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Chapter Text

The gentle summer breeze teased at the edges of Kang Ji-Hye’s purple-dyed hair as she lounged on a bench in the park. Her headphones blasted a symphony of melancholic rock, drowning out the faint hum of the city beyond the trees. With her heavily pierced ears, the intricate black ink of her tattoos snaking up her arms, and her combat boots that had seen better days, Ji-Hye exuded a presence that often made others cross the street. But here, in this moment, she was content. For once, no one stared or whispered. It was just her, her music, and the warm breeze.

She opened her eyes briefly to glance at the sky, its pale blue hue dotted with streaks of white clouds. That’s when she noticed them—a lively group of children spilling out onto the playground nearby, their laughter piercing through her music. They were accompanied by two women, their caretakers, who smiled warmly while supervising the chaos. Ji-Hye’s lips curled into a faint smile despite herself. She always found children's unrestrained joy endearing, a stark contrast to her own lonely adolescence.

A small boy with messy hair and a gap-toothed smile caught her eye and waved enthusiastically. Ji-Hye hesitated for a moment before waving back, her hand moving almost shyly. The boy’s grin simply widened, then he ran back to his friends.

For a while, she just watched them, allowing their infectious energy to seep into her. It was rare for her to feel connected to anyone, even strangers like these children. She leaned back, adjusting her headphones to let the sound of their laughter mingle with her music.

That’s when it happened.

The ground beneath the playground cracked with an ominous rumble. Ji-Hye bolted upright, pulling her headphones off as the air seemed to grow heavy. A dark void began to form, swallowing the vibrant colors of the playground and the children with it. Screams echoed as some of the children and one of the caretakers disappeared into the gaping maw of a swirling, magical Gate.

A Gate. Here. Of all places.

I’ve never heard of a Gate opening in the ground before!!!

Ji-Hye’s breath caught in her throat. Gates had been appearing all over the world for as long as she could remember. They were pretty much part of the every-day life. She often passed in front of one whenever she went out, since she lived in a “high-density area” – the rent was cheaper since it was such a high-risk zone. And of course, she’d grown up with the horrors the Gates brought forth into reality – the teams that were tragically wiped out, the bodies never recovered, the rare but destructive Dungeon Breaks… Never had she witnessed one opening, however – and never had she heard something so bone-chilling, the screams of the children ringing in her ears.

Her instincts screamed at her to run, but the sound of crying pulled her focus. Three children, the ones who had been further from the epicenter, were clutching the remaining caretaker’s legs, wailing in terror. The woman stood frozen, her face pale and her hands trembling as she stared at the Gate, obviously at a loss as to what to do.

“Hey!” Ji-Hye shouted, pushing herself off the bench. She sprinted toward the scene, her boots pounding against the grass. “Get a grip!”

The caretaker’s wide, tear-filled eyes locked onto Ji-Hye as she approached. She tried to speak but only managed a strangled sob. Ji-Hye didn’t have time for hesitation. She grabbed the woman by the shoulders and shook her.

“Snap out of it!” she barked. When that didn’t work, she slapped the woman’s cheek—not hard, but enough to break the spiral of panic. “You need to take these kids and get out of here. Now!”

The caretaker blinked rapidly, as if waking from a nightmare. “B-but the others…!”

“They’re gone,” Ji-Hye said, her voice firm but not unkind. “You can’t help them, not directly. Take these three somewhere safe and call for help. Can you do that? Hunters will be able to help, but you need to call for them.”

The woman nodded shakily, gathering the sobbing children and ushering them away, casting one last, horrified glance at the Gate. Ji-Hye watched them go, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the oppressive energy radiating from the Gate, like an open wound in the fabric of the world.

She should leave too. She wasn’t a Hunter, she didn’t have any combat experience, and she certainly wasn’t equipped to deal with whatever lay on the other side of that Gate. In fact, it was downright illegal for a civilian to voluntarily enter an opened Gate.

But the image of the children being swallowed by the void refused to leave her mind.

Her fists clenched. She’d spent her entire, short life being ignored, overlooked, and pushed aside, being told she wasn’t important enough, wasn’t good enough, wasn’t worth enough. She grew up being taught that she would never amount to anything, that she should just stick to the sidelines and leave others more capable to handle the problems.

But this? This, she couldn’t ignore.

If there was even a chance that she could help, then she had to try.

“Stupid,” she muttered to herself, pulling off her heavy jacket and dropping it on the ground. Beneath it, her black hoodie clung to her wiry frame. She adjusted her fingerless gloves and took a deep breath, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. “So, so stupid…!”

She walked toward the Gate. Its swirling blue and white, almost electrical appearance, seemed to pull at her, whispering promises of danger and death. Her boots skidded slightly on the ground that had frozen near the edge. She peered into the swirling abyss. A shiver ran down her spine, but she didn’t stop.

For the first time in her life, she felt… alive. Terrified, yes, but alive.

This was her choice. And if her life didn’t mean anything then, hopefully, her death would.

With one final, steadying breath, Kang Ji-Hye jumped into the Gate.

Chapter Text

The sensation of falling was far worse than Ji-Hye had imagined it would be. The world around her was a blur of swirling white and blue, and the rush of air tore at her clothes and hair as gravity dragged her down. Her stomach churned, and panic threatened to overtake her just before the ground met her with a bone-jarring thud. Pain exploded all over the right side of her body, on which she’d landed, and she rolled over with a pained wheeze, the impact having knocked the wind from her lungs. She gasped, curling on her other side as her body throbbed violently.

“Get up,” she whispered to herself, her voice shaky but determined. “Get up...!”

She rolled onto her hands and knees, wincing as she forced herself upright. The air was thick and damp, carrying a faint metallic tang that made her stomach turn. The faint glow of bioluminescent moss clinging to the tunnel walls cast eerie shadows, revealing jagged, uneven stone beneath her feet. The walls and floor seemed to sparkle here and there, and she then noticed the thin layer of frost covering every inch of the tunnel they were in, as well as the puffs of air coming from her mouth.

It's so cold…!

But a cry finally dragged her out of her initial stupor. Right. The children.

Ji-Hye turned around, her boots crunching on scattered debris. The remains of the playground were strewn all across the floor—splintered wood, twisted metal, and shattered plastic. She spotted a child’s shoe lying discarded, its bright color stark against the gray stone.

“Help… please, someone help us!” a desperate voice called out.

Ji-Hye’s gaze snapped to the source. The caretaker, a middle-aged woman with a bloodied forehead and trembling hands, was kneeling beside a child trapped under a fallen metal beam. Despite her obvious pain, she was doing her best to soothe the crying boy while trying to lift the beam with one arm.

“Hang on,” Ji-Hye said, rushing over.

The woman’s eyes widened in surprise and relief.

“Who…?” the caretaker began, but Ji-Hye cut her off.

“I’m here to help,” Ji-Hye said firmly, crouching beside her. “What’s your name?”

“Seo Min-Ah,” the woman replied, her voice thick with emotion. “You- you were on the bench. You jumped in? Are you crazy? This place…”

“Not important right now,” Ji-Hye interrupted, grabbing the beam. “Can you pull him out when I lift?”

Min-Ah nodded, tears welling in her eyes. Together, they heaved the beam upward, Ji-Hye’s muscles screaming in protest. The boy crawled out with Min-Ah’s help, and Ji-Hye let the beam drop with a thunderous ‘CLANG’. She knelt beside the child, checking him over. Apart from some scrapes and a rapidly swelling ankle, he seemed okay.

“You’re going to be fine,” Ji-Hye said, her voice softening as she ruffled the boy’s hair. She glanced at Min-Ah. “How many are there?”

“Ni-nine, I think,” Min-Ah said, her voice trembling. “I- I counted nine children. I… I think they’re all nearby, but some of them are hurt. I… I’m trying…”

“You’re doing great,” Ji-Hye said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “But you need to rest. That head wound looks bad. Sit down and let me handle this.”

Min-Ah hesitated, clearly torn, but Ji-Hye’s firm gaze left no room for argument. The older woman sank to the ground, leaning against the tunnel wall as Ji-Hye stood and surveyed the scene. She spotted a small figure tangled in the remnants of a slide and another sitting on the ground, clutching a bleeding arm.

Alright, keep calm and get moving.

One by one, Ji-Hye worked her way through the chaos. She freed the girl from the slide, carefully untangling the plastic and comforting her with quiet reassurances. She found another boy huddled under a broken piece of wood, trembling and clutching a stuffed animal. The little boy who had waved at her earlier was the worst off, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle. Ji-Hye’s stomach churned at the sight, but she forced herself to stay calm.

“Hey, buddy,” she said gently, kneeling beside him.

The boy’s face was streaked with tears, but his eyes lit up with recognition.

“You- you’re the girl from the park,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

“Hi again,” Ji-Hye said, smiling despite the lump in her throat. “You’re really brave, you know that? Can you keep on being brave for me for a bit longer?”

He nodded, though his lower lip quivered. Ji-Hye carefully checked his leg, wincing at the obvious break. Without hesitation, she tore a strip from her hoodie and fashioned a crude splint with pieces of wood from the debris.

“This is going to hurt a little, but I need you to stay strong, okay?” she said. The boy nodded again, squeezing his stuffed animal tightly as Ji-Hye swiftly secured the splint. He cried out, but she shushed him softly, brushing his hair back. “You’re doing great. Almost done.”

She carefully carried him back to where the others had gathered. The tunnel they had landed in was a dead-end, with only a way forward, so Ji-Hye had them all sitting near the back wall, so as to put as much distance as possible between them and the monsters inevitably lurking further inside the Dungeon. Once all nine children were accounted for, Ji-Hye took a moment to breathe a little easier. She then checked on the group. Min-Ah was pale and sweating, her head wound looking worse by the minute, but she still managed to muster a weak smile when their eyes met.

“You’re amazing,” Min-Ah said, her voice thick with emotion.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Ji-Hye simply replied. She looked at the frightened children, most of them huddled together for comfort. “Okay, everyone, listen up.”

The kids quieted a bit, their wide eyes now fixed on her. She gulped.

“You’re all super brave for holding on this long,” Ji-Hye said, her voice calm and steady. “I know this is scary, but help is coming. The Hunters will be here soon, and they’ll get us out of here. Until then, we need to stay calm and stick together. Can you do that for me?”

There were hesitant nods, and Ji-Hye offered them an encouraging smile. She glanced around the tunnel, trying to make sense of their surroundings. The walls were rough-hewn, glistening with frost, and it only seemed to get colder by the minute. The tunnel stretched forward into darkness, the only light coming from the faint glow of moss and occasional crystals embedded in the walls, as well as from the Gate – it was located on the ceiling though, high above their heads and completely unreachable.

There really is no other option than to wait for help, then.

“Min-Ah, how are you holding up?” Ji-Hye asked, turning to the caretaker.

“I’ll manage,” Min-Ah said, though her voice was weak. “But you… you shouldn’t have come down here. It’s dangerous—"

Ji-Hye shrugged. “Yeah, well, I’m a teenager – we’re known for doing stupid stuff.”

Min-Ah gave a shaky laugh, though tears glistened in her eyes. “Thank you,” she said, her voice breaking. “Thank you for saving them.”

Ji-Hye looked away, her cheeks flushing slightly. “I haven’t saved anyone.”

A low rumble echoed through the tunnel, making the children gasp and cling to one another. Ji-Hye’s heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to stay calm. She placed a hand on the nearest child’s shoulder and spoke firmly.

“It’s okay. We’re safe for now. Just stay close to me and Miss Min-Ah.”

As the rumble faded, Ji-Hye’s mind raced. The Hunters would come, she told herself. They had to. But until then, she’d do whatever it took to keep these kids safe. She tightened her fists, her resolve hardening as she gazed into the darkness ahead.

“We’ll get through this,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. “We have to.”

Chapter Text

The oppressive weight of the dungeon bore down on Ji-Hye like an invisible shroud, thickening the air with every passing moment. She couldn’t say how long they’d been trapped—time felt meaningless here. The gate that had brought them in hung high above, a cruel reminder of how hopeless climbing out would be. Her stomach growled, but it wasn’t hunger that churned in her gut. It was dread.

The children huddled behind her in a cluster, their tiny bodies trembling as they clung to each other. Ji-Hye gritted her teeth, pushing down her own fear as the low, guttural growls grew closer. The darkness ahead shifted, as though it were alive, and the faint scrape of claws on stone sent chills racing up her spine. She turned to the children and their injured caretaker, who sat slumped against the wall. Her head wound looked worse under the sickly phosphorescent light, and her breathing was shallow. Ji-Hye swallowed the lump in her throat, her resolve hardening.

"Okay," she whispered to herself, scanning the wreckage of the playground. "Think, Ji-Hye. You have to buy time."

We just need to hold them off until help arrives. We need to build a wall!

With frantic energy, she began gathering debris. Broken metal beams, shattered planks of wood, chunks of plastic—anything she could find. She piled it into a crude barricade across the tunnel’s narrow entrance. It wasn’t much, but it was all she had. The children watched her in silence, their wide eyes glistening with tears.

“Stay quiet,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t move unless I tell you to.”

Her hands shook as she grabbed a jagged metal pipe. It was heavy and uneven, but it would have to do. She positioned herself behind the barricade, standing between the children and whatever was coming. Her legs trembled, and sweat beaded on her forehead, but she didn’t move. If the monsters wanted to get to the kids, they’d have to go through her first.

The first creature emerged from the darkness, its hulking form illuminated by the dim glow of the dungeon walls. It was grotesque, a gigantic and monstrous mockery of what was meant to be a butterfly. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Ji-Hye, and it let out a guttural snarl that made her knees nearly buckle. Behind it, more shadows shifted, revealing a pack of similar insects, each as disgusting and big as the first. Jihye gripped the pipe so tightly her knuckles turned white.

“Stay back!” she screamed, though her voice quivered with fear. “I’m warning you!”

The monsters didn’t pause, obviously. They surged forward, their claws tearing into the barricade. One pierced through with its head, and Ji-Hye swung the pipe with all her strength, the clang of metal against carapace echoing through the tunnel. The force of the blow jarred her arms, nearly knocking the weapon from her hands, but it was enough to make that particular monster retreat a bit. But the measly barricade was no match for the monsters. With a sickening crunch, they tore through it, sending shards of debris flying. Ji-Hye quickly retreated, positioning herself closer in front of the children. Her heart raced, and her breaths came in shallow gasps.

It’s not fair, she thought, the words a desperate mantra in her mind. They’re just kids. They have their whole lives ahead of them! Families who love them, who’ll miss them... They don’t deserve to die here. Not like this. Not scared and hurt and in the dark, not at the hands of those disgusting things, not like this! Not like this…!!!

One of the bigger monsters lunged, its massive claw swiping toward her. Ji-Hye raised the pipe instinctively, but it was promptly knocked out of her hands and she was sent skidding back. With an angry shout, she practically threw herself onto the beast, tackling it to the ground. Pain exploded in her forearms as its claws mercilessly tore through her flesh, but she kept pushing it back.

They’re not getting through… No matter what…!!!

A surge of warmth abruptly erupted in her chest, spreading through her body like wildfire. It completely drowned out the pain – power. Pure, overwhelming, and unfamiliar power. Golden light shimmered along her skin, then burst forward, illuminating the tunnel in a radiant glow. The monsters recoiled, their snarls turning to shrieks of fury. Ji-Hye’s eyes widened as the light coalesced into a shimmering, translucent wall of energy between her and the creatures. The barrier stretched from floor to ceiling, its surface glowing with an otherworldly brilliance, and completely blocking off the tunnel.

The monster she’d previously tackled slammed into the wall with a deafening crash, but it didn’t so much as crack or even shake. The creature screeched in frustration, clawing and biting at the barrier, but it held firm, even as the rest of the monsters swarmed like a tsunami of giant insects, pounding and scratching at the wall of light without effect.

Ji-Hye could only gawk, her hands shaking and blood pouring from the deep lacerations on her forearms. The golden light bathed her in warmth, its steady pulse syncing with the rhythm of her heartbeat, and it took her a moment to notice that the pain was ebbing away, until it vanished completely. Looking down, she gasped upon noticing that her skin had completely mended, not even leaving scars.

"What- what the hell…?” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Behind her, the children’s sobs had turned to gasps of awe. Min-Ah’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked at Ji-Hye with a mixture of relief and astonishment.

“You… you’ve awakened,” she murmured, her voice weak but filled with wonder.

Ji-Hye shook her head, her mind racing. "No, this can't be real. I’m not… I didn’t—"

She cut herself off as the barrier pulsed again, bright and unyielding under the barrage of attacks from the monsters. They were relentless in their assault, but the barrier didn’t falter. Ji-Hye took a shaky step back, still trying to process what was happening. The power coursing through her felt alien, yet somehow natural, as if it had been lying dormant her whole life, waiting for this moment.

She turned to the children, who were staring at her with wide, tear-streaked faces. "It’s going to be okay," she said, her voice steadier now. "They can’t get through. You’re safe."

The golden light seemed to respond to her words, its glow intensifying briefly before settling into a steady shimmer. Ji-Hye knelt beside Min-Ah, who looked pale but determined.

"I… Let me try something.”

If that strange light had managed to heal her, surely it could heal others, right? She carefully placed her hands on Min-Ah’s shoulder, but the light didn’t transfer. She frowned, not understanding why it wouldn’t work. A strangled sob to her right made her heart clench, and she gently patted the little girl’s head as she cried, cradling her heavily scratched-up and bruising arm.

If only everyone here could be healed like me…

She felt it again – the power, that is. She could only stare in astonishment as, all at once, the children and Min-Ah began to glow in a similar golden light. The cries quickly died down as the children gazed at their closing wounds, exclaiming in relief as their pain vanished, and even Min-Ah seemed to regain her strength, colors returning to her skin. She looked a lot more aware, already.

"You’re amazing," she choked out. "You saved us!”

Ji-Hye’s throat tightened. "I don’t- I don’t know what I’m doing," she admitted. "I just… I just didn’t want them to get hurt."

The monsters were still there, but their assault had lessened. They seemed to hold a semblance of intelligence, now observing the barrier instead of mindlessly ramming into it. After minutes that felt like hours, though, realizing they couldn’t breach it, the swarm began to retreat, their snarls fading into the darkness. Ji-Hye watched them go, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. The barrier flickered for a moment, then held steady.

For the first time since entering the dungeon, Ji-Hye allowed herself to breathe.

She wasn’t sure how long the barrier would last or what other dangers awaited them, but one thing was clear: she was no longer the same girl who had jumped into the Gate. Something had awakened within her, something powerful and terrifying. And she would use it to protect these children, no matter what.

As the golden light continued to glow, as the children’s cries turned into relieved laughter and cheers, Ji-Hye made a silent promise to herself. This power, though she wasn’t entirely sure if she was worthy of it, was clearly meant to protect others, and she would do her utmost best to see it done.

Maybe… maybe getting out of here alive was possible, after all.

Chapter Text

The golden barrier shimmered like a sunlit shield, casting a soft, flickering light across the wide-eyed children and their caretaker. All of their injuries had healed at that point, even the boy’s broken leg and Min-Ah’s apparent concussion, but Ji-Hye found that she didn’t know how to stop the golden light still shimmering along their skin. Not that she wanted to – so long as the light remained, they would go unharmed, after all. She could only hope it wouldn’t sap at her energy without her notice. Wasn’t there something like mana exhaustion? She really should have paid more attention when those Guild representatives came to give that lecture about Hunters at her school.

She stood near the glowing wall, her breathing steady but her mind spinning. At this point, she didn’t know for how long she had been holding the barrier. Minutes? Hours? It didn’t matter. She only knew she couldn’t let it fall, not with the snarling monsters still pacing somewhere further down the tunnel. But then, movement from above caught her attention. Her eyes widened as metallic ropes unfurled through the portal on the ceiling, and she quickly backed up to the rest of the kids, hope blooming in her chest like a fragile flower. The children started cheering excitedly as men and women in armor began coming down the ropes – Hunters, at last.

It was difficult not to notice their grim and focused expressions, but those quickly shifted as the cheers of the children reached them, and they all appeared quite dumbstruck to find their little group apparently complete and unharmed. Before anyone could say anything, though, one last man came down through the portal, not even bothering with a rope and simply jumping through, swiftly landing on his feet. Broad-shouldered, wild hair and a commanding presence.

Baek Yoon-Ho. The Master of the White Tiger Guild himself.

