Chapter 1: An Insignificant Existence

“Well, what does Leader Ion think?”

On the left, a Hunter from Earth, South Korea.

“I’m a bit unsure myself. I’ll follow Ion’s decision on this one.”

On the right, an Aura User from the Illiand Empire, Idea.

“Damion, you handle it. I trust you.”

Across from them, a demonic race whose identity still remained a mystery.

Pruuung.

A round monster crying out in a repulsive manner…

“Leader Ion, please make the decision…”

“If it’s Hunter Ion’s call, we’ll accept it.”

“If it’s Lord Ion, we can trust it.”

Countless people turned their gazes toward Ion all at once.

Ion maintained a blank expression on the outside, but inwardly, he was sweating coldly.

How did I end up making a decision that determines the fate of the world?

Why did I, an insignificant existence, become the center of attention at this grand meeting?

In truth, there was no need to agonize. The answer was already clear.

From the very beginning.

From the moment ‘Teacher’ brought me here, this situation was inevitable.

Ion’s green eyes traced back to distant memories.

The first memory was of a large hand stroking his head.

The palm, as big as a cauldron lid, was more rough than smooth, covered in calluses.

Yet it was warm enough to convey comfort to a child.

“I brought you here. I am your benefactor and your teacher. You must serve and obey me. Always remember that.”

Teacher spoke in a soft voice, mismatched with his sturdy build, and took Ion to an orphanage.

The orphanage was like a villa in the forest, a magical place where tiny fairies with wings fluttered about.

Teacher called them spirits.

Teacher was busy for a while, traveling frequently.

Each time he returned to the orphanage, he brought one or two children, all around four or five years old, like Ion.

When the number of children reached thirty-two, Teacher’s wanderings ended.

Gathering the four- and five-year-olds together, Teacher spoke.

“I’m not from Earth. I’m a wizard from another world.”

“I thought so.”

“It seemed like it.”

“It’d be weird if you weren’t.”

The children chimed in with a word or two.

Ion remained silent.

“The reason I gathered you all… I don’t know where to begin. For starters, this place isn’t reality.”

“Are you talking about the simulation universe theory?”

One child raised their hand eagerly and asked.

“No, it’s simpler than that. This is inside a novel. A novel serialized online by someone from Earth.”

“Teacher! You’re from another world, so how do you know this is a novel written by someone from Earth?”

“Because this body is a wizard from another world, but my soul is from Earth, outside the novel. Now, no more questions. Listen quietly to what I have to say.”

Teacher roughly ran a hand through his gray-streaked hair and began his story.

According to Teacher, it went like this:

Teacher was a high school student who loved reading web novels.

Living a relatively carefree life under kind parents, alongside siblings he bickered with like sworn enemies, he woke up on the morning of his college entrance exam to see an unfamiliar ceiling.

The face in the mirror was unmistakably that of an old wizard from Idea, a character from the web novel he’d read all night.

<hunters and  heroes>

A beautiful magical world where humans, fairies, dragons, and various races coexist… Idea.

A brilliant scientific world where humans rule over plants and animals… Earth.

One day, both Idea and Earth face a cataclysm.

A dungeon break occurs.

Dungeons are connected to the demon world, and crazed monsters pour out of gates, destroying everything in their path.

In response, brave individuals from both worlds enter the dungeons to fight back.

In Idea, they are called Aura Users; on Earth, they are called Hunters.

The two worlds learn of each other’s existence through the dungeons and begin to interact.

They unite for a single goal: to defeat the Demon King, ruler of the demon world, and restore peace.

Teacher was possessed by a supporting wizard character from Idea.

This was during the wizard’s middle years, before the cataclysm, when he claimed he could travel to other dimensions through magic.

Teacher spread hints about the impending cataclysm in Idea, then used spatial magic to travel to Earth.

He came hoping to find his family… but there was no family to find.

Without time to grieve, Teacher began preparations.

His goal was to help the protagonists of <hunters and  heroes> reach the story’s conclusion faster and safer.

Teacher believed this was why he was possessed in this novel.

“You are children with high potential to awaken as Hunters during the dungeon break fifteen years from now.”

“Are we the main characters of the novel?”

“No, you are insignificant existences, not even mentioned by name in the story.”

“You’re gathering talented kids who weren’t described in the novel, training them, and having them assist the protagonists.”

“Exactly. Now that I’ve explained, training begins tomorrow. I’ll be a strict teacher, so don’t make me angry and follow my lead.”

From then on, it was training, training, and nothing but training.

Teacher kept his word—he was a terrifyingly strict teacher.

The training was so harsh that children dropped like moths diving into a flame.

One day, five children died at once from the grueling regimen, yet Teacher didn’t allow time for mourning and pressed on with training as usual.

Teacher constantly drilled into his disciples:

“Always remember and repeat this: the most important things in this world are the protagonists. You must do anything for them. Your lives are worth no more than insects. Understood?”

