Chapter 1
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 001
Chapter Title: Awakener Kim Geuk (Prologue)
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Lately, I've been hit with déjà vu all the time. So often and so intensely that I'm starting to think I might need to see a psychiatrist.
Doing anything, some inexplicable sense of familiarity brushes through my mind, making me freeze up. Even playing games feels like I've done it before, and casual chit-chat with someone seems like a conversation we've already had. It's driving me insane.
It's the same right now, sitting in class at the academy.
"If a Hunter captures or imprisons a criminal, it's still kidnapping or false imprisonment, right? I've mentioned this before. A Hunter's criminal liability is no different from any private citizen's..."
The instructor is droning on with the most boring lesson imaginable. It's straight out of the Hunter written exam material—nothing special about it.
Normally, I'd just nod off. Everyone knows the written part of the Hunter exam is barely weighted. The kind of Hunter the government loves isn't some sharp-minded judge of right and wrong—it's the reckless idiot who'll charge at any monster for the right price. That's common knowledge.
And yet here I am, actually paying attention to this class. Why?
It's not because today's lesson is suddenly fascinating. Every nerve in my body is just hyper-focused on this exact moment, against my will.
"If an apartment security guard breaks into a resident's place over a noise complaint and beats up the guy making the racket, he'll get arrested, right? Same goes for Hunters. It's fines or jail time."
This bizarre sensation...
"You all watch the news? So many Hunters these days acting like they're the cops and getting indicted for it. What the hell is wrong with them?"
I feel like I've been through this class before. The exact same time, same situation, same instructor repeating the exact same words.
That damn... déjà vu. It's so convincing I wonder if it's really just déjà vu, or maybe some mental illness or superpower—déjà vu on steroids.
"Of course, the law always has exceptions."
As I'm reeling in confusion, the instructor looks right at me. The moment his mouth opens, I feel a surge of irritation.
"What’s that exception, Kim Geuk? Care to answer?"
Why the hell is he asking me? Does he want to get punched?
I was about to say "I don't know" when our eyes met.
In that instant, I felt my consciousness getting sucked into somewhere else. And at the same time, I thought:
Ah, it's that again.
'If a Hunter captures or imprisons...'
The second I heard the instructor's voice, I made my call. It's a hallucination.
I've been through this enough times now that it doesn't throw me off anymore. This has been happening a lot lately.
'A Hunter's criminal liability is no different from any private citizen's...'
In the hallucination, the instructor is giving that same dull, useless lesson. And at the end, he hits me with that annoying question.
'Of course, the law always has exceptions. What’s that exception, Kim Geuk? Care to answer?'
In the hallucination, I just stare blankly and answer.
"I don't know."
The instructor narrows his eyes and sighs. Then he starts rambling.
"If the capture or imprisonment qualifies as self-defense, emergency evacuation, or necessary defense, the illegality is blocked... I told you last time this would definitely be on the exam. Kim Geuk, is this how our academy's golden boy acts? I'm really disappointed."
I clenched my fist in instant rage. That fucking bastard.
Who does this so-called teacher think he is, lecturing me? That scrawny, four-eyed anchovy wouldn't dare complain if I bumped shoulders with him on the street...
The urge to smash my fist into that wrinkled face is overwhelming.
The hallucination ended in a flash. Back in reality, I wasn't even startled anymore.
It's familiar by now. I just quickly assessed the situation.
I glanced at the instructor's face. He was waiting for my answer, so I recited what I'd just learned from the hallucination.
"If the capture or imprisonment qualifies as self-defense, emergency evacuation, or necessary defense?"
He must like it. The instructor grinned.
"Oh, looks like Kim Geuk did his homework properly? I thought you weren't even paying attention in class, but this is touching."
The instructor scanned the other students with a voice full of amusement.
"You all saw that? Kim Geuk reciting it word for word. If even an A-rank Awakener studies this hard, what's the rest of your excuse? Everyone, memorize this..."
I've been pegged as the model student out of nowhere. But it's hard to just bask in the praise purely.
As the instructor continued the lesson, I took a deep breath. A deep breath to suppress my anger.
Getting chewed out by that instructor was just a hallucination, but the disgust for him still lingers in my head. As if it really happened...
Of course, I know these emotions popping up like this are abnormal. I know I should ignore them.
But it's not easy. Way harder than I'd thought.
After that, it was just a typical day for an aspiring Hunter grinding away diligently.
I hit the academy gym, working out with the trainer's guidance, pushing my muscles to the tearing point.
The moment I finished, my Super Regeneration kicked in, repairing all the damage to my body.
The agony of the new muscle fibers swelling bigger and tougher than before was excruciating, but as always, I endured it. No painkillers for a body that wouldn't even register them. I just chugged a protein shake like it was strong liquor.
Back home, I showered and crashed into bed.
And as usual, I dreamed.
A dream where I drop a nuke on Seoul. Blooming a massive crimson mushroom cloud, slaughtering hundreds of thousands of Koreans, and then dying myself...
It's the dream that's haunted me relentlessly ever since that damn déjà vu started.