STC Chapter 1- Prologue

“Eighteen, nineteen!”

“Is it really eighteen? Feels like you counted one more.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Trying to pull a fast one on me? Twenty!”

“T-twenty-one…!”

“Hey, catch that liar properly, damn it. Twenty-one!”

“I-I wasn’t lying…!”

In the desolate wasteland, a sudden number game continued.

Amid the dust rising noisily, I sat huddled up on a large rock, hugging my knees.

Huge bird-like monsters crumbled like reeds in a strong wind.

‘Heh, they’ve got plenty of energy. Keep going, keep going.’

Watching the three men flying around recklessly, I chuckled like a sage.

By now, I was quite used to seeing them all fired up.

‘I just wish they’d finish quickly so we could all go home.’

While I was having such idle thoughts, a man with dark blue hair suddenly yelled at me.

“Hey, Kang Baram! What are you doing?!”

“What do you think? Thanks to you, I’m resting comfortably.”

“Do you think we brought you up there to rest? You were supposed to count!”

As Ye Ilhu shouted, Ryu Min, who was stabbing his sword into the monster’s face, looked at me and smiled.

“Don’t worry, Baram. I’m counting just fine for you.”

Just as I was about to admire his incredibly beautiful face, a platinum-blonde man swung his longsword, smashing the monster to the ground.

Boom! With a tremendous roar, the ground cracked open.

Smiling brightly, Ryu Min taunted the two men.

“Looks like I’ll win today. It’s twenty-four.”

At that, tears welled up in the eyes of Chae Goya, who had been summoning creatures earnestly.

“No way. I haven’t been able to eat with Baram for two days already…”

Ryu Min, who had just dealt with the last monster, brushed off his dirty hands and smiled.

“Too bad, but better luck next time, Goya.”

Though Ryu Min often treated the sensitive and kind-hearted Chae Goya with care, he was particularly firm when it came to matters involving me.

I clicked my tongue and thought to myself.

‘Honestly, I wouldn’t mind eating with everyone.’

But if I dared to say this out loud, who knows what the guild master would do to me.

A while ago, he had called me and said,

[Thanks to Hunter Kang Baram, the three are fired up and taking down monsters. So…]

He made a gesture of slicing his neck with his thumb and smiled ominously.

[If you dare break their momentum, even as a strong hunter, I won’t let it slide. Understood?]

I swallowed hard and nodded quickly. At twenty-six, or rather twenty-three, I had no desire to ascend to heaven just yet.

While reminiscing about past events, someone suddenly landed in front of me. A light breeze blew at Ye Ilhu’s feet as he extended a hand to me.

“I’ll help you down, so get up.”

“…Sigh.”

Having been placed on this high rock without my consent, I had no choice but to take his hand to get down. The rock was too high to descend alone.

At my slight sigh, Ye Ilhu furrowed his brow but didn’t withdraw his hand.

As I took his hand and stood up, he slipped his arm under my knees and lifted me up effortlessly.

To stabilize myself, I wrapped my arms around his neck. Suddenly, the rim of his ear, which had come into my sight, turned red.

“Hold on tight, Kang Baram.”

“Yes, yes.”

As I responded appropriately and tightened my grip, a translucent window, only visible to me, popped up above Ye Ilhu’s head.

[Ye Ilhu / SS-Rank Hunter (Elemental Attack)]

[♥ Affection Level ♥ : 413 / ??]

[System: 87 more to 500! Keep it up! (๑ゝω･)ﾉ♡]

Just for wrapping my arms around his neck, the affection level went up by 13 today.

I didn’t like this system that clearly enjoyed teasing me.

It was maddening.

***

About three months ago.

“Gasp!”

I clutched my chest, gasping for breath. It felt as if I’d been dragged up from underwater; my breathing was rapid, and my throat was tight.

I shot up, sitting upright, and quickly patted myself down like someone searching for their wallet at a subway turnstile.

Only after confirming that my body was intact did I start to recall the incident I had experienced.

‘I… I definitely got into a car accident.’

