Hunter Registration (1)

I had expected this. That was precisely why I hadn't prioritized getting close to Hikaru first.

But the moment I realized things were unfolding exactly as they had in the original, the predetermined future seemed to rush toward me, and everything went dark before my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes.

……For now, let's head back to reality.

In the real world, time in Hikaru's world stood still. I would have plenty of time to think.

The instant I decided to leave, my vision went black, and I returned to reality.

At the same time, system windows flooded my sight.

"A skill? It gives me another one?"

I had gained one more skill as a reward for reaching the bond threshold with Hikaru. It ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't seem to overlap with the one I'd received during the tutorial.

I checked the skill right away.

This could safely be considered a direct combat skill. And sharing Hikaru's combat instincts, no less.

……Honestly, I don't have a clear sense of it yet.

The character description said Hikaru was ridiculously strong, but it wasn't as if erotic manga ever depicted fight scenes in detail.

Still, this was a jackpot by any measure.

While I was at it, I checked Stealth's effects again. I was curious what had changed now that the bond had risen.

It no longer worked only while standing still—even slow movement made me hard to notice—and the activation duration had stretched from five seconds to seven.

A bigger change than I'd expected.

Reiko's bond went up a little too. Why?

Because we'd been working side by side at the hospital? That didn't quite track—there were other female staff members as well.

Anyway, it was time to look over the ability information that had changed with the level-up.

Checking newly added abilities was simple. I just closed my eyes and thought about the updated powers, and they surfaced automatically in my mind.

Two new abilities appeared at Level 5. Immersion and Replay?

A system window appeared at once.

Immersion seemed to be exactly what it sounded like—the degree to which I synchronized with a character. Personality, habits, that sort of thing.

Looking closer, it had always been there, but at Level 5 it had transformed into something I could actively use like a skill.

There's a skill level too. That 98 percent must be the moment I was most deeply synchronized with Kenji.

Thinking carefully, I remembered performing Hikaru's surgery at home. Back then I hadn't thought about reality at all.

I had been completely focused on saving her life and nothing else.

"Then what about Replay……"

I shot to my feet. This was a function I needed right now.

There has to be a reason Hikaru changed.

Why she had suddenly started acting so affectionate, as if she were preparing to leave.

Now I might finally find out.

"Hikaru."

What are you thinking about?

My vision blacked out, and soon a familiar scene appeared.

In front of my house. No—in front of Sato Kenji's house.

Hikaru sat slumped against the wall, clutching her side and gasping for breath.

Then, from a distance, I arrived.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I already know this scene. Is there a way to skip ahead?

The moment I willed it, time began to flow rapidly.

I was dozing off beside the bed after finishing the procedure.

Soon Hikaru woke and tried to rise, as if preparing to flee—until she saw the sticky note and obediently lay back down.

Good thing I left that memo.

In the original, she had tried to escape, collapsed from exhaustion, and a startled Sato Kenji had put her back to bed and treated her again.

That was probably the moment she first started caring about Kenji. This part was definitely different from the original.

I could confidently say I had grown closer to Hikaru far faster and far deeper than the original story.

And yet the overall flow hasn't changed. Why?

Time sped forward again.

Examining Hikaru at the hospital, learning her name, quieting Reiko's suspicions.

After about three days of ordinary life, in the early hours of morning—

"……!"

I stopped the flow of time.

Hikaru sat awake on the bed, knees drawn to her chest, wearing a sorrowful expression.

Why? I must have skipped too far. Can I rewind?

Fortunately, I could. I carefully rewound until the moment Hikaru woke, then stopped.

Someone knocking on the window had woken her. She opened it.

That's…… a ninja? The clan found Hikaru!

I listened in silence to the conversation between Hikaru and the ninja who introduced himself as Reiji.

I still didn't fully understand what a Geukin was, but I could grasp what position Hikaru had held within the clan.

And that it was information the clan itself had never made public.

But that barely mattered.

"The clan is looking for you."

Hikaru had said the clan was a closed place—one that oppressed and controlled her.

If she didn't seem to take that control particularly seriously, it was highly likely the control had begun when she was too young to form proper thoughts of her own.

Which meant—

"Tell the clan head this: once my injuries are fully healed, I'll come back on my own."

Hikaru had no choice but to return. That place was her home and her entire world.

Even someone who steeled their heart found it hard to sever their own roots. And Hikaru was a soft-hearted person.

"Two months. I'll return within that time."

"……You must come back. That is the clan head's order."

After Reiji left, Hikaru closed the window and locked it.

"……."

Everything after that, I already knew.

That day Hikaru slept in late. She was still asleep at lunchtime, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I prepared a meal and left for work.

In the evening I washed her body and we spent a pleasant time together.

And the next day.

Hikaru rose first and prepared breakfast for me. Before I left for work she kissed me and told me to take care.

She handled the housework, prepared lunch, did the laundry and the dishes—everything.

I stopped time and pressed a hand to my forehead.

"So that was it."

From that moment on, Hikaru had already been preparing to say goodbye. To repay the debt of kindness before she left.

There was only one reason a girl who had tasted ordinary life and seemed reluctant to return to the clan would choose to go back.

Because Kenji's house had been exposed to the clan.

Reiji, who clearly belonged to the clan, had already seen that Hikaru was staying at Kenji's home. If she didn't return soon, the clan might send more ninjas here.

Hikaru knew that too.

She was about to walk back into a place she hated—for my sake.

In the original she had left without a word. I never imagined the reason would be something like this.

"What a fool……"

I bit my lip.

If that was how it was, then I needed to get stronger as soon as possible. Not so Hikaru could protect me—so I could protect Hikaru.

I threw on the coat hanging loosely on the rack and stepped outside.

I'm sealing I Picked Up a Ninja One Day for now. I need to get used to Stealth and Dagger Arts. And raise my level.

First on the agenda: report my awakening to the Hunter Management Bureau.

In South Korea, failing to report an awakened ability was illegal, and becoming a hunter opened up all sorts of opportunities. Registering was pure gain.

I took the subway to the Management Bureau building.

The Republic of Korea Hunter Management Bureau.

It was the first institution the nation had established after the appearance of gates and monsters, and the place that managed the identities of every awakened individual.

I passed through the automatic doors and approached the reception desk.

"How may I help you?"

Suddenly Korean felt a little awkward on my tongue. I must have spent too long in the ninja world.

"I'm here to report an awakening."

The clerk's expression immediately turned serious.

"First-time awakening, I see. May I have your ID?"

I handed over my resident registration card, and the clerk began the lookup.

"Yoon Jiseong, correct?"

"Yes."

The clerk nodded and handed me a numbered ticket.

For a moment the number seven stirred a strange sense of unease.

"Take this and proceed to the Hunter Registration Division."

"Does number seven mean that seven people, including me, have come to report an awakening today alone?"

"Yes, that's right."

"That's more than I expected."

"Haha, is it? I actually think it's on the low side."

"Pardon?"

The clerk spoke with a regretful expression.

"According to statistics collected by the Bureau, an average of five hunters die every day. Factor in those who retire, those who emigrate overseas, and those who awaken but never work as hunters, and South Korea's hunter population is steadily shrinking."

By global standards, South Korea was a hunter weakling.

There was a reason even Korea University—the nation's top school—had created a dedicated Hunter Department. The country needed to produce hunters by any means necessary to bolster national strength.

"That's why every single hunter like you, Mr. Yoon, is truly precious to us."

"I-is that so?"

The clerk's eyes sparkled as he looked at me with an almost burdensome intensity.

I did plan on becoming a hunter, but I hadn't actually said so yet.

Wearing an awkward smile, I quietly slipped away from the desk.