"That's right. This was the name."

I was worried I might have thrown it away without thinking, but thankfully, I found Do I-su's business card in the corner of my desk drawer. I was just a high school student with no experience in the professional world, after all.

I had never felt they were very important, but now I think I understand why people make business cards. I received this business card from the twin siblings. I had dealt with the guys who were extorting them for unfair profits under the strange pretense of 'training fees' and returned the money to the siblings.

They handed me this business card, saying it might be helpful later, and the owner of the card was none other than Do I-su of Umbrella Industry. Of course, I couldn't rule out the possibility of it being someone with the same name.

But the twins had said their father worked in a Hunter-related field, and the name Do I-su wasn't exactly common.

"Let's see..."

Huh.

The business card listed fields like 'eco-friendly industry' and 'renewable energy.' There was no mention of Hunter devices or wave detection.

'Strange...'

A business card that leaves out the core industry. Feeling suspicious, I searched online and found a short article from a few years ago.

'Umbrella Industry.

Fails to win Hunter Association partnership bid. A five-year relationship comes to an end.'

Hmm.

It seems it really is that Do I-su. It looks like they were working with the Association, got cast aside, and went looking for other opportunities. Well, up to this point, it's a common story.

But Umbrella Industry had publicly announced a switch to other businesses, while secretly working on dungeon-related matters. Aren't renewable energy and wave detection in Poison Dungeons completely different lines of work? Something smells fishy.

Yaksha said he'd give me a corresponding reward if I came to the meeting. He's sharp with his deals, so he'll definitely toss something substantial my way. But reward aside, I'm personally curious.

Their relationship with the Association soured a long time ago, yet they're still involved in dungeon-related work. And in a shady place like the black market, no less.

"Well, I'll find out when I meet him in person."

I closed my PC screen and sat on the edge of the bed. Next to me, an object that made me just as curious as Do I-su's identity was rolling around.

"What on earth am I supposed to do with this thing..."

A jet-black sphere. It was the Core extracted from the body of the 'Giant Treasure'. Normally, I would have absorbed it right on the spot, but unfortunately, I couldn't. This was because sparkling 'Pranium' sprouted all over the Core, like the quills of a hedgehog.

I had painfully experienced just how hard a substance Pranium was in the last battle. I couldn't do anything about it with my physical strength, so what should I do? -Kkuwang! Seeing me struggle with the Core, Ppori let out a frustrated cry.

"Hey. I told you to be quiet inside the house." -Kku!

Why are you making such a fuss? Ppori folded its wings and tapped its own head. It was as if it was telling me to use my head if I had one.

"This little punk?" -Kkuwang!

Seeing it so frustrated, it seemed like there was some way. But how in the world am I supposed to remove that Pranium? I can't just pop out the sphere.

"Pop it out...?"

No. There was a way. The spines were dense, but it wasn't completely sealed. The Core is a 'solid', but Ether is closer to a 'liquid'.

If it were a solid, I wouldn't know what to do, but as a liquid, there was no need to dismantle the Pranium. It would flow out through the gaps.

"Hey. You had every right to be frustrated." -Kkuwang.

I readily admitted my foolishness to Ppori and placed the Core on my thigh. The sharp Pranium stung, but it was bearable. I placed my hand as close to the inner Core as possible and focused my mind.

I had never 'remotely' converted a Black Core into Ether before. I wasn't sure if it would work as I thought, but since my psychic power was starting to awaken, there was a decent chance.

Sharrr...

"Oh!!!"

Forgetting that I had just told Ppori to be quiet, I couldn't help but let out a cry of admiration. It was working. Not as fast as when I touched it directly, but the Black Core slowly began to melt.

Like hard-frozen ice cream melting in its mold, the Core flowed out as Black Ether and seeped into my skin.

'It's cold...!'

An 8-star Monster's Core was different in every way. A chill so intense it made my body tremble stirred within me. It was so potent that I felt fortunate to be absorbing it this slowly.

Ssshhh...

If the Black Cores I'd absorbed before were espresso, this process was like drip coffee. Five hours after I started, I finally managed to absorb the Giant Treasure's Core. The taste of an 8-star Core, a first in my life.

And it brought about a definite change.

"Wow..."

My Black Ether rose by over 1,000 in one go. This is truly an immense change. It's equivalent to a third of the total amount I had accumulated so far.

Moreover, the other gains were just as eye-opening. First, my physical level, which had stubbornly refused to rise, went up from D-rank to C-rank. Now, I had enough physical strength to hold my own when it came to direct force.

