TLN: Before you read this, I would like to inform you that some of the characters' names may not be accurate. Korean names can be difficult for me to follow in the story, so I may have changed the names to make them easier to remember. Feel free to share your opinions about it in the comment section.

***

Year 2***, month unknown, day unknown.

Suddenly, unidentified structures began to appear naturally all over the world.

These structures, which appeared out of nowhere as if lightning had struck on a clear day, varied in appearance and the time they formed, but shared one clear commonality.

This commonality was that they all harbored strange creatures within, each different in shape, nature, and life characteristics, and all exceedingly hostile to humans.

Leaders from various places responded to these sudden structures in their own ways. Some countries closed off areas near the structures, while others sent armed soldiers to search them.

While each country was dealing with these sudden structures in their own way, 'it' suddenly appeared.

― Hello, Earthlings! Have you all been having fun so far?

A woman with unkempt, brownish short hair and old-fashioned horn-rimmed glasses perched on her nose appeared in holograms suddenly appearing worldwide, smiling brightly.

― Of course you must have had fun! Surely everyone was thriving. Well, the monster outbreak didn't make the Earth's main civilization belong to the monster, or an unknown plague wiped out 70 percent of humanity. Oh, and 80 percent of the world's land hasn't been contaminated by nuclear war, right? How comfortable it must have been?

Without any infrastructure in place, holograms were created at will, and now, a skinny woman in the hologram was spouting nonsensical abusive language.

Naturally, some people booed the woman, while others coldly doubted her identity. Regardless of people's reactions, the woman continued to smile brightly and spoke, extending her index finger.

― So, I'm going to slightly increase the difficulty level.

As the woman spoke, explosions and screams began to erupt from various parts of the world. Before people could react to the sudden situation, the woman continued with a bright face.

― Now, the beginner tutorial level is over. From now on, this is the real game mode. Of course, since you've been living in a human paradise where you're practically not the natural enemy of anything, I won't push you too hard from the start. Let's start off lightly―with a dungeon monster outbreak, shall we?

And then.

There was a time of tragedy.

* * *

20**/**/**

[Title] Hey, have you heard the rumors about the ruler?

<Author> DalgonaCoffee

<Content>

As the title says.

Ratatouille: Are there still people who believe that?

└DalgonaCoffee: It not that I believe it, but it's kind of suspicious since the story keeps coming up.

Ratatouille: LOL If that makes sense, then the rumor that the top-ranked guy's hobby is actually handicrafts must be true, ffs.

SupremeExistence: Are these hunters just the kind of people who bow their heads? LOL Seriously, even if someone of presidential level came, these guys would stand tall.

└DalgonaCoffee: That’s nonsense.

LouisMom: Honestly, just from the rumors, isn't it more like a behind-the-scenes influencer rather than a ruler? LOL. Wow, as expected, does the dynamic Korea have behind-the-scenes influencers in both the political and hunter spheres?

└DalgonaCoffee: Ffs, saying behind-the-scenes power makes it sound so shady LOL.

└L.BForever: Hey, where did you get that photo of Louis in your profile picture?

└LouisMom: Link ☞ https://*****.*******…….

└L.BForever: Wow, thank you.

C.Q: Just thinking about it logically, doesn't the answer come out?

It's common knowledge that most hunters are stubborn, so the idea that there's someone secretly controlling them, even saying that the top ranker is loyal to them, doesn't make sense no matter how you think about it.

It seems like a self-insert Mary Sue novel written by a middle schooler would be better. Honestly, if some of the hunters involved in the rumors, including the top ranker, heard this, they'd be so offended they couldn't even complain.

Most of the subjects of the rumors are prominent figures, so naturally, they'd feel bad hearing they're supposedly loyal to someone or being controlled willingly, right?

└RashGuard: That's so true, but laying it out like that makes it hilarious, suspicious, and weird.

└NorthCall: Be honest, are you a loner?

└DalgonaCoffee: You're right, but when they interviewed about the rumor, didn't they just not say anything or just laugh it off? Honestly, with their temper, not saying anything and just laughing it off makes people talk more about it.

└C.Q: That's probably because it's not even worth responding to. Honestly, it's a rumor not worth considering.

└DalgonaCoffee: You're too serious and defensive about it, which makes it suspicious LOL. Do you know something about the rumor?

* * *

With the sudden appearance of dungeons and monsters, followed by the 'Administrator's tyranny, the world was forced into rapid changes.

The 'awakened ones' who emerged either through battles with monsters or other circumstances.

The emergence of a new profession, 'hunter' specialized in exterminating monsters, and anyone could use the 'system' as an 'awakened one.'

The establishment of new departments to manage these hunters and awakened ones and the appearance of various organizations to support them, etc.

In the face of sudden threats to humanity, those who adapted survived, while those who did not died or were eliminated. Fortunately, among the nations of the world, Korea was one of the countries that survived.

Indeed, true to its nature as +82, Korea managed to adapt and change appropriately amidst the sudden threats and changes, resulting in the country with the least casualties during the first monster outbreak.

And then,

Countries and various forces that survived or successfully adapted to the creation of dungeons, monster attacks, and sudden monster outbreaks established an intergovernmental organization prioritizing monster extermination and dungeon management. Through this organization, managing and supporting hunters, a special profession called 'hunter' was created on Earth.

And now, about 5 years later,

In the current situation where the dungeon management system and the profession of 'hunter,' a specialized monster hunter, have safely settled in society, an incredibly bizarre rumor was circulating in the hunter industry of South Korea.

* * *

The life of Yoon Seo-hee, a C-class Hunter in South Korea, is very busy.

Traditionally, the image of a Hunter involves entering dungeons, defeating monsters, and obtaining all sorts of valuable drop items and rare materials to make a fortune overnight─but that's a story for A-class and above Hunters. The story is different for C-class Hunters like me.

"It seems like your performance has been a bit low recently, is there something going on at home, Ms. Seo-hee?"

"...I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't solve the problem, you need to improve your performance. Even for a C-class Hunter, this level of performance is unacceptable. Do you think you can take company money with this kind of result?"

Unlike A~S-class Hunters who join teams or even form their own teams or guilds to tackle dungeons as freelancers, B-class and below Hunters often work for small guilds or dungeon brokerage companies.

And naturally, the dungeons these small guilds tackle are low difficulty ones, and the profits from these dungeons come not from valuable drop items obtained from strong monsters, but from various 'loots' that can be found in any dungeon.

In other words, the job of a C-class Hunter is essentially gathering in places slightly more dangerous than fields or mountains.

"To be honest, there are plenty of people willing to work here even if you weren't here, Ms. Yoon Seo-hee. There are so many people who think they're something special just because they've awakened. Right now, there are already over a million C-class awakened individuals, a million. Do you know what that means? One in fifty people in this country is an awakened individual."

TLN: Ouch..

Who doesn't know that?

To be honest, awakened individuals were only treated as something special for at most a year from the cataclysmic period. The story might be different for B-class and above awakened individuals, but as the middle manager in front of me said, there are nearly a million replaceable C-class awakened individuals.

Of course, considering that many of these million individuals choose to continue their original jobs rather than live as Hunters, it's somewhat problematic to simply say 'a million.'

Therefore, it was natural for the treatment of a C-class Hunter who couldn't meet their assigned performance quota to be no better than that of an 'insect,' as the middle manager put it.

