An EX-Rank Supporter Skill Actually Exists?

During a short break in the middle of shooting I Am a Hunter, I settled onto the couch and greeted Park Jinho first.

"It's good to see you again, sunbae-nim. How have you been?"

Even though I had spent a full ten years in the hunter industry, Park Jinho was a veteran who had survived the Age of the Apocalypse. There was an insurmountable gap between someone who had merely dipped his toes into the tail end of that era and a pioneer who had lived through its worst days.

"Hey there, Siwoo. I've been doing well. And like I always say, you don't need to be that formal with me."

Despite being in his mid-fifties, he carried the warm, genial charm of an older gentleman adored by the entire nation. Park Jinho gave an easy, disarming smile.

I had appeared on I Am a Hunter a handful of times in the past as Kim Seolyeon's partner, so we were on familiar terms.

"Did you switch guilds recently?" he asked.

"Yes. I was fortunate enough to find a good place, thankfully."

Be humble, and stay humble. Our power does not exist for personal gain. That had always been the personal creed of Park Jinho, a first-generation hunter who still commanded the unwavering respect of the entire country. Standing before him, humbleness came naturally.

"You worked hard for ten long years," Jinho said gently. "It was only a matter of time before someone recognized your worth."

A sudden wave of memories surfaced—the contempt, the condescension, and the petty insults I had endured back at Deungcheon Guild. Alongside those bitter recollections came a deep sense of gratitude toward Lee Miseon for believing in me.

Just then, the main director's voice echoed across the set.

"Resuming shooting in three, two...!"

The rest of the shoot wrapped up smoothly without any major hitches. Kim Eunji was surprisingly relaxed throughout the recording, even if she occasionally blurted out an eccentric remark or two.

"Thank you for your hard work!"

"Great work, everyone."

After exchanging polite bows with Park Jinho and the production crew, we climbed into the compact company car and headed back toward the accommodation.

"Team Leader."

"Yes?"

"...Drop the honorifics. We're going to clear gates together, so speaking formally is just a waste of breath, isn't it?"

She had a point. In life-or-death situations inside a dungeon, clinging to polite formalities would only get in the way.

"All right. You drop them too, then. It'll be more comfortable for both of us."

"Got it."

"I'll drop you off at the dorms first. Get some rest, and we'll start training tomorrow morning."

Having pushed her body past its limits with Extremity yesterday, Eunji was still far from fully recovered. Stacking a variety show shoot on top of that had undoubtedly left her running on fumes.

"Team Leader, did you check the text from the Guildmaster?"

"Huh?" I kept my eyes on the road ahead. "I'm driving right now, so I haven't looked. What did she send?"

"She said both of us have become too much of a hot topic, and she's worried about our safety. So she told us to share the same lodging. The Guildmaster's taking my old room, and she arranged a brand-new place for us."

"Wait, what...?"

No matter how hands-on I was as her exclusive manager, a man and a woman living under the same roof felt out of the question. Just as my inner traditional upbringing reared its head in vehement protest, she cut in.

"You're not having weird thoughts, are you?"

"...Definitely not."

"Then there's no reason to refuse."

Hmm. She's a lot sharper with words than I expected. Mentally, I added another note to my profile on her. Still, was it really necessary to share an apartment just because of security concerns?

"Wouldn't staying in the same building be enough?"

"Haven't you seen the news? That's not enough at all."

She wasn't entirely wrong. Kidnapping the civilian administrative staff or long-time associates of wealthy high-ranking hunters to extort a ransom was an age-old trick in the underworld. In the end, staying behind the same locked door offered the best protection; if someone was determined enough, breaking into an adjacent unit in the same building was trivial.

Still, I couldn't help pointing out the obvious.

"You know how capable I am. The chances of anyone successfully kidnapping me are next to none." I was more than confident in my ability to stall until the police or hunter strike teams arrived.

"I wasn't talking about you, Team Leader. I was talking about me. Without Extremity, I'm just an ordinary C-rank hunter. I don't even have a single proper combat skill."

Mind's Eye (B) and Acceleration (C). Those were her only two skills. By default, she was built as a scout or ranger archetype, exceptionally vulnerable in direct, close-quarters combat. Furthermore, anyone scheming to target Kim Eunji—the hunter who held the title of slaying the world's first demon—would bring enough firepower to match that supposed pedigree.

"Tsk..."

When I considered her safety, sharing quarters really was the most practical solution.

"Guess there's no helping it."

"Yes!"

"Huh?"

The girl who had been speaking in a dry, indifferent monotone mere seconds ago suddenly clapped her hands together in sheer delight. I glanced sideways at her with a baffled expression.

"What's with the cheer?"

"Nothing."

The instant our eyes met, she snapped right back to an emotionless poker face, leaving my question hanging in the air. Kids these days are completely impossible to read.

Carrying on our casual banter, I steered the car into the parking lot of a familiar officetel complex.

"When did she say the move was happening?"

"Right now."

"Wait, what?"

Apparently having finalized everything with the Guildmaster via text while I was driving, Eunji grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the entrance.

How on earth did she finish the paperwork already?