Right, we’re located in their neck of the woods.

One of the Hunters then let out a low whistle. “I'm counting eleven. They’re all alive.”

Baek Yoon-Ho stepped forward, his sharp gaze sweeping over the children, the caretaker still sitting on the ground, and finally landing on Ji-Hye, who couldn’t help but stiffen under the intensity of his stare.

His amber eyes narrowed slightly, calculating. “Who set up this barrier?”

Ji-Hye hesitated, her throat tightening. The weight of his gaze was heavy, but not unkind – he obviously knew the answer to that question already. With a deep breath, she stepped forward, keeping herself between the children and the Hunters.

“I… I did.”

A murmur spread through the group of Hunters. One of them, a younger man with spiky hair, tilted his head. “No way. A barrier that strong? That wide?”

“She just awakened,” another Hunter whispered, clearly surprised as well.

Baek Yoon-Ho raised a hand, silencing the chatter. He stepped closer to Ji-Hye, his towering presence making her feel both small and oddly reassured.

“How long can you hold it?” he asked, his voice calm but firm.

Ji-Hye blinked. “I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’ve been holding it for a while now, and I’m not tired yet, so I think I can keep it up until everyone’s out, at the very least.”

Baek Yoon-Ho studied her for a moment, then nodded approvingly. His lips twitched into the faintest of smiles as he rested a heavy, warm hand on her shoulder. “Good work, kid. Just keep at it. We’ve got you now.”

The reassurance in his words washed over Ji-Hye like a soothing balm. She nodded quickly, her hands still trembling slightly but her resolve firm. She couldn’t falter here, not when help had finally arrived.

The Hunters finally sprang into action, organizing an evacuation with practiced efficiency. They wanted to carry Min-Ah out first, since she looked the worst off, but she stubbornly refused to go until all of the kids got out. So, they carefully set her up on a stretcher conjured from enchanted materials while others began carrying the children out one by one. The kids clung to the Hunters, their tear-streaked faces lighting up at the sight of help.

Ji-Hye’s chest tightened as she watched them go. They were going to make it.

She held the barrier steady as the last of the children were taken out, and finally Min-Ah as well. The golden light pulsed faintly, resonating with her heartbeat. It was strange. At this point, this power didn’t feel so foreign anymore; it felt like an extension of herself, as natural as breathing.

Finally, only she, Baek Yoon-Ho and two other Hunters remained. The Guild Leader turned to Ji-Hye, his expression serious but not unkind.

“All right,” he said. “It’s your turn. Drop the barrier.”

Ji-Hye blinked. “I… I don’t know how.”

Baek Yoon-Ho chuckled softly, though it was more of a rumble in his chest. “I figured as much, but it’s okay. Listen, you just awakened under immense duress, so you were probably driven by a very powerful intent or desire. What was it?”

“Protect the kids,” she answered without missing a beat. “We need to protect the kids.”

“That’s good. But take a moment. Breathe. You don’t need to protect the kids anymore.”

“What!? Of course I need to, I need—”

“Breathe, girl. The kids are safe now, remember?”

“They’re…”

She slowed down as her brain finally seemed to catch up with the situation. Rationally, she’d been aware that the children were safe ever since the Hunters arrived, and she’d seen them being carried out of the Dungeon with her own eyes, but she had still been entirely focused on protecting them, even now that they were gone.

“There you go. Now, your power is like a muscle. You just need to relax it. Feel for the energy inside you and just let it go.”

Ji-Hye nodded, a bit dazed. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and tried to focus. The barrier’s golden light thrummed in her mind, strong and unwavering. She reached for it, trying to will it away, but it resisted. Frustration built in her chest.

“I can’t—” she started, but Baek Yoon-Ho interrupted gently.

“You can,” he assured. “This was a very stressful and scary situation, and you’re still running on adrenaline. Take your time. Feel it out. Since this power was born from a desire to protect, it probably won’t go away until you feel safe again. Just relax and trust yourself.”

Ji-Hye took another breath, this one slower, deeper. She let her shoulders relax and focused on the sensation of the power within her, the man’s reassuring words echoing in her frazzled mind. This power wasn’t a beast to tame or a tool to wield—it was simply part of her, and she was safe, now.

Slowly, she imagined it shrinking, receding into herself.

The golden light flickered, then dimmed. With a final pulse, the barrier disappeared.

The sudden absence of the barrier’s warmth left Ji-Hye feeling strangely vulnerable. Before she could process the change, though, a chorus of snarls erupted from the darkness. The monsters, who had been lurking in waiting, charged forward with terrifying speed. Ji-Hye’s heart skipped a beat, but Baek Yoon-Ho was faster, not even perturbed.

“Stand back,” he commanded simply, stepping in front of her.

The two other Hunters surged forward as well, their weapons gleaming with enchantments. What followed was a brief whirlwind of chaos and precision. Blades flashed, spells erupted, and the air was filled with the shrieks of dying monsters. Ji-Hye watched in stunned silence as the Hunters dispatched the creatures with practiced ease in a matter of seconds. Baek Yoon-Ho’s own transformation into a massive, tiger-like form was awe-inspiring, his claws tearing through the monsters like paper. It was over in moments. The last of the monsters fell with a guttural cry, and the tunnel fell silent once more. Baek Yoon-Ho returned to his human form, his sharp eyes scanning the area for any remaining threats. Once satisfied, he turned back to Ji-Hye.

“Not bad for your first day,” he said with a grin.

Ji-Hye couldn’t help but let out a nervous, slightly hysterical laugh, and her legs finally gave out beneath her. Exhaustion hit her all at once, and she barely even registered when strong arms caught her before she hit the ground.

“Easy,” said the Guild Master, lifting her effortlessly. “You’re alright, now. Good job, kid.”

The last thing Ji-Hye saw as she was carried out of the dungeon was the soft glow of the Gate’s light, growing brighter and brighter until, at last, she felt the sun’s warmth on her face. It was as though her head was underwater, voices muffled, and sensations numbed, until she finally succumbed to her exhaustion.

The nightmare was finally over.

Chapter Text

The first thing Ji-Hye noticed as she blinked awake was the softness of the bed beneath her. The sterile, faintly antiseptic smell of a hospital room followed soon after, sharp and oddly comforting in its cleanliness. She shifted slightly, groaning at the dull ache in her muscles.

The events of the Dungeon came rushing back in a disjointed flurry—monsters, the children’s cries, the glowing barrier, and the Hunters who had finally come to their rescue.

Her heart fluttered, and she wasn’t entirely sure if it was from relief or lingering fear. She turned her head slowly and froze at the sight before her.

The room was overflowing with gifts. The space by the window, the counter near the sink, and even the chairs were piled high with flower arrangements, fruit baskets, care packages, and brightly wrapped presents. Stuffed toys, handwritten notes, and colorful drawings were scattered everywhere, some precariously balanced atop the towering stacks. The room felt more like a celebration than a recovery ward. Ji-Hye’s breath hitched. For a moment, she thought she was hallucinating from exhaustion or the lingering effects of adrenaline. But when she reached out to touch a nearby bouquet of pale pink roses, the soft petals were real beneath her fingertips. Her fingers trembled as she picked up one of the cards tucked into the flowers.

Thank you for saving my little boy. You’re a true hero.

-Jung Family

Her vision blurred as tears welled in her eyes. She opened another note attached to a neatly wrapped gift box:

To Miss Ji-Hye: My daughter wouldn’t stop crying until we bought this for you. She says you’re her favorite person in the whole wide world. Thank you for bringing her back to us.

-Han Family

Ji-Hye clutched the card tightly, her chest tightening with an emotion she couldn’t name. One by one, she opened the letters, marveling at the heartfelt messages of gratitude. Drawings from the children depicted her in a glowing golden light, her barrier keeping the monsters at bay. Stick figures of herself and the kids stood smiling under a bright sun, holding hands as though nothing could ever harm them. Her tears spilled over, but she didn’t care. She cried for the children she had saved, for the terror she had felt in the Dungeon, and for the fact that, for the first time in her life, someone had seen her—not as a burden, not as a problem, but as someone who mattered.

Hours passed as Jihye rested, reading through the notes and nibbling on slices of fresh fruit from one of the baskets. Her body was sore, but she felt lighter than she had in years. A nurse had come in earlier to check on her, informing her that she had been out for three days already but, with a clean bill of health, she would be allowed to leave the next day.

Still, her thoughts kept drifting back to the Dungeon. The monsters. The fear. The moment she had awakened as a Hunter.

She stared at her hands, turning them over and flexing her fingers as though expecting to see something different about them. These hands had created a barrier strong enough to keep back a horde of monsters. And not only that, but she’d managed to heal herself and others, too. The warmth of that golden light still lingered faintly in her memory, humming like a low note in the background of her mind.

I’m a Hunter now. What does that even mean?

She had heard about awakening, of course—who hadn’t? But never in her wildest dreams had she imagined it would happen to her. She’d have to register as a Hunter and get evaluated to determine her rank and classification, that much she knew. But she couldn’t tell which class she was. Caster or Healer? Could someone have more than one class? She had so many questions, and the possibilities scared her a bit.

The thought of stepping back into a Dungeon sent a shiver down her spine. The oppressive darkness, the sound of the monsters’ claws scraping against stone… She wasn’t sure she could face it again. But then she thought of the children’s faces, their wide eyes filled with trust and gratitude as they clung to her in that horrid tunnel. She thought of the letters and gifts that now filled her hospital room, from the families who’d been safely reunited thanks to what she had done.

Could I… really be a Hunter?

The idea was terrifying and exhilarating all at once. She had always been an outcast, the weird goth girl with purple hair and too many piercings, ignored even by her own family. But in that Dungeon, she had saved lives. She had made a difference. Could this be her chance to finally find her place in the world?

Chapter Text

Ji-Hye's phone buzzed on the bedside table, jolting her from her thoughts. She reached for it, wincing slightly as her sore muscles protested the movement. Her heart leaped when she saw the caller ID: Mom.

Her lips trembled as she answered, her voice tentative. “Hello?”

“Ji-Hye!” Her mother’s voice was sharp, a tone Ji-Hye recognized all too well. It wasn’t the relieved, loving call she had secretly hoped for. “What were you thinking, pulling a stunt like that? Do you have any idea how much trouble you could have caused?”

Ji-Hye’s stomach sank. “I—Mom, I—”

Her mother cut her off, her words coming in a rush. “Do you know how dangerous that was? You could have gotten yourself killed! And for what? A few brats you don’t even know? You’re only fourteen, Ji-Hye! You have no business being in a Dungeon, let alone risking your life like that. What if your brothers heard about this and got distracted from their studies? You need to stop this attention-seeking nonsense. It’s embarrassing for the family.”

The words hit Ji-Hye like a physical blow. Tears pricked her eyes, but this time they weren’t from gratitude or relief. They were from the all-too-familiar sting of rejection. Her fingers tightened around the phone.

“I… I just wanted to help.”

“Well, don’t,” her mother snapped. “Leave the heroics to the professionals. Stay out of trouble and focus on not embarrassing us any further. I mean it, Ji-Hye. What if you’d died? Funerals are a costly business, we don’t have the money for that right now, you know we’re putting a lot into your brothers' specialized colleges…”

Jihye’s grip on the phone loosened as her mother’s words continued, but she wasn’t listening anymore. Her chest ached, a deep, hollow void that threatened to swallow her whole. Her vision blurred again, but this time the tears didn’t fall. She felt empty.

“Mom,” she interrupted softly, her voice steady despite the crack in her heart. “I have to go.”

Without waiting for a response, she ended the call and turned off her phone.

For a long moment, she sat in silence, staring down at the device in her hand. Then she looked up, her gaze falling on the pile of gifts and notes that filled the room. The ache in her chest eased ever so slightly.

Her mother’s words cut deeply, they always did, but they couldn’t take away what she had done. The children she had saved, the families she had reunited—they mattered. And for the first time in a very long time, Ji-Hye allowed herself to believe that she mattered, too.

Chapter Text

“Very well. Remember to drink plenty of water, eat a proper meal, and rest. As soon as one of your legal guardians is here to pick you up, you’ll be free to leave.”

“A- actually, as an awakened Hunter, I’m considered fully emancipated, aren’t I?” Ji-Hye pointed out, a bit nervously.

“That… is true, I suppose,” relented the nurse, though she didn’t look like she agreed with that particular law. “Speaking of, allow me to remind you that you are legally required to go to the Hunters’ Association within the next month to determine your rank and get officially registered. It’s standard procedure.”

Ji-Hye nodded, feeling a strange mix of relief and apprehension. It was a bit overwhelming, even more so knowing she’d have to go through the entire procedure on her own, but it certainly beat having to ask her parents for permission.

“Oh, as for the gifts, we can have someone deliver them to your home, if you’d like,” then offered kindly the nurse.

“You provide that kind of service?” blinked Ji-Hye, a bit surprised.

“We didn’t use to, but Hunters from all walks of life end up in one of our rooms at one point or the other, and plenty of people are eager to thank them like they did for you, so we’ve started offering this new service – no extra charge on your end, of course.”

Jihye nodded quickly. “Yes, please, then. Thank you very much.”

After signing a few forms and thanking the nurse profusely, Ji-Hye began packing her belongings. She hesitated when she saw her old hoodie, torn and bloodstained from the Dungeon. She remembered ripping it to create makeshift bandages for the children and sighed. It was her favorite hoodie, but it was beyond saving, now.

And of course, even knowing I ended up in the hospital, neither mom or dad could be bothered to come and drop off a set of clean clothes for me, at the very least…

But then, amidst the gifts, she spotted something that made her heart skip a beat—a brand-new hoodie, sleek and stylish, with a handwritten note attached.

For the brave girl who saved me and my son. Thank you.

-Seo Min-Ha

Ji-Hye’s fingers trembled as she picked it up. The fabric was soft and high-quality, unlike anything she could afford, and her mind flashed back to the caretaker she’d helped. Who’d have thought the kind boy with the broken leg was actually her son? She slipped it on, marveling at how perfectly it fit. It was black with some mesh on the sleeves, perfecting fitting her style, and there were even cute cat ears sewn into the hood. For a moment, she felt a little less like the outcast she’d always been and more like someone who mattered.

Feeling a bit lighter on her feet, she finished packing what she wanted to immediately bring home, then made her way to the hospital lobby. She thanked the nurses she crossed paths with on the way out, signed one last form, and finally headed out.

The moment she stepped outside, however, she was nearly blinded by an unexpected storm of camera flashes.

“Kang Ji-Hye! Over here!”

“Miss Kang, can you tell us what happened in the dungeon?”

“Are the rumors true? Have you truly awakened as a Hunter?"

The onslaught of reporters swarmed her, shoving microphones and cameras in her face. Their voices overlapped, each one shouting louder than the last. Ji-Hye froze, overwhelmed by the sheer chaos.

“Uh, I—” she stammered, taking a step back.

Before she could actually say anything, though, two men in sharp suits suddenly pushed through the crowd, their presence commanding enough to make the reporters hesitate.

“Step back!” one of them barked, his voice firm and authoritative.

The reporters reluctantly gave way as a third man approached Ji-Hye. He was tall and composed, his sharp features softened by a polite smile.

“Miss Kang, my name is Woo Jin-Chul,” he said, holding out a business card. “I’m the Chief Inspector of the Hunters Association’s Surveillance Team. Would you mind coming with us? There are many things to discuss, and we can safely escort you home afterward.”

Ji-Hye glanced between him and the sea of reporters. The limousine parked nearby didn’t exactly scream trustworthy, and before she could stop herself, the words slipped out.

“You don’t look like the Hunters Association. You look like members of a crime syndicate.”

To her surprise, the man chuckled softly, clearly amused. “I assure you, we’re legitimate. But I can understand your hesitation. Here’s my card—feel free to verify it.”

Ji-Hye took the card, reading it carefully. The man’s credentials seemed official enough, but she still took a moment to look at the Hunter Associations’ website, where the more prominent members were listed, including him. He was legit, at the very least, and the thought of staying with the reporters was far less appealing.

“Okay,” she said, slipping the card into her pocket. “I’ll go with you.”

Woo Jin-Chul opened the car door for her, and she slid into the luxurious interior, feeling entirely out of place. The moment the door closed, muffling the shouts of the reporters, Ji-Hye couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief.

“Thank you,” she muttered, leaning back against the seat.

“You’re very welcome,” Woo Jin-Chul replied with a faint smile. “You’ve had quite the eventful week, haven’t you, Miss Kang? Honestly, these reporters have no decency.”

She couldn’t help but crack a small smile at his genuinely exasperated expression. As the car drove away from the hospital, Ji-Hye stared out the window, her thoughts a whirlwind of uncertainty. She didn’t know if it was procedure for the Association to personally escort every newly awakened, but she had a feeling her life was about to take yet another unexpected turn.

Chapter Text

The Hunters Association headquarters was rather intimidating, and Ji-Hye couldn’t help but shrink a little on herself as she felt the stares of the passing staff weighing on her, whispers seemingly following her in every hallway. She didn’t know why, but the people around her seemed all manners of excited, nervous, or even doubtful.

What even is going on, here?

She was taken up to the last floor of the building, then led to a pair of doors, where Woo Jin-Chul knocked. After a moment, he opened one of the doors for her and gestured for her to go inside, which she hesitantly did. He didn’t follow her, though, and simply closed the door as soon as she went in. Before she could ponder on it, she noticed a fairly older man standing near one of the windows. Broad-shouldered, his hair completely white, and with a large scar on his face. She recognized him as the Chairman of the Hunters Association, one of the most powerful men in the country – both in influence and literal power, as one of the few S-Class Hunters in South Korea.

“Hello,” he greeted, offering her a friendly smile. He walked over, extending his hand in a western greeting. “I am Go Gun-Hee, the Chairman of South Korea’s Hunters Association. It’s very nice to meet you.”

“Li- likewise, Chairman. I am Kang Ji-Hye,” she replied, hesitantly shaking his hand while offering an awkward half-bow.

She felt a bit ridiculous, honestly. His hand completely dwarfed hers and, maybe because she was now an awakened, she could feel the stupid amount of power the man possessed, akin to a blinding beacon.

“Come, take a seat and make yourself comfortable. I’m sure you have many questions.”

She simply nodded, and they went to sit on the couches nearby, where a tray of snacks and some tea had already been prepared. She couldn’t help but stare enviously at the food – she was famished, but good manners made her wait for the Chairman to serve himself, first. Which he seemed to notice, because he laughed.

“Eat as you wish, Miss Kang – I’m aware you only just came out of the hospital, so I’m sure you’re starving for some real food.”

“T- then, thank you, Chairman.”

She really was starving. As she started eating, she felt herself relax a bit, though there was still a certain amount of nervousness she couldn’t shake off.

“Am I…” She gulped, fearing the answer a bit. “Am I in trouble?”

This didn’t seem like one of the questions the Chairman was expecting. He leaned back a back, obviously surprised.

“Trouble?”

“W- well, I’m a civilian who illegally entered a Gate, so… I don’t know.”

“Well, while I cannot publicly commend you for recklessly endangering your life, I’m certainly not about to scold you, my dear,” he chuckled, finally understanding. “You showed great bravery and a whole lot of smarts in there, from what I’ve been told. Your awakening aside, you rescued the children and their caretaker, and used some decent first-aid to treat the more serious injuries. You also did everything you could to ensure their safety, and got injured in the process as well. What you did… Even some more seasoned Hunters would have hesitated to jump in. But you didn’t. And thanks to you, we avoided a great tragedy. So no, Miss Kang, you aren’t in trouble – in fact, I’d like to thank you.” He suddenly bowed. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you, for saving them.”

“That- that’s really not necessary,” she assured, a bit embarrassed. “Please, it’s fine.”

He sat back up. Ji-Hye was a bit mortified. If her mother learned one of the most powerful men in the country had bowed to her, she’d never hear the end of it.

“Well, if I’m not in trouble, then why am I here?” she asked, admittedly relieved. “Is it protocol for you to meet every single person that awakens as a Hunter? It seems pretty time-consuming, honestly.”

The Chairman let out a laugh. “Ah! No, thankfully – my schedule is already full as is.”

“Then why am I here?”