Ion always responded politely:

“Yes, Teacher. I’ll do anything for the protagonists. I’ll even risk my life. Don’t worry.”

Time passed…

Out of the thirty-two orphans, only six survived, including Ion.

The children vaguely sensed an age difference among themselves, but Teacher insisted they were all nineteen.

The day before the cataclysm, the surviving orphans gathered in the dining hall, waiting for Teacher.

No one touched their food as the sun set.

When they checked the bedroom, Teacher was already a cold corpse.

The orphans split into three groups:

“Teacher abused us, and I never wanted to do this in the first place! I’m going to find my own life!”

“Teacher saved us. We must honor his legacy by carrying on his will.”

“I don’t know what to do. I’ll think about it…”

The orphans grouped with like-minded friends and scattered.

Ion leaned toward the second group.

The reason was simple.

‘I am your benefactor and your teacher. You must serve and obey me. Always remember that.’

Teacher had told him to obey.

Defying Teacher’s words didn’t exist in Ion’s mind.

He knew exactly what Teacher wanted, and they had to carry out that will.

The reason I’m alive is to fulfill Teacher’s wish. That’s all.

“Ion, after we awaken, we’re going to join the Hunter industry and help the protagonists. It’d be great if you joined us.”

“No. It’s easier to move freely alone.”

Ion flatly rejected his ‘legacy’ friend’s offer and set out on his own.

Though he and his friends seemed to share the same goal on the surface, digging deeper revealed a significant difference.

In <hunters and  heroes>, the protagonists defeat the Demon King, restoring peace to the world.

By defeating the Demon King.

The Demon King.

The Demon King is the key.

In the novel’s setting, the Demon King is sealed somewhere in the demon world or Idea, but even Teacher, who read the novel, didn’t know where.

‘The author locked that chapter as private. Even after the novel ended, they never revealed it. Not only do we not know the seal’s location, but we don’t even know if the Demon King was a beast or humanoid, or how it was killed. That’s a real shame.’

After Teacher’s death, Ion’s first thought was:

‘I have to find the Demon King.’

Ultimately, the protagonists’ goal is to kill the Demon King. That’s how the novel ends.

In the story, the Demon King is unsealed ten years later, but Ion didn’t want to wait that long.

The thought of living another ten years felt unbearable.

‘I’ll find the Demon King and bring it before the protagonists.’

The next day, as predicted, the cataclysm struck.

South Korea, and the entire world, was turned upside down.

Ion faced the cataclysm at the empty orphanage with the spirits, after his friends had left.

Teacher said he only gathered children with the potential to awaken, so I should awaken too, right?

What type will I be?

Combat? Healing? Support?

Or maybe a special type like item crafting or foresight. Anything that helps conquer dungeons.

Ion comforted the spirits mourning Teacher’s death and waited a day.

But no system window or awakening message appeared.

“Oh… I guess I didn’t awaken.”

Ion calmly accepted reality as the spirits tilted their heads in confusion.

Ion picked up a pre-packed bag and left the villa.

The spirits, unable to leave the villa’s boundaries, cried as they saw him off.

“I won’t burn it down. You’re still here. But since a gate might appear nearby, some basic protection is needed.”

Ion knelt and pressed his palm to the ground.

Rumble rumble—

Vivid green vines sprouted instantly, enveloping the entire orphanage in a dome.

Now, nothing could enter without the spirits’ permission.

This was why Ion accepted his lack of awakening so easily.

He was already an ability user, even without a system window.

Among the orphans, Ion was the only one with abilities before the dungeon break.

No one knew why—not even Teacher.

‘Teacher, I feel an incredible energy surging. What is this?’

‘What… I don’t know… It’s scary. Stay back…’

‘…’

‘Kidding. It looks similar to Idea’s magic. Let’s call it magic for now.’

Teacher added that, since Ion grew up with spirits, it was theoretically possible for him to awaken to magic.

But none of the other orphans had magical abilities, so it was strange.

Ion said goodbye to the spirits and left the orphanage.

There was much to do ahead.

One year later.

“What’s with this gate or whatever? Why’d it have to show up in a backwater village like this? The Association doesn’t care if rural dungeons overflow or not. Hiring a guild costs a fortune. What are we supposed to do, huh?”

The village chief ranted to his companion.

“Instead of high-ranking Hunters who only show up for big money, mercenaries like you, who work for less, should be more famous. It’s a relief there are still righteous young Hunters in the world. Thank you so much.”

“…”

“Leader Ion?”

“Oh, no need to thank me. I’m just doing this to make a living.”

The person looking down at the ground raised their head and gave a small smile.

Brown hair, green eyes, a refined face.

Except for the wise, detached look in his eyes, more like an old man’s than a youth’s, he appeared more boyish than young man.

This boy was Dam Ion.

The ‘Ion Mercenary Corps’ was the name of the mercenary group Ion had been running for a year.