Today, too, I woke up with that damn mushroom cloud.
After a fitful sleep, I stared at the ceiling, my mind heavy with the lingering remnants of that recurring nightmare. It was always the same—the suffocating pressure, the feeling of my body being torn apart, and that relentless, maddening sense of helplessness. I let out a long, ragged sigh and sat up, rubbing my face with both hands. My skin felt clammy, and my heart was still beating a frantic rhythm against my ribs.
I reached for my phone, the screen’s harsh light stinging my eyes as I unlocked it. I needed a distraction, something to ground me in the present, so I opened HuntWeb. I was about to tap 'Write Post' to vent some of this frustration, but my finger hovered in mid-air, my attention suddenly captured by a headline on the main feed.
YYY: “Hunter Kim Geuk”-led Incheon Recapture Project, a “1/7 Grand Success” in Just Three Months
It really hits home how well I'm doing.
I woke up to that damn mushroom cloud again.
The aftermath was, as always, horrific. Unable to overcome the rage and depression consuming my mind, I let the tears stream down my face, waiting for these negative emotions to leave my head as quickly as possible.
Even after I calmed down a bit, my body remained just as drained.
Damn it, it’s truly miserable that every single day has to start like this.
With hands still trembling, I picked up my phone and opened HuntWeb. I was about to tap 'Write Post' but stopped, my attention captured by the screen.
YYY: “Hunter Kim Geuk”-led Incheon Recapture Project, a “1/7 Grand Success” in Just Three Months
It really hits home how well I'm doing. Seeing that a post about me was already up just as I was about to write one to get some attention, it really sank in.
I looked at the article attached to the post.
It was an article praising the achievements of my recent activities.
It claimed that in just three months, we had completely cleared 1/7 of Incheon’s danger zones, that there had been zero casualties from wild monsters in and around the operation areas for the first time in years, and that Hunter Kim Geuk had already provided value far exceeding his 52.5 billion won contract in less than half a year...
Even in my distress, the praise and attention directed at me were sweet.
As I read through the entire article, my gaze eventually drifted to the comments.
Anonymous: Did you see the Incheon redevelopment announcement? The building owners in the areas reclaimed by Kim Geuk-hyung’s operation hit the jackpot;; They’re saying they’ll bulldoze everything—villas, multi-family houses, detached houses, regardless of when they were built—and build modern apartment complexes.
Ⓐ ElmaIsWeakYo: When I first saw this guy’s interview, I thought some thug had come in to stir up trouble, but the more I see, the more amazing he is. Respect as a fellow A-rank!
Anonymous: He said he ran operations four times a week, that’s insane. How many died?
5myJesus: A total of 3. One on the first day, and two KIA over the last three months.
I could see my follower there, too. 5myJesus, a follower I’d gained about three months ago.
Anonymous: ? Why so few deaths? There’s no way only three people died after running that many operations.
5myJesus: Maybe encouraged by the results, Incheon City provided even better equipment support. Since there were casualties from the first day, Kim Geuk-hyung seemed a bit shocked, so he started stepping up more actively afterward, even taking on the risks for everyone else.
5myJesus: Even with hyung trying that hard, it was impossible for no one to die, so two more eventually passed away, but every time someone died, Kim Geuk-hyung paid a massive amount of condolence money.
Anonymous: How much did he pay?
5myJesus: I don't know that. Hyung strictly told the bereaved families to keep the amount of condolence money a secret. He said if a tradition started where Awakened Hunters were expected to pay a certain amount, it would be a nuisance to other Awakened.
5myJesus: But the other Hunter team members who died must have paid a fair bit too, yet seeing the families sobbing while clutching only Kim Geuk-hyung’s hands, it seems he really paid a lot.
If I were the Lord of Incheon, I would have granted that friend Ganseok-dong as a fief and made him a knight of Ganseok-dong; it’s a pity. Why did democracy have to take root and strip me of my rightful authority?
Anyway, ah...
I could feel the good energy that had drained from my body being replenished.
In this state of positive energy, I encouraged myself. I told myself that with everything so perfect, that nuclear explosion wasn't a future that could actually happen, and that since it was all just a nightmare, there was no need to suffer every morning.
It seemed it really worked. Fully recovered, I gulped down a protein shake.
After finishing breakfast, I took a shower to wash off the cold sweat that had been clinging stickily to my body, then left the house.
Today is another day of hunting.
*******
The operations conducted over the past three months had yielded tangible results.
It’s not for me to say, but even in my eyes, the results were astonishing, to the point of being unprecedented.
As the article praised, we had cleared monsters from 1/7 of the areas designated as danger zones in Incheon. We had done the same in places not even designated as danger zones, and we had reduced the frequent wild monster attacks in those vicinities to nearly zero.
Naturally, property values in the areas where I conducted operations and their surroundings had jumped noticeably. I heard that even the prices of villas and multi-family houses, which were so cheap they had no prospect of rising, had jumped several times over. They say it’s because there’s now hope that even buildings with no residential value can be redeveloped into apartment complexes.
