Chapter 6: Chapter 6

A goblin charged at me from the front, swinging a wooden club vertically, aiming straight down.

I sidestepped lightly and grabbed the back of its head.

“Kerk?!”

With a quick spin, I flung it into a cluster of goblins near my companions.

My body, enhanced by divine power, had gained sheer physical prowess. On top of that, I stacked buff spells to boost my efficiency even further.

This was a combination of talents—the original owner of this body had them, and I, as the new Saint, had cultivated them anew. Through relentless effort, I’d combined these talents to their maximum potential.

This attack carried the weight of that effort. Even though I held back a bit, there was still more than enough power behind it.

The goblin flew helplessly, crashing into the others.

*Thud! Crash!*

Just like bowling pins scattered by a bowling ball, several goblins toppled over, tumbling in all directions.

The remaining goblins, bewildered and terrified, turned their attention toward me.

“Come on, then.”

I wiggled my fingers in a light taunt, beckoning them, and faced forward again.

More goblins had snuck up on me and were now launching a series of attacks.

Ordinary goblins are small and therefore have a short reach. Moreover, they only know how to attack in straight lines.

I evaded their clumsy swings with minimal movement.

You can't make progress by only dodging. So, with the intent to counterattack, I swiftly kicked them back.

Two charging goblins took the hit, flying backward, knocking down several more as they tumbled.

Then, pivoting on my front foot, I spun my body with high velocity, utilizing the momentum.

I thrust my rear foot forward with force.

*Whip! Boom!*

Since it was a fairly powerful kick, it cleared a straight path in front of me.

Advancing down that path, I cast a spell immediately.

The goblins who had gathered after my taunt lunged at me from behind, only to be bounced off by an invisible barrier.

Mana Shield. A basic defensive spell.

Ignoring them, I continued forward.

Dodge, counterattack, advance.

There was nothing flashy about it—just a simple, repetitive task.

Anyone who’s fought countless monsters in life-and-death situations would naturally pick up these basics, whether they wanted to or not.

At this level, I’d likely pass as a decently skilled E-rank hunter. Any C-rank hunter would be able to handle this, too.

---

The last goblin collapsed nearby, and the leader wiped the sweat off his brow.

The human totem was still unconscious from the blow to the back of her head, and Han-gyeol was finishing off the remaining goblins a bit further away.

The leader glanced toward Si-hyeon, who had been fighting. He had been so startled that he thought his heart might leap out of his chest.

She looked delicate, but then she started tossing goblins around and playing with them.

Thanks to her, most of the aggro was drawn away from the rest of them. Without that, the human totem would’ve lost her life, not just consciousness.

Both he and Han-gyeol were worn out, after all.

“Incredible, isn’t it?”

“Indeed,” replied Han-gyeol, approaching after clearing the goblins.

“Doesn’t look like she needs any help, does it?”@@novelbin@@

“It might even get in her way.”

*Crash! Thud! Thwack!*

Another group of goblins went flying.

“Is that what talent looks like? I can’t close my mouth in awe.”

“If she had awakened earlier, she might already be a high-rank hunter.”

The two of them, mesmerized, continued their conversation.

And then—

*Boom!*

A loud noise echoed, and the ground trembled slightly.

The transparent wall that had bounced the human totem earlier shattered, and the central magic circle disappeared.

The goblins attacking Si-hyeon grew faint one by one and vanished.

The two men finally realized what was going on.

“Oh…! So the key wasn’t to kill all the goblins; it was to break the wall!”

“Facing dozens of monsters on her own, plus handling the gimmick… She’s on a different level than me.”

“Exactly! Si-hyeon, you’re amazing. The more I watch, the more I’m impressed.”

For this moment, both men were in complete agreement, gazing at Si-hyeon with admiration.

Si-hyeon opened a chest. Watching her, the leader thought to himself.

He’d never seen a hunter fight with movements as clean as Si-hyeon’s, not even among B-rank hunters he’d occasionally encountered.

While B-ranks certainly have more destructive power and flair, Si-hyeon could likely catch up with them in no time. Perhaps one day, she might even aim for the few S-rank hero positions in Korea.

The leader, who had harbored a slight attraction toward her all day, now felt that sentiment disappear. Instead, he looked at her with genuine admiration.

