The Beginning of a Misunderstanding (1)
"Big brother is back."
"Gyu!"
I tossed the carcass to the approaching Hyeonmu. Hyeonmu popped the carcass with practiced ease.
Splatter. Flesh and filth sprayed in all directions.
Fortunately, because this was also treated as a form of "damage," I didn't suffer any harm. Not only did the debris veer away from me, but there wasn't even a foul odor.
"Gyuuu."
Having finished its meal, Hyeonmu waddled over and craned its long neck. It wanted to be petted.
Before I knew it, Hyeonmu had grown past my knees. Thanks to that, I only had to bend slightly at the waist to pet it.
Looking pleased, Hyeonmu's eyes curved into happy crescents.
"You've really grown a lot in just two days."
I had fed it a total of twelve bags of carcasses. It had an excellent appetite and grew so rapidly that feeding it was actually quite satisfying.
Was this how my parents felt when they were raising me? My body was exhausted, but my spirit felt completely re-energized.
In any case, it was about time to check on Hyeonmu's status.
"Status window."
• [Conditions Met] Your bond with Hyeonmu has reached the required level.
• You can now form a Contract with Hyeonmu.
• A contracted kaiju is permitted to travel outside of Gates.
• A contracted kaiju is strictly prohibited from inflicting any harm upon the contractor.
"Whoa..."
The newly updated system text made my head spin.
A contract? Wait, so I couldn't take kaijus outside before this?
After a brief moment of panic at this shocking revelation, I felt magnetically drawn to initiate the contract with Hyeonmu.
The process wasn't difficult. A square box labeled [Kaiju Illustrated Book] had appeared in a corner of my status window. All I had to do was open it and press the [Contract] button beneath Hyeonmu's illustration.
There were many empty slots next to Hyeonmu's picture. This strongly suggested there were other kaijus residing within this Gate.
If that was the case, I needed to think this through carefully before committing.
There might be a kaiju even more powerful or useful than Hyeonmu, and my contract slots might be limited.
Should I explore the Gate a bit more first? I pondered the idea for a moment, but quickly dismissed it. I had zero confidence in finding another kaiju in this pitch-black Gate. Even now, I could barely see a few feet ahead of me with my flashlight.
Thus, I reached a conclusion.
"...Should I just try pressing the contract button first?"
I had far too little information to make a move right now—not just about the contract, but about my abilities in general. Besides, surely pressing it wouldn't instantly finalize the contract, right? The system didn't seem that user-unfriendly.
I wasn't expecting a fully drafted legal document, but surely it would at least show some basic terms or a brief explanation. If it just bound us without any warning, that would be a total scam.
It was a faint hope, but a perfectly reasonable assumption. With a trembling hand, I reached out. Please, show me a contract. Please, please...
Perhaps my desperate prayer was answered. A mystical light flashed, and golden chains wrapped around me. In the same instant, the golden chains shot out toward Hyeonmu.
Clack. A sound like a heavy padlock snapping shut echoed in my ears. It was a crisp, satisfying sound, but an ominous foreboding washed over me, and my face instantly soured.
"Ah, dammit..."
Please bestow a name upon your first contracted kaiju.
"...Can't I just... abandon it?"
I didn't have any ill will toward Hyeonmu. In fact, since it was the first kaiju I'd met, I had grown quite attached to it. I only wanted to put the contract on hold for now; I fully intended to contract with Hyeonmu eventually.
After all, Hyeonmu was cute, had a gentle temperament, and above all, was incredibly strong. But I didn't want to make such a hasty decision like this...
Hyeonmu is highly satisfied with the name bestowed by the contractor.
Huh? Satisfied with what?
From now on, Hyeonmu will respond strongly to the name 'Yugi'.
"Hey! No, that's not it! Cancel, cancel! And you, you little punk, why are you happy about that name?!"
Regardless of my protests, the status window simply continued with its automated announcements.
• Contractor Skills have been activated.
• Hyeonmu can now fully comprehend the contractor's speech.
• Upon reaching 100 on the Bond gauge with your contracted kaiju, the next kaiju's territory will be unlocked.
......
Leaving the rapidly updating system text behind, I looked at Hyeonmu... no, at Yugi, and said the only thing I could say.
"I'm so sorry..."
The next day.
I visited the Hunter Association early in the morning. My goal was simple: register as an Awakened.
Although I had accidentally formed a contract with Yugi, it might actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Apparently, I had to max out the Bond gauge to meet the next kaiju. If I hadn't formed the contract, I would have wasted a lot of time without ever knowing this.
Besides, the sooner I registered as an Awakened, the better. In a world where Gates could spawn anytime and anywhere, having powerful Hunters in a residential area significantly eased the citizens' anxiety.
Because of this, local residents and municipalities showered Hunters with all kinds of perks just to keep them around.
Free meals at restaurants, various goods sold at dirt-cheap prices, housing provided by local governments, exclusive corporate services... Just being an Awakened guaranteed a life of immense privilege.
