Chapter 71: I Wish I Could Appear on TV (3)

“Kyaa, a bear. So cute!”

A Returnee, Changing Careers to a Hunter

A passing woman burst into a smile so wide her cheeks nearly soared to the sky after seeing Hyunbin in a bear mascot suit.

She didn’t just look; she unlinked her arm from her boyfriend’s and hurried over with quick little steps.

“What, Lee Ye-eun, you like stuff like this?”

“Why, isn’t it cute?”

“Hey, the guy inside is just some burly dude anyway. How is that cute?”

“Ah, whatever.”

Hearing the couple’s exchange, Hyunbin made a balloon puppy as a service.

“Wow, thank you so much. Honey, I got this, pfft.”

“OHLF, OHOF?”

Unlike the woman, the man looked rather disinterested, as if something had put him in a bad mood today.

Hyunbin and the man stared at each other.

A heated tension flared up between them.

“What? Why?”

“Why are you acting up again?”

“No, this bear bastard is glaring at me.”

“Ugh, seriously. Watch your mouth.”

“Come on, it’s just weird. Hey, take off that mask. Hey.”

The man rudely poked the bear mascot’s forehead.

Uh-oh, trouble had begun.

The mood suddenly turned nasty.

The filming crew discussed if they should step in to stop it.

At that moment, Hyunbin, still in the bear costume, pointed at something and flinched. Startled, the cameraman looked where Hyunbin was pointing.

…?

There was nothing there but empty air.

“Uh, hey, honey?”

The man who had been picking a fight with Hyunbin just a moment ago collapsed with froth bubbling at his mouth.

Hyunbin glanced around and then quickly broke into a run.

-Wait a minute, please. Huff, huff. Lee Hyunbin Hunter. I don’t think you need to run anymore, huff, huff.

“Run? Haa, me? Why?”

The production staff asked no more after seeing Hyunbin.

“I’m just, haaa, patrolling around because villains often show up in this area.”

Though nobody had asked, Hyunbin said that anyway.

An awkward silence lingered between them.

Then suddenly, a scream shattered the quiet!

“Kyaaa! S-someone, save me!”

“Damn this shitty world! I’ll kill everyone and die myself! Hey!”

A frail woman’s scream. And a man holding a knife to her throat in a threatening manner.

A real incident was unfolding.

Hunters.

Some call them nothing but greedy miners, mocking them as legal thugs. But in moments of crisis, it’s the Hunters who act first.

Power.

This was the moment to see just how big a part Hunters now played in our daily lives.

More than anything, Hyunbin possessed a unique Inventory Technique.

-Lee Hyunbin Hunter? He’s the world’s first S-class Hunter.

-And with the highest Inventory capacity in the country, the only one with the ability to even rescue people into his Inventory—

-He’s proudly the Republic of Korea’s number one Hunter.

Expert evaluations of Hyunbin were overwhelmingly positive.

Some lamented that if only he’d awakened as a dealer-type Hunter, he might have shone even brighter.

Now, the top-tier Hunter Hyunbin was watching the hostage situation unfold.

“I”

Unexpectedly, Hunter Hyunbin was observing the situation cautiously.

-Um, Lee Hyunbin Hunter?

“Yes.”

-You’re not going to use your Inventory Technique?

“Ah… I can’t use it from this far away.”

-…But shouldn’t you at least try something…

At the filming crew’s words, Hyunbin brought a finger to his lips.

Seeing this, the crew realized something was about to happen.

“This filthy world! Yeah, damn it. I lost my job, nothing’s working out!”

The man wailed like someone who’d lost all hope.

The woman he held hostage was crying so hard her mascara ran in black streaks down her face.

It was an urgent situation. Someone called the police and emergency services, while others filmed what was happening.

“Stop filming! You wanna die? Huh?”

When the agitated man pointed his knife at someone, one by one people lowered their phones in fear.

“That guy’s a Hunter.”

-A Hunter?

Hunters should be people who protect others.

Of course, not all are like that.

The power to protect can also be the power to harm.