And a skill that hit 'max' level the moment I got it. 'Body Protection Aura.' Perhaps because I defeated the Giant Treasure, the very symbol of hardness, I gained a skill that would make my body tough.

What excited me most was the description 'separate from your physical level.' My Body Enhancement Ability had already risen to 'C', but this meant I could expect something that transcended even that. Is this what it feels like to check the prize money on a winning lottery ticket?

I rubbed my palms together and asked V1.

"How strong is the max level of Body Protection Aura?"

"Whoa."

So, in terms of taking hits, I can compete with an S-rank Knight? I expected it to be amazing since it was an 8-star Monster's Core, but this was a truly unexpected gain. It was indeed a creature worth risking my life to subdue.

I can't bear not testing this out right away.

Creeak.

Careful not to wake my sister, I quietly opened the front door. In the dead of dawn, when no one was around. I once again visited the Gaebang District Poison Gate zone.

Did Maria give special orders to the Guild members? The restoration work, which had been slow to start, was now underway under the name of the 'Glory Guild.' I can still clearly picture her face, flushed like a tomato.

I never thought Maria, who was usually so expressionless, would show such a volatile reaction. After hearing my question, she fled as if she were running away. Was the question 'Where did you get so hurt?' really that flustering?

I asked myself several times, but couldn't come to a clear conclusion. Well, everyone has their own circumstances. The fact that she, revered as a 'saint', had wounds that looked like she'd been hacked to pieces bothered me, but I decided to ignore it.

I could see equipment that had been left in the middle of work. When daybreak comes, people in protective suits will appear. I have to finish my 'test' before then.

"Let's see..."

I turned my head and looked for the tallest building in the area. The neighborhood was so run-down that it was hard to find a building taller than ten stories. Maybe about fifteen stories?

After visually confirming the building's height, I used Poison Step to scale it.

Pabat.

From the wall of this building to the wall of the one opposite. After leaping back and forth three or four times, I easily reached the rooftop.

Hwiyu.

Looking down, it's hard to believe I was just on the ground moments ago.

"Alright, then..."

What was the height at which humans feel the most fear again? I fought a life-or-death battle with an 8-star Monster, but trying to jump from here feels a little scary. But at the same time, I feel a strong sense of curiosity.

What does it feel like to become an S-rank Knight? Even if it's only limited to 'taking hits', the time has come to find out.

Seuk.

Anyone who saw this would think I was committing suicide by jumping. With that stray thought, I stepped off the rooftop with both feet. Pulled by the force of gravity, I fell toward the ground as if being sucked in.

Come to think of it, I've had a similar experience before. When I met the Singing Harpy. I felt this way too when the secondary dungeon began and the floor collapsed.

Back then, I took so much damage that I had to immediately activate my healing skill. What will it be like now?

KUNG!!!!!!

A significant impact traveled through my back. But it didn't feel like 'pain.'

"Oh..."

Just in case, I tried activating my Healing Ability. But aside from a faint scratch on my back, no other part of me was healed. It meant that my body hadn't taken any 'damage' in the first place.

I fell from this height, landing on my back? I can't believe it myself. If I could, I'd like to try getting shot once, but that's probably pushing it.

"Body Protection Aura... It's exactly what it sounds like."

My steps were light on the way home. According to Kiril, Poison-type Hunters were a transcendent type even among Hunters. And indeed, 'Black Ether', which is impervious to any harmful substance, flows through my body.

But that strength was only internal; I wasn't immune to physical impact. Getting hit when struck and pierced when stabbed was the same as any other Hunter. But not anymore.

Not only my internal strength, but my body's durability has also grown to a top-tier level. I've reached a level where attacks from 3~4-star Monsters won't even leave a scratch. Without anyone knowing.

But definitely.

I was taking one step at a time toward becoming the best Hunter. On top of that...

The item I received from Supervisor Pyo Hyeok-gyu. The Black Ether conversion rate of the Gold Core has surpassed 90%. Isn't this something called a 'treasure' among Hunters?

It must contain components on a whole other level than the Black Core I absorbed today. What kind of changes will my body undergo if I absorb this as well? Just thinking about it makes my chest swell with anticipation.

Just as I was humming and nearing home, V1 sent me a message.

<New message arrived> "...!!"

Isn't this truly perfect timing? I was always curious about him, but in a situation like this, the message was more welcome than ever. I didn't even have to open the message to know who the 'sender' was.

Because there's only one person who can send a message to V1.

<It's been a while, Hae-seon...>

"When did he set up shop in Busan again..."

The genius scientist who gifted me three devices. Dr. Jin had sent me a new address.