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Chapter 3: The First Hunt
Jae-min took the job with a gulp.
For the first time in years, he felt something other than hopelessness — a chance. A fresh start. And he wasn't about to waste it.
The next day, he went out and bought a portable Battle Arena — a deployable device made to prevent collateral damage during exorcisms. When activated, it formed a protective barrier that isolated ghostly disturbances and kept civilians safe.
He arrived at the given location — a tall company building — and found a man waiting outside. The man was short, round, and wore an expression that screamed trouble.
"So, you're the lousy exorcist I hired?" the man said, looking Jae-min up and down with disgust. "You even know what you're doing? You look like some office intern."
Jae-min looked at himself. A worn white shirt, black pants, and shoes that had seen better days. He scratched his head awkwardly.
"Well… this is my first job, so I'm kinda new to this."
The man's eyes widened. "Your first time?! What, are you trying to die, kid?"
Jae-min forced a small smile. "There's a first time for everything, right?"
But inside, he knew the truth. Today, I either live… or die.
He activated the Battle Arena. The device expanded in an instant, encasing the entire building in a shimmering dome of blue light. The client flinched back, watching in disbelief as Jae-min locked himself inside.
"…He's dead," the man muttered.
---
Inside, everything fell silent. The moment Jae-min stepped into the lobby, the world changed.
The lights flickered… then went out completely.
Cold. Empty.
The once-bright office turned into a dark, twisted reflection of itself. The walls pulsed faintly, like they were alive.
Jae-min gripped the F-rank dagger he bought earlier from a weapon shop. His palms were slick with sweat.
> [Warning! Ghost approaching.]
[Identified Entity: Lee Jung-Hwan]
[Ability: Pain Link]
[Further data unavailable. Life-and-death scenario not yet met.]
"What does that even mean?" Jae-min whispered. "Life and death scenario—?"
Before he could finish, something appeared in front of him.
A tall, twisted figure with hollow eyes and a body covered in jagged black spikes. Its presence alone made the air feel heavy.
Their eyes met.
And instantly, Jae-min's body shook. His veins burned, and a searing pain pierced his chest.
He fell to one knee, gasping.
"What… the hell…?"
Then the memories hit.
Flashes of another life — an office worker laughing with his friends, betrayal, a sudden fall from a rooftop. Blood. Fear. Despair.
Jae-min realized what he was seeing.
"This ghost… he was murdered by his coworkers," he muttered through clenched teeth. "He was… a good person."
The ghost screamed — a sound that shattered glass.
Jae-min stood up and charged, his dagger slicing through the air. The ghost retaliated, and another wave of pain crushed his chest.
It was like being stabbed from the inside.
The ghost slammed into him with monstrous strength, sending him crashing through multiple walls. He coughed blood, barely holding onto his dagger.
"Damn it!" He pushed himself up. "I have to find a way to kill this thing…"
The ghost lunged again, spikes flaring. Jae-min rolled aside, barely dodging.
He countered — sliding under the creature and slashing upward. The blade sliced across the ghost's chest.
But then—
"ARGH!" He screamed as he felt the same wound. Pain tore through his body.
That's when it clicked.
"Pain Link… I'm sharing his damage!"
His mind raced. There has to be a weak point.
Then he noticed it. The ghost's eyes — pitch black and constantly twitching toward him.
"That's it…"
The ghost moved again, vanishing — then reappearing behind him. It struck, spikes digging into Jae-min's back. Blood splattered across the walls.
> [Life and death scenario: 78%]
Through the pain, Jae-min gritted his teeth, spun around, and stabbed — straight into one of the ghost's eyes.
The creature howled, its form flickering violently.
But before Jae-min could catch his breath—
> [Warning! Ghost activating hidden skill.]
"What now—"
Pain.
Unimaginable, unbearable pain exploded inside him.
He fell, twitching, eyes wide open as agony consumed his entire body.
Every nerve screamed. His heartbeat slowed.
So this is it, huh…?
Then he smiled weakly. "Not… yet."
> [Life and death scenario: 100%]
[Spirit Enhancement Mode: Activated]
The air around him ignited in ghostly blue light. His eyes turned bright azure, the tips of his black hair glowing like burning smoke. The ghost flinched — even it could feel the shift.
"You know," Jae-min said quietly, stepping forward as cracks of energy rippled beneath his feet,
"I used to be like you."
The ghost growled, writhing.
