[Sector 7 – Outside the Clockwork Ruins] [Time: 11:15 AM]
I stepped out of the swirling portal and back onto the grimy pavement of the Industrial District. The air smelled of smog and burnt rubber, which was a nice change from the smell of ozone and death inside the dungeon.
"Time?" I asked the guard.
The guard looked at his stopwatch. Then he shook it. Then he slapped it against his thigh.
"Fourteen minutes," he whispered, staring at me like I had grown a second head. "You cleared a C-Rank dungeon... solo... in fourteen minutes? That's impossible. The record is forty-five."
"I took a shortcut," I lied smoothly. "Found a ventilation shaft. Skipped the spiders."
[System: You literally smashed every spider you saw. You have 15 pounds of scrap metal in your inventory. You are the opposite of a shortcut.]
"Right... a shortcut," the guard muttered, scribbling on his clipboard. "Well, you're free to go, Hunter Jin."
As I walked away, I saw the Iron Gears party—the guys I saved—waiting by the parking lot. The Tank, Han, waved his arms.
"Hey! Janitor! I mean, Jin!"
He ran over, holding a heavy sack.
"We... uh... we wanted to thank you," Han panted. "We collected the cores from the spiders you smashed. Since you didn't loot them, we figured... well, it's rightfully yours."
He held out the sack. It clinked with the sound of money.
I paused.
Usually, in this world, people stole your kills. They didn't return your loot.
"Keep it," I said, adjusting the rod on my back.
"What?"
"Consider it a consulting fee," I said. "Use it to buy a better shield. Yours has a crack in the structural integrity. If you get hit on the left side, it will shatter."
Han looked at his shield, then back at me, his eyes wide. "How did you know..."
"Physics," I said, turning away. "Don't die next time."
I walked off into the city, leaving them stunned.
[System: Look at you, being benevolent. Are you running for Mayor? Or just building a fan club?]
"Neither," I muttered, checking my phone. "I'm just rich enough now that I don't need pocket change. I'm after the big fish."
[Incoming Message: The Chairman] [Location: Han River Bridge. Underpass 4. 12:00 PM.] [Instruction: Give the package to 'Silas'. Do not be late.]
"Silas," I read the name. "Sounds edgy."
[Han River Bridge – Underpass 4] [Time: 12:00 PM]
The underpass was a classic shady meeting spot. Graffiti on the walls, the sound of the river rushing nearby, and the distinct smell of urine and secrets.
I leaned against a concrete pillar, the Gear of Chronos wrapped in a cloth in my pocket (and encased in a bubble of Negative Energy to block the signal).
"You're early," a voice hissed.
It didn't come from in front of me. It came from everywhere.
I didn't flinch.
"And you're loud," I said, not moving my head.
A ripple in the air appeared to my left. A young man materialized from the shadows. He was dressed in a sleek, black stealth suit with daggers strapped to his thighs. He had messy black hair and eyes that looked like they hadn't slept in a week.
[Target Identified: Silas] [Rank: B (Assassin)] [Affiliation: The Chairman's 'Cleaner'] [Trait: Jealousy Issues]
Silas sneered, spinning a karambit knife on his finger.
"So you're the new pet," he spat. "Jin. The 'Physics Mage'. I watched the footage. You fight like a brute."
"And you talk like a teenager who just discovered anarchy," I retorted. "Do you want the Gear or not?"
Silas's eye twitched.
"Watch your mouth, C-Rank trash," he stepped closer, the knife blurring. "I've killed men twice your size for looking at me wrong. The Chairman might find you amusing, but to me? You're just a temp."
He held out his hand expectantly.
"Give it to me."
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the Gear.
"Here."
As Silas reached for it, I "accidentally" dropped it.
It fell toward the muddy ground.
Silas's reflexes kicked in. He vanished, diving to catch the precious artifact before it hit the dirt.
Swish.
He caught it inches from the mud, looking up at me with a triumphant smirk. "Clumsy idi—"
"Gotcha," I whispered.
Tier 3: Gravity Manipulation. Target: Silas. Gravity: 10x.
SLAM.
Silas wasn't just kneeling; he was flattened. The gravity field hit him like a hydraulic press. His face was smashed into the mud. His arms were pinned to the ground. The fancy stealth suit creaked under the pressure.
"GAH!" Silas choked, spitting out mud. "What... the... hell!"
"You have a big mouth," I said, crouching down next to him. "But your center of gravity is terrible. You lean forward too much when you gloat."
I plucked the Gear out of his trembling hand.
"Also," I tapped the Gear. "This thing is delicate. Don't drop it."
"You... bastard..." Silas wheezed, trying to activate his shadow skill. "When I get up... I'll slit your..."
"You won't," I said coldly.
I placed a finger on the back of his neck.
Tier 2: Lightning (Trace Amount). Target: Nervous System.
ZAP.
A tiny, controlled jolt of electricity shot into his spine. It wasn't enough to kill him, but it was enough to lock up his muscles. Silas went rigid, his eyes rolling back for a second before he slumped, paralyzed but conscious.
"I just rebooted your nervous system," I explained casually. "You'll be able to move in about five minutes. Until then... enjoy the mud."
I placed the Gear gently on top of his head.
"Tell the Chairman the delivery is complete. And tell him next time, send a courier, not a chihuahua."
I stood up and walked away.
[System: +50 Intimidation. You just bullied a B-Rank Assassin. I'm so proud I could cry. If I had tear ducts.]
