Hunters’ awakening abilities.
Various items found within gates.
Since the Dungeon Break incident seven years ago, this world has been surrounded by all kinds of supernatural phenomena.
At this point, is it really wise to look down on others just because even an eighty-year-old could snap rebar in half?
‘I have no idea what kind of awakened person this is.’
His suspicion only made things more complicated.
So he decided to step back for now.
‘My goal was just to see how he reacts to pressure anyway.’
After Kang Chang-ho confirmed the testimony arrangement, he cleared the way blocking the gate exit.
‘Still… it’s kind of funny that he insists on being F-rank with that personality.’
Kim Ki-ryeo walked past him, occasionally glancing over with those sharp eyes of his.
Kang Chang-ho watched him and thought briefly.
‘This is interesting.
What exactly is Hunter Kim Ki-ryeo thinking?’
But unfortunately, there was still no item in this world capable of reading minds.
‘Gaaaaaaahh, I survived for nowwww!’
And so, Kang Chang-ho had no way of knowing what was going on inside Kim Ki-ryeo’s head.
***
1.
Become the one who sides with Kang Chang-ho and strikes the S-rank hunter from behind.
2.
Side with Jeong Ha-seong and confront the S-rank hunter here.
‘Huh?
There’s no third option?’
A few minutes earlier.
When I heard that threat from the awakened hunter, my mind went blank.
Neither option looked particularly good.
‘Is Earth’s decision-making always like this?’
But Kang Chang-ho wasn’t simply brandishing a weapon—he was practically forcing a choice.
When I saw his fist earlier, an image flashed through my mind.
The same fist that had blown off a Heilang’s head barehanded.
Could my body withstand that now?
‘…No chance.
Just follow what he says.
Survival first.’
The way Kang Chang-ho moved, it felt like he could kill at least one person without much trouble.
‘Jeong Ha-seong is S-rank, but his personality doesn’t seem bad.
He wouldn’t kill someone just for choosing the other side…’
In the end, it was safer to comply.
After finishing the calculation, I immediately spoke.
“Alright.
So I just need to say I was the one who knocked out Hunter Jeong Ha-seong?”
There was no need for this lie to follow me for the rest of my life anyway.
‘Damn it.
Just give me my magic back already.
I’ll deal with the rest properly once I do.’
Even if Kang Chang-ho recovered even ten percent of his strength, it wouldn’t be a problem.
First, survive.
Then stabilize the situation.
That was the conclusion.
“Good decision.”
However, despite the success of his threat, Kang Chang-ho didn’t look particularly satisfied.
‘What is he thinking?’
He then gave brief instructions—how to testify once they left the gate.
‘Damn it.’
I glanced at the S-rank hunter behind them and slowly moved toward the exit.
‘Anyway… I survived.
I actually survived.’
At this rate, there might even be a twist where the exit itself was fake.
“Ah!”
But fortunately, that worst-case thought vanished the moment they stepped outside.
Tall gray buildings.
Green mountains layered between them.
Streets scattered with cigarette butts.
It was finally over.
I let out a quiet breath, letting the scenery settle my nerves.
“Ah!
A survivor from Exit 3 has appeared!”
“Gate clear at Exit 3!”
“Turn the camera here!”
But why were there so many people?
“Any other survivors?
How many hunters were deployed?”
“Uh… uh…?”
“Congratulations on your return!
A crowd had gathered beyond a cordon, firing questions nonstop.
I froze for a moment, then slowly looked around.
‘Gate…?
There were multiple exits?’
It seemed several hunters had been caught in the same incident.
There were six gates arranged in a circular formation in this open area, and the people here were treating this passage as one of the exits.
‘Humans really love organizing things.’
Still, there was no reason to panic.
Soon after, Kang Chang-ho emerged from behind, carrying the unconscious Jeong Ha-seong.
The crowd erupted.
“It’s Hunter Kang Chang-ho!”
“Two S-ranks…!”
“That’s really Jeong Ha-seong?
Why is he unconscious?”
Officials in black suits—Association staff—stood waiting near the cordon.
One of them stepped forward.
“Hunter Kang Chang-ho.
We need a brief report on the situation.”
“Are you from the Association?”
“Yes.”
His gaze briefly swept over the unconscious S-rank hunter.
“First question.
Why is Hunter Jeong Ha-seong unconscious?”
“Ah, this.”
“Did he fall victim to a gate mechanism?”
Kang Chang-ho shook his head.
“No.
There was conflict inside the gate over sacrifice selection.
That’s why this guy knocked him out.”
The Association staff adjusted his glasses.
“Pardon?
Are you referring to that person—Jeong Ha-seong?”
The claim was absurd.
I almost laughed at how ridiculous it sounded.
“How could the number one-ranked hunter in Korea be taken down by someone I’ve never even seen before?”
Fortunately, the staff still seemed to be thinking rationally.
“Please be honest.
Hunter Kang Chang-ho, didn’t you actually cause this?”
