Incarnation of Diligence
Thanks to Kwon Je-na's kindness in restoring his sight, Yoon Myung-ho joined the Galaxy Guild on her recommendation.
The Galaxy Guild was one of Korea's top five guilds, always mentioned first whenever people debated the nation's number one guild.
It boasted three S-rank hunters in total, with the guild master being one of only two SA-rank hunters in the country.
Yoon Myung-ho, who had joined the guild on the recommendation of Kwon Je-na—the S-rank hunter and leader of the 2nd Raid Team—quickly became a hot topic within the guild.
Naturally, all eyes were on him, given that he'd been personally endorsed by an S-rank hunter.
Amid all those scrutinizing gazes, Yoon Myung-ho remained steadfast.
He showed up at the guild headquarters' training grounds every single day, clocking in like it was his job and pushing himself relentlessly.
The first to arrive, the last to leave. That was the phrase people used to describe Yoon Myung-ho.
The incarnation of diligence and effort. That was how everyone in the guild saw him.
But in truth, this wasn't something Yoon Myung-ho had chosen for himself. It was all due to the pressure disguised as encouragement from Kwon Je-na.
When he first regained his sight, Yoon Myung-ho had wanted to charge straight back into the labyrinth.
His goal, of course, was revenge—and Kwon Je-na wasn't about to let him rush off like that.
"Charging in like that would be suicide. You barely survived. You wouldn't throw your life away pointlessly, would you?"
Her calm words snapped him back to reality.
Even with his head cleared, though, Yoon Myung-ho had no idea what to do next.
All he knew as a hunter was how to enter labyrinths and hunt monsters.
And it was Kwon Je-na who once again showed him the path forward.
"What you're lacking is the basics. From now on, show up at the guild training grounds every day. I'll keep an eye on you for a while."
"Of course, I can't watch you every day. As you know, I'm an S-rank hunter and the 2nd Raid Team leader. I've got a ton on my plate. So on days I'm not around, just train like I taught you."
"Oh, and don't even think about slacking off. Want me to show you why a hunter who can deal and heal is so scary?"
And so, the incarnation of diligence and effort known as Yoon Myung-ho was born.
Of course, the fact that he'd once tried to cut corners during Kwon Je-na's brutal training, only to have his bones broken and healed again in a rare experience, had already become common knowledge in the guild.
That said, Yoon Myung-ho didn't spend all his time just training.
Even the harsh Kwon Je-na made sure he didn't burn out completely, occasionally granting rest periods.
The problem was that her idea of "rest" meant taking a stroll into the labyrinth.
She did have a conscience, though—she never sent him in alone.
Whenever they went, she always accompanied him. From Yoon Myung-ho's perspective, going solo would have been far preferable.
Three months passed like this, days filled with steady routine.
Then Yoon Myung-ho stepped into the labyrinth once more.
Not just any labyrinth, but the very one where he'd lost so much: the Seoul Great Labyrinth.
And naturally, Kwon Je-na was right there beside him.
Seoul Great Labyrinth. Forest Zone. 18th Floor.
In a remote outskirts area, a man and woman walked quietly through the woods.
"Around here? The spot where you collapsed?"
Unlike before, when she'd used polite speech despite the informal tone, Kwon Je-na now treated him casually now that he'd clearly become her junior.
She was older than him anyway, and perhaps felt a sense of responsibility for saving him.
In her own way, she saw Yoon Myung-ho like a little brother.
A real little brother.
"...Not sure. As you know, I was in pretty bad shape back then."
Yoon Myung-ho gave a wry smile and shook his head.
Having lost both eyes and been carried by a friend at the time, he couldn't possibly remember the terrain.
"That's why. A real hunter keeps their head sharp and tracks their position even without eyesight."
"...Only someone like you could manage that, Raid Leader."
"What're you saying? We've got at least three in our guild alone."
"...The Guild Master, the 1st Raid Leader, and the 3rd Raid Leader?"
"You know it."
"...So to you, a real hunter starts at S-rank?"
Kwon Je-na didn't answer. She just quietly raised her fist.
And at her reaction, Yoon Myung-ho promptly shut his mouth.
He averted his eyes and scanned the surroundings.
The forest felt both intimately familiar and strangely distant after three months away.
Maybe because his comrades weren't with him? Memories of that day suddenly flooded back, clouding his face.
The two walked in silence for a while.
"...This is it."
The spot they reached after a short trek through the woods was exactly where Yoon Myung-ho and his friends had fought.
The site of their desperate struggle, where one had to sacrifice himself in the end.
Yoon Myung-ho slowly surveyed the small clearing.
"Surprise Birds ambushed you, right?"
"...Yeah. About a dozen hit us all at once."
Yoon Myung-ho swallowed, nodding calmly as if recounting a mere fact.
Surprise Bird. The name alone brought back that day's horrors.
The agony of his body being torn apart, his eyes gouged out.
The image of his powerless self, even losing his friend in the end.
Revenge burned fiercely within him.
"...A dozen at once? That's weird."
"...Huh?"
Yoon Myung-ho, suppressing the rising flames inwardly, looked up at Kwon Je-na's sudden words.
"Surprise Birds don't move in groups like that. I remember they always operated in pairs..."
Hmm...
Kwon Je-na lightly rubbed her chin.
"As far as I recall, they rarely form packs."
"...Meaning?"