Lee Miseon was clumsy and awkward over customer service calls, but whenever it came to logistical matters like this, her efficiency was downright terrifying.

Ding.

One floor above the original quarters of Saebit Guild's hunters, the elevator chimed and opened. We stepped out into the hallway and came to a stop in front of a unit.

"Is this the place?"

"Yes. The passcode is..."

Beep-beep-be-beep—click.

The electronic lock disengaged, and pushing the door open revealed a clean, standard two-bedroom layout. My luggage ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had already been carried inside and set down in the living room.

"We need to move your things up too, Eunji. Let's head down together."

The memory of that bizarre, chaotic room I had peeked into yesterday flashed through my mind. Please tell me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that wasn't hers. I made the offer hoping to verify, but she shook her head firmly.

"No thanks. I can handle it myself, so just unpack your things and get some rest."

With that blunt refusal, she spun on her heel and slipped back out the door.

A strange mix of mild disappointment and profound relief washed over me.

Putting it out of my mind, I quickly unpacked my essentials, took a hot shower, and staked my claim on the master bedroom. In situations like this, first come, first served was the golden rule.

Collapsing onto the bed, I noticed a crimson alert pulsing softly at the edge of my field of vision.

"Huh?"

Curious, I raised my finger and tapped the floating icon.

A dormant secondary function of Extremity rushed back into my mind. Right... I completely forgot about this.

I had no intention of living like a pushover anymore, but I wasn't about to turn into a greedy leech either.

"Fifty-fifty."

Considering the demon was only defeated thanks to my support, claiming at least half of the yield felt entirely fair.

Chime!

"Confirm."

And so, after ten agonizing years of waiting, I finally experienced the sensation of leveling up—something every other hunter took for granted.

Chime!

"Wait, what?"

I thought I might finally unlock a brand-new skill, but it turned out to be an upgrade to my existing ability. Well, that wasn't bad either. Ten straight level-ups had expanded my mana core considerably, drastically boosting my baseline physical and combat capabilities.

"Hmm..."

It didn't feel overwhelmingly game-changing right off the bat. If I looked at how I had used it with Kim Seolyeon, it was almost exclusively activated during the final boss encounter anyway.

"Ah..."

Then reality caught up with me. This wasn't Deungcheon Guild—this was Saebit Guild. Counting myself, there were only three hunters available to support Kim Eunji in the field, and I hadn't even assessed the skills of the others yet. When viewed from that angle, expanding to two simultaneous buffs was precisely what we needed right now.

"Still..."

A part of me had secretly hoped for a self-enhancement skill like Body Reinforcement. I wanted to stand on the front lines of gate raids again. Watching Kim Eunji pulverize that demon had reawakened an itch in my bones that had laid dormant for far too long.

"Well, now that I can finally level up..."

I would just have to look forward to the next milestone.

"There's nothing wrong with you."

Deep within the headquarters of Archeion, one of the country's preeminent mega-guilds, A-rank healer Lee Miyeon scowled in frustration as she lowered her glowing hands from Kim Seolyeon.

"If a skill vanished or your status window mutated, it would almost certainly be the work of a curse. But I don't see a single trace of that. Besides, given the rank of the gates you've cleared, it's impossible for a curse to slip past my perception."

Lee Miyeon tilted her head in utter disbelief, staring down at Kim Seolyeon.

"More than that, what you're describing makes no sense at all. How does a C-rank Freezing skill suddenly turn into White Night Ice Palace? And an Ungraded skill on top of that? I've never heard of such a thing in my life. You have to tell me the truth if you want me to help you."

"I am not lying."

Meeting Seolyeon's unblinking, defiant gaze, Miyeon's brows furrowed even deeper. The claim flew in the face of all established hunter theory.

Then, a rumor flickered across Miyeon's mind—a wild whisper about Lee Siwoo that she had previously laughed off as sheer nonsense.

"Lee Siwoo is definitely a hunter. The Association verified his awakening, right? And anyone who awakens is guaranteed to receive a skill. Then could that rumor about Extremity be real? An EX-rank skill? That actually makes sense. It's the only explanation that fits."

Hearing Miyeon mutter to herself, Seolyeon's expression twisted into an ugly grimace.

A pathetic lie concocted by a man desperately trying to defend his fragile pride beside his vastly superior girlfriend. The mere fact that an A-rank healer was entertaining such an absurd fabrication infuriated her.

"I was with him for ten whole years! If he had an amazing skill like that, why did he only ever have one? His mana capacity was so minuscule he couldn't even level up once, despite all the raids we cleared together!"

"Rumor has it he funneled all his earned experience points into you," Miyeon countered coldly. "That would explain his lack of growth. Regardless, as far as my diagnostics are concerned, there is nothing wrong with you."

"Ha..."

Seolyeon scoffed, spinning around and storming out the door. Watching her retreating back, Miyeon's face contorted with disgust.

"What an arrogant little bitch."

She had taken time out of her packed schedule as a personal favor to S-rank hunter Kwon Dohyeok, only to be treated with utter disrespect.

