Chapter 14
Ding-!
[Reviewing past memories and abilities of user 'Lee Seong-jun' for job selection.]
[Age 26...]
[The soul's caliber in past memories is too high!]
[Re-evaluating!]
[Progress 0... 27... 62%...]
[Error 1783.]
[Code 004 activated.]
[Selecting job randomly.]
[Congratulations! You have advanced to the 'Enhancement Specialist' buffer job.]
[Acquired E-rank skills: Strength Enhancement, Agility Enhancement, Vitality Enhancement.]
Lee Seong-jun's head tilted back as he saw his job title among the message windows that appeared.
'Enhancement Specialist?'
He knew that job selection was usually based on the user's past memories and abilities.
Considering that he had walked the path of a martial artist using martial arts not only in the Thousand Continent but also after returning to Earth, it was a somewhat unexpected job selection.
'What's this?'
To resolve the questions arising in his mind, Lee Seong-jun carefully examined the message windows that appeared before him, and nodded.
'The soul's caliber in past memories is too high, huh...'
The abilities of this system were certainly impressive.
But in the past, Lee Seong-jun had been a demon god who had proudly faced high-ranking gods of the immortal realm like the Primordial Heavenly Lord, the Jade Emperor, and the Queen Mother of the West.
'Even if created by a lofty god, it's ultimately just a remnant of power, not the true god.'
Since it wasn't directly manifesting or intervening, there were bound to be some limitations in grasping everything.
As he slowly organized the system-related information in his mind, a smile spread across Lee Seong-jun's face.
'Good.'
The error just now proved that the god who created this system wasn't omniscient or omnipotent.
Thanks to this, even if it tried to oppress or restrict his actions in the distant future after becoming enemies, he was confident he could shake it off using the knowledge and experiences engraved in his soul.
The small anxiety lingering in a corner of his mind was completely resolved.
'I can really use this system without any burden now.'
Lee Seong-jun's gaze naturally turned to his newly acquired job, 'Enhancement Specialist'.
'...Enhancement Specialist, huh.'
It was quite an excellent job.
'Especially for me.'
Skills of buffer jobs like Enhancement Specialist had stat increase effects or various auxiliary abilities.
In exchange, unlike combat jobs classified as warrior, spearman, or boxer, they couldn't learn combat skills, but Lee Seong-jun had been praised as a martial artist and demon god.
Since he already knew numerous martial arts, not being able to learn combat skills wasn't a problem at all.
In other words, Enhancement Specialist was the best job for Lee Seong-jun.
E-rank, Strength Enhancement (Blood Energy cost 1)
Momentarily increases strength, raising Strength stat by 5 for 10 minutes...
The other enhancement skills had similar effects to Strength Enhancement.
They all increased stats like Strength, Agility, and Vitality by 5 for 10 minutes.
Given his already excellent combat sense and abilities, the effect of this increase was beyond imagination.
'If these enhancement buffs are added to my current abilities...'
In terms of martial artists, he'd be at the top of second-class. In terms of the awakened rankings on Earth, he'd be at the top of C-rank, maybe even reaching B-rank.
It was more than enough power to crush an E-rank gate.
'The preparations are sufficient.'
Now it was time to start hunting.
* * *
The next morning.
Jo Gang-hyeon, team leader of the Returnee Management Team, was sitting at his desk busy handling work, having given up his precious vacation to come in.
The reason was simple.
'Returnee Lee Seong-jun is special.'
He wasn't like the all-too-common returnees who, intoxicated by their glorious life in another world, rampaged about believing in their own meager strength.
'He coolly assessed and utilized his own situation.'
This alone was enough to consider him an excellent talent.
Moreover, Lee Seong-jun was a returnee from another world.
This meant his combat abilities were likely to be excellent as well.
Of course, since he hadn't directly seen his combat abilities or observed his growth rate over a long time, he couldn't be certain that he had SSS-rank potential as Seong-hun had said.
But considering the growth trends of returnees who had stood out as promising talents so far, he was at least S-rank.
'No, even higher than that.'
You can tell ten by seeing one, as they say.
Returnee Lee Seong-jun was an outstanding person with excellent political and negotiation skills.
It was inconceivable that someone with such a brilliant mind would have wasted time idly in another world.
He must have gained a lot of knowledge and power.
'At the very least... he should be able to reach SS-rank.'
The highest rank excluding the top SSS-rank.
In fact, SS was a rank that could establish one as a key executive of a returnee alliance or representative of a guild.
'If a talent like this joins the Returnee Alliance...'
Although the power of guilds created by returnees and awakened was roughly equal, looking closely, one could say the Returnee Alliance had a slight edge.
And if Lee Seong-jun, with at least SS-rank growth potential, joined the Returnee Alliance?
They would demand even more, and propose rude and overstepping conditions.
'It's terrible just thinking about it.'
The returnees would make laws only for themselves, eating away at the country of South Korea.