In the midst of this, news that commercial districts that had collapsed in some areas were being restored, or that residents who had left were returning in droves, was nothing to be surprised about anymore.
As a result, I now have so many commendations from the city and bouquets from resident representatives that I’m seriously considering moving just because I have nowhere left to put them.
My popularity is truly significant. Now, whenever we gather to hunt, not only public officials but also crowds of other people gather. People who came all the way here to cheer us on.
This time, too, fans, residents, and reporters had all gathered, somehow knowing the assembly point.
One of my girl fans shouted.
“Oppa! Do you remember me?”
“Ah, were you the one on the rooftop of the Dongyang Apartment? I remember you just sending KakaoTalk messages on your phone. You were probably sending something like a final farewell, but weren't you embarrassed about it later?”
“I was super embarrassed... Anyway, Oppa, I was worried you’d use that weird tone like you do on the internet when I met you in person, but you’re actually normal in real life? I’m so relieved!”
“Ah, YYY?”
“How did you know!”
I gave her a grin and even signed her phone case with 'Long Live Incheon'.
A corner over there was noisy. Turning my gaze toward it, I secretly frowned slightly.
“Naito-san, look here!”
Damn it, there was just one thing I didn't like in this otherwise perfect situation.
The fact that even that bastard Naito-san, that piece of non-Awakened trash, had seen his popularity and fame rise.
It was only natural, as that bastard had been consistently participating in the operations I led and uploading videos. So, people had started to think that he had played a part in this operation—which I could have handled perfectly well on my own—and therefore, that he was one of the saviors of Incheon.
It was a terrible thing. Truly.
Fans were clinging to that bastard now, too. Fortunately, there were fewer of them than the ones clinging to me—the local residents and building owners—but the mere fact that he had fans at all was disgusting.
Even our team’s beautiful Baek Dam-bi didn't have fans, yet there were people who followed that trash?
Glancing at Baek Dam-bi, I saw that she didn't look happy either. It was a fact I could tell just by her firmly shut mouth.
Meanwhile, for some reason, a reporter had come today.
A woman shoved a microphone in my face.
“Hello, Mr. Kim Geuk! You’re the hero who’s been reviving the entire city of Incheon lately, right? It’s an honor to meet you in person!”
The interview, which started with praise, wasn't too bad. It went from mundane questions about which area I would operate in next, to stupid questions about whether I would choose Incheon again when my Hunter contract, which was expected to be the best in history, was renewed next year.
While I was answering as sincerely as I could, an unpleasant question popped out.
“Mr. Kim Geuk, you’re being evaluated as the best Awakened Hunter in history, going beyond Incheon City! In contrast to that, there are many opinions that it’s interesting how you’re contrasted with Mr. Matsumoto... the so-called Naito-san, who is achieving all these results despite being a non-Awakened!”
I had no idea why that non-Awakened trash was being mentioned all of a sudden.
“Is that so?”
I tried to maintain a smile on my lips, but it wasn't easy.
It was even harder because the next question was particularly unpleasant.
“There are quite a few internet opinions that treat the two of you, the best Awakened Hunter and the best non-Awakened Hunter, as rivals! Could you give us your opinion on Naito-san, your current colleague?”
And I felt the smile vanish from my lips.
Keeping the anger off my face was the best I could do. I struggled to suppress the urge to ask the woman in front of me if she was from Incheon or Seoul, and opened my mouth.
“Mr. Matsumoto, his skills are truly good. He definitely would have been a great success if he’d done sports instead of being a Hunter. There’s something about him that goes beyond just having a lot of experience and being a good shot.
His reflexes and composure are not at a level you can reach through training. It’s beyond natural; it’s exceptional. There are many times I’m surprised while watching him during operations, wondering how he can be like that.”
“I see! Thank you so much for your detailed answer...”
“But there’s a reason weight classes exist in martial arts, right?”
I laughed on purpose. Glancing at Naito-san, I continued while mentally flipping him off.
“No matter how much experience that friend has, no matter how good his reflexes are... no matter how much composure he maintains in a crisis, there is a weight class difference between us that is greater than that between a 50kg human and a 700kg grizzly bear.”
“What do you mean by that...”
“I am unconditionally much stronger. It’s not even a comparison.”
I think the last part was almost a growl.
However, the reporter in front of me was definitely from Seoul. She didn't notice the slightest bit of the unpleasantness dwelling within me.
“Wow, what amazing competitive spirit! Is that passion the secret to your recent achievements? Now, a word on your resolve for this hunt...”
The unpleasant interview ended with a final chant of 'Long Live Incheon'.
Sung Moon-young, who had been listening to the interview from behind, approached me stealthily. She spoke to me with an anxious expression.
“Hyung, why are you so angry?”
“I’m not angry.”
“I can clearly see you’re really angry? The veins in your clenched fist are popping out like spiderwebs; you’ve been like that since Naito-san was mentioned, haven't you?”
“Did I?”