“Because we suspect you to be a bit different than our average awakened Hunter,” he admitted, picking up one of the cups of tea. Ji-Hye only then noticed there were three. Why are there three cups? “For one, it’s already quite rare for minors to awaken, as I’m sure you are aware. There are lectures in school set to help prepare you in case it does happen but, truth of the matter is, underage Hunters aren’t all that common. Some studies show that bodies under a certain age simply aren’t able to withstand the power that comes with being awakened, so they’re only very rarely triggered when in a situation of high stress and high mana exposure. But of course, our knowledge on Gates and those powers are still very limited, so those are all mostly theories.”

“Right.” She vaguely remembered some of that information from a lecture a couple of months ago. She was a bit curious, now . “What’s the youngest recorded age for an awakening? Not just in South Korea, I mean. Do you know?”

“Yes, I believe it was a seven-year-old boy, from Norway,” he said, stroking his beard as he thought it over. “Unfortunately, he died shortly after. His body was… destroyed from the inside, unable to withstand the pressure caused by his mana.”

“… Oh.” There she was, getting scared again. She was so damn tired of being scared. “Is- is that a risk for me, too? I’m older, but…”

“It is a potential risk,” he admitted, his tone gentle. “But you underwent many tests while in the hospital and, for now, your vitals are completely stable, from what I’ve been told. I would strongly recommend going back for a monthly check-up, however. And if you decide to pursue the path of a Hunter, then a weekly check-up will become mandatory until you become of age.”

“Right, because I’ll become more frequently exposed to high levels of mana,” she understood, feeling a bit overwhelmed, now.

“Quite so. However, there is another matter—”

The double doors suddenly swung open, startling Ji-Hye so badly she choked on the little snack she’d started eating.

“Sorry I’m late, Chairman – you know how merciless our schedules can be.”

“Ah, Baek,” greeted the Chairman. “Glad you could make it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” assured the man, before sparing Ji-Hye a grin. “Glad to see you back on your feet, kiddo. How are you holding up?”

“Err… Okay? I think?” She didn’t quite understand why the leader of the White Tiger Guild was here, too, but she quickly remembered her manners and jumped to her feet to offer him a deep bow. “T- thank you, for saving my life! I didn’t have the strength to thank you properly back then, so…”

He laughed, roughly ruffling her back as he sat on the last couch, between her and the chairman.

“Don’t worry about it, just doing my job,” he assured. “So? Did you tell her yet?”

“No, I was just getting to that part,” replied the Chairman. “Miss Kang, we already have procedures in place to help underaged Hunters and provide the resources they need to safely grow into their powers, without necessarily throwing away their studies. All of this will be explained to you once you get officially registered.”

“… but there’s something else,” she completed, biting her lower lip.

“Look, let’s just stop beating around the bush, you’re making the poor girl nervous,” snorted Baek Yoon-Ho, crossing his arms behind his head as he leaned back, now staring intently at her with a small, almost eager grin. “Kid, we’ve got reasons to believe that you’re S-rank.”

Chapter Text

Ji-Hye's mind drew a blank. She blinked a few times, trying to process what he’d just said. At first thinking they were pranking her, she then noticed how serious they looked, and her heart started hammering in her chest.

Me? S-rank?

“What?” she finally let out. “You can’t be serious. I’m not—I can’t—there’s no way!”

“Feeling one’s own power is much more difficult than feeling someone else’s. You probably feel mine and the Chairman’s but, truth of the matter is, yours feel on the same level,” insisted Baek Yoon-Ho. “Of course, there’s no way of knowing for certain until you’ve been tested, but we’ve become pretty good at spotting the rare S-ranks that do pop up—”

“No,” she cut, rising to her feet. “No, you’re wrong. Maybe- maybe I’m a C-rank or- or a B-rank even, but there’s absolutely no way—”

“Kid, you’re underestimating yourself,” snorted the Baek Yoon-Ho.

“I’m not S-rank! I could never…” She shook her head, picking up her bag. “I need to go.”

“Wait, Miss Kang—”

She shook her head again, rushing toward the door. As she passed by the White Tiger's leader to leave, however, he tried to grab her arm – and was promptly blasted away, right through the wall of the Chairman’s office. Ji-Hye gawked for a few seconds, before looking down at her trembling hands in horror.

Did I… Did I do that…?

“I’m sorry,” she choked out, panicking. Now she was definitely in trouble. She’d just attacked a S-rank Hunter. Was he dead? Did she just kill him? She was definitely headed for prison, now. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…!”

“Miss Kang? Miss Kang, I need you to breathe,” urged gently the Chairman. When had he gotten so close to her? “Miss Kang… Ji-Hye, breathe. It’s okay.”

“It- it’s not okay! He- he might be dead…!”

“Trust me, dear, it’ll take a whole lot more than a simple office wall to kill that man – though it’ll certainly teach him not to grab a lady in the future,” he snorted.

He looked much more amused than mad, but Ji-Hye could hardly see it through her sight blurred by tears. When did she even start crying?

“I- I broke your wall,” she choked out.

“Wouldn’t be the worst damage this office sustained over the years,” he chuckled. “It’ll be repaired in no time. I promise, everything is alright. You’re not in trouble, Ji-Hye.”

She found it a little easier to breathe. So she wasn’t going to prison for the rest of her life?

“Ugh…” Baek Yoon-Ho stumbled back in through the hole in the wall, covered in plaster dust from head to toe. “You sure pack a punch, girlie…”

“I- I’m so sorry…!”

“This brute should be the one apologizing – he had no business grabbing you,” assured the Chairman, shooting the other man a warning look as he helped her up.

Baek Yoon-Ho looked a bit sheepish. “Right. Sorry about that, kid. I probably scared you, huh? I deserved that one, if anything.”

Before she could protest or reply, the doors of the office were kicked open as Woo Jin-Chul and a bunch of other armed men rushed into the Chairman’s office. Ji-Hye groaned, pulling her legs against her and hiding her face behind her knees, now downright embarrassed.

Chapter Text

“Okay. Okay. You think I’m S-rank. What does that mean for me, exactly?”

It had taken almost half-an-hour to get through the momentary chaos caused by Ji-Hye blasting the White Tiger Guild’s leader through the Chairman’s office wall. Once assured that no, it hadn’t been an attempt on anyone’s life and yes, Ji-Hye felt better now and she could continue the conversation, they moved to a nearby conference room to continue.

Ji-Hye still could hardly wrap her head around what they were telling her, but there was no point in sticking to denial. In the worst-case scenario, they were right – meaning she had to brace herself and gather as much knowledge as possible.

“There will be expectations from the Government and the general public,” admitted the Chairman. “S-rank are rare enough in this country, as you’re aware, but the obligations generally attributed to Hunters of higher ranks… clash, somewhat, with some of your innate rights as an underage citizen.”

“In other words, not everyone will be into the whole ‘child soldier’ image,” she deadpanned.

“Neither are we,” assured the Chairman. “Whatever comes next, it will be your choice, and your choice alone. We’re simply here to ensure the transition into this new chapter of your life is done efficiently and with as little grief as manageable.”

“S-ranks are the stars of a country, but you’re a child – your voluntary involvement in Dungeon raids or other sanctioned operations will definitely attract a lot of unwanted attention. You’ll need a good PR team to manage your image and defend your choices, whatever they may be,” explained Baek Yoon-Ho.

“If you decide to pursue the path of a professional Hunter, or if you decide to ignore it altogether, will be up to you. But many will seek to take advantage of your young age and potentially force you into a position you do not want,” sighed the Chairman, obviously aggrieved by the thought. “The Hunters Association is going to do everything in its power to ensure you can live the life you desire, Miss Kang… but truth of the matter is, it won’t be easy. People will judge your every decision, and they’ll be even more critical of you because you’re so young. I simply want you… to be prepared, to deal with such criticism.”

“The easiest way to deal with all of it would be to join a Guild with a good reputation,” then said Baek Yoon-Ho. “You’ll have the resources necessary to not only train your abilities, but also keep on living with a semblance of privacy. It’ll placate those more determined to send you to the front, so to speak, seeing as you’d be under the tutelage of more experienced Hunters, and it would also calm down those more principled in regard to children’s rights and whatnot.”

“That’s why you’re here,” she belatedly realized, and there was a moment of silence as the two men shared a brief glance. “You’re here to recruit me.”

Baek Yoon-Ho sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Your tone makes it sound really nefarious. Look, you’ve got potential, and you have a good head on your shoulders. If you really do decide to become a Hunter, you’d become an incredible asset to this country. And if you’d rather never step foot in a Dungeon again, well, I think you’d still benefit from some proper training, so as to avoid another explosive incident.”

“And if I’m not S-rank, after all?” she challenged.

“Then the offer still stands,” he assured without missing a beat. “Even if you end up E-rank, I don’t care. You’ve got heart and you’ve got guts, and that’s what matters to me. I want to help you, kid – and I’ve a feeling you don’t have many people willing to do that.”

“Baek,” snapped the Chairman.

“Ouch,” blinked Ji-Hye, a bit taken aback. “Kind of a low blow, but fair. But! There’s one thing you haven’t considered.”

“Is there?”

“Yup!” She couldn’t help but grin a bit. “The fact that I want to go solo.”

Both men startled a bit at that, obviously not expecting this turn of situation.

“Miss Kang, you intend on becoming an independent Hunter?” repeated the Chairman.

“I’ve had a long time to think, after waking up in the hospital. I’ve come to realize that I didn’t care about my rank then – I’ve been given a power capable of protecting people, and that’s what I want to do,” she admitted, looking down at her hands. “I want to be a Hunter, that much I know. If you think I’m S-rank, that kind of throws off my initial plans, sure, but my intention is the same.”

“But why become independent?” insisted the Chairman.

“Because I don’t want to be tied down by bureaucracy,” she admitted bluntly. “This power… There’s a lot I can do, I think. But joining a Guild will tie my hands. I’ll have to constantly defer to someone in a higher position than me, I’ll have to follow a bunch of rules I might not agree with… I want to be able to make my own decisions, all the way.” She clenched her fists a bit, trying to find the right words to justify herself. “Just… For example, if there’s a Dungeon Break on the other side of the city, and it’s not in my Guild’s jurisdiction, what happens? Of course, reinforcements will be sent to help minimize the damage. But what if I could have prevented it from happening at all, and I didn’t because it wasn’t my Guild’s responsibility, and another Guild might complain about me stepping on their toes? Or what if I can’t save as many people because I’m forced to wait while we’re getting a better layout of the situation? I- I don’t think that’s right. I don’t want that.”

Baek Yoon-ho leaned back in his seat, his arms crossed over his chest as he stared her down, obviously considering everything she’d just said.

“You want full agency,” he summarized. “Basically, you want to be able to do whatever the hell you want without any backlash whatsoever.”

“Yup, pretty much.”

“Ah!” He let out a laugh akin to a rumble. “Well, the good news is, if you’re really S-rank, then this kind of freedom basically comes with the title. It’s an open secret that the law only applies to those of S-rank willing to respect it, after all. But even if you aren’t S-rank after all, I’m willing to level with you. You want full agency? Alright, you’ve got it.”

“I—what? Just like that?” she blinked.

“Look, not to toot my own horn, but my Guild’s in a pretty good position, public wise,” he pointed out. “Whatever you end up doing, there’s very little that could actually, genuinely affect our image. And I’ll talk to the other Guild leaders, let them know we’ve got a sort-of rogue agent who may or may not get involved in their affairs from time to time. Even if they don’t like it, they won’t be able to complain about you saving lives, anyway.”

“If you’re capable of reaching an agreement, I do believe it would be for the best for you to join the White Tiger Guild, Miss Kang,” then said the Chairman, looking a bit amused by the entire exchange. “They’re fully capable of providing you with the resources you’ll need to train your powers and do exactly what you want with them.”

Ji-Hye thought it over for a moment. “Do I… have to decide now?”

“Of course not,” immediately replied Baek Yoon-Ho. He pulled out a card and handed it to her. “Here, that’s my number. Take your time thinking it over and if you have any other questions, feel free to reach out. If I don’t answer personally, then my assistant will. Though, I’d strongly advise you make a decision before going to get evaluated – things tend to get a bit messy when a new S-rank pops up, so it’d give us some time to prepare.”

“I understand,” she said, gratefully accepting his business card. “And… just to be sure but, as a Hunter, I’m fully emancipated, right? I don’t need a legal guardian with me to co-sign an employment contract, do I?”

“That is correct, though I’d advise you bring someone you trust, anyway, if only so you can fully understand the agreement you come to,” pointed out the Chairman, frowning a bit.

“It’s fine, I know how to read,” she snorted, shaking her head. “Anyway, I’m all out of questions, for now. Was there another life crisis you wanted to throw my way or am I free to go, now?”

Baek Yoon-Ho snorted a bit. “Nah, I think we’re good. Chairman?”

“Yes, I think we’ve covered everything. Jin-Chul will take you home.” They all rose to their feet, and the Chairman extended his hand with a small smile. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Kang. Whatever path you decide to follow as a Hunter, it warms my old heart to know we’ll be able to count on you in the future.”

“Just… doing what’s right, is all,” she shrugged, a bit discomforted by the praise as she shook his hand once more.

She bowed to the two of them for good measure, then finally left. As soon as she stepped out of the conference room, she felt like she could breathe just a little easier again. These men really were intimidating.

How can they possibly think I’m on their level of power, honestly…?

Chapter Text

Ji-Hye thought long and hard about Baek Yoon-Ho’s offer. She’d looked through their entire website, read through all of the benefits they publicly advertised, and read as many staff members’ and former staff members’ reviews she could get her hands on.

In the end, she realized that she’d long since made her choice.

“Baek Yoon-Ho.”

“Hello, Mister Baek. It’s Kang Ji-Hye.”

“Oh, kid! Nice to hear from you. What can I do for you?”

“I’m in,” she blurted out, flushing a bit at how desperate she sounded. “I- I mean, I’d like to join your Guild. If the offer still stands, you know.”

There was half-a-second of silence before his rumbling laugh echoed. “Kid, it’s been two days – of course it still stands. Tell you what, I’ll have a first draft of the contract written up and sent to you before the end of the day. Read it over, make notes, and we’ll go over it together in… three days? Is three days good with you?”

“Yup, it’s fine.” It was a school day, but whatever. “Do I need to bring anything?”

“A couple of things – I’ll have a list sent along with the draft.”

“Okay. Thanks, Mister Baek.”

“Sure thing, kid. See you in three days.”

As she hung up, Ji-Hye heaved out a small sigh. Now that she’d made her decision, she felt both excited and terrified.

Ugh, I don’t even want to think about how my family’s gonna react…

.

The Hunters Association had managed to keep her identity from the media, but a few videos of her jumping through the Gate, and then later on being carried out, had still made it on the internet – hence how her mother had found out. Her status as a newly awakened hunter had been hushed, however. The reporters who’d assaulted her when coming out of the hospital had apparently been forced to let go of that tidbit of information – some obscure law related to her status as an underaged citizen.

Of course, almost all of the anonymity would go out the window the moment her rank was revealed (if she really was S-Class) but, for now, not enough people knew or cared about her to realize she was the girl from the videos, meaning the next few days back to school were fairly peaceful. She still felt strangely disconnected from her peers but, for once, it didn’t have anything to do with her general appearance or attitude.

She’d also carefully read over the draft of the contract she’d been sent, and everything seemed in order. She’d made like, three notes on things she wanted to ask more questions about but, overall, she was satisfied with the conditions offered.

Namely, the lodgings that would be provided.

With this, I’ll truly be able to cut all ties to my family…

After all, even though she’d been mostly emancipated before awakening as a Hunter, in the eyes of the law, she was still her family’s responsibility. As such, they paid for her shitty apartment, so she’d stay out of the way. They’d been all too happy to see her go when she first decided to move out, but they always lorded that financial responsibility over her head.

No more, she thought. I’ll show them I can achieve great things, too!

So, it was with blatant determination that she packed everything she needed for the day, then headed out. She’d been ready to grab a bus, so she was quite surprised when she found a sleek black car parked in the street, with none other than Woo Jin-Chul leaning against it, obviously waiting for her.

“Good morning!” she greeted, pleasantly surprised.

“Good morning, Miss Kang,” he greeted back, smiling lightly. “You look in much better spirits than the last time we saw each other.”

“Yeah, the wonders of sleeping in your own bed for a few days,” she snorted. “Are you here to give me a ride to the White Tiger Guild’s headquarters?”

“Just so,” he confirmed, opening the door for her.

She got in, narrowing her eyes a bit as he sat behind the wheel. “You know, I feel like you’re way overqualified for a chauffeur job.”

His lips tugged up in a small smirk. “You should tell that to the Chairman. But if it can reassure you, I’m perfectly happy taking you to where you need to go. If anything, it gives me a break from the endless paperwork.”

“Fair enough. Say, what exactly does an Inspector do, anyway?”

They made light conversation for the full twenty-minutes ride. Ji-Hye found that she quite liked Woo Jin-Chul – he was a perfect gentleman with a bit of a snarky side. As they arrived, though, she was quite surprised when he also got out of the car and followed her inside.

“Do you need to meet with Mister Baek as well?” she asked, curious.

“Actually, I was asked to also accompany you to act as your legal counsel,” he admitted with a small shrug. “Chairman Go was a bit worried about you signing a contract on your own, so he’s asked me to assist in the proceedings. Is that alright with you?”

Surprised, she then shrugged. “Sure, I don’t mind. I don’t think it’ll take long, anyway.”

Chapter Text

“—and what of the provided lodgings? If Miss Kang decides she no longer wishes to work for your Guild, you’re still basically holding her hostage by holding her living accommodations over her head. Add a clause stipulating she will be able to keep the provided lodgings for a set amount of time even after her contract is ended, so she won’t have to worry about losing her home the moment she wants to leave.”

“Good call. How much time would you estimate as fair?”

“Three months.”

“Let’s make it six, then.”

Ji-Hye sat beside Woo Jin-Chul, dazed. They’d been in this office for over almost two hours now, Woo Jin-Chul taking his role as legal counsel very seriously and pouring over every single detail of the contract, making suggestions and mending pretty much every single clause, even regarding stuff Ji-Hye genuinely did not understand.

I guess there’s more to contracts than I anticipated…

Baek Yoon-Ho didn’t seem fazed in the least, though. In fact, he was pretty amenable and did pretty much all of the alterations suggested or required by Woo Jin-Chul.

“Good. Moving on, it says here that she is required to participate in mandatory training at a minimum of twenty hours a week, but she’s still in school and will obviously need more time to properly balance everything.”

“Fair enough. We can lower it to ten—” Baek Yoon-ho paused, his mind suddenly clicking, and he narrowed his eyes. “Wait a minute… It’s Wednesday.”

Woo Jin-Chul paused, confused. “Yes?”

Baek Yoon-Ho turned to Ji-Hye. “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”

The same realization finally hit Woo Jin-Chul, who groaned softly, but Ji-Hye simply shrugged, not exactly bothered.

“I’m skipping.”

“Obviously,” huffed Baek Yoon-Ho. He quickly wrote down some more notes. “I’m adding a clause stipulating you can’t skip classes unless you’re sick, out on a job, or with permission from an adult in charge.”

“What? You can’t do that!” she immediately protested, annoyed.

“No, he can’t,” assured Woo Jin-Chul, rolling his eyes a bit as he promptly scratched out the clause the other man had hastily added. “But you really shouldn’t skip school, Miss Kang. Your education is still important, even if you’re set on becoming a Hunter.”

“I know, I know. Obviously, I’ve still got a lot to learn – I have no clue what over half the words you’ve been using even mean,” she snorted, and they had the decency to at least look a little sheepish. She then had a thought. “Wait, can you add a clause? I want to be able to leave school without issue if I’m called in for an emergency.”

The last thing she wanted was a bunch of teachers on her case because she ran out of class to save half the city or something (and okay, yes, maybe she was starting to let her imagination run a little wild, but whatever).

“That’s a good idea,” relented Baek Yoon-Ho. “We can arrange a meeting with your school’s headmaster to explain the situation, once it becomes relevant.”

They mended a few more clauses, mostly to do with logistics, and Ji-Hye admittedly tuned that part out a bit. Even though it was important and pretty much her entire nearby future on paper, it was boring! But she tuned back in when she realized they were almost done.

“Alright, all that’s left is the more basic information to fill out,” concluded Baek Yoon-Ho, pulling out a few other papers and handing them over. “One is a lease agreement in accordance with everything we’ve just discussed – as in, all-included and paid for by the Guild, with a small fee taken from your pay earned during the mandatory monthly mission. And the rest is just basic information we need for your employee file.”

