Evolution Theory of the Hunter

Evolution Theory of the Hunter (ETH)
Volume 1 Chapter 4

"So what you’re saying is that whatever this thing drops is yours? For a civilian, you’re not stupid."

The boy said this in a tired voice as if it was really a waste of his time. It seemed he didn’t want to turn around and leave empty handed after coming out all this way. But this was a rule that all hunters abided by.

For someone who had level 5 quality equipment, I was sure they could go without a dropped item or two and be just fine. In any case, all that would drop from this monster would be a mon.a.z.ite or a bastn.a.z.ite. Though it differs by weight, if you sold it, it’ll probably amount to 1,000 dollars if anything.

Of course this looked to be about a level 4 monster so there was a possibility of a more expensive item. But it would be 10,000 dollars at the most. There was zero chance these guys would ignore the hunter rule for something that cost so little to them.

"I’m a porter. That’s why I know that much."

"Hm….is that right? But there isn’t any witness who can say that you killed it now is there?"

"If you don’t believe me go and watch the CCTV? You can probably see it in the car’s blackbox too,"

"Ah, is that so?"

The boy responded as if it were a pity and turned back around. The monster was starting to disappear.

"Let’s go. The cops will be here soon. There’s no point in us being investigated for dallying around."

The girl in the red said. I could see her regular clothes under the leather armor, which meant this was a summon type armor. From what I heard, summon type armor is known to be at least over 100 million at the cheapest. Christ almighty. It makes you wonder what kind of people their parents are to just easily buy these things for their kids as if it were nothing.

"Wait. We came all this way. We should at least see what drops before we go."

"So you can steal it if it’s something expensive?"

The girl’s lip curled up a bit in derision. She obviously said it to get a rise out of him but the boy pretended he didn’t care.

"Even if it is me, I wouldn’t do something as low as that. I’m just curious is all. Wondering what exactly would drop for Mr. Civilian Porter."

"Do what you want."

Listening to the two hunter’s conversation, I felt a bit uncomfortable and stared off at the dead body of the monster. Even though the guy said that, it still didn’t put my heart at ease. If possible, I was even hoping that something cheap would fall out.

"Look here. Civilian. This is probably fate too so we should at least exchange names. I’m Storm Storm’s Ahn Kyub.u.m. That girl over there is Setting Moon Sword’s Kim Sowul."

The word Civilian in and of itself was a neutral wors but every time he said it, it sounded like it could very well be a curse word.

"Jeon Sangmin. Level 2 Porter."

"Oh? Really? That means you have some skill. If you’re a level 2 porter at that age, that means you must be pretty good right?"

Even if I was really good, I was no Level 5 Hunter.

"Ah ah. Don’t look at me like that. Seriously. We both know that a hunter and a porter live in two completely different worlds. Ah. Who knows. Maybe if you work hard for 10 years then you just might be able to go into a dungeon with me. You know, people at high levels don’t really use porters but I’m different. Because if there isn’t someone following behind me to pick up all my things, it gets pretty annoying you see?"

"Thank you for thinking of me but I have no thoughts on ever entering a Level 5 dungeon. I only have one life."

"Did I say I was Level 5?"

"I made an educated guess. Expensive gear on top of not being afraid in approaching a Level 4 monster – I a.s.sumed you would be Level 5 at the least."

"Good eye. But I could also be higher than a Level 6 then, no?"

"If you were at that level, you would never have come around all the way here for this."

"I guess you’re right. You’re pretty smart."

"Something anyone can do honestly."

My guess was right. Well, it’s not really something to celebrate. And having to listen to all this c.r.a.p from a guy who’s probably a couple years younger than me…sheesh.

Truth be told, there is never really a porter who would go into a dungeon higher than a level 4. Without any skill, you couldn’t hope to come out alive after going up against a level 4 monster. There is no way a hunter would give a d.a.m.n about a porter’s life so your best bet was to just never put yourself in that situation in the first place. And on top of that, any use a porter can bring to a hunter is null and void at that level.