"He was annoying," I shrugged. "Besides, I need the Chairman to respect me. If I let his lackeys walk all over me, I'm just a tool. Now I'm a dangerous tool."
As I walked out of the underpass, my phone buzzed.
[Bank Alert: Deposit +50,000,000 Won]
"Fifty million," I whistled. "That was a profitable lunch break."
[System: Don't spend it all on candy. You have a message from the Chairman.]
I checked the text.
[The Chairman: Silas says you put him in the mud. Good. He needed humbling. You passed the second test, Jin.] [However, the signal from the Gear was interrupted for 12 minutes. You blocked it.]
My heart skipped a beat. He noticed.
[The Chairman: Clever. You figured out it was a bug. Most people would have tried to break it. You just jammed it. I like smart pawns.] [Keep the jamming technique to yourself. We have much work to do.]
I let out a breath. He wasn't angry. He was amused.
"Psychopath," I muttered.
[Downtown Seoul – Hunter Shopping District] [Time: 2:00 PM]
I had 50 million won burning a hole in my pocket. It was time to upgrade.
My Dark Ore Rod was great, but I looked like a hobo carrying a piece of rebar. I needed armor. I needed utility items.
I walked into "The Titan's Armory," a high-end gear shop.
"Welcome!" The clerk beamed at me. "How can I help you, sir?"
"I need armor," I said. "Lightweight, but with high conductivity for mana. And I need it to be black."
"Ah, the 'Shadow Mage' look," the clerk nodded knowingly. "Right this way."
He showed me a suit made of Wyvern Leather woven with Mithril threads.
[Item: Night-Weave Tactical Suit] [Rank: C+] [Defense: High] [Effect: Increases Mana Flow by 10%. Resistant to Fire and Acid.] [Price: 45,000,000 Won]
"It's pricey," the clerk admitted. "But it breathes well."
"I'll take it," I said.
I paid the money. My bank account wept, dropping back down to near zero, but I looked at myself in the mirror.
The suit fit perfectly. It was sleek, armored in vital spots, and allowed full range of motion. I strapped the Dark Ore Rod to the magnetic holster on the back.
[System: You finally look like a Protagonist. +10 Charisma. Now, about that rod...]
"What about it?"
[System: It's just a stick. We should enchant it. Or at least modify it. You have 'Alchemy' unlocked, remember?]
"I can modify weapons?"
[System: You have absolute control over matter. You can fuse the rod with other materials. Remember the Scrap Spiders you smashed? You have 'Scrap Metal' in your inventory.]
I paused.
"I can fuse the scrap metal... onto the rod?"
[System: Not just fuse. Reforge. If you compress the scrap metal around the rod using Gravity and heat it with Friction, you can create a 'Composite Density' shell. Make it heavier. Spikier. Scarier.]
I grinned.
"Let's go home. I have some crafting to do."
[Ash's Apartment – That Evening]
My apartment looked like a mechanic's workshop exploded.
I sat on the floor, the Dark Ore Rod floating in front of me. Piles of twisted spider legs and robot plating hovered around it.
"Okay," I focused.
Tier 1: Fire (Heat Source). Tier 3: Gravity (Compression).
I heated the scrap metal until it was white-hot liquid. Then, using gravity, I crushed it onto the surface of the rod. I didn't just plate it; I forced the atoms of the steel to merge with the Dark Ore.
Compress. denser. Denser.
I shaped the head of the rod. I pulled spikes out of the molten metal. I added flanges for aerodynamic flow.
HISSS.
I cooled it instantly with Tier 1: Water.
Steam filled the room.
I grabbed the weapon.
It wasn't a rod anymore. It was a War Hammer.
It was jet black, with jagged steel teeth fused into the striking end. It looked cruel. It looked like something a dungeon boss would drop.
[Item Upgraded: The Persuader] [Rank: B-] [Weight: 450kg] [Effect: 'Impact Shock'. Hits create a localized kinetic explosion.]
"The Persuader," I tested the weight. It was monstrous. "I like it."
[System: It's terrifying. Good job. Now get some sleep. The Chairman isn't the only one watching you.]
"What do you mean?"
[System: Check the Hunter Forums. You're trending.]
I opened my phone.
[HunterNet Forum > General Discussion] [Topic: Who is the 'Janitor'?] [OP: IronGears_Han] > Guys, I saw a monster today. A solo C-Rank called 'Jin'. He cleared the Clockwork Ruins in 14 minutes. He uses a giant black stick and manipulates gravity. He called himself 'The Janitor'. Is he a smurf account for an S-Rank?
[Comments:] > 14 minutes? Bullshit. Pics or it didn't happen. > I saw him at the Exam! He one-shot the Golem! > Gravity magic? Only the White Tiger Guild Leader has gravity magic. Is he a disciple? > 'The Janitor'? Lmao what a name.
I scrolled down.
One comment caught my eye.
[User: IceQueen_Seraphina] > Jin... interesting. He sounds like someone I met recently.
I froze.
"Seraphina," I whispered. "She suspects."
[System: Of course she does. You used the same friction trick on her. The world is getting smaller, Ash. Better be ready.]
I turned off the phone.
I had a new suit. A new weapon. A nickname. And now, the eyes of the Hunter community were starting to turn toward "Jin."
"Let them look," I said, swinging The Persuader. "If they get too close... I'll just clean them up."
[End of Chapter 13]