* * *
The more Lee Cheongmyeong drew, the more the skill percentage steadily increased.
It was a message that had appeared when he first drew with crayons.
Civilians might think that monsters could simply be beaten, but capturing monsters was more challenging than they thought.
Especially for boss monsters, precise attacks on specific parts were often necessary, making precision skill essential.
The ability to increase such Precision Attack skills just by drawing was something no one had anticipated.
However, his happiness was short-lived, as a darkness loomed.
Do Hajun addressed Ahn Eunseon , who was following him.
“What?”
Since that day, Lee Cheongmyeong had developed a strong dislike for Ahn Eunseon, grimacing and shouting “I hate it!” whenever she got close.
As a second-best option, in order to get closed to with the child she followed around Do Hajun, but she needed to keep a certain distance. Getting this close wasn’t easy.
“This is for you. But how did you know?”
Ahn Eunseon pointed to a drawing on the desk.
Though it had eyes, a nose, and a mouth, they were not in their usual places, and the face and hair did not resemble Do Hajun at all.
In fact, it looked so unhuman that one might think it was a monster based on an adult’s memory.
Instead of speaking, Do Hajun picked up a pen and wrote on a memo.
“He only draws me.”
“Oh.”
Ahn Eunseon nodded.
Do Hajun hadn’t recognized the drawing at first either, causing quite a bit of trouble.
He shuddered, recalling what had happened not long ago.
“All done!”
“Well done. Is it a goblin?”
“No!”
“Sorry. A monster?”
“No, no!”
“Uh, a calf?”
“Hiiing…”
After several similar exchanges, Do Hajun finally realized the drawing was of him.
Since then, he simply responded that every drawing was of him, and fortunately, he was always correct.
Opening the file, he found documents related to Lee Cheongmyeong as an adult.
In addition to a basic profile, there were performance evaluations from his time as a national hunter until he transformed back into a child.
“Now go.”
“Let me stay a little longer, please.”
Ahn Eunseon , eager to see Lee Cheongmyeong up close, shook her head.
However, hearing her voice, Lee Cheongmyeong lifted his head from the paper.
His sharp eyes stared at Ahn Eunseon .
“No!”
“Ouch.”
Holding her chest, Ahn Eunseon reluctantly left, while Lee Cheongmyeong smiled contentedly and returned to his paper.
“So cute.”
Do Hajun patted Lee Cheongmyeong’s head and turned his attention back to the documents.
There was more confidential information than what was publicly stated.
His skill levels weren’t very high.
He often complained of fatigue.
And his attack power fluctuated with his mood.
“Hmm.”
Do Hajun wondered why the Alpha Team leader always explored dungeons first, and these documents provided plenty of reasons.
After setting the file aside, he looked at Lee Cheongmyeong.
[Skill (Increased Precision Attack) C-Rank – 60.9%]
His skill rank was steadily rising and had reached 60%. At this rate, he would likely reach B-rank in 3-4 days.
“Access Lee Cheongmyeong’s information.”
In a whisper too soft for anyone else to hear, Do Hajun summoned Lee Cheongmyeong’s status window.
[Name: Lee Cheongmyeong / 3 years old (20 years old)
Ability: Water Hunter (SS-Rank)
HP: 16000
MP: 23000
Attack Power: 760 ▷More
Defense: 521 ▷More
Critical: 23% ▷More
Registered Caregiver: Do Hajun
Affinity with Caregiver: 70%
▷More]
The longer Do Hajun spent with Lee Cheongmyeong, the higher the affinity rose, now reaching 70%.
As the affinity increased, the skill effects became more stable, and the rising affinity never dropped.
Contentedly watching the affinity, Do Hajun clicked to view the attack power details.
[Attack Power: 760
▸Skill (Increased Precision Attack): C
▸Strength (Increased Melee Attack): B
▸Balance (Increased Ranged Attack): C
▸Wisdom (Increased Critical): A
▸Impact (Increased Equipment Attack): B]
“Even with an attack power of 760, his ranks are low.”
Imagining the ranks of A-rank or C-rank hunters made it clear they would likely be F-rank.
The current evaluation system only provided general grades for attack power and defense, with no detailed breakdown.
The skill category was also new, one Do Hajun would have missed if Lee Cheongmyeong hadn’t drawn.
“How should I level up the others?”
Despite the challenges, Do Hajun was a responsible person.
While not extreme enough for a reality show, he was determined to solve Lee Cheongmyeong’s issues until he returned to adulthood.
Improving the skills of an SS-rank hunter would also benefit the nation’s power.
If drawing could raise skill ranks, exposing Lee Cheongmyeong to other experiences might unlock further potential.
Setting the file aside, Do Hajun spoke to Lee Cheongmyeong.
“Cheongmyeong, do you want to go out after you finish drawing?”
Lee Cheongmyeong looked up, tilting his head before smiling and raising his hand.
“To the river!”
“Sure, let’s go after you finish drawing.”
Do Hajun reached for the paperwork he needed to complete.
“Where to start? With his attack skills, the training room seems a good start.”
As he signed the documents, Do Hajun shook his head.
No, Lee Cheongmyeong likely frequented the training room as an adult. Despite that, his detailed ranks were low, meaning the training equipment wasn’t effective.
“Maybe I need to find something unexpected, like the drawings.”
“What iit is?”
A confused team member suddenly asked, catching Do Hajun off guard.
“Nothing. Why?”
“The director wants to see you.”
“Darn.”