This is because there is almost no one who enters a level 4 and up dungeon for leisure. I mean, who in their right mind would willingly go into a dungeon for fun where you could easily die from one false move. Now that I think about it, anyone who enters a level 4 dungeon is either a skilled hunter who goes there to gain a super rare item or to periodically clear a dungeon to keep it from getting congested.

Seeing that it was so dangerous, porters were barred from entering any dungeons that were level 4 and higher. But laws are there for people who will abide by them. Those who don’t listen won’t. Every so often you will hear of a porter dying inside a high level dungeon…which makes

"Well, if that’s the case then…"

Ahn Kyub.u.m just shook his shoulders and turned to look at the disappearing monster’s body once more. I shook the dirt off my b.u.t.t and got up.

"Where do you think you’re going?"

"Instead of just sitting here, I should probably go and rescue those people instead."

I pointed to the people still pa.s.sed out in the cars. The cars involved in the collision were about 7. From there only 4 people were ok and had left their vehicles while the driver of the car that had first hit me and 3 more people were still in their broken cars.

"I see. Have fun."

"You don’t want to help?"

"Me? Why?"

"I’ll help."

Kim Sowul came forward. I said thank you with a nod and went with her to get the pa.s.sed out drivers from their cars. None of them sustained any real injuries thanks to their airbags. That was a relief. This could definitely have ended much much worse.

"Whew. Thanks. It looks like we pretty much got them all. It seems no one really got hurt so as soon as we get them loaded up into the ambulance, they should be just fine."

I made another "thank you" gesture to Kim Sowul. A hunter doing this of their own accord is a very rare thing. This is probably because they are used to others bowing down to them. Add to that she even touched a civilian. I can honestly say I’ve never seen that happen.

After laying down all the wounded into a row for the ambulance, I returned to where the truck was. It seemed it would take a long time for the monster to disappear. I sat on a stone nearby and watched the slowly evaporating monster. In that time, the ambulance finally appeared to take the wounded away. It was strange that the police sirens I had heard earlier still didn’t appear.

"What? Is that a skillbook?"

Ahn Kyub.u.m had uttered.

What?

I jumped up from my seat in surprise. What was left over from the monster’s disappearance was most certainly a skillbook. Just like the word, a skillbook is a book…literally. The cover and thickness of it was pretty thin but it had the telltale sign of a true skillbook – its reflective cover.

"Oh ho. Would ya look at this?"

Ahn Kyub.u.m quickly s.n.a.t.c.hed at the skillbook before I could. It was a relief that you could only acquire the properties of a skillbook from reading it cover to cover and it wasn’t something you could get instantly. And I was sure this b.a.s.t.a.r.d already had a skillbook so he probably wasn’t going to read it and risk losing his current one to be replaced by a lesser one.

Ahn Kyub.u.m looked at me briefly before saying.

"This b.a.s.t.a.r.d has some luck doesn’t he? To think that he could get a skillbook in one try…"

He licked his lips as he looked back and forth from me to the skillbook. It was killing me. I walked toward him with an outstretched arm.

I could see the corner of his lip turn up into a cruel smile.

"What? You want it? Well, you did say it was yours huh? Then here, take it."

After saying that, he stretched out the skillbook to me. As soon as I tried to take it, he pulled his arm back and started cackling."

"That quickly? Let me just look at it real quick to see what kind it is."

"Come on just give it to him. It’s something you won’t need anyway."

Kim Sowul said. Not only was she beautiful but she had the heart of an angel. My love. I turned to look at her. She must have seen the desperation in my face. She let out a sigh and walked toward her partner.

"What’s the price?"

"Um…wait."

Ahn Kyub.u.m turned to the next page. The laughter in his face was immediately replaced with a much more serious expression. Looking at it, I thought it could even be a rare skillbook. s.h.i.+t. If it was anything higher than a 5 Level item, I was pretty sure he wouldn’t let it go easily.