To avoid facing such a worst-case scenario, they absolutely had to recruit returnee Lee Seong-jun.
They must not make mistakes like yesterday and offend him.
Starting with handling things more clearly and neatly, they needed to slowly build goodwill.
And later, they needed to persuade him to become a member of the Hunter Association.
That's why Jo Gang-hyeon had swiftly processed the approval for the 30 million won reward to be paid after gate handling, so that returnee Lee Seong-jun wouldn't feel uncomfortable.
Jo Gang-hyeon was trying his best within his position, but while reviewing and reporting on additional compensation, he encountered an unexpected obstacle.
"So, you're saying if this returnee Lee Seong-jun or whatever handles an E-rank gate within a week, you want me to give additional compensation from my authority?"
"Yes, I'm asking for your approval."
"Hmm..."
A man in his early 40s with snake-like sharp eyes and a massive body that barely fit in his chair furrowed his brow in thought.
Though he looked unremarkable on the outside, the position he sat in and the authority he held were immense.
Kim Dong-jun, Director of the Returnee Management Headquarters at the Hunter Association Headquarters.
Nicknamed "Parachute".
He was a man who had risen to the position of director not through outstanding abilities, but through excellent internal politics and connections in political and business circles.
In contrast, Jo Gang-hyeon was a capable talent recognized and trusted by those around him.
From Kim Dong-jun's perspective, he was one of the troublesome competitors rapidly rising from below.
There was no way he would just sit by and watch Jo Gang-hyeon build up good performance.
"Reaching E-rank in just a week... You're saying this Lee Seong-jun or whatever is on par with Yoon Min-su, and you expect me to believe that as is?"
"I didn't believe it at first either, but after meeting him in person, I don't think it's entirely false."
"Hah, ridiculous. Hey, Jo Gang-hyeon! Don't you have any sense? Anyone can smell that this guy's a fraud from a mile away."
"...He's definitely not."
"How can you be so sure? You just met him for the first time yesterday, right? You didn't even have time to properly check him out, did you?"
In truth, Kim Dong-jun couldn't be certain either.
Having worked together for a considerable time, he knew that Jo Gang-hyeon had quite a sharp eye.
But paradoxically, that's why Kim Dong-jun kept opposing.
Kim Dong-jun was already in a situation where he was getting pressure from above due to lack of work performance.
And if Jo Gang-hyeon brought in this talented Lee Seong-jun and he joined his faction?
Forget promotion, he might have to give up his current director position to Jo Gang-hyeon.
It was terrifying just to imagine.
"There's no additional compensation to give to such a fraud, so stop making noise and get out."
"...Please reconsider just once."
"Stop talking nonsense and get out! To be frank, even if we bring him to the Hunter Association, he'll be in your faction, so why are you asking me for more compensation? Just give him compensation at your level."
A wry smile crossed Jo Gang-hyeon's face at Kim Dong-jun's petty words.
Without even considering the repercussions if they lost returnee Lee Seong-jun to another alliance, he was still thinking about internal politics and trying to look out for his own interests.
'To think such a dense person is my work superior...'
As Jo Gang-hyeon tasted bitterness in his mouth at the dark future of the Returnee Management Team, a vibration sound erupted from Kim Dong-jun's smartphone carelessly tossed on the desk.
Though Jo Gang-hyeon was still standing before him, Kim Dong-jun pressed the call button without any regard.
"Yeah, what is it?"
An implicit action saying there was no more conversation to be had, so leave immediately.
But Jo Gang-hyeon stood his ground motionlessly.
To close the deal with returnee Lee Seong-jun, he absolutely had to secure additional compensation.
-The Gate Management Office has requested support, saying a boss monster has appeared in the E-rank gate near the Gangseo-gu sewage treatment plant.
"Why are they contacting us about that? There are other teams with more manpower."
-Other departments have already gone out for emergency support to handle gates.
It was a common occurrence.
Tens, sometimes hundreds of gates were created daily, and countless monsters existed within them.
The number of hunters was overwhelmingly insufficient.
Kim Dong-jun's brow furrowed at the unexpected additional work, and his gaze fell on Jo Gang-hyeon.
'What? He still hasn't left?'
Despite clearly expressing his intention multiple times, he was still standing his ground.
'You want to have it out properly today, huh?'
They had clashed several times over work-related issues, and similar things had happened.
And ridiculously, most of them had ended in Jo Gang-hyeon's victory.
It couldn't be helped.
Jo Gang-hyeon's work ability went without saying, and many team members trusted and followed him.
Moreover, he was also someone who kept receiving praise from higher-ups.
The longer the fight dragged on and the more the issue became public, the more pressure came from all sides, so he couldn't keep asserting his pride.
Having learned this sequence from previous fights, he had no intention of fighting in the same way as before.
'Right here, right now, I'll firmly press down that proud nose of his so he can't bring up additional compensation again.'
By now, a sardonic smile was spreading across Kim Dong-jun's face.