Into the Gate! "She's Wearing Way Too Many Damn Layers...!"
Officially a D-rank Hunter, but something of a celebrity in the deep web's underground drug scene, Han Seung-hun was in a desperate rush.
Thanks to the veil cast by his contracted Constellation's power, the other Hunters couldn't see this spot—but it would only hold for about 40 minutes at most.
So Han Seung-hun had to wrap up his business in that fleeting window... no, make it 30 minutes to be safe.
"I told you to wear something thinner...!"
Gnashing his teeth, Han Seung-hun carefully peeled off layer after layer from the unconscious woman's clothes.
True Mountain Hermit scolds that an assassin must always maintain a calm demeanor.
"...Ah, got it. I'll do my best."
His breath came in short gasps, hands trembling. One wrong move, and the woman might wake up, ruining everything.
And to top it off, the situation had gone straight to hell, making it impossible to stay calm.
He'd planned to handle this deeper inside, but monsters swarmed, costing him a teammate.
Dragging her all the way to the gate's entrance under the veil had been a nightmare—and now she was bundled up like an onion...
"Argh, damn it...!"
By the time he'd stripped off her cardigan, unbuttoned her blouse, and half-peeled up the short-sleeve underneath, less than 30 minutes remained.
"This is driving me insane..."
Wiping away the cold sweat pouring down his face, Han Seung-hun steadied his breath and reached for the final layer: her sleeveless top.
"Oing?"
That's when his eyes met those of a girl who had just stepped into the gate's entrance.
She looked no older than a middle-schooler at most. Her oversized outfit, her blank expression... she screamed rookie, not veteran Hunter.
True Mountain Hermit snorts derisively.
True Mountain Hermit declares that not even another Constellation's Apostle could easily pierce his Alamut's Night Fog.
Yes, I believe that too...
So there was no way their eyes had met. It had to be an illusion.
The veil from his Constellation's power could fool even an A-rank Hunter's eyes. No way a puny kid like her could peer through it...
Convinced, Han Seung-hun resumed carefully stripping off the unconscious woman's sleeveless top.
"Heuk."
He ignored the girl's sharp intake of breath from afar. Newbies freaked out entering a D-rank gate all the time, especially if they only hunted low-level ones before.
This is insane...!
The real problem came when he finally tugged off the sleeveless top: underneath wasn't a regular bra, but a sports bra.
Goddamn it for real!
Finally snapping, Han Seung-hun reached for the dagger hidden in his pocket to slice it off. It might take a bit to get out, but with all these layers, it wouldn't show much. Worst case, he could give her his jacket...
Just as he drew the dagger—
"If you're gonna do it, do it like a man—quick and clean! Here, I'll show you!"
The girl at the entrance suddenly charged forward.
True Mountain Hermit glares wide-eyed.
"What the—?"
Han Seung-hun blurted out involuntarily. He clamped his mouth shut and held his breath, but it was pointless.
The girl's eyes were already locked straight on him.
"Jeez, you think that'll work like that? Ptooey. I'll show you just once, so watch and learn."
She'd crossed the veil and closed in right in front of him, spitting on her hands and dropping into position.
"Y-You... what are you...?"
"Me? Yoo Haneul. Who's the ajusshi?"
True Mountain Hermit demands that girl's eyes as an offering.
Eyes as an offering? Even he, who'd assassinated plenty in his deep-web drug days, hesitated at killing such a small kid.
"I'm... Han Seung-hun."
"Nice! Seung-hun ajusshi, good to meet ya."
"G-Good to meet you or whatever... kid... no, Haneul. How... how did you see inside here?"
"Just opened my eyes and looked."
That's the part that doesn't make sense, you crazy brat! Apostles of other Constellations couldn't pierce it—how could you?
Han Seung-hun tried to say as much, but the girl's next actions left him speechless.
Riiip—!
She tore the sports bra clean off the unconscious woman and placed her hand on the solar plexus, exhaling deeply.
"What are you doing?!"
"Huh? This lady's chowing down on some elixir or whatever and her mana’s going haywire. You were trying to calm the mana surge, right ajusshi? Am I wrong?"
Spot on. To outsiders, it looked like sleazy assault—but Han Seung-hun had been slaving away to suppress mana overload in a client who'd popped illegal enhancers.
"H-How did you even know that...?"
"Duh, you can tell just by looking."
Haneul tilted her head.
"But why's her condition so wrecked? Bad stuff mixed in the elixir? Wait, did you make it yourself? Is this that illegal drug procedure thing?"
"Wh-Wh-Wh-What the hell are you suddenly talking about?!"
"It's fine, it's fine. I don't judge! Gotta do what it takes to eat, right?"
Each word stabbed at Han Seung-hun's lungs, but her face was pure innocence.
True Mountain Hermit whispers to kill the girl before him.
True Mountain Hermit demands you kill the girl before him and offer her eyes.
This time, Han Seung-hun agreed with his Constellation. She'd pierced Alamut's Night Fog, spotted the illegal enhancer overdose—even knew he dealt in black-market drugs. Better to kill her before she reported to the Association.