A moment later, the door swung open again and Kwon Dohyeok strode into the clinic. With neatly slicked-back hair, sharp predatory features, and an ostentatious patterned shirt, he looked every bit the superstar idol of South Korea's hunter community.

"Well? How is she?"

"How is she? She's got a rotten attitude, and there's not a damn thing wrong with her body."

"Even you couldn't figure it out?" Kwon Dohyeok stroked his chin, his eyes narrowing with a flash of suspicion, as if questioning Miyeon's competence.

"Hey! What's with that look? You think I'm lying to you?"

"...No. I'm just wondering if the rumors might actually be true. That EX-rank Extremity skill or whatever."

"Nothing else explains it, does it?" Miyeon pointed out. "The incantation is identical. I beseech. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠That girl who slaughtered the demon chanted the exact same phrase."

As elite members of Archeion Guild's Team 1—the pinnacle of the organization's combat power—Lee Miyeon and Kwon Dohyeok exchanged heavy, knowing glances.

"If it really is true..."

"Then you throw Kim Seolyeon straight into the trash," Miyeon said bluntly, a cruel smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "And you get on your knees and beg that supporter for forgiveness."

"Why the hell would I do that?"

Miyeon scoffed at his stubborn pride. "A pathetic C-rank skill was elevated to the point where it could rival you. What do you think happens if he buffs someone with a B-rank skill or higher? You'd get one-shot."

"So what? The buff lasts three minutes at best," Dohyeok sneered dismissively. "I can pace myself and fight all day long. When it comes to conquering high-tier gates, it's obvious who brings more value to a raid. And even in a one-on-one duel, I'd decapitate them before they finished reciting their little poem."

The higher the gate's rank, the longer the raid dragged on. That was the very limitation that had kept Kim Seolyeon from being recognized as a true S-rank. A three-minute burst of overwhelming power was far too restrictive in protracted warfare.

"...That's true enough," Miyeon conceded.

"I'll admit it's a handy utility skill, but that's all it is," Dohyeok spat. "You seriously expect me to bow my head to a nobody like that?"

"Aaaargh!!"

The moment she stepped into her luxury apartment, Kim Seolyeon hurled the nearest vase against the wall, shrieking at the top of her lungs.

"Why?!"

Her life was supposed to be a flawless ascent. She was the chosen protagonist of this world, showered in adoration, praise, and glory by everyone who laid eyes on her.

And yet...

"What was with that look in her eyes?! Who does she think she is, looking down on me when she's just a measly A-rank?!"

Even though they held the same official rank, Seolyeon considered herself fundamentally superior to Lee Miyeon. An ordinary A-rank who relied on a standard skill build couldn't begin to compare to Kim Seolyeon, the sole owner of an Ungraded skill.

Or at least, that had been the case until recently.

"I beseech!!!"

Activating skills outside of a gate without authorization was strictly illegal, but in her current state of manic desperation, laws meant nothing to her.

"Unfold the white night and erect the frozen palace!"

Normally, her mana would violently detonate outward, transforming the surrounding atmosphere into a realm of biting frost as her dark hair bleached pure snow-white.

"To all who enter my domain, death itself shall not dare reach them!"

Silence.

Not a single ember of mana stirred. Not a single frost crystal formed.

Seolyeon's face contorted in sheer horror as her knees buckled, sending her crashing onto the hardwood floor.

"Why...? Why all of a sudden...!"

She had reached out to Lee Miyeon through an S-rank hunter's connection, only to be told there was nothing wrong. Instead of a cure, all she received was baseless, infuriating speculation.

"There is no way this is because of Lee Siwoo!"

An EX-rank skill was unheard of in the history of hunter society. They had conquered dozens of dungeons together—how could a hunter clear that many gates without gaining a single level? It made zero sense.

Lee Siwoo is not a real hunter.

She had convinced herself of that conclusion long ago, yet the thought now coiled around her throat like a suffocating noose.

Chime.

A notification pinged from her smartphone.

It was a message from an acquaintance in the guild's administrative staff—someone who normally wouldn't dare initiate casual contact ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with a star hunter like her.

"Hah..."

Seolyeon didn't have the mental bandwidth to care about professional boundaries. Her trembling fingers tapped the attached video link.

"What is it now...?"

The girl speaking on the broadcast was the rookie who had slain the demon a few days ago—a strikingly beautiful young woman who had barely reached adulthood. Watching the clip, Seolyeon nodded unconsciously. Exactly. There are fools everywhere who vastly overestimate their worth, just like Lee Siwoo.

"...Team Leader?"

On the screen, the purple-eyed girl smirked playfully at the camera. A split-second later, the camera panned outward to reveal the man seated beside her on the studio couch.

"Lee... Siwoo...?"

Seolyeon's breath hitched as the viral dungeon footage from days ago flashed violently across her vision. The bizarre incantation, nearly identical to the cadence of her own White Night Ice Palace. The sudden, impossible explosion of power in an ordinary hunter.

And standing faithfully by her side was that very same man.

"No way..."

Her hands began to shake uncontrollably.

An EX-rank supporter skill... actually exists?