episode_0655

Hunters were the envy of the people.

Because they, watching from afar on the TV screen, seemed to have wealth, fame, and power all in their hands.

So, for over ten years, the number one future dream for elementary school students has always been to become a hunter.

It’s a comedy when seen from afar, a tragedy when seen up close.

The life-threatening fights of hunters that they watched on TV must have felt like the reincarnation of heroes from comics and movies to children.

Shin Yu-jeong was no different.

I began to admire the Hunter I saw from afar.

Most of our childhood dreams end up fleeting for various reasons.

But Shin Yu-jeong was different.

From elementary school, middle school, to high school.

Whenever someone asked her what her future aspirations were, she always answered with the same answer.

“Hunter.”

As if that was my only path.

Luck was on my side.

The awakening phenomenon that only some people experience has arrived, and the ability is also suitable for combat.

All that’s left for her is her own efforts.

‘You will definitely become a hunter.’

She was a bad girl.

If you can’t do it, push yourself until you can and eventually succeed.

A crystallization of a vicious person who must overcome anyone he has his eye on.

That’s how we got here.

A-class hunter.

An elite member of the Twilight Guild that has grown rapidly and is competing for the top guild spot in South Korea.

It’s hard to believe that he achieved this before he was even in his mid-twenties.

okay.

She achieved her dream.

‘It was all good at first.’

It would be correct to say that I was very excited.

Hunter license obtained before graduating from university.

A promotion so fast that it is unprecedented, even at ‘Korea University’, a world-renowned hunter training institute.

And even early graduation.

She received countless compliments for having the three best qualities: looks, body, and skills.

Men fell for her charm and claimed her as their fans, and women took her as their role model.

Offers to appear on TV and model for commercials poured in day after day.

Although most of them declined, the magazine model was interested and agreed to the photoshoot, fully displaying her charms.

I still remember vividly the night I spent with Kim Do-jin, who was so excited after seeing my photo in a magazine.

Everything was smooth, like a giant ship with its sails spread wide and a favorable wind blowing through the water without obstruction.

Enough to make you question whether this is really okay.

Thanks to that, I was able to settle down for a while, and in the meantime, I experienced a series of very big events.

He realized that he was just a frog in a well and that his current strength was of no help to him.

I was so frustrated because of that, but I finally got up and made a resolution.

‘Let’s become S-class.’

If you don’t reach at least that level, you’re not worthy of standing before him.

She was also prepared.

‘If you don’t become S-class, you retire.’

Even now, she is receiving countless love calls.

Contacts pour in from both domestic and international companies wanting to recruit her.

If you go there, you will receive the most generous support and treatment, and you will be able to advance rapidly.

But she never once imagined herself like that.

No, it has become unimaginable.

It was all because of Kim Do-jin.

‘What can I do if it has to be that kid?’

This is because no matter how hard I try, I can’t draw someone else standing behind me.

So she tried.

I was the first to arrive at the training grounds and the last to leave.

Not only in quantity, but also in quality, she was second to none.

No matter how hard I tried, the wall blocking my path to S-class did not break through.

“… It’s so fucking hard, really.”

Impatience also arose.

“Ah… … !”

Im Na-eun’s exclamation bursts out of nowhere.

At the same time, Son Seo-yeon and Han Ju-yeon approached her and congratulated her.

“Congratulations, Naeun.”

“You’re really amazing. When I was your age, I could barely get an A-class, let alone an S-class. Haha.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

“… … .”

A colleague who was running on the same line reached a higher level first.

Rather than breaking, it burned even more.

‘I just need to do a little more…!’

The fact that she went up meant that he wasn’t that far away either.

Meanwhile, another person has risen to S-class.

“Ah… , this is how it feels.”

Elena.

She, who was in charge of the party’s front ranks along with him, surpassed him and reached S-rank.

It was a bit of a shock at the time.

‘Even if Im Na-eun is like that, Elena too…’

When judged calmly, Im Na-eun was one step ahead of him.

That’s why it wasn’t that shocking that she reached S-rank first.

But Elena is different.

She was clearly one step behind him.

But why?

“… … .”

Im Na-eun and Elena too.

After going through the promotion match and competing against seniors who had already reached S-class, he was proudly recognized as an S-class.

