Chapter 3: F-rank Human Shield （3）

Awakening.

People who have gained special powers can intuitively grasp their abilities, as if in a game.

‘Stats.’

『Kang San』

━ Strength: 25

━ Agility: 28

━ Divine Power: 1

First, the stats.

Kang San’s stats were very simple.

Usually, ordinary Hunters gain at least three stats upon awakening. If strength and agility are stats that everyone gains, you can think of it as gaining one more stat related to the skill acquired. However, in Kang San’s case, since he didn’t have any skills, he had to survive fights against monsters with only two stats.

It was a frustrating situation.

At least with the +1 increase from this reward, he almost reached 30, which is known to be the average for an E-rank Hunter.

‘By the way, Divine Power?’

Anxiety washed over him.

Divine Power was obtained through the reward, but he had a feeling that his skills might also be related to it.

‘Skills.’

『2-Star（★★） Skill』

『Healing Aura』

1. Heals the wounds of oneself or an ally. The initial recovery amount is 20%, and the recovery amount increases by the Divine Power stat. （Cooldown 5 minutes）

2. When consuming one’s own health, it is possible to recover a specific ally’s health by the amount of health consumed. （Cooldown 30 minutes）

3. Increases health regeneration by 10%.

『Growth-type Skill』

『Guardian’s Will』

1. Defense and health regeneration increase by +1% for each enemy faced.

2. When health falls below 10%, health is fully restored and defense is doubled. （Cooldown 1 week）

3. Guardian’s Will grows when Divine Power reaches fifty. （1/50）

“…Is this the reward?”

Kang San’s eyes widened.

The reward mentioned by the system.

It clearly said it was a 1-star skill, but the effect of the reward he actually received was quite impressive.

Usually, most of the skills that Hunters possess are 1-star. D-rank and above Hunters start possessing 2-star skills, and from 3-star onwards, they are rare treasures that can only be obtained with a combination of skill and luck. Kang San heard that the power of skills differs drastically for each level starting from 3-star, and he heard that the highest level of skill currently available is 6-star. In that sense, Guardian’s Will was an exceptional skill. Growth-type skills do not require star classification and are skills that transcend ‘levels’ depending on the form of development. A thrilling feeling from the enormous reward enveloped his body.

Jackpot.

This was a huge jackpot.

It felt like risking his life to defeat Nol was sufficiently rewarded.

‘When I first received the mission, it said there was +@ depending on the degree of achievement. It wasn’t a 1-star skill, but the reason why two higher-level skills were given as rewards must be because of the degree of achievement. Ah, Azmoon-nim. I will believe in you from today.’

The goal of this quest was to rescue Kim Chun-sik.

However, Kang San went above and beyond what Azmoon suggested by defeating all the Nols.

Trials and tribulations?

If the reward is this certain, there’s no reason not to endure it.

Laughter escaped his lips.

Having lived such an unfortunate life, Kang San couldn’t hide his overflowing joy at the unexpected stroke of luck.

‘Oh.’

He belatedly remembered Kim Chun-sik’s presence.

Towards the end of the battle.

Kim Chun-sik, who had blocked Nol’s attack, seemed to have exhausted all his strength and fainted. He was also bleeding heavily, and if left as is, he might d*e. Kang San’s gaze urgently searched for Kim Chun-sik. Just a minute ago, all Kang San could do was basic first aid, but now the situation was different.

‘Healing Aura.’

A bright light emanated.

As Kim Chun-sik’s wounds rapidly healed, a smile wouldn’t leave Kang San’s face.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

After hospitalizing Kim Chun-sik and reporting the subjugation of the F-rank area to the government, Kang San immediately returned home.

His heart was still pounding.

After repeatedly checking if what had happened to him was real, Kang San searched the internet to see if there had been any similar cases.

『No search results found.』

‘Nothing.’

Azmoon.

The quest that grants stats and skills.

No similar incidents were found in the search.

Even though reality has changed like a game, the way Hunters develop their abilities is not through quests. Stats and skills are naturally generated by training the body, or they can be developed through special rewards obtained when clearing an area. Utilizing monster byproducts is also one method.

One thing was certain.

‘There’s no case anywhere in the world where skills and stats are acquired through quests given by the system.’

His head became complicated.

Then, could Luca Bellino’s words be true?

He was Blood Demon in his past life, and maybe he was given this unbelievable opportunity because of that.

“Ha, haha.”

A hollow laugh escaped his lips.

How hard he had lived his life.

Even when he failed repeatedly despite his efforts, Kang San didn’t blame the heavens like others, but thought that his efforts were lacking. So he gritted his teeth and worked harder. But when he absurdly thought that all the misfortunes he had experienced were truly ‘the fault of the heavens,’ he felt so angry that the time he had struggled felt unfair.

25 years of life.

That time, stained with failures and misfortunes, had repeatedly plunged Kang San into the depths of despair.

“…It’s fortunate that I’ve found the cause of my misfortune, even now.”

He suppressed his emotions.

The only harvest from misfortune.

Kang San knew how to grasp at the single straw that gave him hope, no matter the situation.

Actually, it was a very hopeful situation.

Azmoon’s trials.

Although the process might be painful, the reward of resolving karma and gaining stats and skills was very sweet.

“But is the system really a medium of G*d?”

It was a question that people had always been talking about since the world changed.

That the system originated from G*d.

Although the existence of Azmoon was never mentioned, religious groups like the Sun Priest active in the US and similar groups all said that the G*d they served was the system. However, their claims were very different from what Kang San had experienced. Religious people appealed to the fact that the connection between the system and G*d could not be explained scientifically, but Kang San had met Azmoon’s agent directly.

He searched more thoroughly, just in case.

