The screen exploded with flashy effects.
A deafening impact sound tore through the speakers and shook the living room.
[K.O!]
"Yes! I won again."
I tossed the controller aside.
Leaned back against the sofa.
My feet dangled in the air, not quite reaching the floor.
Kang Ha-eun, sitting next to me, gripped her controller like she was trying to crush it.
The plastic pad squeaked and screamed in protest.
"Ah! Oppa, your fingers just glowed blue! You used mana when you did that combo!"
My sister jabbed her finger at me accusingly.
"Got proof? If you're so upset, why don't you go awaken yourself."
"Are you insane? What kind of Hunter uses mana playing games! That last move requires frame-perfect dodging—there's no way human reflexes can avoid it!"
She was right, of course.
I'd subtly channeled mana into the thumb pressing the D-pad.
Reaction speed impossible with normal human neural transmission.
Using that in a fighting game meant my sister never stood a chance.
"This round doesn't count! We need video review!"
As she huffed and started to get up, I casually flicked my finger.
Blue mana extended like chains.
My sister's body locked onto the sofa.
"Huh? What? Hey! Let me go!"
"Making excuses after getting wrecked. If you lost, follow the rules. Hurry up and present your forehead."
I flicked my finger mercilessly.
Pure physical force only, of course—no mana.
If I'd added mana, her skull would've shattered.
—Thwack!
"Aaaah! This is so annoying!"
Ha-eun clutched her bright red forehead and rolled on the floor.
Her eyes burned with venom.
"One more round!! I may not beat an Awakened, but I've got gaming experience on my side!"
Just as she grabbed the controller again, my phone vibrated in my pocket.
The screen showed it was Jae-hun, my friend of 32 years.
I pressed the call button while still holding the controller in one hand.
"Yeah, what's up."
—Hey! Check the group chat once in a while! Jin-su's getting married next month, so we're all meeting up for drinks today. You coming? I need a headcount to book a room!
Noisy sounds came through the speaker.
Sounded like they'd already gathered downtown and started the first round.
"Ah, sorry. I was gaming with my sister and didn't see it."
—Look at you being a good big brother. So are you coming or not?
"I'll be there. Leave the location in the chat when it's decided."
I hung up and turned my eyes back to the screen.
That's when it happened.
My character was cornered on screen.
Ha-eun's character was throwing punches non-stop.
Trapped against the wall, taking an infinite combo.
The sneaky brat had exploited my distraction during the call.
Her fingers hammered the buttons frantically.
[K.O!]
I let out a hollow laugh of disbelief.
"Hey! Attacking while I'm on the phone? Where are your manners?"
"Yup~ Excuses are ugly, aren't they? Got careless and wrecked, didn't you? Present your forehead~"
She stuck her tongue out mockingly.
My sister's finger, sleeve rolled up, flew toward my forehead.
I lightly drew up mana.
My body floated into the air.
Stuck flat against the ceiling.
Ha-eun's swing cut through empty air.
"Ah, what are you doing!! No cheating!"
"If you're so upset, why don't you fly up here too."
"That's so cheap! Mom!!! Oppa's stuck to the ceiling again and won't come down!!"
Ha-eun screamed at the top of her lungs, turning toward the kitchen.
The sound of chopping stopped.
Mom's back-smacking and nagging bombardment was about to launch.
I quickly opened the balcony window.
Threw myself toward the night sky.
A clean escape.
The night air was cold.
I had plenty of time before the meeting.
I landed on a high-rise rooftop in the heart of downtown.
Sat on the railing.
Cracked open a can of coffee from the vending machine.
With a hiss, the sweet smell spread.
Seoul's night view unfolded below my feet.
Flashy neon signs sparkled.
Cars lined the roads.
Just a year ago, these streets had been covered in monster corpses.
This was the everyday life I'd protected by grinding my bones and spitting blood.
Not bad.
I sipped the canned coffee.
Raised my right hand and floated a small mana sphere in the air.
Blue light rippled and rotated.
Simple sensory training—compressing and expanding mana.
Then the surrounding air distorted slightly.
A wave of hot heat washed over me.
"Oh my, our tiny little hero. What are you doing here looking so pitiful?"
I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
South Korea's S-Rank flame mage.
A married woman in her mid-thirties with a five-year-old daughter—Park So-jin.
"Ah, just killing time. What brings you here, Noona?"
I crushed the mana sphere I'd been floating.
"On my way home from work when I sensed a familiar and disgusting mana signature, so I came to check. Did your sister beat you up and chase you out again?"
So-jin giggled as she approached.
She reached out to stroke my silver hair.
I swatted her hand away with a serious expression.
