* * *

Humans are creatures of adaptation, and as time went on, people gradually grew accustomed to harboring hatred and anger toward an unknown someone.

During the first week of the “Hate Phenomenon,” uncontrollable rage caused numerous disturbances and incidents.

However, by the second week, video titles such as “Who Are You? Bounty Project – Report Hate and Win 100 Million” and “Do you feel like you’re the one hated by everyone?” began circulating online.

By the third week, the Hate Phenomenon had become a part of daily life.

People started using it as a meme: “I made so many mistakes at work todayㅠ I totally deserve to be hatedㅠ” or “I wish I could get hated… If I were, people on the subway would get up to avoid me, and then I could sit down in their place…”

Even variety shows with celebrities featured captions like, “Who’s Today’s Hate?”

As the normalization of the Hate Phenomenon unfolded, the Awakener Safety Bureau began preparing for the next phase.

“We need to reveal the reason behind the Hate Phenomenon to the world and begin serious preparations for the global response to Grade 6 dungeons. It’s time to get ready in earnest,” declared Go Hyeyeol, director of the bureau.

In the conference room on the fifth basement level of the Awakener Safety Bureau, Director Kim Eunji nodded in agreement with Go Hyeyeol’s statement, while the minister and deputy minister exchanged uneasy glances.

Now more like politicians than hunters, they couldn’t help but consider the political repercussions of revealing the existence of the Hate Phenomenon.

However, they agreed that preparations for the Grade 6 dungeon needed to progress swiftly.

“We should schedule the official announcement for next week, once people have adapted further,” suggested the deputy minister.

“No, let’s do it this week. I’m entering a dungeon next week, and you’re not planning to hold the press conference without me, are you?”

Seohwa, sitting at the far end of the long table, spoke up. His words brought a sudden chill to the room.

“The week is already half over. Affairs of state aren’t something you can handle as casually as unwrapping candy,” the minister protested.

“You’ve been preparing for this announcement ever since the Hate Phenomenon began. Over the last three weeks, you’ve checked and reviewed everything thoroughly, yet now you act as if we’re rushing into this,” Seohwa retorted.

“Every hunter knows how meticulous the bureau’s work is. It’s only the general public, the non-awakened citizens, who wouldn’t believe it.”

Though Seohwa’s words were meant as a compliment, they came off as biting sarcasm to his audience.

“Let’s do it in two days. Announce it on Friday, handle the aftermath over the weekend, and I’ll enter the dungeon on Monday. Perfect timing.”

“It wouldn’t hurt to wait until after the next dungeon raid,” suggested the deputy minister.

“This time, the dungeon is Grade 4. Clearing it will take about a week to ten days. Are you sure that’s acceptable?” Seohwa asked.

“Does it have to be you entering the dungeon? You could just tell our hunters how to unlock the hidden missions and obtain the items instead of always entering yourself to secure them,” the minister argued.

The minister’s words were a complete distortion of the truth.

Seohwa entered dungeons personally because the conditions for unlocking hidden missions were too complex to explain.

For example, “Dig into the hole between the bush and the rock in the prairie dungeon that appeared a week before 0:00 on 0/0.” Even with such instructions, bushes and rocks were ubiquitous in prairie dungeons. Searching every single one would be impractical.

Seohwa himself had wasted considerable time initially by following vague directions from other hunters. Having someone who already knew the exact location and conditions was far more efficient.

Furthermore, Seohwa always relinquished ownership of items obtained from hidden missions to the Awakener Safety Bureau immediately upon exiting the dungeon.

He hadn’t kept a single item for personal use.

The minister was well aware of this but chose to attack Seohwa regardless.

“Senior Yoon, while I don’t like agreeing with this man either, we should proceed with the official announcement as quickly as possible,” said Director Kim Eunji. “The speed at which rumors are spreading is alarming.”

“Director Kim is right. We can’t hide this individual’s existence forever. If the rumors continue to spread unchecked and the truth leaks out, the bureau will lose trust worldwide. Stabilizing the situation before it spirals out of control is crucial,” Go Hyeyeol added.

Eventually, the minister relented.

