Chapter 55: A Tired Heart (3)
Jeong Ha-seong’s nightmares always began with being late.
That day was no different.
It started with oversleeping and accidentally missing school.
A Dungeon Shock occurred, resulting in the tragic deaths of all his friends from his alma mater.
Ha-seong often wondered.
What if he had gone to school that day? Could he have saved everyone?
Awakening phenomena usually happen in stressful situations where life is threatened. He was awakened in such a case himself.
So, perhaps if he hadn’t overslept that day, he could have been exposed to monsters along with his friends and awakened faster.
“……”
Even now, Ha-seong sometimes dreamed about his school friends.
Each time, a feeling of indescribable regret washed over him.
In the past, he had done nothing, but he had the potential in this body to become an S-Class Hunter. In other words, he had the ability to protect his friends.
But how could one know their future?
The awakening probability for humanity was extremely low, both back then and now.
That’s why Jeong Ha-seong never expected himself to become one of those rare Awakened.
Since the Dungeon Shock, he had lived prioritizing safety for a while.
Listening to government disaster alerts, thoroughly practicing evacuation drills.
It was a fairly ordinary life.
That, too, ended when he encountered the Kraken a few years ago.
One day, Jeong Ha-seong awakened.
As Korea’s first S-Class.
Immediately after awakening, he was completely bewildered.
He was featured prominently in the news, and high-ranking officials from the Blue House who he had only seen on TV came to visit….
Then, he was inadvertently made a Hunter.
Initially, the sudden burden felt overwhelming, but when he actually started working, it wasn’t so bad.
Perhaps because his awakening level was so high, hunting itself wasn’t that difficult, and the more monsters he caught, the more grateful everyone was to him.
“Thank you so much! Really, thank you!”
“I really survived thanks to you, Hunter-nim!”
Pride? Confidence?
Perhaps he felt something like that. At one time.
But one day.
That incident happened.
“Wow~ Smells like truffle mushrooms.”
A few years ago.
Jeong Ha-seong was sitting in a restaurant.
In his mid-20s, he suddenly found himself handling over a hundred million won, but what was he going to do with it?
He had gone out to eat with his mother for the first time in a while, having just ordered a plate of pasta that cost 150,000 won.
– Din din din din din.
Suddenly, just as he was about to take a bite of his food, a call came in.
“Hello?”
When the association contacts him, there’s usually one reason.
“Oh, a Gate? What rank? Ah, B class.”
A request to handle a Blue Gate came in.
It was a request to close a gate that was about to undergo a Dungeon Break due to a delayed discovery.
“Okay.”
At that time, the proper conditions for a Dungeon Break weren’t clearly established yet.
Many scientists believed “time” was the issue, but in fact, “density” was more important.
“About a day before it bursts? Got it. I’ll head there right away.”
The association and Jeong Ha-seong misjudged the time of the Dungeon Break, not knowing the truth. In a way, this was the starting point.
“Let’s just eat before heading out.”
Jeong Ha-seong polished off the pasta on his plate, thinking there was no need to hurry.
“Mom, what should I order for dessert…?”
But just then.
After finishing the meal, his phone rang again.
– Din din din din din.
Jeong Ha-seong picked up the second call without much thought.
But the content of the conversation was shocking.
“A gate? Right now?”
A Dungeon Break had occurred. In just a few minutes.
The scene he rushed to was, as expected, disastrous.
Collapsed buildings, screams of people, and the smell of iron mixed in the air.
But what was most shocking was the sight he witnessed as soon as he stepped into the street.
“AAAAAAH!”
At that moment, a black monster bit someone.
Jeong Ha-seong noticed it and rushed over. Acting carelessly could cause the citizens to be engulfed in flames.
“CAW!”
He charged in at an astonishing speed, grabbing the monster’s jaws.
What unfolded was a scene of a clean-cut young man ripping the monster apart with his bare hands, but the sound that erupted was not cheers, but screams.
“AAAAAAAAH!”
Huh!
Turning around, Jeong Ha-seong gasped.
The citizen he saved was screaming in pain.
