A Rare Face

I returned to Earth.

The soldiers in dark green uniforms were still holding their posts, their faces etched with exhaustion.

"Hello."

I had grown accustomed to the welcoming expression of Officer Choi Geonwoo, who approached me with a bright look.

Before I knew it, Doyun had fully embraced the life of a Hunter.

"I'll escort you."

I took the high-end vehicle provided by the Association and returned to the facility.

"Doyun-oppa!"

In the distance, a familiar face I hadn't seen in a long time recognized me.

"Oh."

Jung Ah-hyun.

Just like me, who had been busy clearing the Tower, she had been active, fulfilling her own duties.

"It's been a while...!"

Seeing her greet me as brightly as a Golden Retriever made my mood lift as well.

"It has been a while."

"Right...?"

She moved closer, even more than before.

Jung Ah-hyun tilted her head, looking at me with a momentary expression of confusion, like a puppy failing to recognize its owner after a long vacation.

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's just... your vibe. It's even more... than last time."

"Huh?"

I took a step closer, not understanding what she meant.

"...Hick."

"....?"

But this time, it was Jung Ah-hyun who took a step back.

The sudden formation of a subtle distance between us left me unexpectedly shocked.

"A-ah, no...!"

Jung Ah-hyun was just as flustered by her own sudden change.

She had clearly wanted to be welcoming. She had wanted to greet him with the utmost ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠kindness she could muster, but—

'Why am I acting like this...!'

Without realizing it, her face grew hot, and her body began to tense up.

Mana?

Perhaps, as someone at her level, she had instinctively sensed something. The fact that an ominous change was currently taking place within Doyun.

"...Oppa, by any chance, what level are you right now?"

"Me? I'm level 13... no, 14 now."

After catching the Forgotten Alchemist on the 10th floor and defeating the Demon Hunter Arcane, I had leveled up.

"...Excuse me?"

And upon hearing that news, Jung Ah-hyun was left dumbfounded.

"When I cleared the 11th floor, I was barely passing level 10..."

"I'm just lucky."

"No."

I tried to brush it off, but naturally, it didn't work.

Jung Ah-hyun, who had been looking at me with a somewhat serious expression, soon snapped out of it and led me along.

"A-ah, right...! Oppa. You must be tired, right...? Let's go inside first."

The Hunter's Shelter.

At her suggestion to head to the private quarters provided by the Association, I didn't refuse and naturally headed inside.

"Rest for now, and let's talk tomorrow. Okay?"

"Aren't you going to be busy with your schedule again? If I'm taking up your time for no reason..."

"No, I'm not!"

As the conversation headed in a strange direction, Jung Ah-hyun immediately cut me off and denied it.

"I'm completely free this month! It's my vacation period, so I'm really okay."

"Oh, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠really?"

"Yep!"

At those words, my mood improved as well.

After clearing a floor, I enjoyed the happy post-processing time I always cherished. I showered in warm water and let go of my remaining fatigue in the luxury room.

"Ugh."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah."

Half-buried in the soft bed, I answered Aira's lively question.

It was dozens of times better than the hard floors of the Tower. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Even in such harsh environments, there were times when I had to sleep forcibly—so lying in a bed like this, I absolutely couldn't resist the drowsiness.

I turned on the Gallery first.

To the 'Mobs' who were usually addicted to dopamine, this kind of neglect was too cruel.

So, I have to report every single move? I suddenly realized that my private life was in great danger.

'Is this the "great responsibility"?'

Since I had already been given great help and power, the responsibility had been assigned arbitrarily.

"Why do I even know that sentiment?"

Thanks to that, the desire to lie down vanished completely. I complained and got up from my seat. Having slept well for just one day, my body felt as light as it was at the beginning. It meant the fatigue accumulated inside the Tower had completely vanished.

Checking the time belatedly, it was well past lunchtime. If I went to the Association now, it would be the time when everyone was busy working.

'First, Ah-hyun.'

As I said yesterday, I left the quarters to find Jung Ah-hyun first.

"Oppa!"

And I was able to find her quickly.

"What about the others? Did they all go to the Tower?"

"Yes...!"

It's a pity, but that's a Hunter's duty, so it couldn't be helped. I spent the time I hadn't been able to spend with Jung Ah-hyun, who remained at the Association. Even though we only talked about what we wanted to, several hours had passed in the blink of an eye.

"Ah, oppa. Did you hear the news?"

"What news?"

"They say a Gate Break occurred in Japan."

"....Huh?"

While we were having a pleasant conversation, a heavy topic suddenly dropped.

I had a blank expression for a moment. A Gate Break. A disaster equivalent to a natural disaster that had to happen on Earth at least once. It had been my motivation until now. I had climbed the Tower diligently so that the hell I experienced wouldn't be recreated.

'If it's Japan...'

Hanaoka Miyu. It's the place where the woman who once spat out long, crazy nonsense about the Tower is active.

"...Is it okay over there?"

"Japan has so many prominent Hunters active that I think they can handle it... but it also depends on the timing."

If a Gate Break occurs, the scale must be measured first.

"I hope it ends quickly, but it seems the situation is going wrong. It's not confirmed yet, but other Hunters might need to be dispatched."

"Is it that bad?"

It seemed much worse than the situation I had assumed. However, an ominous imagination flashed through my mind.

'No way.'

If it was the machinations of that crazy woman who always had the Tower on her lips, could it have happened for that very reason? I didn't want to think so, but the madness I encountered back then was real. That the world inside the Tower and the situation on Earth must be made identical. A world where mana has spread. That was the future that the unidentified group, including Hanaoka Miyu, was painting.

"W-well, it probably won't go that far. That level of national disaster is one of the few events in Hunter history."

Jung Ah-hyun added hastily, as if she had made a slip of the tongue. She had realized her mistake after seeing my expression turn serious.

"Ayy, for now, Doyun-oppa, please focus on clearing the Tower...!"

"That, I suppose I must."

I knew my position very well. Even if I went to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stop the Gate Break now, there would be nothing I could do. I might even just get in the way of other Hunters' battles.

'Still weak.'

Even compared to Hanaoka Miyu, who was looking at the late level 70s, I still had a long way to go.

"A-and. I don't think it's that serious yet, so I..."

"Then that's a relief."

"Yes."

Jung Ah-hyun, who said that, looked at me with a subtle gaze.

"Why? Is something else wrong?"

"A-ah, no. If you don't mind, I don't know when we'll have this much leisure time again."

Jung Ah-hyun revealed the feelings she had been hiding deep inside little by little.

"Would you like to go out and play together for the first time in a while today...?"

"Oh, shall we? Then wait a moment, let me tell the Officer—"

"I've already asked for his understanding in advance."

"....?"

Fast work speed. I felt a strange sensation at Jung Ah-hyun's thoroughness.

"Really? Then..."

A Gate Break just happened in the neighboring country, is it okay to be playing around so peacefully? That thought lasted only a moment. I belatedly realized that this world was originally running in such a chaotic way.

"Yes...!"

After enjoying some cultural life for the rest of the evening, I returned to the quarters and decided to prepare to enter the next floor immediately.

"Uh..."

"Is it not possible?"

Officer Choi Geonwoo showed a troubled expression. However, I decided to believe in the potential I possessed.

"Since your mental evaluation always comes out safe, I will try to use my influence."

"Thank you."

Return to the Tower.

Welcomed by the intense cheers of the Gallery, I entered the 12th floor.