I am Kang Baram. A discharged soldier, a physical education student, aged twenty-six. Taking a temporary leave of absence for some reason, I was on my way to feed Nero, a stray cat, after finishing my part-time job at the gym.

Nero, despite his ordinary name, was a superstar in the alley near the gym, adored by the local residents. I was also charmed by Nero and voluntarily went to offer him treats.

However, for some reason, Nero suddenly dashed out of the alley, and, just like in a drama, a truck appeared simultaneously.

And as I instinctively lunged to save Nero…

“….”

My last memory was of the bloodstorm that filled my vision and the sharp screams of people. Ah, so this is how I die. My life, though short at twenty-six years, wasn’t bad.

Just when I thought I’d bid farewell to the world, I woke up in an unfamiliar room.

‘Is this a hospital?’

The scene was strangely ordinary, like a bedroom rather than a hospital. The room, shrouded in darkness, looked as if someone had simply moved their living space here.

Moreover, my body was inexplicably fine. After being hit directly by a speeding 10-ton truck, it was impossible for anyone, unless a superhero, to remain unscathed.

While still bewildered by the situation, I sensed someone quickly approaching from afar.

The sound of light footsteps continued intermittently until they stopped close by.

Knock, knock, a sound came from the door. Startled, I looked towards it, and then the door was knocked on forcefully as if it would fall off its hinges. Startled by the rough pounding, I instinctively opened the door.

As soon as the door opened, the person entered without hesitation.

‘What, what the hell?!’

“Kang Baram! Time to go for breakfast!”

The owner of the voice, as vigorous as her footsteps, was a girl I’d never seen before. She briskly drew back the blackout curtains.

Suddenly, the dark room was flooded with bright sunlight that stung my eyes.

Squinting against the unexpected brightness, I gradually adjusted to the light and saw the girl standing in front of me. She was my age, healthy-looking, with a ponytail.

“…Who are you?”

But their hair… it’s red. What’s this? A hidden camera prank?

In response to my dumbfounded question, the woman twisted her eyes and patted my shoulder. Her touch was quite harsh.

“Hey, that’s not funny, okay? They’re serving spicy braised chicken today. If we don’t go now, those pig-like hunters will eat everything. Let’s go.”

“Huh? Oh, but I haven’t even washed my face yet…”

“Who are you trying to look handsome for? Wash up after we eat. I’ll give you ten seconds, just change your clothes.”

The girl pushed me, who was still in a daze, out of the room.

I thought her actions seemed familiar, and they were exactly like my sister’s. If I didn’t get out quickly, I was sure I’d get smacked.

Sure enough, as I was putting on my pants, she banged on the door from outside, urging me.

“Kang Baram! The chicken stew will be gone!”

“Alright, I’m coming out now!”

Afraid she might burst through the door again, I hurried out.

* * *

I still hadn’t fully grasped what had happened, but absurdly, I found myself standing in line at the cafeteria with a tray in my hand.

“Oh, Yeonji, Yeonji.”

“Is Taekgyun, you’re here?”

“Why is Kang Baram zoning out like that?”

“No idea, he’s been out of it since this morning.”

Feeling awkward, I smiled. As the sleepiness completely vanished, information started to enter my previously foggy mind like memories being restored.

The girl who stormed into my room like a hurricane this morning was Jeong Yeonji, one of my only two friends.

And the one next to her was Heo Taekgyun, my other only friend.

As I pieced together the resurfacing memories, I silently eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Hunter Goo Hyeonseung is returning to the guild, right?”

“Yeah, we should check his schedule.”

“Where would you be without me?”

“Thank you, Yeonji noona.”

“Buy me coffee later if you’re grateful.”

“But he was discharged surprisingly quickly. Didn’t he get seriously injured last time in the A-rank gate because the support team didn’t do their job properly?”

Their conversation continued, excluding only me. Then, suddenly, Yeonji pointed her chopsticks at me and scolded Taekgyun.

“Are you going to say that in front of someone from the support team? That was just an accident.”

Listening to their conversation… Let’s see. Hunters, guilds, support teams, gates.

‘This is unbelievable.’

Unless this was a dream, it seemed I had been transmigrated into a hunter’s world.