004. We Killed Someone
After finishing the loot collection, Jang Seulbi incinerated Go Ho-min’s corpse with a blast of superheated flames, leaving nothing behind.
I buried his weapon, the tactical knife, deep in the ground so it wouldn’t be found easily.
Once the gate closed, Go Ho-min would vanish without a trace, as if swallowed by the earth.
Just like that, Seulbi and I became accomplices in corpse disposal.
Dusting her hands, Seulbi muttered,
“Phew. Filthy bastard. Rot in hell.”
“Good work.”
“Hee, you too. You saved my life.”
She gave me a rare, genuine smile.
“So, what now?”
“I’ll head to the guild for some help. You should come too.”
“Me? Why?”
“That wrist of yours. You need treatment. Seeing a healer is faster than going to a hospital.”
I nearly jumped in shock.
Healing-type awakeners were the fastest and surest way to recover from injuries—but also the most expensive.
It was like hiring a private helicopter for a trip you could make by subway.
“Wait, you’re seriously gonna waste money on that?!”
“You saved my life. Of course I can cover that much. Just come along.”
As always, Seulbi ignored my protests and strode ahead.
I hopped in Seulbi’s car, and she drove us to the Berserker Guild Headquarters near Seolleung Station.
The entire gleaming new building in the station district belonged to the guild.
Its guildmaster was none other than S-rank Hunter Maeng Jinyong, ‘Berserker’—one of only six S-rank awakeners in Korea.
He specialized in physical enhancement and was reputedly the strongest combatant in the country.
Rumor had it that every time he fought monsters, he grew even stronger, and so large that soon he wouldn’t even fit into a regular car.
I confirmed those rumors the moment we stepped into the second floor of the guild.
“—Hrk!”
Huge.
The largest human I’d ever seen.
Easily over two meters tall, his frame made even the word “giant” feel insufficient.
There he was, Maeng Jinyong, standing in front of the elevator.
Not just tall—broad, too. His shoulders were practically a fortress wall.
He wore a simple oversized black T-shirt and shorts, yet his exposed arms bulged with monstrous muscle.
‘Is… is he really human?’
If someone said he had crawled out of a gate, I’d believe them.
From above, like a voice echoing through a cave, Maeng Jinyong boomed,
“Oh ho, isn’t this Seulbi? Where you coming from?”
“Yes, from Pangyo.”
“And this guy? Your boyfriend?”
“Geez, no! Just a friend.”
“—?!”
I glanced at Seulbi’s profile, dumbfounded.
‘Did she just… say “Geez” to an S-rank Hunter?!’
“Heh, why so shy? You should meet some guys. Don’t waste your youth without dating.”
“Ugh, go away, you’re suffocating.”
Suddenly, Jinyong bent down and shoved his massive face right at me.
“Well now, what’s with your wrist? You hurt yourself?”
He was close enough I could see the stubble sprouting on his chin.
This was an S-rank awakener—basically a superstar.
And here I was, face to face.
“I, uh, y-yeah.”
“Broken, huh. Go inside and get it treated. I’ll tell them to do it for free.”
“Huh? Th-thank you!”
I accepted instantly.
“Free” from him was basically the same as being handed a million won.
Big man, big heart. Of course, as an S-rank, money meant nothing to him.
As soon as he bent down and squeezed himself into the elevator, vanishing inside, I whispered to Seulbi,
“Hey. Is this okay? Talking to an S-rank like that?”
“It’s fine. He’s a nice guy, just nosy.”
She’d only been in the guild for a year, but she acted like she’d known the guildmaster for ages.
I scanned the lobby—indoor plants like dracaenas and lucky bamboo lined the space.
Life-sized cutouts of Jinyong and other guild hunters posed with folded arms, above bold brush-stroke letters declaring “Berserker!!”
For such a large building, it was surprisingly quiet. The reception desk was empty, making it look more like an IT company office than a hunter guild.
Seulbi led me straight to the fourth floor and knocked on a door labeled “Infirmary.”
A woman in a white coat looked up from her monitor, blinking.
“Oh, Seulbi. Are you hurt?”
“Nope. Not me, him—his wrist’s broken. Can you take a look? The guildmaster said it’d be free.”
“Of course. Sit here.”
I perched on a stool, and she examined me.
“Mm, a clean break. It’ll heal quickly. Good first aid, too.”
“Really?”
Nodding, she placed her hand over my wrist and closed her eyes.
A faint white light of ether spread from her palm.
Suddenly, Navi’s voice echoed in my head:
― Healing ability detected. No abnormal signs.
It had stayed silent until now, but apparently it deemed this report necessary.
Someone malicious could disguise themselves as a healer, after all.
As expected of an awakened ability—it was efficient.
Soon, the throbbing pain and swelling faded completely. My fracture was 100% healed.
“All done.”
Seulbi’s face brightened.
“Thank you! Ji Woo-joon, how is it?”
“No pain at all. This is incredible… Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. Be careful next time.”
