INHO 14

End and Beginning (14)

I sat on the sofa, resting my chin on my hand.

The cushion was soft — probably expensive.

‘Guess I really did absorb it.’

I’d been startled at first, but once I calmed down and thought it through, there was only one possible explanation.

A clone was just a skill — a body made purely of mana…

Realizing it wasn’t a big deal, I sighed and flopped down on my side. The leather against my cheek felt smooth.

I should enjoy this brief peace while it lasts. Since I’d absorbed his clone, Lee Yul would no doubt come storming in any minute. And when he did, the nagging would be endless. My ears already hurt just thinking about it.

‘Status window.’

Still lying down, I called up the window. A translucent panel appeared, tilted to match my line of sight.

The mana that had caused all that commotion hadn’t increased by much, even after absorbing the entire clone — just a bit added on top of my base amount.

Probably because it was someone else’s mana. Less efficient.
Or maybe that core had just been a scam.

“Well, yeah. It was kind of busted…”

Judging by its power, it definitely hadn’t been an ordinary core.
Yawning, I rubbed my eyes.

My eyelids felt heavy. Once the tension drained away, fatigue hit me hard. Guess I really had been worrying whether Lee Yul could handle it.

The warm morning sunlight made it even harder to stay awake.

[Online Forum Post]

That ○○ District gate?
The Association’s claiming they cleared it, huh?
Actually, rumor is M.H.J. did it.

└ Whaaat, how’d you find that out?
└ Friend of a friend’s a Hunter. Word gets around.
└ Haha, knew it. They think the public’s dumb.
└ ? M.H.J. entered a different gate that morning. Stop spreading crap.
└ And you’d know that how?
└ I live nearby. Saw him. Dude’s good-looking as hell.
└ So is it true he cleared it or not?
└ @C.H. give us the truth~~

“Guild leader, are we just letting this one slide? People have been asking since last night.”

The bespectacled man following Min Hajun flipped through a thick bundle of papers. Even in this digital age, he stubbornly preferred hard copies — said they just felt safer.

“Yeah. It’s a classified file, already signed. If it leaks, we pay damages.”

“Ah, well if it costs money, we back off.”

Watching his subordinate immediately retreat at the mention of penalties, Min Hajun turned away and kept walking. He didn’t have the energy to smile it off like usual.

‘Why isn’t she answering?’

After safely leaving the gate, he’d called Kang Yuha right away — but she hadn’t picked up. Maybe she was still out of it. Maybe she trusted Wind enough to stay with him. Or maybe… if those two were really that close—

‘And if they are?’

The flash of irritation surprised even him. Whatever their relationship was, it wasn’t his business. It shouldn’t be.

He barely even knew her name, that was all.

Still, he unlocked his phone again.

“Hunter Yuha.”

The call rang, then went to voicemail.

A strange sense of anxiety crept in, which he told himself was simple concern for her safety.

Tapping the phone’s edge with his finger, he switched to messenger.

— Message her when you wake u…

‘Too clingy.’

He erased it. Typed. Erased again. After several failed attempts, he finally sent one simple line:

How are you feeling?

But again, no reply.

“Well, yeah… she didn’t even pick up the call.”

She’d text him when she saw it, he thought. Even so, he couldn’t bring himself to turn off the screen — just stared at the time ticking by.

It had been several days since I told Lee Yul the truth and asked for his cooperation.

Now I was sitting in the so-called “Urban Forest Park,” watching the peaceful scenery — children playing by the fountain, students biking past, couples walking hand in hand.

“Hey, stop brooding and take this.”

Something cold pressed against my cheek. I turned to see Lee Yul holding out an ice cream, his expression indifferent.

The familiar cat mask was gone. Instead, he’d pulled his hood low over his face — low enough that you couldn’t see him unless you looked from below.

When I’d asked why he took the mask off, he’d said, “No need to broadcast that I’m an S-rank Hunter everywhere I go.” Fair point.

I glanced at his sharp, upturned eyes.
“I like chocolate flavor.”

He took a bite of his own cola-flavored one and said flatly,
“They didn’t do cross-discounts.”

“Well, guess there’s nothing to be done.”

The day I’d woken up at his place and accidentally absorbed his clone, he’d stormed in just as expected and unleashed a barrage of scolding — made me promise never to absorb a clone again. Not that I could do it without his permission anyway, but still.

