Chapter 16
For Hyuk-min, who had grown much stronger, the Class C Dungeon was now a place he could clear without Regression Mode.
The Immortal Warrior’s vampiric effect combined with the Legendary Title’s damage reduction made his abilities formidable. Thanks to that, he could complete Class C hunts perfectly—even with Sogoe in tow.
“Hey, kid.”
“Yes!”
Sogoe rushed over from her hiding spot and picked up a dagger. With her small, fern-like hands, she struggled to extract Magic Stones from the monster corpses.
Seeing her difficulty, Hyuk-min said,
“Give me the dagger.”
“I—I can do it.”
Water Rats hated having work taken away. He knew it was a habit she needed to break.
Hyuk-min shook his head, took the dagger, and began dismantling the monsters himself.
“I see a big advantage in you, you know?”
Sogoe froze. She hadn’t done anything, and her anxiety showed. But the moment he mentioned an advantage, her eyes widened.
“You might not realize it, but I see it. Something huge that others don’t.”
“What is it? Please tell me.”
“How about changing your weapon?”
“Weapon? Like a spear instead of a dagger?”
He grinned.
“No. A gun.”
At that word, Sogoe flinched.
He paused his dismantling and looked at her.
“What do you think? Want to trust me and try practicing with a gun?”
“C-can I even use something like that…?”
“Of course. Give it a try. Who knows—you might be a natural.”
He couldn’t hide his smile.
The Genius of Guns. The God of Sniping.
This was the perfect chance to recruit Sogoe.
“I’ll help you. If you use it well, we might become lifelong comrades.”
“M-me? R-really… a lifelong party with me…?”
She looked ready to burst into tears.
Sorry, but I’m the one who should be happy here.
“I promise.”
“T-thank you! Thank you so much!”
As she bowed repeatedly, Hyuk-min pulled out an item from his Inventory and placed it in her hands.
“Then, lifelong comrade, show me I can entrust my back to you.”
It was a handgun—one he’d taken from the Demon NPC Stall.
“I’ll help you become strong.”
The moment the gun touched her hand—
A jolt.
What was that?
Static shocked his fingertip.
= = =
Thanks to the Demon NPC’s stall outside the Dungeon, he had plenty of bullets. He loaded the magazine, chambered a round, and tested the gun.
Bang!
A bullet pierced the circular target made from monster blood.
He handed the gun to Sogoe, who was still covering her ears.
“Try it.”
Gulp.
Sogoe swallowed, terrified. The loud gunshot clearly shook her.
Understandable. She was still a child.
“You don’t have to be scared.”
“…Yes.”
Even so, she was bright and quick to learn. With trembling hands, she loaded the magazine and pulled back the bolt, completing the process with surprising accuracy.
Now comes the real challenge.
Firing the gun.
Her hands shook violently, and she couldn’t pull the trigger.
Time for his help.
“Hey, kid.”
“Y-yes!”
“You don’t have to be afraid.”
“I—I’m not scared!”
“It’s simple.”
“Yes, simple…”
She was in a complete panic, so he stepped behind her and gently guided her hands.
“Watch closely.”
He overlapped his hands with hers and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Sogoe flinched hard.
“It’s just loud. You’re the one in control. It can’t hurt you.”
“Yes… yes…”
“Look at me.”
He cupped her cheeks. After a few seconds, her trembling eased and her breathing steadied.
He explained softly:
“Imagine holding a sword or spear, facing monsters directly. Isn’t that scary?”
“It is…”
“But with this, you don’t have to face them. One finger flick, and they die from afar.”
“Really… I think so…”
But when her eyes fell on the gun again, panic returned.
He thought for a moment.
“Alright. I explained how to shoot and how to aim, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s make a bet.”
“A bet…?”
“If you hit that circle, I’ll give you this. Right now.”
He pulled out a money pouch and opened it.
Bundles of 50,000-won bills.
He placed twenty bundles on the floor.
“That’s 100 million won.”
“1… 100 million…?”
As expected—money worked best on Water Rats.
She snapped out of her panic instantly.
“You’re really giving it to me?”
“I’ll give you ten seconds. Load five bullets.”
“R-really!?”
Money was God to a Water Rat. She had lived through every filth and cruelty at the bottom of society. She knew better than anyone—
Money ruled all.
‘Fear? What’s the point?’
A Water Rat would do anything for money.
How do I know?
Because Hyuk-min was one too.