“You did. Even though you already received an apology last time, why do you still hate him that much?”
It was a difficult question to answer. How on earth was I supposed to respond to that?
I chose my words carefully, doing my best not to sound like a lunatic.
"He keeps going on and on about being a 'non-Awakened,' 'non-Awakened' this and that."
Whether it’s Marvel, DC, or Japanese shonen manga, there’s always that one character who stands out precisely because they lack any special abilities.
They’re the non-ability user who shines precisely because everyone around them has powers, yet they’re so popular that, thanks to the author’s favoritism, they end up outperforming the characters who actually have powers by several times over.
Ever since I saw that guy Naito-san, I’ve come to loathe every single one of those characters.
Whether it’s Batman or Hawkeye, if you’re an inferior ordinary human, you should act like one—know your place and just quietly stuff your face with popcorn while the superpowered heroes do the real work.
"Why does that bother you?"
"Because he keeps emphasizing over and over how amazing he is despite being a non-Awakened. Isn't that just a jab at me, implying that the only reason I’m amazing is because I’m an Awakened? If we were both under the same conditions, he’s basically saying he’s far superior, isn't he? Isn't he just trying to belittle me?"
"No, why are you overthinking it so much? He’s just impressive because he performs on par with most Awakened despite being a non-Awakened..."
I let out a sigh.
The reviews for Naito-san on HuntWeb were exactly like that, too. "Despite being a non-Awakened," "Even though he's a non-Awakened," "As a non-Awakened..."
Naito-san was being treated as special for the sole reason that he wasn't Awakened.
They called it a true human victory, claiming that since he could perform on par with Awakened without having Awakened, he deserved a contract equivalent to one. Therefore, he was supposedly far greater than those mediocre Awakened.
In my view, this was an incredibly unjust assessment. I felt this way even more strongly because we had Baek Dam-bi on our team, an Awakened who didn't receive the proper respect she deserved.
Baek Dam-bi, that Ice-Ability User, was clearly contributing more than the non-Awakened Hunters, contrary to her poor reception on HuntWeb.
Even if she didn't have any flashy accomplishments, she was always the one taking on the most dangerous roles in the most dangerous positions. She had done exactly that during the operations over the past three months.
How much of a help was her silent dedication—luring the monsters' attacks toward herself—to me, as I struggled to save even one more person?
Judging objectively, Baek Dam-bi’s contribution was far greater than Naito-san’s. He didn't even carry any particularly impressive weapons, and he didn't contribute much more than the other Hunters, even if his skills were surprisingly good.
But look at her. She went through the trouble of putting on makeup and wearing a crop top to look pretty, yet she received absolutely no attention.
Even when I grabbed the reporters who visited a few times and explained how immense her role was, they were all indifferent. It was as if they thought, *Well, she’s an eolleggi, but she’s an Awakened who gets paid, so she should at least do that much,* and they would just toss a line or two of praise into an article and move on.
With Naito-san right there, wouldn't even a decent A-rank Hunter have been treated similarly if they were in her position, rather than just a mere eolleggi?
If I had protested this, what kind of answer would I have gotten? Wouldn't I have been cursed at, told that since I was Awakened and yet couldn't perform better than a non-Awakened, I should be ashamed of my own inadequacy?
Regardless, it makes me angry.
If I had the authority to change all of this, I would ban non-Awakened from acting as Hunters. As I’ve experienced three times over the last three months, weak non-Awakened don't provide much help and only end up getting themselves killed. It would be better to just forbid it entirely.
I would give the title of "B-rank Hunter" that Naito-san holds to Awakened who are a bit lacking, like Baek Dam-bi, and make people cheer for them when they pass by.
As for any non-Awakened who doesn't know their place and tries to stand on equal footing with us, I’d beat them to a pulp if they weren't from Incheon...
While I was deep in thought, Naito-san approached. He grinned and shouted, "Let's work hard again today! Um, is this how you say it? Long live Incheon!"
How much lighter would my heart be if I had seen a future where that guy was a traitor hiding a wicked heart, plotting to harm me?
But since my precognition ability, which I never knew when it would trigger, didn't show me any such future, I had no choice but to nod.
"Yeah. Long live Incheon."
I didn't seem to respond with much enthusiasm, but Naito-san, seemingly pleased even by that, grinned and headed off somewhere to lead his team.
And, knowing that my disgust toward him was irrational, I took a deep breath.
I tried to soothe myself, caught in emotions that were difficult to explain to others.
I forced myself to think rationally.
Naito-san was also clearly contributing to Incheon, he didn't seem like he would harm me, and for now, he was one of the colleagues I had to fight alongside.
Together with that uncomfortable colleague, I headed toward Manwol Mountain.
It was the greatest sacred mountain in Eurasia, where all sorts of monsters swarmed, creating vast slums in the nearby Bupyeong and Ganseok-dong areas. It was a place where, if we just managed to clear out the monsters within, we could expect countless residents to return and see the nearby land values and commercial districts revived.
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