A Hunter's Daily Routine

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Less than five minutes after I said that, the backup hunters arrived on the scene.

I asked them to rescue the civilians.

"Th-thank you, Black Dragon!"

"We survived thanks to you!"

"That was insane!"

The people finally thanked me after the backup hunters pulled them to safety.

I was too drained to even wave, slumped against the wall, when a pair of polished shoes entered my view. I looked up.

"Han Mir Hunter. Good work out there."

"......Who’s gonna take over this wall for me?"

"Not right now, I'm afraid. We need someone top-tier to cover the whole aquarium."

I didn't know who this "top-tier" was, but hurry up ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and get them here!

My head's about to explode!

I was seriously hitting my limit.

No nosebleed yet, but my head hurt worse than when I'd crossed the ravine using Smoke.

Then the air split open, and a familiar face popped out.

"Villain sighted? Where?!"

"Already handled, Senior."

"You're late, Seong Yu-mi Hunter."

"Uh......"

Seong Yu-mi scratched her cheek, eyeing our relaxed stances and the mist-packed wall.

"Wh-where's the villain?"

"In there."

I pointed at the wall of mist.

Seong Yu-mi blinked a few times, cleared her throat, and shouted.

"A-anyway, don't worry. The S-rank hunter Magic King has arrived—"

"Whatever. I'm clearing the mist now."

"What? Wait—!"

Ah, finally, I can breathe.

*   *   *

Soaked to the bone, Seong Yu-mi shot me a resentful glare.

What was I supposed to do?

I was seriously at my limit, I tell you.

I quietly averted her gaze and nudged the slumped villain with my toe.

"Been underwater a while—think he's dead?"

"Looks like a mutation-type with a shark transformation skill. Gills mean he can breathe down there. No worries."

I nodded to show I got it.

"This villain's getting arrested and hauled to the Awakener Crime Prison."

"That one's inside a gate, right?"

"Yep."

Sudden Gates vanish after 48 hours, no exceptions.

Regular Gates don't.

No records of them disappearing ever.

So people found ways to use them.

One way: build hate facilities like the Awakener Crime Prison inside.

"Depending on the trial, but he'll be stuck inside at least 20 years."

Awakener crimes are heavy felonies, no matter the type.

Attempted or not, terrorism suspect means no light sentence.

"So, Black Dragon? How was your first real fight?"

"Way more complicated than I thought."

Fighting while protecting people and minding the environment? Tougher than expected.

For someone like me, who'd always just punched through everything.

Seong Yu-mi nodded like she got it.

"That's our daily grind. Pays well, though."

Seong Yu-mi grinned and made an OK sign with her thumb and finger.

"Get used to it—this stuff's gonna be constant. Let's head back and rest."

I nodded at her words.

Only me, Seong Yu-mi, and Jeong Chan-woo left in the aquarium now.

The other hunters had already bound the villains who'd come with this one and shipped them topside.

"I'll handle transport."

I reached out, binding the villain in mist.

Skipping the Black Dragon activation made it way too easy.

Grabbing the mist with one hand, I dragged the villain toward the exit.

*   *   *

"First mission out, and you crushed it, Black Dragon!"

Seong Yu-mi laughed heartily, slapping my back.

She flashed a thumbs-up.

"Keep this up, and S-rank might come calling soon."

"You think?"

What I did today wasn't much.

Just saved citizens as a hunter.

Fulfilled my duty, that's all.

"Whoa, Black Dragon. Talk like that, and folks'll hate on you."

"Huh? Why?"

"How many fail to do even their basic duty?"

"......"

Is that so?

I scratched my cheek at Seong Yu-mi's words.

She chuckled at me.

"Without you, everyone there would've died or gotten hurt. So cheer up!"

"Yeah, sure."

If an S-rank's saying it that hard, I'll take it.

Seong Yu-mi looked satisfied as I finally nodded.

"Huh, aftercare took longer than expected."

I checked my watch at her words.

By the time we wrapped up and got back, the hour hand was on 6.

"Already 6."

Started late today, so time slipped by.

Didn't expect it to be this late.

"Wanna call it and head home?"

"Sounds good."

"Yeah."

I nodded, pondering what to grab on the way home.

Seong Yu-mi and Jeong Chan-woo stared at me.

"What?"

"Black Dragon, it's rush hour. Crowds everywhere—sure you're good?"

