Prologue
Prologue
Miles and Hana were monster hunters affiliated with the Hunter Association, specializing in tracking and eliminating creatures known as "Special Variants."
Special Variants were monsters that had mutated through cannibalism or exposure to unique environmental factors, making them several times stronger than their ordinary counterparts. Hunters like Miles and Hana, who specialized in hunting these creatures, were called "Trackers."
It was only natural that other hunters regarded them with awe.
Because, simply put, Special Variants were terrifyingly powerful.
Not only were they physically stronger due to mutation, but their heightened intelligence also allowed them to turn the tables on hunters, ambushing and devouring them instead.
Naturally, Trackers—those who hunted such creatures—had an alarmingly high mortality rate, making the profession one of the most avoided.
Having worked as Trackers for just over a year, Miles and Hana had begun to exude an air of seasoned veterans.
"With today's catch, we can take a break for a while, right?"
"Yeah, sounds good."
Miles and Hana had just finished eliminating a Special Variant a few hours ago, reported it to the Association, and were now heading home with some takeout.
"Thankfully, it wasn't fully matured yet."
"Yeah, even though it wasn't that big, it was insanely fast. If it had been discovered any later, it definitely would've caused massive casualties."
The Special Variant in question was a Lesser Wolf—a quadrupedal monster resembling a wolf. It had been first spotted a week ago by hunters dispatched by the Association.
Recently, reports of Lesser Wolves had surged unexpectedly, prompting an extermination order. While hunters were busy fighting the swarm, the Variant had seized the opportunity to bite through three hunters' throats in an instant before fleeing.
Its speed was unlike anything seen in ordinary Lesser Wolves, and its bite force was strong enough to tear through protective spells—clear signs of a Special Variant. Miles and Hana had been dispatched immediately and had just finished eliminating it.
"Guess we'll split up here?"
"Yeah. See you tomorrow, Miles!"
Miles, a young man with black hair and a delicate appearance, waved at Hana.
She, with her deep sky-blue hair cascading past her shoulders and a flower-shaped hairpin tucked into her locks, flashed him a bright smile before blowing him a kiss.
Mwah! "You worked hard today, so get some good rest."
"W-Worked hard? Hardly..."
Miles' face flushed red at Hana's affectionate gesture, stumbling over his words as he took a step back.
No matter how many times he experienced it, he could never get used to such displays from his childhood friend.
Watching Miles retreat with an expression like he might explode at any second, Hana burst into laughter.
"You're adorable."
Having known him for so long, she saw him as both a little brother and a dependable ally. With that thought, she turned and headed home.
"..."
And from a distance, a shadow silently observed them before vanishing.
.........
......
...
"Huh?"
"That's how it is."
Rayji, Miles' dedicated handler, spoke firmly in response to his bewildered reaction.
"You know most Tracker teams operate in groups of three, right?"
"...Yeah, but—"
"Hear me out."
Cutting Miles off with a hand on his shoulder, Rayji continued.
"I've always felt guilty that you two had to operate as a duo despite the three-person rule. Trackers are already short-staffed, and the job's so dangerous that barely anyone volunteers."
"Don't feel guilty. Hana and I chose this."
"Yeah, I've heard that plenty."
Rayji sighed deeply.
"You remember nearly dying a month ago?"
"...That was my mistake."
"Yeah, a mistake that almost got you killed."
A month ago, while tracking a Special Variant, Miles had suffered severe injuries and come dangerously close to death.
The expression Hana had worn at the time was still burned into Rayji's mind—unforgettable.
She had been frantic, despairing at the thought that Miles might not make it, silently crying as she held onto him.
Rayji blamed himself for Miles' injuries.
Critical information about the Special Variant had been omitted during the briefing, and Rayji hadn't caught the oversight in time—leading to Miles' near-fatal wounds.
Of course, it wasn't entirely Rayji's fault.
His job was simply to relay the information he received without omission, and there was no way for him to verify what might have been left out before it reached him.
Miles and Hana understood this and never blamed him, but Rayji was still plagued by guilt.
Then came news of a new recruit, and Rayji had fought tooth and nail to have them assigned to his team.
The higher-ups, still shaken by the near-loss of valuable personnel due to the information gap, had approved the request without much resistance.
Rayji was certain that if they had been a three-person team from the start, Miles wouldn't have been hurt so badly—and Hana wouldn't have worn that heartbroken expression.
"You're still hung up on it?"
"How could I not be?"
Miles looked at Rayji's hollow, self-deprecating gaze—still heavy with regret.
"You remember the face Hana made back then?"
"Hana?"
Miles recalled the expression she wore when he woke up in the hospital.
She was a mess.
Dark circles hung under her eyes, as if she hadn't slept properly.
Her once flawless skin had grown rough, neglected.
