Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Unlike the old facility, which had been built purely for defense, the headquarters was furnished in a clean, modern style.

Glass walls opened up on all sides, offering an unobstructed view of the outside — a wide, airy sense of openness.

But for Sahyeon, who had just come up to the surface, the warm light was nothing but an irritation.

"—Who's that? I've never seen that face before."

The corridors of Hunter Association Headquarters bustled with employees hurrying past.

Employees who spotted Sahyeon walking alongside the Association President whispered among themselves behind his back.

"Think he's a new hunter? If he's walking around with the Association President... maybe S-rank?"

"Nah, the new hunters should all be at the Academy by now."

Their hushed conversation carried clearly to Sahyeon, thanks to his enhanced hearing.

Feeling his blood sugar drop in real time, Sahyeon's brow twitched.

"It's probably best if you go out without the mask."

That had been the Association President's suggestion.

At present, the mirror mask was regarded as the symbol of the Hunter Penitentiary.

If he'd walked onto the surface wearing it, the world would've been in an uproar.

It was his first time walking through the Association with his bare face, so it did feel awkward, but......

'I'll pass on things getting more annoying than they already are.'

There was no need to hide anymore, anyway.

Sahyeon scrunched his brow and raked his hair back roughly.

"So, where do I need to go?"

The Association President turned around as he walked and answered.

"I've had supplies prepared in my office, so grab those first. We can sit down and talk for a bit, and I'll introduce you to someone who can help you adjust."

"I'd rather spend that time killing monsters......"

Sahyeon's brow creased with irritation.

On top of that, another conversation in the Association President's office.

Hadn't they already said everything they needed to say underground? He had zero appetite for another stiff, serious meeting.

"Don't be like that. You'll need it. More has changed than you'd think while you were down there. You should at least get acclimated before meeting the new Awakened."

"Why would I be meeting them?"

"......Well, as you work on resolving the Dungeon Break, all kinds of situations could come up."

"?"

A question mark floated across Sahyeon's face, and the Association President smiled and hurriedly changed the subject.

"...I've also prepared a device with a Gate detection function, so it should come in handy."

Track Gate energy......

During a Dungeon Break, when Gates appeared at random and monsters came pouring out with alarming frequency, a tracking device would mean they could know in advance where a Gate was about to open.

Sahyeon let out a dry laugh.

"World's gotten better."

If they had that, it could help with faster suppression.

Sahyeon shrugged and followed the Association President.

***

The office, reached after crossing the corridor.

As the Association President led the way in, a booming greeting rang out.

"Good day, President!"

A man with curly, light brown hair gave a deep bow.

"Ah, you're already here."

The Association President put on a warm smile, then introduced the man to Sahyeon.

"Sahyeon, this is Hunter Yun Haeseong. He'll be helping you adjust going forward."

Adjust, my ass. Who does he think he's treating like an actual rookie?

Sahyeon scrunched his brow in displeasure.

"...Ah!"

Meanwhile, Haeseong glanced between the Association President and Sahyeon, then broke into a beaming smile and gave a deep bow.

"How do you do? My name is Yun Haeseong, and I'll be serving as your aide starting today."

The man's bright, sparkling eyes and sunny disposition somehow reminded Sahyeon of one of those golden mutts you'd see at a countryside home.

Sahyeon thought this with thorough indifference and gave a half-nod.

In the meantime, Haeseong was bustling around in the inner pocket of his suit jacket.

"Pleased to meet you."

A single business card, extended toward Sahyeon.

Sahyeon accepted it with an absent flick of his hand.

[Hunter Bureau of Korea

Yun Haeseong / A-rank Hunter / Strategic Support Team / Education Support]

'A-rank Hunter — not bad.'

As Sahyeon's eyes traveled down the card, his brow furrowed for an instant.

"Education Support?"

Haeseong's brown eyes sparkled as he nodded.

"Yes. I'm primarily in charge of trait analysis and classification for newly Awakened individuals."

"Ah."

A textbook non-combat-type hunter.

The Education Support part was unusual, but he didn't think much of it.

If this was the person assigned to help him adjust, the guy would probably just give a quick introduction and then disappear.

"If there's anything you'd like to know, please don't hesitate to ask!"

Haeseong said with those sparkling eyes.

"Hmm. That right?"

Sahyeon hummed, raising one eyebrow. The words were wrapped up nicely, but he'd more or less figured out the situation.

'All the combat-type hunters must be out in the field.'

Come to think of it, he'd be heading to combat zones constantly from now on, and yet they'd stuck a non-combat-type hunter who might not even be able to fend for himself at his side.

Were they that desperate in this emergency, borrowing even the mutt's paws?

'Could also be a watchdog the Association President planted.'

Truthfully, it didn't matter either way.

As long the man didn't get in the way of his plans.

Sahyeon let out a quiet snort and shrugged.

"Try to keep up."

Haeseong nodded vigorously, his face tense with nerves.

"Y-Yes! Pleased to be working with you."

Sahyeon gave a half-nod, then strode toward the Association President.

"The supplies?"

"Ah, right."

At the Association President's signal, Secretary Jeong placed a palm-sized box on the table.

"It's a device with a Gate detection function built in."

Inside the opened box was a wristwatch.

"Looks like an ordinary smartwatch on the outside, but it's made for hunters. When a Gate forms, you'll get an alert ahead of even the emergency broadcast."

"Simple enough."

Sahyeon muttered in a flat voice, strapped the watch on, and turned toward the door without a moment's hesitation.

"Well, I've got somewhere to be. I'm off."

He was starting to get hungry, after all.

