Returning to the Vampire Detective Game World, I immediately opened the box I'd brought from reality and changed into a suit.
Using boxes was the most efficient way to store items; placing a box in my inventory would also store everything inside it.
This is the suit I wore once for the entrance ceremony and never again.
It was a plain black suit and shoes, identical to what I'd been wearing. I put the bloodstained clothes and sashimi knife into the box, retrieved the hammer and baseball bat, and first returned them to reality.
Then, I stored the three gangster corpses in my inventory.
***
[Inventory:]
1. Human Corpse
2. Human Corpse
3. Human Corpse
***
"Ugh. The smell of blood."
I shook my head and slung my backpack over my shoulder. Thankfully, I'd taken it off before the fight, so it was completely free of blood.
If I were aiming for a perfect crime, I'd need to clean up the bloodstains on the floor and walls. But that was too much trouble, and I didn't have the time. Besides, I wasn't even confident I could do a thorough job.
Since the body hasn't been found yet, there's little chance of a proper investigation.
If the police came looking, I'd just deny everything. Without a body or a murder weapon, how could they possibly prove I was the culprit?
South Korea is covered in CCTV cameras. If I went to the Han River or the sea right now, they'd be on my tail immediately. I'll have to dispose of the body later when I get the chance.
I returned to a nearby motel, showered, and went to sleep.
"What's this? So much blood, but no body or murder weapon."
Moon Ji-Hyeok frowned, muttering as he surveyed the alleyway.
What irritated him most was the lingering scent of blood, which made his body heat up. It was the vampire instinct.
Detective Team Leader Oh Jeong-jin clicked his tongue, glanced around the alley, and said to Moon Ji-Hyeok, "This is just a gangster turf war. Handle it casually."
"Casually...?"
"Yeah, casually. There's no body or weapon, right? We're already swamped do we really need to stir up these gangster scum?"
Moon Ji-Hyeok bit his lip. He knew what kind of person Team Leader Oh Jeong-jin was, but his attitude still made his anger boil.
Fine. Anyone can see this is a fight between gangsters. No body, no weapon it's practically a hundred percent certainty.
"Still, shouldn't we investigate?"
"Investigate? Sure. Find the body. Find the weapon. Just thinking about it makes me want to puke.
Hey, check the bloodstains carefully. No signs the body was moved, right? No footprints either, so we can't tell where they went.
The corpse is probably at the bottom of the sea by now. And there aren't many CCTV cameras around here. So how do you plan to investigate?"
"But we can still identify the victim through DNA testing, can't we?"
"You think we're going to waste time on forensic science for something like this? We're busy, you idiot. DNA testing can only tell us so much anyway.
Besides, this is clearly a gangster turf war. If there are no civilian victims, we'll just sweep it under the rug.
The higher-ups will say the same thing.
You know how many cases we're dealing with these days, right? If you really want to investigate, do it later, or do it yourself."
"Can I investigate on my own?"
Oh Jeongjin glanced at Moon Ji-Hyeok. With his unusually strong sense of justice, Moon Ji-Hyeok might actually try to investigate this case alone.
"Stop talking nonsense and just wrap it up quickly. We're swamped with other cases."
"..."
Moon Ji-Hyeok fell silent.
"Sigh... Ji-Hyeok-ah," Oh Jeongjin sighed deeply at the sight of Moon Ji-Hyeok's stubborn silence. He placed both hands on Moon Ji-Hyeok's shoulders.
"Let's be flexible here. And this morning, another bloodless mummy corpse turned up in Yeoksam-dong. Fucking hell.
That's the eleventh body already.
You're really interested in that case, right? You'd rather handle this one instead? Huh?"
"...I'm sorry. I'll wrap it up quickly."
Moon Ji-Hyeok had no choice but to agree. Mummy corpses. The culprit was undoubtedly a Vampire.
If he could find and capture the Vampire, he might discover a way to become human again. He couldn't afford to miss that case.
"Alright, you bastard. Do as you please. I'm leaving first."
Oh Jeongjin departed.
Moon Ji-Hyeok turned his gaze back to the blood-soaked alley. The bloodstains clearly indicated a fierce battle, yet there was no sign of bodies being moved.
With this much blood, there should have been at least two or three corpses. Upon closer inspection, numerous oddities surfaced, but he forced himself to ignore them.
Vampire. That bastard is the real priority. He's already drained and discarded eleven victims.
***
When I had 100 million won left in my possession, I returned to reality.
Time to become a real Hunter.
The recent gangster attack had starkly revealed my weakness.
For the next three days, I frantically visited rooms, jerking off to relieve my frustration and sexual urges.
Farewell to the pleasures of life, for now.