And most of all—the way she had clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably for what felt like hours.
"..."
After a moment of contemplation, Miles chuckled dryly and patted Rayji's shoulder.
"...Alright, fine. I'll let Hana know."
"It's for both of your safety."
"Thanks."
Truthfully, since three-person teams were the standard, Miles couldn't outright refuse the addition.
He and Hana had been doing well enough on their own, so the idea of someone intruding on their dynamic had been unwelcome.
The incident a month ago had been unavoidable, but remembering Hana's face changed his mind.
He knew he needed to grow stronger to prevent such a thing from happening again—but Hana's safety mattered more.
Even if part of him still wanted to keep her all to himself.
"Please... save me."
"..."
A sudden memory flickered in Miles' mind, twisting his expression before he shook his head to clear it away.
.........
......
...
"HELLO, EVERYONE!! I'm Yang Taegum, the new recruit assigned to your team!"
A man with dyed blond hair bowed energetically, his greeting booming loud enough to make Miles flinch. Slightly taken aback, Miles straightened him up and extended a hand for a handshake.
"No need to bow so deeply. We're teammates now, right? You can drop the formalities. Nice to meet you—I'm Miles."
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!! How could a lowly rookie like me dare speak casually to a senior with a whole year of experience?! Pleased to meet you, sir!!"
Yang Taegum looked ready to prostrate himself, leaving Miles at a loss.
He then turned to Hana, who had been watching with an awkward smile.
"Senior, it's an honor to meet you!! I look forward to your guidance!!"
"Nice to meet you too. I'm Hana. You can... speak comfortably, you know?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!! This is comfortable for me!! Maybe someday, after I've adjusted, I'll try!!!"
"O-Okay..."
His near-manic enthusiasm left even Hana at a loss.
To ease the tension, she suggested:
"There's a café I work at nearby. Want to grab something to eat? Consider it a welcome meal."
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!"
"Ahaha..."
The thunderous reply drew stares from everyone around, making Miles shrink back in embarrassment—only for Hana to grab his ear and drag him along.
...
"So this is Senior Hana's workplace?! It's amazing!"
"Thanks."
Pleased by Yang Taegum's praise, Hana smiled and took a seat.
Miles sat beside her while Yang Taegum settled across from them.
"By the way, this place is huge! The entire first and second floors are all part of the café?"
"Yep. Pretty spacious, right?"
Given the nature of her work, Hana didn't need to keep a side job on her days off.
The pay from hunting was more than enough.
But working peacefully at this café was a form of therapy for her. The owner, fond of Hana, had gladly accommodated her by letting her work whenever she pleased.
"Here's the menu—take your time choosing."
Handing Yang Taegum the menu from the table, he accepted it gratefully and skimmed through.
"Ooh, hamburg steak?! I'll have this!"
"The spicy version's way better—go for that."
"THANK YOU, SIR!"
At Miles' suggestion, Yang Taegum bowed again before Miles and Hana placed their own orders and rang the bell. A waitress soon approached, recognizing Hana with a bright smile.
"Welcome back, unnie! I'm so glad you're safe!"
Everyone at the café knew about Hana's profession and circumstances.
She was often met with admiration—younger waitresses idolized her as a female hunter, while older male staff regarded her with concern and sympathy.
"This doesn't look like a date... so who's this?"
"Our new teammate. His name's Yang Taegum—also a hunter."
Yang Taegum briefly sized up the waitress before grinning broadly.
"Pleased to meet you!! I'm Yang Taegum!! I think we'll be seeing a lot of each other!!"
"Wow, nice to meet you too!"
After shaking hands, the waitress took their orders and left.
"..."
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence settled over the table.
Yang Taegum wiped sweat from his brow, gauging the mood, before Miles broke the ice.
"Mind if I ask a few questions? Since we'll be working together, there are things we should probably know."
"YES, SIR!! Ask away!!"
"Lower your voice!"
The renewed stares made Miles panic, while Hana simply laughed in amusement.
"How old are you?"
"A fresh-faced twenty, sir!"
Yang Taegum lowered his voice as requested.
"This might be sensitive, but—what's your ability?"
Every hunter possessed a unique ability. Those who developed powers—whether innate or acquired—were required to register with national authorities, after which they could join the Hunter Association or other government-affiliated organizations.
Miles' ability was Short-Term Enhancement.
For brief bursts, he could amplify his physical capabilities, granting explosive speed and strength. Though he could activate it multiple times in succession, the strain on his body forced him to use it sparingly.
Hana's ability was Telekinetic Force.
Even within telekinesis, there were specializations—
Hana's expertise lay in manipulating objects for offense and defense.
She wasn't particularly skilled at moving living things, but she excelled at handling the equipment she'd named the 'Active Defense Beads.'