But F-class Awakened were the exception. They were so weak that, until they gained significant experience, they couldn't even guarantee a victory against a Rank 10 kaiju.
Therefore, my precise goal was to receive a rank far beyond F-class.
It shouldn't be too difficult. I was secretly hoping that just showing off Yugi for a brief moment would easily land me a C-class rank.
"Whew..."
Exhaling my tension, I stepped inside the Association building. The interior was spacious, clean, and modern. The lobby was bustling with people handling civil affairs, and most of them wore peculiar necklaces.
I only knew that those necklaces were used to identify Awakened. I'd heard that their ranks were determined by the color of the gemstone embedded in the pendant.
F-class Awakened wore red, but I didn't know the colors for the ranks above that. To me, anyone above F-class seemed incredibly impressive regardless of their exact rank.
"Are you here to register as an Awakened?"
An employee approached me and asked. Her eyes flicked toward my bare neck, likely noticing the absence of a necklace.
I replied with a polite smile.
"Yes, I awakened recently."
The employee gave me a quick once-over before nodding.
"It doesn't seem to be a physical-type ability. Please follow me this way first."
She guided me toward the elevators and gestured for me to step inside when one arrived.
"Once you get off, just walk straight ahead and you'll see the Mana Measurement Room. You can head right in."
She pressed the button for the second floor for me and offered a pleasant, warm smile as the doors closed. It didn't feel half bad to suddenly be treated like someone important. Well, with my ability, I suppose I actually am someone important, right?
In any case, I stepped off on the second floor and walked down the hall. Just as she had said, the sign for the "Mana Measurement Room" came into view, and I carefully pushed the door open.
"...Hello? I'm here to register as an Awakened."
"Yes, please wait just a moment."
The room was quite crowded. Including myself, there were four people without necklaces.
New Awakened appeared on a regular basis like this, but the number of active Hunters was actually dwindling because the mortality rate was even higher.
I looked around the room until an employee called my name, guiding me through the registration process. The procedure was incredibly simple: a mana measurement followed by a practical evaluation.
Once those two steps were completed, my Awakened profile would be registered with the Association. In the past, registration had been strictly managed through the Hunter Academy, but the system had recently changed. Not only was there a severe shortage of Awakened, but the Academy had proven to be highly impractical.
And so, I proceeded with the mana measurement first.
"It's an F-class reading."
The employee said, checking the mana measuring device. I had expected as much, but my mana pool was indeed pitifully small.
"Hmm... What kind of ability did you awaken? If it's a combat-oriented one, the practical evaluation might be too dangerous for you. I'd highly recommend finalizing your rank as F-class right now."
Her words left me temporarily speechless. I mean, I already knew my mana was low, but hearing it confirmed so bluntly stung a bit. More than that, I was at a complete loss as to how to explain my ability.
If I told them I could summon a myth-grade kaiju, their reaction would be entirely predictable. Oh, is that so? How wonderful. Here is your F-class license. Have a nice day. It would probably go something like that.
Still, since I had no other way to explain it, I opened my mouth to speak...
"It's not a simple combat ability—"
Ring ring. The employee's phone suddenly rang. The timing was absolutely impeccable.
"I am so sorry. This seems like an urgent call," the employee apologized.
She excused herself, but the tone of the voice on the other end was so alarming that I couldn't help but eavesdrop.
"...What? The investigation team was wiped out? Then how did you handle it?"
"Those goddamn monstrous bastards..."
A chilling wave of resentment washed over her voice. I swallowed hard without realizing it. At the same time, my mind grew complicated.
Is it really safe to reveal my ability to this person? Even though we lived in an era where kaijus were consumed as entertainment, this person was a Hunter who fought them on the front lines. Her hatred for kaijus must be immense.
And the Hunter community was entirely made up of people like her. Was revealing my ability right off the bat... really the smartest move? If I became a target for someone, did I have the power to protect myself? All sorts of doubts flooded my mind.
Suddenly feeling pathetic, I bit my lower lip. I had been so eager to get special treatment that I hadn't thought things through.
"What were you saying earlier?"
Having finished her call, the employee asked with a troubled expression. Her eyes looked heavy with exhaustion.
Even so, because I absolutely refused to settle for an F-class rank, I asked cautiously.
"How exactly does the practical evaluation work?"
"...Under the supervision of an instructor, you will clear an F-class Gate. Some people look down on F-class Gates, but they are not to be taken lightly."
"Clear it?"
"...Yes, it involves facing kaijus directly. To be perfectly honest, I recommend you give up. With your level of mana, even if you become a Hunter, you'll just be waiting for the day you die."
Her words were blunt, but she wasn't just looking down on me. Perhaps I only thought so because I had overheard her phone call.
But whatever her feelings were, they weren't a reason for me to back down. Everyone has their own circumstances, after all.
"Thank you for your concern, but I have no intention of giving up."
I said firmly.