Mr. Kim Strikes It Rich with Auto-Hunting [Novel] Chapter 19

[Breaking News) Lee Bojun Successfully Clears 58th Floor of the Tower of Chaos!]

A sudden breaking report erupted.

Lee Bojun, ranking first in the country, cleared the 58th floor.

In an instant, the entire nation of South Korea was thrown into an uproar.

“This just in! Lee Bojun-ssi, previously rumored to be in a slump, has just succeeded in conquering the 58th floor of the Tower of Chaos—”

Breaking television broadcasts blared.

[The Spectacular Return of the Number One Ranker!]

[Escapes Slump by Conquering 58th Floor of the Tower! Lee Bojun Is Back.]

……

…

Online articles flooded the web.

[Did Lee Bojun really clear the 58th floor????]

[Where did all those idiots calling the number one ranker washed-up go now? Lolololol]

……

…

Even community forums were inundated.

Every thread talked about the same thing.

And the public’s reaction?

– ???????

– Cleared it??? Just like that?

– Wait, isn’t the 58th floor the highest so far?

– Huh???

Astonishment, followed by doubt.

– Smells like fake news lolol

└ Nope, Awakening Management Bureau confirmed it officially.

– Didn’t they say Lee Bojun had no weapon???

– What the, how????

How could this happen so suddenly?

Up until yesterday, everyone said the hunter was in a slump….

Articles had poured out about it, too.

Yet now, the 58th floor was cleared out of nowhere?

Without a weapon?

Just then, further news broke.

[Breaking News) Lee Bojun’s New Weapon Used on 58th Floor Reportedly Crafted by Manpower Office Director.]

[A Triumphant Comeback: Uncovering How Ranking 1st Hunter Lee Bojun Acquired the Weapon.]

[Lee Bojun: “The Manpower Office Director Saved My Life.”]

[Lee Bojun and Baek Hwarang Set Consecutive Records with Weapons Crafted by Mysterious Maker Known as ‘Manpower Office Director’!]

……

…

– What, the Manpower Office Director again?

– Hearing that name a lot these days.

No one knew their face or identity.

Yet that single moniker was now known to every citizen in the nation.

The Manpower Office Director.

This time, attention burned even hotter.

– Crafting endgame weapons back-to-back, is that even possible?

└ Nah, I have a crafting-related class myself, and even after making a weapon for the 20th floor, I couldn’t make a single thing for a whole month ;;

└ What even is that person?

└ Who knows? But one thing’s for sure: if you can get gear from them, you’ve struck gold.

Performance defying common sense.

Already two people had reaped the benefits.

Rankers currently conquering the highest reaches of the Tower, no less.

What if someone could commission gear from them?

– Life-changing lottery ticket right there.

└ Bingo.

Who cared if their identity was unknown?

When they could forge equipment like that….

– Putting in a commission right now, fr.

– Please just accept mine….

– Mine too….

A day later, even more astounding news arrived.

[Baek Hwarang Successfully Clears 54th Floor!]

After failing to breach the 53rd floor for more than six months, Baek Hwarang had climbed another floor in rapid succession.

And then.

[Lee Bojun Successfully Clears 59th Floor!]

Lee Bojun, who had also been stalled for a long time, reportedly ascended yet another floor.

– ????

– Wait, what is happening….

– Baek Hwarang is wild enough, but what is Lee Bojun on???

Having cleared the 59th floor, the 60th floor was next.

What did that signify?

– If South Korea clears just one more floor, we catch up to Russia?

└ Yep.

– Does that mean we join the Five Great Powers???

└ If we climb one floor and stop, it’s the Six Great Powers. If we go higher and surpass Russia, we take their spot in the Five Great Powers.

Joining the Five Great Powers was right before their eyes.

Could this actually happen?

The only problem….

– Tough call, though. The 60th floor is brutal.

– Yeah, you think they call it the Demon’s Wall for nothing? Lolol

– True, only five countries in the entire world have passed it….

– Even Lee Bojun will need a long time to prepare….

[The Demon’s Wall, Floor 60: Just How Many Months Will It Take? Experts Weigh In.]

It would not be easy.

Preparation would take months at the very least.

Both the internet and journalists shared that assumption.

Or so they thought.

[Breaking News) Lee Bojun Declares 60th Floor Clear Is Certain Tomorrow.]

Lee Bojun claimed it was doable.

A declaration to conquer the 60th floor.

Could it….

Could it really work?

All from changing a single weapon?

