Flood of Offers

[New mail.]

[New contract request.]

[New sponsorship.]

"Finally, it's quieted down a bit."

I'd turned off the notification sounds in the system settings and waited a good while. Things had finally settled. The numbers were still climbing, though.

Braaaang-.

The sound of a car passing outside my one-room apartment. Ambulances and other emergency vehicles too.

The tightly shut window of my one-room gave a flimsy sense of security... thanks to this damn penalty making me flat-chested.

Anyway.

"I've gone and gotten some real attention."

Common sense said it was weird for this much traffic—mails, contracts, sponsorships—to pile up on one awakener.

'It's the MVP thing.'

The disguise with the 'Unregistered' ID had blown my cover ages ago.

"Haaa."

It wasn't even cold spring ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠weather, but my breath came out in a puff.

With this frail HP 1 body, outside activities were off the table for the foreseeable future.

Excessive attention was dangerous. But if I didn't let it sweep me away and protected myself, that attention might turn into

'something I could use well.'

For now, I needed to stay calm and keep my thinking straight at this level.

'Let's see if there's anything I can gain purely for profit.'

Only on the condition that my safety was 100% guaranteed.

'This is turning me into a total inbox addict without meaning to.'

After that, I buried myself under the blanket and spent ages reading through the mails, contract requests, and sponsorship messages.

First up: 【Contract Requests】

31 of them. Make that 32 now.

The reason I started here? Curiosity and excitement.

Had to be guilds, right?

Guilds were famous even among civilians. These days, private hunter guilds had more presence than idol groups.

'Let's skim through them one by one.'

I started reading with half worry, half thrill, but

The first one that popped up was from a guild called 'The One'.

'Long.'

No way I was reading all that. It even had the full contract attached. Tapping it made a document manifest right in front of my eyes, like a HWP file.

But I'd never heard of 'The One'. Must be a newbie guild.

Nothing much to expect beyond their quick moves. A few similar guilds followed,

and I gave up on full reads, just scanning guild names in the contract requests tab.

"Wait."

One name jumped out—extremely, extremely familiar.

"!!!"

Hongmaehwa!!!

Korea's top assassin guild. One of the world's most influential.

Guild master: S-rank hunter Seol, world rank inside top 30.

"They're contacting me?"

This was an ultra-elite guild. Total members under 100.

Thump thump.

My heart raced for a second.

'Joining them would be family glory.'

The accept button appeared right in front of me.

'Should I?'

But I pulled back from my status window for a moment.

'No. Calm down. I'm getting excited.'

I'd been awakened less than a day.

Too early for big decisions.

'Get a grip. Every choice ties straight to your life.'

Skimming the contracts, they all had this clause:

- This contract request remains indefinitely valid unless rejected by Party A or contracted with another organization...

'Meaning, they're waiting anytime.'

No rushing into contracts like a sucker without checking.

Quickly scanning the rest,

"Oh. Ohhh. Ooooh?"

Familiar names and organizations everywhere.

'All these groups interested in me?'

This wasn't normal.

Then,

"There it is."

I knew it'd come.

Most hunters end up at the Bureau.

Reasons aside, it's the major league—the official side.

State-run and all.

The rest were private guilds. Hongmaehwa too.

(Bureau treats private guilds like mercenaries or potential criminals.)

"Hm."

Seeing the Hunter Management Bureau's name made it feel truly serious.

I closed the contract tab for a breather.

"The more this, the more I need to review carefully."

You don't stamp when your heart's pounding.

Especially not in my case.

'I'm an HP 1 sniper.'

Super-fragile body that flinches at passing cars outside the window, stings at floating dust.

They had no clue.

Just knew me as MVP and rushed the offers.

'But I've got a fatal flaw. No way they dream of it.'

No hunter in the world had a debuff like this.

(Awakening is always a 'good' thing. Ranks just measure how good.)

Contracting shares my info via system—too risky to reveal my weakness in excitement.

'Fix my survival first.'

Only then can I make profitable deals.

Right now, wherever I went, it'd be 'Please keep me alive. Help me—I'll do whatever you ask~'.

"Calm down, take time. Be cautious and prudent."

Review thoroughly before joining anywhere.

