Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: First Appearance
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Everyone thinks that if you're bound to make a huge mistake at least once in your life, you should get a fair shot at taking it back. After all, there are lucky folks out there who manage to laugh off their colossal screw-ups. But for someone as unlucky as me, I was stuck facing the consequences of my worst blunder head-on.
I was sitting in the middle of the freshmen at the Hunter Academy entrance ceremony, meant for Awakeners. All around me were tough-looking guys with intimidating vibes and girls wearing colorful expressions, fidgeting in anticipation of when the event would kick off.
But I was on edge for an entirely different reason, heart pounding as I wondered when they'd get started. The big guy next to me noticed me trembling and asked,
"You okay?"
"Ah, yeah. I'm fine."
I was genuinely relieved he seemed like a polite guy. But give it a little time, and that expression of his would probably change. After all, I'd made an utterly ridiculous mistake.
To get into Hunter Academy, you had to Awaken first. There were three main ways that happened. The first was getting powers handed down from a famous Hunter. The second was grinding away at a specific Hunter training guild or academy to earn it. And the third—like what happened to me—was Awakening completely by chance, with zero warning.
I'd never wanted to be a Hunter. Sure, they were high earners in this day and age, society's idols who commanded envy and admiration. But the job came with massive risks—you had to dive into Gates and fight monsters.
News of famous B-Rank or A-Rank Hunters dying in Gates wasn't rare at all, and even S-Rank Hunters got injured every time they cleared one. While they protected us, I'd been scanning barcodes at a convenience store or hunkered down at home prepping for the civil service exam.
That was how detached my life had been from anything Hunter-related.
Until I bombed the civil service exam.
Spotting my name missing from the pass list, I couldn't say a word to my parents. I just locked myself in my room and cried. This had been my third try. I'd really thought I'd nailed it this time, only to fall short by a couple questions.
My parents never asked about the results, and friends who'd been pestering me for updates stopped once I went radio silent.
Back then, it felt like my life was over. I didn't want to do anything. Part of me wondered if I should just end it all, and another part couldn't figure out what good I even was. The TV, still on, droned about Hunters' latest exploits.
I had a bottle of soju in my mouth, with two more rolling around beside me. My parents were out, leaving me alone in the house. Maybe I'd drunk too much, but for a split second, the flashy Hunters on screen seemed to overlap with my reflection.
These people I'd never envied before—people whose job I knew was brutal—suddenly looked so appealing in that moment. They seemed like folks who'd lucked into Awakening and struck it rich overnight. I figured if I Awakened, I could do that too.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Awakener: Jeong Su-hyeon, beginning registration.] "Huh? Wh-what? Huh?"
I was so shocked I spat out the soju bottle from my mouth with just a puff of breath and flailed my hands in the air. I didn't even register the other bottles soaking my cheek.
In that haze where I couldn't get a grip on reality, the Status Window appeared before me. I couldn't tell if it was a dream or real life.
Considering I'd downed three bottles of soju.
But even in my state, the Status Window kept prompting me for input.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Please enter a nickname for Jeong Su-hyeon.] All Hunters had nicknames. The Status Window demanded one upon Awakening. No one knew exactly why, but it always asked for a nickname to use instead of your real name. Hunters came up with them in different ways—disciples of famous Hunters inherited theirs, while those affiliated with guilds early on got them assigned by the guild.
Some A-Rank or S-Rank Hunters even changed theirs periodically to promote companies or products they endorsed.
So I'd always taken nicknames pretty lightly.
Because I'd chugged three bottles of soju, and couldn't tell dream from reality.
That's why I made the colossal mistake of typing in whatever the hell popped into my head for my nickname.
The next morning, nursing a brutal hangover, I searched it up and learned the hard way: in Hunter society, your nickname was basically your face. That's how people searched profiles on Hunter communities or guild sites.
"Ah, uh, everyone. Sorry to keep you waiting."
Having learned that too late and shown up to the ceremony with my moronic nickname, I couldn't bring myself to lift my head. I'd tried changing it, but got rejected—nickname changes were only for B-Rank and above.
I couldn't skip the ceremony either. The notice from Hunter Academy had marked it as "mandatory attendance." No telling what penalties came with no-showing, so I had to go.
Better a humiliated Hunter Academy student than a three-time failed civil service exam reject.
"Yes! Next up, the pledge to the flag! Please stand from your seats."
While I sat there shaking, the ceremony marched on. I hauled myself up with effort and got through the pledge. With each segment dragging by, it felt like my heart was in a vise.
"Yes! Now for the highlight of the entrance ceremony: gift distribution! I'll call your nicknames and names, so please come forward when you hear yours."
"Fuck."
I muttered under my breath.
"Drum Maniac, Kim Jeong-pyo."
"Money Lover, Lee Hyun-ah."
"Filial Son, Kim Seok-jeong."
"ABCDE, Seo Hyun-ho."
Normal nicknames rolled by. Each one made me tremble harder. The announcer paused briefly at someone in the corner. The moment he did, cold sweat beaded on me again.
"Uh... Hanakawa Misaki, Kim Chun-bae."
"Yes!"
A booming response came from a guy in a checkered shirt bounding up to the stage. Murmurs rippled through the crowd below. The announcer gave the guy called Kim Chun-bae an awkward look before asking with a smile,
"Is the nickname... your girlfriend?"
"My favorite character from the anime Flower Drum."
"...Ah, okay."
What a relief. Thank god that guy got called first. The announcer smoothly resumed reading names.
"'One', Ichigaya Ichie?"
No answer. A glance back showed someone who looked like staff shaking their head. Must've been some circumstance. The announcer grimaced as he was about to continue, then muttered softly to the principal on stage.
"Do I have to read this one too? The nickname's a bit..."
"It's tradition to read them all. Go on."
"Ah, yes."
The announcer took a deep breath.
I braced to stand.
"Ada Bomber, Jeong Su-hyeon."
Fuck.