I'm Not a Hunter, Though (Part 1)
There's kimchi here too.
A bit less impressive than the stuff I used to see every day before possessing this body.
I picked up a piece with my chopsticks and shoved it into my mouth.
The taste was a little funky... well, properly fermented kimchi. Still, it had that kimchi flavor, which brought a strange sense of relief.
"It's good."
"Eating kimchi here is no small feat. Cabbage is ridiculously expensive around these parts. But to treat a precious guest, this much is the least we can do, right?"
"Damn right! A man's gotta live on kimchi! Ain't that the truth, boss?"
"Well, yeah."
"It's spicy..."
"Is it?" This kid doesn't handle spice well, huh.
Actually, thinking about it, that makes sense.
Spicy food triggers pain receptors, so the more you eat, the higher your tolerance gets.
"If it's too spicy, just stick to the other side dishes."
I didn't know what kind of meat it was, but there was bulgogi, and some greens that passed for namul.
Plenty to eat, all things considered.
Not that it compared to the quality from my pre-possession days.
But hey, having food at all was a win.
This world was teetering right on the brink of apocalypse.
Being able to put together a spread like this meant they were living pretty well.
"So, what do you plan to do around here?"
"I'm thinking of heading into the Gray Forest. I've got some info I know about."
Gray Forest.
Fewer than half the people who went in ever came back alive, but flip that around and it was a land of opportunity where half did make it out.
Scrap metal and relics from humanity's heyday buried there could be scavenged and sold to make a living. Folks who did that for a buck were called Hunters around here.
Especially since they occasionally hunted down those grotesquely twisted beasts and butchered them too.
It smelled like a generic mass-produced setting, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do.
I planned to become a Hunter for now.
Use my knowledge of the original story to strip the Gray Forest clean, build up cash from that, and invest in money-making ventures.
Business carried more risk than labor, sure, but for stability, it was the better play.
And to brace for the events barreling down from the original plot... better to be the capitalist than the worker.
Even after World War III, workers got exploited while fat cats got fatter. Some things never changed.
Of course, with superpowered laborers and weak laws, things could flip to "rise up, slaves!" if shit hit the fan...
But sadly, capitalists could hire ability users.
End of story.
"If you're going into the Gray Forest... gear up solid. Partners are rare around here, and the rumors lately are nasty."
"Rumors...?"
"Heard there's folks robbing Hunters blind."
Ah, those guys.
Viper something-or-other, the fishermen backed by those raiders.
I recalled the scene where the protagonist raided their human trafficking ring and locked them all up. One more risk factor added to my mental list.
"Thanks for the meal."
"Get some rest then. Your rooms..."
"One's fine."
"Mina?"
"One. Is. Fine. Renting two rooms would be too much."
"Well, if you say so..."
The glasses guy eyed me and Mina back and forth with a sleazy grin.
Even if, she's still a minor.
Is she, though?
"I'm scared to sleep alone..."
"You were alone in the cell the whole time."
"That's why it's scary. What if someone grabs me again?"
I didn't think that'd happen. She was eye-catching, sure, but these folks didn't seem the type to barge in and kidnap people.
"Haha, after what you've been through, yeah, I get it."
The glasses guy chimed in with a smarmy tone, and the bearded brute—who'd been scarfing food—piped up with "Yeah, yeah!"
"...Fine. Can't be helped."
The mood was set; pushing back would've been awkward.
I nodded reluctantly.
"Th-this is my first time in a room like this."
"Yeah?"
Mina bounced around like a kid at an amusement park, eyes sparkling.
To me, it was just a worn-out hotel room... but not to her, apparently.
Come to think of it, I had no clue what her life was like before.
Seeker never spilled on her past either, just died.
"You wanna shower first?"
"...Can I?"
"Go ahead."
"Then I'll go in..."
Blushing a bit, Mina slipped into the bathroom. I flopped onto the floor instead of the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
Won't be staying here long anyway.
Overstaying would be a hassle.
So, time to hustle as a Hunter...
Mina's the issue.
Her ability was vision theft.
Super versatile and powerful, but useless in a fight.
More precisely, she lacked the strength to fight.
Give her a gun, and maybe... but guns weren't cheap.
So, pure support from the rear was her limit.
Train it up, though, and she'd hit Seeker's level—hopping visions eye-to-eye. Utility through the roof.
Add long-range comms, and she'd shine in combat too.
With living eyes anywhere, total surveillance. Could track anything alive in the same city, depending.
"...Not the time to worry about Mina."
I needed to train my own power.
Not Quaker-level, but strong enough.
At least handle a special-class ability user.
Disaster-class on the peninsula? Just two besides Quaker, and hard to run into. Special-class? Way more common.
Over half the villains the protagonist nabbed or retired were special-class.
The rest were small fry or first-grade.
"Still got plenty of weak spots."
Range wasn't great, versatility meh, and raw destructive power sucked.
Get strong without ranged options, and you're just a punching bag.
Guns could cover some, but ammo was a pain.
Easier than pre-possession Korea, sure, but not cheap. Few factories making the stuff.
Seoul had it decently stocked, but relying on guns wasn't smart.
Top ability users blocked bullets easy. Hell, I could repel rifle rounds with repulsion force already.
"Mister, I'm done..."
"Already?"
Was I lost in thought that long?
I brushed past Mina—who was in a clean but faded T-shirt and shorts—and headed to the bathroom.
Shower quick, crash quick.
"Mister, wait."
"What?"
I turned, meeting her eyes.
She held my gaze like she had something to say, then looked away.
"N-nothing. Go wash up..."
"Sleep if you're tired."
"I-I'll wait."
If that's what she wants. I shrugged and went in.
Steam stinging my eyes, I rubbed them.
Stripped down.
"Kyaa! Eek?!"
"Mina, you okay?"
"N-no, just startled..."
"What, bug jump out?"
"...Yeah. A bug."
"Bugs got some tough life force."
Damn girly scream, though. Worlds away from original Seeker.
I shook off the random thought, turned on the shower.
Whoa, hot water.
This is a shower.
Just soap, no shampoo or body wash, but beggars can't be choosers.
Luxuries like that were pure extravagance in this shithole world.
I rinsed off fast, changed into the clothes they'd given me, and stepped out.
"...Mina, you good?"
"N-nothing."
Why's she avoiding my eyes all awkward?
Whatever. I grabbed one of the two pillows from the bed and hit the floor.
"M-Mister, shouldn't you sleep on the bed...?"
"I'm good. Sleep comfy."
Floor was familiar enough.
I shut my eyes, ignoring further protests.
Busy days ahead starting tomorrow.
Eventually, Mina realized I wasn't budging and started breathing softly, tickling my ear.
"...Good night."
Late-night greeting.
I rubbed my no-longer-stinging eyes and drifted off.