Kim Hyunwoo gathered his gang. There were several powerful gangs within the academy. There were three S-rank hunters among the students. They were the centers of those gangs. Each had their followers, but they implicitly didn't interfere with each other's affairs. Because causing unnecessary friction was never good. S-rank hunters had something in common. Their bodies were already confirmed to be among the upper echelons of society. They shared an inflated sense of privilege. While it couldn't be called camaraderie, they kept their distance from each other's activities.

Kim Hyunwoo's core gang consisted of six members, including himself. Their common characteristic was their wealthy families. Kim Hyunwoo came from a large conglomerate family and had been told from a young age to choose his friends carefully. Even within Alpha Academy, his friends were predetermined. People who could maintain those relationships in society. However, because of his background in a large corporation and his status as an S-rank hunter, he treated them like subordinates despite being the same age.

Their fathers were a doctor, a lawyer, a real estate tycoon, and a small business owner. Their ranks were A to B. However, one of them had a father who was an executive at the SG corporation, and Kim Hyunwoo treated him particularly like a servant.

"Are you really going? You'll get demerits. Is that girl worth it?"

Seong Gilsu said. His father was the director of a general hospital, and he was an A-rank healer.

"That's why I'm doing this. It's fine that she's arrogant within the academy, but she shouldn't run away without my permission."

"Anyway, she quit well. Was it a tuition problem?"

"No. Her father works at our research institute. Kim Yeonseo received a full scholarship."

"Ha! Really? The more I know, the more troublesome it gets."

"The car's ready, we can go now."

Kim Yunwoo, whom Kim Hyunwoo considered a servant, approached and said. He was a head taller and broader than the other friends. He was A-rank and a melee damage dealer.

"Why aren't you hurrying?"

Kim Hyunwoo struck the back of his head.

The gang swaggered out of the dormitory.

There was a female student watching Kim Hyunwoo's gang leave the dormitory. Cha Eunhee's heart grew anxious. She called Kim Yeonseo, but only received a message saying the phone was turned off. Thinking she had no other choice, she met with a professor through the dormitory manager.

"Professor, can you let me meet the chairperson?"

"The chairperson is busy. What's wrong?"

"Kim Hyunwoo and his gang left the dormitory. The chairperson needs to know!"

"They'll be back soon. I'll report it if they don't come back by evening. You don't need to worry."

"I talked to the chairperson yesterday! I said I would report anything directly! Should I tell the chairperson about you giving Kim Hyunwoo special treatment? Would you say the same thing if I left the dormitory instead of Kim Hyunwoo?"

"What kind of attitude is that?"

The professor glared at Cha Eunhee. Normally, Cha Eunhee would have softened and withdrawn her request. But this wasn't something she could easily let go of. More than anything, she didn't know where Kim Hyunwoo would go. It was clear that he was going to see Kim Yeonseo. As her friend, she couldn't stand idly by without knowing what might happen to her.

Seeing Cha Eunhee meet her gaze without avoiding her eyes, the professor shook his head.

"I'll report it to the chairperson. You know that I won't let you get away with defying me today."

"I know, so just report it quickly!"

An hour of anxious waiting in her dorm room. The professor, who had said he would report to the chairperson, appeared with a much more cautious expression than before.

"The chairperson wants to see you."

"I told you so!"

"Eunhee… you won't say anything unnecessary to the chairperson, right? For example, that I gave Kim Hyunwoo special treatment…"

"I won't say anything! What's important about that right now!"

In the end, Cha Eunhee had a meeting with Lee Seunghee, the chairperson, yesterday and again today.

"I heard. Kim Hyunwoo left the dormitory?"

"Yes! They're definitely going to find Yeonseo! That Kim Hyunwoo is crazy! I don't know what he'll do to Yeonseo!"

"I understand."

Lee Seunghee stood up abruptly and put on her coat.

"You're going to Yeonseo?"

"Yes. You go back to the dormitory and stay put. I'll handle this."

"I'm coming too!"

"What?"

"I'm worried about Yeonseo! Please, Chairperson!"

Lee Seunghee looked at Cha Eunhee silently for a few seconds. Then, she made up her mind and answered.

"Alright, follow me!"

"So, I can use this site, right? X-Hunter.net?"

"That's right. Even if you were only a professor, does it make sense that you don't know this site?"

That was Kim Somi's answer when I asked about a black market outlet to sell the weapons and equipment I had made. X-Hunter.net. There was no need to use a VPN; it could be accessed with just Korean input. Black market transactions are this easy? How does the Korean hunter community really operate?

"Black market transactions are essential for hunters. If you try to get things through legitimate channels, it's too frustrating. It's better to acquire them safely, but at my level, it's easy to avoid that."