She smiled warmly and sent us on our way. She hadn’t pried into our circumstances, which was a relief.
“What rank is she?”
“C-rank healer. Bong Yeran. She doesn’t have an alias yet, but she’s really skilled.”
Next, Seulbi dragged me to an office marked “Vice Guildmaster.”
Knock knock.
“Sir, it’s me, Seulbi.”
“Come in.”
Inside was a tidy office scented faintly of Jo Malone diffuser.
A lean man with a trimmed beard sat at the desk, dressed in semi-casual business attire. About forty, by the looks of him.
I recognized him instantly.
B-rank Hunter ‘Jungle Blade’ Kwan Ah-hyeong.
I’d seen videos of him cutting through monster hordes in the city with nothing but a jungle blade.
He was famous not just for his flashy fighting style and showmanship but also as a sharp strategist.
He’d awakened just after graduating law school, switching careers from lawyer to hunter—a unique background that made him stand out.
He looked at us with a mischievous smile.
“Well, well. Seulbi, bringing a guy with you? Your boyfriend? Introduce him?”
“Ugh, not you too. I’m here for something serious.”
“Hey, I only said one line.”
“The guildmaster already said the same thing outside. Why do middle-aged men love gossiping about dating?”
“Because we can’t do it ourselves. Gotta live vicariously.”
“What do you mean can’t? You’ve got a wife.”
“Marriage is nothing like fresh young love, kid.”
He chuckled slyly. In person, he seemed much more easygoing than in the heroic videos.
“So, what’s this serious business?”
Seulbi spoke bluntly.
“Sir. We, uh… killed someone.”
“Pfft.”
Kwan mimed spitting out tea he hadn’t even sipped.
“What the hell? You committed murder?”
“Yes. Go Ho-min, alias ‘Specter.’ That bastard was a villain.”
His face turned grave at once.
A “villain” was what they called criminals with awakened powers.
Usually they were unregistered, but plenty of licensed hunters still committed crimes under the table.
The fact that villains kept appearing only proved how hard it was to catch ability-based crimes.
‘…But should we really be telling him this?’
Seulbi must trust him completely to confess even about hiding the body.
“You beat Go Ho-min? He was A-rank. How’d you kill him?”
“Not me. He did.”
“…Never seen him before. A-rank?”
“Nope. A rookie.”
Kwan’s eyes lit up like a hawk spotting prey.
Leaning forward, he said,
“Both of you, sit. Seulbi, tell me everything.”
For fifteen minutes, she recounted the whole ordeal. I added details here and there.
When he grasped the situation, Kwan nodded approvingly.
“Bringing his phone was smart. Burning the body too. The authorities wouldn’t have been able to arrest or punish him anyway, so that was the right call. Seulbi, you’re finally thinking like an experienced hunter.”
I’d felt uneasy about it, but hearing it framed as “the right call” shook me.
So this was the mindset of pro hunters.
Hard to accept for someone like me, an unawakened “hunter” no different from an ordinary civilian.
Seulbi smiled faintly at the praise.
“So, what should we do now?”
“Don’t breathe a word about Ho-min. We’ll hand the phone to the police through a third party as lost property. If it holds evidence of his crimes, it’ll expose him when he’s reported missing. No one will know you buried him.”
“…We won’t be in trouble?”
“Not at all. We’ve handled things like this plenty. Leave snake business to the snakes. Ho-min was with the Woocheon Alliance guild, but they won’t trace it to you.”
His reassurance eased my nerves.
Then his eyes gleamed with interest.
“By the way, kid—if you’re considering being a hunter, ever thought about joining our guild?”
“…What?”
“You killed an A-rank. And not just any A-rank—Ho-min was hiding his abilities. You took him down in one blow. Tremendous potential. Ji Woo-joon, right? We could start you at around two hundred million won a year. Bonuses separate.”
He flashed two fingers at me.
My eyes widened.
A starting salary of two hundred million, plus bonuses?
That meant even without entering gates, I’d make two hundred million a year.
How much was that a month?
My brain scrambled to do the math—
—but Seulbi suddenly waved her hands, stepping in like she was shielding me.
“Snap out of it! It’s not time for negotiations. Sir, what are you saying to a kid who doesn’t even have a license yet?”
“Seulbi, whose side are you on? You know how short-staffed we are.”
“I’m on the side of justice, obviously.”
“Two hundred million is competitive! Do you know how much Min Kyung-uk makes?”
‘Shield’ Min Kyung-uk was another A-rank in Berserker Guild, someone Seulbi had recently worked with often.
“In my opinion, he’s stronger than Kyung-uk. By far.”
Seulbi stated firmly.
A strange flutter stirred in my chest, while Kwan’s eyes practically shot laser beams.
“Whoa… that’s high praise. And you don’t throw words around lightly, Seulbi. Now I really want him.”
“First let him get licensed. Why talk salary before even knowing his ability?”
“Should I call the Association? We can get him tested right now.”
Kwan rubbed his hands together like a schemer, grinning ear to ear.