This, she could do. She signed where she needed to, filled out the blanks, and quickly worked her way through the last few papers. But then, just as she thought it was over, she reached the part about emergency contacts.

Well, shit.

“Everything alright, Miss Kang?”

“Yeah, it’s just…” It was a bit uncomfortable to mention, but there wasn’t really a point in hiding it. “Honestly, I’m trying to cut all ties with my family, so putting any of them down as my emergency contact feels a little… uncomfortable. Do I really need one?”

Baek Yoon-Ho scratched his head a bit. “I’d rather you did, kid. A Hunter’s job is already pretty risky, but we’re allowing you a hell of a lot more freedom than your average Hunter, which does mean a hell of a lot more risks. If anything happens…”

She snorted, a bit bitterly as she tapped the pen on the table. “They’d just complain about having to pay for the funeral.” A slightly uncomfortable silence fell over the room, and Ji-Hye sighed, before another idea popped in her head. “Hey, can’t I just put Mister Woo down as my emergency contact? If that’s alright with you, Mister Woo.”

The man blinked a couple times, obviously taken aback by the request. “Are you… sure, Miss Kang?”

“I mean, it’s more of a formality than anything else. And if anything does happen, it kind of sucks to admit that you’re one of the only adults who hasn’t outright screwed me over yet, so I’d rather it be you.” She shifted, now a bit embarrassed. “If… you don’t mind, of course. Sorry to spring this on you.”

“No, it’s quite alright, Miss Kang. If that is your preferred course of action, then I personally see no issue with it,” he assured. He offered her a small smile, and she couldn’t help but smile back, relieved. “Allow me to fill this out, then.”

Wow, Mister Woo really is quite nice!

“Alright, everything looks in order,” concluded Baek Yoon-Ho, gathering all of the papers into a single folder. “I’ll have a copy of all the documents forwarded to you, kid, and to Chairman Go as well – I know the meddling old man will manage to get his hands on it one way or another, anyway.”

“So… what now?” she asked, a bit unsure.

“Well, moving out right now might be for the best. As soon as your rank is revealed, the general public will go nuts, and there's a high risk the more adamant reporters will find your current apartment before long,” sighed her brand-new employer. “Have you talked to your landlord already?”

“Yes, everything’s settled with her.”

Ji-Hye’s landlord, an old woman who could hardly even walk up the stairs anymore, had been quite kind and understanding when Ji-Hye came to break her lease. Ji-Hye had offered to pay the breaking fee out of pocket, since she didn’t want her parents to find out until she’d moved out, but the old woman had refused and simply wished her good luck.

“So, moving out as quickly as possible. And then… the evaluation.”

“And the whole lot of fame and trouble that’ll come with it,” snorted Baek Yoon-Ho.

“Right.”

Soon.

Soon, she’d find out if she truly was a S-rank Hunter.

Chapter Text

Ji-Hye nervously readjusted the black face mask, pulling it tight over her nose. It felt a little difficult to breathe, but she knew it was just in her head, and the mask was a necessary precaution if she wanted to maintain her anonymity a bit longer. After all, there were reporters hidden all around the entrance of the Bureau, just waiting for the opportunity to get a scoop on the newest additions to the Guilds of South Korea.

Waiting for someone like her to show up.

Even if I’m not S-rank after all, Mister Baek is still convinced I’m in the high ranges of B or A rank, which will still make some waves since Hunters above D-rank are generally one in five thousand, she recalled, mostly to try and calm down her nerves a bit.

Mister Baek had offered to send someone with her, but she didn’t want her affiliation with the White Tiger Guild to become public knowledge too quickly – not until they’d put out the official statement, at the very least.

The door to the testing room opened, and a regular-looking man came out, appearing the slightest bit dejected – but as soon as he got past the waiting space, he was immediately greeted by a pair of scouting agents, and he promptly perked up.

Even D-ranks are pretty sought after, if only to fill Gate quotas…

So what if she’d brushed up on her knowledge about Gates in the last few weeks? Now that she was a Hunter, it was only right that she paid more attention.

“Number 011?”

She exhaled shakily, shoving her hands in her pockets as she rose from her seat. The movement drew some attention from the other four or five people also waiting to be called in for their rank evaluation – be it because her style frankly stood out, or because she looked way too young to be there, she couldn’t tell.

She reached the door where the evaluator, a middle-aged woman with glasses and a kind smile, greeted her. Ji-Hye bowed shortly and followed her inside.

Well, this feels a bit underwhelming…

The room wasn’t all that spacious, with a bunch of wires running all over the floor, and a single, gigantic sphere of metal standing in the middle – twice her size, which was a bit impressive, but Ji-Hye somehow expected something much more intimidating. There were also a lot of panels and buttons, behind which the evaluator went to stand.

“Miss, the process is very simple,” said the evaluator, jotting down something on her notepad. “Stand before the sphere, place your hand on it, and project your mana forward. No need to activate offensive abilities or try to project more than you can – even if it’s only a little, the machine will be able to determine the density of your mana without issue.”

“In other words, don’t break it,” summarized Ji-Hye, gulping a bit as she came to stand before the sphere. “I’m guessing some people think that being more aggressive will somehow give them a higher rank?”

“Yes, well, rumors about brute strength determining your rank did go around for a while, so now we’re forced to make that speech for every new Hunter,” admitted sheepishly her evaluator. “But anyways, could you state your full name for the record?”

“Kang Ji-Hye.”

“Thank you. Then, whenever you’re ready, Miss Kang.”

Ji-Hye nodded, slowly placing her slightly shaking hand on the sphere. It was oddly warm to the touch, and slightly vibrating underneath her palm. She could also sense a foreign source of power inside – probably the high-level mana stones used to power it.

Well, here goes nothing.

She projected just a bit of mana, just like Mister Baek had shown her – she hadn’t actively trained her new abilities just yet, since she legally needed her rank recorded in order to have access to the Guild’s training facilities. The sphere before her started glowing. Sparsely, at first. But then, a golden, swirling light quickly overtook the massive structure, shining brighter and brighter until it got too much and Ji-Hye had to look away, taking a few steps back as she did so. The moment she pulled away, the light diminished until it vanished altogether, and she let out a shaky breath, relieved she hadn’t accidentally broken the machine.

“Mi- Miss Kang…”

“Oh, right.” She abruptly remembered the other lady in the room. “What’s my rank?”

The woman looked shellshocked, openly gawking at the screen before her. Her heart beating a little quicker, Ji-Hye quickly went over to look at the screen, and was a bit surprised to find the giant ‘ERROR’ message flashing in red on it.

Shoot, I did break it after all!

“I’m so sorry!” she immediately exclaimed, bowing deeply. “I really tried not to project too much mana, but the machine reacted so strongly…! I- I really didn’t mean to break it, I’ll find a way to pay back for the damages somehow—”

“Miss- Miss Kang!” exclaimed the evaluator, her glasses almost flying off as she spun to face the younger girl, an elated grin splitting her face. “You didn’t break the machine – not in that sense! Your mana levels are simply too high for the mana meter to properly evaluate them! Just—give me a moment!”

The woman rushed out of the testing room without another word, leaving Ji-Hye a bit befuddled. If she didn’t break the machine, then why was it freaking out? Was it set to only evaluate up to C-rank? Was there a more powerful machine? The woman returned moments later with two men, obviously her supervisors. They all gathered around the panels, speaking a bit too quickly and in half-sentences, obviously dumbstruck. Finally, they quieted down as the oldest man in the group turned to her.

“Miss Kang, your mana levels are, put simply, impossible to measure with our current mana meter,” he admitted, appearing a bit breathless. “Thankfully, we were pre-warned of this possibility by the Chairman, so we already have permission to use a more advanced mana meter. If you could follow me?”

So I really didn’t break anything! Thank God…

Chapter Text

With a small bow to the stunned staff members, Ji-Hye followed the older supervisor to another room. She shrunk a bit more on herself as she felt the weight of the stares following her, people obviously wondering just what was up with her, and why the evaluation staff was making such a commotion. They entered another room, where another mana-meter was already prepped and waiting. There were a couple of people present as well, such as another bespectacled evaluator, a couple of men in sleek black suits keeping watch, and—

“What the hell?” she muttered.

Baek Yoon-Ho grinned cheerily and offered her a wave, while Woo Jin-Chul pushed up his glasses a bit – how could he always look this cool, seriously? Chairman Go was here as well, for some reason, chatting in low tones with a red-haired man she had yet to meet – it took her a second to recognize him as the Hunters Guild's Master. They broke from their conversation when she entered, though.

“What are you all doing here?” she asked, just a bit exasperated. “Didn’t we agree to keep this on the down-low?”

“Technically, it’s just good procedure,” assured Mister Baek, still grinning – he was obviously getting a kick out of irking her. “Usually, there’s a grace period of three days for a more advanced evaluation, so as to give the Hunters Association a chance to poach—” Mister Woo coughed not-so-subtly, and Mister Baek promptly corrected himself. “Ahem, I mean, to fairly recruit exceptional individuals.”

“And I’m guessing that Guild Masters with the right connections get an early shot at it too, huh?” she mused. “But why even make me go through the first test, then?”

“To keep up appearances, mostly,” admitted Mister Woo. “It was decided that we would skip the grace period altogether to facilitate your protection, and ensure your identity isn’t leaked until the official press release.”

“Oh, okay. Makes sense, I guess.”

“Miss Kang,” then called out Chairman Go, approaching with a small smile. “I’m sure you’ve recognized him, but allow me to introduce Choi Jong-In, the Guild Master of Hunters Guild. He’s expressed an interest in observing your evaluation, if that’s alright with you.”

“Yeah, and try to poach her while he’s at it,” grumbled Baek Yoon-Ho, crossing his arms over his chest.

Choi Jong-In offered her a smile, and she was a bit disturbed to find she couldn’t tell if it was genuine or not. The man seemed like the smart sort, the kind that liked to stack the odds to his advantage until the only option left for his opponent was a crushing defeat.

“My name is Kang Ji-Hye. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mister Choi,” she greeted.

“A pleasure to meet you as well, Miss Kang,” he replied, shaking her hand. He at least sounded sincere. “And it’s not poaching if she simply decides that I can offer a better deal, is it? After she finds your own Guild lacking, that is.”

“You little punk—!”

“How’d you even know about me?” she asked, a bit curious.

But Baek Yoon-Ho and Choi Jong-In were now locked into an argument, one that had been a long time coming, if the tension between the two was anything to go by. She clicked her tongue, a bit annoyed at being ignored. Chairman Go didn’t seem perturbed in the least, obviously used to two of the most powerful men in the country clashing wills, while Woo Jin-Chul only looked slightly exasperated.

He leaned down a bit to answer her.

“It’s an open secret that all of the Guilds have informants in the other Guilds, to keep an eye on their assets and try to stay ahead of the curve, so to speak,” he answered in a low tone. “It helps maintain the power balance between all five Guilds, in a way. Though, with you joining the White Tiger Guild, that balance has definitely been shaken.”

“They have spies in each other’s Guilds?” she repeated, dumbstruck. She couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. “That’s so childish!”

Mister Woo cracked a brief smile at that, obviously sharing her thought, while Chairman Go let out a sharp laugh of his own. This finally seemed to shake the other two from their argument, and Chairman Go clasped his hands together.

“Let’s not waste any more time, then. Miss Kang, feel free to proceed with your evaluation.”

“Oh, right.”

She’d briefly forgotten why she was there. Bracing herself again, she joined the bespectacled evaluator next to the more advanced mana-meter. It was a much bigger sphere, and she could sense a lot more power emanating from it. There was also a lot more machinery, obviously an attempt to glean more details from the evaluation.

“First thing first, Miss Kang, we’ll have to sort you into a class,” explained the evaluator, a notepad in hand. “What exactly can you do with your abilities?”

“Oh. Um…”

She wasn’t quite sure how to explain it. After a moment, however, she felt the now familiar surge of power, and a golden light began shimmering over every inch of exposed skin. Pushing it forward, she struggled a bit, but eventually managed to create a dome surrounding everyone present.

“I can create magical barriers, I think they can take pretty much any shape I want them to,” she explained, struggling a bit to maintain it. It had been much easier when she’d been driven by the absolute need to protect others. “As far as I’m aware, nothing can get through, but I didn’t really get the chance to test that theory since the dungeon. The magic beasts didn’t even make a dent in it, though.”

“Incredible!” gasped the evaluator, placing a hand against the dome.

He wasn’t the only one. She’d forgotten Mister Baek was the only one who’d witnessed her abilities so far, and the others all seemed a little awed, poking and prodding at the immovable barrier with blatant curiosity. She couldn’t really blame them – her magic really was pretty! Chairman Go let out a soft, surprised noise when the light from the barrier seemed to spread over his hand. After a few seconds, it retreated, and he flexed his fingers slowly, his eyes widening a bit.

“I can’t feel any pain,” he mused. “My arthritis seems to have been alleviated.”

“Oh, yeah. The light can heal, too, but I don’t really know its range or limits. From what little I’ve tested, I can’t heal someone by touching them, though – they need to be inside my barrier for it to take effect,” she recalled.

“A Caster and a Healer? How peculiar,” mused Choi Jong-In. “Though, this barrier reminds me of another S-rank’s abilities – Yuri Orloff, from Russia.”

“Yeah, but that guy’s deal only works with the use of considerable amounts of mana crystals,” pointed out Mister Baek, grinning a bit. “This kid’s barrier is powered by her mana reserves alone – and that’s gonna make a hell of a difference.”

Yuri Orloff? I’ll have to look into that guy – if our abilities are similar, then maybe I can learn to use mine by copying some of his tricks…

“A- anything else, Miss Kang?” asked the evaluator, quickly jotting down notes.

“I don’t think so,” she shrugged, a bit embarrassed. “I don’t think I’ll be the offensive type, obviously.”

“Well, you did punt Baek through my office’s wall,” replied Chairman Go with an easygoing, definitely evil smile.

“That- that was an accident!!!” she protested, infinitely glad she was wearing a face mask so no one could see how red she’d become. “I didn’t mean to!”

“You got punted through a wall by a child?” deadpanned Choi Jong-In, though he was obviously entertained by the idea.

Woo Jin-Chul lifted his phone, his expression completely unreadable. “I have video footage from the Chairman’s office.”

“Okay, not the point here!” cut in Baek, coughing a bit. “All that to say, you definitely have some sort of offensive ability, even if you can’t pinpoint it yet. I already have a few theories, though – we’ll work on that, no worries.”

She nodded in agreement, admittedly a bit eager. She’d figured she’d get stuck in a support role, but having an offensive ability did bring about some interesting ideas.

In the end, they couldn’t really assign her a preexisting class, so they decided to create a new one: Protector. It didn’t mean much but at least it wouldn’t limit her abilities to a single assigned role during raids, at least on paper. There was a lot of bureaucratic stuff that Ji-Hye didn't entirely get, but she trusted her Guild Master to handle it and know better.

Then, once that was done, they proceeded with the actual second evaluation. Just as Ji-Hye was about to place her hand on the sphere, though, she hesitated.

“Right. You guys might want to close your eyes,” she warned.

She didn’t even bother checking if they followed her warning, and promptly placed her hand on the sphere. It started glowing even quicker and even brighter than the first one, even with the slightest amount of mana she projected. This time around, though, she didn’t back away in fear, and simply closed her eyes as the golden light grew blinding.

This is… my power…!

After a few seconds, she pulled away. It still took around twenty more seconds for the light to completely die down, though. When it did, she turned to the evaluator with an expecting grin – at this point, she knew there was only one right answer.

“Well?” she asked eagerly.

“Con- congratulations, Miss Kang!” stuttered out the evaluator, pushing up his glasses with slightly trembling hands. “You are officially South Korea’s 10^th S-rank!”

S-rank. I’m really S-rank.

It was both underwhelmingly expected and mind-numbingly terrifying, to finally receive the official title. She accepted the promptly printed license with a racing heart, taking in the sight of her name and picture, and the rank depicted on it.

“See?” Baek was suddenly there, grinning from ear to ear. “Told you!”

He laughed loudly, taunting Choi Jong-In about swiping a talented S-rank from right under his nose, and slapped Ji-Hye on the back without a second thought.

Well, tried to.

“Ah, ah, in your face Choi—ack!!!”

Ji-Hye flinched as golden light briefly flickered along her back, sparking against Baek Yoon-Ho’s hand – he was abruptly blasted away, violently colliding with the wall further back. He didn’t go through this time around, thankfully enough, but his body still left a clearly human-shaped imprint in the wall.

A heavy silence followed, only broken by Mister Baek’s soft groan, and Ji-Hye couldn’t help but facepalm.

Chapter Text

Ji-Hye looked around her new apartment with a smile. It was a lot more spacious than her previous one, with big windows that allowed a lot of light inside. It was also fairly high-up, meaning she didn’t have to worry about anyone invading her privacy – and it gave her a pretty great view of the entire city. And, since it was already furnished, all she had to worry about was decorating! So, she spent the entire day unpacking, putting up posters of her favorite groups, arranging anime figurines on her shelves, and organizing the admittedly absurd amount of makeup she owned.

It really was a breath of fresh air but, honestly, the biggest weight off her shoulder was her family’s Damocles sword finally off her neck. With the Hunters Association even sponsoring her studies – it was apparently common practice for them to do that for underage Hunters, to encourage them to stay in school – she no longer had any affiliations with her family, financial-wise.

Which left the most difficult part, of course.

I need to meet with them tonight, or all hell will break loose when they hear about it on the news tomorrow.

She briefly entertained abandoning her usual heavy makeup and her other somewhat outlandish fashion choices, if only to avoid causing even more trouble than necessary – but she quickly pushed that thought aside. Who cared what they thought? She was going there to cut ties, anyway. So, she picked her favorite dress, ensuring her tattoos were on display (they still believed they were real, and she’d never said anything to discourage that belief, which definitely didn’t help mend relationship), and she spent two hours on her extravagant and colorful makeup, even adding some pretty purple gems around her eyes, to match her hair.

When it was finally time to go, she slipped on her black face mask and headed out. Her new apartment wasn’t in the Guild’s Headquarters, but it was in a block owned by the Guild, and it was publicly known that many of its members lived there. She’d been warned a couple of reporters always lingered about because of this, so she needed to be extra careful if she wanted to preserve her anonymity just a bit longer.

She headed straight for the underground parking lot, where her ride was waiting.

“Honestly, Mister Woo, I’m starting to feel a bit spoiled,” she snorted, getting in the passenger seat. “How do you always end up driving me around?”

“I keep drawing the short lot, I’m afraid,” he drawled, though there was no bite to his tone. “Well, that and Chairman Go is particularly invested in your safety.”

“I think he’s projecting,” she pointed out, a bit bluntly. “He has a granddaughter around my age, right? He’s probably just having a hard time separating both, in his head.”

“A fair assessment, and probably partly true,” easily admitted Mister Woo. “But Chairman Go is a naturally caring man to begin with. You simply strike his soft spot a little more than grown-up Hunters, I daresay.”

“Well, of course – I’m adorable.”

There was a moment of silence, before Ji-Hye started snickering a bit, and Woo Jin-Chul cracked a small smile. The rest of the ride was spent making small talk, Mister Woo inquiring as to her new living arrangements, obviously making sure that she had everything she’d signed up for, and Ji-Hye was happy to indulge him.

When they eventually reached her family’s home, though, Ji-Hye’s high spirits quickly died down.

“Is this… the correct address?” asked Mister Woo, a bit unsure.

She could understand his hesitance. The residence they’d stopped in front of was one of the biggest in the area, with a fancy gate and a very modern look. It certainly provided a stark contrast to her own previous accommodations – a ratty apartment in a high-risk Gate-spawning zone vs a big, elegant and safe two-story house.

“It’s here,” she sighed, already bracing herself. “I know… I know Chairman Go asked you to come inside, to help explain the situation… but I’d really rather you didn’t. If that’s okay.”

She didn’t want him to see what her home life used to look like. She didn’t want him to meet her family. She didn’t want their relationship to become tainted by her parents, because they somehow always found a way to ruin everything that worked out for her.

“If that’s what you want,” he easily agreed. “I’ll wait here. If you do need me to come inside, I’m just a phone call away.”

“Right.”

