The metallic sound of weapons being checked, the clink of capsules in the pockets of mercenaries and heroes, and muffled whispers in foreign languages filled the air like a chaotic symphony of intent. Gangwondo in Wonju was buzzing with activity as we walked.
"You killed three hobgoblins. So, discounting taxes and processing fees, that should come to about 600,000 won."
According to the law, foreigners paid higher taxes. Even so, mercenaries and heroes from abroad continued to migrate to Korea. The reason? Safety during the hunt outweighed any taxes.
If things got complicated on a mission, all you had to do was send out a distress call and heroes or agents would arrive in less than three minutes. Korea was the only country in the world with such a system.
The city itself was a sight to behold. Blacksmiths' workshops, potion stores, bars... establishments that looked like they were straight out of the Middle Ages, but operated inside modern buildings. Walking around was like living inside an RPG.
The phrase "Wonju is a famous tourist town", which Kim Hajin had written down almost without thinking, had been enough to create all this.
We walked a little further and, before I knew it, we were at the entrance to the Camp. There was a crowd gathered, all waiting for their turn.
Hajin really wanted to go to Hamgyong province, where he could hunt more peacefully, that's how it should be, but now Hamgyong was much more dangerous. And now, without the Co-author and his "golden finger", the ability to snitch using PH, his stats had stagnated. Hajin had been practically at the same level ever since.
Faced with all this, he hesitated.
"Let's go for it. That's why I came here, right?"
Remembering my skills that I had shown so far, Hajin realized that he had no reason to be so indecisive.
Just as we were about to enter, someone struck up a conversation.
He was a tall, ordinary-looking man, shoulders slightly bent, wearing round glasses.
I knew him. Was it Park Soohyuk, Kim Hajin's or perhaps Suho's future agent?
"Have you come to hunt monsters?"
"...Are you an agent?"
"Oh yes, here's my business card."
Hajin took the card automatically. He didn't know who he was, but an agent was needed to broker the sale of the bodies of the monsters we were going to hunt.
Hajin's eyes lit up when he saw the name and logo of the company printed on the card, and he frowned in surprise.
[Chief Manager of Agent SH - Park Soohyuk]
"Ah, yes, nice to meet you."
He smiled as he straightened his half-worn clothes.
Park Soohyuk. I knew who he was. In fact, he looked exactly as I had seen him in the manhwa.
He was one of the most recurring agents in the story. In the future, "Agent SH" would become the biggest agency in Korea.
"Haha, maybe you haven't heard of me. I've only just started in this business."
For the time being, he didn't seem to be doing very well, it was clear when we looked at him, his body looked denuded, and his eyes had dark circles under them.
Hajin showed me his name, clearly interested in bringing Park Soohyuk over to his side.
I nodded to him, showing that I also knew this agent of the original.
Connections were one of the most important aspects of life. A person's future was often the result of the relationships, good or bad, that they built over time.
As this world was still in its infancy, there were many who were weak now, but would become prosperous in the future. The best way to get close to a famous person was to be friends with them before fame arrived.
"Agent SH, seems like a reliable name, what do you think Theo?"
Hajin considered for a moment, remembering Suho.
After all, agents could have connections with several people at once, so there was no reason for him to refuse something like that.
"Right! We'll be in your care today, Mr. Park Soohyuk."
"Thanks for the chance..."
"Ah, I use a firearm. Is that a problem?"
"I don't see why that would be a problem. Gun or sword, mercenary, hunter or hero, it doesn't matter to me! New customers are always welcome!"
Park Soohyuk smiled, holding out his hand.
For him, who was at such a critical juncture, even if it was a mercenary using a sashimi knife, he would accept it on the spot.
After we entered the hunting ground, we spent a few minutes wandering around looking for monsters. The atmosphere was silent, except for the faint sound of leaves being trampled and the wind rustling through the trees.
Using my senses, it didn't take long for me to find them.
We approached a small ridge and, as we looked down, we saw four low-level monsters - grade 9 - gathered around some fruit lying on the ground. They were distracted, eating slowly, unaware of our presence.
With a large body and protruding teeth, it was a monster called an iron pig. The 'iron' part of its name wasn't because it was covered in iron, but because its skin was stronger than iron.
"A-I think we should ignore that."
Park Soohyuk, still panting, was trying to catch his breath after barely keeping up with Hajin and me, even with our 'slow' pace.
Hajin glanced at his agent and nodded reluctantly. Without the enhancements to his weapon, he really wouldn't have been able to shoot down something like that with a 'normal' firearm.
Hajin, who was already turning around to look for monsters of lesser difficulty, stopped when he saw me reaching for the briefcase he was carrying.
"I'll make it a bit better for you."
He looked at me for a moment, pondering. Then, after a few seconds, he lifted the case.
As soon as he opened it, I made the gun float to my hand with a simple gesture, using telekinesis.
Hajin and Park Soohyuk looked at me with curious expressions.
'Mnh... That's better...'
I held the gun in the air and watched it in silence for a few seconds. Then an idea occurred to me: instead of reinforcing the weapon, why not create a much better one?
I activated my magic eyes. The internal patterns, the core, the fit of the magazine, the way the energy dissipated... I began to analyze everything.
With the complete structure formed in my mind, I handed the weapon back to Hajin.
Creative Construction
Using the most basic spell of creation magic, one that could shape anything from imposing castles to small pieces of jewelry or clothing, two black magic circles appeared before me. In the center of them, something three-dimensional was spinning, a complex matrix of shapes and light.
Soon, a silhouette began to form: The semi-automatic pistol floated between the magic circles, slowly spinning on its own axis.
After a short time, I picked it up and turned it.
I said as I looked at my creation.
Its finish and appearance was completely black, but its appearance was totally the same as the Desert Eagle that Hajin held.
"Here! With this weapon you can kill monsters of medium rank - 5, using normal magic ammunition."