Chapter 100
Chapter 100
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Fan
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“You... I’m a fan of Hunter Kim Min-jun! Would it be okay if we took a photo together?”
He wasn’t some celebrity, and here was someone asking a soldier for a picture.
It was the kind of scene that only showed up in dramas.
“A fan?”
“Yeah! That time... when you took down that wolf-like monster all by yourself near the high school! I thought it was so cool after seeing that....”
The woman, who looked like a college student, pulled out her smartphone and played a video for him.
It was footage from a few months ago that had made the internet news rounds.
There he was, protecting civilians and facing the monster alone.
-Mister soldier! It’s dangerous if you’re by yourself!
-If I run, the others will get hurt or die. Don’t worry—just get away from here. I’ll take responsibility and handle it.
The table fell silent in an instant.
His own voice came clearly from the smartphone in her hand.
‘Ugh, damn. Did I really say that?’
It was unmistakably his voice, but it gave him goosebumps.
“Sure. A photo’s no big deal. Just don’t post it on SNS. Deal?”
“Really? I promise! Thank you!”
If they’d been near base, he never would’ve allowed it, but this was downtown.
She said she was a fan—no reason to turn her down.
“Could I maybe get an autograph too?”
“I’ve never signed anything before. Rough’s okay?”
“Yeah! I’d be grateful just for that!”
The fresh-faced young woman snapped nearly ten photos in short order, got her autograph, and only then returned to her seat.
“......”
“......”
“What.”
He glanced around, and the table had gone quiet.
Corporal Kim Kwang-sik, who’d been stuffing his face with beef, looked oddly sulky. Corporal Lee Seung-ho was shaking his head like he couldn’t believe it.
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun. Didn’t you know you’re kinda famous, Sergeant Kim Min-jun?”
“Me?”
“You don’t watch the news...? That video’s on YouTube too, and the views are insane. Already over eighty million.”
“Why watch the news? I’d rather play another round of games.”
“Crazy... It’s monster subjugation footage. First time Hunter HQ’s ever approved uploading something like that.”
“Yeah?”
The squad members made a fuss, but Kim Min-jun’s reaction was lukewarm.
What did it matter if a soldier got famous?
“It’s so unfair. He’s perfect like that, tall, handsome too... Why’s God so unfair?”
“I never thought I was handsome.”
“Argh... that’s what pisses me off most.”
The mood loosened up again.
As everyone laughed and chatted, Corporal Kim Kwang-sik cleared his throat.
Like he was about to make some big announcement.
“Hey, you guys hear? I overheard the platoon leader from the next platoon yesterday—says a new deputy platoon leader’s coming to 3rd Platoon.”
“Yeah?”
“But how do you always sniff out info like that? You’re spooky.”
“There are ways. More importantly, she’s a female hunter. And pretty hot, from what I heard.”
“What? For real?”
“How pretty? As pretty as Corporal Son Eun-seo?”
The mention of a female hunter had the squad’s voices rising on their own.
NCOs got assigned regardless of gender.
The men in 2nd Company, 2nd Platoon had practically zero female hunters.
“You’ll have to see for yourself. Weird part is, she’s a foreigner.”
“Foreigner? From where?”
“England or Canada, something like that. Don’t know the details, but red hair and these exotic eye colors.”
“Oh....”
Kim Min-jun half-listened to the squad’s chatter, but his eyes narrowed at the mention of red hair.
Foreigner, red hair.
Hunter Corps NCO.
Only one person fit the bill perfectly.
‘Hold up. Didn’t she say she was taking the Hunter Corps exam? That was a few months ago, right?’
He’d been busy with mana swords and dungeon raids lately, so no contact.
‘Timeline fits perfectly, though.’
Unlike with Yi Bong-gu, he couldn’t communicate with Kim Seo-hyun via demonic energy.
He’d tried calling midway—straight to voicemail, power off.
‘She’s arriving tomorrow. Guess I’ll find out when I see her.’
**
The next day.
The usual routine wrapped up.
“Hey! Deputy platoon leader’s here at 3rd Platoon!”
“For real?”
“I just saw her. She’s a total bombshell.”
“Let’s go! Hurry!”
The hunters bolted off somewhere at the news of the rumored female officer.
“See? Told you to get a smartphone sooner.”
The night before.
Kim Min-jun, tipped off early, smirked and trailed after his platoonmates.
In front of the training field podium.
The deputy platoon leader was just finishing a brief intro to the platoon.
“I’m Kim Seo-hyun, taking over as deputy platoon leader for 2nd Battalion, 2nd Company, 3rd Platoon.”
“Please take care of us, Deputy Platoon Leader!”
The 3rd Platoon members welcomed her louder than ever.
The old deputy had been a jerk, and now this stunner of a female hunter had arrived.
‘Whoa... she’s got real charisma.’
‘Yeah. Kinda manly? Sharp vibe, y’know.’