It wasn’t just her beauty but also her outstanding abilities.

Anyone who’d seen her in action today would likely feel the same way, he thought.

Si-hyeon returned with a large mana stone from the chest, appearing as calm as she had before entering the dungeon.

She didn’t seem tired or weary at all. In fact, she looked as though she’d merely done what was expected.

The leader thought she looked like a saint.

“How should we split this?” she asked, extending her hand with the mana stone on her palm.

The leader looked at it briefly and replied, “I think it’s only right for you to keep it, Si-hyeon.”

“Oh, really?” Si-hyeon’s eyes widened.

The leader chuckled at her cute reaction and replied, “Haha, we wouldn’t have even obtained it without you. What do you think, Han-gyeol?”

“Absolutely. Honestly, Si-hyeon practically cleared this room on her own.”

“But…”

Si-hyeon glanced at the unconscious human totem on the floor. The leader shrugged.

“Does she need to know? We can gloss over it.”

“…Ah, right.”

Finally, Si-hyeon nodded, holding the mana stone in both hands and hugging it close to her chest.

Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. Watching her, the two men couldn’t help but smile.

At that moment—

*Fwoosh.*

The light in the cave suddenly disappeared. Because the human totem was still unconscious, her skill had worn off.

“Oh no. Wait a sec, I’ll grab a torch,” Han-gyeol quickly pulled up his status window.

But Si-hyeon acted first.

A faintly glowing orb appeared above their heads.

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

The men stared at her, startled.

“Let’s wrap things up here and head back, shall we?”

“…”

“…”

What exactly is a Paladin supposed to be?

This was the common thought the two men shared in that moment.

---

After clearing the dungeon and stepping outside,

The leader looked at the unconscious human totem, who hadn’t yet come around. They’d carried her out, but the day’s mission was done, and it was time to disband their temporary party.

Sensing this, Si-hyeon quietly used her divine power.

She wanted to wrap things up and head home without further delays.

With a bit of healing, the woman woke up.

“Huh…?”

“Oh, good. You’re awake,” the leader said, relieved.

Of course, they would’ve taken her to the hospital, but it would’ve been a hassle.

“We’ll settle up now.”

“What about the secret room…?”

The men deflected the question, claiming there was no special reward.

The woman seemed puzzled but didn’t argue. It was her first experience in a rare dungeon with a gimmick, after all.

When she saw the D-rank dungeon’s earnings, her face lit up, and any thoughts of a secret room vanished.

“Wow, D-rank dungeons really do make a difference compared to official E-rank hunts!”

The mana stones they gathered from goblins and orcs brought nearly 250,000 won in earnings.

“Of course, the risk level is just as high. It’s practically danger pay.”

“True.”

While they chatted, Han-gyeol subtly approached Si-hyeon.

“S-Si-hyeon.”

“Yes?”

“What do you plan to do with today’s earnings?”

“Hmm… I haven’t thought about it.”

Si-hyeon blinked in surprise. She had planned to sell the mana stones at the exchange later, but was there a better use?

“Um, you remember how our guild master specializes in crafting, right?”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Well, if you’re ever interested, please come visit us.”

Han-gyeol extended a business card with a trembling hand. Si-hyeon took it, and he mentally celebrated.

If she didn’t show up, he’d be disappointed, but if she did, it would be a huge benefit for both him and the guild.

Just then, the leader walked over.

“Si-hyeon, do you have a—”

“All done? I’m off then.”

“...Thanks for your hard work.”

Si-hyeon coolly walked away, while Han-gyeol smirked and followed, laughing quietly. The woman who had been their human totem left, too, oblivious to the deductions from her share.

Alone, the leader stared blankly in the direction Si-hyeon had gone, lost in thought.

From today on, my ideal type is a cool, badass beauty with long white hair.

---

As evening fell, casting a dim glow over the surroundings,

Han-gye

ol returned to the guild building and headed straight to the master’s office.

“Master!”

“Han-gyeol? You’re back late today.”

The woman at her desk looked up, her shoulder-length bob swaying slightly.

“I was feeling good, so I cleared two E-rank and one D-rank dungeons.”

“Three dungeons? Good to see the effort, but don’t push yourself.”