He had no intention of sitting around in this stuffy office waiting for a Gate to open.

"The watch has more functions — are you sure you don't want to hear the rest?"

The Association President tried to hold him back, but Sahyeon tilted his head and raised the wrist wearing the watch.

"When this thing buzzes, I run out. That's the gist, isn't it?"

"In summary, yes, but......"

"Then we're done."

When Sahyeon turned to leave without looking back, the Association President hastily added.

"If nothing comes up, I'll call you back this evening."

Sahyeon nodded in lieu of an answer and walked out the door.

The Association President called out one more thing, just in case.

"Don't cause any trouble!"

Sahyeon, his hand on the doorknob, answered flatly.

"I'll think about it."

With that, he pushed the door wide open and strode out of the office without hesitation.

"M-Mr. Sahyeon! Just a moment!"

Behind the Association President's sigh, Haeseong scrambled after him.

Sahyeon ignored Haeseong and marched briskly toward the headquarters lobby.

"Hah, huff. Mr. Sahyeooon!"

Haeseong chased after him at practically a run.

Before long, Sahyeon had pushed through the front doors and was heading outside.

"Let's go together!!"

Haeseong had just barely stretched out his hand, nearly within reach of Sahyeon, when—

THUD—

"Oomph!"

Haeseong's face collided squarely with the back of Sahyeon, who had stopped dead in his tracks.

As Haeseong held back a yelp and clutched his nose, Sahyeon looked him up and down as if examining a bizarre creature.

"What are you doing?"

"You stopped so suddenly......"

Haeseong smiled sheepishly and rubbed his reddened nose.

"But where are you going in such a hurry?"

Sahyeon shoved his hands into his pockets, scrunched his brow, and looked around.

"It's been so long since I've been out, I can't get my bearings......"

Haeseong watched Sahyeon's face with a vaguely nervous expression.

Sahyeon surveyed the streets with serious eyes, then slowly parted his lips.

"Are there any good restaurants around here?"

Since he'd come all the way up to the surface, the least he could do was make his first meal a good one.

"......Pardon?"

Haeseong blinked blankly.

A vaguely dumbfounded expression.

Sahyeon raised an eyebrow.

"You asleep with your eyes open?"

Spurred by Sahyeon's prodding, Haeseong fumbled his mouth open.

"Oh, uh, yes! There's a gukbap place I go to a lot, right next to headquarters."

"Not a fan of hot food."

Sahyeon said with a disinterested face.

Haeseong quickly spoke up.

"Um, if you go out toward the intersection, there's a burger place too......"

"That works."

Sahyeon raised an eyebrow and started walking immediately.

Except his direction was completely wrong.

"Mr. Sahyeon, it's the other way!!"

Haeseong grabbed him urgently.

Sahyeon clicked his tongue and grumbled as if it were Haeseong's fault.

"Should've told me sooner. And you call yourself an aide?"

"No, you didn't even give me a chance to speak?!"

Haeseong cried out, his face full of indignation.

In the end, it wasn't until Haeseong took the lead that the two of them began walking in the right direction.

***

A franchise fast-food restaurant, a window seat with a clear view of the intersection.

"Peaceful......"

Excessively so.

Sahyeon gazed through the wide glass window and slurped down the rest of his cola.

People walking with their eyes glued to their phones, others strolling leisurely down the street with coffee in hand......

The bustling intersection was packed with pedestrians heading to their respective destinations.

"Did a Dungeon Break actually happen?"

Sahyeon muttered with a furrowed brow.

Back when I was on the surface, a Dungeon Break was a worldwide catastrophe.

Non-Awakened civilians sometimes had to live in shelters for months.

But now, five years later.

Everyone was walking the streets as if it were any other day.

"Well... I suppose it's because we can pinpoint the location as soon as a Gate opens......?"

When Haeseong spoke up with a puzzled voice, Sahyeon looked down at the watch on his wrist.

"This thing?"

"Yes. Once a location comes up, the top priority is to prevent monsters from spreading to other areas."

The types of Gates that formed during a Dungeon Break varied widely.

From Gates that spewed out hundreds or thousands of monsters at once, to Gates that produced upper-tier monsters of A-rank or higher.

"More useful than I expected."

Sahyeon said in an even tone.

The duration of a Dungeon Break was different every time.

The first Dungeon Break had lasted one year and six months; the second, one year and two months.

The faster and more thoroughly the monsters pouring from the Gates were eliminated, the sooner the Dungeon Break ended......

'At this rate, maybe we can wrap it up within a year.'

Handle things as quickly as possible, then use the Association's research personnel to trace Lee Haje's death......

Sahyeon was propping his chin on one hand, revising his plans in his head, when—

"Um... Mr. Sahyeon."

Haeseong, who had been stealing glances at him, spoke up.

Instead of answering, Sahyeon only rolled his eyes toward Haeseong.

Meeting his gaze — a look that said, speak — Haeseong swallowed hard, then opened his mouth carefully.

"Would it be all right if I asked what your trait is?"

What's this about now?

Sahyeon raised one eyebrow.

"Don't tell me you came here without hearing a single thing from the Association President?"

For an Awakened, their trait was practically their identity.

In other words, Haeseong asking about his trait meant the man knew virtually nothing about Sahyeon.

Sure enough, Haeseong slowly nodded.

"No......"

Sahyeon let out a scoff of disbelief.

"Ha. No wonder you tagged along so willingly."

"......Pardon?"

In short, the Association President had assigned Haeseong as his aide without revealing his identity as the Hunter Penitentiary's Interrogator.