The 10-Star Hunter's First Post
Now that I thought about it, I wielded enormous credibility on Hunter Link. Even though I was only a 2-star hunter in reality, within Hunter Link my past life's rank applied in full. It seemed the platform measured users not by their physical grade, but by the level of their soul. That was probably why I had been able to suppress the owner of another user's nest, just like I had countered Choi Yoo-ra's pressure.
Perhaps because of that, the comment reactions were explosive.
It wasn't just Korean hunters.
Hunters from around the world were equally stunned by the appearance of this unidentified 10-star hunter.
Only five minutes had passed since I posted, yet over a thousand comments had already appeared. Yeah, everyone must have been shocked. Normally, advancing a hunter past 5-star required unimaginable effort and grueling trials. Even then, progressing beyond 6-star was nearly impossible through effort alone; it demanded near-miraculous luck. No wonder only about twenty hunters, including myself, had ever reached 10-star.
Hunters shocked by my rank showed little interest in the actual content of the post. Come on. Look at the post, not the author's rank. I had gone to the trouble of revealing future events… Still, I had succeeded in drawing attention, so I was more than satisfied. If I continued revealing what I knew while operating as this mysterious 10-star hunter, I would eventually gain absolute trust. Then stopping the Day of Lamentation would become entirely possible.
[A comment has been posted!]
[A comment has been posted!]
[A comment has been posted!]
……
[A comment has been posted!]
Comments kept pouring in real time. Not just comments.
Debate erupted over my identity and the authenticity of my post. Ding! A notification window appeared.
[The post has been moved to the Integrated Best Board!]
[The post is currently recording the highest views and comments in real time!]
[HIT!]
Upcoming Events in the Near Future 1 (6,117)
Before I knew it, my post had achieved the highest views among all posts on Hunter Link and was featured with a massive banner on the Integrated Best Board. At this point, it was no exaggeration to say I hadn't just drawn attention—I had turned the entire hunter world upside down.
“Haha……”
Feeling slightly dazed, I turned off all notifications. I never expected such a heated reaction to my very first post…
* * *
Meanwhile, Ahn Guk-seon, the Minister of Defense Strategy and a first-generation hunter, was reading a report about the day's events. Sitting upright before him was Major Im, the very person who had written the report.
“……The more I read, the more remarkable it seems.”
Minister Ahn clicked his tongue as he scanned the document.
“Excellent situational judgment, quick wits, and strong combat ability. Aside from being recklessly bold, he seems flawless.”
“At least from what I observed, that was the case.”
“A born monster. Blood truly runs true.”
“Where else would that blood go?”
Major Im smiled faintly, recalling Cha Eun-seong's family background. Eun-seong's grandfather had been a legendary North Korean operative in the Naval Intelligence Unit who had successfully carried out multiple maritime infiltration missions. His father, a former Naval Special Forces operative, was now a regional defense commander who still led special operations on the front lines—a living legend. Eun-seong himself had enlisted as a naval officer and planned to apply for the Naval Special Forces, so the saying “blood runs true” fit him perfectly.
But what truly captured Minister Ahn's attention was Eun-seong's ability.
“He stores the spirit swords of dead hunters in card form…… He throws cards to heal allies, and even summons an unknown woman? And he's not even a supporter-type hunter, yet when he defeated the Count, he enchanted an axe-shaped spirit sword with cards to fight? What do you think his true identity is?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. All I can say is that he's completely different from any hunter we've seen so far……”
“I asked a pointless question. Of course you wouldn't know.”
“Haha……”
“A new role type that never existed before appears in Korea, and even from the Cha family.”
“I consider it truly fortunate.”
“Fortunate?”
“There's an old saying: in a country with no natural resources, the only thing we have is people. With fewer high-ranking hunters than China or Japan, the emergence of a talent like Eun-seong is a great blessing for Korea, isn't it?”
“Whether it's a blessing or a curse remains to be seen.”
“Pardon……?”
“Don't expect the son of a patriotic family to devote himself blindly to the nation. He's still young.”
“I-I'm sorry.”
“No need to apologize. Just remember this: nothing is more terrifying than someone with great power who begins to act as they please.”
Minister Ahn lit a cigarette.
“Would you like one?”
“No, sir. I quit some time ago.”
“Quitting smoking in times like these. Your willpower is impressive. Whew.”
Minister Ahn walked to the window and smoked as he spoke.
“Hunters' power keeps growing stronger. It's becoming harder to control them. The appearance of a powerful hunter could be a blessing to Korea and humanity, but it could also become a disaster. Don't forget that. Even I don't know how long I'll be able to hold this position.”