“Haha, there was a reason for it.”

Master Da-young tilted her head, noticing Han-gyeol’s unusually high spirits.

“I found a secret room in the D-rank dungeon.”

“Oh! Any good rewards?”

“Well… I ended up passing on the reward.”

“What? Really? All that effort for nothing?”

Han-gyeol gave an awkward smile. But he was sure his story would surprise the master.

He launched into his tale without taking a breath.

“I met this newly awakened E-rank female hunter, and her talent was incredible! It was like seeing a D-rank hunter.”

“Is that so? Sometimes that happens.”

“She’s supposedly a Paladin, but she fights like a martial artist and seems to have magical abilities too.”

“...Interesting.”

Though Da-young had never heard of Paladins as a hunter class, the vast range of awakened hunter jobs hardly surprised her.

Han-gyeol frowned, disappointed by her lukewarm reaction.

How could he convey the amazement he felt today?

“Seriously! She was amazing! I didn’t get her number, but I did give her my card. If she reaches out, please give her the best treatment. She’s a real talent.”

“Hmm, is she pretty?”

“Yes… Why?”

“Because you’re acting like a dog in heat.”

“…”

“Haha, just kidding!”

Seeing Han-gyeol’s reaction, Da-young laughed heartily.

Whoever she was, she had captured this innocent guy’s attention.

“A talent, huh? Not bad. Even if she doesn’t join the guild, she could be a good contact.”

With Han-gyeol’s glowing recommendation, Da-young thought it would be nice if Si-hyeon reached out and smiled slightly.

---

Meanwhile, Si-hyeon sent a text to her sister, letting her know she’d be home soon, and headed straight there.

She punched in the door code and entered. Her sister, who was watching TV in the living room, turned to look at her.

“Ta-da!”

Si-hyeon proudly showed off the large mana stone she’d obtained, beaming with a bashful grin.

In that moment, Si-yun found her sister’s enthusiasm utterly adorable. Wasn’t she just too cute?

“That’s valuable! Let’s get something nice for dinner; it’s on me tonight!”

“Is that a mana stone? It’s my first time seeing one!”

Since they regularly updated each other through texts, Si-yun quickly recognized the mana stone.

Accepting it from Si-hyeon, she examined it closely.

“It’s really pretty. I wonder how it’s made.”

“It’s made with mana, or… ah.”

Si-hyeon clamped her mouth shut, realizing she was about to explain it using the standards of another world. She naturally switched topics.

“Do you like it? Want to keep it?”

“Oh, no, it’s okay! It’s valuable, right? You should use it, Sis.”

“I can always get more.”

“It’s pretty, but I don’t have any use for it. Let’s order dinner instead! You’re buying, right?”

“Of course!”

Si-hyeon nodded enthusiastically. She was hungry after all the exertion.

Even without the secret room’s rewards, the D-rank dungeon had yielded nearly 500,000 won. Now was the time to relax and enjoy.

The two sisters scrolled through a food delivery app, picking out options.

Whenever Si-yun asked, “How about this?” Si-hyeon replied, “Sounds good.”

Si-yun hoped her sister would choose something she liked.

“I’m not familiar with modern food.”

Is that right? Something felt different.

Pushing that thought aside, Si-yun decided to order something she thought would be foreign to another world’s cuisine, saving Korean dishes to make at home later.

“Oh, Si-yun, can I ask you something?”

“Sure?”

Si-hyeon handed her phone over, showing a screen from a streaming app.

“I saw something called a ‘V-Tuber’ online. When I clicked, it kept showing more of these. What’s that about?”

“Oh, that’s because of the algorithm. It suggests videos based on what you’ve watched.”

“Oh, I see.”

Nodding, Si-hyeon clicked on a video and put in one earbud.

Watching her, Si-yun couldn’t help but ask, “...Is it fun?”

“Yeah. I used to read comics, novels, and play games a lot, remember? This is nice, too.”

“R-right! How about reading a novel tomorrow while you relax?”

“Sounds good. What’s popular right now?”

Considering how she’d been stuck in a world with almost no entertainment, anything would be enjoyable for her.

Si-yun subtly steered her sister’s interest toward novels instead of streaming.