It was probably because of the wound inflicted by the monster. But by the time he could treat him…
“Ugh…”
“Are you… okay? Wait, I definitely have a recovery potion.”
Jeong Ha-seong nervously fumbled for the potion.
And poured that expensive medicine onto the citizen’s abdomen, but the result didn’t change.
“Sniff, sniff…”
This type of potion couldn’t heal a body that was cleaved in half.
In the end, the citizen couldn’t hold on for more than a few seconds before breathing his last.
Just like that, a few seconds.
“……”
Jeong Ha-seong stopped his actions, staring at the slowly widening pool of blood.
Someone had just died in front of him. Just moments ago.
If only he had arrived a little faster.
If only he had hurried for just a few seconds.
Could it be that this person would have lived…?
“Ugh.”
Cold sweat broke out.
Fortunately, he was pulled from the shock state thanks to the association employees who arrived afterward, but what does that matter?
After hastily dealing with the Dungeon Break.
Jeong Ha-seong learned this news at the joint funeral of the victims.
The man who just seconds ago had died in front of him…
Had been someone who stepped out onto the street briefly to buy fish-shaped pastry for his pregnant wife.
‘Me.’
An unidentified woman clutched her stomach as she howled like a beast towards the memorial.
He felt somehow choked.
‘I was insane. Insane for eating back then. If only I had gotten up as soon as I received the call, perhaps now…’
Just a few seconds.
That regretful gap felt like a knife piercing through him.
Looking back, it seemed like this feeling of being chased by something began around that time.
Still, well. At least the nightmare’s ending had nothing to do with time.
“I’m certain evacuation orders were issued.”
The problem was that this scene came to him most frequently in dreams.
“Why are there people in the building…?”
The power of an S-Class Awakened is often likened to waves.
No matter how much you carve and refine, it creates unexpected ripples.
So, when an S-Class goes to deal with a Dungeon Break, civilians are thoroughly evacuated.
“What on earth…”
Did that ordinary person know he was going to die like this?
Ignoring the evacuation alarm just for a wallet?
It wasn’t even a luxury item. If only the government officials would just speak up, maybe they’d listen.
Please…
“Ugh!”
A young man’s scream echoed through the spacious hospital room.
“…Huh.”
Jeong Ha-seong, waking from his nightmare, let out a rough breath.
His body didn’t feel quite right. Had he briefly dozed off again?
“Missed call…”
Checking his phone, there were no additional messages.
Still, the rapid beating of his heart wouldn’t stop.
It had been like this every day lately.
“Honestly, being in a Gate would be more comfortable.”
Dungeon-hopping machine. That sounded nice.
At least while working, he really didn’t think of anything like a machine.
Ever since that nickname came about, it was strangely like his heart had gradually dulled.
So feeling this intense anger was a long-lost feeling for him…
“9 AM.”
Jeong Ha-seong glanced at his phone to check the time.
Then he immediately put on his coat.
*
Seoul Indoor Gymnasium.
Disaster Relief Shelter for Dungeon Terror Victims.
“Interesting!”
Let me get to the point.
Kim Gi-ryeo’s house collapsed. Not entirely, but partially.
In any case, he had unexpectedly become a drifter since it was uncertain when additional collapses would occur.
Luckily, the country had provided temporary accommodations for people like him.
“So, this is what a tent looks like.”
Let’s see…
According to the landlord, even calling in an awakened construction worker would take quite a bit of time to restore…
“For the time being, my magical research is out of the question.”
Thud.
I lay down inside the tent.
I decided. For the time being, I would focus on collecting information about Earth.
“After all, I’m an alien, so there are countless things I’m curious about. I just never have enough time.”
But at that moment.
Suddenly, the smartphone screen changed. A familiar name appeared in white text at the top.
“Ah.”
It was a call from Seonwoo-yeon Hunter…
So early? That’s rare.
“Hello?”
– Ding ding ding ding. “Kim Gi-ryeo Hunter-nim, are you available for a call right now?”
The moment I answered, one thought crossed my mind.
“Did they finally catch the culprit behind the park attack?”
