Chapter 38
Why the hell?
Why has all the info on hyungnim been erased?
No matter how much I racked my brain, it just didn't make sense.
It was obvious why.
Hyungnim was an orphan just like me.
He wasn't all that different from me, in other words.
He hadn't crossed anyone, and all he had to his name was a rundown house and a mountain of bank debt.
There was no reason for his information to just vanish like that.
Seong Yu-mi pulled out a laptop from below and showed me the screen.
Investigation Results
No records found for "Shin Seon-woo."
Daeyang Construction workers: No matches.
Apartment residents: No matches.
All traces erased.
"Here, these are the investigation results."
I stared at the screen Seong Yu-mi held out.
Nothing. Anywhere.
Not among the workers from Daeyang Construction where I labored.
Not on the resident list from the apartment where hyungnim lived.
The name Shin Seon-woo was nowhere to be seen.
His information had really been completely wiped out.
Seong Yu-mi closed the laptop and pressed her fingers hard into her furrowed brow.
"I pulled all-nighters for days investigating the person Black Dragon asked about... but nothing came up."
"......"
"And... this was the clincher."
Click.
Seong Yu-mi moved the mouse and clicked on Daeyang Construction Worker List.
The result that popped up was...
Daeyang Construction Worker List
All on-site workers that day: Deceased or Missing
Off-site workers: Deceased or Missing
Total: 100% accounted for as casualties.
"......"
"......Sorry."
That day.
Every single worker who had been on-site.
Even those who hadn't been there.
All marked as dead or missing.
My throat clenched tight, leaving me gaping silently, unable to speak.
Seong Yu-mi averted her eyes from me and just apologized.
I bit my lip until it bled to snap myself out of it, then forced words from my strangled throat.
"This isn't something for Hunter Seong Yu-mi to apologize for."
"......Still. As an S-rank hunter, I should have noticed this anomaly."
Seong Yu-mi let out a bitter, self-mocking smile, took a deep breath, and forced her voice louder.
"Anyway, digging in dry dirt wasn't getting me anywhere. That's why I contacted Black Dragon."
Yeah, figures.
How could info come out of nowhere?
I clenched my fist hard.
I'd thought only hyungnim was missing.
But everyone else except him was dead or gone.
And among them, only hyungnim's info was completely erased.
What the hell happened while I was stuck in the Tutorial Tower?
Seong Yu-mi glanced at my pale, clenched fist and cleared her throat.
"So, about that. Black Dragon?"
"......Yeah?"
"Let me make the proposal again. How about becoming an Association hunter?"
I'd definitely turned that down before, right?
As I squinted at her, Seong Yu-mi raised her hand like she was warding off a misunderstanding.
"What I'm saying is, this Shin Seon-woo guy's missing, and his info's been erased, right?"
"Yeah."
"But his info's gone, not people's memories."
"......What are you getting at?"
"Black Dragon. Join the Association. And get famous."
Ah.
I think I get what Seong Yu-mi's driving at.
Basically...
"Get famous so people who know about hyungnim come looking for me?"
"Bingo!"
Not bad. Actually, pretty damn good.
If hyungnim's info is erased and we can't track him down that way, then make someone who knows his whereabouts come to us.
I exhaled slowly, steadying my mind.
Great idea, but I can't just say yes right away.
With this new tower popping up, if it opens and demands Black Dragon enter immediately, I'll have to vanish again like last time.
"Like I said, I might disappear somewhere unreachable for another two weeks. That okay?"
"Eh, sure."
"......?"
"Didn't know this myself, but the Association has something called apprentice hunters."
Her words made a question mark pop up over my head.
Apprentice?
What's that?
"Association higher-ups can special-recruit hunters directly. I knew that, but apparently those recruits start as apprentices."
"Uh...... so......"
"As an apprentice, you get full pay and act as an Association hunter. But."
"You can skip the duties...... right?"
"Yep."
What the hell is this?
Can't I just live as an apprentice forever?
Feels like the perks of apprentice beat full employee. Am I imagining it?
"How much pay?"
"Hmm...... The amount I can offer Black Dragon......"
Seong Yu-mi muttered softly and scribbled numbers on a piece of paper.
I checked the figure and nearly choked, eyes bulging.
"One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand......"
"Just base salary."
"......"
"Add incentives and bonuses...... it'll be a lot."
More or less aside, base pay alone is multiples of my old day-labor gigs.
Hard to believe I could earn even more on top.
Lowering my jaw, I stared blankly at the number.
With this salary, a Han River-view apartment might not be a pipe dream.
If only there were no towers...
I could've bought one quick.
Regret hit me; I clenched my fist tight.
"So, even as an apprentice hunter, this level of treatment?"
"Yeah. That's why inside the Association, they look down on apprentices and call 'em temps."
Makes sense why they'd call 'em that.
You grind through cutthroat competition to join, then some parachute drops in via higher-up connections. I'd be pissed too.
Hell, I'd headbutt 'em.
Calling 'em temp hunters might even be merciful. Explains why they're all civil servant types.
"So, you in?"
"Gotta be."
No arguing this is the fastest way to trace hyungnim.
