him?’?Han-Yeol was able to learn more about the black dragon’s temperament through this opportunity.

“Should we go have more fun, Mavros?”

“Kieeeek!”?

In response to the question, Mavros cried out as if to say, "Ready when you are!"

After witnessing Mavros' power, Han-Yeol, Mujahid, and the rest of the team ventured deeper into the hunting ground. With Han-Yeol's watchful eyes on their side, they had no concerns about being ambushed or overwhelmed.

[There are twelve Yetis, two Snowmans, and three Ice Trolls three kilometers in front of us. They are at our two o’clock.]

[Yes, hyung-nim! Get ready, you guys!]

[Yes, sir!]

Click… Clack!

Even though the monsters were still three kilometers away, the Porters prepared their guns. This was the hunting style they had become accustomed to while hunting alongside Han-Yeol and Mujahid. They followed a different approach to hunting, where the monsters would come to them instead of the other way around.

“Mavros.”

“Kieeeek!”

Chwak! Shwooong!

Mavros spread his large wings and swiftly soared into the air, gradually ascending until he transformed into a mere dot.

Meanwhile, a mana vortex materialized in the sky, indicating the black dragon's accumulation of mana in preparation to unleash its innate ability.

As mana filled his lungs, Mavros’ chest expanded, and the energy ascended to his mouth, gathering there. A moment later, he released the gathered mana toward the location where the monsters had gathered.

Shwaaaaaa!

Despite being a considerable distance away from the black dragon, Han-Yeol, Mujahid, and the team members could sense the powerful surge of mana permeating the air.

[Poison Breath]

Mavros' innate ability as a dragon surged fiercely toward the monsters, unleashing its devastating force.

Shwaaaaa...! Kabooom!

The resounding explosion, accompanied by slight tremors, echoed from the three-kilometer distance, a testament to the immense power of Mavros' skill.

Gulp…!

[Amazing…]

[I-Is that even possible…?]

The Egyptians were stunned once again as they watched the thick green smoke rising up in the distance.

But that did not last long as…

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!?

[T-They’re coming!]

[Prepare to fire!]

An enraged horde of monsters charged toward the team, kicking up snow in their wake. The Porters swiftly readied themselves to open fire, aiming to fend off the approaching creatures. Secretly, they held a glimmer of hope that the bullets they discharged would be the catalyst to awaken their own hidden potential.

Han-Yeol suddenly had this thought while watching the Porters, ‘The Porters will be treated better if they can shoot mana bullets and deal damage to monsters.’

The primary reason for the mistreatment and disdain toward the Porters stemmed from their inability to inflict any damage on intermediate-level monsters, regardless of the number of bullets they fired. While this, in itself, was not a significant issue, what frustrated the Hunters was the legal obligation to give the Porters time to shoot, allowing them a chance to awaken as Hunters.

The Hunters' Association staunchly upheld this rule, leaving the Hunters with no recourse, despite their annoyance. The Porters persisted in their work, enduring mistreatment, driven solely by the hope of awakening as a Hunter. Even if they were to awaken as F Rank Hunters, it would secure them a minimum annual wage of one hundred million won from companies.

In the present era, F Rank Hunters had ample opportunities to earn substantial sums of money without having to risk their lives on the hunting grounds. Corporations sought their services to expand into industries that would otherwise be perilous for ordinary individuals.

While it was undeniable that the true essence of being a Hunter lay in hunting in the dangerous hunting grounds, some F Rank Hunters found contentment in the earnings they made, without the need to risk their lives fighting against monsters.

Ultimately, these reasons alone were more than sufficient for the Porters to endure and hold onto the hope of awakening, even if it meant achieving the rank of an F Rank Hunter.

‘What a great country I live in…’?Han-Yeol grumbled inwardly.

South Korea considered itself a developed country, but its politics were worse than those of most underdeveloped nations. In recent years, the country had suffered from severe mismanagement and was plagued by numerous scandals. This situation had led to the current shortage of Porters in the country.