During that argument, we’d at least managed to set a few short-term goals.

Goal one: Fill up my mana reserves using the absorption skill.

Since we’d decided to work together, boosting our collective firepower was essential — something even Lee Yul agreed on.

And since absorbing mana from people was inefficient, we planned to target gate cores instead.

But that plan had gone down the drain from the start.

Which is why I was now eating ice cream idly in a park.

‘Can’t do anything without entering a gate first.’

That’s right. I couldn’t even get in.

They suddenly tightened gate security.

Every time I tried, the Association staff would check for registered Hunters at the entrance. I’d end up backing off before they could scan me.

“Can’t exactly register, either.”

I sighed. I couldn’t trust anyone — my skill and history had to stay hidden.

“Honestly, I thought they’d give up after a few days, but they’re still guarding it.”

Lee Yul plopped down beside me. Since I couldn’t go in, he was effectively unemployed too.

“Think you can get a list of Hunters with purification skills?”

That was goal two — identify Hunters who had purification abilities.
Crucial info, but also hard to get.

“I’m trying, but you know me — zero connections.”

“Yeah…”

We sat on the bench, staring blankly into space.

Buzz.

My pocket vibrated.

Min Hajun
Are you at a park with a big horse statue?

A strange message to get out of nowhere.

‘What the…?’

I glanced around. Fountain. Trees. Bikes. Horse statue—

There it was. Two white horses, backs together in a dynamic pose. How had I not noticed it before?

“Hey, hey. Did you know there’s a horse statue here?”

“What are you talking about?”

When I nudged his shoulder, Lee Yul turned his head sharply toward me.

I pointed toward the sculpture.

“Jeez, that’s massive. What kind of statue…”

He flinched slightly — apparently only now noticing it too. The thing really was startlingly large and detailed.

Buzz.

Min Hajun
Left side.

I instinctively turned my head left.

“Long time no see.”

A few steps away, Min Hajun stood there, smiling and waving. When our eyes met, he walked over.

“Are you feeling better now?” he asked, crouching slightly, concern lacing his voice.

“Yeah, thanks to you…”

I trailed off. The sudden encounter threw me off guard.
Especially since Lee Yul and I had agreed not to tell him the truth — at least not yet.

Even if I did, would he believe it?

I could convince Lee Yul because he already knew bits and pieces about me — but Min Hajun was different.

So lately, I’d been keeping my replies short and vague.

“I guess I’m invisible again.”

Lee Yul’s grumble came from beside me. He summoned his familiar mask, covering his face before straightening up.

“Oh, long time no see.”

“It hasn’t been that long. We met just recently.”

“Haha.”

I stepped slightly in front of Lee Yul, bowing my head.

“I wanted to thank you in person, but it took a while. I really appreciate what you did back there.”

“Don’t mention it. You saved my life.”

“I also heard you had to put up with some trouble because of me… sorry about that.”

“That’s not something you should apologize for.”

The words could have sounded cold, but his tone and expression were warm.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Oh, just… you know.”

I dodged the question again. No way I could say ‘I’ve been getting kicked out of every gate I try to enter.’

‘He’d just tell me to register as a Hunter.’

“What’s it to you?” Lee Yul muttered.

“I wasn’t talking to you.”

His tone toward Lee Yul was noticeably colder — understandable, considering the incident during the gate raid.

“Did you come because of the gate nearby?” Min Hajun asked.

“Something like that.”

“Hm, I was thinking of checking it out too. Want to come with me?”

“I’d love to, but…”

“If we go under ‘Transcendence,’ it’ll be fine.”

“…Huh?”

It was as if he’d seen right through me. Seeing my wary look, Min Hajun raised both hands slightly.

“The Association’s been asking about your identity. I figured you hadn’t registered.”

“…”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t give them any info.”

How could someone be this cooperative?

I crossed my arms, cautious.
“Operating without registration’s illegal, you know. Surprised you’re not lecturing me.”

“I’m sure you have your reasons.”

“And you don’t even want to know what they are?”

“If it was something you could tell me, you already would’ve.”

A textbook answer — maybe too textbook.

“You saved my life,” he added, meeting my eyes. “I doubt it’s for a bad reason.”

His gaze was clear, unwavering — the kind that came from someone with unshakable conviction.

‘He believes in people’s goodness… huh.’

I found myself momentarily speechless.