Impersonation and the Ties of Return
He stared out the window at the grand bridge. It had been two years since he'd last set foot on Korean soil. He was still pissed off about it, then and now—the overseas dispatch that hit right when his friend Kwon Yul was at the height of her frenzy.
'Well, at least I didn't arrive too late this time.'
It had been worth all the chaos he'd stirred up at the Korean Hunter Embassy and the U.S. Hunter Management Bureau to get back.
The hottest topic in the world right now was, of course, the news about Yul's impersonator.
'Impersonation among hunters? Even the General said to just watch from afar, but if it were other hunters...'
Ryu Shin-ah glanced at Yul, who was dozing off with her head bobbing, his own sunglasses perched on her face.
Typical of her—cool as a cucumber, utterly unflappable.
'...Yeah, even if she flips the Management Bureau or wherever upside down, no one could blame her.'
Issues among hunters, especially those sparked by honor or personal info, could escalate to national disputes, sometimes requiring government mediation. But this was the world's rank 1 being impersonated.
'They had to pick this to mess with.'
Even if it was to lure Yul out, pulling such a crude stunt was beyond stupid.
"......"
Ryu Shin-ah silently watched Yul headbanging against the window.
"You're gonna break my sunglasses, General..."
He wordlessly offered her his shoulder.
"Wake up, General. We're here."
"Huh... Already?"
Constellation 'Blind Sovereign of the Sky' explodes, demanding where that filthy creature dares touch our Yul.
Constellation 'Blind Sovereign of the Sky' urges you to punch that shameless beast already.
Yul swatted away the nonstop status windows and stepped out of the taxi. She ignored the driver's gasp of "Whoa, a hunter?!" upon seeing Ryu Shin-ah's card, as always.
Vroom.
The taxi pulled away, leaving them in front of a hunter shop.
"......How'd you know to come here first?"
"Figured you'd handle your loot right away if you're back."
"You know me well."
She'd phrased it vaguely in case the driver overheard, but he'd nailed it anyway.
Yul chuckled softly and headed to a quiet alley. Ryu Shin-ah activated his ability with practiced ease.
Record Intervener
Searching nearby records.
2 CCTVs detected.
Intervene?
He placed his hand on the translucent keyboard floating in front of him.
He was the owner of an ability that meddled with "records." Videos, documents, codes—anything stored in any form. Every piece of information in this world was his to view and manipulate.
And naturally, "records" included human memories.
Ryu Shin-ah had anticipated early on that Yul would be suspected as "Lee Sunja Killer" if seen with him. After much deliberation, he'd crafted a skill for it.
"Think of it as a dedicated mark. Exclusive to you, General—it disrupts everyone's perception and memory...'"
"Say it simply."
"...Like a wide-area jammer."
"Oh."
Limited Skill 'Dedicated Mark'
Ultimate disruption of memories, perceptions, and electronic devices for a single target.
When Yul was with Ryu Shin-ah, no one could properly remember her. That was why she could walk the streets bare-faced beside him without being pegged as Lee Sunja Killer.
"But there's a catch—it lifts if you go beyond a certain range. Like if I go overseas... it goes offline."
"Then what's the point?"
"It was made to worry about you getting caught when we're together. If something happens when we're apart, just call. You'll handle it yourself anyway."
She'd once asked about its limits (like if it could touch the system). "System? No way I'd mess with that. No hunter could." He'd waved it off, saying his scope was limited.
His hacking and intel-gathering specialty made him invaluable to agencies. This dispatch had been for that too.
Yul took off the sunglasses and murmured, "'Blind Veil.' Activate."
Whoosh.
Bandages materialized in a shimmer of light, covering her eyes. A skill for distortion passive only, sans combat mode. It worked on machines too since the effect was identical, but her pre-activation look lingered, so Ryu Shin-ah handled cleanup.
Right now, though, Yul was stepping out as Lee Sunja Killer, so he'd left that skill off.
He tapped the keyboard familiarly, erasing the footage, then took the sunglasses from her.