"Get your act together, and if you're going to continue like this, just submit your resignation. I don't want to keep holding onto you and nagging either."

"Yes, I'm sorry."

In the end, all I could do was apologize. I bowed deeply once more to the middle manager, apologized, and then quickly left the reception room at his irritated gesture.

As soon as I left the reception room, a fellow Hunter who had been waiting outside immediately ran up to me.

"Ms. Seo-hee! Are you, okay? What did the manager say? Was he harsh as expected?"

"I'm fine. It's only natural for a C-class Hunter who hasn't met their performance to be prepared for this much."

"B-But it's not your fault! Oh, rather, it's because of me that Ms. Seo-hee..."

"Including that issue, it's something I need to bear. More importantly, is your brother's hospital bill okay? Did you manage to cover it?"

"Y-Yes, fortunately... No, that's not the point, Ms. Seo-hee. Last time, because you gave me the loots..."

"Well, I'm fine. Ah, but I'm hungry. Let's go have lunch quickly. I've been working all morning and after listening to the manager's nagging, I'm starving."

Having entered dungeons all morning and then being called in by the manager, I was literally starving.

"Ugh, I really want some spicy seafood stew."

Muttering this quietly as if to make sure it was heard, I stretched, and a look of realization dawned on my fellow Hunter's worried face.

"If it's seafood stew, I know a fantastic place. Today's me, Seohee."

"Wow! I'm really going to eat a lot, is that okay?"

"Of course! Go ahead, eat a lot. You can really make the most of it..."

"Well, it might be hard to eat that much, but I'll try my best."

Honestly, at most, I might finish a full bowl of rice, but saying this would surely lighten my fellow Hunter's mood.

Pretending to murmur something like, "Ah, I feel like my stomach is sticking to my back," I followed Jimin, who was leading the way.

I truly hoped Jimin wouldn't feel any unnecessary guilt. If all it took to help a colleague's sibling with their hospital bills was enduring a few harsh words from a supervisor, then it was a bearable situation.

* * *

The lives of C-class Hunters are generally similar wherever you go in the world. A slightly higher income than the average office worker, and with that higher income, a bit of risk.

A-class or S-class can make tens to hundreds of billions a month, but that's not a story that applies to people like us.

Last month, according to statistics released by the National Hunter Management Committee, the monthly income of a C-class Hunter is around 3.5 to 4 million won. Even considering the various consumables that are necessarily used in the special workplace environment of dungeons, the actual monthly net income of a C-class Hunter is said to be around 3.2 to 3.5 million won.

Well, it's not like it's a bad income, but it's a bit ambiguous to say it's worth risking your life for. That's it.

However, there are always people who, despite having little education or skills, were lucky enough to awaken, or those who must earn a certain income despite the risk to their lives.

Moreover, there's no rule saying a C-class Hunter will always remain a C-class. There are C-class Hunters who move up to B-class, even B+ class.

For these people, monthly income can jump from one to two thousand in an instant, so there are those who approach the Hunter profession with the future in mind.

Of course, as is often the case with such stories, the actual number of C-class Hunters who become B-class Hunters is very small. There are quite a few who manage to move up to C+ through sheer effort, but ranking up is a different story.

"Mi-Miss Seohee, how about taking a break for today? I'll take care of your share as well..."

"Thanks for the offer, but it's okay. You should focus on your own life and your sibling's hospital bills first. I can manage on my own, so it's not a problem if I earn a bit less due to poor performance."

"B-But you might get fired..."

"Then I'll look for another job. One of the advantages of working as a Hunter is the freedom to change jobs."

Having gained 2 years of experience while working here, it would be possible to find another job if necessary.

Listening to me, Jimin seemed a bit relieved. I smiled brightly at Jimin again.

"Hurry and go to work, Jimin. Which dungeon are you heading to today?"

"Ah, the dungeon of Pellasus..."

"Then it should be an easy day for you. I'm going to a dungeon near Nonhyeon today."

The dungeon I was going to was located near Nonhyeon, officially named 'Dungeon of the Red Chimera'.

The 'Red Chimera' mentioned in the name refers to the dungeon's final boss. It used to be commonly called the Nonhyeon Dungeon, but the Global Dungeon Management Association, or something like that, decided to change the names of dungeons to those of their final bosses for the sake of intuitiveness.

"Well, literally for 'intuitiveness,' it's not bad."

Just using it as a place name, a dungeon is, after all, the front line in humanity's battle against monsters.

Of course, from the perspective of a C-class Hunter like me, those grand notions of humanity's front line feel quite distant.

"Be careful! If it's the Nonhyeon dungeon, I've heard that sometimes dangerous ones appear..."

"Well, that may be true... But seeing as they're deploying C-class Hunters, it looks like they've already cleared it out once, so you don't need to worry too much. Anyway, see you later!"

Even if C-class Hunters don't receive much special treatment, their lives aren't treated recklessly. Maybe during the monster outbreak, when dungeons were first formed and monsters poured out, but now, we've entered a relatively stable period.

Waving my hand at Jimin, who was needlessly worried, I headed straight for the dungeon that was my destination.

* * *

And as these stories often go, the 'unlikely' tends to become reality.

I sank into deep despair, with a monster in front of me that had teeth numbering close to ten. Damn it. Could things really go this wrong?

The starting point was very ordinary. The Dungeon of the Red Chimera I entered was C+ class. As you can tell from the rating, the Dungeon of the Red Chimera was a dungeon of moderate difficulty that could be found anywhere in the world.

The field was a forested mountain, the common enemies were chimeras (synthetics), and the final boss monster was also a chimera, the size of an adult man and bright red in color.

This dungeon contained a lot of 'Magia' grass, which is used in effective painkillers, so the task for C-class Hunters like me was to collect this Magia grass.

As anyone could guess from the description, it wasn't supposed to be a difficult task.

Catching the chimeras that appear in the dungeon is the job of B-class, or at least C+ class Hunters, and fundamentally, since this dungeon is considered low difficulty, the chances of them failing to catch monsters or being defeated by monsters were so low as to be almost non-existent.

So, the job of a C-class Hunter was supposed to be simply watching the chimeras being hunted by B-class Hunters from a distance and quietly collecting Magia, but...

"This is driving me crazy, really."

Unfortunately, reality was not so kind. I squeezed myself into a giant crevice between rocks, staring at the Red Chimera making bizarre screeching sounds in the distance with a sullen face.

Up until the midpoint, there had been no issues.

The B-class Hunter on this mission was a young man who spoke nicely and gently, and the C+ class Hunter who came with him, although a bit old-fashioned, was not someone who slacked off in his duties.

And including myself, the C-class Hunters were all experienced professionals, not the type to act recklessly and cause incidents.

Yes, and yet, here we are. I curled up as much as possible, making sure that the Red Chimera didn't notice me and Mr. Yoon Juyoung, the B-class Hunter I was holding in my arms, as I recalled what had happened just a little while ago.

It was when Hunter Yoon Juyoung was dealing with what are considered 'minions', like 'composite chimeras', 'dissolving chimeras'.

The minions from the Dungeon of the Red Chimera were easy targets for a B-class Hunter, so Hunter Yoon Juyoung had no trouble dealing with the monsters.