“Minister……”
Major Im's voice trailed off. He understood the deep concern behind Ahn's words……
Apart from threats to humanity, the political situation was like walking on thin ice every day. Moreover, several hunters were openly advocating for overthrowing the system, and signs of them attempting to act on it were being detected one after another. That was probably why Minister Ahn couldn't quit smoking……
Buzz! Major Im's phone vibrated.
“I'm sorry, Minister. I need to check a message.”
“Go ahead.”
“M-Minister?”
Major Im's voice trembled as he read the message.
“What? What's wrong?”
“On Hunter Link…… a 10-star hunter posted something.”
“……?”
“Someone posted anonymously, and the author information shows ten stars.”
“Are you saying a 10-star hunter actually exists?”
“It appears so. They posted something close to a prophecy, and Hunter Link's boards are in complete chaos because of it.”
“I need to check it myself.”
“Yes, Minister.”
Major Im stepped aside so Minister Ahn could access Hunter Link. Hunters were in a defenseless state when connected to Hunter Link, so the rule was to connect only in safe locations while alone.
Before accessing Hunter Link, Minister Ahn closed his eyes to focus.
“A 10-star hunter…… What on earth……”
A shocked mutter escaped Minister Ahn's lips. Perhaps because of the shocking event of a 10-star hunter's appearance, all thoughts of Eun-seong had vanished from his mind. Eun-seong was a promising rookie worth watching closely, but a 10-star hunter was the biggest issue facing humanity at this moment.
* * *
The next day.
As soon as I woke up, I went to the swimming pool to loosen up. For me, the swimming pool was no different from a treadmill. I had learned to swim from my father since childhood and was accustomed to swimming and diving in the sea. Swimming in a pool felt tedious to me, but I still came because I simply liked the water. I enjoyed the sensation of my body being submerged……
After finishing my swim, I headed to the cafeteria for a simple breakfast when I felt several residents' gazes on me.
“Isn't that the hunter who was on the news about the Sindorim incident yesterday? The one Minister Ahn Guk-seon said he had high expectations for?”
“I think his name was Cha Eun-seong?”
“Oh my. He really is handsome.”
Perhaps because my physical abilities had improved after awakening, I could hear every whisper. Some residents even pretended to look at their phones while secretly taking photos of me.
‘If you're going to do it, just take the picture openly. Why bother hiding it.’
I snorted inwardly. Once you became a hunter, there was no avoiding cameras. I had to live without caring whether they took pictures or not—otherwise, the stress would be unbearable. People's eyes followed me wherever I went.
“Eun-seong-nim. So this is where you were.”
“Huh? Major Im, what brings you here at this hour?”
“I stopped by to deliver something. I was going to contact you by mobile, but the carrier said you had terminated your number……”
“Ah.”
Of course. I should have known they would figure it out and come find me.
“But you look quite tired. Don't tell me you stayed up all night?”
“That's what happened.”
“You've had a rough time. What's going on?”
“Ah, you wouldn't know. Yesterday, a 10-star hunter appeared on the Hunter Link boards.”
“Oh?”
“By the minister's orders, we analyzed the post's content and didn't get a wink of sleep.”
“Ahahaha……”
So it was because of me that they couldn't sleep.
“But what brings you here?”
“I came to deliver the notice and explain it.”
“Notice…… Ah.”
The Special Forces Training Center. Abbreviated as Special Training Center. It was a training facility that taught essential tactics and survival knowledge to rookie hunters. The training period was five weeks—short, intense, and thorough—but the problem was that I didn't need it at all.
“Can't I get an exemption? You saw it yourself when we cleared the dungeon together, Major Im.”
“Of course, having witnessed your skill and talent with my own eyes, I would like to grant you an exemption, but……”
“It's not possible, is it?”
“Public institutions have procedures.”
“Can't you ask the minister?”
“He probably won't allow it. The minister……”
“He's a strict by-the-book type for things like this, right?”
Iron Blood wasn't an inflexible hardliner, but on fundamental matters he leaned toward being a principled man, so there was little chance he would exempt me from the Special Training Center.
“Yes, the minister does have that side to him.”
“Ha.”
A sigh escaped me. The thought of a veteran hunter like me having to undergo basic training with rookies for five weeks……
“It might not be such a bad experience. At the Special Training Center, you'll receive training, but it's also a good opportunity to build connections with your peers in the same cohort.”
“I don't particularly need that……”
“I don't think that's true.”
“Why not?”
“I'm only telling you this, but there's a mage in your cohort.”
“A mage……?”
“You may have encountered her on the day you visited the Defense Strategy Department. Her name is Ra Si-hyun, a mage with exceptional potential.”
Twitch!
The moment I heard the name Ra Si-hyun, my body reacted instinctively before my mind could.