"Let's go. Time for me to steal some spotlight too?"
"You get plenty without me."
"Not the same as with the rank 1 herself."
"Ah, shut up."
They bickered as they headed to the shop. Even early morning, a crowd milled nearby.
"......Lee Sunja Killer?"
"For real? Wait, is it?"
"Yeah, look!"
"And Hamsu-kkun next to her?"
An A+ hunter and the world rank 1. Everyone whipped out their phone cameras.
Ryu Shin-ah whistled lightly. "Whoa, this kinda attention in ages."
"Less back there?"
"Nah. I'm too premium. Plus, I'm your bestie."
Guys begging intros had lined up. He chuckled. Their friendship was infamous, drawing plenty who approached him to get to Yul—whether for simple camaraderie or otherwise.
Ding-a-ling.
"Welcome... Whoa!"
"Hi."
"Been a while, boss."
Yul and Ryu Shin-ah greeted in turn. Long time no see for both, in more ways than one.
Yul opened her inventory, pulling out items she'd prepped last night.
"These, these—and this one's been sitting a bit. Affect the price?"
"N-No, of course not. Minotaur Horns haven't dropped much lately..."
"Just trade these then. Account here's fine."
Yul pulled out her hunter-only account. The owner handled the inventory items like fragile glass, completing the deal on the spot.
Ding!
752,000,000 KRW deposited.
"Thanks. See ya."
"I'll drop by later too."
Yul confirmed the alert with a quick bow. Stepping out with Ryu Shin-ah, she stuck out her tongue at the unreal sum.
"One more dungeon run?"
"Not bad. Party up with me."
She nodded half-heartedly as they walked—
Thud.
"Ow."
"Ah."
Yul turned to the one whose shoulder bumped hers. Her bandaged eyes widened beneath.
A slightly small-built guy with light brown hair.
"......The impersonator?"
"What?"
It was that guy from yesterday.
A suffocating silence fell.
Yul. The "impersonator." Ryu Shin-ah.
And the onlookers—hunters who'd been tailing them discreetly.
The last group especially watched the century's encounter in shock.
The ballsy rank 1 impersonator bumping into the real deal, who emerged from hiding because of him!
'Insane, insane.'
'He's gonna get killed right here, right?!'
'I'd kill him too!'
'No, Lee Sunja's not that brutal! That's for monsters only!'
'Impersonating ain't no small thing!'
A silent uproar rippled through the crowd.
Yul didn't break the quiet.
"......You little shit."
Ryu Shin-ah did.
He yanked off his sunglasses, his twisted scowl plain as day.
"Ballsy... Thought you could strut in broad daylight after one day? I'd have ended your hunter career."
"Th-That..."
"Still no lesson after I shook you down?"
Ryu Shin-ah growled, poised to grab the guy's collar. If Yul hadn't stepped in, he would've.
"Hey. Hamsu. Calm down."
"......"
"What're you doing in the middle of the street? You're A+ for a reason."
"......"
"Don't tarnish hunter pride. Cut it out."
Her voice—usually silent or minimal during ops—rang clear. Slightly modulated to neutral, it recorded perfectly on surrounding phones.
Constellation 'Blind Sovereign of the Sky' shakes its glowstick, insisting you just snap his neck at a right angle.
Star-nim, calm down too. Too many eyes here.
Who knew what headlines it'd spawn? She wasn't eager for another express scoop just two days after her semi-forced return—especially not one that might bite her.
Ryu Shin-ah tsked in frustration.
"He's the one tarnishing everything."
"Enough. No victims anyway."
"No victims? As long as civilians are fine? You're the victim."
"I'll handle my own grilling. Don't rush me."
Yul turned away. Narrowing her eyes beneath the bandages, she shot out,
"You. No time right now. I meant it yesterday—wait for me to come find you."
"......Yes."
"Can't even chat at a nearby café without worrying you'd trash an innocent shop."
So finish your business and scram.
She added coldly. "Let's go, Hamsu."
She patted Ryu Shin-ah's shoulder.