Thanks to that, C-class Hunters like me could focus on collecting Magia grass without any worries, and Lee Eui-jeong, the C+ class Hunter, was on guard for any monsters that might suddenly appear near us.

Listening to the monsters screeching and dying behind us, and in front, "Hey, that's not how you dig it up. Huh? Back in my day, I used to dig up more than a hundred Magia grass in a day!" Listening to Hunter Lee Eui-jeong's old-fashioned remarks, me and the other C-class Hunters earnestly searched for Magia grass. And during that, suddenly, a sound like something scraping against a metal plate loudly rang out.

Naturally, any sudden situation in a dungeon is directly linked to life, so all Hunters went on alert and searched for the source of the sound.

And, of course, the first to find the cause of this unusual situation was Hunter Yoon Juyoung. After dealing with an unknown monster that had been attacking him until then, Hunter Yoon Juyoung immediately shouted to everyone.

"Everyone, move towards the gate! I don't know why, but it seems like the boss monster is moving this way!"

Naturally, valuing their lives, everyone immediately followed Hunter Yoon Juyoung's words. We all grabbed our belongings and started moving towards the base camp.

If the boss monster really had appeared, it was better to stay far away from Hunter Yoon Juyoung's vicinity rather than loitering around him and getting in the way.

That was a rational judgment and thought. But the problem was the appearance of a being that easily defied our rational thoughts and judgments.

Suddenly, a thud, a sound like something being pierced, was heard. And at the same time, something swift and sharp swiftly passed behind me.

Startled by the bizarre sensation brushing against the back of my neck, I immediately turned around to look behind me.

And there was Hunter Lee Eui-jeong, who once was a living person, but now had become a decapitated corpse.

"Aaaaah?!!"

"Kyaaa, Hunter Lee Eui-jeong!"

Even if they were Hunters, C-class Hunters, who had only ever gathered herbs, screamed. And in an instant, the unidentified hand that targeted Hunter Lee Eui-jeong did not miss the weak lambs.

Suddenly, something elongated was shot towards us. And again, with a thud, the sound of flesh being pierced, the body of a Hunter who had been standing next to me screaming, crumbled.

Now, at this point, the actions of the C-class Hunters, who had only ever gathered herbs, were predictable. They either collapsed due to overwhelming fear or ran away with all their might.

Fortunately, most people chose the latter. However, very unfortunately, it seemed that Kim Soojin, a C-class Hunter sitting next to me, belonged to the former category.

"Run away quickly!!"

Hunter Yoon Juyoung urgently shouted as he charged towards the unidentified monster that had killed two Hunters in an instant. However, Hunter Kim Soojin was still unable to control her trembling legs.

She seemed to know rationally that she should get up and run immediately, trying several times to stand up, but without much success. Hunter Kim Soojin was now hitting her own legs, crying as if she was about to run out of breath any moment.

"Please, h-hu, huuh, please, pleeease move……!!"

Crying, not caring about how she looked, just wanting to live, but despairing over her legs that wouldn't follow her will, she cried.

So I moved.

I immediately picked up Hunter Kim Soojin on my back. Hunter Kim Soojin, suddenly being carried, started shaking as if she was having a seizure.

"Stay still."

I whispered softly to Hunter Kim Soojin to prevent unnecessary energy expenditure. Fortunately, it seemed she quickly understood my words, as she didn't say anything more and clung tightly to my back.

I glanced briefly at where Hunter Yoon Juyoung was, then immediately started running towards the dungeon gate. Carrying a person as an awakened being was easier than before my awakening.

Hunter Kim Soojin was sobbing quietly, her head buried in my shoulder. I guessed that Hunter Kim Soojin might not be able to continue her life as a Hunter after this.

The sounds of battle behind us grew distant, and a faint blue light was shimmering far ahead.

The dungeon gate. The exit from this sudden nightmare.

"Hiks, huu, huk, Seo, Seohee, huu, huu, tha-thank you……."

"Don't cry as if you're going to die. We're almost there. And you don't need to thank me that much. It's just because I don't want to have nightmares about knowing someone who died. Here."

Even if we were from different teams, as C-class Hunters with overlapping activity areas, we had met several times before. If I had just left her and run away by myself, I might have been plagued by nightmares every night.

As soon as she got off my back, Kim Soojin staggered towards the gate. Then she stopped, hesitated for a moment, and cautiously turned around.

"Seo-Seohee, why aren't you coming?"

"I'm going too. You go ahead first. Hurry. The sooner someone gets out, the sooner we can inform others about the situation inside."

"B-But Seohee."

"Come on, it's okay, hurry."

I half-forced Kim Soojin towards the gate.

Even as half her body was pushed into the gate, Kim Soojin desperately called my name, but I deliberately ignored her.

Honestly, I too wanted to jump through the gate right away but...

'The gate's travel limit is full.'

Unfortunately, this bluish passageway used for entering and exiting the dungeon had its limitations.

First, no more than ten people could pass through the gate at once, and second, only a certain number of people could use it within a set period.

'The Administrator really did create a bunch of annoying things.'

The culprit behind all these sudden situations that humanity has found itself in... The brown-haired woman, commonly referred to as the 'Administrator,' is suspected to be the one responsible. From one to ten, she was an extremely infuriating figure who could make anyone lose their temper.

First, she had unleashed monster outbreaks all over the world, claiming to increase the difficulty, and then, 'But I am merciful, you know. I've imposed some limits so the content doesn't get consumed too quickly,' she said, introducing this damn gate usage limit.

I sighed, unable to hold it in any longer, and immediately surveyed the surrounding terrain. Given the circumstances, I planned to hide in a secluded place until the gate's restrictions were lifted.

And just then, I spotted a giant rock that seemed perfect for hiding a single person. Thinking that if I squeezed into the crevice of the rock, no one would find me, I approached it without hesitation.

However, unfortunately, I was a person who had never seen anything go smoothly in life.

Crunch.

It sounded like someone stepping on a branch behind me. Despite everything, being a Hunter, I reflexively turned around to look in the direction of the sound. There it was, about 5 meters away.

Red Chimera.

The very creature Hunter Yoon Juyoung was supposed to be dealing with.

[Ah.]

It seemed to pull something from behind its back, whether a tentacle or an arm, I couldn’t tell. I instantly knew it was the weapon that had killed sir Lee Eui-jeong and another C-class Hunter whose name I didn’t even know.

[Mother, Father. It seems I’ll be following you now, wherever you are….]

Feeling the shadow of death looming right in front of me, I finally couldn’t bear it any longer and tightly shut my eyes.

If I was going to die, I hoped it would be painless, without even a moment to feel the agony. With that faint hope, I closed my eyes.

Then, a sound like something slicing through the air followed by the sound of flesh being pierced.

And very unfortunately, the sound did not come from me.

I am generally weak towards kind people. This ‘kind person’, for example, could be someone who asks a crying child on the street what’s wrong, or someone who thinks of others before themselves in the face of imminent danger.

What I mean is, when I see someone showing their goodness, whether on a large or small scale, I can’t help but soften up.

That’s why I helped Hunter Jimin, who works tirelessly every day to pay for his sick sister’s treatment, and why I helped Hunter Kim Soojin, who knew to give a piece of chocolate to a C-class Hunter just starting out to ease their nerves.