Just as he planned to improve Lee Cheongmyeong’s ranks, he was summoned.
Unable to ignore the director’s call, Do Hajun waved the team member away and turned to Lee Cheongmyeong.
“Cheongmyeong, are you done drawing?”
“Yep!”
Do Hajun wiped Lee Cheongmyeong’s crayon-stained hands with a wet tissue and spoke.
“Before we go out, we need to stop somewhere.”
“Where?”
“To see a man who looks like a frog.”
Tilting his head, Lee Cheongmyeong’s small hands were cleaned, and Do Hajun lifted him up.
“Whee!”
Lee Cheongmyeong would let out a delighted scream every time Do Hajun hugged him.
Do Hajun, who wrapped his arms around Lee Cheongmyeong to keep him from falling, spoke to Ahn Eunseon , who was looking at him with envy.
“I’m going out. Call me if there’s anything urgent.”
“Aren’t you coming back?!”
“No.”
“Why! Why do you get to monopolize Lee Cheongmyeong!”
Ignoring the scream behind him, Do Hajun headed to the director’s office, but he stopped in his tracks when he felt the strange stares.
“Hm?”
There were a lot of hunters in the hallway today, probably because there weren’t any rampaging dungeons or open gates.
And at the end of all those hunters’ stares was Lee Cheongmyeong, who was stomping his feet.
“What is it.”
As soon as Do Hajun’s cold voice echoed, the hunters urgently rushed into their offices, leaving the hallway empty in an instant.
“They’re treating him like a zoo monkey.”
Why are they doing that to a child?
Annoyed, Do Hajun held Lee Cheongmyeong a bit tighter and walked quickly.
With the determination to punish anyone who crossed his path, he soon arrived in front of the director’s office.
“Salute.”
With no secretary to open the door, he pushed it open himself, and inside was someone he shouldn’t see.
Do Hajun quickly looked down at Lee Cheongmyeong.
He was worried that Lee Cheongmyeong, who remembered the past, might have a seizure upon seeing Shin Misook.
Fortunately, Lee Cheongmyeong had fallen asleep on the way.
“…Your Excellency.”
“Don’t bother with the formalities. Just sit.”
Instead of asking why Shin Misook, who should be at the Blue House, was here or why the director who summoned him wasn’t, Do Hajun sat in the chair Shin Misook indicated.
He put down Lee Cheongmyeong on his side so he could sleep comfortably, as he had learned from Kim Hana, and Shin Misook spoke in a low voice.
“You seem to be good at taking care of the child now. You must be getting along well with Lee Cheongmyeong.”
“Yes.”
“Is it because you’re a Caregiving hunter? You seem to adapt better than I thought.”
‘It’s not about being a Caregiving hunter. You entrusted me with the child, Ms. President.’
There were many things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t vent them to the President, so Do Hajun chose silence.
“The public opinion isn’t good.”
“I am aware.”
“No, it’s worse than you think. Especially because of the incident at the Seoul Center.”
Do Hajun nodded.
The child has no judgment.
Not knowing it was wrong only made public opinion more anxious.
“There was a suggestion in the National Assembly to put an SBC on Lee Cheongmyeong until he returns.”
At the mention of SBC, a vein popped on Do Hajun’s forehead.
As the world stabilized and peace returned, hunters who abused their power began to emerge.
Even when these abusive hunters were caught, they escaped using their supernatural powers, causing global headaches. Scientists developed a substance to block hunters’ abilities.
That was the SBC (Skill Blockade Choker).
However, the SBC did more than just block a hunter’s abilities.
A hunter’s body, unlike an ordinary person’s, was structured with abilities as part of their cells.
The first hunter to wear an SBC was a murderer who killed 140 people in America.
Before the hunter could resist, the SBC was placed on him as per the court’s ruling, and he collapsed immediately.
As if his soul had left him.
He didn’t eat, sleep, or speak, just lying there blankly, and scientists realized their hypothesis was wrong.
But the side effects of the SBC weren’t resolved.
So it was used only for truly heinous criminals, and they were suggesting putting such a choker on Lee Cheongmyeong?!
Even if it was only for a while, Lee Cheongmyeong was a child.
This was equivalent to state-sponsored child abuse.
It wasn’t something he could agree with, even if it was a presidential order.
“President!”
As a murderous intent filled the room, the guards stepped in front of Shin Misook.
“Heeing.”
In the tense atmosphere of the director’s office, Lee Cheongmyeong whined.
Do Hajun withdrew his murderous intent and gently patted Lee Cheongmyeong’s back.
Shin Misook shook her head as she watched Do Hajun, who was busy calming Lee Cheongmyeong, ignoring the guards staring at him.
“President.”
“It’s fine.”
The guards stuck close to Shin Misook, glaring at Do Hajun.
“I agree with your thoughts. No matter how much safety is a concern, I can’t agree to put that on a child. If I had agreed with that opinion, I would have chosen the SBC over leaving the child in your care in the first place. What I’m saying is that we need to show that Lee Cheongmyeong is safe.”
A chilling gaze was directed at Shin Misook.
“…What do you mean?”
As Shin Misook gestured, the secretary behind her handed over a piece of paper.
When he received the paper with one hand, the bold words “Press Conference” stood out.
“…? Holding a press conference alone won’t.”
“Do you know why Lee Cheongmyeong is a beloved hunter of the country?”
As if not expecting an answer, Shin Misook grinned mischievously.
“Because he’s handsome.”
“What?”
Do Hajun’s expression turned blank instantly.
* * *
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