Thanks to this, South Korea was in a festive mood.

【Divine, Divine! A S-class wind blowing through the Republic of Korea.】

【The Twilight Guild with only five S-rank members. What makes them different?】

【Immigrants flocking to Korea due to successive promotions.】

Everyone spoke in unison.

The Twilight Guild is truly the future of the Republic of Korea.

Kim Do-jin’s eye for collecting only the seedlings that will become S-class is truly amazing.

Some of them made absurd claims toward Shin Yu-jeong.

【Anonymous 1: Why doesn’t Shin Yu-jeong rise to S-class?】

【Anonymous 2: It’s not that it doesn’t come up, it’s that it can’t come up, it’s gay…】

【Anonymous 3: Does S-class look like Jaws?】

【Anonymous 4: Kim Do-jin’s only flaw, Shin. Yoo. Jeong!】

【Anonymous 5: No matter how much you play, it’s hard to win the lottery 100% of the time, lol】

It was nothing more than a tantrum.

Historically, there were only a handful of people who became A-class hunters in their early 20s.

These are words that her normally strong self-esteem would not have even bothered to mention.

But now that she was at the very back, it stimulated her even more strongly.

“I… , a stain… ?”

I’m angry.

I want to go find the guy who wrote this comment and snap all his fingers in different directions.

And there I was, twice as angry at myself.

If I had been stronger, I wouldn’t have had to go up and down their ladders.

“두고 보자, 개새끼들.”

I gritted my teeth and increased the training time and intensity.

It seemed like if I just went a little further, I could break down the wall and move forward.

But that wasn’t the case.

As I continued to train, I moved further and further away from the wall.

No matter how much I swing my arms, they won’t reach the wall.

For the first time, she despaired.

And I doubted.

“I… , am I not talented… .”

The wall, seemingly unbreakable and yet fragile, seemed to be speaking to me.

You’re done there.

The path you are allowed to take only goes so far, so stop struggling and just stand still.

I didn’t want to admit it.

But the more I struggled, the deeper I fell into that swamp.

He pushed her so hard that she couldn’t help but admit it.

When she came to her senses, she had stopped.

I train hard every day, but it’s not because I want to overcome the wall. It’s because I’ve always done it, so I’ve become a machine that repeats it out of habit.

She thought.

‘I guess I should retire.’

I can’t see the road at all.

How to reach S-class.

No, I don’t even know if I can get close to the wall that I was clearly touching before.

From that day on, she never came to the training ground again.

I just stay in my room and spend time blankly.

Meanwhile, team members who were curious about his absence came to visit him one after another.

There was no talk of retirement hastily.

“… I’m just a little sick.”

Because I haven’t even made up my mind yet.

I heard from people who made excuses about being sick and sent them away.

“We’re going to America soon.”

“…USA?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you going on a trip?”

“No.”

“Or?”

“You said you were going to save the world?”

“… … .”

If someone else said that, they’d probably be called crazy.

But if Kim Do-jin did it, the weight would be completely different.

‘What’s going on?’

It’s clear that something happened.

It must be quite an incident that could shake the world.

A bitter smile came out.

Why on earth did he get involved in such ridiculous things and why did he act out like this?

“You really are so broad-minded.”

So I like it there too.

Her eyes, as the light gradually fades, turn toward the desk.

There was a plane ticket there.

The last one to come was Han Ju-yeon, who left it behind with a message to come back on time.

I have no intention of going.

“I’m going to be of no use anyway.”

If you’re a tank, there’s Elena, and there’s Angela, who was once his teacher.

She would definitely fill his void perfectly.

No, it can be done more perfectly than just filling it.

He mutters, burying his face between his hugging knees.

“I… , I don’t need it.”

All the team members who were worried about her came to see her.

But Kim Do-jin was not among them.

Are you disappointed in yourself?

Or maybe it’s because they already don’t see it and don’t even care.

It wasn’t his fault either way.

It was just my lack of ability that prevented me from living up to his expectations.

“Okay… , this is it.”

Kim Do-jin is a great person.

And he is also someone who must do even greater things in the future.

He would be safer if Angela or another tank guarded his path instead of himself.

That was when I thought about it.

Thump!

My heart was pounding loudly.