And now, hiding in the crevice of a rock, holding a man who took an attack for someone he barely knew, meeting face to face no more than a handful of times in life, was for the same reason.

“Hey, Hunter Yoon Juyoung, are you alive? Please say you’re alive. I really won’t forgive you if you’re dead.”

This is really crazy. Why would someone, born a B-class, go through all this trouble to save a C-class Hunter?

And, setting aside everything else, why would someone risk their own life to save another person they’ve hardly met a few times?

Honestly, even if I had died then, no one would have blamed him.

Considering the situation, it seems like the Red Chimera, which was originally enough for a B-class Hunter to handle alone, had its grade upgraded.

He deserved praise just for holding it off to save someone else.

“Yoon Juyoung, say something, anything. No, you don’t have to talk, just make some noise, huh or ah.”

“Uh…”

“Good, you’re alive. Thank you for being alive, you crazy person. And you even activated a stealth skill? Do you have multiple lives or something? Why would you go through all this for someone you’ve barely met a few times…? No, I'm rambling because I'm confused.”

For now, I’m pouring out every potion I have in my inventory onto Hunter Yoon Juyoung’s abdomen, but I’m not sure if it’s working.

Honestly, the potions used by a C-class Hunter aren’t exactly high-quality. They’re all cheap. Normally, they’re used for treating minor cuts that bleed a lot, so I’m not sure if they’ll work on a wound that’s completely pierced through like Yoon Juyoung’s.

"Hey, please don't die. I'll somehow hide you away. So, at least until the gate's restrictions are lifted, stay alive. If you do that, I'll definitely save you."

Honestly, even in this situation, my brutally honest survival instinct is screaming to just abandon Hunter Yoon Juyoung, but after all, there are lines that people, no matter how fallen, must not cross.

In that sense, I pulled Hunter Yoon Juyoung a bit closer to me and opened a new potion bottle. This makes it the fifth bottle... I'm not sure if it will work.

'The red lizard...'

The Red Chimera was still lurking around this area. It had pierced through Hunter Yoon Juyoung, who had rushed in to save me, and then immediately approached us as if to confirm the kill...

But it couldn't find us, thanks to Hunter Yoon Juyoung, who, even with his abdomen pierced, used all his strength to cast a stealth skill on me. Whether he's some kind of saint or what, I don't know.

To be precise, it's not finding 'me'... It seems Hunter Yoon Juyoung's stealth skill is B-class or higher, as it includes the skill user's contact targets within the skill range as well.

'This is really driving me crazy.'

Thinking about it again, it's insane.

Oh my, this person.

I never thought I'd see someone who's a Hunter show such a spirit of sacrifice. After all, Hunters are usually known for their stiff-necked identity.

Unable to hold back, I let out a groan of pain and opened another new potion bottle. I had already used up the fifth potion.

While pouring the sixth potion bottle onto Hunter Yoon Juyoung's abdomen, I looked around, wary of the Red Chimera approaching us in any way.

Ideally, I'd like to keep hiding in this crevice and wait for the Red Chimera to pass by... But reality doesn't seem to want to follow my wishes.

That red lizard bastard is clearly circling around this area with a clear purpose.

[How long do such buff-type skills last?]

I don't remember exactly, but I think I heard that even the buff skills of an S-class professional buffer Hunter don't last more than an hour. So naturally, Yoon Juyoung's stealth skill wouldn't last over an hour either.

[If I compare the remaining time until the gate's restrictions are lifted with the duration of the stealth skill... even if I stretch it, it's not enough.]

And after Yoon Juyoung Hunter's stealth skill wears off, things are unlikely to look good. If I were hiding in the crevice alone, maybe, but if I'm hiding with Hunter Yoon Juyoung, I can't hide the smell of blood flowing from his abdomen.

After all, the monsters in the dungeon basically have blood scent detection like a passive skill, so it's easier on the mind to just give up on the hopeful speculation that maybe the creature won't be able to smell the blood.

[What should I do...]

I haven't thought about catching it myself, but I immediately shook my head. Impossible. How could I catch something that even a B-class Hunter couldn't?

Maybe people with somewhat outstanding awakened skills might have a sliver of possibility... Unfortunately, my awakened skill is a bit... exceptional, but...

I narrowed my eyes and opened my status window. In my exclusive blue window, visible only to me, simple information about [me] was written.

<Status Window>

Name / Age: Yoon Seohee / 27

Awakened: Y

Rank: EX

Awakened Skills:

- Ruler's Garden(?)

- Magic * Holy(C)

TLN: I'm not sure about the translation of (마력 * 성) into English for the 'Magic * Holy' skill because it contains an asterisk (*). I don't know what the asterisk means, so you may also find it confusing and inconsistent. You can help me by telling me in the comment section!!

[I don't know what to do even if I look at it again]

Both the grade and the awakened skills are a total mess.

It's one thing for the grade section, where others might have a specific alphabet like C or S, to unexpectedly show EX (Extra), and another for the first awakened skill slot to be occupied by a skill of undetermined grade.

Honestly, I was very excited when I first saw my status window.

Isn't it like, somewhat like the protagonist of a fantasy novel? Seeing something special that no one else has but me would make anyone a bit hopeful.

But my expectations were completely dashed before long. The reason is painfully simple.

The skill didn't activate.

Well, to be precise, the skill did activate, but its effects didn't show.

After all, the world is vast and skills are numerous. Among skill names, there are ones like [Stealth] whose effects are intuitive, but there are also many like my skill, where it's utterly incomprehensible what effects they have.

And such skills are often the world's first publicly revealed or unique skills possessed only by that individual, so in such cases, the status window initially doesn't provide a description.

These skills eventually reveal their description after being used directly and applying their effects in some way... Unfortunately, I was exactly in this situation.

Regrettably, possessing such skills with unknown effects and no visible means to discover them in the future, the Hunter industry commonly refers to them as [trash skills].

No matter how good the effect, what use is a skill if its effects and even the minimum conditions for applying those effects are unknown?

[This is driving me crazy, is there really no way... Huh?]

"Yoon Juyoung Hunter?"

Since the potion I had been pouring on Yoon Juyoung Hunter's abdomen had just run out, I was rummaging through my inventory to take out a new potion bottle when I noticed something strange. I hurriedly brought my ear close to Yoon Juyoung Hunter's head.

"..."

There's no breathing. Forgetting even to breathe myself, I then brought my ear close to his heart. Fortunately, his heart was still beating.

Breathing difficulty due to excessive bleeding? Is that a symptom?

Of course, I'm not a doctor, so I wouldn't know. All I know is that people who aren't breathing should receive CPR, but whether that applies even to someone with a hole in their abdomen and bleeding, I don't know.

"Y-Yoon Juyoung. Yoon Juyoung! Snap out of it, hey!"

I tried tapping his cheek a few times and called his name loudly, but there was still no response. I even screamed his name, trusting solely in the effect of the stealth skill, but still, there was no response.

Damn. Should I perform artificial respiration? Is it okay to do so?

I glanced at his abdomen, I could see the wound barely held together by skin.

Thankfully, it seemed like my cheap potion wasn't completely ineffective in healing... but blood was still spurting out from places that hadn't healed yet.

[Damn it.]

It's do or die. Doing something is better than nothing. After pouring an entire new bottle of potion on his abdomen, I immediately attempted CPR.