No way, surely not.

[South Korea’s Lee Bojun Shatters Tower of Chaos 58th and 59th Floors! Declares Immediate Assault on the 60th! Joining the Five Great Powers in Sight!]

South Korea was festive.

Meanwhile, at the Russian Awakening Management Bureau in Moscow?

The atmosphere was practically a funeral.

“Haa….”

Director Yegor of the Russian Awakening Management Bureau let out a deep sigh.

Breaking the silence, the director finally spoke.

“I could swear someone insisted failure was impossible…. Has my memory failed me?”

“N-no, sir!”

Of course not.

The memory was crystal clear.

“Then what on earth happened?”

“Well, that is….”

South Korea’s top-ranked hunter receiving a weapon?

Fine.

That could happen.

Clearing the 58th floor?

Whew….

Even that was acceptable.

After half a year, climbing up was bound to happen.

Still.

“The 60th floor, you say….”

Attempting the 59th floor had seemed absurd enough.

And yet.

[South Korea’s Lee Bojun Shatters 59th Floor of the Tower of Chaos!]

It had succeeded.

Now, an assault on the 60th floor was already announced.

No, more than that — an absolute guarantee that it would be cleared….

Meanwhile, this fool of a subordinate had zero countermeasures.

“What about Alexei?”

“Still stalled on the 61st floor.”

“Any prospects?”

“… My apologies, Director.”

At this rate, being overtaken was only a matter of time.

There was no choice.

A change of tactics was necessary.

“The Manpower Office Director? We must recruit that person.”

Whether bringing them to Russia or, failing that, securing weapons from them by any means necessary, something had to be done before Russia was overtaken.

Such a disgrace had to be prevented.

“Will recruitment be possible? Even the Koreans do not know their identity.”

Hah.

Pathetic idiot.

What kind of question was that?

If only this fool had not been a nepotism hire….

“I hear that person takes dungeon commissions. The moment news breaks of a commission accepted, place that dungeon under airtight surveillance twenty-four hours a day.”

“Ah…!”

Finally catching on.

That was the plan.

Identify who they were first, then draw up an operation accordingly.

[Breaking News) Lee Bojun Declares 60th Floor Clear Is Certain Tomorrow.]

“Oh, going straight for the 60th floor? Our client doesn’t mess around.”

Manpower Office Director Yoon Hajun.

His current occupation?

Browsing the internet and basking in pride.

“Rani wants to see too!”

“Arthur can read Korean!”

Did it look fun?

Everyone wanted a look.

Well, why not.

They could all look together.

“They say both rankers are doing great with the swords Rani made.”

“Heh!”

“Hwalhwal is good too!”

Yep….

Commissions were already flooding in like crazy.

Even though Hajun had posted on the board that crafting commissions were temporarily closed—

– Please, just take mine and no one else’s.

– Master. If you make me just one weapon, I will respect you for the rest of my life.

– I really need to clear the 30th floor, please ㅠㅠㅠ

……

…

Comments were exploding under that post as well.

Sheesh….

Left with no choice, Hajun took drastic measures.

[Commissions — Closed]

And all those piled-up commissions?

Flatly rejected, every last one.

Naturally, the ones already accepted had to be cleared.

Which meant….

“Today we need to clear the A-grade dungeon we took on earlier. Arthur, can you really handle it alone?”

“That’s right! With Hwalhwal, can go!”

“Don’t push yourself.”

“Easy!”

Aah!

So reliable.

Well, time to get moving.

[Commission List]

1. A-Grade Dungeon: Queen Poison Spider’s Labyrinth

2. A-Grade Dungeon: Giant Golem’s Fortress

Which one first?

A quick glance settled it.

“Let’s do the top one first. We have to clear both anyway.”

“Good!”

Arthur agreed.

Time to head straight in.

[Dispatch Laborers]

– Dungeon

[Would you like to enter Queen Poison Spider’s Labyrinth – A-Grade?]

Not Hajun, obviously.

“Safety! Good! Good! Good!”

“Gooood!”

The summon whose catchphrase was spoken with suspiciously crisp pronunciation would be the one going.

Though why was Rani copying him?

Did she want to tag along too?

“Good! Good! That’s fun!”

Fair enough.

It was insanely catchy.

Even Hajun felt his limbs itching whenever he heard it….

Even so.

“Rani stays here. Arthur, off you go. Wrap it up quick, come back, and let’s relax over coffee.”

“Coffee? Good!”

