Solo Leveling (Vol 1)

The Association

Hunters operating within the same area tended to know each other pretty well. In the event of a Gate opening up, all the Hunters in that district would be asked to come, that's why.

The Hunters who had arrived early sipped on the cups of coffee handed out by the Association's employee and shared cordial greetings with each other.

"Oh, hey. Mister Kim, Over here. Here."

"Oh? Mister Park, what are you doing here? I thought you were giving up on being a Hunter?"

"Well, that... My wife is pregnant with our second child."

"Hahahaha, is that so? Yeah, for a Hunter to earn big in one go, participating in a raid is the best, isn't it."

Mister Kim jovially burst out in laughter. Mister Park followed suit with a sheepish chuckle, before asking Kim.

"By the way, why do I feel like the Association is calling on us less and less nowadays? Did the number of Gates decrease or something?"

"Eii, of course not. That's only because the Guilds are getting all worked up over clearing the Gates; it's got nothing to do with the Association. I hear that various Guilds are jumping in with both feet since there is big profit involved in this whole thing."

"Well, in that case, since this raid is being supervised by the Association, it should be safe, no?"

Mister Park took a glance around as if he was getting nervous.

If a Guild was not involved today, that meant there wasn't enough profit to be had, and if there wasn't enough profit to be had, then that could only mean that this particular Gate's difficulty would be low.

Of course, nothing in this world was 100% absolute.

It wasn't just Mister Park; other Hunters were nervously glancing around as well.

"Hmm. I wonder...."

Mister Kim finished the rest of his coffee while avoiding answering his friend, before spotting a certain someone and raised his hand in happiness.

"Uh! He's here. Hey, Mister Seong!! Mister Seong!"

Other Hunters also displayed joy at discovering that young man.

"Ah, hello."

It was none other than Seong Jin-Woo.

Jin-Woo performed a simple nod of the head at the joyous Mister Kim and walked by.

After making sure Jin-Woo was well out of earshot, Mister Kim began sniggering while confidently speaking up.

"So, Jin-Woo showed up. Then it's going to be okay today, too."

Mister Park's eyes widened and he hurriedly asked Kim.

"What was that? Is that Hunter Seong Jin-Woo really strong?"

"Ahh. Right, of course, you wouldn't know who he is. He's a Hunter who started working shortly after you left, you see. However, every Hunter here knows who that kid is by now."

"He's really that strong? Wait, why is he working for the Association, then? Why not for a Guild or as a freelancer?"

Kim sniggered some more before narrowing his eyes.

"You know what that guy's nickname is?"

"How should I know that? C'mon, man. Just tell me already."

"Humanity's weakest weapon."

"....Weakest? Not something like the ultimate weapon?"

"Dude, that's the nickname for the rank S Hunter Choi Jong-In. That kid is the 'weakest weapon'. I'm pretty sure he's the weakest Hunter in the Republic of Korea."

"Really?"

Park began frowning deeply.

Why would other Hunters greet this Seong Jin-Woo if he was really that weak? After all, didn't they need someone to trust their backs if things went south?

Park couldn't really understand the reactions of other Hunters.

When Park's head tilted this way and that, Kim chuckled and poked the side of Park with his elbow.

"Eii! The raids Seong Jin-Woo participates in will only have low difficulty because he's so weak. The Association would never entrust him with a tough job, don't you get that? They don't want to see him get killed, right?"

Only then did Park's expression brighten up.

"R-right. Yeah."

His wife was deeply worried about him since this would be his first raid in quite a while. Honestly, even he himself was worried, too. However, now that he listened to Kim's words, he felt like a weight was lifted off his mind.

Kim continued on.

"That guy, there was a rumour not too long ago that said, he got injured participating in a raid of a rank E-Gate and spent a week in the hospital."

"A Hunter got injured by a rank E Gate?"

"That's right. No one expected to see a Hunter getting injured during a rank E Gate raid, so they didn't even bring along a Healer, apparently!"

"That's why he spent a week in a hospital?! Pu-hahaha!"

When Park began guffawing too loudly, Kim hurriedly hushed him.

"Stop it, man. Mister Seong might hear you."

"Aigoo. I didn't think of that."

Park cautiously checked Jin-Woo's reactions as he continued to giggle.

Thankfully, the distance was far enough and the youth didn't seem to have heard them.

Of course, they were mistaken.

'I can hear everything, you geezers.'

A bitter smile formed on Jin-Woo as he tried hard to ignore them. At times like today, he couldn't help but blame his unusually-acute sense of hearing.

It seemed that he arrived too early and the raid was yet to commence.

'Did I arrive too early?'

Jin-Woo looked around to while away the waiting time, spotted the Association employee handing out warm coffee, and walked closer.