How many chest compressions was it? And how many for artificial respiration? Damn it, I can't remember well in this urgent situation. I think about 30 times should do it.

In a hurry, I completed 30 chest compressions and then immediately pinched his nose to try artificial respiration. How many times did I repeat this?

"Kughh, Koughh...!"

"...!! Yoon Juyoung, are you conscious?!"

Yoon Juyoung Hunter's breathing returned. I quickly brought my ear to his mouth. This time, I could definitely feel his breathing. Wow, did this guy just come back from the brink?

I tried to calm my trembling hands and regulated my own breathing. Especially since my life was also hanging by a thread, if Yoon Juyoung Hunter were to actually die...

I don't even want to think about it. The situation where an innocent person dies because of me is among the worst of all possible scenarios, the absolute worst.

"Hunter Yoon Juyoung, hold on. You absolutely can't die. If you die, I'll die too. Got it?"

"Kughh, huff, Koughh...!"

"Don't even think about dying─"

Before I could finish speaking, something like hot steam poured down from above. A chilling sensation that was completely different from what I directly felt scraped down my spine. Forgetting to breathe, I slowly raised my head.

It was there.

[Damn.]

A monster, flicking its long tongue between dozens of black protruding fangs, was staring at us. It was a Red Chimera.

"Ahh!"

Just like in horror movies where people scream when a ghost suddenly pops out, I too screamed and hugged Yoon Juyoung Hunter tightly in my arms.

Thanks to that, Hunter Yoon Juyoung, tightly embraced in my arms, let out a dying groan. It seemed like he said he couldn't breathe, but unfortunately, I'm not in a situation where I can listen to the dying whispers of someone.

[Damn, has the stealth skill time ended?]

Thinking about it, it was about time for it to end. Even for top S-class Hunters, the longest duration of a buff skill is an hour, so it's impressive enough that a mere B-class Hunter lasted over 10 minutes.

I clenched my teeth and hugged Yoon Juyoung Hunter tighter. Even in this situation, the Red Chimera bastard was drooling, trying to stick its face into the crevice where Yoon Juyoung Hunter and I were hiding.

[The only silver lining is...]

True to being the boss of a low-difficulty dungeon, the Red Chimera seemed quite dumb, futilely trying to force its head into a rock crevice narrower than its face.

[What to do.]

Thanks to the dumb intelligence of the Red Chimera bastard, we managed to buy some time, but that doesn't mean the survival probability for Hunter Yoon Juyoung and me has increased.

That's because, the moment this red lizard bastard decides to use its nonexistent intelligence to simply break the rock or shoot something with those long tentacles or whatever they are at us, this brief respite will end.

[And with the little time we've managed to buy, there's nothing much we can do.]

If I had some kind of last resort left, maybe, but unfortunately, all I had were a few bottles of cheap potion and a B-class Hunter dying in my arms.

I gritted my teeth and once again glared at my status window with resentment.

<Status Window>

Name / Age: Yoon Seohee / 27

Awakened: Y

Rank: EX

Awakened Skills:

- Ruler's Garden(?) <Available>

- Magic * Holy(C)

Other C-class Hunters around me, no matter how low their rank, at least didn't have skills that were completely unusable, but somehow, I ended up in this sorry state.

Especially that skill with a fancy name. My initial awakened skill, [Ruler's Garden], was an object of resentment for me.

[I didn't want anything grand, even a commonly discarded skill like a gathering effect enhancement passive skill would have been fine... Huh?]

Wait. Something's off. I squinted and looked at my status window again.

Awakened Skills:

- Ruler's Garden(?) <Available>

- Magic * Holy(C)

"Available?"

Words that had never appeared before were now attached right next to my familiar skill. I rolled the suddenly appeared letters in my mouth again. [Available]…….

[It's available? Now?]

It had never been properly used before, but now?

Stupidly blinking my eyes, I stared at my status window. Then, startled by the hot breath felt from above, I quickly raised my head.

The Chimera, having given up on sticking its big head into the crevice, was pulling out something resembling tentacles from its back.

[It's do or die.]

What the effect is, what the conditions for use are, and what the side effects of using the skill might be, I really didn't know anything about the skill, but the last gamble I could make now was only this.

Staring at the lizard bastard, pulling out something resembling tentacles from its back and aiming at us, I gathered the last of my desperation and hope and shouted.

"Activate skill"

[Please... Please let it be a strong skill that can protect both Hunter Yoon Juyoung and me. Or, even if it's just enough to heal Hunter Yoon Juyoung, that would be fine...]

The thing resembling tentacles, covered in leather, was precisely aimed at the crevice. Eventually, unable to bear it, I tightly closed my eyes.

"-Ruler's Garden!!"

* * *

[The conditions for using the skill, [Ruler's Garden], have been met.]

[The skill, [Ruler's Garden], is activated.]

[Status window is being updated.]

[Awakened Skill: Ruler's Garden(?)]

▼

[Awakened Skill: Ruler's Garden(S)]

<Skill Description>

Ruler's Garden(S)

You are the ruler, and this world is the Ruler's Garden.

Therefore, this place is your garden, and all beings residing in the garden must loyally serve the ruler. However, one who wears the crown must bear its weight. The power of a king who has not yet held a coronation cannot reach the weight of a thousand gold.

※The higher the intelligence and rank of the life form, the more difficult the conditions for domination.

<Status Window>

Name / Age: Yoon Seohee / 27

Awakened: Y

Rank: EX

Awakened Skills:

―Ruler's Garden(S)

└Skill Target: Yoon Juyoung(B → S)

―Magic * Holy(C)

* * *

As far as I remember, there was light.

...Saying it like this makes me feel like I'm reciting the Bible, but there really was light. The moment I shouted the name of the skill with a do-or-die attitude, the world around me was suddenly engulfed in white light.

And that was the end. The light that had spread across the world in an instant disappeared just as quickly.

Thus, what remained was the Chimera that had shot its tentacles at me, me who was dumbfounded and blinking in confusion, and Hunter Yoon Juyoung, who was slowly getting up while holding the Chimera's tentacle in one hand.

[What in the world...]

What exactly happened, I wondered as Hunter Yoon Juyoung slowly got up from his place, his abdomen was without a single wound, completely clean.

Could it be that my skill is actually a healing skill?

While I was dazed, I recalled the information that had poured into my mind the moment I used the skill. That was definitely a description of my skill...

<Skill Description>

Ruler's Garden(S)

You are the ruler, and this world is the Ruler's Garden.

Therefore, this place is your garden, and all beings residing in the garden must loyally serve the ruler. However, one who wears the crown must bear its weight. The power of a king who has not yet held a coronation cannot reach the weight of a thousand gold.

※The higher the intelligence and rank of the life form, the more difficult the conditions for domination.

As soon as I thought about it, the skill description appeared right before my eyes. Thanks to that, I immediately read through the description of my skill again with trembling eyes. Ruler, garden, loyalty...

[What is this?]

Eventually, I dumbfoundedly looked up at Hunter Yoon Juyoung again.

Hunter Yoon Juyoung, seemingly displeased with something, narrowed his brows slightly while looking at the tentacle in his hand. For a brief moment, he tightened his lips as if pondering something. Then, not long after, he raised his head to look upwards again.

