The Genius Assassin Who Takes it All

Chapter 105: Master K (1)

Chapter 105: Master K (1)

Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t like free stuff? Kang-hoo also liked the roulette that brought unearned income.

A roulette without a single loss. Just hearing about it makes one feel good. Isn’t it a gain no matter what comes out?

The roulette, activated like a hologram in mid-air, was densely filled with numerous options.

To mention just a few:

?5 Orange Magic Stones?

?1 Random Skill Book?

?Increase of 75 Magic Stats?

?Level Up by 1?

These were some of the options.

Kang-hoo smirked.

Due to the effects of the Barbaric Age, any chance for an increase in magic power had to be completely blocked.

Anyway, there was no pressure since anything that came out would be a benefit.

No matter how much he thought about it, it wouldn’t change anything, so Kang-hoo immediately spun the roulette.

While the roulette spun itself – Kang-hoo wasn’t even interested – under the brilliant lights.

Kang-hoo turned his attention to the piled-up messages from the constellations.

Having been so busy, he hadn’t checked the contents that the constellations were interested in.

For starters, about thirty constellations he had never heard of before had made minor contributions.

Most of them were experience buff contributions, which were the least burdensome in terms of divine power, but it wasn’t bad as every little bit adds up.

Constellations are cautious.

They make small contributions just enough to make their presence known and then keenly observe the hunter.

Once a hunter is led to receive divine power contributions, that much divine power becomes “invested.”

It’s like investing a lot of money into item or skill settings in a game and then being unable to quit.

The more you invest in a hunter, the bigger the loss if you pull away from them……

Meaningful investments have to be made carefully. The tentative response was understandable.

“Still, it’s a good start that thirty new constellations showed interest by the time I reached level 100.”

It was a decent beginning.

In the original story, about thirty constellations revealed themselves when Jang Si-hwan reached level 100.

Of course, there could be higher cases, but at least he was on the same starting line as Jang Si-hwan. It was considered a success.

Then:

?The constellation ‘Strategist of the Wasteland’ formally makes you an offer.?

?It doesn’t matter if I’m not your main constellation. I just want you to enjoy the privileges I have as a contractor.?

“……”

It was an extraordinary proposal.

To put it in a metaphor:

It’s like telling a man who already has a lover that it’s okay if he doesn’t love me, just let me stay by his side.

Not asking for anything from the contractor, but wanting them to enjoy the power of the constellation.

Usually, lower-ranked constellations do this to be with an attractive contractor.

However, the ‘Strategist of the Wasteland’ was a constellation ranked within the top 200 in the Grand War.

If they wanted, they could easily find another attractive contractor and become their main constellation.

Becoming the main constellation means that as the contractor grows, the status of the constellation also rises.

Otherwise, it doesn’t affect their own value at all.

Moreover, once privileges are provided, it creates a relationship almost indistinguishable from a main constellation, making it impossible to abandon the contractor.

The one-sided interest and love of the constellation.

For Kang-hoo, it was a bewildering but the best offer with absolutely no reason to refuse.

?I highly value your will to fight, your strategies and tactics, all of it.?

?Just being able to claim a spot and watch from it would be enough for me to have a pleasant time in the Grand War.?

Her heart was palpable.

Could it be that another named constellation would join him, alongside the Dimension Plunderer, who was already a significant figure in his own right?

He didn’t show it, but

his heart was trembling.

The constellations that Kang-hoo had plundered from the hunters he had killed

were like the Strategist of the Wasteland; they were subordinated to the contractor in a relationship of ‘servitude.’

Because Kang-hoo could only plunder constellations that had formally contracted.

For example, among the four constellations he obtained from killing the Problem Solver, three were subordinated.

But this wasn’t strange.

Because they were not high-ranking constellations.

Rather, given the abilities of the Problem Solver, they probably wanted to cling to him first, seeking vicarious satisfaction.

A constellation like the Drug King would have been exactly the type to cling to the Problem Solver like a leech.

?What do you think??

Perhaps getting anxious, the Strategist of the Wasteland slightly nudged Kang-hoo for an answer.

Her constellation’s privileges weren’t a perfect fit for him, but having them would undoubtedly be beneficial.

There was no reason to refuse.

The Dimension Plunderer couldn’t say anything about this part. It wasn’t a threat to the position of the main constellation.

“I’m fine with it.”

?You cheeky guy. You’re all informal with me but polite to some lowlife X.?

The Dimension Plunderer, who seemed to have been quiet, grumbled. He must have been watching the conversation.

Kang-hoo smirked.

Since he had let his guard down from their first meeting with the Dimension Plunderer, it was awkward to start being formal now. No, it was bothersome.

?Contractor, I ask for your will once again. Do you accept the contract? Your answer will be conveyed to the Grand War.?

“Of course.”

?Good. I will formally report to the Grand War and obtain permission for the contract. It will take some time.?

“Thank you. I’ll do my best not to fall short of expectations.”

?Of course. You’ve always been like that.?

?Since when have you been watching to say I’ve always been like that??

?Even when you, girl, were bored watching over the contractor and fell asleep, I was watching every move.?

?So low-ranking, you have nothing else to do, I see.?

?Where is this dog barking from??

Kang-hoo shook his head at the unexpected quarrel between the two constellations.

Soon, the message window quieted down.