She’d been provided with a brand-new cellphone, in which a couple of very important contacts had already been listed – including Woo Jin-Chul’s personal number. Taking a deep breath, she offered the man beside her a weak smile, before heading out. She went to the side of the gate, where she rang the bell. She didn’t even bother inputting the password – knowing her mother, she’d have surely changed it the moment she moved out.

“Kang Residence.”

“Hi, mom,” she greeted. “I just came by to drop off some stuff.”

“Mmph. We need to have a serious talk, young lady. Come in.”

“Yes, ma’am.” We’re going to have a conversation alright, but not one you’ll like.

The gate buzzed, then opened, and Ji-Hye went in. It was a bit strange, the familiarity and the detachment alike. This was the home she’d grown up in but, even though she’d only moved out a couple of months earlier, she didn’t feel any relief or nostalgia at being back. She didn’t feel much of anything, other than the urge to run right back out.

Man, I hate this place…

As she reached the front door, her gaze briefly lingered on the small playset just a little further away – a single swing and a small plastic slide.

“Mom! Ji-Ho pushed me off the swing!”

“I’m sure it was just an accident, dear.”

“No! He told me it was his turn, but it wasn’t! It was mine! But when I told him that he just laughed and pushed me off!”

“Then you should have just let him have it.”

“But- but that’s not fair!”

“No, what’s not fair is you ruining such a beautiful day with your whining. Just wait for him to finish and then you can take the swing.”

Ji-Hye shook her head, shaking off the memory. Her mother’s nonchalance in regard to Ji-Hye’s brothers' abuse toward her went way back, and she had plenty of others like this one. Small incidents, yes, but ones that eventually built up enough until her rose glasses finally got crushed along with what remained of her filial love.

Ugh, get a grip and move on, girl, she scolded herself.

It felt strange, to knock at the door of what was supposed to be her home. But entering outright would have just felt like she was intruding, honestly. Of course, no one came to answer the door, and she eventually let herself in. She carefully removed her combat boots and her studded jacket, then headed in, passing by the staircase as she did so.

“What are you crying about, now, Ji-Hye?”

“Yu- Yu-Jun pushed me down the stairs…! My- my foot hurts…!”

“Not true! She just fell down ‘cause she’s so clumsy!”

“Ji-Hye, you shouldn’t lie, even less if it’s to get your brother in trouble.”

“But dad, I’m not lying, he’s lying!!! He pushed me!!!”

“Just because you yell louder doesn’t mean it’s true, Ji-Hye. Go back to your room. Only come back down when you’re ready to talk with your inside voice.”

While her mother was sharp and unwilling to believe her sons were anything but perfect little angels, her father was an impatient man who only cared for results. Since Ji-Ho dominated every single sport he took a liking to, and since Yu-Jun won awards in all sorts of academic courses since young, he didn’t have any attention or care to spare for Ji-Hye unless she also brought something noteworthy to the table – and, unfortunately, a third place in a dance competition and the occasional A+ in her math tests didn’t amount to anything, no in her father’s eyes.

Though, I guess I’m finally going to surpass his expectations, if only a little late.

Chapter Text

Ji-Hye eventually reached the common area, an open space split between the kitchen, the dining room, and the living room. Her mother was busy finishing up with dinner, her father was already seated at the table and reading something on his tablet, and Yu-Jun was reading a book in the living room. Knowing her other brother, Ji-Hye figured Ji-Ho was somewhere upstairs, finishing up with his daily training regimen.

“Little sister,” greeted flatly Yu-Jun, not even looking up from his book. “An unexpected visit – even more so considering how rudely you treated mom, the last time you two spoke.”

It took Ji-Hye a moment to understand what he was talking about. The last time she and her mother had spoken, it was shortly after Ji-Hye had woken up in the hospital, and her mother had called her to scold her.

“I apologize. I think waking up in the hospital after being comatose for three days following a very traumatic experience shook me up a bit,” she deadpanned.

“Right, always with the perfect excuses at the ready,” he sneered.

She pulled her tongue at him for only answer.

“Don’t be rude to your brother as well,” called out her mother, putting down a bowl of freshly made western salad on the table. “Honestly, people will start thinking we raised you in a barn or something.”

“Sorry, mom,” she replied with a small sigh.

Her mother was a cold type of beauty. Perfect, smooth skin that didn’t show a single wrinkle in spite of her age, perfectly styled hair, tasteful jewelry and clothes – Kang Ji-Woo used to be a very famous model before she married a successful CEO and decided to become a stay-at-home wife.

“In any case, I hope you weren’t expecting to stay for dinner – I don’t have enough food for an extra mouth,” then warned her mother.

“No need to worry, I’ll be leaving shortly.”

“Ooh? Is that little Ji-Hye I’m hearing? Welcome back, sis!”

Ji-Hye held back another sigh as Ji-Ho suddenly made his appearance. Shirtless as always, to better show off his hard-won muscles. He was obviously just coming out of the shower. He offered her a bright grin, and she could only muster an awkward sort of smile in return.

Ji-Ho had apparently grown up a bit. He was still a jock, and a bit of a bully, but his words and actions definitely lacked the malice they held when they were younger. While Yu-Jun was pretty much just an asshole with an ego-complex, still, Ji-Ho had grown out of antagonizing Ji-Hye for the sake of it, and just started treating her… normally? Too little, too late, since he only started treating her differently a mere few days before she moved out, but still noticeable enough. It was a bit strange, even more so because Ji-Hye definitely hasn’t gotten over his past abuse, but she certainly wouldn’t complain about him finally growing up, at least.

“Missing mom’s delicious cooking too much, are you?” he teased, briefly looping around the counter to kiss their mother’s cheek. “I know I would!”

“Like I said, I’m not staying long,” she simply replied. She bit her lip, a bit nervously, before sliding the large, yellow envelope she’d been holding on the table, over to her father. “I found a new place. I also found a sponsor, for my schooling. From here on out, I won’t drain a single more penny out of you – these are the documents attesting to it.”

A strange silence befell the room. Yu-Jun finally looked up from his book, now a bit intrigued. Ji-Woo narrowed her eyes, wiping her hands on her apron. Ji-Ho had fallen uncharacteristically silent, his usual grin now fading, for some reason. And her father…

Kang Eun-Woo was a stern man. Ji-Hye used to imagine he was part robot because she couldn’t believe him capable of love. But, as she grew up, she realized he was capable of love – he just wasn’t capable of loving her.

It was in the little attentions he spared for his wife, like the fresh flowers on the counter every week, or her favorite brand of coffee imported straight from Italy whenever she ran low. It was in the time he spent going to watch Ji-Ho’s competitions and the investments he made in every single one of his hobbies, even when he kept abandoning them and moving on to another in the blink of an eye. It was in the faintest smiles hanging to his lips whenever he helped Yu-Jun with his homework, and the proud glint in his eyes whenever they discussed potential business ventures.

Kang Eun-Woo never spared any attention for Ji-Hye. He never spent time with her, never invested in her interests, even when she begged him to. She never seemed able to make him happy or proud, only exasperated or annoyed.

But now, for the first time in her life, Ji-Hye found she was capable of inspiring another emotion in her father.

Pure disgust.

“Is that it, then?” he asked plainly, staring down at the envelope with blatant disdain. “After everything we did for you, everything we provided, everything we invested – after all the mistakes we overlooked, and all the efforts spent on raising you… You spit on all of it and just walk out? Is that your plan, then?”

She frowned, a bit confused, a bit hurt, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “I don’t understand. You’ve told me times and times again how I’m only a waste of space and a waste of resources. Shouldn’t you be happy? I’ll be out of your hair for good, now.”

“Are you insane?” snapped her mother. “It’s already bad enough that we’re the talk of the neighborhood because our ungrateful, delinquent daughter decided to move out at fourteen – if word gets out that you sued for complete emancipation—”

“I didn’t need to.” A slightly satisfied smile graced her lips. “Believe it or not, but that little dive in a dungeon, a month ago? It made me awaken as a Hunter.” Another stunned silence followed, and she couldn’t help but feel a little gleeful. “Yup! There’s a bunch of cool stuff that comes with the title, including the fact that I’m now legally recognized as an adult capable of making my own decisions.”

Ji-Hye had been a bit confused by it, at first, until she’d learned that this particular law had been put in place to actually protect underage Hunters from their own families, who used to force them to drop school and go into dungeons and share the spoils with them. They’d come a long way since then, but the law had remained, much to Ji-Hye’s benefit.

“I’m a Hunter,” she repeated, feeling a lot more confident and calmer as she said it. “I’ve already been scouted by a Guild, and I signed a contract. I already moved into an apartment provided by the Guild, too, and the Hunters Association will now be sponsoring my studies.”

“That’s… that’s cool, sis,” then said Ji-Ho, and she was quite surprised to find him smiling, apparently meaning it. “A Hunter… Man, I wish I got this lucky. Going into dungeons seems like a hell of a challenge!”

She couldn’t help but shudder a bit, mind flashing back to the beasts she’d faced. “It’s… scary. But with my abilities, I think… I think I’ll really be able to help a lot of people.”

Yu-Jun scoffed. “Help? You must be at least D-rank, since even the minor Guilds have standards when it comes to recruitment, but I hardly see how someone like you could do much good. You can hardly take care of yourself, let alone other people.”

“Minor Guilds don’t have the funds to provide individual lodgings to their members,” cut in Eun-Woo. He no longer looked disgusted. Instead, he now appeared a bit intrigued. “Which Guild scouted you?”

“The White Tiger Guild.”

“What!?” exclaimed excitedly Ji-Ho. “They’re, like, the second strongest in the country!”

“She’s obviously lying,” snapped Yu-Jun.

Ji-Woo sighed heavily. “Alright, enough. You’ve caused a scene like you wanted, Ji-Hye, so cut it out. At this point, lying really doesn’t serve any purpose.”

“I’m not lying,” she assured, now starting to lose her cool. “Listen, I only came here as a courtesy. My joining the White Tiger Guild will become public knowledge tomorrow, so you guys will surely be involved in the media craze that’s going to follow—”

Yu-Jun let out a mocking laugh. “Media craze? Do you even hear yourself? It looks like all these months away from home truly turned you delusional.”

Now really annoyed, Ji-Hye pulled out her brand-new license and threw it on the counter, where it slid right over to Ji-Ho, who easily caught it. He and their mother read it, his eyes widening almost comically while their mother paled very dramatically.

“What is that?” asked Yu-Jun, impatient.

“It- it’s a Hunter License,” answered Ji-Ho, now staring at Ji-Hye with an expression she couldn’t really describe. “Kang Ji-Hye, Protector Class… S-rank.”

Another moment of silence. And then, Yu-Jun laughed again.

“See? I told you she was lying!” he cackled. “Man, this is too good. If you’re going to fake a Hunter License, of all things, at least write down a class that actually exists!”

“It does exist. They created it two days ago, following my evaluation,” she insisted.

Eun-Woo wordlessly extended his hand, and after a moment of hesitation, Ji-Ho handed over the license. Their father read it over for a moment, his expression unreadable.

“… it’s real,” he eventually declared, cutting Yu-Jun’s laughter short.

“I’m aware,” she drawled. “Satisfied?”

“You’re S-rank,” repeated Ji-Ho, dumbstruck. “My little sister is the 10^th S-rank in South Korea! That- that’s incredible, Ji-Hye! Congrats!”

“… thanks,” she replied, admittedly a bit taken aback. “Anyway, I came here to drop off the documents, and to warn you as a courtesy. We’re doing a press release tomorrow, so expect some reporters harassing you for a while.” She smiled, but it was clearly fake. “I’d say ‘don’t talk to them’, but I know you all better than that. If you want to destroy my image or paint me as the ‘ungrateful, delinquent daughter’ you love ranting about, be my guest. I don’t care. Once I step out that door, I won’t consider myself your daughter at all, anymore.”

That seemed to snap her mother out of her daze, and anger promptly overtook and twisted her delicate features.

“Kang Ji-Hye! How dare you! We raised you—”

“Exactly. You raised me – you didn’t love me.” She ignored her mother’s splutters, extending her hand to her father. “My license, please. I’ll be needing it.”

Their eyes met – his, calculating; hers, determined. After a long moment, he eventually handed it back, but it was promptly swiped out of her hands by Yu-Jun. Ji-Hye’s protests died in her throat as she took in the genuine, unadulterated anger radiating from him.

“Impossible,” he spat, gripping her listen as if it would burst into flames if he glared at it long enough. “Impossible, impossible, impossible! Someone like you, a S-rank?”

“Give it back,” she demanded firmly.

“Shut up! This doesn’t make any sense! You’re a failure through and through, how could you possibly be a S-rank Hunter!?” he snapped.

“Hey, bro, that’s a bit uncalled for,” cut in Ji-Ho, surprising Ji-Hye once again. “It’s clearly the real deal, so just give it back.”

“No, no, no, no, no! This can’t be happening! It isn’t real!!!”

“Ugh, look at what you’ve done!” snapped their mother, rushing to his side to comfort him. “Look how distressed you’ve made him!”

“He’s insane,” replied flatly Ji-Hye.

“Insane with worry, yes! He’s such a great older brother, of course such terrible news would drive him so!”

They’re delusional, the lot of them, groaned internally Ji-Hye.

“Look, just give me back my license already! I’ll need it for work!” she snapped.

When Ji-Hye tried to take it back, however, Yu-Jun struck out, obviously aiming to hit her – she was so surprised by it that she didn’t even think to move. Just as the back of his hand got close to her face, however, golden light crackled along her skin, and the hit was completely deflected. And not only that, but the strength behind it sent her brother flying into the couch, which flipped over a bit a resounding 'CRASH'.

“Yu-Jun!!!” cried out her mother, immediately rushing to his side.

Ji-Hye was… shocked, to say the least. Not because of how her powers had reacted, she'd kind of expected it, but because... both of her brothers’ physical and verbal abuse had always been subtle and easy to deny, Yu-Jun’s even more so because he was naturally manipulative and charismatic. For him to outright try to hit her in front of their entire family was extremely out of character, but her mother’s reaction only anchored what she already knew.

I need to get out of this place once and for all.

“Like I said, warning you was a courtesy,” she said plainly, picking up her license from the floor. “From here on out, we’re no longer family. Don’t come to my Guild or my school, it’d just be embarrassing for all of us. Don’t try to contact me, I have a new phone anyway. Don’t try to leech off my good fortune, you’ve got enough of your own and never saw fit to share it with me, remember? If you try to smear my image in the media, be prepared for legal backlash.” Her eyes narrowed, and she loomed over her crying brother. She couldn’t help but let some of her mana leak out, pressure suffocating him and the others at once. “And if any of you ever try to hit me again, I will hit back. You’ve been warned.”

She pulled her mana back in. Yu-Jun was crying like a child; it really was pathetic. Her mother was shifting between comforting her precious oldest child and yelling at Ji-Hye for “trying to murder her own brother”, but Ji-Hye had tuned her out at that point. She looked over to her father, holding his stare until he offered her a minute nod.

“Go,” he simply said, returning to reading whatever was on his tablet. “But the moment you step foot out that door, don’t expect anything else from this family - just as we never expected anything from you.”

“Wow. Fuck you too, old man.”

He didn’t even bother sparing her another glance. With a scoff, Ji-Hye turned on her heels and walked away. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she slipped on her boots, hearing her mother scream about calling the police – to which her father simply replied that it would be pointless, since the police wouldn’t be able to do much to a S-rank Hunter.

That’s right. You can’t hurt me anymore, she thought, a bit vindicated.

Chapter Text

Grabbing her jacket, Ji-Hye promptly headed out. As she rushed passed the playset, though, she couldn’t help but slow down the slightest bit. The memory from earlier was only one of dozen other painful memories associated with this stupid playset alone, and anger abruptly surged through her.

A familiar crush of metal and plastic followed, and it took Ji-Hye a moment to realize she’d not only created a barrier around the entire playset… but she’d also used it to completely crush it to pieces.

Huh. I can do that.

It felt a bit cathartic, even if it didn’t really mean anything, in the end. Shaking her head, she kept on walking. Just as she got past the gate, though, someone called out to her.

“Ji-Hye! Ji-Hye, wait!”

She almost didn’t. She stopped after a moment, though, and Ji-Ho caught up to her. They stared at her each other for a moment, until he lowered his head.

“Ji-Hye… I’m sorry. I’ve been a pretty shitty brother to you, and I’m sorry.”

She stared at him for another moment, before sighing. “So what?”

“H- huh?”

“So what?” she repeated, gritting her teeth. “Ji-Ho, you’ve been bullying me since we were in diapers. You and Yu-Jun made my childhood here a living hell. You hurt me, on several occasions, just because you could. Right up until I moved out, you enjoyed tormenting me – ruining my clothes, throwing out my makeup, spreading awful rumors about me…” She could feel her power surging again, but she pushed it down. As angry as she was, she didn’t want to crush her brother like she’d crushed their playset. “You weren’t a shitty brother – you weren’t a brother at all. But I guess now that I’m someone of a bit more import, you want to try and save appearances, right? Well, news flash: I’m not interested.”

“It- it’s not like that,” he assured, and she surprised to find that he looked genuinely ashamed. “I’ve just… I’ve realized this months ago, not long after you moved out. I just- I just never found the right time to face you and apologize. I don’t care that you’re S-rank – I mean, it’s pretty amazing, seriously, but that’s not why I’m apologizing now!”

“Well, good for you, I guess.”

“Ji-Hye, please—”

“I can’t forgive you,” she snapped, turning her back to him. “Maybe someday, when you’ve grown up some more and time has mended the hurt, I’ll be able to look you in the eyes and at least not resent you, anymore. But you, and everyone else in this damned family…” She felt tears burning her eyes, and she roughly wiped them away, unwilling to cry in front of him. “Honestly, why have me at all if you were going to hate me, anyway?”

“… I’m sorry, Ji-Hye,” he simply repeated, keeping his head low. “I just… I really am. And I- I understand it doesn’t mean much to you, now, but I do mean it. I- I’ll try to keep Yu-Jun in check, when the press starts coming by. Mom, too. I won’t let them talk shit and ruin this for you.”

“They couldn’t even if they tried,” she snorted, a bit bitterly. Her anger had abated a bit, though. “… but thanks, I guess. Anything else, or can I go?”

“Just… be careful, out there,” he simply said, more subdued. “Dungeons are dangerous, even for S-rank Hunters. And… take care of yourself.”

At that, she finally dared look back at him. “… you too.”

She knew she’d burst out crying here and there if she said anything else so, without another word or another look back, she quickly walked past the gate and headed straight for the car. It had only been about fifteen minutes since she left, but it felt like she’d been stuck in that hell-house for days already. She slipped into the passenger seat and shut the door with just a little bit more force then necessary, cracking a window. She flinched – enhanced strength was apparently the deal for all awakened Hunters, she’d have to be more careful in the future.

“Sorry,” she murmured. “I’ll pay for that.”

“Don’t worry about it,” replied evenly Woo Jin-Chul. He spared a glance to her brother on the other side of the street, who looked on the verge of crying. “Is… everything okay?”

“People grow up,” she replied, leaning against the window and closing her eyes. “But sometimes, it’s just a little too late. Just… take me home, please, Mister Woo.”

He didn’t say anything else, and Ji-Hye exhaled shakily as they drove away. She still felt like crying, but she could hold it in for a little longer. She felt angry, too. Why did she even want to cry? How could she still feel so much pain when she’d already long since understood that they didn’t care about her at all? Deep down, she realized that she’d still held a semblance of hope. That bringing back a S-rank Hunter License would change things, somehow. That maybe she’d finally be deserving of some praises, or even respect. But in the end, no matter what she accomplished, these people would never care, and that was the end of that.

The car suddenly stopped. She opened her eyes, confused – the ride hadn’t been long enough to make it back to her new apartment just yet. But Woo Jin-Chul got out and came to open the door for her, and she was surprised to find they were in front of a small ramen stand. When she shot him a confused look, he shrugged.

“Good food always helps,” he simply said.

She felt her throat clench and her heart swell. She fought back the tears once more as they took two stools, Mister Woo ordering for them both. It didn’t take long for them to be served, and the warm, comforting smell of the broth finally broke her.

She remained silent as a few tears slipped out, unwilling to make a scene. A hand fell over her head, gentle, comforting.

“Everything’s going to be okay, kid,” simply said Mister Woo.

She couldn’t help but smile through her tears, somehow believing him. Wiping her tears away, she broke her chopsticks and promptly dove in – as it turns out, burning bridges took a lot of energy, and she hadn’t realized she was this hungry.