Kim Somi said confidently. She was taking care of the housework, but this woman was actually a seasoned S-rank hunter in the industry. Someone who had been temporarily retired due to injury could easily become the head of the top hunter academy in South Korea. It meant she had the connections and skills to do so.

Kim Somi's words meant that at the S-rank level, black market dealers would naturally not attempt any scams. If they recklessly did so and were caught, they would be the ones suffering. Through such long-term transactions, she naturally built up black market connections. She said it would be easy to sell her goods if she posted them using her ID.

"Not bad."

Selling S-rank equipment and weapons with an S-rank hunter ID. It was a foolproof idea. As a newbie like me, who isn't even registered on the site, I first needed to accumulate points to make a transaction.

"Do they give you a bonus for providing an ID?"

Kim Somi asked with a playful smile.

"How much do you want?"

"I'm just kidding. Why would I get a share of something Hyunho made all by himself? Just use it comfortably."

"Thanks."

I looked around the X-Hunter site I learned about from Kim Somi. It was huge. According to Kim Somi, it's not a Korean company, but a US-based company. So, it meant the US also condoned their existence. However, it seemed that non-hunters could not easily access it, and if a big problem arose, the authorities would intervene.

‘An enormous amount of money will be exchanged.’

Even the lobbying that goes to the government would be astronomical. I hear that the underground hunter industry is several times larger than the above-ground. It wasn't surprising. Human nature is to risk their lives for profitable ventures. I just didn't know that black market transactions could be this easy and open.

‘At least hundreds of billions of won.’

Even on global black market sites, S-rank equipment and weapons were rarely traded. Even searching transaction records from the past year, there was nothing recorded in Korea, only less than ten records from overseas.

"Selling above-ground is more advantageous."

Kim Somi said.

"There are no S-rank hunters who buy equipment and weapons at full price."

"What do you mean?"

"There are tax benefits and discounts provided by the government. The same applies to used transactions. Therefore, there is no need to make a loss by resorting to black market transactions."

According to her, the tax benefits were almost unlimited, and the discounts were also significant. It meant that a tremendous amount of taxes were being used for S-rank hunters.

"Even we don't know the details. The government differentiates benefits even among S-rank hunters. The more valuable the resource, the more benefits are given. But what would happen if this leaks out? It would backfire, causing unnecessary conflict. So even S-rank hunters don't want to know the details. If you realize that you're getting less benefit than someone else, your pride will be hurt. That's the way it is."

Within the government, the Hunter Department had immense power, and this trend was getting stronger each year. Why wouldn't it? Money and power were centered around hunters. Even if the Hunter Department spent a huge amount of taxes on S-rank hunters, it was a story that could be understood because it was a department with a lot of money.

‘That's aside.’

Anyway, due to those circumstances, if S-rank equipment or weapons appeared on the black market, they would be traded at higher prices and faster. S-rank equipment and weapons aren't only used by S-ranks. A-rank hunters could also use them. However, they could not receive government benefits like officially recognized S-rank hunters. Villains who wouldn't hesitate to undergo body modification or endure physical strain would naturally covet S-rank equipment and weapons.

"I heard that the rich collect them, and some disassemble them for other uses."

Kim Somi said.

"Whatever."

It didn't matter what purpose my creations would be used for. Since they were goods for sale, it was enough if they were sold for a high price.

‘I'll keep my ambitions small for now.’

I was someone who simultaneously possessed the abilities of an S-rank artisan and an S-rank designer. Normally, items are made through collaboration between artisans and designers, and in such cases, it's normal for the designer's intentions not to be fully realized. It was often said that if 60 percent of the design intent was realized, it was a great collaboration. If the true value of my creations were revealed, they would clearly be traded at a much higher price than typical S-rank equipment and weapons.

Knowing that sales would be easy, all I had to do now was make things. The atmosphere around here was generally peaceful after returning from Seoul. I decided to make some money while things were calm.

I was immersed in equipment production in the living room when my phone suddenly rang. The caller was Lee Seunghee. I hadn't noticed because I was concentrating on the crafting, but now I saw that I had five missed calls.

"Hello?"

[Professor! Why are you only answering the phone now? Kim Hyunwoo is on his way here! You should prepare!]

"Kim Hyunwoo?"[He's leading his gang! It seems to be because of Yeonseo. His family is wealthy, so if he wanted to find out where you are, he could easily find out.]

"This is quite something."

[I'm on my way too! They're reckless, so you should never take them lightly!]

"No, you can take them lightly. Why are you coming all the way here when you're busy?"

[Why are you so relaxed?]

"Okay, see you later."

I stretched while sitting. I was thinking of taking a break, and this seemed like good timing.