Normally, they took the form of prayer beads hanging around her neck, but when she activated her ability, each bead would separate and move independently. True to their name as an active defense system, they could form telekinetic barriers to protect allies or attack enemies.
Yang Taegum cautiously answered Miles' question.
"Um, it's similar to detection. I guess you could say I can track the real-time positions of allies and enemies..."
"Whoa! That's amazing, isn't it?!"
"Seriously?!"
Unlike Yang Taegum, who lacked confidence, Miles and Hana were visibly excited.
To begin with, there weren't many people with detection-type abilities like Yang Taegum's.
And those who did have them rarely chose to become dangerous Trackers like themselves.
That made him an exceptionally rare find in their line of work, so it was no wonder they were thrilled to have him assigned to their team.
"Ah, well. Don't get too excited. It's really nothing special. I can detect positions, but the range is way too short..."
"How far can you detect?"
"About 200 meters...?"
"That's still incredible!"
To Miles, 200 meters was more than enough.
In their line of work, life and death often hinged on whether they detected the enemy first.
And this guy could sense them a full 200 meters away? He ought to bow in gratitude to Rayji for this.
"But I've heard other detection-type ability users start with around 500 meters, and seasoned veterans can easily cover a kilometer..."
Miles crossed his arms and let out a thoughtful hum before carefully asking,
"Hmm... You awakened your ability later in life, right?"
"Huh? Y-yes, that's correct."
"How long has it been since you awakened?"
"About half a year now."
"Then don't worry about it."
"Huh?"
As Yang Taegum had said, those who could detect beyond a kilometer hadn't started out that way either.
Abilities grew stronger with use—proficiency increased, and performance improved.
When Miles first awakened his Short-term Enhancement, all it did was give him a slight strength boost, enough to rank high on punching machines.
But now?
With Short-term Enhancement, he could dash forward in an instant and smash the skulls of most monsters with a single swing of his reinforced baton before they could even blink.
Hana, too, had struggled to move just three or four beads at first. But now? She could deftly manipulate twenty beads, deploying telekinetic barriers precisely where needed and launching sharp attacks.
After patiently explaining all this, Yang Taegum's expression brightened.
"Thank you so much!!! I'll work hard!!!"
"Hey, keep your voice down!"
But Yang Taegum just laughed excitedly.
"Taegum-ah? Since I'm older, how about you call me noona?"
"Ah, yes! Then I'll call you hyung and noona!"
"Yeah, that sounds better."
As Miles finished speaking, Hana interjected. Her expression was serious.
"Why did you apply for this job? You know how dangerous it is, right? One wrong move, and you could die."
"Hana?"
"Miles, stay out of this."
At Hana's words, Miles raised both hands in surrender.
Yang Taegum wiped the smile off his face and answered thoughtfully.
"I don't have parents."
"Ah."
The unexpected answer caught Hana off guard, but Yang Taegum continued without hesitation.
"So I grew up in an orphanage and became independent when I came of age. I received independence support funds, and the director even helped me out with money she'd saved up personally. I rented a room and tried to make a living while learning a trade. But then, out of nowhere, I awakened an ability—a detection-type one, no less, which is in high demand."
Yang Taegum took a sip of water from the glass the waitress had brought and went on.
"Offers started pouring in from all over, but I was conflicted. Ah, now that I'm an ability user, I want to earn a lot of money. Growing up as an orphan, there were plenty of times I didn't eat properly, and I was often treated poorly. I got used to that kind of thing, so it doesn't bother me anymore. But there's one thing I could never stand—seeing the other kids in the orphanage go hungry. Sure, the government supports orphanages, but it's never enough. So we were always hungry, sharing what little we had."
He clenched the cold glass tightly in both hands.
"But now I have an ability. I want to earn money. A lot of it. More and more, keep earning and earning, until I can fill those kids' bellies. If possible, I want to do it for every child in every orphanage. That's all."
As he spoke, Yang Taegum looked radiant. The thought of being able to achieve what he'd always wanted filled him with happiness.
"Being a regular hunter doesn't pay enough. That's why I joined the Trackers—they earn the most. The more dangerous the job, the bigger the payout, right?"
"...That's true."
The Association knew just how dangerous Trackers' work was, so they compensated them lavishly with life-risk allowances and hazard pay. No one in the Association earned more than they did.
"That's my reason."
Having finished speaking, Yang Taegum drained his glass. Hana looked at him with admiration.
"Our Taegum-ie is such a good kid, huh?"
"Huh? No, I'm an adult?"
"Hehe, you're a good kid."
"...Thank you?"
As Yang Taegum awkwardly acknowledged the praise, Miles grinned and added,
"Looking forward to working with you starting tomorrow. Oh, here comes our food. I'll go help bring it over."
