Chapter Text
Min-Jae is vibrating in her seat, she's sure of it. It's only a low rank gate, D to be specific. But she cannot for the love of God, coax herself to chill the fuck out and she finds that she doesn't want to either, not really. If chief Woo Jinchul can sense the near manic excitement of his passenger, he doesn't comment. Or maybe that's his strategy of turning a blind eye for the sake of the greater good, bless his resilient heart.
"I will be monitoring you for this raid. The aim is to see how you handle the real thing in action" He'd explained to which he received a raised hand. "It was my understanding that A rankers usually tackle gates at levels C at lowest." (Why are two A rankers going into a D rank dungeon?) -Remained implied. "The timing is convenient" was the only answer she received.
The pair of them exited the car at the reported location behind a construction site, the workers no doubt evacuated as protocol required. Chief Woo Jinchul hadn't bothered with armour in account of the low level of the gate, choosing to stick to the usual black formals, Min-Jae favouring the protagonist tested attire of tracks and fitted long-sleeve top. Just something put together that won't hinder her movements.
Their designated raid members were already waiting, with the usual combination of fighters and mages and tanks. She couldn't afford to pay them any mind, too busy soaking in the sight before her. The gate. on the smaller side, it seemed. The churn of glowing, indigo, chaotic mass emanating a steady energy. It prickled like static on her skin, faint yet startling in its novelty. The very air near the gate felt off, not in the sense of danger but in a way one can distinguish between texture at touch- if the world as a whole was a smooth plain, to her senses, the existence of the gate was the coarse surface of sand, sinking into something odd and alien and exciting. Park Min-Jae's first close encounter with a gate left her lungs craving for something oxygen could never hope to provide.
"Hunter Park, please refrain from entering prematurely" Only then did she realise how close she'd moved to the gate. Clearing her throat, she finally tore her gaze away from the subject of her fascination "I was only intending to inspect it, sir. I might have gotten... carried away".
Her senior didn't comment further and simplify moved on to less fun but important things. The required introductions were made, the explanation provided and the party readied. She did her part to seem as attentive as she needed to be though she was itching to finally sink through the dimensional rift, all but bekoning her to step through. At the anticipated moment, She passed the gate right behind the last member, the chief following shortly. Her senses expanded, soaking in every moment- how the weightless mist floated around her before he passed through, the air on the other side distinctly more saturated with idle mana.she made sure to savour a lung-full as her sight adjusted to the lower lighting of the cavern space.
Her epiphany was interrupted by a horde of screeching Goblins and soon The hunting began.The humans of their party radiated a similar yet distinctly different energy patterns from creatures of this dimension. If you know what to look for, they stuck out like sour thumbs. She observed as such, not having made a move to fight yet. Perhaps it was the goblins sensing her as a higher threat that made them less eager to approach. Nevertheless there is a lot humans have learned through corpses : be it the wisdom of war or the anatomy of the body.
So, She draws at the familiar flow beneath her flesh, it answers, eager to do so, as mana condenses into large clawed hand fitting around her own as one would wear a glove. She dove into the frey, slashing at a too-slow Goblin, spraying blood into the stone walls. She absently notes the energy of the beast shrivelling inwards and collapsing into a neat compact form. Ah...the monster core. Makes sense. The rest of the fight is a repetition of the same process a dozen more times. No one minds her increasing kills as the profits are to pass onto the original party at the end. It's only fair. (Disappointingly, encountering or slaughtering the boss bears no new noteworthy observations).
Later that day, she files a neat report, detailing all her observations, complete with personal theories on few of them and submits it to the monitoring division
"Hmm, this is quite an interesting perspective" Chairman Go Gunhee comments as he skims through the latest dungeon clearance report of their rookie division director.
Hunter Min-Jae's report provides a direct view into the nuances of mana- in its most naturally occurring state inside dungeons. While most existing knowledge is extracted from experiments conducted in controlled lab settings with monster remains being one the primary sources, Her's are based on raw, unadulterated observation of the specimens in action.
But curiously, the parts that catch the chairman's attention is where she presents theories on how her notes can be utilised to upgrade hunting practices. Like-
With the observation of mana signatures (the pattern of one's innate mana), it is easy to distinguish monster from humans. Yet the existence of cloaking skills suggest that temporary alterations to this pattern is possible. With further research spells may be developed that can serve as easier alternatives to complicated cloaking/camouflage skills.
"It seems our young director will live up to their speech afterall" Go Gunhee mused, setting the report down and leaning back as he smiled at the chief. "You seem to have gotten yourself quite a bright underling, JinChul"
"..It is hard to disagree with that" Jinchul agreed to the sentiment but he'd argue that it was the "underlying" in question had done the part of getting herself acquired under his jurisdiction....with single-minded dedication at that.
***
"Chief Woo Jin chul, may I have a moment of your time?" He has been all but jumped with the question while returning from a field work back to the HQ. Heck, he'd only just reached the entrance before the stranger all but pounced with the precision and patience of a predator. They were exceedingly polite no doubt but somehow Jinchul still felt like the prey in that situation. Thus, his evening turned into an impromptu job interview. Because miraculously, intrigue won over paperwork.
"So to conclude, you just got evaluated as an A rank hunter and have rejected all guild offers in favour of joining the association. And you waited to discuss this with me specifically. For 5 hours" And terrified the lobby folk with your fixation and absolute refusal to concede to anything less. From the guild recruiters or otherwise. Again, with pristine politeness. but Jinchul kept the last part to himself for professionalism sake.
"Yes, sir. I have many ambitions, which i can only fulfill through the association."
Jinchul was honestly still a little stunned by the sheer determination (he'd later correct that it was near obsession) of hunter Park's proposal or rather...job application request. "I'm sure you're aware that the pay at association is rather unattractive in contrast to guilds which, by your rank should be very easy to achieve. So what resources are you supposing the association can offer to fulfill your ambitions?"
"Well sir. As the centrally authorised body, the association is the balance keeper of this country's powerhouses. Which, naturally gives it authority for necessary intervention, code and policy framing and most importantly for my purposes, a status of neutrality."
Jinchul made a gesture for her to proceed
"I admire the role it plays and aim to optimize it's current functions but most importantly I want to expand it. Hunters, as I'm aware, are either employed directly with raids or indirectly as people like yourself. I want to play a ... different role. I want to help increase our understanding of gates and mana. In a way only an active mage can. In a way only I can." The magic system of solo leveling is not fleshed out to crazy degrees. It's just enough to not be dysfunctional and serves its purpose well. But park Min-Jae is a Nerd in both of her lives. Thus, she will figure out all she can about this magic system. God's intentions be damned. You cannot thrust a nerd of her affliction level into a magic power system and expect them not to dig in deeper to the fucking bedrocks. For once in her life(s) she has an actual ambition. (It even pays!) And it certainly wouldn't hurt if she can save lives with her knowledge along the line. Lofty dreams,yes. But this life. Cruel and magical is allowing her to dream. And she refuses to walk a dreamless, listless, worthless path ever again. No, here she has ambition and she will see them through.