What if, instead of three gangsters attacking me, it had been three vampires? This thought kept intruding on my mind lately, making it hard to focus on my sex life.
My plan, for now... is to become a Hunter and learn proper combat techniques.
I hadn't properly learned Hunter combat techniques. The Hunter Department at National Cheon University primarily focused on theory, teaching only the basics of combat.
Moreover, according to the Hunter Law, one must become a Hunter to learn advanced combat skills.
The only problem is, I can't reveal my ability.
If my Pleasure World ability became public, the world would erupt in chaos.
In the worst-case scenario, I might lose the freedom to use my ability as I please. Given its extraordinary nature, the government itself might intervene. So, this must remain a secret.
"To become a Hunter, you have to reveal one of your skills."
Complete Recovery was my trump card. Even if I revealed it, I could only use it once every 24 hours, and only on myself, so it would only earn me ridicule.
Hacking was a dangerous skill. Depending on how it was used, it could destabilize entire nations. If this skill became known, governments would inevitably react.
"If I had powerful backers, it might be different... but I have no connections whatsoever. So, to become a Hunter, I need to acquire a suitable skill."
Without a recognized ability, I wouldn't be accepted as a Hunter.
I made up my mind.
[Sung Yujin]
[Level: 14]
[Strength: 10 Stamina: 10 Agility: 10 Intelligence: 2 Vitality: 15]
[Available Points: 23]
I would spend all 23 points on random skill draws. My goal was to obtain a skill sufficient to be recognized as a Hunter.
The odds of failure were high, but this was the best I could think of.
"Let's goooooo!"
I frantically spammed the random draw button. Before me, a pile of junk accumulated: alarm clocks, 100 grams of pork belly, yellow spray paint, and more.
But on the ninth try, the skill I'd been hoping for finally appeared.
"It's here!"
[Acceleration Lv. 1]
[Accelerates the user's body for 1 minute.]
[Cooldown: 1 hour]
Though the duration was short and the cooldown long, this skill was just right for being recognized as a Hunter, achieving my goal.
"Fuck yeah! I'm a real Hunter now!"
My excitement surged. I felt like dancing a jig.
So I danced a jig right there in my cramped apartment.
"Hahaha!"
I rushed to the Hunter Association and obtained my Hunter License.
From that moment on, I was an F-Rank Hunter.
"Oh~! Just as I expected, Sung Yujin! I always knew you'd become a Hunter!"
Oh Junhyeok, whom I'd met in the lecture hall, slapped me on the shoulder in congratulations.
He was the first of my classmates to approach me. Hearing Oh Junhyeok's voice, they all came over to offer their congratulations. Even though it was just words, I was genuinely grateful.
The news spread like wildfire through the department.
Even the professors came to congratulate me. They knew, at least roughly, how much I'd struggled.
"I heard you've officially become a Hunter? Congratulations."
"You always had potential. Acceleration is a fairly common ability, but what truly matters is how you use it."
"I heard you've Awakened? Now, try attending class more diligently."
Professor Park congratulated me while simultaneously nagging. Guilt gnawed at me, forcing me to offer a wry smile and listen in silence.
"Hunter! Sung Yujin! You've finally joined the ranks! Should we hit the club tonight? Hunters get a 50% discount there, you know."
"I went there with you last time, remember?"
About two months ago, I'd followed Oh Junhyeok to a club in Gangnam. The crowd was good, but the problem was that back then, I was broke, my looks were nothing special, and I wasn't even a Hunter.
The women didn't give me a second glance.
While Oh Junhyeok laughed and chatted with the girls, I sat at the table, picking at the snacks. Occasionally, I'd pretend to have fun and dance a little, just for show.
And when Oh Junhyeok left with a girl for a motel, I'd trudge back to my lonely apartment alone.
But that was a story from the past. Starting today, I'm a Hunter, and thanks to the Complete Recovery, my skin has improved, and I've even managed to reach the level of a decent-looking guy. I may not have money, but I have a bright future as a Hunter.
"A club... How about going to a room?"
There are plenty of pretty women at clubs, which is fine, but they're not really my type. To hook up with a club girl, you have to cater to all sorts of whims, and even then, you often end up empty-handed.
Oh Junhyeok, right in front of me, has a one-night stand success rate of less than 20%.
That's why Oh Junhyeok spends a considerable amount of time flirting with girls he meets at clubs before finally sleeping with them. I don't have the patience for such tedious efforts.
"...A room?" Oh Junhyeok asked, his eyes wide with surprise. It was clear he'd never been to one before.
"Yeah. Ten Percenters are expensive, but the women there are practically celebrities. If you've got the cash, some places might even offer a second round."
"...Wow. I never thought you'd talk like that. You sound like you've been there yourself?"
"Been there? Of course. This is a photo from then..."