Mister Woo’s right. Good food really does help.

“Hey, Mister Woo?”

“Yes, Miss Kang?”

“Thank you.”

He spared her a small smile at that. “Any time, kid.”

Chapter Text

“So we’re not going to show my face?”

“Like I said, a lot of your innate rights as an underage citizen clash with your obligations as a S-rank Hunter as well as the government’s regulations,” explained patiently Mister Baek. She quite liked that about him – he never seemed annoyed or exasperated by her questions. “This press release is meant to placate the civilians, but it’s also a show of power for the other countries. As you know, we’re one of the countries with the lowest number of S-ranks, so having even a single one more helps. However, your actual identity is on a need-to-know basis – meaning it won’t be divulged without your explicit consent to anyone outside a certain circle.”

Well, that did make a lot more sense than what she’d been expecting, but she was admittedly a bit disappointed to realize that the press wouldn’t go and make her family’s life a living hell, after all.

“So what will be released?”

“Your surname and age, as well as your Guild affiliation,” he shrugged. “I suggest wearing a face mask, but the only cameras allowed inside are legally required to blur your face and other recognizable features. In other words, you regular life shouldn’t be affected by it. Unless, of course, you’d rather deal with the fame head-on?”

She promptly shook her head, pulling up her face mask. “No need for that. I’m perfectly happy with being able to maintain my anonymity, sort of. Otherwise, classes will be hell.”

“Good. The introduction will be brief, but what's actually important is Q&A session that comes right after. If you don’t want to answer or don’t know how, simply say so, and I can help answer or we can just move on to the next question. Whatever they ask in there, just keep in mind that you have no obligation whatsoever to answer.”

“Got it. Any question I shouldn’t answer?”

He thought it over for a moment, seeming a bit surprised by her forethought. “Well, I think the government would feel better if you didn’t outright divulge the full scope of your abilities. There will undoubtedly be questions about what you can do, but the more you keep secret—”

“The more leverage they’ll have against other countries,” she easily understood. “Okay, I’ll be careful, then.”

To say Ji-Hye was nervous would be an understatement. Representatives of the biggest world-wide and local news were there, and her previous encounter with the rabid reporters, back at the hospital, certainly made her a bit wary. However, Mister Baek’s presence helped ground her a bit – she trusted him to help her handle whatever came her way.

‘KNOCK, KNOCK’

“Starting in five!”

“Alright, we’re coming!” Mister Baek readjusted his tie, offering her a small grin. “Ready?”

“Nope,” she replied flatly, making him laugh. “Let’s get this over with.”

They headed out, guided by one of the staff members to the door that would let them enter directly on stage. As they waited just out of sight of the cameras and people present, though, Ji-Hye couldn’t help but freeze a bit.

That’s a hell of a lot of people.

Her hands started shaking, and she shoved them in her pockets to hide it. Her heart was in her throat, but she forced herself to take deep breaths. What was there to be scared of, anyway? She’d survived a dive in a fucking dungeon and sticking it to her family – a press release was most certainly the least dangerous thing she’d faced in the last month.

She almost jumped out of her skin when Mister Baek gently squeezed her shoulder – he’d obviously learned from his past experiences, since he wasn’t sent flying this time around. He smiled down at her, showing off slightly sharper-than-normal teeth.

“Just breathe, kid. Remember, this is your show – we’re out as soon as you call it.”

“Right. Thanks, Mister Baek.”

Before she could try and prepare herself a bit more, they suddenly received the signal to get going. She walked right out onto the stage, instantly blinded by the flashes coming from all directions, but Mister Baek’s reassuring presence right behind her helped her keep a more confident stride.

You’re a S-rank Hunter now, girlie – act like it!!!

She sat down at the chair with her name on it, Mister Baek coming to sit on her left. She was a bit surprised when, moments later, Chairman Go also joined them on stage, taking the last chair on her right. He offered her a smile, before reporting his attention on the crowd gathered before them, obviously used to it.

“Hello, everyone,” he greeted. “I thank you for taking the time to come see us today. We all have very busy schedules, so I’ll get straight to the point: a few days ago, South Korea officially gained its 10^th S-rank Hunter.” More flashes immediately started going off as awed whispers quickly filled the room. They promptly died down as Chairman Go lifted his hand in a placating gesture, though, and Ji-Hye could only marvel at how well the man commanded a room. “Allow me to introduce you all to Miss Kang. About a month ago, this young lady, in a great show of bravery, awakened as a Hunter. However, seeing as she is only fourteen, the Hunters Association as well as the South Korean Government has deemed it only appropriate to keep her full identity hidden, for the sake of her growth and safety. I thank you for your understanding, and for respecting Miss Kang’s privacy.”

Ji-Hye flinched a bit as the whispers picked up again, much louder this time. An underage S-rank Hunter? As warned, this was going to create a lot of controversy.

“Finally, Miss Kang has expressed her desire to pursue the path of a Hunter while keeping up with her studies. The Hunters Association will be sponsoring her studies so as to support her decision. Miss Kang has also joined the White Tiger Guild, which will be responsible for supporting her training and providing her with the tools, resources, and experience necessary for her to fully grow into her abilities as a Hunter.” Chariman Go slightly bowed his head, concluding his speech. “That is all, we can now start the Q&A.”

Chapter Text

“Miss Kang!”

“Miss Kang!”

“Please, over here!”

“Miss Kang!”

After a few seconds of absolute, utter chaos, Ji-Hye realized she actually had to pick who she wanted to answer. After a moment of hesitation, she gestured for a chic woman in the front row, since she recognized the logo of a local news channel. The room quieted a bit as the woman promptly stepped forward.

“Miss Kang, Cho Ha-Rin from KBS World,” she promptly introduced herself. “Could you tell us how, exactly, you came to awaken as a Hunter? Rumors are that you were the one involved in the Naksan Parc Incident a month ago – are the rumors true?”

She hesitantly glanced to Mister Baek, who simply nodded – the videos had long since gone viral and people had already moved on to other news, so there was no harm in confirming the rumors.

“Hello, Miss Cho,” she greeted back, earning a smile from the woman. “Yes, the rumors are true. Because of the stressful situation, I awakened as a Hunter.”

“Her awakening is what kept the children and their caretaker involved in the incident alive,” added bluntly Baek. “If it wasn’t for her, the White Tiger Guild wouldn’t have arrived in time to save any of them.”

“Is that why you decided to recruit her before even knowing her rank?” asked a man in the back, from another big local channel.

Mister Baek scowled a bit. “How you heard about that, I’d like to know. But yes. Being a Hunter isn’t just about power – it’s about heart. The White Tiger Guild recognized the bravery behind her admittedly foolish and reckless action, hence why I recruited her.”

Cho Ha-Rin, satisfied, sat back down. Understanding it was time to move on, Ji-Hye awkwardly gestured for another reporter to speak up.

“Miss Kang, we were told that your official class is ‘Protector’ which, until your evaluation, did not exist,” the man pointed out, pushing up his glasses. “What exactly are your abilities, and why could they not be set in an already existing class?”

“I- I’m only just beginning to learn the true extent of my abilities, so I couldn’t possibly describe them in their entirety or in full details,” she answered, carefully thinking over her answer. “But… I can show you, in a way.”

With a wave of her hand, a golden light began to emanate from her hand, and a barrier quickly spread out in a dome, until everyone in the room was within. She was definitely pleased by the genuine awe spreading on many of their faces as they witnessed the show of light and magic.

“I can create barriers,” she said, shrugging a little. “They’re pretty sturdy, as far as we’ve tested this far. This ability alone would normally have me classed as a Caster, or Mage, but these barriers can also do… other things, which I’d rather not share until I know I can use these abilities properly.”

“The reason behind the creation of a new class is essentially the paperwork,” added Chairman Go, earning some laughs. “The Association deemed it would simply be easier for Miss Kang to act within the full scope of her abilities during raids without being limited by her actual class on paper. Next question?”

“Sierra Parker, from America,” announced the next reporter. “Miss Kang, how does it feel to be the youngest S-rank Hunter in the entire world?”

“Terrifying,” she admitted, a bit too quickly. It earned some more laughs, and she was glad for her face mask, since it hid how red she became following her outburst. “I mean, it’s already one thing to awaken as a Hunter – but S-rank comes with a lot of expectations. I just hope I’ll be able to live up to them.”

“Did your S-rank status force your hand into following the path of a Hunter?” asked bluntly another foreign man, not waiting for his turn. “Were you pressured into joining a Guild and following this dangerous path merely because of your rank?”

“What? No, of course not,” she replied, a bit confused. “Chairman Go and Mister Baek have been nothing but kind, considerate, and supportive through this entire process. They’ve made it very clear that it was my choice and that, should I ever change my mind about becoming a Hunter, then they would support my decision.”

“Then why do it?” he insisted, uncaring of the few dirty looks he was now getting for constantly speaking out of turn.

“Because I can,” she replied simply. “Because I was gifted the ability to help people, so why wouldn’t I use it? Becoming a Hunter means I’ll be able to make a difference. I want to help others, and I can only be grateful that I’m now surrounded by people who are determined to support me in doing exactly that.”

He obviously wasn’t satisfied by her altruistic answer, but he was forced to sit down, and the Q&A continued. She was asked about the similarity of her ability with Yuri Orloff’s, about her plans to continue her studies, about her assimilation in the Guild – all pretty easy questions, with either Chairman Go or Mister Baek speaking up here and there.

Until the Japanese representative spoke up.

“Miss Kang, what does your family think of your awakening as a S-rank Hunter?”

She immediately froze, flashing back to the harsh confrontation that had only happened the day before. Before Mister Baek could jump in to deflect, though, she shook it off.

“They’re not in the picture,” she simply said. “Next question?”

“What do you mean by that?” insisted the older woman. “Were they not supportive of your decision to become a Hunter? They must be quite worried. They—”

“She said: next question,” growled Mister Baek, shooting the woman a dark look that immediately made her back down.

“Actually, I’m afraid that’s all the time we had for today,” cut in Chairman Go, offering them all a pleasant smile. “Busy schedules and all, I’m sure you understand. Thank you for your time, and please show your support to Miss Kang and the White Tiger Guild.”

Chairman Go rose from his seat, Mister Baek instantly doing the same, and Ji-Hye followed along, a bit taken aback by how suddenly they’d brought the press release to an end. They all bowed as scattered applauses and a few more calls of ‘Miss Kang!’ echoed, following even after they were ushered off the stage.

Once they were back in the waiting room, Ji-Hye removed her mask, nervous.

“Did I… answer wrong?”

Chairman Go seemed a bit stumped, before he chuckled. “No, not at all, my dear. I merely ended the Q&A because once reporters realize they’ve crossed a boundary, a lot of them will start pushing them, uncaring of how it makes others feel. You refusing to answer was well within your rights and you handled it quite well but, unfortunately, it also showed a weakness – one many of them would have started poking and prodding at in attempts to earn themselves a scoop.”

“Oh…” Still, she was relieved she hadn’t done anything wrong. “Thank you, then.”

“Of course. Now, it won’t take long for the news to spread, so be careful whenever you leave the White Tiger Guild. The Hunters Association has already put out a following statement warning anyone that, should they release your full identity to the public, they would be sued for breaching your privacy, but it won’t stop everyone from trying to take your picture.”

“Is that an actual crime, though?” she blinked, surprised.

“It is if we say it is,” replied Mister Baek, smirking a bit. “But in any case, so long as you want to keep your identity hidden, just wear your mask when you leave the Guild and use one of our private transports if you need to go anywhere urgently. Once we start training, you’ll learn how to evade on foot but, for now, these precautions should do.”

“Got it. When do we start training, then?”

“Tomorrow. Feeling up for it?”

She could only offer a grin that perfectly matched his own. “Hell yeah!”

Chapter Text

“Why’d we come all the way out here, Mister Baek?”

The morning following the press release, they left bright and early, leaving the city entirely and then kept on going until they reached a forested area.

“To avoid pointless property damage,” grinned Mister Baek, cracking his knuckles a bit. “Since we’re going to try and pinpoint the limits of your barriers, we’ve gotta go all out!”

“I mean, it’s not like I’ve got an innately destructive power…” she frowned, a bit confused.

“Maybe not in the sense you’re imagining,” he relented. “But I do think there’s a latent ability triggered when they get hit.”

“Oh, like when you went flying?” she recalled, grinning a bit.

He rolled his eyes, but didn’t seem offended. “Yeah, that. Fact of the matter is, the two times I was repelled by your barrier, it retaliated with a lot more power than I dished out. I mean, obviously, I wouldn’t have used that type of force just to pat your back. Your power not only reacted – it multiplied the strength behind it, then returned it.” He punched his fists together with an eager grin, his hair turning white and his eyes becoming much more feline-like. “So, let’s see just how much those barriers of yours can withstand – and how much they can push back.”

“Err, okay!”

.

.

.

“Mister Baek…?”

“Ugh…”

Ji-Hye gently poked his shoulder, but she merely got another pained groan in answer. Frowning a bit, she expended a barrier around them, then let the now-familiar golden light encase her boss’s body. It took a moment, but he eventually found the strength to sit up, flexing his hands in amazement as the last of his bruises completely faded away.

“It looks like your light doesn’t just heal – it also gives my strength and mana back,” he remarked, looking absolutely stunned. “It’s like I just woke up from a full night’s sleep…”

“Oh. That’s pretty good, then, right?” she mused. “Does it mean that if I have mages within my dome, they can just cast an infinite amount of spells? Since it restores mana.”

He froze, his eyes widening slightly. “That… I don’t know. We definitely need to test that. But from the looks of it, you’re going to be the best damn support in the entire world!”

“Seriously?”

“Kid, do you not understand just how incredible this is?” he asked, aghast. “Healers above C-rank are already rare enough, but even they can’t just outright restore mana. In your dome, it’s kind of like a mana infusion, or- or a mana battery! As long as you don’t run out of mana, anyone within your barrier won’t either. This is insane. This ability alone essentially guarantees dungeon raids with zero casualties. The money other Guilds would pay you just to accompany their own team would probably make you the richest person in the entire country in a matter of weeks.”

Her eyes widened as he explained what exactly the scope of her abilities apparently entailed. Honestly, she hadn’t thought much of that particular ability beyond the fact that it was pretty damn cool. And yet, Mister Baek didn’t seem done – in fact, he looked torn between tearing his hair out in exasperation and jumping from joy.

“And that’s all without even mentioning your defensive abilities. Not even my strongest attack managed to get through a single one of your barriers or even make a dent in it. And, even without your shield, no attack can touch you at all – there’s some kind of natural armor protecting you at all times. Add to that the fact that it not only repels attacks, but enhances them… From what I’ve gathered, your repel makes attacks at least ten times stronger than they initially are! That’s an insane offensive ability!”

“Uh, kind of like Meliodas’ power, in Seven Deadly Sins!” she beamed. Mister Baek only seemed confused by the reference. “Ah, it’s a show. But the character’s abilities pretty much work the same way. Only downside is that I can’t initiate attacks, just counter them back.” She couldn’t help but grin excitedly. “Oh, I’m definitely calling it Full Counter!”

“Yeah, sure, you do you, kid,” Mister Baek snorted, finally pushing himself up from the ground. His wounds had been mended, but he was still plenty dirty from getting thrown around a bunch. “Naming abilities does make recording them a lot easier, anyway.”

She perked up as she belatedly remembered something. “Oh, oh! Look, I can do that, too!”

A bit too excited, she summoned a barrier around a patch of nearby trees, then promptly crushed them to bits as she closed the dome around them. In a matter of seconds, the four or five trees had become a pile of firewood.

“… what the hell, kid,” groaned Mister Baek, rubbing his face.

“I found that one out by accident,” she shrugged. “But it kind of counts as an attack, right? I mean, if I can get magic beasts in those…”

“Yeah, you might want to be careful with that,” he warned. “A lot of the money gained in dungeon raids comes from monsters’ corpses – if they’re too damaged, then crafters won’t be able to do much with what’s left over.”

“Wait, they even use monsters’ corpses?” she blinked, surprised. “I didn’t know that. I thought the only valuable stuff were the mana crystals and the essence stones.”

Mister Baek shook his head, smiling a bit. “No, the corpses also provide a lot of unique and valuable resources. They’re used to craft potions, armors, weapons, and other gear that can be used in dungeons, where normal warfare is rendered useless because of the mana-saturated environment. The quality of the resources also vary on the type of beasts, as well as their level. So, boss corpses go for a lot more than regular beasts’, but a D-rank creature would be more or less the equivalent of an E-rank boss, for example. Of course, there’s a lot of variations to account for, but that’s the basic guideline we use to calculate the general value of a monster corpse, just as we do for their essence stones.”

Ji-Hye’s eyes started sparkling. “Oh my gosh, I totally want an armor!”

“What? You don’t even need one, kid.”

“I know, but they look so cool!”

Mister Baek only laughed.

Chapter Text

Since it was the weekend, Mister Baek suggested they stay for the next two days to better assess the limits of Ji-Hye’s abilities. He’d obviously planned for it, since he’d brought a lot of camping gear along, and Ji-Hye was admittedly a bit excited.

(Whenever her family went out on a trip, they left her behind because she “needed to study more” or as punishment because she “wasn’t doing well enough”. Came a day when she realized the fault didn’t lay with her at all – they just didn’t want her to come. It still left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth to think about, but she forced herself to shake it off and focus on the fact that she was now getting that experience, and with someone who actually liked her, too!)

Anyways, they had more than enough firewood thanks to her little stunt from earlier, and Mister Baek was obviously very experienced when it came to camping – he set up the two tents, a makeshift toilet, and a little kitchenette in less than twenty minutes. She was a bit bemused when he started grilling some burgers and sausages, all the while prepping a nice salad on the side, too.

“What are you grinning at, kid?” he called out, not even looking up from the barbecue.

“I just didn’t expect you to know how to cook,” she admitted, amused. “Were you a chef or something? Before you became a Hunter, I mean.”

He paused for a second, obviously taken aback by the question. “Before… huh? It’s been a while since I’ve thought about those times. But I was actually a firefighter – I awakened about a month after I started working in my assigned unit, though.”

“Oh. Do you miss it?” she asked, now curious.

“More or less,” he admitted, surprisingly honest. She clapped when he flipped one of the beef patties, making him chuckle. “I became a firefighter because I wanted to help people so, in that sense, becoming a Hunter helped me achieve that goal on a much bigger scale. But I do miss the simpler times, from time to time. Being S-rank has its perks, but the fame is a bit much. I never wanted to do it for the recognition.” He flipped the other patty, then spared her a curious glance. “What about you, kid? What was the plan, before you awakened? I get that you’re still young, but surely you’ve thought about it.”

She hesitated. Mister Baek had incredibly kind so far, and she trusted him, but…

“Don’t laugh,” she warned, serious. He quirked a brow but nodded in agreement. “I wanted… Well, I was planning on becoming a tattoo artist.”

“That’s… unusual, but certainly not the worst I’ve heard,” he mused. His gaze slid over the few tattoos lining her arms. “Did you make those, then?”

“Yeah, I designed them. They’re not actual tattoos, though, just henna – it allows me to practice with different designs and placements, and it’s also not illegal for me to get while underage, unlike actual tattoos,” she snorted.

She was quite relieved by his reaction – or rather lack of. When she’d made the mistake of telling her homeroom teacher, she’d been judged, scolded, and ridiculed for it. And then that teacher had told her parents, and it had been another hell altogether – the trigger behind why she’d finally moved out, honestly.

“Well, these look pretty good,” mused Mister Baek, and he sounded so honest it almost brought tears to her eyes. “And you know, nothing’s stopping you from getting a license for it once you’re old enough, even if you’re a Hunter.”

“Yeah, I think I’d like to do that.” She then grinned. “Tell you what, I’ll even give you a discount once I start practicing, since you’re being so nice about it.”

“You know what? I might take you up on that offer,” he replied, grinning a bit. “But you gotta stop skipping classes and stay in school for that to happen.”

“Oh, come on! It was one time!”

Chapter Text

“We meet again, Miss Kang. A pleasure.”

“Mister Choi – hello!”