As the monsters closed in, Han-Yeol became momentarily distracted. However, it appeared that Manager was a competent individual. He timed the command to fire perfectly, waiting until the very last second before the monsters entered the firing range of the Porters. This strategy aimed to maximize their accuracy in dealing with the approaching threat.

[Fire!]

Ratatatatatata!

Hundreds of bullets flew toward the monsters.

“Kyaoh!”

“Kwuooh!”

[Hmm? What’s going on?]

The Manager had a sense that something was amiss as he witnessed the monsters' reaction to the bullets. They shouldn't have reacted at all to the impact of the bullets, yet some of them cried out in pain upon being hit, and their speed even diminished.

[Don’t tell me!]

He immediately looked at Han-Yeol after remembering something he had heard about him.

‘As expected!’?

Han-Yeol was one of the rare kinds of Hunters who used guns, and he was quite proficient with it too.

‘I totally forgot about it.’?The Manager laughed in disbelief.

Ratatatata!

Upon closer inspection, it became evident that the HSK-447P emitted a blue spark whenever it was fired. Unlike a normal gun, which produced bright red sparks upon shooting a bullet, Han-Yeol's gun discharged mana instead, resulting in the blue spark.

‘He's truly remarkable…’

While there were many Hunters who engaged in long-range combat, it was relatively uncommon to find a Hunter who possessed exceptional skill with guns. Moreover, most of those who relied on guns for combat were low-ranking Hunters. However, this conventional logic did not apply to Han-Yeol, as he proved to be an exceptional and versatile character, defying expectations and possessing an array of exceptional abilities.

Ratatatata!

[They’re coming!]

The Manager gave the signal when the monsters were in close proximity, prompting the Porters to gradually stop firing. They quickly moved to the back lines, ensuring they wouldn't obstruct Han-Yeol and Mujahid in the ensuing battle. The fierce duo eagerly stepped forward as the Porters retreated, with the other Hunters providing support from the rear positions.

One of the Egyptian Hunters raised his hands and shouted, [Crying Shockwaves!]

Wooong! Wooong! Wooong!?

‘Hmm?’?Han-Yeol could sense a subtle increase in the density of his mana following the Hunter's skill usage.

He was confident that this enhancement would result in more potent attacks, knowing that his denser mana would augment his offensive capabilities.

It was then…

Ding!

[Your attack power has increased by 2% due to the Crying Shockwave’s effect.]

The system's confirmation of his suspicions brought a sense of reassurance to Han-Yeol. However, he couldn't help but feel perplexed as the system had remained silent during the numerous buffs he received in the past during the Thousand Armed Bodhisattva raid.

Despite the strangeness of the situation, Han-Yeol chose to overlook it, considering it as a peculiar yet positive occurrence.

‘This is nothing compared to the buff Mavros gives me, but it’s quite useful since it stacks.’

Two percent was nothing by itself, but the important part was that it stacked with the other buffs.

[Mujahid!]

[Yes, hyung-nim!]

Tak!

“Kyaong!”

Despite knowing that taking on a group of seventeen monsters with just the two of them was a formidable challenge, Mujahid fearlessly charged into the midst of the crowd alongside Furion.

In typical situations, he would have considered such encounters highly dangerous and opted to retreat. However, this particular hunt was different because he had a reliable backup in Han-Yeol. With this reassurance, Mujahid harbored no concerns for his own safety.

[Haaaap!]

“Kyaong!”

“Kwuoooooh!”

Just as Mujahid, Furion, and the monsters were on the verge of clashing, a colossal figure plummeted from the sky.

Mavros, with his immense presence, forcefully body-slammed into the midst of the monsters, sending some of them flying and preventing Mujahid and Furion from being surrounded. His intervention ensured their safety and disrupted the impending clash.

‘Shall I start joining the fray?’?Han-Yeol thought as he walked toward the monsters with a smirk.