Suwon Hunter Guild – Training Field
Rain fell in soft taps against the roof of the outdoor sparring hall.
The new hunter trainees lined up beneath the awning, waiting for assignments.
Nam Do-Hoon stood front and center.
Arms crossed. Fire flickering between his knuckles. Eyes sharp and boiling with frustration.
> "Instructor Goh, I request a rematch."
Goh raised a brow from behind a steaming mug of barley tea.
> "You asking officially?"
> "Yes, sir."
> "Against Jung Ha-Joon?"
Do-Hoon nodded.
> "He humiliated me."
> "He didn't hit you. You fell on your own."
> "Exactly."
Goh sipped his tea.
> "You get one chance. Don't make it ugly."
---
Training Grounds – Later That Morning
A crowd had gathered.
Even veteran D-rank hunters passing by slowed to watch.
> "Hey, that's Do-Hoon." "The flame guy." "Who's the other one?" "Just some red-eyed kid."
Ha-Joon stood at the far end of the mat, quiet as always.
His hands at his sides. No weapon drawn.
Goh clapped once.
> "No gear. Just technique. You forfeit if you bleed. Begin."
Do-Hoon charged.
His footwork had improved.
Ha-Joon noticed.
More balance. More control.
He adjusted accordingly.
Do-Hoon spun, feinted, and launched a hook coated in ember.
Ha-Joon slipped under.
His palm tapped Do-Hoon's shoulder.
Do-Hoon stumbled, planted his heel, and reversed with a kick.
Ha-Joon caught the leg. Redirected it. Gently.
Do-Hoon landed flat. Again.
Silence.
A cough in the crowd.
Then laughter. Not mocking. Just stunned.
Ha-Joon helped him up.
> "You're getting better."
Do-Hoon blinked.
> "You could've broken my leg."
> "Why would I?"
> "So I could learn faster."
Ha-Joon tilted his head.
> "Pain doesn't make you better. Practice does."
He walked off.
Goh chuckled.
> "And that, boys and girls, is how real hunters fight."
---
Suwon High – Class 3-2
The tension was slowly fading.
Ha-Joon no longer ate lunch alone.
Some classmates offered snacks. Others asked questions.
He answered politely, though vaguely.
No one pushed too hard.
Only Shin Ah-Ri watched silently from her corner.
She'd drawn him three more times.
Each one more detailed. More accurate.
Not of him fighting.
Of him waiting.
Like a storm that hadn't decided whether to pass or break.
She didn't speak.
But she noticed when his eyes flickered.
And she noticed when the sky around him seemed to darken.
Just for a second.
---
Guild Cafeteria – Two Days Later
Ha-Joon sat alone with a tray of barley porridge.
Do-Hoon plopped into the seat across from him.
> "Why don't you use aura?"
> "Don't need it."
> "Everyone uses aura."
> "Doesn't mean I should."
Do-Hoon shook his head.
> "You're strange, man."
> "I get that a lot."
> "I'm starting to think you're not even human."
Ha-Joon paused mid-spoon.
Then resumed eating.
Do-Hoon looked around.
> "People say you don't have a past. No records. No photos. Like you just... showed up."
Ha-Joon looked up.
> "Would it matter if I did?"
Do-Hoon blinked.
> "No. Just curious."
Ha-Joon smiled faintly.
> "Curiosity is dangerous."
> "So is boredom. That's why I train."
> "Then we agree on something."
---
Gate Patrol Mission – Small Crater Zone
Their first group mission came soon.
Six E-rank hunters.
Two C-rank supervisors.
Objective: Secure a Class-1 inactive zone. Remove any residual energy pockets.
Do-Hoon stood beside Ha-Joon.
> "Weird place. Smells like ozone and something... burnt."
> "This crater was from a failed gate."
> "Failed?"
> "Collapsed before opening fully."
> "You know a lot for a rookie."
Ha-Joon didn't answer.
He just stepped through the energy veil.
Inside, shadows moved. Thin, twitching.
Not monsters.
Residual echoes.
Ha-Joon walked calmly. Unbothered.
He placed a hand against a flickering stone wall.
For a moment, his eyes flared crimson.
And the energy stilled.
Do-Hoon watched, stunned.
But said nothing.
---
Back at Suwon – Guild Lounge
> "He's quiet, but fast. Doesn't waste time."
> "Too calm. Like he's seen worse than dungeons."
> "His eyes, man... gives me chills."
Ha-Joon sat at the far end, earbuds in, pretending not to hear.
But he heard everything.
And said nothing.
His only goal was to keep moving forward.
No past. No system.
Just a normal life.
Whatever that meant.
---
Final Scene: The End of Volume One
That evening, after patrol, Ha-Joon returned to his family's apartment.
The lights were on. His sister was humming softly. The smell of grilled mackerel filled the air.
> Peace.
He placed his shoes neatly by the door. Hung his guild jacket.
And for a long moment, he simply stood there.
No system messages. No monster cries. No collapsing realities.
Only this.
> "I'm home," he said quietly.
And someone from the kitchen answered.
> "Welcome back."
Volume One End