The plastic card felt unexpectedly heavy in Kim Hyu-Gi’s palm, a small rectangle of validation against the lingering void in his chest. E-Class Hunter. The words, officially embossed and verified, seemed to hum with a subtle energy, a silent testament to the brutal, endless struggle within the Hell Simulation. It was real. He had made it. Yet, the quiet satisfaction that should have blossomed felt muted, overshadowed by the ghost of a C-Class Gate and the faces he'd left behind.
He traced the raised letters of his name, a slight tremor in his fingertips. Kim Hyu-Gi. Not F-Class anymore. This was the first tangible step, a rung pulled from the mud he’d been mired in for so long. The examination itself had been almost laughably easy, a blur of motion and honed instinct. The goblins, those snarling, green-skinned creatures, had fallen like puppets with severed strings under his newfound Basic Swordsmanship and the uncanny awareness granted by Battlefield Adaptation. Seven minutes. He’d walked out of that F-Class dungeon without a scratch, leaving a mountain of twitching bodies in his wake. The efficiency had been chilling, even to himself.
His gaze drifted to the bustling main hall of the National Hunter Association, a cavernous space filled with the low murmur of conversations, the clack of hurried footsteps, and the occasional burst of laughter. Hunters of all ranks moved through, some swaggering with an obvious pride in their abilities, others looking harried and perpetually on edge. He used to be one of the latter, an F-Class speck in a world of giants, clinging to the periphery, praying he wouldn't draw attention. Now, he felt a strange sense of detachment, observing them as if through a pane of thick glass.
“Congratulations, Mr. Kim Hyu-Gi,” a crisp voice cut through his thoughts. He looked up to see the young clerk, her expression a mix of professional cordiality and faint surprise. She was probably still processing the speed of his examination. “Your E-Class license is now fully active. You will begin receiving mission notifications appropriate for your new rank.”
He nodded, offering a stiff, almost unused smile. “Thank you.”
“Do you have any immediate questions, or are you looking to register for a new guild?” she inquired, her finger hovering over a keyboard. Joining a new guild. The thought was like a dull ache. The Three Flowers Guild. Kang Hwok. The others. A wave of cold, heavy silence washed over him, momentarily drowning out the ambient noise of the Association.
“No,” he managed, the word rougher than he intended. “No, thank you. I’ll consider my options.”
He turned and walked away, the E-Class license clutched tight. Each step felt different. Lighter, perhaps, yet also heavier. The physical improvements were undeniable. He felt faster, stronger, his senses sharper. His system panel, which he’d checked again and again in the privacy of his apartment, had glowed with the confirmation: Str +10, Agi +12, Vit +8, Mana +5. The numbers weren’t just abstract values; they were tangible enhancements, a subtle hum beneath his skin. Basic Swordsmanship now felt like an extension of his will, a dance he had mastered through endless, bloody repetitions. Battlefield Adaptation was less a skill and more a second nature, an instinctive understanding of impending threats and optimal positioning.
But what was the point of all this power if it couldn’t save the people who mattered? Kang Hwok had pushed him out, given him the Awakened Stone. A choice. A sacrifice. He still replayed the scene in his mind, the chaotic roar of the Gate, the desperation in Kang Hwok's eyes as he forced the scroll into his hands. *Live, Hyu-Gi. Grow strong.* Had he done enough to honor that? Had he grown strong enough? He closed his eyes for a brief moment, the bustling sounds fading to the distant echo of a dying scream.
He reached the exit, the harsh afternoon sunlight momentarily blinding him. The city, sprawling and indifferent, lay before him. Seoul, a concrete jungle alive with its own rhythm. He was back, truly back, and officially upgraded. But the past clung to him like a shroud. The memory of the Three Flowers Guild, a small, struggling collective, was a constant, gnawing presence. He had escaped, while they... their fate remained an agonizing unknown. The Gate had vanished, leaving no trace. No bodies, no explanations. Just an empty space where a tear in reality had once been.
His apartment, a small, sparsely furnished space, offered little comfort. He tossed the license onto his worn desk, its official gleam a stark contrast to the faded wood. He sat on the edge of his bed, pulling up his system panel again, less out of curiosity and more out of habit. It was all there, unchanging since his promotion. His current stats, his two core skills, the chillingly simple prompt: [HELL SIMULATION SYSTEM]. Beneath it, the countdown to the next simulation was still active, though it seemed to have paused for his rank-up, now ticking towards some unknown future.
He needed to move. Stagnation was a luxury he couldn't afford, not after what he'd been through, not with the memory of his former guild members fresh in his mind. Financial stability was a pressing concern. The meager funds he had from his F-Class days were dwindling. E-Class missions would pay more, significantly more, but they also came with greater risks. He was alone now, truly solo. No Kang Hwok to lead, no other guild members to watch his back. He was the only one he could rely on.
He stood, a newfound resolve hardening his jaw. The quiet validation was there, somewhere beneath the grief. He was E-Class. He was stronger. He had survived. The next step was to prove it, to himself and to the silent, waiting world. He had a license, a system, and a deep-seated need for answers and power. It was time to hunt. Not for survival, not anymore. For growth. For understanding. And perhaps, one day, for reckoning.
He picked up the E-Class license, his thumb brushing over the cool, smooth surface. It was more than just a piece of plastic. It was a promise, a burden, and a path forward. The first mission of an E-Class Hunter, alone, awaited. He would prepare. He would plan. He would not fail. The image of a Wolf Gate, teeming with creatures, flashed through his mind, a potential proving ground. His focus sharpened, his internal monologue shifting from reflection to strategy.