The more they doubted him, the more confidently Kang Chang-ho spoke.
“Hey, why don’t you say something instead of just listening in there?”
Because there’s some side who believe it.
‘Ugh.’
Even at this moment, Kang Changho gave me a cold look as I stood in the blind spot of the as sociation’s employee.
The way he looked made me think he was going to kill me if I didn’t make the false testimony myself soon.
So I immediately fulfilled my promise.
“That …
It’s true that I’m the one who made Hunter Jung Haseong faint.”
“H, huh?”
Since I already adjusted my words to match his before I came out, the explanation came out smoothly.
“I didn’t intend to harm him.
I only put him to sleep briefly to stabilize the situation.
I apologize.”
It was a defensive explanation—this was done to secure a safe clear of the gate.
“What… that can’t be—so an S-rank was really…”
Before things escalated further, I added quickly.
“When Hunter Jeong wakes up, I will personally apologize.”
I tried to shrink the situation down into something manageable.
Of course, the actual victim would be furious hearing this.
Still, it could probably be settled with compensation and an apology.
“No, that can’t be right!”
Around that time I was feeling complacent.
The association employee looked at us both with an absurd expression.
Then Kang Changho made an unexpected action.
“Heuk, Kang Changho-ssi!”
The S-Class Hunter, who took a step forward to say something to the association employee, stumbled greatly.
Now they can see that his complexion is pale, and he’s also sweating a little due to dizziness …
“Phew, you’ve been talking bullshit since a while ago.”
It seemed too realistic to be considered acting.
Because he really lost a lot of blood inside the gate.
“Can’t you tell just by looking at it?
With my condition, what do you think I can do to Jung Haseong?”
“A, Are you all right?” You are reading on novelping.com, the official source.
“That’s enough, so get out of the way!”
He shouted in a half-irritated tone, and the association employee hurriedly stepped back.
‘It’s not that serious, but he’s pretending to be sick.’
I was disgusted by his tricks, but I couldn’t express my dissatisfaction.
“Wait a minute!
Hunter!
Is what you just said true?
Are you really the reason Jung Haseong is unconscious?”
“Did you knock out an S-Class person?”
Next, the people of Earth outside the police-line scream at the top of their voices.
I just explained it, do I have to say the same thing again?
But they looked like they were going to fight until they heard the answer, so I only gave a short answer.
“Yes.
Yes.”
It may be an insincere tone, but the question is soon cut off as if this is enough.
However, a machine that looked a bit familiar was seen where the people who were watching were standing.
‘What was that?’
A few days ago, I was watching Ahn Yoonseung’s dungeon break settlement.
At that time, the object held by the man who was having a quarrel suddenly came to mind.
I know its name.
In addition, I knew the approximate function.
‘So, it was a tool to record the situation you are seeing right now, right?’
Camera.
I glanced at the Earth tools they were holding and then quickly turned around.
‘I don’t know why they’re filming my face for no reason.
I don’t think it’s something worth saving and reviewing.’
Even though it’s easy to forget, I’m an alien who just arrived on this planet.
There are strangely many blank spaces in Kim Kiryeo’s memory, so I often don’t know even the most obvious and common-sense information.
Therefore, I had absolutely no understanding of who or how the information I always viewed on my phone was updated.
‘Nevermind.
I’m tired, so let’s go home first.’
…
It was 24 hours later that I learned of the connection between ‘reporters’, ‘cameras’, and ‘video uploads’ on Earth.
** *
The next day.
A small restaurant near Kim Ki-ryeo’s home.
“Huff…”
The same place where I had been dragged into trouble on my first day back.
I sipped the soup and reached for radish with my chopsticks.
But someone stopped me.
“Hey, hyung.”
Ahn Yun-seung looked across the table, his face unusually pale.
“I saw the articles this morning before they were taken down.”
“….”
“…Is it true you knocked out Hunter Jeong Ha-seong?”
He was probably here to confirm it.
I set my chopsticks down and answered calmly.
“More or less.”
“Haah…”
He looked like he wanted to say more but couldn’t quite manage it.
“Hyung… you didn’t actually get caught up in that EX gate, right?
You’re okay?”
I tried to steer the conversation away before more questions came.
That was when—
Buzzzzz—
“Hyung, I think your phone’s ringing?”
My phone vibrated in my pocket.
The name that appears on the screen is restricted by the caller ID.
“Hello?”
I put down the spoon I was holding and fumbled to answer the phone.
Then, an unexpected voice came through the speaker.
-Is this Hunter Kim Kiryeo’s number?
“Yes.”
-This is Jung Haseong.
“Aah!
Yes!”
Come to think of it, I left my number with the association yesterday to personally apologize.
After confirming the sender’s identity, I straightened up and started talking.
“Wait.
But before we talk, just for a moment.”
Because Jung Haseong contacted me.
“Can you make a video call?”
I looked around the restaurant for a place to lie down.
Where exactly was I supposed to put my head down for this call?