S-Rank Perks and Homecoming Chaos
S-rank hunter. "Of course, we have to support you."
The Awakening Bureau chief spoke with a salesman's smile. With his response, I'd checked off one of the reasons I'd come here.
Now that I had some breathing room, the benefits laid out before me started sinking in.
Oh~ Military exemption?
A perk every Korean guy dreams of. Dungeons had popped up, and I thought North Korea might collapse...
But that damn pig awakened instead...
And not just any ability—it let him dominate others. From what I could guess, he could control anyone who swore loyalty to him.
The pig, who awakened early in the dungeon crisis, quickly took over the military and solidified his grip.
Thanks to him, the 18-month service term got bumped back to 24 months—two full years again. Regular folks went to the army.
Awakened ones got dragged into special new units. B-rank hunters and above could sub in dungeon clears for service, but...
Those dungeons are a nightmare.
They got assigned the ones even hunters avoided.
But I'm exempt.
The very first perk on the list had me grinning. Next up: housing support.
Starting at 35 pyeong—finally free from that shitty one-room hell.
From the third one on, the list went on forever. Too much to read right now.
If I had to pick the best...
Tax exemption takes the cake.
An S-rank boosts national defense just by existing. They say it elevates the country's status too, so these perks are only fair.
"By the way... may we publicize your name, Mr. Park Kiyong?"
An S-rank showing up couldn't be hidden. The question was whether to reveal my name.
Publicizing it would bring headaches, so the chief asked cautiously.
"Sure, go ahead."
I'd never planned to hide it anyway.
"Thank you." "Oh, and I'm planning to set up a guild."
My final goal: guild registration. With the chief right here, it was a piece of cake.
Should I handle that too while I'm at it?
The heroines' IDs. To register them in my guild, they'd need them no matter what.
"One more request."
I explained about the heroines to the chief, keeping their other-dimensional origins under wraps.
Can't have them treated like monsters.
Some folks freak out at "other dimension." So I skipped that part.
"It's about my summons."
I introduced them as humanoid summons.
"Whoa... You'd be the world's first with humanoid summons."
There were plenty of summoners, but none with humanoids—not even after scouring the globe. So yeah, world first.
"Could you create IDs for them?" "Ugh... Got it. I'll pull some strings."
With the heroine stuff settled, I picked my house. Lots of options, but I went for a standalone.
I wanted a yard. Plus, two stories? Perfect.
House chosen—business done. I stood to head home.
Two people followed behind me.
"This way, out the back."
The chief stopped me from going out the front and guided me elsewhere. I followed him out.
"Whoa..."
I couldn't help staring. A sea of people—a massive crowd.
"Hey! Big bro!"
Streamers first.
"It's really S-rank? You confirmed it properly?"
Then reporters.
"What's going on over there?"
Onlookers drawn by the gathering mob. I watched them from afar.
"Thanks."
Without the chief, I'd have been swept up and screwed.
"Haha, no big deal. Say, do you have a place to stay?"
His words reminded me of my trashed one-room.
"Heading to my parents'."
Time to see Mom and Dad and brag about going S-rank.
"Smart move. Once the one-room cleanup and other stuff's handled, I'll call."
The chief headed back inside, leaving just me and Kang Hamchan.
"Got a car? Nah, that junker of yours won't cut it anyway."
Kang Hamchan suddenly frowned in the silence.
"Sorry about that. Just flashed back for a sec..."
He sighed, explaining how reporters had hounded him back in the day.
"Ride with me. I'll drop you home."
I hopped in the nice old man's car and headed to my parents'. Traffic was light—only two hours.
"See you next time."
Hahaha!
Loud entrance, loud exit—just like always.
"Mom, I'm home."
Door wide open as usual. I'd told her a million times to lock it.
"Son!"
Mom's face after so long.
Thud thud thud!
Something charged at her.
"Hey! What the—?!"
My sister, Park Gayoung. What? When'd she get here?
Staying for the weekend, I guess. Sis shoved her phone in my face.
The phone screen was flooded with news about me.
"What else? News that I'm S-rank."
"Son, is that real?"
Even after I said it, Mom double-checked.
"I told you, didn't I? I'm strong."
"Aigoo~ My boy did it!"
Mom was purely thrilled. Dad pretended to watch TV, but he was side-eyeing us with a grin.
Sis sidled up, eyes sparkling, twisting her body like a puppy.
Ew, gross...
She opened her mouth mid-creep.
"Hey! So I can quit my job now, right?" "You punk!"
Mom smacked her back. Crazy reflexes!
"Ow! Why~! He's S-rank! S-ranks rake in cash!" "You brat! 'Fuckin' in front of me?! Fuckin' this!"
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Sis fled Mom's palm strikes. Mom chased her down, still whacking.
"Hey! I'm quitting my job?"
Sis wouldn't drop it, even mid-chase.
"Hmm..."
Quitting's fine. Problem is, I hate seeing her comfy...
"What to do?"
My mutter lit hope in her eyes. She grabbed my shoulder.
"We're family~! Doesn't it suck seeing your sis get chewed out by the boss every day?"
She's pitching her own suffering, but...
"Sounds great?"
Imagining her misery made me smile.
"Hey! You know how hard it is kissing up to hunters?!"
Okay, kidding aside.
"Quit and join my guild."
I know zilch about running one. Can't trust outsiders either.
Sis knows guild ops—perfect fit.
"You made a guild?" "Not yet, soon."
"Hmm... Can't I just chill? I wanna mooch allowance like a NEET..."
Smack!
"Aigoo! You psycho!"
Extra hit for the nonsense.
"Deal, but pay me fat stacks."
And just like that, employee number one secured.
**
Urp!
Home cooking after ages—overdid it. Out for a walk to digest.
Oh yeah, time to summon Baekhyang.
Not just her—gotta explain the sitch to the other heroines too.
And introduce her.
Morning rush with bureau folks meant hasty unsummoning, so I called her now.
"Oh! My husband! I've been waiting for your call!"
Baekhyang appeared with a bright smile.
"So this is your world!"
She looked around in awe.
"These strange buildings... carriages that move without horses?"
I gave her a tour—walk in the neighborhood. She bounced around like a kid.
Her outfit drew glances, but she ignored them.
"Mmm! Spicy!"
Bought her street food like with Cream first time. Tteokbokki turned her face red.
"This one's too fishy."
Didn't like the fish cakes.
"By the way, what happened to the Demonic Cult?"
Heavenly Demon's hubby vanishing overnight? Must've been chaos.
"All sorted!"
Her face said otherwise, but I let it slide.
No way back for me anyway.
We sat in a park to rest.
"Hmm... food and culture are nice, but the air sucks."
She sniffed. Compared to undeveloped Murim, air quality was worlds apart.
"Baekhyang, got something to say."
Explained the bureau stuff. IDs incoming, join my guild, show power later.
"Your Demonic Cult? Sounds fun."
She coolly agreed, as expected.
"And..."
Trailing off. Ask her to meet the other heroines.
Get along, y'know?
Always freezes my tongue at this part.
She patted my back seeing me hesitate.
"A Heavenly Demon's husband must be bold! Spit it out!"
Sensing something, she encouraged me. I spoke up.
"Ah, those concubines you mentioned before."
She got it quick—I'd explained other dimensions and heroines already.
Concubines?
Technically, first-met Cream's the wife, rest concubines? I stared, baffled.
"Concubines?" "Yep! Strongest takes all—Heavenly Demon wife makes sense, right?"
I could see it: pissed-off Cream and Choi Rin.
Clashing with Baekhyang. Ah... should I even introduce them?
Headache incoming.