And here, two extreme forces existed.

Those who used their awakened power for evil were called ‘Villains,’ and those who used it for good were ‘Heroes.’

Hyunbin removed the bear mascot head.

“Huh, isn’t that Lee Hyunbin?”

“It is! Wow, the delivery guy in person!”

People’s attention focused, and naturally, even the kidnapper turned to Hyunbin, his eyes quaking as if shaken by an earthquake.

“L-Lee Hyunbin Hunter…?”

“Excuse me, please… sob, help me….!”

The kidnapper tensed.

Deliveryman Lee Hyunbin.

An S-class Hunter and the talk of the town for his unrivaled clearance rate.

Under everyone’s gaze, Hyunbin stepped forward, one step at a time.

“D-Don’t come any closer! I’ll—I’ll kill her!”

“Kyaaa!”

The kidnapper stepped back, wary of Hyunbin’s presence.

Seeing this, Hyunbin took another step forward.

“I—I’m not kidding! I’ll really do it!”

“Can you?”

“!”

At Hyunbin’s provocative words, the kidnapper’s eyes trembled.

“You’re a Hunter too.”

“S-So what!”

The kidnapper barked back at Hyunbin.

“Someone who once protected people—can you really hurt someone?”

“Don’t talk nonsense! What do you know….”

Hyunbin took another step forward.

Was the distance between him and the criminal shrinking?

“I do know.”

“…!”

“Kim Jongsik, Hunter of the Real Hunters Guild.”

“H-how do you know my…”

At Hyunbin’s words, the kidnapper’s eyes wavered.

Hyunbin was an S-class Hunter.

A being so far above.

Real Hunters Guild wasn’t even in the rankings, barely known.

“Of course I know. We’re fellow Hunters, ‘comrades.’”

“…!”

It was impossible not to be impressed.

The most important thing in persuasion—

That was empathy.

Hyunbin possessed not only skill and character, but also something that could embrace others.

“You didn’t work so hard to become a Hunter just for this, did you?”

“…That’s…”

At Hyunbin’s words, Kim Jongsik wavered.

“We exist to protect people.”

“I…”

Kim Jongsik’s grip on the knife slowly loosened.

So did the determined look on his face.

“M-my guild went under. I was left with a mountain of debt. Because of that, even my girlfriend…”

Tears streamed from Kim Jongsik’s eyes.

Were they tears of repentance?

Watching him, Hyunbin reached out a gentle hand.

Now, Kim Jongsik was no longer a Villain.

“J-Jongsik oppa…!”

Kim Jongsik bit his lips at the sudden appearance of an unexpected person.

His girlfriend, who had broken up with him just a few days ago.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know things were so hard for you….”

“M-Mija….”

“I’m sorry, really sorry. I was only thinking of myself… Oppa, you’re not someone who would do this.”

“No, I…”

Kim Jongsik trailed off.

The two lovers were reunited, and people’s eyes grew misty.

It was a scene of reconciliation and forgiveness.

“Kim Jongsik Hunter.”

“Yes….”

“Now, put the knife down.”

“…What are you doing….”

“Do you have to ask?”

Hyunbin took the hostage.

“If you don’t put the knife down right now, your girlfriend will get extremely healthy.”

Hyunbin grabbed his girlfriend, Shin Mija, and forced her to lift a dumbbell.

Not knowing why, Shin Mija began lifting the weight because of his insistence.

“C-can I stop now? My arms…”

“Hoo…. No. Are you planning to let your boyfriend become a criminal? Don’t stop moving your hands.”

“O-Oppa….”

Before they knew it, Hyunbin had taken out all kinds of gym equipment from his Inventory and placed them nearby.

“It’s time for squats now. How does it feel to see your girlfriend getting stronger and stronger?”

“S-stop it…! She’s suffering!”

“Training is my area of expertise. There was a couple I met before, too.”

With that, Hyunbin showed them someone’s before-and-after pictures.

The Camera Team could see that a once delicate woman had developed muscles and facial contours like someone who had mastered North Star Fist.