“Hmm… I’ve been concerned about the rumors as well. Very well, we’ll proceed.”

Thus, the date for the official announcement and press conference regarding the Hate Phenomenon was set.

“Even if we confirm the facts, many won’t believe in this individual,” someone noted.

“Yes, particularly civilians,” replied another.

“Still, once it’s revealed that the subject of the rumors is an awakened individual, perhaps the animosity will subside.”

The Fusion system, which granted awakened individuals mysterious powers, had been a part of the world for 30 years.

Since its inception, people had been fixated on discovering the conditions for awakening.

Could awakening be induced artificially?

No definitive answers had emerged, but one undeniable truth had solidified in public perception:

No awakened person was evil.

There were no criminals or terrorists among the awakened.

If asked, “Does every good person awaken?” the answer was uncertain.

But to the question, “Are all awakened people good?” the answer was a resounding yes.

This belief was supported by years of data. If someone with a criminal record awakened, the assumption was, “They must have been falsely accused.”

Thus, while the Hate figure might be despised, learning they were an S-class hunter would lead people to think, “They’re not a heinous criminal, and their claims aren’t entirely false.”

Even if their words were lies, as an awakened individual, they were trusted not to harm humanity.

However, understanding this logically and accepting it emotionally were entirely different matters.

Even now, the minister, deputy minister, director, and bureau chief wrestled with insidious doubts:

“Don’t trust that thing. Exclude them immediately.”

“It will endanger the world. Remove it from existence.”

“This is the devil’s whisper. That person has come to destroy us.”

If even awakened individuals felt this way, how much more conflicted would the general public be?

“At any rate, chaos is inevitable. We’ll need the cooperation of the Ministry of Interior and Safety,” one official noted.

“The financial market will be hit hard. We’ll need to halt stock trading and prepare for potential bank runs,” another added.

“How much should we disclose to other nations?”

“Inform the allied countries, at least.”

“What about the World Hunter Union and other hunter organizations?”

“The heads of the hunter organizations already have a rough idea. Let’s just inform them of the date.”

As the meeting continued, Seohwa listened only half-heartedly.

Seohwa’s primary goal had been to inform the world about the existence of a 6th-grade dungeon as quickly as possible.

Now that he’d accomplished that, he was satisfied.

The resulting political, economic, and social upheaval wasn’t something he felt responsible for.

Even back when he was the guild leader, Seohwa would often use dungeon expeditions as an excuse to dodge political affairs, sending Kang Yigeon or Simjin in his place.

“Once this meeting is over, I’ll stop by HanaPotion’s synthesis lab and the weapons workshop… Then, I’ll head back to my quarters for some rest.”

It had been three weeks, yet his left arm still hadn’t fully healed.

Even though the initial treatment had been delayed, he’d never experienced recovery this slow before.

“Should I try asking for treatment if the mood seems right?”

Seohwa stole a glance at the man sitting diagonally across from him.

Kang Yigeon was focused on the meeting agenda, clenching and unclenching his fists.

That small gesture revealed his desire to participate in the discussion.

Among the fifteen attendees, Kang Yigeon was the only one who was a guild-affiliated hunter rather than a member of the Department of Awakened Affairs, which meant he refrained from speaking.

Sensing the gaze on him, Kang Yigeon turned to glare at Seohwa. When Seohwa winked, Gam’s handsome face scrunched into a scowl.

“His expressions change so much more now compared to the previous timelines—it’s refreshing.”

The Kang Yigeon Seohwa remembered had been someone who maintained a calm, collected expression even when a politician he despised said something repugnant right to his face.

Now, his inability to mask his emotions made his thoughts almost transparent.

Seohwa wanted to keep watching, but doing so would likely only make Kang Yigeon more uncomfortable.

For everyone’s sake, he lowered his gaze quietly.

---

At 1 p.m. on Friday, as scheduled, the public announcement began. The president’s speech was brief.

“While it’s ideal for politics, military, and economic matters to remain distinct, the reality is that they are inextricably intertwined. However, the hunter system is different.”

“Matters of the system should be left to the Awakened.”

“This has been a fundamental principle since the system first appeared 30 years ago.”

* * *