"Jongwon, I'm being serious here. I'm only telling you because you're my friend. I don't have any desire to flaunt my strength recklessly. It's hard enough to control as it is, and frankly, I don't have any interest in becoming a Slayer."
"Oh, come on. You expect me to buy that? Every stat at 100? Did you eat something weird? Is this some kind of hidden camera prank?"
Jongwon still didn't believe him. Hyunseok continued calmly.
"If I reveal that kind of ability, it'll only bring me trouble. People will ask how I got it, then there'll be countless attempts to recruit me, or suppress me. Unless I had overwhelming power that could crush everyone, having halfway-decent strength only paints a target on my back. Besides, as I already told you, being a Slayer doesn't really hold any special merit for me."
Jongwon still frowned, unconvinced.
Well, it made a kind of sense.
No one knew exactly how strong "all stats at 100" was, but even so, numbers didn't matter much when facing overwhelming numbers. You couldn't solve everything alone.
Let's say, at worst, that some group jealous of Hyunseok's stats tried to secretly lure him in or even kidnap him. Even if not that extreme, endless nuisances would follow. It wasn't unreasonable to want to hide his strength and avoid unnecessary hassle. After all, it was widely speculated that there were plenty of people keeping their power hidden even now.
But even putting those problems aside—
'It's true, he doesn't really need to be a Slayer.'
Compared to the current earnings of most Slayers, Hyunseok wasn't doing badly at all. He had a stable, comfortable job, plus a nice side income from translation work.
There was no need for him to risk his life in an uncertain profession like Slaying.
"But all stats at 100? You're talking complete crap. Do you know how impossible that is?"
Jongwon snickered, but then his expression froze.
"Still don't believe me?"
"A… Combat Field?"
A Combat Field could only be deployed when monsters were nearby. Within the field, a Slayer could fully exercise their abilities.
So yes, deploying one was proof that you were indeed a Slayer, but it was also something any Slayer could do.
However—
'But there are no monsters here! That's impossible!'
Ha Jongwon stared at Hyunseok in disbelief. He prided himself on knowing the Slayer system inside and out, he was an elite Slayer. But what he had just witnessed shattered his common sense.
There were no monsters around, yet a Combat Field had spread. Invisible to the naked eye, but undeniably there.
"This might just be unique to me, but when my Intelligence stat hit 100, the first restriction on Combat Field was unlocked. Now I can deploy it without monsters nearby, the radius expanded, and the Skill Window descriptions got more detailed. I can even read them out for you, if you want."
"You're… insane."
Normally, Combat Fields could only be deployed in the presence of monsters. Which meant a Slayer could only exercise their powers when fighting monsters. Some had even proposed keeping weak monsters as pets to bypass this limitation, but it had never worked. Once captured, the creature no longer counted as a monster, and the field wouldn't activate.
"But being able to deploy a Combat Field without monsters? That's broken. You're basically a psychic who can use powers in daily life."
"But the duration isn't that long. At most, I can keep it up for twenty minutes by myself. My current level is only 7."
Hyunseok watched Jongwon's face. His friend looked like he'd been struck dumb, blinking wordlessly. Then, as if snapping out of it, he suddenly exploded:
"You bastard! You should've told me this right away! Twenty minutes?! Are you crazy? My limit is three minutes! There's an empty spot at I'UET right now, join us. I'll recommend you personally. A level 7 Combat Field skill? You're insane! Why the hell did you wait this long to say it?!"
Currently, Jongwon belonged to the guild I'UET, which was affiliated with the prestigious Hanjin Foundation, essentially a monster-hunting guild.
These Slayers generated enormous value, literally creating something from nothing by using sheer force. They were well-compensated, too, the average annual salary easily surpassed 40 million won.
'Sure, if I joined a guild like that, they'd provide protection…'
But there was no need for Hyunseok to reveal all his cards now. Unless someone had a psychic ability that could directly read his stats, he wasn't in danger of being exposed.
'But is becoming a Slayer really to my benefit?'
At the end of the day, being a Slayer meant risking your life. Sure, it paid well, but it was uncertain. If monsters suddenly disappeared, or if he suffered a serious injury, there would be no way to make a living.
In contrast, his current job at KEPCO was rock-solid, iron rice bowl, as they called it. A government corporation, steady salary increases, great benefits. Why would he abandon that for something so risky?
'Dreams of being a superhero with great power are for kids.'
Jongwon sighed, sounding genuinely disappointed.
"Damn. Having someone like you on the team would be amazing."
"Forget it. Slayers are too risky, too unstable. I like security. You and I are different, Jongwon."
After all, Jongwon had quit a Ph.D. program halfway through to become a Slayer. He'd always been reckless, diving into whatever caught his interest without hesitation. That wasn't wrong, but Hyunseok had no intention of living like that.
"Tch, no manly dreams at all."
Jongwon grumbled but didn't push further. He'd known Hyunseok since childhood, he knew his personality well. If he was speaking this firmly, it meant he really had no plans to use his power openly.
