X
Join our Discord server and get release updates for every novel you follow.
Join the Server#112
It was Beom Yeonhu, holding a document envelope in his hand.
As Dokyeom pressed on his knees and rose, Beom Yeonhu’s gaze, who had been stepping out of the building, immediately landed on him. Somehow, without any sign, their eyes met, and Beom Yeonhu quickly approached.
“Dokyeom.”
Beom Yeonhu, who came running almost like a sprint, didn’t look good. With a restless and anxious expression, he looked at Dokyeom, then as if something was bothering him, he even hid the envelope he held behind his back.
“What is it? Now I want to snatch it even more.”
“No, Dokyeom…”
His complexion was bad, on top of his hesitant behavior. Was it something that hard to say?
…What? Could it be that his rank dropped? There’s no way.
No… that’s not true. There was a possibility. Those scenes Beom Yeonhu had shown. That tenacious appearance, gasping for breath while spilling blood. If the price of surpassing his limits acted as a ‘poison,’ it was entirely possible that his rank had fallen.
“…Let me see it. Just for a moment. Let me see what you’re hiding behind your back…”
“Hyung… don’t throw it away, Dokyeom.”
He froze.
Just as he was reaching out to snatch it quickly, such words suddenly came out. Dokyeom stiffened and looked up at Beom Yeonhu. He was still restless, resembling a guard dog that had caused trouble and was seeking forgiveness, quite unlike his usual self.
Just as Dokyeom blinked in confusion, from within the strangely suspended air, a group of people appeared breathlessly outside the entrance of the Association building.
Their attire was all neat, and some among them looked quite old; no matter how lowly I guessed, they didn’t seem like mere employees.
As he was wondering what it was, the group, looking around, soon spotted Dokyeom and began rushing over as if fire was licking their feet.
To Dokyeom’s eyes, it looked like a scene just before a tsunami struck.
“Hunter Beom Yeonhu!!”
“Instead of just leaving like this, please take a moment to talk with us…!”
At the voice that fell like a shout, Beom Yeonhu closed his eyes and covered his eyelids for a moment, as if tired. Frowning slightly with eyes mixed with confusion—
An unexpected ambush came from behind.
Zing—
A vibration sound rang from somewhere. The source was inside Dokyeom’s pants pocket. Specifically, his phone.
Realizing, he took out the phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. The name of reporter ‘Ju Nohaan,’ who had helped Dokyeom during the gate wage arrears incident, was prominently displayed.
The phone rang a few times and then hung up without regret. Instead, a long text message that seemed hastily written appeared on the screen.
[Hunter Han, this is reporter Ju Nohaan. You seem busy, so I’ll leave a text. Oh, and I saw that incredible video broadcast from the snowy mountain (thumbs up emoji). But back then, the name of that hunter you were with is making quite a buzz in this field now….]
The beginning of the message started like that. After scrolling down, a question that cut to the chase was written below.
[So, I’m curious. That, why… there’s a hunter named Beom Yeonhu who’s been with Hunter Han? About that friend, have they had a rank test recently…? Because I heard something like nonsense.]
What that nonsense was probably inside the document envelope Beom Yeonhu was holding.
The people who seemed like Association affiliates were already approaching in a single stride, reaching out as if to grab Beom Yeonhu’s pants hem. Just as their hands were about to touch Beom Yeonhu’s collar—
Another ambush appeared from an unexpected place.
Screech—
From the Association’s main gate, no less.
About five or six broadcasting company vehicles stopped with an unpleasant sound scraping the asphalt, and instantly poured out a crowd like ants. Even at the very front, running with eyes wide open, was none other than reporter ‘Ju Nohaan,’ who had just sent the text.
Among the Association officials, words like ghost or swarm of bees were flying out as if spitting.
“Anyway, they sniff out the scent with precision!”
“For now, rather than staying here, let’s go inside! Quickly!”
Seeing this, Dokyeom became curious. What could be written that was so great that everyone was so fervent about it?
Dokyeom snatched the documents from Beom Yeonhu’s hand without warning, who was sighing in embarrassment. Then, turning his back on a restless Beom Yeonhu who followed anxiously, he tore open the envelope and quickly took out the documents.
“Dokyeom, hyung is that…”
“I know, so stay still. I’ll read and give it back.”
Beom Yeonhu, who had been pacing nervously, stepped in front of Dokyeom to protect him as people rushed over, blocking the crowd. Along with Agon, who was growling beside him, and Dali, who had put down his food and stood up, they added their strength.
“Are you Hunter Beom Yeonhu?!”
“I’m Woo Gihan from YTV, Hunter Beom Yeonhu! Is it true that you recently underwent a rank readjustment test?!”