Miles stood up, and Hana moved to assist, but he waved her off with a smile. Since her attention was on Miles as she sat back down, she didn't notice.
The predatory, lecherous gaze Yang Taegum was raking over every inch of her body.
.........
.....
...
"Goodbye, hyung! Noona!!"
"Yeah, take care."
"See you tomorrow, Taegum-ah."
With cheerful waves, the two walked away. Once they were out of sight, Yang Taegum lowered his hand and wiped the smile from his face as if it had never been there. He licked his lips.
Tch.
Seeing her up close, she was even hotter than he'd imagined. Swallowing hard, he turned away.
'Starting tomorrow, huh?'
Truth be told, this wasn't the first time Yang Taegum had seen them.
Miles and Hana.
They were famous as an unusual two-person Tracker team, both highly skilled, and Hana's beauty drew plenty of attention.
A month ago, when they were handling a case, Yang Taegum had coincidentally been nearby practicing his ability.
Spotting them fighting a monster, he'd started recording with his smartphone.
Not that he had any particular plan—he just couldn't resist how hot Hana looked in battle.
It was late at night in a secluded mountain area, and the two were too focused on combat to notice him.
Hiding in the dark undergrowth, he was practically invisible.
Hana's suit had torn from the special variant's attacks, exposing her massive, jiggling breasts and taut abs—god, she was so fucking hot. If not for the monster, he'd have rushed out and taken her right then.
And then that incident happened—the one he'd carefully preserved on his hard drive and phone.
Mid-battle, the monster suddenly shifted its form, ignoring damage as it charged straight at Hana.
Miles rushed to block it, but the impact sent them both flying. Hana was knocked unconscious, and Miles took a direct hit, leaving gaping holes in his body.
Just as the monster prepared to finish them off, it hesitated—spotting what appeared to be a lone child on the mountainside.
Deciding the two before it were already beyond recovery, while there was a far more delicious morsel—a child—it slowly advanced.
The kid tried to run but tripped in terror, trembling as it stared at the monster. The predator's aura froze its limbs.
Watching this, Miles wrestled with his thoughts.
He'd overused Short-term Enhancement during the fight—he could only activate it two or three more times before his body gave out.
Blood gushed from the holes in his body, threatening to knock him unconscious.
Hana, more precious to him than life itself, was already out cold.
The monster had lost interest in them, now fixated on devouring the child.
"..."
After a brief but deep internal struggle, Miles clenched his eyes shut, hoisted Hana onto his back, and activated Short-term Enhancement to flee.
"Help me!"
The cry reached his ears, but he didn't look back. Couldn't look back.
To Miles, a stranger's life would never outweigh Hana's. Ignoring the child's screams behind him, he ran and ran until he escaped—surviving, with Hana unharmed.
The footage of that incident sat pristine on Yang Taegum's hard drive.
The moment Miles fled with Hana, Yang Taegum—overcome with euphoria—saved the recording and bolted.
Later, he heard the special variant was killed by other Trackers dispatched to the area.
If this got out online, Miles was finished.
A hunter abandoning a civilian to die.
That alone was a grave crime, but a child? He'd definitely lose his hunter license and end up in prison after a hunter tribunal.
Yang Taegum smirked, a disturbingly pleased expression on his face.
The only reason he'd applied to be a Tracker was Hana.
He knew it was a life-threatening job, but his desire to fuck her outweighed any danger.
The problem was how to get close—but then, as if by fate, some pathetic bastard begged him to join their team.
Turned out he was their dedicated support handler!
What fucking luck!
Seeing it as a god-given opportunity, Yang Taegum jumped at the chance.
And just like that, he was in. Truly, luck was on his side.
Of course, everything he'd said at the café was bullshit.
Sure, he was from an orphanage, but affection? Please.
The director's personal savings? He'd blackmailed her for embezzlement funds.
Kids going hungry? Like he gave a shit.
Poor treatment? He'd cracked the skulls of anyone who messed with him.
Being this close to Hana had him fighting to keep his dick down.
'Ahh, what should I do with this? How do I approach her? How do I blackmail her? How do I break her? How do I train her? How do I ruin her? How do I—!!'
Euphoria flooded his body. Licking his lips, Yang Taegum pictured Hana.
'Her sky-blue hair would feel like silk wrapped around my cock...! That black garter belt and stockings under her skirt are so fucking hot. What face would she make if I rubbed against her pussy through the stockings? What would she say if I pressed my dick against the soles of her feet, the backs of her knees? If I unbuttoned just the middle of her uniform, thrusting between those tits—how would it feel? If I shoved my cock all the way into those pink lips and made her choke—what sounds would she make...?!'
Just imagining it had him ready to burst.
'Tomorrow. Starting tomorrow, I make my move.'
Haa. No way he could hold out. Time to go home and jerk off.
With that, Yang Taegum headed back.