ASIN 13

Chapter 13

“I want to become a Hunter.”

As expected, the answer came immediately.

“…I’m against it.”

Seoha opposed the idea far more strongly than I had anticipated.

For a full thirty minutes, she systematically explained why I was completely unsuited to being a Hunter.

“Just imagine you’re busking on the street. You can barely handle talking to a single stranger. Do you really think you could do it?”

“I-I could probably… manage somehow…”

“If you become a Hunter, you’ll end up in situations far more difficult than that.”

“Th-that…”

“What if there’s a dispute between party members? You wouldn’t even be able to say a word.”

“Urgh.”

“And communication is the most important part of dungeon raids. If you can’t even hold a conversation, how are you supposed to join a party?”

“…”

“Everything has steps. You struggle with even a simple part-time job, so how exactly are you planning to become a Hunter?”

Honestly, I’d expected her to simply say it was too dangerous for me.

Instead, every one of her arguments was logical and impossible to refute.

It was such a merciless barrage of facts that I would’ve believed she’d spent years simulating this exact conversation.

After thoroughly beating me down, she asked one final question.

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

The question was sincere.

In a gloomy voice, I answered.

“Because… I want to live like a normal person.”

How much longer was I supposed to live like this?

I, who had once commanded an army of a million undead beneath my feet.

Compared to my former self, I was nothing more than a pebble lying on the roadside.

By my own standards, I barely even qualified as a human being anymore.

Hearing that, Seoha looked genuinely shocked.

“…You wanted to overcome it that badly?”

She fell silent, deep in thought.

After pondering for a long while, she finally spoke again.

This time, however, her answer was completely different from her earlier opposition.

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

Then she added,

“But I have one condition.”

Her condition was simple.

I had to complete the government-run Hunter Training Program…

…and make three friends there.

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

I thought about it for a moment.

Three people…? That’s asking way too much…

The fact that she said it so casually only confirmed my suspicion.

My little sister had definitely been one of those effortlessly popular social butterflies all throughout school.

* * *

The purpose of the Hunter Training Program was straightforward.

It existed to reduce the already high death rate among newly Awakened individuals and help them establish themselves as Hunters more quickly.

There were advertisements everywhere.

As expected of South Korea—a nation obsessed with private education—Seoul was filled with expensive Hunter academies boasting premium curricula.

Even so, most apprentice Hunters preferred the government-sponsored program.

After all, the tuition at the famous academies was absurdly expensive.

[Congratulations! You have been selected for the 3rd Quarter 2021 Apprentice Hunter Training Program.]

Ever since the Hunter Registration Act had been revised seven years earlier, Hunter licenses were only issued to people who met minimum standards in combat ability and knowledge.

Since passing the licensing exam wasn’t easy, most aspiring Hunters first completed the government program before taking the certification test.

Registering for the course itself only required a simple identity verification.

“…”

Following my promise to Seoha, I enrolled in the government-funded training course.

Fortunately, I passed on my very first attempt.

I don’t want to go…

Four whole weeks of training.

And the final week even included mandatory group lodging.

Just thinking about it exhausted me.

“Big Brother… are you really going to be okay?”

“I-I’ll be fine.”

Once a man had drawn his sword, he had to swing it.

After steeling my resolve, I headed for the training center.

…And during the very first theory class, I ended up running to the restroom twice.

I think I’m going to throw up…

After what happened with Helena, my social aversion had improved somewhat.

Even so, surviving an hour inside a classroom packed with dozens of people was still impossible.

So I resorted to my secret weapon.

“Curse Blind.”

Whispering the spell while touching the mana stone in my pocket, my vision instantly became blurred.

Normally, it was nothing more than a basic curse spell that I rarely used.

But now…

It became the perfect shield.

If I can’t see anyone… then there’s nothing to fear!

I’m invincible!

“This time… Trainee Number Thirteen, would you answer the question?”

“Ah… um…”

…And I was immediately scolded for not paying attention during class.

They’re not going to fail me over this… right?

* * *

Two years had passed since former B-Rank Hunter Lee Cheol-soon had retired from active duty and begun training the next generation.

Recently, one trainee in particular had caught his attention.

“She looks like a middle or high school student no matter how I look at her…”

Current law allowed anyone aged seventeen or older to qualify as a Hunter.

Still…

Seeing such a timid girl shrinking back at every moment naturally worried him.

As a first-generation Hunter, he’d watched countless young people just like her die meaningless deaths on the front lines.

So during combat training, he intentionally paired her with another trainee.

Kim Seung-min.

The most promising frontline fighter in this class.

Better for her to hit a wall here and quit than suffer in an actual dungeon.

Some people might criticize that decision.

But after surviving countless brushes with death, Lee Cheol-soon knew one undeniable truth.

No matter how miserable life was…

It was still better than dying.

Two weeks later…

One trainee came to visit him, looking utterly crushed.

Kim Seung-min.

“Instructor… do you think I’m really suited to becoming a Hunter?”

Lee Cheol-soon blinked in confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

As one of the few high-ranking Hunters teaching at the academy, he was constantly busy and rarely monitored each trainee personally.

Kim Seung-min spoke with the calmness of someone who had reached enlightenment.

“It’s embarrassing to admit this… but until now, I believed I had talent.”

“…”

Lee Cheol-soon became even more confused.

By anyone’s standards, Kim Seung-min was talented.

