First Member (3)
*Shunk-!*
"...Huh?"
In the midst of a fierce battle with the gate boss, a sword tip suddenly pierced through her stomach.
*Schluck-!*
The sound of the blade being pulled from her body.
*Thud.*
A hand shoving her back.
*Thump.*
Her knees buckling.
*Crack!*
*Crunch.*
"Kuhk...!"
A club slamming down, her left arm snapping, her lungs squeezed in agony.
"Seo-ah's down! She tried to protect me and...!"
The vice captain's lie.
"Kuhuk! Damn it, we're retreating! Don't let Seo-ah's sacrifice be in vain!"
"Y-Yes!? B-But...!"
"Seo-ah's still...!"
"Don't screw around, idiot! You know one moment's hesitation could wipe out the whole unit!"
"Kuhuk, sorry, Yoo Seo-ah!"
"Damn iiiit!"
"Retreat! Everyone, retreat!!!"
The vice captain's retreat order, the fading voices of her teammates.
*Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.*
Footsteps drawing near.
*Purruk- Sizzle- Grrrruk-*
The varied breaths of the beastmen dominating the gate.
Looming shadows, hot breath scorching her skin.
*Whoosh-!*
A rock club slicing through the air.
*Clang-! Crack! Crunch! Smash!*
One block, three strikes.
Her right arm shattered.
Resistance rendered meaningless.
*Crunch! Crunch!*
"Aaaah!"
Two more blows, her legs crumpling, a scream bursting out.
*Boom boom boom boom boom!!!*
Rock clubs raining down like a storm.
Flesh flying, muscles tearing, bones breaking, organs rupturing.
Unbearable pain.
Daze.
A flash of heat.
Her body cooling rapidly.
Death staring her in the face.
Terror. Despair. Regret.
Blurring vision.
Senses fading.
'Seo-ah, between Mom and Dad, who do you like more?'
Her life flashing before her eyes.
'Honey! Our Seo-ah can already write her own name!'
'Sh-She's a genius! A genius from our family!'
Her parents from her childhood, when they were younger.
'Honey, th-this... Isn't that awakening?'
'Our Seo-ah's an awakener... That means she has to go to Hunter Academy for three years.'
'Yeah. Um, Seo-ah. Can you handle it?'
'Of course she'll do great! Our Seo-ah will! But it'll be hard on me! How am I supposed to survive three years without our Seo-ah? I'll be so lonely!'
'Dad, you're living with me. Why would you be lonely?'
'......'
At seventeen, the day she awakened. Her parents' faces, more worried than joyful.
'We celebrate the entry of new cadets into Hunter Academy!'
Entering the academy.
'Freshman semester 1 mock battle: Winner, Yoo Seo-ah!'
Her first victory.
'This fucking commoner bitch dares!'
'No family, no backing, just some gutter rat!'
'Stomp her!'
Lynching.
'Freshman semester 1 mock battle: Winner, Lee Min-gyu. Cadet Yoo Seo-ah, your sword tip's shaking more than last time. Tsk.'
Defeat.
'Cadet Yoo Seo-ah graduates from Hunter Academy ranked 3003 out of 4200 total alumni. You've worked hard. Use what you've learned here as your guiding light and keep pushing as a hunter.'
Graduating in the lower mid-tier.
'Seo-ah, you did great. Do you know how long your dad waited for this day?'
'H-Hic! Our girl... you've grown so much. Let Dad hug you just once.'
Her parents, visibly aged.
'Yes, destination: F-rank dungeon, Goblin Small Settlement. Mission: 10 goblin ears. Confirmed. Good luck!'
Her first hunter job. F-rank Goblin Small Settlement.
*Clang!* Ambush failed.
'Kieeeek!'
Goblins swarming, sharp stone knives.
Terror. Regret. Her parents' faces flashing in her mind.
Eyes clenched shut.
*Slice-* Flesh cleanly severed.
'Hey, you okay?'
An unfamiliar voice.
Eyes fluttering open. A man she'd never seen.
'You look like a rookie hunter. Going into dungeons alone like that is dangerous. Even F-rank, a dungeon's a dungeon.'
Their first meeting.
'Huh? That's the academy grad badge, right? Don't most academy grads team up with classmates?'
Rude.
'......No friends, huh? Not even one in three years? Wow......'
Extremely rude.
'Ah, ahem. S-Sorry.'
Apology.
'Truth is, I'm a solo too. Been wanting a fixed team, but circumstances... Anyway, since we met like this, it's fate. Wanna team up with me?'
Proposal.
'Seo-ah, the most dangerous people in society are the ones who smile all sweet and act nice. If some guy you just met smiles at you and offers his hand? Kick him right in the balls and......'
Her dad's advice suddenly coming to mind.
Ignored.
'Oh, really? It worked! No take-backs! Let me introduce myself first. I'm Kang Jinseong. 21 years old, D-rank hunter in my sixth year. What's your name?'
Exchange of names.