No matter how innocently she looked like the purest middle-schooler ever.
Yet for some reason, his gut screamed not to. He couldn't explain why. He'd never ignored his Constellation before, but now... he was dead certain he should.
"Ready."
While Han Seung-hun agonized, Haneul finished her prep.
"Starting now, so watch close, ajusshi."
Closing her eyes, Haneul examined the fallen woman's meridians.
Trained in martial arts? Her channels are a mess for that.
Were normal people's meridians like this? Or was this woman just freakish? Haneul couldn't tell, but it was definitely impossible by orthodox methods.
Then do it the unorthodox way.
No biggie for her.
Haneul's slender finger touched the center of the woman's chest: the Conception Vessel acupoint at Dantian Zhong.
The rampaging mana thrashed her meridians like a wild colt off the reins. A normal Hunter touching near it would've been crippled by backlash—but Haneul hummed idly.
"You handle mana like this. Not by forcing it down—guide it, open the path."
With a light press, the frenzied mana flowed like iron to a magnet, down through Giant Palace into her lower abdomen.
Once it hit the source in her lower dantian, Haneul split the mana thin, sweeping meridians and punching through blockages.
Energy leaking out at under 30% absorption now sucked back smoothly along the paths she traced through Sea of Qi and Curved Mound, drawn magnet-like to the dantian.
Finally, Haneul focused on the woman's condition: mana overload left too long, weird martial arts shredding her insides.
What a mess.
Left alone, she'd die in under a year. Even perfect guidance meant long recovery then quick death.
Guess I'll help.
It'd take a bit of power, but a guy like Han Seung-hun? No issue.
Mana from Haneul's fingertip seeped in. It flowed swift and soft through the dantian, spreading body-wide.
The root mana passed Middle Cavity, down the Three Origins, healing ruptured organs, meridians, muscles in a flawless circuit.
Clang—!
A dagger hit the ground right beside them as the circuit completed.
"Y-You..."
Haneul cracked an eye at Han Seung-hun.
"N-No, you... who the hell... are you?"
"Oing? You can see?"
Blinking at the odd question, Haneul's purple eyes flicked upward.
"Aha."
Staring into empty air, her pupils swirled.
You can see, huh?
True Mountain Hermit gulps.
True Mountain Hermit screams to stop that monster right now.
True Mountain Hermit bellows that a demon like that shouldn't exist in this world!
"...Wh-Wha?"
True Mountain Hermit sighs.
Han Seung-hun collapsed, staring at the barrage of Constellation messages flooding his vision.
"Wh-What the hell is this."
He couldn't process it. All he saw was the girl Haneul smoothly quelling the mana surge.
Her technique was flawless—more than worth studying. Normal elixir users absorbed maybe 30%; her guidance hit 90%. The client's condition even improved.
But as it wrapped up, the frantic messages hit, prompting him to ask her identity.
And the result?
Han Seung-hun looked up at the still-spamming messages.
What was this? Why was his aloof, world-overseeing Constellation sending this...?
The mystery didn't last. The next message, after a brief pause, froze his mind.
"C-Constellation...?"
"All done! No side effects, so she's good!"
No reply came from the Constellation. Only Haneul's cheerful giggle rang in his ears.
Forgetting to breathe, he slowly lowered his gaze.
Dazzling white hair, mystical amethyst eyes. A girl so perfect she could've been an actress or idol—flawless as a human.
Her speech was a bit rough, her antics odd, but with that face, it all came off as enigmatic charm... Haneul.
"Threw in some clothes as service. No bra, but nothing's gonna pop out. Whew, almost embarrassing."
Han Seung-hun's eyes met hers. The purple irises curved gently into a kind smile.
Breathtaking beauty that choked him.
"Add silkwood essence to the elixir next time. It'll soften the mana surge intensity."
"Uh, uhuh..."
"Proper recipe's best, but hey, ajusshi's gotta eat too."
"Y-Yes..."
"Sudden formal talk? Awkward."
"Hic... R-Really...? Th-Then... uh, casual..."
"Alright, off you go, Seung-hun ajusshi. Good work."
Haneul slung the woman over his shoulder and stepped back.
"Anything else? Questions?"
"The Constellation..."
"Constellation?"
What was the last message? Why no answer now? Contract broken? But the veil held...
"You—no, you're..."
"Me? Like me?"
Her eyes curved, lips quirking up.
Han Seung-hun shut his mouth. A smile that silenced him—but he knew he couldn't stay near her.
"N-No... I'll head out."
"What? Spill it! What'd the Constellation say?!"
"He... said he likes you..."
"Oing? Want a pic?"
"N-No... He's satisfied already. Uh... no pic needed."
"Kay, got it. Take care!"
Haneul waved breezily.
Han Seung-hun backed away slowly, exiting the gate while watching her.
"Nngh..."
Having seen Seung-hun off successfully, Haneul stretched with a brighter expression.
Treated the woman, saved Seung-hun's livelihood—two lives rescued.
"Great start."
Her steps lightened as she advanced, the Alamut's Night Fog quietly receding behind her.