That was the hunters’ first impression of Kim Seo-hyun.
It didn’t last long, though.
“Ah! Sir! Sergeant Kim Min-jun!”
Spotting him approaching from afar, she broke into a huge grin and waved.
Like a guard dog greeting its owner.
“Kim Seo-hyun. You punk. Couldn’t even tell me you passed for Hunter NCO?”
“I was gonna tell you after getting assigned here!”
“Yeah. Good work anyway. Let’s do well from now on.”
“Yes, sir! Kim Min-jun... uh, Sergeant Kim Min-jun!”
The two chatted like old pals.
Especially Kim Seo-hyun, beaming ear to ear.
The same deputy who’d radiated heavy intensity moments ago.
The hunters gawked, utterly blindsided.
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun? You know Sergeant Kim Seo-hyun?”
“Obviously. We’re like family. Cousins, more or less.”
“Cousins...?”
Technically, total strangers.
From an outsider’s view, anyway.
But to him, the devotees were special.
Not full family, but close enough for “cousins.”
“Anyway, duty’s over. Let’s grab a quick word.”
“Yes, sir!”
Kim Min-jun turned toward the hunter cafe.
Kim Seo-hyun stuck right to his side.
“No way...”
“Did Sergeant Kim Min-jun just say ‘family like cousins’?”
“Actual cousins? Or just that close?”
The hunters watched their retreating backs and made a huge racket.
**
“How long was NCO training? Like twenty weeks?”
Inside the hunter cafe.
They grabbed a quiet corner table.
“Yes. Exactly twenty weeks.”
“Twenty weeks. So you aced the first exam straight off, then the second too?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“Good job.”
Seeing her sergeant insignia made him oddly proud.
She was top-tier physically among the devotees, so he’d figured she’d pass easy.
“Gangwon-do Cheorwon’s rougher than you think.”
“I’m prepared, sir. You’re serving here—sending me to the rear would be ridiculous.”
“Alright. Suit yourself. Anything else? Magi running low?”
“Plenty.”
“Plenty my ass. Gimme your hand.”
“Sir, I’m really fine...”
“My arm’s getting tired. Hurry up.”
Kim Seo-hyun hesitated, then stuck out one arm.
“See? You’re almost out.”
He took her hand and transferred some magi.
Her fickle magic eye thing activated on its own whims.
Sometimes it spat out useless prophecies that were hit or miss.
Every activation drained her internal magi, so he topped her up.
“This... Sir?”
Kim Seo-hyun’s eyes went wide as she received the magi.
She sensed something off.
“What. My magi feel different?”
“It’s... weird. Feels like your magi, but not quite... this uncanny sensation....”
“Guess. What’s changed in me.”
She furrowed her brow, pondering hard.
He could’ve just told her, but nah.
Teasing her was too fun.
‘Especially her.’
[Kim Seo-hyun is a zealous devotee.]
[You recover a portion of the transferred magi.]
Plus, he got magi back.
“Sorry. No clue...”
After nearly ten minutes, she hung her head.
As if not knowing was a crime.
“What’s the biggest flaw of a warlock?”
“Having to absorb magi from external sources.”
“Say there’s one warlock who fixed that flaw—who’d it be?”
Mid-sip of coffee, Kim Seo-hyun choked.
Shock hit hard—caught in her throat.
“N-No way...”
“Yeah. I can generate magi internally now. Small amounts, but still.”
A warlock who could produce magi.
The dream of every warlock.
Who knew the one achieving it was Kim Min-jun.
“Eyes on us. I get the emotions, but dial it back.”
“You’re... incredible....”
Kim Seo-hyun wiped her eyes, repeating, “I knew you’d pull it off someday, sir,” over and over.
Anyone watching would think he’d made her cry.
“But it’s not perfect yet. I’ll still need external magi for a while.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll squeeze Yi Bong-gu dry somehow.”
“Yeah. Anyway, duty’s done—head off-base now.”
“Huh?”
He pulled out his wallet and stuffed a thick wad of cash into her hand.
“Get the latest smartphone. Bring back some cheap junk, and you’re in trouble with me.”
“Sergeant Kim Min-jun, I got paid during training. I have enough...”
“You think I don’t know Hunter NCO candidates pull less than a million won a month? Go buy it now.”
He shooed the dawdling girl out.
He had back pay from rewards, plus two hundred million won recently.
Money was for times like this.
Ding!
He stood to leave when a message pinged.
From Lieutenant Kim Cheol-min.
Kim Cheol-min: Kim Min-jun. Training schedule got bumped up. Starts two days from now—spread the word to the guys.
Kim Min-jun: Sir! Yes, sir. Got it. What’s the training?
The platoon leader just named it, then went silent.
Probably swamped.
“Man. Thought we had three, four months—doing this already?”
Kim Min-jun’s lips curved up.
Perfect timing—he needed performance points for his double promotion.