I asked in a bright voice. However, Seonwoo-yeon’s tone was lacking vitality.
– “No. That would be the police contacting you separately.”
“What?”
– “Anyway, what on earth did you do?”
The atmosphere felt tense.
“Suddenly, what are you talking about…?”
– “Jeong Ha-seong! That guy, he stormed into the association from the crack of dawn, causing a commotion! I just barely stopped him from finding out your address.”
Oh no.
– “He was completely out of his mind.”
“Mmm.”
– “Furthermore, thanks to you, I got scolded myself. He suddenly kept demanding a re-examination and got furious…”
It was bound to happen.
“I’ll explain later.. But anyway, so Jeong Ha-seong is at the association right now?”
– “Yes.”
“Got it.”
I had fully anticipated this possibility.
Considering that he hadn’t contacted me using the number I had previously given him…
That guy must want to come and give me a beating in person.
I immediately prepared to head out.
Currently, Jeong Ha-seong was like a spark itself.
I had to resolve this as quickly as possible.
“Ugh, I’m not confident in my conflict resolution skills…”
But how did it come to this?
In my previous life, I usually solved most problems with force. But could I manage to persuade him now?
“How do Earthlings typically beg when they’re in trouble?”
Right. Since it has come to this, there’s no choice. First things first, when I see Jeong Ha-seong, I’ll bow my head!
Having made a firm resolution, I stepped out of the tent.
There was no going back.
*
10 AM. Hunter Association Annex.
“When is he coming?!”
Seonwoo-yeon’s insides were churning darkly.
Right after starting work, she had to receive scolding from ranking number one. To top it all off, that F-Class was the one who had driven Ha-seong over the edge?
“The situation doesn’t feel right.”
Her head throbbed.
Although the person involved was supposedly on his way to resolve the situation…
“Hmm.”
Seonwoo-yeon cast a glance at the back door. There stood the number one ranked Hunter, looking furious.
“I wonder if this will really get resolved?”
She couldn’t carelessly leave her post in case a major incident happened.
Then suddenly.
A taxi stopped in the alley near the annex. Shortly after, a familiar-faced man stepped out of the backseat.
“Mr. Gi-ryeo!”
Seonwoo-yeon dashed towards him and whispered.
“What on earth is going on?”
The blond Hunter stopped for a moment and replied monotonously.
“Well, I forcibly knocked out Jeong Ha-seong yesterday.”
“You?”
“Roughly speaking, that’s how it went.”
An indifferent reply, as if it were no big deal.
But Seonwoo-yeon couldn’t keep her mouth shut. An S-Class Hunter had knocked out Jeong Ha-seong…?
Suddenly, memories of a knight flooded her mind.
“Again?!”
Now that she thought about it, this guy wasn’t a first-timer!
Seonwoo-yeon unconsciously raised her voice.
But there was no response. That Awakened one merely surveyed her with a bored expression, maintaining his silence.
“Ah.”
Finally, Kim Gi-ryeo strode toward Jeong Ha-seong.
Seonwoo-yeon watched them approach, thinking.
From what she had observed, both men generally had calm personalities.
They would likely engage in serious dialogue from now on. She briefly held onto that hope.
– Whoosh!
However, right after that.
A gust of wind swept through the narrow backyard of the annex.
“Ugh!”
It was Jeong Ha-seong’s attack.
The moment Kim Gi-ryeo appeared in front of him, he executed a deadly strike.
Seonwoo-yeon felt a chill as she watched the crimson trail left in the air. She hadn’t seen him draw his blade, so when did he…?
But even more astonishing was the opponent’s response.
The B-Class Hunter managed to dodge an ambush he hadn’t even noticed!
Kim Gi-ryeo lowed his posture in those fleeting moments!
“You dodged that…?”
Kneeling somewhat, and head bowed.
Kim Gi-ryeo paused for a moment in that stance before slowly standing up.
“I had reduced my strength to check your abilities, but I never expected you wouldn’t even graze me. Just who are you?”
Despite the attack, there was no hint of agitation on Kim Gi-ryeo’s face.
He simply stared at Jeong Ha-seong, without even making a sound.