They were probably bickering in their own space.

It was an obvious expectation, but it seemed like their relationship wouldn’t be good moving forward.

If you looked at it as a picture, it was as if they were fighting over a man.

The one who backs down loses.

And nobody was planning to back down easily.

“It’s still spinning.”

He thought he had spent quite a bit of time talking with the Strategist of the Wasteland.

The rotation of the roulette was still ongoing. However, it was now noticeably slowing down.

And then, teasing the viewer’s heart, it seemed like it would stop, then kept going.

?1 Orange Magic Stone?

“That’s not it.”

He thought he had lowered his expectations, but seeing the relatively poor (?) reward made him shake his head.

After all, if it’s a free gift, it might as well be generous!

After several teases of seeming to stop, catching Kang-hoo’s gaze each time.

It finally stopped.

The free reward he won from the shell game roulette was immediately.

?Skill Copy 1 Time?

?You can copy one skill you’ve directly observed from any hunter regardless of their gender, level, or class.?

?There are no penalties for class mismatch during the acquisition process, and the efficiency is inherited at 100%.?

“……Is this a jackpot?”

Although he spoke plainly, as it was far from being showy, it really was a jackpot.

A special window related to skill copying was added to the status screen.

It was positioned to be easily visible, ready for use at any moment.

This outcome was the best possible.

Copying a skill from one of the most renowned named individuals would be the most efficient approach.

Jang Si-hwan was also an excellent choice.

He possessed a considerable number of high-level dark magic skills. There were many hunters who could be potential targets.

“Feels like things are going well right after reaching level 100.”

Kang-hoo nodded as he gazed at the landscape outside the terrace, which appeared particularly bright and cozy today.

It would be nice if every day were like today, but dark clouds could gather at any moment.

The next day.

He met Jung Yuri in Seoul.

On the way to Seoul, he had another call with Yun Sang-mi, who said her condition was very good.

He felt good, thinking that the care he had provided seemed to be effective.

At the same time, he felt sorry that Yun Sang-mi had also suffered because of her involvement with him.

“I should use this before the month is over.”

Kang-hoo fiddled with a gold card he had taken out of his wallet.

It was a gold card authenticated by the Spitfire Guild. With a monthly limit of 2 billion won, there was a need to spend it wisely.

After meeting K, Kang-hoo planned to pay for the Solarkium he would buy from him with this card.

It was considered a purchase of consumables.

Hunters earn a lot of money, but they also spend a lot.

That doesn’t mean all hunters are wealthy.

It’s possible to be wealthy without spending money. However, growth would stall, and one would eventually fall behind.

Hunters capable of accumulating a lot of money usually have high pride in themselves and are more passionate.

Cases of planning to just accumulate a certain amount and then retiring from hunting life were not common.

Hunters with such a mindset usually grew slowly or died in dungeons.

Then.

“Oppa!”

He heard the cheerful voice of Jung Yuri calling him.

Turning his head, he saw her dressed casually in a white T-shirt, jeans, and a leather jacket, exuding a simple 20s vibe as if she were on her way to meet her grandfather.

“You’re here.”

“Did you wait long?”

“Not at all. You arrived just in time.”

“Let’s go! I’ve prepared the car in advance, so let’s head to the parking lot!”

“Is it a rental?”

“See for yourself! It’s too bothersome to explain!”

Jung Yuri pulled Kang-hoo along.

Perhaps because she was going to see her grandfather, Jung Yuri seemed to be in a particularly good mood.

The excitement was understandable. The mere thought of meeting one’s blood relatives often brings happiness.

The car they arrived at in the parking lot was much nicer than Kang-hoo had anticipated.

“Is this a safety limousine?”

“Yes! Exactly! It’s equipped with everything from bulletproofing to a self-defense barrier system linked with magic stones!”

“……Must be expensive.”

“It’s okay. Grandma sent the car for us to use! Ah, Mr. Driver! I’ve brought a guest with us!”

Jung Yuri busily exchanged greetings.

The man who appeared to be the driver also seemed to be a hunter.

In the car behind, which appeared to be accompanying them, there were bodyguards dressed neatly in suits. They, too, were hunters.

‘Who exactly is she?’

Kang-hoo was curious about the identity of Jung Yuri’s ‘grandmother,’ a figure shrouded in complete mystery.

A safety limousine with this level of setup could be as expensive as a mobile home.

The price isn’t really the issue, but the maintenance costs for driving it are.

To maintain all these features and travel to Ground Zero, it would cost at least 90 million won per trip.

The magic stones used for the barrier maintenance had to be discarded afterward.

They can’t be reused or replaced, so it’s essentially like throwing money away on the street.

“Yuri.”

“Yes?”

“Can I know who your grandmother is?”

Kang-hoo, who usually doesn’t show curiosity, couldn’t help but ask this time.

He was also a bit ‘scared’ by Jung Yuri’s family relations.

Her grandfather is Master K, who tightly controls the Ground Zero area, and her grandmother is a hunter with even greater wealth.

Together, they appeared to be a couple of considerable influence.

Jung Yuri, after pondering for a moment, observed Kang-hoo’s expression and chewed on her lips.

As Kang-hoo’s eyes sparkled in anticipation of an answer, Jung Yuri chuckled and responded.

“Secret!”