HBSHF | CH 09

Chapter 9 – The Hunter Registration

“Number 572.”

Michael, who had been sitting with a blank face holding a waiting ticket, looked up.
Under the LED display showing that number, a bored clerk tapped the desk.

“Let’s go,” Harin said, pulling Michael and little Eire toward the counter.

As soon as Michael sat on the round stool, it spun slightly.
‘Oh.’
Amused, he kicked his foot and spun himself around again.

“Kyahaha!”
Eire, sitting on his knee, burst into giggles, clapping her hands.

“……”
The clerk watching this scene went expressionless, clearly unimpressed.

“Stop fooling around…” Harin muttered through clenched teeth, pushing down on Michael’s shoulder.

“Haha… we’re here to register him as a Hunter,” she explained awkwardly, handing over Michael’s ID.

The clerk glanced at the ID and muttered quietly, “Mr. Kim Daebang…”

Mixed blood, maybe?
His foreign-looking face was noticeable, but the clerk didn’t care much.

“Hmm. When did you awaken?”
“It hasn’t been a week,” Michael replied.
“Then let’s check your awakening stats first.”

“I’m a Hunter too!” Eire said proudly, popping her little head up over the desk.

The clerk blinked at the sight. “Your daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, I didn’t see her papers attached behind yours.”

The clerk flipped through the documents lazily, sighed, and said with disinterest,
“Well, anyone can take the test and register, no matter the age. But don’t expect too much.
When kids awaken young, they usually only get a D-rank at best.”

He glanced at Eire with a dull, dismissive look.

Eire just blinked innocently.
Harin, however, felt a flash of irritation.

Ugh, all these Association clerks are the same. ‘Like you’d ever get a good rank’—that attitude.
She glared at him quietly.

“Alright, follow me to the test room,” the clerk said, standing up without even looking at them.

“It’s better not to expect too much,” he went on monotonously.
“Even if your status window shows a rank, it often gets corrected after the scan.
Like thinking you’re B-rank but ending up as E-rank.
It’s because of unstable mana flow right after awakening.”

Michael was yawning so hard next to him that his eyes were watering.

“Still, aren’t you being a bit judgmental?” Harin spoke up.

The clerk turned to her. “You’re a Hunter?”
“Yes. Why?”
“What was your initial rank?”
“…B-rank.”
“And now?”
“E-rank.”

The clerk raised an eyebrow, as if to say, Exactly my point.

“Unstable mana flow is normal for new awakeners,” he continued dryly.
“The scanner not only measures mana levels but also corrects that imbalance.”

Harin closed her mouth again. Annoying as he was, he wasn’t wrong.

When she first awakened, her status window showed B-rank.
She had been thrilled—until the official adjustment dropped her all the way down to E-rank.

E-rank isn’t much stronger than an ordinary person… but still, I’m a Hunter, she thought gloomily.

Just as they reached the test room—

“But what happens if I come out as S-rank?” Michael asked casually.

The clerk barely held back a laugh.
“If that happens, you’ll be the second S-rank in Korea. You’d get top-level benefits and support…
Well, if that happens.”

Michael made a thoughtful sound.
“Hmm. That would be nice.”
“…Sorry?”

He smiled, and for a moment the clerk’s face turned red from his good looks.

“Ahem, well, your family can wait outside,” the clerk said quickly, leading Michael into the testing chamber.

“Please lie inside the capsule. Don’t open your eyes during the scan.”

Michael did as told.

“Capsule temperature optimal. Activating mana scanner.”

A blue light passed slowly over his closed eyelids.
“Starting mana balance adjustment.”

A faint mist surrounded him, seeping into his lungs. His muscles relaxed deeply.

Interesting machine, he thought.

Beep, beep, beep—

After a few minutes, the scan ended, and the capsule opened.

“Uh…”
The clerk froze, speechless.

Michael sat up. “Something wrong?”

The clerk stared at the monitor, eyes wide.

“N-no… not wrong, but…”

Michael followed his gaze to the screen.

[Estimated Rank: S-Rank]

“…You got S-rank,” the clerk whispered in disbelief.

Michael nodded calmly.
“I see.”

The clerk’s mind was chaos. Meanwhile, Michael stood and walked toward him.

“So, it’s S-rank?”
“Yes! Congratulations! You’re the second S-rank in Korea! The management bureau will be thrilled—
You’ll get every benefit, full support, and—uh—they’ll explain the details later…”

“You owe me an apology,” Michael said flatly.
“…Sorry? For what?”

Michael tilted his head toward the door.
“For judging me before seeing the results. You insulted me first.”

“Ah…”
The clerk’s face turned pale. Every dismissive word he’d said earlier came back to hit him.

“What’s wrong? S-rank doesn’t include an apology bonus?” Michael smiled faintly.

The clerk just froze, speechless.

***

Meanwhile, chaos erupted in the lobby.

A scout who’d been lazily scrolling his phone jumped up.
“What the—?!”

Soon, every scout’s phone was buzzing.
The Association’s system had just sent out an update: Newly registered S-rank Hunter — Kim Daebang (Michael).

“S-rank?”
“There must be a mistake!”
“Call HR, now!”

The guild scouts, all competing to recruit high-ranking Hunters, were shouting over each other.

“Unbelievable!—well, a good unbelievable!”

Normally, most Hunters were F or E rank, maybe C at best.
An S-rank appearing out of nowhere? It was national news.

“Wait, isn’t he that guy from the Seoul Station dungeon break?!”
“What?”

Some recognized his face from the incident, and gasps filled the room.

***

Back at the test area, Harin heard the commotion from afar.
“Hah… people in the lobby already know before we do,” she muttered.
“But even after adjustment, he’s still S-rank… unbelievable.”

Even she was shocked, though she had seen Michael’s power firsthand.

“Why’s it so noisy out there?”
Michael came out, looking confused.
“Who knows,” Harin said vaguely. It’s you, obviously, she thought.

“Maybe someone’s running around naked,” he said casually.
She bit her tongue. It’s because of YOU, idiot.

“Anyway, Eire’s turn. Oh, and that guy inside said he wants to talk to you later,” Michael added.

“Talk to me?”
“He wants to apologize. For being rude.”

Then he went back inside with Eire.

Harin stood there for a moment, then chuckled softly.
“Hah… he really knows how to catch people off guard.”

But that was only the beginning.
Because the moment Eire entered the testing capsule—
something beyond anyone’s imagination began to happen.