Ch.13Government-Funded Training Is Dangerous (2)

I said.

I want to become a hunter.

Of course, the response was as expected.

“…I’m against it.”

Seoha’s opposition was fiercer than I thought. She spent a full thirty minutes explaining why I wasn’t suited for a hunter’s lifestyle.

“Just imagine going out on the street and busking. Could you do it when you get nervous just meeting one person?”

“Well… if I try hard enough…”

“As a hunter, you’ll face situations far worse than that, you know?”

“That’s…”

“If there’s a conflict within your party, you won’t be able to say a word.”

“Ugh.”

“How will you handle communication, which is the most important part of dungeon exploration? If you can’t even talk to people, you obviously can’t form a party.”

“…”

“There are steps to everything. How can you possibly be a hunter when even simple part-time jobs are difficult for you?”

To be honest, I expected her to simply say it would be dangerous for me. But Seoha’s words were logical and well-organized.

It was such a merciless bombardment of facts that I could believe she had run simulations in preparation for this moment.

After being beaten down repeatedly like that, Seoha asked me once more.

“…Why do you want to become a hunter?”

“…”

There was sincerity in that question. I answered with a gloomy voice.

“Because I want to live like a human being.”

How long must I, who once commanded a million soldiers, live like this pathetic bug?

Right now, I’m truly like a pebble on the roadside. By my standards, I barely qualify as human.

Hearing my words, Seoha seemed quite shocked.

“…So that’s how badly you want to overcome this.”

Then she fell into deep thought for quite some time.

Eventually, her answer was the complete opposite of her passionate persuasion until now.

“I understand how you feel. I won’t stop you unconditionally.”

Then she added one more thing.

“But I have a condition.”

Her explanation was this:

Complete the government-sponsored hunter education program, build relationships there, and make three friends.

“If you can do that, I’ll stop opposing and help you.”

Hearing that, I thought carefully.

‘Three people is a lot…’

Seeing how easily she said that, my sister must have been a pure-blooded popular kid since her school days.

#

The purpose of the hunter education program was simple.

It aimed to reduce the already high mortality rate among awakened ones and help them establish themselves as hunters more quickly.

‘There were tons of advertisements for it.’

True to South Korea’s reputation as a private education powerhouse, there were academies with premium curricula all over Seoul.

However, most apprentice hunters preferred the government-sponsored program.

Well, the tuition fees at famous academies were ridiculously expensive.

[Congratulations! You have been selected as a participant for the 2021 3rd Quarter Apprentice Hunter Education Program!]

After the Hunter Registration Law was amended seven years ago, licenses were only issued to those who met the minimum standards of combat ability and knowledge.

Since obtaining qualifications wasn’t easy, most aspiring hunters typically completed the national education before taking the qualification test.

Therefore, applying for the education program was possible with just simple verification.

“…”

As promised to Seoha, I also applied for the government-funded hunter education program. And luckily, I passed on my first try.

‘I don’t want to go…’

A full 4 weeks of education.

And the last week even includes a group training camp.

I genuinely felt the inconvenience.

“Oppa, are you really going to be okay?”

“I-I’ll be fine.”

But when a man draws his sword, he must cut something. I headed to the training center, mentally prepared.

And from the first theoretical class, I had to visit the bathroom twice.

‘I feel like throwing up…’

After the incident with Helena, my phobia had shown some improvement.

However, it was still too much to endure an hour in a lecture hall with dozens of people.

So I decided to use a special measure.

“Curse Blind.”

As I touched the magic stone in my pocket while whispering the spell, my vision began to blur instantly.

It was a simple curse spell I didn’t usually use, but now it served as an excellent shield.

If I can’t see anything, I fear nothing!

I am invincible!

“This time, let’s have trainee number 13 answer.”

“Ah. Um… well…”

And I was reprimanded for my poor attitude in training.

I hope I won’t fail to complete the program at this rate.

#

Having stepped back from the front lines to take on the role of training the next generation for two years now.

Lee Cheolsoon, a former B-rank hunter with a fairly decent career, had recently been concerned about one particular trainee.

“She looks like a middle or high school student…”

Of course, under the current laws, anyone 17 or older can qualify as a hunter.

But seeing the girl so timid and lacking confidence at every moment, he couldn’t help but worry.

As a first-generation hunter, he had seen countless young people die helplessly after going to the front lines like that.

That’s why he deliberately paired the girl with another trainee during the combat training course.

It was Kim Seungmin, a promising vanguard-type trainee in this batch who was expected to show excellent practical skills.

‘Rather than suffering in a dungeon, it’s better for her to realize her limitations here and quit.’

Some might criticize such actions.

But having survived life-threatening situations multiple times, he knew.

That life, no matter how difficult, is better than death.

Two weeks later, a trainee came to see Lee Cheolsoon with his confidence completely shattered.

It was Kim Seungmin.

“Instructor… do you think this path is right for me?”

Confused by the unexpected situation, Lee Cheolsoon could only blink.

“What do you mean?”

As one of the few high-ranking hunters here, Lee Cheolsoon had many responsibilities. So he wasn’t fully aware of the trainees’ current situations.

Kim Seungmin continued with a voice that sounded like he had reached enlightenment.

“It’s embarrassing to say, but until now, I thought I had talent.”

“…”

Lee Cheolsoon found it increasingly difficult to understand the situation.