With that in mind, I opened sponsorships and mail.

Hadn't even picked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠skills yet. Already this much harvest.

'When will I get through it all.'

Even bumper crops mean hard work.

But focus.

'Sponsorships and mail might net me real useful resources.'

Grab every profitable thing and use it.

Looked like I could buy stuff with gold in the [Player Shop].

'Money? Thank you very much.'

No one sending a straight million gold?

I'll repay later, won't forget.

Next to me as I scrolled sponsorships and mail:

The sniper rifle, neatly placed on the bed.

《Seoul》

《Hunter Management Bureau - Emergency Briefing Room》

Suit-clad people hustled about.

"Report right away. Just the basic analysis. No logic needed."

"Really...?"

"Got a better way?"

"Nope."

"Right. Some unbelievable guy showed up. That's it."

MVP with one shot.

A hunter who pulled that off had appeared.

That was the Bureau's analysis of the [Advanced Gate] clear.

A balding man in a rumpled suit brushed it off and stood.

Team 1 Leader Kim Chun-gyu reported to the Bureau Director, who sat puffing a cigar atop the executive desk.

"A globally unprecedented top-tier dealer has begun operations in Korea. Nothing else makes sense."

Report short!

No questions. Can't answer anyway.

'Common sense went out the window when gates opened. No need for logic.'

No one knew this messed-up world anyway.

"Shouldn't we at least get the ID?"

"Hasn't registered ID in the system yet. Will report when confirmed, but no way now."

"Tricky."

Bureau Director Baek Moon-seong, hearing Kim Chun-gyu's report, swept back his white hair and bit his cigar. Then murmured low.

"For now... he's on our side, right..."

"......"

He voiced the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠worry everyone shared.

Kim Chun-gyu sighed softly at the Director's words.

'Yeah. That's the point.'

■ Hunter = Person who kills monsters

Wrong.

Human tech doesn't work on monsters.

Hunter powers work on humans too. Thus,

■ 'Certified' Hunter = Person who kills only monsters

"We'll have to watch if he's solo or not."

Solo operators: unaffiliated with Bureau, in private guilds or freelancing.

Not all solos commit crimes/terror, but if a hunter does crime/terror, they're solo.

'A hunter this strong going solo would be trouble. Bureau must snag him.'

Must. Must. Must.

Then,

"MVP registered ID!!!"

"!!!""

A Team 1 staffer's excited shout made further reports unnecessary.

White-haired Director Baek Moon-seong set down his cigar and stood.

Bald Team 1 Leader Kim Chun-gyu swallowed hard.

ID registration meant

Bureau contract requests now possible.

'Please, please. Just come in.'

Most hunters contract with Bureau the instant they input ID. Critical moment.

"Send the contract request!"

"Already drafting!"

"Use the template, fast-track it!"

"Yes!"

Kim Chun-gyu shouted; subordinate fired the prepped template first.

But

"Team leader, the ID's 'Unregistered'?"

"What?"

Off from the start.

Supernova who one-shot advanced boss for MVP: ID 'Unregistered'.

What did that imply?

"Approval? No approval yet?"

"No... not yet."

Director Baek eyed Kim Chun-gyu: You know what to do.

'Of course.'

"Why wait? Fine. No time to be picky. Send a big 【Sponsorship】 first. Bow low and reel him in."

"Yes!"

Bureau sponsors first to soothe.

If he planned to accept anyway, Bureau takes the loss—but pointless worry.

"Top treatment for sure."

Kim Chun-gyu sighed watching the frantic staffer send sponsorship via system.

No approval yet.

"ID 'Unregistered'..."

Clear intent to hide identity.

Most likely candidate, but

Alternatively,

'Bad taste?'

Maybe toying with them.

Some performance art message.

Then high chance enemy,

and an enemy like that? Way too burdensome.

'Stay calm. Don't know yet.'

Thus, move fastest.

Nation must secure a hunter this caliber.

Sweat beaded on Baek Moon-seong and Kim Chun-gyu's palms.

"???"

Checking sponsorships first—starting with the wildest.

Latest on top.

Opened sponsorships: fresh one right at the top, piping hot.

Content:

100 million gold.

From the Bureau.