In fact, Lee Cheol-soon had been convinced he would at least become a B-Rank Hunter someday.

Yet the young man simply stared at the ceiling with an empty smile.

“The difference between us… was like heaven and earth.”

“What exactly happened?”

“I’ve realized the limits of my talent.”

“I’ve decided to quit being a Hunter.”

As Kim Seung-min turned to leave, Lee Cheol-soon desperately stopped him.

Then he abandoned all his work and headed straight for the training grounds.

He needed to find out what on earth had happened.

Physical training…

Finding Baek Eunha wasn’t difficult.

While everyone else was running…

She alone was lying beside the instructor with a cold towel covering her face, looking half dead.

…I don’t understand.

He spent the entire day observing her.

Yet she showed nothing exceptional.

If anything, it only reinforced his belief that becoming a Hunter simply wasn’t right for her.

It was an absolute mystery.

* * *

Training was pure torture.

I had to spend the entire day surrounded by people under the blazing sun.

Both my body and mind were completely exhausted.

The hardest part of all…

…was the one-on-one sparring sessions.

“Everyone, begin your matches until the signal to stop!”

Standing face-to-face with another person while locking eyes…

My stomach churned and my head throbbed.

So I deliberately avoided looking at my opponent, turning my head away throughout the match.

Clang! Clack!

To prevent injuries, the sparring format alternated between offense and defense.

The defender wore specially-made protective gear, and every clean hit earned the attacker points.

Ironically, that made things easier for someone with weak physical abilities like me.

Both sides had clearly defined objectives.

During one of those training sessions, my opponent suddenly spoke.

“…What do you honestly think of today’s match?”

It was the same trainee I’d been paired with repeatedly since the beginning.

Among all the trainees, he was one of the most skilled.

Without looking at him, I quietly answered.

“…Um… i-it’s terrible.”

“…”

“I’d rather not talk about it…”

And I meant every word.

Even if I had been a Necromancer…

Compared to my prime…

This was beyond pathetic.

Right now, I was nothing more than an insect.

A completely useless insect.

Perhaps sensing the sadness behind my words, the young man didn’t ask any more questions.

He simply walked away.

Feeling depressed, I returned home in Seoha’s car.

“B-Big Brother… even if things don’t work out… I’m still proud of you…”

“…”

Friends made so far:

Zero.

I really had to show some results soon.

* * *

The first thing Kim Seung-min felt after sparring with Baek Eunha…

…was an inexplicable sense of discomfort.

Something’s wrong.

It was difficult to describe.

Something simply didn’t fit.

Perhaps it was because the sparring followed such an artificial attack-and-defense format.

Yet that strange feeling lingered even after a full day had passed.

During their next match…

Instead of watching her sword, Kim Seung-min focused on Baek Eunha herself.

And finally…

He realized the truth.

She wasn’t looking at him.

In fact, it was almost unbelievable that he’d failed to notice until now.

Baek Eunha wasn’t paying him the slightest bit of attention.

Yet their sparring remained evenly matched.

He immediately understood what that meant.

…She’s only humoring me?

It wasn’t that he’d been completely overwhelmed.

There wasn’t even a clear winner or loser in these practice matches.

But the more times they crossed swords…

…the more obvious the gap became.

…It’s overwhelming.

To be honest, there was almost no strength behind Baek Eunha’s blade.

It felt like sparring with one of those inflatable punching dolls that barely resisted.

Yet every strike he made was effortlessly redirected or casually broken apart.

Clean hits were almost nonexistent.

I can’t picture myself beating her.

At this point, there was only one explanation.

She had been holding back from the very beginning.

She simply didn’t think he was worth taking seriously.

What Baek Eunha was doing…

…was practically the same as fighting with her eyes closed.

Deeply shocked, Kim Seung-min eventually asked what she thought of sparring with him.

Her answer…

…was exactly what he’d expected.

“…Um… i-it’s terrible.”

“…”

“I’d rather not talk about it…”

There was pity in her voice.

That only hurt even more.

Kim Seung-min lost every shred of confidence and refused to continue training.

In the end, the instructors managed to persuade him to stay.

Several days passed.

After training one day…

Baek Eunha approached him.

It was the very first time she’d ever shown any interest in him.

Unable to meet her eyes, Kim Seung-min listened as she nervously spoke.

“U-Um… excuse me…”

“…Yes?”

“W-Would you… be my friend?”

He stared blankly.

That proposal had been the last thing he’d expected.

“I-I mean… someone we could… help each other… even after training ends…”

She spoke softly, but Kim Seung-min’s enhanced hearing caught every word.

In other words…

Was she saying she wanted to build a connection with him?

Still doubtful, he asked,

“Why me?”

“…I-I think… you’d be helpful.”

Kim Seung-min’s eyes widened.

He had never imagined hearing those words from her.

She acknowledged my ability…?

Many people had admired his talent before.

But hearing such praise from the very person who had shown him the vast wall separating their abilities…

…meant far more than anything he’d experienced before.

He could feel the confidence he’d lost slowly returning.

“W-Would that be okay…?”

“Y-Yes. Of course.”

With someone as overwhelmingly skilled as her…

Everyone else in the program probably looked insignificant.

Yet she had chosen him as someone worth keeping in touch with.

That could only mean one thing.

She had seen potential in him.

Slowly, she held out her phone.

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

That night, for the first time in a long while…

Kim Seung-min slept soundly.