Reality Catching Up to the Novel?
Reality catching up to the novel? Kim Min, who thought he'd bleed out and die for real, survived. National hunters arrived after realizing something was wrong and rescued him. But even without them, he probably would've lived. His severed arm and wounds had all regenerated back to normal. Despite the severe exhaustion, he likely would've woken up without dying—having awakened his Gluttony skill, no less.
Given the circumstances, Kim Min, the sole survivor of the incident, faced an investigation. What happened in there? How did he survive? It was hard to avoid suspicion. After all, he came out the biggest winner in the end. It might seem unfair to treat a victim swept up in a villain's crime this way, but it was a necessary investigation. Gates were unpredictable places. It was entirely possible the real mastermind was Kim Min himself. That wasn't an exaggeration. Bizarre regulations often existed because someone had actually pulled that kind of stunt before. To clear his name for sure, they had to investigate thoroughly—especially since no one wanted to believe otherwise.
The probe came from all angles, but ultimately, he was proven an innocent victim who got lucky and survived. With treatment, exams, and questioning all done, Kim Min was finally discharged. But before he could even rejoice in reuniting with his family, reality hit him hard. While he was out, their livelihood had become an issue.
Kim Min prepared to head back into gates.
"Oppa, quit being a hunter already! I'll get a part-time job and help out!"
His little sister yelled at him, as if she'd reached her limit watching him like this.
"You focus on studying. Don't worry about it."
Money was a problem, but not the only one. This incident reminded him once again: without power, you were helpless when disaster struck. There was no guarantee the same horrific fate wouldn't befall his sister. In a world where gate disasters could erupt anywhere, anytime, safety outside gates wasn't assured. His little brother was already missing from one such break. If something happened to his last remaining sister too?
That's why he couldn't quit hunting. And now...
"I've got a real shot."
He wasn't diving into gates blindly to get stronger anymore. He had a clear path now—the skill he'd awakened as his reward for surviving hell. Gluttony. The power to absorb a portion of a defeated foe's strength as his own. With this, Kim Min resolved to grow strong. So he'd never be powerless again.
But trouble arose.
"You... you're a bit..."
"What? Kim Min? The survivor from that news incident?"
"Sorry, find another party."
The hunter world was superstitious, thanks to the nature of gates and the job. Rejections piled up because partying with Kim Min felt unlucky or jinxed. Solo raiding it was, like it or not, for the foreseeable future. Sighing softly at his forced graduation from porter life,
"Straight to real combat without rehab, huh."
With preparations done and fate accepted, Kim Min entered the gate alone. The scene closed Lebalheonda with him becoming a hunter who leveled up well.
Cha Yaeun, lost in the novel, snapped out of it yelling, "Where's the next chapter?!"
It was her first taste of a proper hunter story, and she couldn't regain her senses, screaming why there wasn't more.
"Bring the next chapter! No, bring them all!"
She slammed the table in frustration. Of course, that wouldn't conjure up missing chapters, nor would the author of Lebalheonda hear her.
In the end, frustration and regret led her to post a comment.
It might sound harsh, but that was the template. Extreme praise like "the writing's so good!" And it was partly sincere. Cha Yaeun devoured webnovels indiscriminately—male-oriented, female-oriented, you name it. As a woman, female leads alone couldn't satisfy her reading volume. She was an omnivorous reader, scarfing down any genre like a country dog eating whatever's served.
Even for a veteran like her, Lebalheonda felt fresh. Seasoned readers' problem: everything felt predictable and stale from overexposure. Hunter protag stories? She'd seen tons, so at first: This'll be the usual F-rank start with self-insert wish-fulfillment. But no. It hooked her hard. No novel used this approach before. It was a hunter story unlike any other "hunter novel," and Cha Yaeun was utterly captivated.
What would happen to the protagonist now that he'd survived mortal danger? What trials awaited as he grew as a hunter? She was dying to know.
Other novels would've had him living out lazy fantasies... but this feels different.
She hit likes, comments, bookmarks, speculating on Lebalheonda's twists. True to her experience, she imagined scenarios, but with so little to go on, no clear answers emerged.
"Gonna binge daily till completion."
She usually binged stacks, but made an exception here. Couldn't wait for more chapters to pile up.
If I never give up, could I become like Lebalheonda's protagonist someday?
Slumping into the sofa with that thought, she chuckled unwittingly. Never imagined envying a novel hero. Awakening a skill and escaping F-rank sounded great. But...
"You've all worked hard getting here. Now, will you be sacrifices for me?"
She didn't mean this kind of protagonist moment.
It felt off from the start. To pad her tight bank account, Cha Yaeun picked a job sloppier than usual, aiming for a big payout when things were slack. Blame Lebalheonda for the fun read? Unease nagged, but she dismissed it: Am I over-immersed? Pushed down the bad vibes.
Then, joining the party for the gate raid, words failed her.
A vi-villain?
Squinty eyes. Friendly smile. Eerily matching Lebalheonda's villain description—like some cosmic coincidence. Urge to bail surged, but too late. Party assembled, prep done—withdrawal meant penalties and reputational damage. As an F-rank porter, always the underdog, credibility was lifeblood. Acting picky like a diva? One bad rumor, and jobs dried up. Agencies blacklisted you. Good gigs especially vanished.
Couldn't back out now. Especially not because "he looks like the novel's villain." Face-saving excuse? Maybe, but—
Anyway, reality's weight dragged her into the gate, sweating discomfort.
It'll be fine...
Even thinking that is rude to him.
Get it together, Cha Yaeun. Love fantasy novels or not, separate fiction from reality.
How wronged would he feel if he knew I suspected him just for looking like a novel baddie?
Self-soothing, she watched the squinty man relentlessly. During monster fights, looting after—eyes glued.
Suspicious!
Indeed. To her watchful eyes, he oozed unnatural leisure. Faking weakness well, but real weaklings' eyes don't lie. Detecting the uncanny, she desperately brainstormed solutions. Couldn't accuse without proof.
Maybe hiding strength for personal reasons—not a villain... But those squinty eyes...!
Even confronting him? Porters' words fell on deaf ears among fighters. And if...
"Ah, busted? Oh well. Plan's changed—die."
No counter if he was that strong. Hiding power meant elite level. Pulling this stunt screamed confidence.
Praying it wasn't so, she prepped for "if." And "if" came true.
"So, will you be sacrifices for me?"
The squinty villain revealed his true colors. Whatever his scheme, no letting it happen.
"Hya!"
"What—?!"
Praying she'd never need it, she used her monster-capture item on him. Birthday gift from siblings: for gate dangers, bind the beast and flee.
To think I'd use this—on a villain!
The rare artifact-derived hunter tool, infused with sibling love, performed flawlessly.
"Guh?!"
Ambushed, the villain was bound. Never dreamed a porter twigged his identity—or dared strike.
Complacency cost big.
"Everyone! Now! Subdue that villain quick!"
Survival instinct lit their eyes amid confusion. Gate veterans, quick on the uptake despite low ranks. Screw explanations—deal with the shady one first. Result?
"So... you caught this criminal? No offense, but a D- and E-rank combat team captured an A-rank international wanted man—not killed, alive...?"
Thanks to that hunter novel, the story's tragedy didn't repeat in reality.