"But the difference between you and me…" He vanished from sight.
"—is that I didn't let death define me."
His voice echoed everywhere at once.
Then the attacks came — blindingly fast punches, slashes, and kicks that smashed through walls and tore the ghost apart piece by piece.
With one final strike, Jae-min slammed his dagger straight through the ghost's head.
> [Warning: G.E. running low.]
[Recommendation: Eliminate ghost immediately.]
He tightened his grip. "Rest in peace."
The ghost's body cracked like glass — and shattered into spectral fragments.
> [Ghost eliminated.]
[Skill obtained: Pain Link (Lv. 1)]
[Current Effectiveness: 30%]
Jae-min collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.
"Haah… haah… I did it…"
He lay there, bloodied but alive. For once, the pain felt… worth it.
---
Minutes later, the Battle Arena dissolved.
The client outside nearly dropped his phone. "He actually survived…?"
Jae-min stumbled out, covered in cuts and dust. "What, were you worried about me?"
The man blinked, dumbfounded. "No, I—uh… great job, kid. Payment sent."
> [₩5,000,000 transferred.]
Jae-min's phone buzzed once — then broke in his hand, sparking from ghost interference.
He sighed. "Figures."
Still, he smiled faintly. "Thanks for the job."
The man nodded awkwardly as Jae-min limped away.
He bought a new phone, some medicine, and cheap food on the way home. His body ached, but his spirit… burned brighter than ever.
"It's gonna be a long night," he muttered, dragging himself toward his apartment.
But for the first time in a long while…
He was smiling.
A week had passed since Jae-min's first encounter with death.
Every morning began the same way—his feet pounding against the wet asphalt, lungs burning, heart thundering.
He ran five, sometimes six miles each day, no matter how exhausted his body felt. After that, he'd lift, stretch, and train until his muscles screamed for mercy.
And yet, he smiled.
> Ever since that day, I've been able to upgrade my Spirit Enhancement ability…
It boosts my strength, speed, and senses. I've pushed it up to Level 2 already.
He paused his training, sweat dripping from his jawline as his system window flickered faintly before his eyes.
> [Skill Progress: Pain Link (30% → 34%)]
[Spirit Enhancement: Level 2]
"Not bad," Jae-min muttered, breathing heavily. "I'm improving… slowly, but still improving."
He collapsed onto the floor, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. The bruises from his first mission had long healed, but the memory hadn't. He could still feel the ghost's pain burning through his chest—the link between life and death that almost ended him.
But this time, he was ready.
And as luck—or maybe fate—would have it, Mr. Lee Chan-woo, the man from his first exorcist job, had already reached out again.
> Two F-rank exorcisms… scheduled for tomorrow.
He grinned faintly. "Guess I'm in demand already."
That evening, after a long shower and a quiet dinner, Jae-min made his way to the hospital. The cold air stung his face as he stepped inside the sterile white halls, the sound of soft beeps echoing around him.
He entered a small room at the far end of the ward.
A young girl lay motionless on the bed, her face peaceful, her chest rising and falling with the rhythm of the machines. Tubes ran from her wrists, and a faint scent of disinfectant filled the air.
Jae-min pulled a chair beside her and sat down slowly.
"Hey, Min-ah…" he said softly, brushing her hair away from her forehead. "It's been a while, huh?"
He took her hand—cold but familiar—and squeezed gently.
"You wouldn't believe what happened to me. I… met this weird entity thing. Said I was a 'main character' or something."
He chuckled weakly. "Yeah, sounds insane, right? I didn't believe it either. But now I've got this system… and I can actually fight ghosts."
He paused, his voice trembling for a moment.
"But don't worry, okay? I'm not doing it for the money. I'm doing it for you."
He pulled out a small folded paper—his sister's medical form, stamped with the payment confirmation.
"I already paid part of your treatment with the money from that last job. Just hang in there, okay? I'll get the rest soon."
The room was silent except for the rhythmic hum of the machines. Jae-min stayed there for a long while, just watching her sleep.
"I promise you, Min-ah," he whispered, tightening his grip around her hand, "I'll make sure you wake up to a world where your brother's not a useless street rat anymore."
When he finally stood up, he looked out the window. The city lights shimmered in the distance, like scattered stars over Seoul.
Tomorrow would be another long day.
But this time, he wasn't afraid.
> "It's gonna be a long night…"
He smiled faintly as he walked away, his determination sharper than ever.
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