Plus, time before Illusion Tower opens. Perfect timing.
Seong Yu-mi nodded vigorously, eyes sparkling, and snapped her fingers.
"Oh, right—you cleared a Sudden Gate today, yeah?"
"Yeah?"
"Perfect."
I tilted my head at her words.
What's perfect about it?
Unlike me, Seong Yu-mi just grinned slyly.
"And that lady next to you?"
"Mm. Me, human?"
Munch munch.
Elpinire, chomping on some mystery cookies.
She turned at the sudden call and eyed Seong Yu-mi.
"You. Not human, right?"
"Ho. You noticed."
"My eyes are a bit special. Picked up on your different aura."
"Master. What do we do in cases like this?"
"Dunno."
We weren't even trying to hide, but now that she's onto us, what then?
As I scratched my head, Seong Yu-mi dropped her jaw and pointed at me.
"M-Master!? No way—that lady's a summon from Black Dragon's skill?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"B-Black Dragon's unique skill was a mutation type where the right hand changes, right? How the hell......"
"My unique skill's a growth type, so I don't know the details either."
"Wha—!?"
I'd love to know what the hell Black Dragon even does.
No skill in the world blackmails its own master.
Grumbling under my breath, I snatched a cookie from Elpinire's basket and popped it in my mouth.
"Oh."
Rich buttery flavor. Damn good.
Chewing, I offered one to Cheori dangling from my neck.
Cheori's eyes lit up—likes it too—and dove into the basket.
Cookies vanishing like melting snow.
Seong Yu-mi watched us in quiet shock.
* * *
About five hours later.
I figured out why Seong Yu-mi lit up at the Sudden Gate news.
"......For real?"
"For real."
"No, this is kinda......"
Trailing off, I peeked around the pillar.
Over a hundred people there, cameras and mics at the ready.
"We really going out? Me?"
"Best chance for Black Dragon to slide into temp hunter status naturally."
Seong Yu-mi patted my shoulder lightly.
I sighed long and glanced aside.
Elpinire in a pitch-black suit, twisting this way and that.
"Feels...... uncomfortable but not."
She's got that model vibe going—true to her original.
Me? Just your average twenty-something in a plain black suit.
First time in a suit. Feels weird as hell.
"Don't worry, Master. You clean up nice."
"Right, right. Black Dragon's not ugly."
"Mm. I concur."
Elpinire, arms crossed, dead serious.
Then she patted my shoulder and thumbs-upped.
"Not far off from Elspier. No sweat."
Yeah, okay.
Elspier looks like that raw.
I could only sigh like the ground might swallow me.
"Time's up."
Press conference time arrived.
Seong Yu-mi checked her watch, waved us off, and strode forward.
Her skirt hem fluttered lightly.
Graceful steps took her to the podium mic, where she cleared her throat.
From behind the pillar, I watched her start her speech.
"Elpinire. We really doing this?"
"We are."
"You're really coming out with me?"
"You want fake?"
Seong Yu-mi said clearing a Sudden Gate solo is near-miraculous.
Zero casualties? One of the rarest cases worldwide.
Naturally, all eyes would be on us.
"That human said I had no choice."
Just announcing it'd draw attention.
No casualties in a Sudden Gate is achievement enough.
But for max buzz, emphasize we soloed it.
Hence, Elpinire claiming she only healed is key.
She asked if it helped me, then agreed no hesitation.
Leading to now.
"It's for Master. That's why."
"......"
"And don't worry, Master. The Evergreen forest's fine without me."
Actually, Elpinire popped back to Evergreen Tower midway.
I can't return, but she can.
Elcid was more peaceful than she thought.
Some elves didn't even know she was gone.
She just told Elses-to she was stepping out briefly.
"Chief okay?"
"Still bedridden. Groaning he's dying, but looked fine. Handed all duties to Elspier, so no worries."
What an irresponsible chief.
I eyed Elpinire, who stated it proudly, gaze gone cold.
She ignored it, chest puffed.
Fine.
We're here—might as well roll with it.
Stretching big, I smiled faintly and looked aside.
Jeong Chan-woo just arrived, breathing steady.
"Hunter Han Mir. Your turn soon."
"Got it."
I have ears.
Heard Seong Yu-mi drop Black Dragon, Orc Lord, Sudden Gate.
We prepped: after that...
"We've confirmed the one who cleared the Jangwon-dong Sudden Gate is none other than the hot topic Black Dragon. Allow us to introduce him."
She'd call me.
Time.
On Jeong Chan-woo's cue, I strode out heavy-footed.
Flashes exploded everywhere the instant I stepped forward.
Blinding light seared my eyes.
But my steps didn't falter.
Thought I'd be nervous.
Out here, zilch.
Maybe from dying a dozen deaths.
I took position beside Seong Yu-mi, took the mic from her, cleared my throat.
"First time meeting you all. I'm Han Mir, the hunter blowing up the internet as Black Dragon."
Chin up.
I scanned the crowd coolly.
They stiffened the moment our eyes met.
Exhaling steadily, I smirked and opened my mouth.
"Questions, fire away."
From here, it's my stage.