The world had changed.
A D-rank Gate opened in Seongnam Pangyo, and from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m., the entire area…
The Gate opened, and Monsters appeared.
Around Seol Jihoon, the third S-rank Hunter of the Republic of Korea, Guilds fiercely competed to scout him…
Awakened Hunters appeared as if it were natural, and Heroes emerged.
- Today, the Hunter-turned Pogeol’s release of Protect My Boyfriend topped the charts…
Hunters were idols to some.
- “Is this really okay?! The smiling Hero, Lucky Boy, with a blood alcohol level of 0.2%, crashed into a residential area mid-flight, causing a family tragedy…”
To others, they were objects of resentment.
Many hoped to become Hunters. It was the fastest way to wealth and fame.
Just like how being a Streamer was once the number one dream for elementary school students.
And I, too, hoped to become a Hunter.
“Mr. Kim Changyeol, you graduated from S University and completed your service in the 707 Special Mission Unit, right? Your grades were excellent. Wow, you even interned at the Noble Guild? I heard your scores were enough to become a full-time employee. Why didn’t you join?”
“I thought the Fighting God Guild suited my personality and future investments better than the Noble Guild.”
“Alright, understood. And Ms. Go Hasol here is fluent in five languages and has even won amateur competitions, correct?”
The interviewer seemed pleased.
Nodding with satisfaction, he flipped through the resumes, then his expression soured.
“Lee Hyunbin.”
He called my name. His grim expression unsettled me for some reason.
“Yes!”
The interviewer’s face said, Is there really someone with a resume like this? He called my name just to confirm.
There really was.
That look told me it was over.
“Your highest education is high school dropout?”
…
“You’re almost thirty years old, have never held a job, have no experience in Instance Dungeons, and haven’t undergone any Hunter training. You’re completely… clean?”
I could see the other applicants struggling to hold back laughter.
“Special note: a former Hero who returned to the modern world from another dimension?”
A sudden burst of suppressed laughter spread through the room.
My face burned red. I wanted to speak confidently, but stammered unconsciously.
“Yes, I fell into another world during high school and couldn’t graduate.”
“Your main weapon is the Holy Sword Laevateinn?”
The interviewer raised his voice deliberately. Probably because that was the truth. I had been quietly answering until now.
I trembled with shame, but the other applicants looked like they were suffering through hell. Shoulders shaking, heads bowed, they fought to suppress their laughter.
“Ah, yes…”
“Show it.”
“Excuse me?”
“That sword. The Holy Sword.”
The interviewer asked again as if looking at a lunatic.
“In modern times, Laevateinn experiences communication errors…”
I explained, breaking out in a cold sweat, and someone burst out laughing.
The interviewer shot a cold glare at the laughing applicant, who hastily covered their mouth and sobered up.
Looking at my flushed face, the interviewer flatly said the interview was over.
“I hope you find your Holy Sword quickly.”
“Hello. This is the recruitment officer of the Fighting God Guild. Thank you sincerely for applying to the new Hunter recruitment interview.
Despite your excellent abilities and potential, unfortunately, due to limited recruitment numbers, we cannot proceed with your application at this time…”
“Damn it.”
Less than an hour after the interview, I received this lightning-fast rejection message and cursed.
Talking about being a Hero and a Holy Sword was a mistake.
I had written that in despair after countless quick rejections in interviews.
The taste in my mouth was bitter.
“This rotten world. Why the hell do you need TOEIC scores to be a Hunter?”
The job requirements said passion was the only prerequisite, but in reality, they judged on academic background, grades, TOEIC, and certificates.
I couldn’t understand why any of that mattered for hunting.
At thirty.
Some might still call that young, but it was late to start as a rookie in society.
Having spent my entire childhood in another world made adapting to the modern world extremely difficult.
I had no friends, no peers. It was impossible to have any acquaintances.
I felt drained. I had even bought a tailored suit with the little money I had, only to be rejected at lightning speed.
“Sigh.”
I sighed deeply as I climbed the steep hill back to my monthly-rent one-room apartment.
Creak.
Someone inside dropped a cup of ramen as I entered.
“Uh, uh?”
A woman with long black hair blinked. She picked up the fallen ramen and gave an awkward smile.
“I only ate one cup of ramen each.”
I let out a heavy sigh.
Did she mistake my sigh for interrogation? I heard her excuses again.
“I really only ate one. Honestly.”
But the hidden ramen behind her suggested she’d eaten at least three.
She glanced nervously, then, seemingly resigned, confidently placed her hands on her hips and said,
“Hey, do you think I ate it just because I wanted to? I have to eat well for my Magic Power to recover. You know? Only then can I return to the original world. Then you’ll be at ease, too.”
“Yeah, yeah. Eat as much as you want.”
I was too tired to argue with a grown woman over a single cup of ramen. I roughly loosened my tie and leaned against the wall.
“Really? Don’t regret it.”
Excitedly, she peeled the ramen wrapper and started boiling the water.
Once a Noble with a Territory in another world, now floundering in instant food in this one.
Having tasted every delicacy imaginable in that world, she’d now surrendered to the taste of chemical seasoning.
The reason a resident from another dimension lived with me was simple.
Because of her, I was able to return to the world I lived in.
But problems arose.
- Research teams and exploration squads continue investigating the mysterious island, but the cause remains unknown.
- The government has requested support from Japan and China, and active international cooperation is underway…
Slurp.
She was already eating the cooked ramen while intently watching the news.
Crunch.
She didn’t forget the pickled radish, either.
“Sir. The news is boring. Switch to a comedy channel.”
“…”
“News is no fun.”
“No, it might be boring, but that’s about your Territory. You should pay attention!”
I sighed once again.
for a supposed hero he sure acts pathetically
disappointing, looks like he was just given some good power and didn’t experience any hardship cause I sure as hell don’t see any composure expected from a guy that went through hardships