I keep getting greedy beyond my means.

‘I want to do it.’

I can’t help but feel foolish about wanting to always be the one guarding his path.

I said that if I can’t keep him, I’d rather retire, but I don’t even want to do that.

Because the man named Kim Do-jin had already penetrated her entire life.

I want to protect it, but I don’t have the ability to do so.

I don’t want to live without him anymore.

My thoughts, which had spread out like a spider’s web, finally came to one place.

“Then…, I have to die.”

Let’s die.

If you can’t live, then die.

It’s not like I’m just going to take my life.

“Body… , if I throw my body, I might be able to block it once.”

If my entire body is torn to pieces, I might be able to block an attack directed at Kim Do-jin once.

Let’s die like that.

“Huh, okay.”

If we are going to die, let us die meaningfully, even to the very end.

If I die in place of the man I love, won’t I live in his heart forever?

It was when I was trying to get up after organizing my thoughts like that.

Kuung!

“… … !”

I bumped into something.

Once again, the wall and fist that had been out of reach are touching each other.

And a crack spreads out from the spot where the fist touched.

Damn it!

Damn!

“Ah… … .”

The wall is broken.

No matter how much I knocked, it wouldn’t open, and when I almost gave up, it made way.

I was taken aback.

And then I found out.

Why did Im Na-eun let out such a dispirited exclamation out of nowhere?

“Ha, haha.”

That’s why it felt that way.

[Stamina reached 100.]

[Acquired the sub-trait ‘Pain is my strength’.]

My body started to change.

Splash!

Muscles become tougher and more rigid.

The magical power dormant in the core bursts out on its own and flows through the entire body.

The sensation feels clearer and more distinct.

The smallest unit that can control magical power is getting smaller and smaller.

From 1 to 0.1.

From 0.1 to 0.001.

When you become able to sense and control even the smallest magical powers, you open your eyes.

As I unconsciously gathered magical power in my hand, the energy was released outward, wrapping around my fist in a distinct shape.

“Strong… .”

The strong energy that is said to be exclusive to S-class hunters is tied to my fist.

A completely different energy than before flows through my whole body.

“If it’s like this… .”

I think I can protect him.

If you’re going to risk your life, at least twice, no, three times.

Compared to when it was just one time, it is truly a huge step forward.

Her gaze turns to the date that appears on her smartphone.

December 27th.

“… Ah.”

This is the date I decided to go to America.

I thought I was just meditating for a while, but it seems like several days have passed in a flash.

“This is awesome.”

It was time to stop thinking and move my body quickly.

There is a carrier that I have never seen before on one side of the room.

“… … ?”

I opened the zipper slightly and saw that my clothes were neatly folded and stacked neatly.

His skills are evident.

It was clear that it was Mom.

I change my clothes, suppressing my overwhelming emotions, and leave the room, holding onto the handle of my suitcase.

As I was about to storm out the front door, I heard my mother’s voice.

“Take care on your way back.”

“… … .”

A tone of concern felt in the calm speech.

She chuckled and shouted.

“I’ll be back soon, so Mom, Dojin and I, get ready to roll around!”

“This guy is really… !”

“I’ll be back!”

Shin Yu-jeong runs away from her angry mother who rushes at her.

I catch a taxi straight to the airport.

Precarious times.

As we head towards the gate entrance, we see a familiar face there.

He came over and patted her head lightly, scolding her.

“Why are you so late, kid? I was worried because I thought you weren’t coming.”

There was a look of relief on Kim Do-jin’s face as he spoke.

I thought you didn’t come to me because you didn’t have any attachment to me, but it seems I wasn’t.

He turned his back hurriedly, embarrassed that his feelings had been revealed, and said.

“Come quickly. The flight will be late.”

He walked ahead, holding two airplane tickets in his hands.

One is a flight ticket with 5 minutes left.

The other is a ticket for the next flight departing in just an hour.

It was obvious why I was holding two tickets for different times.

Shin Yu-jeong runs to Kim Do-jin with a big smile on her face, hugs his head, and buries it in her chest.

She whispers in his ear.

“When the plane takes off, come straight to the bathroom.”

“… … ?”

“I’m so fucking wet right now♥”

The two people, flushed red, quickly boarded a plane to America.