"Should be fine."

I made it here alone okay.

Only one person recognized me in all of Gangnam...

"Won't be."

"Huh?"

Jeong Chan-woo, twice as serious as usual.

He met my eyes dead-on.

"Absolutely not."

"Worked fine coming in."

"Han Mir Hunter. Check your phone first."

Jeong Chan-woo, just two years older, lecturing me like an uncle.

Makes me feel even younger.

I turned on my phone in frustration—and my eyes widened slowly.

"......?"

YouTube has this "Rising Popular" system.

Shows the hottest videos right now.

"Why am I in all these?"

Spots 1 through 5 all had "Black Dragon" in the title.

Number one was a thumbnail of me slumped against the black mist wall, huge as a billboard.

Hardly any negativity—any that popped up got debunked fast. Comments were overwhelmingly positive.

But how'd they film me shielding Han Song-hee and the cracking glass with mist right at the start?

"Video description says they pre-installed cameras to film the aquarium."

That's how they got that shot.

I nodded, then checked Korea's biggest hunter community, HunterNet, just in case.

Not a regular haunt, but curiosity won.

"Ugh......"

As expected.

Pages multiplying on refresh.

All flooded with stories about me.

Reading ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠them one by one? Days, easy.

I hit home, closing all tabs.

Then grinned at the group.

"Anyone wanna help a poor neighbor with no place to go?"

Please.

*   *   *

Three weeks later.

Getting the hang of this job, and what am I doing now?

"Headed that way!"

-Roger!

What else? Chasing another villain.

I radioed urgently and eyed the road.

A red sedan was stunt-driving through packed traffic.

"This is insane."

Before joining the Association, I thought hunter gigs were sweet money-makers.

Reality? Hell no.

Not even close.

Wanna slap past-me for thinking that.

"Villain reports per day... how many?!"

No joke—nabbed one 10 minutes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ago.

New report, out again.

"Why'd Seong Yu-mi Hunter get stuck with Gangnam......"

Most foot traffic means non-stop incidents.

Jangwon-dong, where I live? Zero villains in years.

"Feels ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like all Korea's crime spawns here."

Exhausted to death.

Damn villains popping up day and night—what the hell.

I cursed inwardly with choice words and watched the car illegally U-turn through gridlock.

It curved smoothly to a stop right in front of me and rolled down the window.

"Get in."

I nodded at Jeong Chan-woo's words, hopped in.

He floored it reverse before I even shut the door—road empty ahead since we'd blocked it.

"Han Mir Hunter. Which way?"

"Right from here... there!"

I pointed at the red sedan reverse-driving like us.

Jeong Chan-woo nodded confirmation and punched the accelerator.

The car roared forward.

Hit 200 km/h in a blink, then he said gravely:

"Hold on tight."

Vrooom!

Empty Gangnam road—we blasted ahead.

No fear? He never eased off.

Overtook the fugitive in seconds.

I watched out the window and yelled:

"The one from before—it's coming!"

Like I said, villain.

Criminal using skills.

Reported for one reason: blasting skills at civilians from his car.

Jeong Chan-woo and Seong Yu-mi said these types pop up sometimes.

Crazies high on Tutorial picks, eyes rolled back.

Jeong Chan-woo glanced aside while driving straight.

Passenger window lowering slowly.

Skill incoming soon.

So.

"Hold tight."

"Pardon?"

Screech!

Brakes slammed, wheel whipped.

Tire marks burned deep on asphalt.

Jeong Chan-woo nailed a drift dead-center in downtown.

"......!"

Driver startled by the sudden block, hit brakes.

Stopped at last.

But he'll bolt again quick.

So.

"Pin him down!"

Window down, I climbed onto the roof.

Jeong Chan-woo nodded, eased onto the gas.

Bumpers kissed.

Villain's car shoved back slow.

He braked hard too, but we had momentum.

I stomped the shaking roof forward.

"Hup!"

Smashed through the windshield into the car.

"Eek!?"

Villain gulped in shock as I entered.

No seatbelt—he flung the door and bolted.

But.

"Where you running."

Mist from my hand coiled around him first.

Bound in seconds.

Writhing under the mist, but no dice.

I punched off the roof panel, plopped into the plush seat, and keyed the radio.

"Han Mir here. Suspect in custody."

Whew.

One more down today.