In an instant, the people surrounding Beom Yeonhu pressed shutters and shouted at the top of their lungs, turning the area into a bustling market.
Inside it, Dokyeom, like a person in a separate space, turned his back to the crowd and stared at the test notice. There were a total of four documents with countless test items disorderly listed.
The test dates were today and three days ago.
Dokyeom quickly scanned the documents from three days ago first. At the top of the test notice, a red stamp was crookedly placed. Below that, a request for retest stating that the result was deemed ‘error’ and requiring retesting was written hastily.
Swallowing dry saliva, Dokyeom examined the test items deemed ‘error’ with a troubled gaze. And he couldn’t help but be amazed.
All the test item values recorded absurdly high numbers for a C-rank hunter standard.
The next test notice was the same. The standard values tested with B-rank in mind far exceeded the upper limit.
Finally, as he examined the A-rank test notice, Dokyeom blinked blankly.
…What is this?
Even in the A-rank standard items, Beom Yeonhu’s values soared endlessly. As his mind spun, the remaining test notice caught his eye. The red stamp that read ‘Final Confirmation’ in front of it made him breathless.
Whether it was because the people’s bloody shouts echoed like a hum, his heart seemed to pound. After hesitating for a long time, Dokyeom turned the pages and lifted the final confirmation notice.
And then, he had no choice but to drop the remaining documents. Because it was utterly unbelievable.
The numerous letters and official seals stamped inside the white documents. And gold seals.
The grade stamped large within the ornate line—
“Why is this….”
It was ‘S’-rank.
Korea’s fourth S-rank hunter.
In an instant, a shiver ran up his spine, and before he knew it, Dokyeom covered his mouth.
[The demon ‘Orias’ of ‘Lemegeton’ silently covers its mouth.]
That S-rank hunter, that became Beom Yeonhu.
***
For a week, all kinds of media poured out only news of Beom Yeonhu’s rank upgrade like a dam breaking. In fact, it wasn’t that there were no cases of hunters whose ranks had increased.
It was just that the number was small; abroad, though rare, news of rank upgrades occasionally appeared on the news.
The problem was that there had never been a re-awakened hunter who jumped more than ‘one grade.’ But that mind-boggling event happened in Korea, of all places, so the buzz was indescribable.
Thanks to that, Beom Yeonhu, who had skipped three whole grades from C-rank and reached S-rank, instantly became a hero who elevated the nation’s prestige.
Moreover, when the pitiful story that he had faced all sorts of sarcasm from Association employees every time he visited for rank tests spread, Beom Yeonhu, riding on that sympathy, immediately surpassed Hunters Geon Ita, Taeseongyeon, and Hadongwon in status.
His performance in the video shot at the snowy mountain probably played a part as well.
Thus, these days, Beom Yeonhu had become a celebrity who saved the country, to the extent that even when he entered a small shop, people recognized him.
Of course, Beom Yeonhu himself was spending days with little interest in his own fame.
“Dokyeom, come eat.”
A quiet voice now carried a rather heavy tone. Dokyeom, who had been lounging on the sofa and flipping channels, immediately got up at those words. Dali, who had been playing with a cube puzzle next to Dokyeom, also quickly stood up and headed to the table.
“Hyung, give me just a little rice. I’m going to eat bread later anyway.”
“Ah… is it a lot? You’ve been eating too little lately…. If you leave it, I’ll just eat it.”
“Why eat leftovers? I’ll try to finish it all first.”
As he picked up his spoon and scooped the seaweed soup in front of him, he felt very grateful. Because it was seaweed soup boiled by an S-rank.
Except for Agon, who was resting in the bathroom pool, it was a meal for just the three of them. When Dokyeom started eating, Dali also grabbed the rice ball in front of him and began chewing thoroughly. Beom Yeonhu also sat properly and picked up his spoon.
While Dokyeom was eating his rice, he looked at Beom Yeonhu picking up a side dish and asked abruptly.
“Hyung, are you okay with controlling your power? I heard it’s hard when your rank suddenly rises.”
“I adapted during my stay at the hospital, so it’s fine. Sounds and presences are still vivid and hard to distinguish, but that too will soon be okay.”
A faint smile lingered at the corner of his mouth. He had probably realized the change in his body early on. ‘During his stay at the hospital’ must refer to the time Dokyeom had lost consciousness.
It means that by then, Beom Yeonhu had already finished adapting to his rank. In just two days.
You think this chapter was thrilling? Wait until you read After My Online Identity Was Exposed, The Crown Prince Wouldn't Let Me Go! Click here to discover the next big twist!
Read : After My Online Identity Was Exposed, The Crown Prince Wouldn't Let Me Go