"There must've been a reason they grouped up. I think I've seen a report on something like that... Let's check the guild archives when we get back."
The vague memory wouldn't quite surface, so Kwon Je-na tabled it for now.
Yoon Myung-ho's eyes had looked off ever since earlier.
She clicked her tongue softly.
I dragged him into the labyrinths so he wouldn't get riled up easily. Using revenge as a stepping stone for growth is fine, but he can't let it consume him.
At this rate, she couldn't let him wander off alone anywhere.
Did the hunter who'd saved her in the past—the current Galaxy Guild master—feel the same way about her?
She suddenly appreciated the guild master's efforts back then.
Of course, if she mentioned this to the guild master, he'd no doubt yell, "You went even harder on him, you rascal!"
"Alright, that's enough sightseeing here. No need to stick around longer."
"...Got it."
His eyes seemed lost in thought, but Yoon Myung-ho obediently agreed with Kwon Je-na.
A satisfying moment, proof of her rigorous training paying off.
Kwon Je-na patted his back lightly.
"On the way back, wanna beat up some Surprise Birds?"
"...Raid Leader, watch your language... 'Beat up'? What kind of word is that...?"
"What's wrong with it? No one's around to hear."
"Am I not a person?"
"You're my errand boy."
"...That's why I'm asking you to use nicer words. You gonna talk like that in the expedition interview in a few days?"
At Yoon Myung-ho's nagging, Kwon Je-na finally frowned.
It was meant as consolation, and she didn't like him nitpicking it.
"Promoted to B-rank a few days ago, and now your guts are hanging out?"
Grown a lot, huh?
Kwon Je-na slowly raised her fist.
The heavy mana gathering at its tip turned Yoon Myung-ho's face pale in an instant.
"E-rank to B-rank in three months. World record, big deal. People hype you up, and suddenly you think you're hot stuff?"
"R-Raid Leader...? C-Calm down a sec..."
"Maybe I should remind you one more time."
"R-Raid Leader? Violence between raid members inside the labyrinth is strictly prohibi—"
"I always say it: No matter how high your rank climbs, you're still my chow. You X chow."
"No, that's why please use nicer— No, never mind. It's your mouth; say whatever you want."
So please, have mercy...
Yoon Myung-ho begged desperately, but Kwon Je-na's fist had already flown.
That day, the sounds of rough beatings echoed through the 18th floor without pause for a while.
Along with one man's pitiful screams.
The fact that some hunters rushed over at the cries, only to quietly turn away, became a public secret among those on the 18th floor that day.
Before the gate to the Seoul Great Labyrinth stood a massive district.
From the Hunter Association's branch building to companies handling labyrinth byproducts, and facilities catering to hunters emerging from the depths.
Not just hunters, but civilians frequented the area too, so the streets were always bustling.
In a back alley beside one of the bars, a man staggered along.
He seemed blackout drunk, clad in light armor with a sword at his waist—clearly a hunter.
Considering hunters' higher alcohol tolerance than average folk, one could guess just how much he'd downed.
People warily sidestepped the limp, unresponsive man. No one wanted trouble with a wasted hunter.
"Fuck. Fuck... Shitty life... Shitty labyrinth..."
The man muttered nonstop.
His curses suggested something bad had gone down.
People like him were a common sight around here.
The labyrinth promised riches but demanded blood in return.
Losing friends, betrayal by comrades—it happened all too often.
"Damn it... Shin Jae-jun, that bastard... He scarfed it all down alone and bolted, huh? Just you wait, you fucker... You think I'll roll over...?"
The staggering man halted unsteadily.
He glanced inside a nearby bar without thinking—and the TV caught his eye, playing the news.
The man's blank stare at the TV screen wavered violently.
His face twisted savagely, like a demon's.
"Fuck! Fuck...! That bitch! Acting all high and mighty when she's a runaway too! That thing that's not even human!"
He bellowed in the middle of the alley.
Pedestrians froze at his furious roar, then hurriedly backed away.
Some were already calling the police or the Association.
Ignoring the stares, the man spat endless curses at the woman on the TV.
"That bastard, that bitch—they're all the same! Fuck! All cowards and traitors! Why... Why only me...!!! Damn it! Fuck!"
Unable to contain himself, he let out a guttural "Arrrgh—!"
At the commotion, not just passersby but folks inside the bar peeked out.
"This won't do! I can't let this stand! Fuck...! Might as well... report them...?"
He muttered for a moment, then shook his head furiously, as if rejecting his own idea.
"No... Can't report... If I do, I'm the bad guy? No... Can't do that..."
He bit his nails anxiously.
Trembling and glancing around paranoically, he looked every bit the madman.
"S-Sorry... Uncle...! S-Sorry, Yu Jun-young!!! Sorry, so please...! Please, just stop showing up!"
Please!
The man kept raving in place until police and Association personnel arrived in response to reports.
Oppa is gone.
Missing in the labyrinth.
Practically dead.
They say it's common.
Father just clicked his tongue briefly at the news of Oppa's disappearance.
That was it. Back to business as usual.
Mother cried for a bit.
That was it too. Soon back to her old self.
Father, who only ever cared about his own success.
Mother, eyes fixed only on Father.
A cold, barren home devoid of warmth.
Oppa fled that house, sick of it all.
The only family member with any humanity.
I didn't cry.
Couldn't.
I won't give up like this.
I'll find Oppa.