Ji-Hye was admittedly a bit surprised when, the next morning, none other than South Korea’s most powerful S-Rank Hunter arrived at their camp site. He admittedly stood out a bit in his expensive red suit, but Ji-Hye’s attention was quickly caught as another person stepped out of the car shortly after – a beautiful woman with short blond hair and stunning purple eyes. Ji-Hye gasped, admittedly a bit excited. Before her was the most powerful woman in the country, and she was even prettier in person!

“I’m sure you’ve recognized her already, but allow me to introduce Cha Hae-In, the Vice-Guild Master of the Hunters Guild,” said Mister Choi, gesturing to his companion with a small smile. “Miss Cha, this is Miss Kang, our newest addition to the ranks.”

“Hello,” greeted softly Cha Hae-In, offering Ji-Hye a kind smile.

“H- hi!” A bit flustered, Ji-Hye hurriedly offered a deep bow. “It’s so nice to meet you!”

“Oh, Cha! Didn’t know you’d be joining us too!” greeted Mister Baek, joining them.

“I was curious,” she admitted with a small shrug.

“Not that I mind the extra company, but why are you here?” asked Ji-Hye, getting over her shock and now a bit confused. “I mean, is it really wise to have our three strongest Hunters away from the city like this…?”

“Not to worry, Miss Kang – we’ll only be here for an hour or so,” assured Mister Choi. His smile seemed a little more genuine than the last time they’d met, and Ji-Hye couldn’t help but wonder if he just wore a mask in public all of the time. “Your Guild Master actually contacted me last night in quite the frenzy. Something about a mana battery…?”

Ji-Hye immediately perked up. “Oh, right! What better way to test it than with the most powerful Caster in the country? Oh, this is going to be fun!”

Ji-Hye and Choi began walking away, Ji-Hye figuring it’d be much safer to keep a notable distance from their camping space since Choi used Fire Magic. As they did, Baek and Cha followed a bit behind, the woman appearing a bit puzzled.

“You good, Cha? You can stand a ways away if the smell’s too much—”

She slowly shook her head. “Actually… I can’t smell anything. Or rather, it’s very faint compared to the usual stench that lingers whenever you and Boss Choi are in the same vicinity.”

While not particularly close to Cha Hae-In, Baek was still familiar enough to understand her particular issues and respect her need for space, so he wasn’t insulted by her choice of words. He was pretty surprised by her statement, though a theory quickly formed in his mind.

“Probably the kid,” he mused.

“How so?”

“Only thing that’s changed. How she does it, I couldn’t tell you, though.”

Cha Hae-In pondered over his assessment as they finally joined the other two, with Choi watching on amusedly as Ji-Hye excitedly explained the various experiments they’d already conducted the day before.

It was strange, truly, to feel like she could breathe for the first time since she’d awakened as a Hunter. Even when she isolated herself, the city was dense with mana, and a foul stench always lingered. She’d grown used to it with time, but it still wasn’t pleasant. But now, even with three other S-ranks in her immediate vicinity, she could hardly smell them, and it made her… warily hopeful.

Whatever Ji-Hye was doing, Cha Hae-In found herself hoping it’d be permanent.

Chapter Text

“This is a much bigger barrier than you’ve managed last we saw each other.”

Ji-Hye grinned a bit at Choi’s compliment and his genuinely impressed tone, though there was a small bead of sweat rolling down her forehead as she tried to focus on maintaining the barrier around them.

“I’ve taken up meditation, to help with control,” she admitted, exhaling slowly in between her words. “It’s pretty hard, but I’m starting to get the hang of it.”

“The barrier’s just here to ensure you don’t burn down the forest by accident,” stated Baek Yoon-Ho, crossing his arms over his chest with an eager grin. “First thing first, we need to check if Ji-Hye’s instinctive armor also protects her from spells, or if it only protects her from physical attacks. Come on, have at it! Make sure it’s a big one!”

“This is unwise,” immediately cut in Cha Hae-In, sparing a worried glance for the younger girl. “Even Boss Choi’s weakest fire spell is highly dangerous and—”

“Nah, it’s fine, I can handle it!” assured Ji-Hye, just as eager. “And even if I can’t, no one can stay hurt for long while inside one of these barriers. I’ll be fine!”

Choi shot Baek a look, obviously disapproving of him teaching her his reckless habits, but he couldn’t deny also being a bit curious. So, walking back to put some distance between the two of them while Baek and Cha went to stand further to the side, Choi then casted the least powerful Fire spell in his arsenal. The medium-size fireball was usually enough to take down a B-Rank monster in one shot… but it fizzled out in a powerless burst of thin smoke the moment it came too close to Ji-Hye.

Everyone stayed silent for a moment, a bit taken aback by the underwhelming result. Impressive, in the sense that it didn’t reach Ji-Hye at all, but still a bit of a letdown. But Choi narrowed his eyes a bit and started casting much more powerful Fire spells one after the other – only for each of them to fizzle out before even reaching the girl. No matter how much power he put into them, it seemed as though Ji-Hye’s natural shield sucked the mana right out of the spells, as if erasing them from existence entirely.

And, most notably, Baek had been right. Even though the amount of firepower Choi had already wasted trying to get to Ji-Hye would have usually been enough to make him sweat and maybe sleep for a full ten hours as soon as he got back home, now… now, there wasn’t even a single trace of exhaustion or strain to be found.

He could cast spells for an infinite amount of time.

How is this possible? He thought, amazed, as he casted his most powerful spell so far. It usually drained a good three-quarter of his reserves, but now he didn’t even feel a dent in them. Could it be that she’s not using her own mana at all, but that this barrier allows her channel the ambient mana, instead? Meaning that, in a Dungeon, she’d truly be unstoppable… This kind of power could revolutionize dungeon raids entirely…!

As soon as his spell failed, however, Cha and Baek were suddenly there, each one appearing on one side of the girl and attempting to land blows of their own while she was distracted by Choi’s spells. But the natural armor around her body crackled the moment they made contact, and they were violently repelled a moment later.

Ji-Hye blinked, startled as she hadn’t even noticed them before they were sent flying against her barrier.

“What was that for?” she asked, a bit bemused.

“Ugh… Wanted to test if it could take more than one attack at a time…” grunted Baek, wincing in pain as he laid on the ground a little further away. “Didn’t work… Duplicated the power by twenty, instead of ten…”

“That was… Ouch…” groaned softly Cha, face down in the dirt.

“Err, sorry?” chuckled awkwardly Ji-Hye.

Thankfully, her barrier’s healing abilities worked without issue, and, in a matter of seconds, the two S-rank Hunters were back on their feet. As they all gathered back together and Ji-Hye dismissed her barrier entirely, Choi let out a small sigh as he pushed up his glasses.

“It looks like you two were right. Miss Kang is virtually untouchable. I would suggest further testing her limits with some mages of your Guild, to see if she can dispel all types of magic, and if it’s only while the casters themselves are also within her barrier.”

“Noted. If you have more ideas, feel free to send them my way,” agreed Baek.

“We should probably get going,” then remarked Cha, before offering Ji-Hye a smile. “You were right – having four of our strongest Hunters away from the city for too long isn’t the best idea.”

Four—! Ji-Hye instantly flushed at being included. Wow, I really am praise-starved, sheesh… “T- thank you for coming, Mister Choi, Miss Cha.”

“Always happy to help a fellow Hunter, Miss Kang,” simply replied Choi, and he seemed sincere enough. “I look forward to seeing you grow as a Hunter.”

“It was very nice to meet you,” added Cha with another small smile.

“You- you as well! Thank you for your help!”

Ji-Hye waved them goodbye as they left, a bit disappointed to see them go so soon. Hopefully, she’d have more chances to get to know them – especially Miss Cha! She was the only other S-rank female Hunter in the country, after all, and there weren’t many of them on the global scale, either.

“Well, it looks like coming to train out here paid off,” grinned Baek, satisfied. “And it also looks like it won’t be necessary anymore, since your barriers are obviously strong enough to keep the Guild standing even if we train all-out.”

“It kind of doesn’t feel right, though,” admitted Ji-Hye.

“How so?”

“I mean, my abilities are obviously pretty off the charts, but… doesn’t that kind of power usually come with a pretty blatant weakness? Or backlash? Or, I dunno, rules or something?” Ji-Hye scratched the back of her head, a bit confused. “It kind of feels like I’m missing something…”

“Don’t worry too much about it, kid,” snorted Baek. “With our luck, maybe you’ve really been blessed with an overpowerful, no-price-paid kind of ability – God knows we need a miracle or two, with how the world’s turning out. And if not, well, we’ve got ample time to figure it all out.” He then started laughing. “Man, you should have seen Choi’s face when you dispelled his fire attack! Priceless!”

Ji-Hye couldn’t help but laugh along – Baek Yoon-Ho’s enthusiasm was very infectious.

Chapter Text

Ji-Hye nervously shuffled from one feet to the other, her gaze always straying over to the small, swirling Gate before she forced herself to look away and focus on her breathing. To say she was nervous would be a serious understatement – even if it was only an E-ranked Gate, it was still her first official raid, and she didn’t want to let Boss Baek down.

A part of her was excited. A much bigger part of her was genuinely scared. Even though she’d been training for well over a month and had grown fairly confident in using her abilities, her mind kept flashing back to her first dive in a dungeon. It seemed so long ago already… but it had still been one of the most terrifying moments of her life.

But this time, I won’t be trapped with helpless kids – I’m going in with a full team of seasoned Hunters, she reasoned. And it’s weak, too – even I can tell that much, with my new senses. Nothing’s gonna go wrong, you just have to get a grip…!

“You alright, kid?”

She startled a bit, looking up to find a middle-aged man with long hair already going gray tied in a low ponytail. He was wearing a heavy-looking, silvery armor. She offered him a smile, though he couldn’t see it because of the face mask she’d decided to wear – no point in risking her identity leaking out.

“I- I’m okay. Just a bit nervous, is all,” she admitted.

“Well, I’m Jang Hyun-Seok, A-rank Tanker,” he introduced himself, and she was quick to bow in greeting. “And you see the lady over there? That’s Park Hee-Jin, a B-rank Caster. And we’re waiting on our last two teammates, one B-rank Tanker and one B-rank Healer. So, well, what I’m trying to get at is… Don’t worry! You’ve got a pretty strong team to watch your back, so don’t hesitate to rely on us.” He scratched the back of his head, a bit sheepishly. “I know that you’re S-rank, so it probably doesn’t actually mean much, but…”

“No, actually, it makes me feel a lot better,” she admitted, chuckling a bit. “I may be S-rank, but I don’t have any experience with Dungeons, so it’s a relief to have you all to guide me. I’m in your care, Mister Jang.”

“Maa, maa, don’t be so formal, kid,” he laughed. “Now, we’ve been told to let you lead so you can learn the Dungeon at your own pace, but if anything happens or you don’t know what to do, I’m the designated Vice-Captain. You can ask me anything, alright? And the others will be happy to help you out, too.”

She smiled again, much more relaxed now that he’d helped her get out of her head a bit. Before she could say anything else, however, their two missing teammates finally arrived, and they all quickly circled around the Hunters Association’s representative to receive the final updates on the Gate before going in.

“Very well. All members of the White Tiger Guild team are accounted four – 3 B-ranks, one A-rank, on S-rank. About to start the raid on an E-rank Gate for recruit training purposes.” The prim-looking woman readjusted her glasses as she finished typing something on her tablet. “Latest Gate evaluation: fourteen minutes ago. No unnatural mana fluctuations detected, no anomalies detected. From our preliminary checks, it would appear the primary beasts occupying the Dungeon are Goblins, so just be mindful of traps. Do you have any questions?”

Everyone shook their heads in a negative motion, even Ji-Hye. Her training hadn’t just been about her physical and magical abilities – she’d also been studying a lot, so as to be better prepared for the different types of threats that could appear in a Dungeon. With the final debriefing over, they all started making their way towards the Gate.

Mister Jang went in first, offering Ji-Hye a reassuring grin and a thumbs’ up. The other two, B-rank Healer Im Dae-Hyun and B-rank Tanker Yoon Seo-Yeon, were quick to follow him.

“Ready?” gently asked Park Hee-Jin.

Ji-Hye breathed in deeply. She’d already faced much worse than an E-rank Dungeon, so there was really no point in losing her cool now. So, with a determined nod, Ji-Hye walked right through the swirling portal, bracing herself for what would come next.

Chapter Text

The Dungeon was… a bit of a letdown, in a very strange way.

Ji-Hye remembered the terror she’d felt when she jumped through that first Gate, the one that changed everything. She remembered the overwhelming darkness, the stifling cold, the helplessness of the children she was trapped with. She remembered the trepidation, the endless reeling of her mind as she prayed for help to arrive in time, and how she pretty much resigned herself to die when the magical beasts got to them first.

And now here she was, in a Dungeon for the first time since, and it felt wholly different – or rather, she felt different. She was not the powerless girl who’d recklessly jumped in anymore. Now, she was a Hunter, and a S-rank one at that. Her eyes adjusted easily enough to the darkness, the air was lukewarm at worst, and she could feel her power gently thrumming under her skin, promising safety.

Most importantly, however, they’d been walking for almost thirty whole minutes now, and they still hadn’t run into a single magical beast.

“Is this… normal?” she eventually asked, a bit hesitant to break the silence that had fallen upon the group. “Going this long into a Dungeon without running into any beasts?”

“Not really, no,” grumbled Im Dae-Yoon, obviously wary. “Goblins are some of the weakest magical beasts out there, but they’re some of the most dangerous when it comes to sheer numbers and organizational skills. We definitely should have run into at least one or two scouting parties at this point.”

“Goblins have a whole system going on. Scouts, vanguards, long-ranged, and sometimes even a few mages, though weak,” added Yoon Seo-Yon. “Plus, unlike other magical beasts who function similarly, they don’t just scatter uselessly once you kill the boss – another one automatically steps up to take his place. So, the only way to actually beat this kind of Dungeon is to completely wipe them out.”

“Think of it like a rat problem, or a bunch of cockroaches,” snorted Jang Hyun-Seok, appearing a little more unbothered by the whole situation. “There’s a lot of them and they’re a pain to deal with, but they’re easy enough to get rid of, still.”

“We’re coming up on the Boss Chamber,” warned Park Hee-Jin. They stopped in front of a simple door – it was smaller than Ji-Hye, most probably goblin-size. “You can sense it, right? They’re all in there.”

“Sense it…?”

The others nodded in agreement, and Ji-Hye furrowed her brows, closing her eyes to try and focus. Her enhanced senses were admittedly a bit overwhelmed by the Dungeon and the powerful Hunters accompanying her but, after a few seconds, she finally understood what the Caster meant – there was a very, very powerful source of mana on the other side of that little door, and a bead of sweat broke out on her forehead.

“You guys are sure this is an E-rank Dungeon…? This feels a little… more.”

Park Hee-Jin reached out to gently squeeze her shoulder. “I understand what you mean. But, while it is a bit more than usual, it probably just veers on the higher-end of the E-rank Gates’ power scale. It feels strong because there’s so many of them, is all.”

“Whatever happens in there, just don’t get overwhelmed by their numbers,” insisted Jang Hyun-Seok, offering her a smile. “Like we said, there’s a lot of them, but they’re all very weak individually.”

“Either way, you’re not the offense type, right?” pointed out Im Dae-Hyun, giving her a thumbs’ up. “Just stick back with me – we’ll provide support together while these guys handle the clean-up. This is just your first Dungeon, so just focus on testing out your abilities without worrying about the rest.”

In the face of such reassurances, there was very little else Ji-Hye could doubt. In the end, they had a lot more experience than her, so she decided to rely on that and trust their judgement. So, bracing herself, she followed as they all walked through the little door, and made it into a very, very large cave. The walls were littered with holes – windows and doors, she belatedly realized –, ladders and wooden platforms.

It was a rustic but functional underground city, and Ji-Hye felt her heart drop.

Are we… Could we be the ones invading their home…?

That line of thought was promptly squashed when the A-rank Tanker abruptly stopped, effectively stopping the rest of the group. It took a moment for Ji-Hye to realize why everyone else had grown so wary in a matter of seconds, but…

Such strong magical power… How can it be this potent when there’s not a single goblin in sight…? Where is it coming from?

“Alright, everyone stick in formation until we’ve figured this out,” instructed Mister Jang. “Whatever’s going on, we need to be careful, even if it’s just an E-rank Gate!”

The air tensed. Ji-Hye’s breath caught in her throat the second the silence got shattered by an unholy screech — high-pitched, guttural, and close — that tore through the chamber.

Then the goblins came. Dozens of them, swarming from hidden passageways in the stone walls and narrow ladders that connected the makeshift platforms above, stumbling, screaming, tripping over each other in their frantic stampede across the cavern floor. Ji-Hye’s body reacted before her mind caught up, her arms lifting up and a golden light bursting into existence.

A shimmering dome of radiant energy bubbled around the party, stretching just wide enough to cover all five of them in a protective sphere. Her aura flared, flickering like a small sun in the dark. The goblins didn’t even stop, though, ramming into the barrier, too crazed by fear to recognize it as a shield… and then they kept going.

“Something’s wrong,” called out Seo-Yeon, lowering his mace with a frown. “They’re not attacking us…?”

The Hunters could only watch, bewildered, as the horde ran past them. Before any of them could try to make sense of it, however, a deep, wet crunch echoed through the cave. A goblin from the very back was flung sideways like a ragdoll — spine twisted, limbs limp. It crashed on the barrier, then flopped onto the ground, missing its head.

Ji-Hye’s eyes snapped toward the shadows at the rear of the chamber. Out of the darkness hobbled a creature about almost three times her size. Its skin was a bruised, putrid green, mottled with old scars and raw patches. One of its arms was swollen, dragging across the floor like a club of twisted muscle and bone, and jagged teeth jutted from its misshapen mouth, slick with fresh gore. Ji-Hye stared, wide-eyed, as the goblins shrieked and scattered around them, obviously more determined to flee their unsightly brethren than to fight the Hunters.

“A Hobgoblin?” Hee-Jin breathed beside her, clearly stunned. “Those are really rare...!"

Ji-Hye’s thoughts whirled. She knew this one, right? Hobgoblin, Hobgoblin… Her mind flipped through her freshly-acquired mental bestiary like a frantic index search, until she finally managed to recall the passage from the magical beast guide she’d been studying for the past few weeks:

Level: C-Rank Beast.

A Hobgoblin is the evolutionary apex of goblin-kind — born when one consumes enough of its own kin to undergo rapid, violent mutation. It is stronger, faster, smarter, and infinitely more aggressive than a regular goblin. Immune to fire. Once it tastes human blood, it goes into a brutal and lethal frenzy. Approach with caution.

Oh, this is going to get complicated...

Chapter Text

"Ji-Hye!" Mister Jang suddenly barked, snapping her focus back. "Don’t let them escape the Boss Room — if they scatter, we might not be able to clean them up in time!"

Her eyes flicked toward the tunnel they'd just walked through, and her heart dropped as she belatedly noticed the horde of smaller goblins just about to reach the exit of the Boss Room. She immediately lifted a second barrier, this one more akin to a wall, and effectively sealed off the entrance in the nick of time. The goblins slammed into it with frantic screeches and wails, clawing helplessly at the smooth, glimmering surface.

Ji-Hye could hardly blame them, honestly.

“Nice reflexes,” said simply Im Dae-Hyun, appearing rather calm despite the unexpected turn of situation.

“What- what does a Hobgoblin mean, exactly, regarding the Gate level?” asked hesitantly Ji-Hye.

“A Hobgoblin which has consumed the entirety of the horde would be C-rank but, since there’s still a good number of them left, it’s only achieved D-rank, at best,” explained calmly Mister Jang, eyeing the approaching monster with narrowed eyes. “Either way, we’re still plenty qualified to handle this. Can you provide support while keeping the exit sealed?”

Ji-Hye paused, considering it for a moment. Her barriers weren’t exactly draining, and they hardly required any focus from her to remain activated. Of course, she’d never actually had to split her focus in the midst of battle before, but she was fairly confident she could handle it.

“Yeah, I think so,” she assured.

“Alright, here’s the plan: we split, Hee-Jin and Dae Hyun handle the goblins, while Seo-Yeon and I handle the Hobgoblin, with Ji-Hye focusing as support. So long as we don’t let it consumer any other of its kin, it won’t get any stronger,” instructed Mister Jang. He grinned, then pounced forward. “Let’s go!”