Naturally, there was the Chimera, causing a fuss trying to retrieve its tentacle caught by Hunter Yoon Juyoung.

"Master."

While still focusing his gaze on the Chimera, Hunter Yoon Juyoung spoke in a low voice.

"First, I'll take care of this noisy thing. Could you please wait a bit?"

"...Uh, yes? Yes... No, wait a minute. Are you, talking to me right now...?"

"Taking it as your permission, I'll quickly take care of it and return."

Hunter Yoon Juyoung, who had been looking at the Chimera between the small gap in the rocks, briefly smiled softly at me.

And then he disappeared.

"Uh?"

Hunter Yoon Juyoung, the tentacle that had been shot towards me, and even the Chimera that had been glaring at me with those disgusting eyes from above, all disappeared. And then.

─Kieeeek!!

"Seriously, so noisy. If my master's eardrums were to be harmed, it's not like you insignificant creatures could take responsibility, so at least die quietly."

An incomprehensible roar, (probably) the scream of the Chimera, and the voice of Hunter Yoon Juyoung, which seemed to have completely changed, echoed as if reverberating from beyond the rocks.

"......"

Despite the utterly confusing situation, the feeling that had saved my life several times screamed at me earnestly.

It seems like something has gone terribly wrong.

The Red Chimera was dead, and after a short time, the dungeon gate reopened. And both Yoon Juyoung Hunter and I survived. All of this was because the skill I had gambled on using at the last moment, [Ruler's Garden], had an effect.

Yes, I won't deny it. If I hadn't used my skill at that moment, Yoon Juyoung Hunter and I would have been found dead in the dungeon together.

But even so, I can't accept the current situation.

"Master."

"Look, Yoon Juyoung Hunter. Please come to your senses. Do you really want to call someone you've only seen a few times and who's just a C-rank Hunter your master...?"

From the moment the [Ruler's Garden] skill was used until now, Yoon Juyoung Hunter has been treating me literally as his [master].

Honestly, at first, I thought it was because my skill effect was still ongoing, and I desperately hoped that was the case...

After the dungeon gate opened, we went through examinations and tests by the doctors waiting at the entrance, and after receiving a barrage of questions from the Dungeon Management Committee, I'm heading home. My hope had been completely crushed long ago.

[No way, a person who has awakened to S-class cannot even repel a single skill from a C-class Hunter?]

It's common knowledge in the Hunter industry that even if a skill is high-grade, its full effect cannot be exerted if the user's rank is low.

In that sense, my [Ruler's Garden] being an S-rank skill but still affecting Yoon Juyoung Hunter, who is S-rank awakened, was a very special case. Honestly, it should have been impossible.

For Hunters, rank is an infinitely high and thick wall. Even just the difference between having a + or not is enormous, not to mention the gap between C-rank and S-rank.

Yes, so. Normally, Yoon Juyoung Hunter shouldn't have been affected by my skill. If he was affected, it should have only been during that battle situation. But...

"What are you saying... Just a C-rank Hunter? Master, you shouldn't be belittled with such words."

"That's not the point right now, okay? Look, Yoon Juyoung Hunter. This is all so sudden, you might not understand what's happening, but you're an S-rank Hunter."

I said, glancing at my status window.

<Status Window>

Name / Age: Yoon Seohee(尹胥喜) / 27

Awakened: Y

Rank: EX

Awakened Skills:

―Ruler's Garden(S)

└Skill Target: Yoon Juyoung(S)

―Magic * Holy(C)

[Yoon Juyoung... S.]

In the status window of all awakened individuals, what's inside the brackets is either a Chinese character or a rank.

At least, the inclusion of Chinese characters is a story from the East. In the West, or places without Chinese character culture, and for people without Chinese character names, the brackets in their status windows exist solely for the rank.

So, the S next to the name Yoon Juyoung clearly signifies something.

S-rank. The precious and esteemed S-rank Hunter, of which there are not even ten in Korea.

[I've heard stories of Hunters who experienced a great crisis of life and underwent rank awakening... but I never imagined it would be Yoon Juyoung Hunter's story.]

Typically, when we talk about [awakening], we think of [first awakening]. First awakening is exactly what it sounds like. The very first awakening. In other words, the transition to an [awakened being].

Scholars talk about all sorts of things, such as the emergence of a new humanity, borrowing from a game system, or how the Administrator clearly lacks creativity, but to me, those are all irrelevant.

What's important is that the rank received at the time of the first awakening hardly ever changes. With tremendous effort, one might add a + or ++, but it's extremely rare for someone to move up to a higher rank altogether.

However, such rank changes, while [rare], are not [nonexistent]. It's so rare that it might as well be considered impossible, but there are definitely people who have changed their initial rank.

For example, in the United States, there's a Hunter who was initially assigned an A rank at the time of awakening but managed to achieve S rank through strenuous effort and some special circumstances. And right here in Korea, there's a Hunter who went from A+ to S rank.

But as all these stories show, there has never been a case where a B rank Hunter jumped directly to S rank.

From A to S, from B to A. All cases so far have been stories of people moving up to the next rank, but Hunter Yoon Juyoung is different.

He jumped two whole ranks at once, achieving the highest rank of all Hunters, S rank.

"Surely becoming an S rank Hunter would have given him some resistance... It's impossible for him to be affected by a mind control skill from a C rank Hunter. That is, if you come to your senses."

Mind control skills are already weak in effect. It's not easy to fully control a sentient being, and even if you do, the effect lasts only about 5-6 minutes at most. At most, some people can maintain it for 10 minutes, and these are mostly S rank Hunters.

Yes. So, no matter how I think about it, it was strange for Yoon Juyoung Hunter, who had awakened to S rank, to be caught by my skill as a mere C rank Hunter.

"Therefore─"

"Master."

Hunter Yoon Juyoung murmured in a soft voice. I momentarily forgot what I was about to say and blankly looked up at him.

Under the dark night sky, the serious face of a handsome young man was quietly staring at me, bathed in the dim light of a streetlamp.

"Although it's purely speculative... It was none other than you, Master, who made me an S rank Hunter."

"...Eh?"

Hunter Yoon Juyoung's face was still devoid of any smile, utterly serious.

"It means that your skill is not just a simple mind-control skill. Perhaps... that skill is more dangerous and has a greater effect than master could imagine."

"...No, but if you look at the skill description─"

<Skill Description>

Ruler's Garden(S)

You are the ruler, and this world is the Ruler's Garden.

Therefore, this place is your garden, and all beings residing in the garden must loyally serve the ruler. However, one who wears the crown must bear its weight. The power of a king who has not yet held a coronation cannot reach the weight of a thousand gold.

※The higher the intelligence and rank of the life form, the more difficult it is to dominate.

The description of [Ruler's Garden] that appeared in my status window remained the same. Someone who described my skill clearly stated it. This skill is to [dominate] someone.

And the type of skills described in such a manner is obvious. They're either mind control or domain control.

[But my skill is definitely not on the domain side.]

Domain control skills typically refer to skills that exercise dominion over each natural element. Such skills manifest in ways that allow a Hunter with affinity for the water element to bring the water within a certain area under their control.

And in such cases, it's blatantly obvious from the skill name. For example, King of Water(S), Lord of Water(A), Sovereign of Water(S)... something like that.