I began to let out a silent prayer that it was a useless and cheap skillbook. Because if he decided to steal it, I knew I couldn’t just lay down and let it slide. Kim Sowul s.n.a.t.c.hed at the skillbook and read the page. Then she started laughing like crazy.

"What is this? Level 0? There’s a skillbook like this? Since when?"

"I know. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a Level 0 skillbook. Oh no. You must have been so excited. I’m so sorry. L Sadface."

Ahn Kyub.u.m kept snickering as he looked at me. Did he purposely make that face to trick me into getting excited? What. A. Jerk.

But I was grateful that he wouldn’t steal the skillbook. Even if it was level 0, who knows! It could be worth some money. Even a level 1 skillbook sells for about 1 million dollars so if it was a Level 0 one, I’m pretty sure I can make at least 10,000 dollars. You could say that it was much better than even getting a mon.a.z.ite!

"Even though it’s not something we’d want, I’m pretty sure that it could be very useful to a porter."

Kim Sowul tossed the skillbook to me. I caught the book in two hands and carefully hid it in my clothes for safekeeping.

"This brat. I’m not going to steal it so don’t worry. Who the heck would steal something like that."

"It might be useless to you but not to everyone."

I had retorted on reflex. And I knew the moment I said this.

That I was screwed.

I didn’t even have time to apologize.

Slam!

"…huh?"

Slam!

Ahn Kyub.u.m had grabbed my hair in his fist and slammed my head down right into the ground. I didn’t even see him coming. I held back a moan with my head still in the ground. I had an intuition that I should not open my mouth.

Slam!

s.h.i.+t. It felt like all the bones in my head would shatter. What the heck kind of monster strength was this? s.h.i.+t. No matter how strong his armor was, the unleash this kind of power from such a small arm was ridiculous.

"Will you stop? It doesn’t look good."

Kim Sowul tried to calm him down. d.a.m.n. I was so so thankful for those words.

"You’re taking the civilian’s side?"

"Yeah."

"But then again. You used to be a civilian too."

Ahn Kyub.u.m returned teasingly.

"Didn’t we agree we wouldn’t talk about that."

"Oh did we? I’m sorry. I guess I have faulty memory."

Slam!

"Euk…"

I couldn’t hold back any more and let out a small moan. It really felt like my skull would rip apart. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Who does he think he is. Kim Sowul spoke again.

"Are you trying to kill him?"

"I’m thinking about it."

"There’s a lot of people here."

"Who cares."

Ahn Kyub.u.m retorted as he cackled a bit.

This was dangerous. Is he really trying to kill me? He must be joking right? To think that he’d kill a human so easily. That’s crazy.

ROOOOOOOAR!

At that moment, we could hear the cry of another monster. From the sound of it, it was at least 500 meters tall. It seemed there was one more. I could now hear the police sirens once more. This was probably the reason why the police hadn’t come here until now.

Kim Sowul spoke as she faced the sound of the commotion.

"I guess that’s the other one. Leave him alone."

"This guy. He really has good luck now doesn’t he."

Ahn Kyub.u.m finally let go of my head. After letting out a sigh of relief, I held back my breath again in case he changed his mind. Seeing me like that, Ahn Kyub.u.m let out a booming laugh. When I stared at him blankly, he responded.

"Keu Keu Keu. You won’t die. b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I was just playing around. To think you took it to heart."

"Stop. We should get going."

"Alright. I was just about to go anyway. Maybe we’ll see you again. Civilian."

Ahn Kyub.u.m jumped several meters high into the air and ran with such speed that he disappeared in an instant. Kim Sowul glanced at me for a second before disappearing just as quickly.

"Whew."

I wobbled as I stood up. As I stretched out here and there I could feel that my bad was a bit raw. It felt like I may have bruised my rib bone or something. On top of getting hit by a d.a.m.n car, after the beating from Ahn Kyub.u.m, there was no way I was fine.

But today’s work wasn’t over yet. The bus station was pretty much gone, but the bus should still be in working order. I figured since I could still move around, I should finish up this evening’s job and then go to the hospital afterward. What. A. Day.