Ji-Hye’s first barrier dropped, and all four other Hunters immediately split. Ji-Hye watched with great awe as they all moved with near perfect synchronization, and she almost immediately understood why they’d been separated that way – while the Hobgoblin was stronger, the horde was more numerous, so having a Caster and a Healer working in tandem to rapidly wipe them out was really smart.

Gah, focus! I might not have actual combat skills or spells, but I still got to do my part!

Ji-Hye swallowed thickly and forced her legs to move. She couldn’t afford to remain still, support needed to remain on the move if they didn’t want to become easy targets. Her hands clenched into fists, heart pounding against her ribs like it wanted out.

I trained for this, I’m ready, I trained for this, I’m ready…!

And yet, no amount of sparring could prepare her for the sheer terror inspired by those monsters. The Hobgoblin wasn’t just strong, it reeked of death and violence, and there was so much blood and there were limbs everywhere—

“ACK!”

A shout from behind snapped her out of her daze, and she instinctively ran toward it, casting a dome shield around as she reached Dae-Hyun and Hee-Jin, who’d gotten a little overwhelmed. The horde of goblins, realizing there was no escape until they got rid of the Hunters, had ended up cornering them. They were hitting and scratching at her barrier, and Ji-Hye took a second to take a deep breath.

“Ugh,” groaned Dae-Hyun, blood pouring out of a deep laceration in his arm.

Before he could start working on healing himself, however, golden particles began shimmering in and around his wound and, in a matter of seconds, the blood stopped pouring and the skin rapidly knitted itself back together.

“Wow,” gawked the Healer, staring at his unblemished skin in awe. “I guess that’s the real difference between B-Rank and S-Rank, huh? It’d have taken me at least fifteen minutes to close up the wound, and it would probably have scarred…”

“Good job,” smiled lightly Hee-Jin, though it quickly fell as she took in the horde of goblins now swarming them from all sides. “Well, this is a bit stickier than I expected—and I’m running out of energy for area spells, too…”

“If I corral the goblins, do you think you could get them all in one go?” suggested Ji-Hye. “And if not, if you remain inside my barrier while you do it, you should be able to cast your spells as many times as it takes to get rid of all of them.”

“Your barriers allow you to recharge magic!?” gawked Dae-Hyun.

“I can already feel my energy replenishing…” blinked Hee-Jin, stunned. She then shook her head. “Yes, I believe that might be the best course of action. Ready?”

“Ready!”

Ji-Hye crouched and slammed her palms into the stone floor, grounding herself as golden magic exploded outwards in a tight lattice — shimmering walls erupting around clusters of goblins, caging them in. The magic bent with her will, angling just enough to guide their movements and herd them into containment, until they were no longer surrounding them, but stuck in a tight tunnel, of sorts. It certainly took a lot more focus and energy to create what was essentially a maze, but she managed, somehow.

Then, once she had the goblins exactly where she wanted them, she stretched out and expanded her first barrier, encasing all of the goblins along with them—and thus allowing their B-rank Caster to fire at will, quite literally. With a dizzying mix of large-scale fire and lightning spells, Hee-Jin made quick work of wiping out what was left of the horde.

After almost a full minute, the last of the goblin fell in a heap of charred flesh, and Ji-Hye dropped all of her barriers—minus the one still sealing the exit, just in case. She wiped a bead of sweat from her brow.

I’m gonna have to work on my stamina, huh…?

The clanging of weapons quickly drew her attention back, though, and Ji-Hye, Hee-Jin and Dae-Hyun rapidly returned to the center of the Boss Room, just in time to see their two Tanks finishing off the Hobgoblin with an admittedly very cool combo attack. The monster was felled with a final wail, and a heavy silence promptly fell upon the cave right after.

A silence only broken by a slightly distant, scratching sound.

Frowning, Ji-Hye instinctively looked up, and her eyes went wide when she noticed a goblin suddenly jumping from behind some rocks and firing an arrow straight for Mister Jang. She lifted a barrier between them with her left hand and used her right one to create another barrier—or rather, one akin to a bubble, and effectively trapping the goblin inside.

“Urk!”

Ji-Hye’s eyes widened as Mister Jang collapsed—she’d been too slow, the arrow had hit its mark, right above his heart. She and the others promptly rushed to his side, Dae-Hyun immediately taking over as the more experienced Healer.

“It’s too close to his heart,” he frowned. “I need to remove the arrow, but he’ll bleed out before I can heal him. Ji-Hye, do you think your magic would be quick enough?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted, her heart beating too fast, guilt gnawing at her insides. If only she’d been faster—! “Can’t we carry him out?”

“He won’t make it that far.”

Ji-Hye immediately felt panic rising in her chest, making it hard to breathe. How had things gone so wrong so quickly? This was an E-rank Gate, for god’s sake! It was a chilling realization, really—that not even the strongest Hunters were safe from a lucky hit.

But now, the others were looking at her with expectation, obviously waiting for her to decide what to do next. Remove the arrow and take a gamble on if she could use her newly awakened abilities fast enough to save him? Or just wait while someone ran and hopefully returned with help in time? Why did she have to choose? Why where they looking at her like that? Why—

Because I’m S-rank. Because it’s not a matter of experience, but of power. I might not know the extent of my abilities or their true limits, but he’ll die either way, won’t he?

Gulping a bit, Ji-Hye forced herself to take a deep breath and calm down. She spread yet another barrier around all of them and, after a moment, she nodded firmly.

“Remove it.”

Dae-Hyun nodded back and carefully removed the arrow while Seo-Yeon and Hee-Jin held Mister Jang down. Ji-Hye closed her eyes and tried to will her powers to work. The healing factor of her barriers wasn’t an ability she’d tried to control before but, thankfully, it looked like she didn’t really need to—the blood stopped pouring out of his chest almost as soon as the arrow was removed and thrown aside and, after a few, tensed seconds, Mister Jang collapsed with a heavy sigh, his eyes rolling back.

Dae-Hyun heaved out in relief after checking his pulse. “He just passed out. Either the shock or the bit of blood loss, but he’s not in any immediate danger anymore.”

“Oh thank fuck,” groaned Ji-Hye as she fell to her knees, her legs shaking just a bit too much to support her anymore.

The others chuckled a bit around her, obviously relieved as well. But then, a noise from behind drew their attention, and they all belatedly realized that the goblin Ji-Hye had caught was still trapped in that barrier-bubble-thing. Narrowing her eyes at it, Ji-Hye immediately tried crushing the goblin, just like she’d done with the playset back at her family’s home.

After a few seconds… nothing happened. Well, the bubble grew a bit smaller, but certainly not enough to crush the goblin trashing inside, still.

“… huh. It looks like it doesn’t work on living beings,” she huffed, a bit annoyed.

She’d hoped she could have had at least one attack skill, but she supposed it made sense. In a sense, her barriers gave life – it stood to reason that they couldn’t take it.

“I think it’s the last one,” announced Hee-Jin after casting a brief location spell. “Let’s just finish this and head-out – it would be safer for him to be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible, just in case.”

Ji-Hye merely nodded in agreement and, once Seo-Yeon was ready, she released the goblin, and let the Tank finish it off.

Honestly, who’d have thought an E-Gate could get this troublesome…?

Chapter Text

“Mister Baek! Mister Woo!”

Ji-Hye hadn’t expected to see either of them when they finally came out of the Gate, but she supposed it made sense – the Gate level had unexpectedly gone up, after all, so Mister Baek had surely come to check-up on his team while Mister Woo came to assess the situation, as the Chief Inspector of the HAST and all.

“Hey, kid!” greeted cheerfully Mister Baek, offering her one of his trademark grins as he waved her over. “Things got a little rough in there, huh?”

“Wait, how’d you know?”

“We sensed the spike of mana, and the Gate leveled up to D-Rank,” explained simply Mister Woo, before offering her a smile. “Congratulations on completing your first Dungeon Raid, Ji-Hye.”

“Thank you! Though, I don’t feel like I did much, honestly—ack!”

“Don’t let her fool you!” chortled Mister Jang, slinging an arm around her neck and roughly ruffling her hair as he laughed – he’d woken up a few minutes before they exited the Dungeon, and he was apparently well-enough to walk on his own. “She’s great! She’s got good instincts—with a bit more experience, she’s going to be a hell of a Hunter! And she saved my life, too!”

“Your life?” echoed Mister Baek, bemused. “You almost died in an E-rank Dungeon, Jang?”

“Mah, you know lucky hits happen to the best of us, Boss,” he snorted. “But really, you did great in there. You may have a shiny new Class to show off, but you did exactly as promised: your Protected.”

She couldn’t help but falter a bit in the face of his enthusiasm. “I didn’t, though… I wasn’t fast enough, and I lifted my barrier too late, so you got really hurt…”

“That’s more on me than you, honestly—I should have known better than to let my guard down,” he shrugged, unperturbed. “But like I said, you’ve got sharp instincts, it’s just going to take a bit more experience for you to learn how to actually work with them.”

Ji-Hye did perk up a bit upon hearing that. A part of her was intensely relieved he didn’t appear to blame her for the injury he’d sustained, honestly. And she also liked how he spoke to her. He wasn’t just blindly singing her praises, nor was he putting her down for the mistakes she’d made—a good balance of constructive criticism, something she’d sorely lacked growing up.

“Alright, I’m headed for the hospital,” concluded the Tank. “You’ll have my report in a few days, Boss.”

“Don’t worry about it, get some rest first,” assured Mister Baek, patting his shoulder.

Ji-Hye bid Mister Jang goodbye as the paramedics on standby came to escort him, and Mister Baek quickly went to check on his other Hunters, while Mister Woo went to speak with his fellow HAST member. Unsure if she was allowed to leave just yet (no one had really addressed the ‘after-raid’ protocols with her, now that she thought about it), Ji-Hye went to take a seat on the nearest bench, figuring she could just wait and take a breather.

This was really, really scary, she though, gazing down at her hands. There was still a slight tremble in them, the last of the adrenaline wearing off. I thought it wouldn’t be as bad as the first one, since I was prepared and all, but…

Dungeons were unpredictable, and even the weakest of enemies could slay the strongest of Hunters. Ji-Hye was blessed with her ultimate defense skill and her innate armor, but others weren’t as lucky, and letting their guard down at any given moment could result in very serious injuries, or worse.

I’m going to have to work hard. I’m a Protector, now—and that means people need to be able to rely on me. I won’t let a single person die under my watch!!!

To most people, it would have been a lot of pressure, or maybe unrealistic expectations. But Ji-Hye had a newfound determination, and the utmost desire to prove herself. She’d been granted an incredible power, after all, and she absolutely refused to let it go to waste.

She was going to be the best damn Hunter in the country, believe it!

“Ji-Hye?” She snapped out of her thoughts, smiling when she noticed Mister Woo had joined her again. “Chairman Go would like to extend an invitation to join him for dinner tonight, if you’re not too tired from your raid.”

“Whatever for?” she blinked, a bit confused.

“If I had to take a guess, probably because he’d like to hear about your first raid firsthand,” he replied with a small shrug.

“So, a report? I don’t know how to do those, yet.”

“Kid, the old man just wants to have dinner with you and hear about your day,” snorted Mister Baek, cracking his neck as he joined them as well.

“But why?”

The two older Hunters exchanged a look at that, one Ji-Hye couldn’t even begin to decipher or understand. Mister Baek then groaned, running a hand through his messy hair, while Mister woo readjusted his glasses.

“Chairman Go is quite fond of you, Ji-Hye, and he was a bit worried about how today’s raid would go for you, considering your… well, relatively traumatic first experience. I believe dinner is simply his way of checking up on you. It isn’t in any official capacity and, of course, you’re free to refuse.”

“Oh.”

Ji-Hye somehow doubted the Chairman did that with every single Hunter and their first Dungeon Raid. Maybe he did it with all of the S-rank Hunters? There were only a handful of them, after all. But Mister Woo did say he was “fond of her”, whatever that meant…

Like I thought, he’s projecting, she mused internally. But he is rather old, so I guess it’s normal. He sees a girl his granddaughter’s age getting into dangerous situations and can’t help but worry, which is fair, I suppose. And it’s probably going to be fancy food, too…

“Alright, I’ll go,” she smiled. Chairman Go had been nothing but kind so far, so she figured dinner was the least she could do to repay him. “Are you coming, Mister Baek?”

“Nah, I’ve got too much work right now. But you’re free tomorrow morning, right?”

“Yep!”

“No. It’s a school day,” cut in Mister Woo, and she could have sworn he rolled his eyes behind his cool shades.

“Shoot, I’ve really gotta get my schedule back in order,” grunted Mister Baek. “Fine, let’s do this after school, then.”

“Do what?”

“Your celebratory dinner.”

“My what?”

“Dinner. To celebrate your first raid…?” She stared at him blankly, and he groaned again, shaking his head. “Jesus, you’ve really got issues…”

“Baek,” said sharply Mister Woo.

“I mean, he’s not wrong,” she shrugged, a bit bemused. “Sorry. I’m just… not used to this. But celebratory dinner sounds nice. Can you make burgers again?”

“Sure thing, kid.”

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been celebrated for anything, honestly. She’d always had to watch from the shadows as her brothers’ every accomplishment was showered with praises and gifts. But that pain felt distant, now, as if muffled by the sheer warmth she could feel from Mister Baek’s bright grin and Mister Woo’s smaller, but genuine smile. She really wasn’t used to people caring about her. A part of her was almost scared, but she was too desperate not to cling to hope, at this point. They might not be family but, frankly, this was as close as she’d get to it, and she was going to cherish every moment with them.

Chapter Text

“Choi.”

“Baek.”

“You’re coming over for dinner tonight.”

“I am?”

“Yeah. Bring Cha, too, if she’s around.”

“And why, pray tell, should we disturb our very busy schedule to come over for dinner, of all things? You rarely make sense, Baek, but this is beyond your usual shenanigans.”

Baek pinched the bridge of his nose. Breathe in, breathe out. Imagine punching that fiery, arrogant bastard, then calm the fuck down.

“Because it’s a celebratory dinner, Choi—for the kid. She succeeded in her first Dungeon Raid yesterday.”

“That’s nice, I’ll be sure to send her flowers,” mused Choi. There was a scratching noise. He was obviously writing it down, and Baek was pleased to note that his fellow S-rank at least sounded sincere in the sentiment. “But that still doesn’t explain why you want us to come over for dinner.”

“That’s…” Honestly, had those been any other circumstances, had this been anyone else, he wouldn’t have bothered. “Look, I’m not gonna go into the details because it really isn’t my place and, frankly, I don’t have the whole picture either. But the kid’s family situation is pretty bad, from what I’ve gathered, and it doesn’t look like she’s got many friends, either. She’s got no social network whatsoever and, most importantly, there is a very severe lack of trustworthy adults in her life right now.”

“Ah. And you’re hoping to introduce Cha and I to that circle, then?”

“She literally put Jin-Chul down as her emergency contact because she’s got no one else—and that was after meeting the guy, like, twice,” he deadpanned.

“… Okay, that’s pretty bad,” relented Choi.

“Right!? But yeah, she doesn’t have many people right now. I’m hoping she’ll expand her social circle a little more once she starts working with some of my teams on a more regular basis, but the last thing I want is for her social life to become entirely dependent of her place of work, you know?”

“That’s uncharacteristically sensible of you,” teased Choi. “But I understand. I’ll speak with Cha. We should be there around six, and we’ll bring cake.”

“Thank you.”

Choi hung up, and Baek released a breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. In the end, even if he and Choi didn’t get along most of the times, his fellow Guild Master was still a pretty reliable guy.

            It was becoming pretty clear to him that Ji-Hye’s family hadn’t treated her right. Her eagerness to cut all ties with them was already a pretty big red flag, but it was also noticeable in the little things—sometimes in the way she reacted to something, or how she responded to someone… Just yesterday, when Jin-Chul invited her to have dinner with Chairman Go, she’d been completely lost, as if she couldn’t understand why the old man would willingly spend time with her.

            When he took her in, Baek became responsible for her wellbeing—and that also meant ensuring she’d have all the tools to succeed not only as a Hunter, but in life in general. That included having a reliable social network, with people she could trust implicitly and go to when she needed help. He and Jin-Chul were pretty much the only ones on that very short list so far and, considering her status as a S-rank Hunter, developing genuine friendships would be even more difficult as time passed, hence why he’d decided to recruit Choi and Cha into it.

            Baek was determined to do everything in his power to help Ji-Hye, but the fact remained that he was also her boss, now. She wouldn’t be able to come to him for everything. And Jin-Chul, in spite of how involved he'd already proven to be, was still a very busy man as the right-hand man of Chairman Go, and he wouldn’t always be available. So, at the very least, adding Choi and Cha would broaden her options a bit. And of course, having a fellow female Hunter around would probably help Ji-Hye in ways Baek couldn’t even begin to understand.

I should introduce her to Byung-Gyu, eventually. He’s definitely going to like her, he mused, his mind flicking back to one of his oldest friends. He then cringed. Though, he’s definitely going to have opinions about an underage Hunter… Yeah, might be best to wait until the kid’s grown a bit more secure in her own position.

.

School was boring but, thankfully, Ji-Hye had something to look forward to! She practically skipped all the way back to her brand-new apartment. She took some time getting ready—she felt a bit silly, considering it’d be just her and Mister Baek, but since he was going to the effort of preparing dinner for her, she could make the effort to look nice for it, right? She was in a bit of a daze, honestly. Her first paycheck had come in, her skin was clear, her makeup was particularly sparkly, and she’d even won a really rare item in one of her favorite mobile games. And now there was going to be a celebratory dinner, of all things. Could today get any better?

“Well, someone looks happy,” mused Baek as he let her in – he lived in the penthouse, while her own apartment was four floors below. “Glad you didn’t skip school after all?”

“Oh, no, I could definitely have done without school today,” she snorted, carefully putting her combat boots aside and putting on the slippers. “But… I don’t know. It’s just one of those days where everything went kind of right, you know?” She went to sit at the counter and watched as he got back to prepping the food. “Huh, that’s a lot for two people, isn’t it? Are you planning on making some lunches for the week while you’re at it?”

Baek grinned but, before he could answer, someone suddenly knocked at the door. He gestured for her to go answer while he finished prepping the food. She was quite curious, and her eyes widened when she opened the door.

“Mister Choi! Miss Cha!”

“Hello, Miss Kang,” greeted Mister Choi, offering her one of his unreadable smiles. He then extended the flowers he was holding to her. “Congratulations for successfully completing your first Dungeon Raid.”

“I—wait, those are for me?” She hesitantly accepted the flowers as the two came in, a bit flabbergasted. “I don’t… What?”

Miss Cha removed her face mask and offered her a small smile. “We wanted to come celebrate with you. Congratulations, Miss Kang.”

“O- oh, thank you…? Ah, you can just call me Ji-Hye, you know,” she said, admittedly a bit confused by how the evening was unfolding.

Miss Cha simply smiled again as she nodded. “Ji-Hye, then.”

“Good, you two made it!” greeted Mister Baek, waving their way before he focused back on flipping the patties. “Ah, Jin-Chul wanted to come too, but duty calls—a Red Gate popped up on the other side of the city an hour ago.”

Mister Choi nodded, having apparently heard about it, while Ji-Hye frowned, confused yet again. What was a Red Gate? Before she could ask, though, Miss Cha suddenly offered her a very soft-looking plushie in the shape of a black cat, with a hot pink bow tied around its floppy neck.

“I’m afraid I couldn’t find the time to wrap it properly,” she said apologetically. “But I heard those toys are really popular right now. I hope you like it.”

“For me…?”

Honestly, it was ugly. Also, it was definitely intended for children much younger than Ji-Hye—she was pretty sure it was a character in a show mostly popular with elementary schoolers. But still, the sole fact that Miss Cha had gone out of her way to get her a gift, of all things… She blinked furiously to force down the tears as she clutched the plushie to her chest.

“Thank you,” she managed to say, her throat tight. “I love it.”

Miss Cha relaxed, having obviously been anxious about it. “I’m glad, then.”

Not for the first time since she first took that dive in a Gate, Ji-Hye felt incredibly overwhelmed. But for once, it wasn’t from fear or anger or anxiety—no, this time, it was from sheer, unexpected warmth. Care. These people, people she hardly knew, frankly, had gone out of their way to spend time with her and celebrate something she hadn’t even considered a milestone up until they decided it was important.

            Somehow, they made her feel important.

            With a bright smile, she grabbed Miss Cha’s hand, laughing as they joined the other two in the kitchen.