From anyone’s perspective, Kim Seungmin was definitely a talented individual. Honestly, Lee Cheolsoon had no doubt that he would reach at least B-rank.

But he just smiled wistfully, looking up at the ceiling as if he had let go of everything.

“There was a difference as vast as heaven and earth.”

“What exactly happened?”

“I realized the limits of my talent. I’m quitting being a hunter.”

Lee Cheolsoon barely managed to stop Kim Seungmin from leaving by pleading with him.

Then he abandoned his work and headed to the training site. He needed to understand what was going on.

‘They’re doing physical training.’

It wasn’t hard to find Baek Eunha, the girl who had apparently made Kim Seungmin hit a wall.

After all, while others were running, she was alone by the instructor’s side, groaning with a wet towel over her face.

‘…I still don’t see anything special.’

After spending an entire day observing the training process, he couldn’t find anything remarkable. Instead, he became even more convinced that being a hunter didn’t suit her.

It was truly a mystery.

#

The training was truly grueling.

I had to mingle with people all day under the scorching sun, and I endured a week feeling both physical and mental fatigue.

Above all, the one-on-one sparring sessions were the most difficult.

“Everyone, begin sparring until the end signal.”

Standing face to face with another person and maintaining serious eye contact made my stomach churn and my head dizzy.

So I deliberately avoided making eye contact with my opponent and turned my head away during the sparring.

Clack!

Crack!

Perhaps to prevent overheating, the sparring was conducted by alternating attack and defense roles.

The defender wore specially made protective gear and focused on defense, losing points if they allowed effective hits.

This was actually quite manageable for me with my lacking physical abilities. The objectives were clear for both sides.

During one such training session, my sparring partner approached me with a question.

“…What do you think of today’s sparring? I want an honest answer.”

He had been paired with me consistently during the early training and seemed quite skilled among the trainees.

I carefully shared my impression without making eye contact.

“…It’s… terrible.”

“…”

“I’d rather not talk about it…”

That was truly how I felt.

Even though I was a necromancer, compared to my prime, it was truly at a level where words failed me.

The current me is a bug.

Just a useless bug.

Perhaps understanding my sadness, the man left without asking further questions.

Feeling dejected, I returned home in Seoha’s car that had come to pick me up.

“Um, oppa. Even if things don’t work out well, I want you to know I’m still proud of you…”

“…”

Friends made so far: 0.

It was really time to show something.

#

The first thing Kim Seungmin felt after sparring with the girl, Baek Eunha, was an inexplicable sense of dissonance.

‘This is strange.’

How should he put it? A feeling that something didn’t quite fit?

It might be due to the artificial nature of the attack and defense roles, but that dissonance lingered and confused Kim Seungmin even after a day.

And in the next sparring session, Kim Seungmin, focusing on his opponent rather than his sword, realized something.

That his opponent, Baek Eunha, wasn’t looking at him at all.

It was strange that he hadn’t noticed until now.

Baek Eunha truly wasn’t paying any attention to him. Yet the sparring was evenly matched. Kim Seungmin immediately understood what this meant.

‘…Is she just playing along with me for appearance’s sake?’

It wasn’t that he was being overwhelmed or anything. After all, there was no clear winner or loser in this sparring.

But the more they practiced, the more he could see the difference in skill.

‘…She’s overwhelming.’

To be honest, there was no power behind Baek Eunha’s sword. It felt like facing a punching bag with no impact.

Yet his own sword was either lightly deflected or easily shattered, and he could hardly land any effective hits.

‘I can’t even imagine a scenario where I could win.’

At this point, it was clear she was deliberately going easy on him.

She must have felt he wasn’t worth her full effort.

What Baek Eunha was doing was essentially fighting with her eyes closed.

Shocked, Kim Seungmin asked her one day what she thought of their sparring.

The answer, in a way, was expected.

“…It’s… terrible.”

“…”

“I’d rather not talk about it…”

The pity he sensed in those words made it even more painful.

Kim Seungmin lost all self-confidence and refused to continue the training. Though ultimately, he decided to stay due to the instructor’s persuasion.

After a few days like this, Baek Eunha approached him after training.

It was the first time she had shown interest in him.

She spoke to Kim Seungmin, who couldn’t meet her gaze.

“Um… Would… would you…”

“…Yes, what is it?”

“Would you be my friend?”

Kim Seungmin was dumbfounded.

It was a completely unexpected proposal.

“I… I hope we can have a mutually beneficial relationship even after the training ends…”

Though her voice was soft, Kim Seungmin’s awakened ears caught it clearly.

So, was she saying she wanted to build a connection with him?

Kim Seungmin asked her skeptically.

“Why?”

“…I… I think it would be helpful.”

Kim Seungmin blinked in surprise.

He never imagined hearing such words from her.

‘Is she acknowledging my skills?’

Many had admired Kim Seungmin and praised his talent before.

But words from someone who had shown him his limitations carried special weight.

Kim Seungmin felt some of his lost confidence returning.

“Would that be okay…?”

“S-sure.”

With her level of skill, she probably saw all the trainees here as insignificant.

Yet she chose him for her future network.

That must mean she saw potential in him.

*Swish*

“Th-then, could I have your phone number…?”

That night, Kim Seungmin slept soundly for the first time in a long while.