So my skill is definitely a mind control skill. I can't think of anything else. If I look at the skill description, it's obviously that kind of skill. Mind-controlling skills usually have unkind descriptions.

However, Hunter Yoon Juyoung seemed to think differently. No, to be exact, it seemed like he was thinking a bit further.

"It's not that your thinking is wrong. Rather... I think it's exactly as you think. Your skill definitely falls into the mind control category. But... it's definitely not just that."

"What do you mean by that...?"

"Perhaps your skill... strengthens the subjects, that is... those who are bound to you?"

"Strengthen?"

So, does that mean my mind control skill comes with a buff?

I checked my skill description again but couldn't find any relevant information. Of course, the description, claiming you are the ruler and this world is the ruler's garden and such, was abstract, so it was to be expected.

But a skill description doesn't contain all the information about the skill. This is a fact confirmed by Hunters who have been using, applying, and modifying their skills over the past 5 years.

[But...]

Even so, it's hard to believe that a skill description wouldn't mention a strengthening function powerful enough to turn a B-rank Hunter into an S-rank Hunter in one go.

Even if a skill description doesn't contain all the information about the skill, it's unlikely to completely omit the main function like this.

If that were the case, the Hunter industry would have openly issued guidelines like [There may be functions beyond the skill description.] from the start.

"Hunter Yoon Juyoung, I don't think there's a function powerful enough to turn a B-rank Hunter into an S-rank Hunter... If there were such a function, it would definitely have been written in the skill description."

"But considering the stories you've told so far, the skill you used seems to have been described inadequately... isn't that right?"

"That's... true."

"Master. It's true that I've awakened as an S-rank... but that awakening happened after you used your skill on me."

"......"

"And more importantly... I've never heard of a case where someone's entire body was healed along with their rank awakening."

That was...

true. In all the stories of rank awakenings I've heard, there were tales of feeling lighter or experiencing a strength they had never felt before, but there was no mention of [the healing of wounds all over the body].

[So really... was it the effect of my skill?]

If awakening a B-rank Hunter to an S-rank Hunter and healing fatal injuries in the process were all effects of my skill.

[...Is that something I can handle?]

There are many Awakened. There are many Hunters. And there are many Hunters who want to raise their rank.

It's obvious. High-ranked Hunters earn a lot of money. They are popular. Not only that, for some reason, as their rank increases, they also become more attractive.

Naturally, people wish to Awaken, and while they're at it, they hope to become high-ranked Awakened.

And of course, not everyone in the world is good. There are plenty of people who would do bad things if it meant they could increase their rank.

And... to be honest, I wasn't confident I could protect myself from those kinds of people. After all, I was just an utterly average C-rank Hunter.

In the end, I walked down the dark alleyway, my mouth tightly shut as I pondered over my skill and my future. It was a truly distressing walk home.

...Ah. Wait a minute.

"By the way, Hunter Yoon Juyoung. How long do you plan to follow me?"

"Huh? I was thinking of staying with you to escort my master... Is it uncomfortable for you? If so, should I escort you secretly?"

"...What?"

"......?"

...What is he even talking about?

* * *

[Unexpected situation in a low-difficulty dungeon... C-rank, C+ rank Hunters reportedly died]

Last night at three in the afternoon, in a Dungeon of the Red Chimera located in ○○-dong, ○○-gu, Seoul, it is known that two Hunters, one C-rank and one C+ rank, have died, causing a great shock.

According to an interview with a survivor, a monster, a strengthened form of the boss monster Red Chimera that usually appears in the Dungeon of the Red Chimera, emerged unexpectedly and first killed sir Lee, a C+ rank Hunter, and sir Kang, a C-rank Hunter.

The Dungeon Management Committee has conveyed that they will strive for stricter dungeon management in response to this sudden and unexpected situation, and netizens have poured out reactions such as :

"Could it be another act by the Administrator?"

"They might have tried to save money by not bringing a B-rank Hunter."

―Hunter Daily, Reporter Irion, End―

"It's an article about yesterday's incident."

"...Ah."

Lifting my head, which had been blankly staring at the smartphone screen, I saw Hunter Yoon Juyoung smiling neatly, reminding me of the first time we met at the dungeon entrance.

I've thought this ever since we first met, but he's a good-looking person with distinct features and a harmonious appearance.

Even though people who undergo Awakening experience positive changes in their appearance to varying degrees, to reach the level of what is commonly referred to as [handsome], one must have a basic foundation even before Awakening. Considering this, Yoon Juyoung Hunter must have been quite handsome even before his Awakening.

"It's not uncommon for Hunters to die in dungeons, but it's the first time such an unexpected situation has occurred in a low-difficulty dungeon... I understand why it's causing a stir."

"That's true......"

"What is the Administrator thinking? Does she simply enjoy seeing humans suffer?"

"That's what I wonder......"

"By the way, it seems like you haven't had breakfast, so I brought some fruit I cut up. Would you like to try some?"

"Thank you......"

"I can't just stand by and watch my master, of all people, skip meals."

"Thank you... no, I mean, Hunter Yoon Juyoung. I've told you, I'm not your master or anything like that."

Since the incident yesterday until now, I don't know how many times I've told Hunter Yoon Juyoung [I'm not your master]. I chewed on the apple he handed to me with a lifeless bite and once again spoke in a weary voice.

"Excuse me, Yoon Juyoung Hunter. Do you really plan to live in my house? Really? In this cramped place?"

"Yes, of course. Ah, if you don't like the place, how about we go to my house? It might be inadequate to serve you, but..."

"Obviously, the house of a B-rank Hunter... who used to be one, would be better than a place where a C-rank Hunter lives. But that's not what I'm trying to say..."

Yesterday, one thing led to another, and before I knew it, time had slipped away, so I ended up letting Hunter Yoon Juyoung sleep in the small room I used as a storage... But that doesn't mean it should continue today.

I tried my best to look firm as I stared at Hunter Yoon Juyoung.

"Hunter Yoon Juyoung. I am a woman, and you are a man."

"Master. Please feel free to call me comfortably. Hmm, how about just [Juyoung] for starters?"

"Stop talking nonsense, Hunter Yoon Juyoung. You might think otherwise, but I am a person of this era who finds it extremely uncomfortable to have a stranger in my house."

Of course, I know that from Hunter Yoon Juyoung 's perspective, I am his [Master]. It was obvious from the actions Hunter Yoon Juyoung has taken towards me so far.

The first thing he did when he entered my house was to open the fridge and ask why there were only instant foods, and after that, he went grocery shopping, prepared ingredients, made side dishes, fed me dinner, cleaned the house...

Wait, isn't this like having a nanny?

Well, anyway. Let's get back to the main point. The important thing in the current situation was to somehow get rid of Hunter Yoon Juyoung.

Honestly, I had thought about reporting Hunter Yoon Juyoung for illegal trespassing... but I felt a bit guilty because he ended up like this because of my skill.

Before being affected by my skill, Hunter Yoon Juyoung was a very ordinary, no, rather a decent person by common sense.

"So, Hunter Yoon Juyoung will live at Hunter Yoon Juyoung's house, and I will live at mine, okay? And stop calling me master."

"If I don't call master 'master', then what should I call you? Hmm... if you would allow me to call you by your name, may I call you [Seohee-nim]?"