"You'll end up dead chasing those so-called dreams. Keep this between us until I decide to reveal it myself."
Hyunseok's life continued peacefully.
The news constantly reported Slayer activities. Monster appearances and hunts had become part of daily life. Sadly, Slayers did sometimes die in battle, but compared to their achievements, the losses weren't dwelled on.
When monsters died, they left no corpses, only items and Monster Stones.
Monster Stones had countless uses. Mixed into medicine, they produced amazing effects without side effects. In fact, when a tiny amount was added to stamina drugs, it greatly boosted their effectiveness and eliminated adverse reactions, so black-market sales were already rampant. They were also an excellent alternative energy source.
When burned with coal or oil in power plants, Monster Stones produced enormous energy gains. Since they could be integrated into existing facilities without building new ones, they were seen as a game-changer, possibly even replacing oil as a global energy source.
At this point, some even called the monster outbreak a "gift" rather than a disaster. Like nuclear power, dangerous, but too efficient to ignore. Monsters were a threat, yes, but the benefits outweighed the risks.
As Hyunseok put on his shoes, he muttered, glancing at yet another Slayer segment on TV:
"So hunting methods are starting to stabilize now."
Over time, strategies for each monster species had been discovered, and Slayers were getting stronger. The number of Slayer deaths had dropped drastically. Unlike Hyunseok, whose leveling system was restricted, other Slayers grew stronger the more they hunted.
"But this isn't the end. Stronger monsters will come, it's not just a prediction, it's certain."
Everyone felt the same.
"Well, for now, I should just focus on my own life."
Since raising his Vitality stat and adopting a disciplined lifestyle, Hyunseok had picked up a new hobby, volunteering at an orphanage, something he'd done briefly in his early twenties. He found it rewarding and enjoyable.
Today's destination was Sunshine Orphanage, one of the facilities supported by his volunteer group. He arrived ten minutes early, but several volunteers were already gathered. Their leader, Jang Youngtaek, waved and greeted him warmly.
"Oh, Hyunseok! Long time no see."
"Hello, Hyungnim."
At 43, Youngtaek was fourteen years older, so Hyunseok greeted him politely.
"Just one more person, then we'll head out."
Time passed. Hyunseok frowned.
'What time is it now?'
12:40. The scheduled meeting was 12:30, but one person hadn't arrived. Since they had a fixed appointment with the orphanage, Youngtaek suggested waiting ten more minutes.
Finally, a woman came running up, breathless.
"Sorry I'm late!"
Her name was Kang Pyeonghwa, 26, an ordinary office worker with a bright, cheerful personality, or so Youngtaek said. Hyunseok only nodded slightly. He disliked people who treated agreed times carelessly, no matter how pretty or nice they were. Outwardly, he didn't show it.
"Alright, everyone's here. Let's go."
They boarded the van owned by the volunteer group and drove twenty minutes. The children at Sunshine Orphanage welcomed them enthusiastically, especially since the volunteers only came every two weeks.
The kids were young, five to thirteen years old. Among them, some older girls blushed and giggled shyly around Hyunseok.
The moment the van pulled in, a boy playing on the swings leapt off and craned his neck.
"It's Uncle Hyunseok!"
"Hey!"
Hyunseok raised his hand high.
The boy was Kim Minsoo, seven years old. He adored Hyunseok above all others, sprinting toward him with a radiant grin. Hyunseok couldn't help smiling widely in return.
Watching the innocent smiles of children filled him with joy.
"Well, Minsoo, how have you been?"
Nearby, other volunteers, led by Youngtaek, joked, pretending to be sad.
"Minsoo only likes Uncle Hyunseok. We're just leftovers."
"Boohoo, so sad!"
Youngtaek pretended to cry. Minsoo planted his hands on his hips, puffed out his chest, and declared proudly:
"A real man doesn't cry!"
From his look, it was as if he were saying, 'See, Uncle Hyunseok doesn't cry, so you're not a real man.'
"Who told you that?"
"Uncle Hyunseok did!"
The boy clung to Hyunseok's leg as other children ran out, shouting. Their voices boomed across the playground.
"This is why I love volunteering," Youngtaek said with a smile.
The children crowded around their favorite volunteers. Sadly, none gathered around Youngtaek. Volunteer Seulgi teased him:
"Well, Oppa, you don't really play with the kids directly, do you?"
It was true, Youngtaek usually left the childcare to the women and helped with the heavy lifting. Still, Seulgi's comment didn't feel like comfort.
"Then what about Hyunseok?"
Sure enough, several kids surrounded him.
"Well, he's handsome."
"Even kids care about looks?"
"It's the times. Kids like handsome people too."
"Ugh… I can't be reborn. Well, Hyunseok, just wait until you're ten years older—then the kids won't crowd you either."
Hyunseok chuckled, patting Minsoo's head. Youngtaek's joking wasn't mean-spirited, just lighthearted banter.
"Alright then, let's head inside."
With a sigh, Youngtaek followed Hyunseok into the orphanage building, leaving behind the playful chatter.
(End of Chapter 5)
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