[Worker enters the dungeon.]

[Beginning auto-hunting.]

All right.

Arthur was in.

As for the rest of them….

“Let’s watch.”

“Yeah!”

If nothing else, an A-grade dungeon warranted supervision.

You never knew.

“Must watch Hwalhwal too!”

“That’s true too.”

Fair point.

Last time?

There had been almost nothing to see.

The enemies were far too weak.

This time would be different.

[Monitoring]

Time to see what happened.

An A-grade dungeon that Arthur had once claimed was difficult alone.

Now equipped with his new sword, Hwalhwal….

How would it go?

Hajun watched with anticipation—

“Whoa, insane….”

Queen Poison Spider’s Labyrinth.

True to its name, a dungeon choked with spiderwebs.

And when fire met those webs?

Naturally.

“It blazes away.”

“Yeah! That’s why it’s Hwalhwal!”

That wasn’t why.

By that logic, was Stinger called Stinger just because it stung…?

Regardless.

It burned splendidly.

Did it stop at burning webs?

Not in the slightest.

Kieeek—!

A spider the size of a large dog lunged ferociously.

Wharuruk!

Flames caught it instantly.

Arthur gave a slight flick of his hand….

Slash—!

One down, cleanly sliced.

“This is on a whole different level.”

It felt less like clearing an A-grade dungeon and more like cruising through C-grade.

The boss, the Queen Poison Spider, fared no better.

Kieeeek—!

Massive in stature, with venom glistening slick across its claws and fangs.

It looked terrifying….

Until Arthur brought his sword down.

Wharuruk.

Flames erupted along the blade.

And just like that, the spider was cleanly sheared in two.

“That’s the Blazing Flame Sword!”

“Ah, that special skill?”

“Yeah!”

[Dungeon raid completed.]

[Auto-hunting ended.]

[Clear Time — 00:13:39]

Whoa….

When paired with Robin, a highest-grade summon, it had taken fifteen minutes.

Arthur had done it alone in thirteen?

“Totally nuts.”

A single weapon made this much of a difference?

“Hwalhwal! So good!”

“Rani made it!”

“A bress-ing!”

“Rani is a blessing!”

Indeed.

It was exceptional because Rani forged it.

Rankers 1 and 2 were also cruising thanks to weapons she had crafted.

Still….

If high-grade Arthur showed this much power, what about Robin?

“Rani, any materials left?”

“Yeah! Super lots!”

Naturally.

Their VIP client, Lee Bojun-ssi, had sent over a massive haul.

“Rani make weapon?!”

“Hmm…. We do need a bow for Robin.”

“Yay!”

She immediately bolted to start crafting.

No, no.

Not right now.

“Let’s rest for today. You’ve worked a lot lately.”

Besides.

Tomorrow was moving day.

Once settled in the spacious new building, they could craft to their hearts’ content.

The Manpower Office Director’s A-grade dungeon clear.

One place had waited for that news more anxiously than anyone.

Moscow.

“The Manpower Office Director cleared an A-grade dungeon?”

Truly unbelievable.

What kind of country was South Korea?

After casually churning out weapons used by world-class rankers, now they were breezing through A-grade dungeons.

What was more….

“What? Thirteen minutes and thirty-nine seconds? Is that even possible?”

Russia’s number one ranker, Alexei.

Though stuck on the 61st floor, Alexei could clear A-grade dungeons too.

Usually taking three to four hours.

Thirteen minutes…?

At this point, doubt began to creep in.

“Phew….”

Even if they tracked down the Manpower Office Director, could they actually control them?

What could they possibly tempt them with?

Equipment?

The person forged everything themselves….

Money?

To someone who conquered an A-grade dungeon in thirteen minutes, would money even look like money?

“No.”

Get a grip.

Negative thoughts could wait until after making contact.

“So what do we know about them?”

“Well….”

“Stop stalling and spit it out.”

“They report that no one was found.”

“What?”

Twenty-four-hour airtight surveillance had been ordered, and they failed to spot a single thing?

“No, sir! The report insists surveillance was airtight! They reviewed all footage as well, but….”

“Still nothing?”

“Yes, sir….”

Absurd.

There were only two possibilities.

Either the surveillance team slacked off,

or the Manpower Office Director used some trick.

Teleportation?

Stealth?

No.

Whichever method was used, someone should have been visible entering the dungeon.

“What on earth….”

It wasn’t as if someone could enter a dungeon remotely.

Hah.

It was enough to drive anyone mad.