“Ten.”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Before he even finished counting, Sogoe was already firing.
One bullet, two, three—
All ten rounds were gone in an instant.
And the result made Hyuk-min’s jaw drop.
Eight bullets… inside the circle.
Is that even possible?
“Can I take it?”
Sogoe gently put down the gun and reached toward the money.
He nodded.
She scooped it into her arms immediately.
“Use this bag.”
He handed her a stone-storage bag from his Inventory.
Then he turned to the wall.
Eight bullet holes.
One shot dead center.
The first bullet.
A girl who had never held a gun hit dead center on her very first shot.
The others clustered around it, and only the last two missed the circle.
This shouldn’t be possible…
He replayed her shooting in his mind.
Sogoe couldn’t control the recoil—her body was too small and weak.
And yet—
She had calculated the recoil.
She knew she couldn’t control it.
So she adjusted every shot to stay inside the circle.
“Ha…”
He laughed, stunned.
So this was a genius.
He walked back to Sogoe.
“How is it? Doable?”
Her smile faltered for a moment when she remembered the gun, but she forced herself to stay bright.
“Yes… thinking about it now… I think it was doable.”
That was enough.
“You’re a genius. I knew it.”
“Y-yes?”
He reloaded the gun, chambered a round, and handed it to her.
“Show me again, comrade.”
“C-comrade…?”
Her eyes sparkled.
“Yes. A comrade I can trust with my back.”
“S-sir, I…”
“If you can’t trust yourself, trust me. I won’t lie to you. I promise. If anything happens to you, I’ll be the first to run to you. You’re my first new comrade—and family—in this world.”
He stepped back and pointed at the wall target.
Sogoe lifted the gun with determination.
“Shoot slowly. Aim for the center. Take your time.”
“Okay.”
She tightened her grip.
“Let’s go, my sister.”
Her eyes widened again. Then she smiled—soft and bright.
Bang.
Bang.
Bang.
Each shot was calm and steady.
= = =
Praise makes even whales dance.
“Wow!!”
Her face lit up with the brightest smile yet.
“You felt it too!? All ten hit the center!”
“Yes! It was so fun!”
Perfect accuracy.
Ten out of ten in the dead center.
Even with weak recoil control, she adapted instantly and shot faster near the end.
A genius—nothing else fit.
They hugged and laughed like they’d won an Olympic medal.
Then—
Ding.
Ding.
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
Both froze at the System notifications.
Sogoe stared at the air.
“W-what is this? Genius of Guns? Gun Mastery? D-did you do this, sir?”
She had awakened.
But Hyuk-min wasn’t listening.
He was also receiving a message.
[You have successfully acquired a Title.]
Me? A Title? Why?
[You have acquired ‘One Who Spreads Knowledge’.]
[You have acquired ‘One Who Awakens Potential’.]
He had never heard of these.
He checked them:
==========
[One Who Spreads Knowledge]
You have taught skills or spread unknown knowledge so others can learn.
Intelligence +2, Mana +2.
Unlock Condition (1 / 2)
[One Who Awakens Potential]
You found a Hidden Class S (or higher) individual and unlocked their potential.
All Stats +5.
Unlock Condition (2 / 2)
==========
Both conditions completed?
He tapped the glowing section.
Ding.
[Congratulations. A Hidden menu has been unlocked.]
[You can now use the ‘Party’ menu.]
[Opening ‘Party’.]
==========
[Party] (0 / 6)
You are a leader. Register a subordinate and share their skills and Stats.
No subordinates registered.
==========
[Would you like to register ‘Choi Hyun-jung’ as a subordinate? Y/N]
He looked at Sogoe.
She pointed at her own invisible window.
“What is this?”
“What does it say?”
“It says, ‘Would you like to allow Bang Hyuk-min to register you in the Party’…”
“I’m seeing this for the first time too. If you don’t want to—”
Before he finished, Sogoe pressed the button.
[Subordinate registration complete.]
[Party] (1 / 6)
Choi Hyun-jung (Sogoe)
“Uh…?”
“You said we were family.”
She smiled, bowed deeply, and whispered,
“It’s the first time… someone has said that to someone like me…”
Her voice trembled.
“It might just be words to you… but I really want it. It’s my dream. To have a family…”
He stared blankly.
Such a pitiful child.
A warm relationship—something everyone else took for granted—was her dream.
Even now, she was looking up at him, seeking permission.
He smiled without realizing it.
“Alright. Be my family.”