I said, pulling up a video on my phone. It wasn't Yeong Hyejeong, but a photo of me with women from another establishment.
The photo wasn't explicit we were all fully clothed. Of course, the outfits were so revealing they practically showed off our lingerie.
"...Wow..."
Oh Junhyeok let out a whistle as he gazed at the women, his eyes burning with envy.
"They're all celebrity-level... and you're even touching their breasts..."
Oh Junhyeok swallowed hard.
"Which room did you go to? Wait, did you even have the money for that? How much was it?"
"The room was in Gangnam, but they're shutting it down. Apparently, the cops caught them.
As for the money, you think I blow it all at clubs like you? I saved up and splurged this time to celebrate becoming a Hunter."
"You ungrateful bastard... you should have invited me too..."
"Didn't you tell me not to call you at night when you're with women?"
"...That was a long time ago. If something this good happens, you should definitely invite me!"
"I'll call you next time. But I'm broke and don't know any good rooms, so I can't promise when."
"But did you do it?"
"..."
I just grinned silently.
"Ah, fuck. I'm so jealous. Which of the five did you do it with? The one you were groping?"
"Yeah, that's her."
Actually, I'd done it with all five, but he'd never believe me, so I just agreed.
"Was it good? Was it good?!"
"Of course it was good! Look at the size of her chest. The way they jiggled was insane. Wow. Just thinking about it now makes me hard."
"...Fuck. I need to go to a room sometime."
"Prostitution is illegal, so the madams might be hesitant. Finding a good place is key. And you'll need plenty of cash."
"How much do you think we'll need?"
"Uh... around five million won should cover the second round."
I was just making that up. I'd been splurging so much in the Game World that I'd lost track of the actual market rates. It might even be possible with less than a million won.
"...Are you crazy? Five million won isn't just some dog's name. We'd be better off going to a club with that money."
Exactly. That was the typical reaction.
The fact that I was dropping tens of millions of won in rooms was the abnormal part.
"Hey, do you know any good academies?" I asked Oh Junhyeok, a Hunter with over a year more experience than me.
"Academies? Oh, you mean Hunter Academies."
"Yeah, I'm thinking of joining a Hunter Academy. I awakened late anyway, so I might as well go to a good one."
Hunter Academy.
These academies teach combat skills to Hunters. They're sometimes called Hunter-specific martial arts schools or Hunter-exclusive gyms.
The best thing about Hunter Academies is that low-ranked Hunters like me can learn combat techniques professionally. The downside is that they cost several times, or even dozens of times, more than personal training at a regular gym.
"Hey, good call! I go to one. Wanna join? There are some really pretty female Hunters there too."
"Oh, really? What's the academy called?"
"Gangnam Tank Academy."
"...Tank Academy?"
"It's a specialized academy for Tankers."
Tanker.
The position at the very front of the party, absorbing monster attacks. Dangerous and demanding, yet considered essential for any party.
"...No. I'm not a Tanker."
My physical abilities are inferior to those of other Hunters. Moreover, my publicly known Skill is Acceleration, which is far from the defensive capabilities required of a Tanker.
"Ah, right. Your Skill is Acceleration, isn't it? So, you're a melee DPS?"
"Since I use a sword, yeah, I'm a melee DPS."
"Hunter Academies that teach Swordsmanship are a dime a dozen. What are your specific criteria?"
"Somewhere that can properly utilize my Acceleration Skill, isn't too expensive, and... has pretty girls?"
"Heh. You little rascal."
Oh Junhyeok laughed at my words, but he didn't take them as a joke. He knew I liked women just as much as he did.
"Acceleration, huh? That means a combat style focused on speed... Shadow Heaven Sword Hall. That place would be perfect."
"Shadow Heaven Sword Hall?"
"Yeah. They teach Youngcheon Ryu swordsmanship there, and the Acting Head Instructor is ridiculously beautiful. She's a B-Rank Hunter with an amazing figure I thought she was a celebrity when I first saw her."
"Ooh~. But why are you at Tank Academy instead of there?"
"That place is seriously brutal. I quit after just two days. When I joined, there were about three male Hunters, but I heard they all quit before the week was out."
They push the Hunters so hard they can barely last a week?
My face stiffened slightly. I knew myself well enough to know I wasn't the type to deliberately choose the grueling path.
"...Are there any other options?"
"Sure, but they're all places run by old guys."
"...I'll check out this Shadow Heaven Sword Hall thing first."
If I'm going to suffer, I'd rather suffer under a beautiful woman than some smelly old men.
"Hey, lighten up. It's seriously brutal there, but the trainer is drop-dead gorgeous. Though, after half a day, her face will probably look like a demon's."
The guy grinned, clearly convinced I'd crack and run.