Cases of people who experienced the so-called miracles of G*d could easily be found to be false with a little research.

Unique.

He concluded that G*d’s quest was a privilege granted only to him.

Therefore.

‘It’s an opportunity.’

That he has to risk his life?

He can gladly accept trials with rewards.

Considering that he had suffered misfortunes for no reason until now, the current situation was an enormous stroke of luck.

‘Alright, I’ll survive tenaciously and resolve all the karma of my past life. I don’t know what kind of trash I was in my past life, but the me of this life has no reason to suffer misfortune because of my past life.’

He strengthened his resolve.

F-rank Human Shield.

His current situation was still bleak, but the future would be different.

Before designing a new future.

There was a problem that Kang San had to deal with decisively.

‘His name was Moon Seong-min, right?’

The Mage who ran away alone.

This time, it was that guy’s turn to face his karma.

✦✦✦✦✦✦

Hunter.

In this field where hundreds and thousands of people d*e every day, Kang San had a principle he set to survive.

‘Repay kindness and grudges clearly.’

Not knowing kindness and grudges is like being a beast.

Repaying kindness will return as a blessing later, and repaying grudges will prevent others from looking down on you.

The method of revenge was simple.

It was to report it to the ‘Hunter Management Bureau.’

Moon Seong-min, summoned to the Hunter Management Bureau due to the report, turned pale as soon as he saw Kang San.

“…H-How…?”

That day.

Moon Seong-min, who abandoned the Human Shields, was certain that they had died.

It was unavoidable.

In fact, Moon Seong-min, who had always been carried by his connections, had his mentality completely shattered the moment his Fire Arrow missed. The problem was that he thought he could do it without the help of his connections. With the terrifying thought that the Nols attacking the Human Shields would tear his flesh apart at any moment, he chose to survive alone rather than help them. He didn’t feel guilty. After all, that was the role of Human Shields, and hadn’t he paid them a fair price for their lives?

And they were just F-rank Human Shields.

The world wouldn’t care about their deaths.

‘I’m f*cked.’

Moon Seong-min quickly averted his gaze.

He tried to appear as calm as possible, as if nothing had happened.

“W-Why did you call me?”

But he failed to manage his expression.

He, who couldn’t even maintain his composure against Nol, couldn’t possibly remain calm in front of a Hunter Management Bureau detective.

The detective smirked.

He spoke.

“We received a report. A report that Moon Seong-min-nim, who applied for an F-rank area raid, abandoned his colleagues and ran away. As you know, deliberately putting colleagues in danger in the Other World is a serious crime.”

“What are you talking about! Do you have any evidence that I deliberately abandoned them? I, I retreated because there was no chance of winning.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure you did.”

As raids became active.

Various laws related to them were established.

Especially because of psychopaths who deliberately killed people in the Other World, it was recognized as murder if the intent was clear.

The problem was that it was difficult to prove.

Usually, it was a headache because most cases ended in acquittal, but this case was very simple for the detective.

“Fortunately, the reporter, Kang San-nim, recorded the situation at the time. With two F-rank Human Shields and one Mage, you could have easily subdued about four Nols, but you ran away as soon as your Fire Arrow missed, right? Watch the video. Even if this goes to trial, I think it’ll be enough to prove intent.”

“…?!”

Moon Seong-min’s face turned pale.

That was the end of it.

As the detective said, the video vividly captured the situation at the time, and no matter what excuses Moon Seong-min made, they wouldn’t work on the detective. As per procedure, Moon Seong-min was handcuffed. Deliberate murder was a serious crime, so if proven, he would rot in prison for at least 10 years. The detective, who came out, lit a cigarette and said,

“Recording videos. That’s a good habit.”

Right behind him.

Kang San walked out.

Only after confirming that Moon Seong-min had entered the detention center did Kang San start walking outside.

“I’ve experienced a lot of unfortunate things. I always record videos to prepare for unexpected situations. That’s why I spent hundreds on an action cam that records well even during battles.”

“Is that so?”

Thorough preparedness.

Even though deliberate murder in the Other World was a problem, not many people were as prepared as Kang San.

Action cams used in raids were very expensive items, and the problem was that if the opponent intended to commit murder, you would practically d*e. So, rather than recording the situation at the time, people focused more on identifying the opponent’s identity in advance and preparing for it. And such incidents weren’t common either.

Moon Seong-min’s case was an exception.

Based on information and experience alone, there shouldn’t have been a big problem, but his skills in actual combat were far below expectations, making things unexpectedly complicated.

“But why are you working as just an F-rank Human Shield? Watching the video, it seems like you have enough skills to be treated well even if you joined the military.”

The video from that time.

The detective was truly impressed by the scene of Kang San defeating four Nols.

Usually, Hunters subdue their opponents with overwhelming stats and skills, but Kang San was purely excellent in combat ability.

To the point where the title of F-rank didn’t suit him.

He was a decent talent.

At the detective’s sincere gaze, Kang San responded calmly.

“It’s not that I haven’t thought about that. If I join the military, I’ll be provided with monster-specific firearms, so it would be easier for me to handle those. But the problem is that firearms don’t work against monsters with tough hides. That’s why I want to become stronger as a Hunter. As I said before, I tend to experience a lot of unfortunate things, so I really hate not being prepared for variables in this dangerous world. That’s all.”

He ended the conversation.

Moon Seong-min’s case was closed.

There was no reason to stay at the Hunter Management Bureau any longer.

Kang San was about to say goodbye to the detective and leave when a familiar face blocked his path.

A man in his early thirties.

As soon as he saw Kang San, he bowed deeply.

“I greet my benefactor!”

His name was Kim Chun-sik.

He was the Human Shield colleague Kang San had just saved.