“C-can I stop now? My arms…”

“Hoo…. No. Are you planning to let your boyfriend become a criminal? Don’t stop moving your hands.”

“O-Oppa….”

Before they knew it, Hyunbin had taken out all kinds of gym equipment from his Inventory and placed them nearby.

“It’s time for squats now. How does it feel to see your girlfriend getting stronger and stronger?”

“S-stop it…! She’s suffering!”

“Training is my area of expertise. There was a couple I met before, too.”

With that, Hyunbin showed them someone’s before-and-after pictures.

The Camera Team could see that a once delicate woman had developed muscles and facial contours like someone who had mastered North Star Fist.

“Situation resolved.”

Hyunbin said with a satisfied expression.

Today again, Hyunbin checked to make sure the citizens were safe.

-How would you define a Hunter?

“A Hunter?”

Hyunbin smiled.

“They’re someone who should be a symbol of peace.”

Thanks to him, the city was peaceful once more.

The 3rd team members, watching a special documentary in the office, were at a loss for words.

Scritch scritch.

Since earlier, Lee Hyunbin had been practicing something.

Seeing this, Seohyeonji spoke up.

“What are you doing?”

“Hoo…. What else?”

Lee Hyunbin displayed several signatures.

“I figured I’ll have a lot of chances to sign things from now on, so I was practicing.”

Seeing Hyunbin’s bright expression, the team’s pupils all trembled.

Seohyeonji cautiously said,

“G-”

“Yes?”

“I don’t think you need to practice your autograph….”

“Tsk tsk. A person should always be prepared. Which one do you think is best? Though I’m sure they’re all good.”

Seohyeonji’s eyebrow twitched as she looked at the scrawled signatures.

Watching this, Seoyeon giggled.

Although it wasn’t shown in the footage, the Hunter who had taken a hostage received a suspended sentence thanks to the victim’s leniency.

It was Lee Hyunbin who turned what could have been a disaster into just a minor incident.

“Hoo…. Even an elementary school doodle would be better than this.”

“You’re unbelievable. Let’s see Seohyeonji Hunter’s autograph, then.”

“Now you want my autograph?”

“Hahaha. Maybe I should make it so you never sign anything again.”

Today as always, the Hanul Guild was peaceful.

As humanity developed and cities grew more prosperous,

Nature drifted farther away from the city.

People belatedly tried to live together with nature, using the term ‘eco-friendly,’ but perhaps it was already too late.

After all, humans had destroyed nature and built their own habitats atop it.

“Dad, hurry up! Hurry!”

“All right, I’m coming.”

On a blazing hot, humid day, a father and his elementary school son were walking along a forest path.

Their reason for coming out was simple.

It was insect collecting—one of the assignments for elementary school summer vacation.

The forest path they were on was an artificial natural space created in the city.

It was a place designed for apartment residents; it had its own charm and was great for walking.

It was the weekend, and although he hadn’t wanted to so much as lift a finger from the sofa, his wife wouldn’t let him.

She began a litany of complaints, and after weighing her nagging against his laziness, the man ultimately chose to go outside with his son.

‘If I just kill about an hour, that’ll be enough.’

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d walked through the woods.

“Dad, what’s that one?”

“That’s a spider. Spiders are experts at building homes.”

“Wow, amazing! Then what’s that one?”

“Hmm, a dragonfly. They’re good insects that get rid of bad bugs.”

The man recalled going insect collecting with his own father when he was a child.

Back then, the city wasn’t as developed; everywhere was grass and woods.

These days it’s hard to spot bugs, but back then it was easy.

Without realizing it, the man was lost in the cradle of his own childhood memories.

Seeing insects and collecting them with his son, he couldn’t help but smile.

“Dad, what about that one? And that?”

His son lifted a maple-leaf-shaped hand and pointed at something.

The man chuckled and looked over, then blinked.

Something was off.

He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand to look properly.

He wasn’t old enough for poor eyesight, yet he saw something strange.

“Huh?”

A huge something was majestically beating its wings, glaring down at the father and son.