'Yoo Seo-ah...... Nice name. From now on, our team's the Yoo Seo-ah Team. Nice to work with you, Team Leader.'
Sudden team leader appointment. Yoo Seo-ah Team formed.
Perplexed. Flustered. Awkward.
But the first acceptance she'd ever felt. Joy.
Four years flew by in a blink.
'Team Leader's A-rank now, and we're all B-rank. How about challenging a B-rank dungeon?'
'Huh? Jinseong's coming too? It'll be dangerous.'
'B-rank's our first, it'll be tough. I can't protect you. If you get hurt or die, it's on you.'
The grown Yoo Seo-ah Team.
'I'll take responsibility for my life. Let me in as baggage handler.'
Reckless challenge.
'Wh-What the fuck! It's a Grim Reaper!'
Grim Reaper.
*Whoosh-!*
Jinseong's sacrifice.
'T-Team Leader, you don't have to wait for me.'
'Body's fine, but... my mana circuit's completely shattered.'
Jinseong's retirement.
Guilt. Regret. Regret. Regret.
'What? Team Leader's joining Cheongmyeong Guild? What about Yoo Seo-ah Team!?'
'Did that bastard Kang Jinseong put some spell on you?'
'One baggage handler leaves and suddenly...'
Team disbanded.
'We celebrate hunter Yoo Seo-ah, Sword Flower, joining Cheongmyeong Guild!'
Emptiness. Void. Regret. Still. Regret.
'Welcome, Team Leader.'
Housewarming. Warmth. Fulfillment. Gladness. And deep guilt.
'Twenty-four and never been drunk? Why?'
Alcohol's haze. Heat. Because I had no friends! Indignation!
'Team Leader, wanna be the first member of my Safe House?'
Joy. Gratitude. Happiness. Relief.
'Hahaha! So grateful I'm gonna cry. Our team leader's so damn cute.'
Tears. Embarrassment.
'Sooo, huuu.'
Waking up. Sleeping Jinseong.
......Hmm. Looking at him like this, he's kinda... no, pretty handsome.
*Bzzz-!*
Vibration.
'Emergency muster! All Cheongmyeong Guild hunters who see this, assemble at Gangnam Station immediately! Gate outbreak!'
Emergency call-up.
'Sooo, huuu.'
Regret.
'Welcome, see you again.'
Convenience store. Post-it, honey water purchased.
*Scribble scribble.*
Note written.
*Click.*
Honey water placed in the most visible spot in the fridge.
*Gulp-*
Farewell.
※ Her life flashed before her eyes like a panorama.
*Screeeeech!*
A rock club slicing through the air toward her head.
Just before her skull burst and she died.
Her final thought was this.
'Why'd Jinseong call so suddenly? Guess I'll never know. What a shame.'
With that lingering regret, Yoo Seo-ah's life ended......
*Flash!*
Or so she thought, when suddenly a pure white light enveloped her entire body.
"T-Team Leader?!"
Right after, hearing a voice that shouldn't have been there.
Her consciousness blacked out.
※
'......Where am I?'
When she came to, Yoo Seo-ah was puzzled by the sensation enveloping her body.
'I was stabbed by a sword, collapsed, and right before the beastmen killed me.'
Her last memory was being surrounded by beastmen, unable to resist, beaten to a pulp.
She'd faced death as mush.
But that made her current situation even stranger.
'Why... doesn't it hurt?'
Despite the brutal beating, she felt no pain.
'Why is it so cozy and warm?'
Instead, a pleasant pressure and gentle warmth were melting her body into relaxation.
'And why... why does it smell so good?'
On top of that, a comforting scent she'd never smelled before filled her nostrils.
For someone facing death, it was all too happy.
So Yoo Seo-ah couldn't help but wonder.
Her situation was far too detached from common sense.
'Was almost dying just a dream?'
But the sharp blade that pierced her back and protruded from her abdomen felt too vivid in her memory.
Chilling enough to make her shiver just recalling it—it was no dream.
Right, not a dream.
With that conclusion, the next thought came naturally.
'Then... is this heaven?'
If this was heaven, everything made sense.
The cozy embrace, the delightful scent—all services for the dead arriving in heaven.
'I really died......'
Yoo Seo-ah accepted her death.
Too warm and pleasant to grieve.
'Well, I'm dead anyway. Might as well enjoy it now. When else will I get heaven's service?'
So she curled up tighter, pressing into the warm, fragrant something right in front of her.
*Thump. Thump. Thump.*
A heartbeat.
'......Huh? What? Heartbeat? Why can I hear a heartbeat? Isn't this heaven? Only the dead come here. Shouldn't there be no heartbeat?'
Too real to dismiss as not a heartbeat.
A deep, resonant thump vibrating to her own heart.
That clear pulse made Yoo Seo-ah realize.
Her eyes were closed.
"......"
Yoo Seo-ah opened her eyes and slowly lifted her head.
And saw.
"Sooo, huuu."
Kang Jinseong's face, sleeping peacefully while holding her.
"......Ahueh?!"