TLN: The equivalent honorific in Japanese for "님" (nim) in Korean would be "さま" (-sama). "さま" is used to show a high level of respect towards someone, similar to the usage of "님" in Korean. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

"...Fine, that's better."

At least [Seohee-nim] is something I could hear when contacting a call center, so it's better than master. Honestly, being called master was really... seriously uncomfortable.

I don't want to think about it, but if Hunter Yoon Juyoung calls me master in public... Just the thought is horrifying. What would people think of me and Hunter Yoon Juyoung ?

"No, but the story has changed again."

As expected, Yoon Juyoung Hunter has a knack for steering the conversation in a favorable direction. I tried to look firm again as I met Hunter Yoon Juyoung's gaze.

"Let me say it again, let's live in our own houses, please. You have your own house, so why insist on staying at mine? There's no space in my house either."

"That's obviously for Seohee-nim's protection. As we discussed yesterday, Seohee-nim needs a guardian."

"...So far, only Hunter Yoon Juyoung knows about my skill. And I have no intention of spreading it around."

"I trust Seohee-nim. I'm sure Seohee-nim will think and decide wisely. But I can't trust others."

Hunter Yoon Juyoung said that and offered me another slice of apple he had neatly placed on a plate.

I couldn't just not eat what he had cut for me.

Reluctantly, I took the apple slice he offered and bit into it. It tasted good, so he must have picked a nice one. Maybe Hunter Yoon Juyoung had a hobby in household chores.

"It hasn't been long since I awakened as an S-rank, and soon all hunters across the country will know. It's been reported to the Dungeon Management Committee, and the ranking update day is coming soon."

"Ah...right. This Sunday is..."

"Yes. Although the ranking updates happen every month... the appearance of an S-rank hunter always draws everyone's attention. Even though the rankings list aliases, it won't be long before everyone knows I'm the newly emerged S-rank hunter."

I chewed on the apple in my mouth and nodded without saying much. Indeed, the identities of S-rank hunters that had appeared so far were usually revealed within a week or so, including where they lived, which guild they belonged to, etc.

Of course, this was often because the high-ranking hunters, overflowing with pride, would come forward saying, "I am that S-rank hunter."

"S-rank hunters are... ah, hold that, I'm still eating. Anyway, S-rank hunters are precious personnel from the nation's perspective. It will definitely spread quickly."

"Yes. And in that process, Seohee-nim's name will surely come up."

"...Me?"

"Yes. The unprecedented awakening of a B-rank hunter to S-rank, and the only witness present at the scene."

"Hmm."

"Everyone will surely try to approach Seohee-nim."

"I can't deny that..."

Especially since the proportion of so-called [trash journalists] is high among hunter industry reporters, they are likely to aggressively seek interviews without considering my privacy at all.

In fact, during this Dungeon of the Red Chimera incident, it seems one trash journalist forced an interview on one of the survivors.

"Hmm, but... Regardless of not being able to deny that, wouldn't it be more problematic if Hunter Yoon Juyoung is sticking by my side?"

"Of course, master's..."

"Don't call me master."

"Yes. Your point makes sense, Seohee-nim, but fundamentally, the treatment of [close associates of an S-rank hunter] and [indirect associates of an S-rank hunter] is significantly different."

"I have no intention of becoming a close associate of Hunter Yoon Juyoung."

"But Seohee-nim and I have long been tied in a very close relationship as master and servant, how can you say such a heartless thing?"

"Well, I'm telling you I'm not your master."

Is this person teasing me on purpose?

With a sudden suspicion, I looked at Hunter Yoon Juyoung with narrowed eyes, but then sighed, thinking that no one would go to the lengths of pretending to be a servant just to tease someone.

"Going back to the original topic, close associates are protected either by the government or the guild they belong to."

"Is there such a system?"

"It's part of the personal information protection law to protect S-rank hunters and their associates... as far as I know. S-rank hunters are rare, so from the nation's perspective, they would want to hold onto them through their associates."

Indeed. I seem to recall hearing that various countries and guilds scout for S-rank hunters. Nowadays, the number of S-rank hunters is even considered a measure of a country's competitiveness.

And it seems Hunter Yoon Juyoung knows quite a bit about this area.

Honestly, even though they are all categorized under the same profession of hunters, the lives of upper-tier hunters and lower-tier hunters are quite different.

Thanks to that, even I, who am quite interested in hunter-related materials and articles, don't know much about the actual lives of upper-tier hunters.

"You seem to know a lot about S-rank hunters, Hunter Yoon Juyoung."

"Ah... Yes. I know someone who is an S-rank hunter..."

"Someone you know? Wow, Hunter Yoon Juyoung, you were an impressive person... no, you've become an impressive person."

He is indeed impressive, being an S-rank hunter.

I looked at Hunter Yoon Juyoung anew. Thinking about it, the S-rank hunters, often described as being in a different league or the upper echelons, were right in front of me.

Wow, does that mean Hunter Yoon Juyoung can perform all sorts of feats like those S-rank hunters who appeared in the ranking battles, creating a thousand arrows in the sky or disappearing from sight only to reappear far away?

"By the way, did your status window change when you awakened as an S-rank? Oh, it must have. It couldn't have not..."

"Do you want me to show you?"

"No, um, wouldn't that be a bit too rude..."

It would be one thing if we were party members tackling a dungeon together, but asking a complete stranger hunter about their status window is quite rude. Especially considering the ranking battle incident and the fact that hunters often have private disputes, it's understandable that they would be reluctant to share their status window or skill information.

That's why I've been curious about Hunter Yoon Juyoung's status window but holding back...

"Originally, if master wishes, you can see my status window anytime."

"Eh?! What do you mean?"

Did my skill have that function?

I hurriedly opened my status window to check my skills. Naturally, the content was the same as what I had seen before, nothing much different. Ruler's Garden, target of use, Yoon Juyoung(S)...

"Try pressing my name there, or call it out loud."

"Uh..."

Is this what I'm supposed to do? I cautiously pressed the area where Hunter Yoon Juyoung's name was written. Honestly, I did it half-expecting nothing to happen, but the result was beyond my imagination.

<Status Window>

Name / Age: Yoon Juyoung(胤柱寧) / 24

Awakened: Y

Rank: S

Awakened Skills

- Stealth(S)

- Magic * Darkness(A++)

- Magic * Wind(A)

- Shadow Dweller(S+)

Wow, I can really see everything. Even when I slightly touched the skill names, descriptions of the skills appeared. I read the description of the stealth skill with eyes full of admiration.

[It hides your appearance and erases your sound. A high-level stealth skill is almost akin to temporarily erasing your very existence…….]

I had forgotten that it was rude to inquire about the status window of a hunter I wasn't close with, simply being thrilled by the wonder of what I was seeing.

After a long time, an unwelcome guest that no one around the world would be happy to see appeared.

―Now, humanity, have you been living peacefully without any worries for a while─?

"Yikes, why did she suddenly pop up?"

Her brown hair was unkempt, sticking out everywhere, glasses awkwardly perched on a nose covered in freckles, and she was smiling broadly, but there was no trace of humanity in her emotionless face.

―It's been a while, I'm your Administrator, the Librarian, back again~!

He introduced himself as the [Administrator] in charge of [Earth].

It was the appearance of the [Librarian].