"Don't treat me like a kid. I'm a man in his thirties."
"Of course you are. Such a temper for someone so tiny."
So-jin smirked and leaned against the railing.
Her red coat fluttered in the wind.
"Gates have been quiet lately, so get some rest. Even if those old geezers in Yeouido summon you with their nonsense, just ignore them."
"Are the politicians being annoying again?"
"Don't even get me started. They keep calling me to hearings and whatnot trying to grab Gate resource rights—I'm exhausted. I'd rather crack monster skulls a hundred times over."
So-jin shuddered and waved her hands.
"You take care of yourself too, Noona."
"I need to pick up my kid from daycare. Being a working mom is harder than being a Hunter."
She checked her wristwatch and clicked her tongue.
"I'm off. Come buy us meat at the guild dinner sometime."
With that brief exchange of camaraderie between comrades, So-jin's presence vanished in flames.
Right on cue, my phone vibrated.
The group chat showed the address of a room bar.
I crumpled the empty can and tossed it into the trash.
Got up from my seat.
* * * * *
A large room bar in the entertainment district.
I opened the door to the acrid smell of snacks and alcohol.
Five guys in their thirties, already getting drunk, had claimed the space.
"Oh! Our hero has arrived!"
Jae-hun staggered up and clapped dramatically.
I shoved my butt into an empty seat.
Three empty soju bottles already rolled around on the table.
Then the door opened and a young-looking part-timer cautiously entered.
Her hands trembled slightly as she set down the soup we'd ordered.
The part-timer pulled out a pen and notepad from her apron pocket.
"Um... you're Hunter Kang Tae-ho, right? I'm a huge fan! Could I get an autograph..."
The part-timer, face bright red, held out her notepad.
It was annoying.
But refusing was more trouble, so I scrawled a signature with an expressionless face.
"Thank you! Fighting, The Nation's Little Sister!"
The part-timer bowed 90 degrees and left the room.
As soon as the door closed, my friends burst into giggles in unison.
"Wow~ Our Tae-ho's still popular even after retiring. Total idol status."
"The Nation's Little Sister has arrived. Keke."
"Shut it. Before I actually sew your mouths shut."
Despite the deadly warning, they didn't stop laughing.
In front of these lifelong friends, I didn't maintain the gravitas of an S-Rank Hunter.
I was just a 32-year-old guy at a neighborhood drinking session.
The atmosphere ripened.
Jin-su, today's groom-to-be, cleared his throat.
Pulled a thick envelope from his bag.
White wedding invitations circulated around the table.
"This bastard's finally joining the married men's ranks."
"Congrats, man. Your bride-to-be's a saint."
The conversation naturally shifted to marriage and dating.
Jae-hun looked at me while eating fish cake soup.
"Hey, Kang Tae-ho. Aren't you getting married?"
My hand stopped mid-reach for my glass.
"You've got money rotting away and fame too—date someone. How long are you gonna grow old alone?"
I couldn't answer.
Quietly lowered my gaze.
The chair was too high—my feet didn't reach the floor.
Short, thin legs dangling in the air.
The pink dress Ha-eun had forced me to wear, claiming it was trendy.
Even without looking in a mirror, I knew—silver hair, red eyes, the appearance of a beautiful girl.
The reality of a 32-year-old man's consciousness trapped forever in a 140cm girl's body.
The System's forced modification.
Deep frustration and existential dread struck my mind.
"Ah, fuck... this really kills the mood."
I gulped down bitter soju in rapid succession.
Slammed the empty glass on the table.
"I've cleanly given up on this life."
A solemn silence descended on the noisy room.
My friends' expressions, giggling just moments ago, hardened.
Faces that empathized with my situation.
No one laughed.
Jae-hun let out a heavy sigh.
Silently refilled my empty glass with soju.
"Yeah... drink up. I'm paying tonight."
"Hang in there, Tae-ho."
Jin-su patted my shoulder in consolation.
Eyes full of sympathy dug deeper into my gut.
A sad drinking session of 32-year-old guys reeking of failure.
The night deepened.
A pleasant buzz set in.
I stuffed my stumbling friends into taxis one by one.
Left alone, I entered a narrow alley.
Wrapped myself in a thick mana field.
A transparent sphere formed, blocking the cold night wind.
I gathered mana at my feet and shot into the night sky.
The world's strongest being's modest illegal drunk flying.
I flew quickly over downtown Seoul, cutting through the wind.
Alcohol coursing through my veins made my mana control wobble.
Well, it's not like I'd die from falling, so whatever.
I let the wind blow away the nauseating alcohol fumes.
I landed silently on the penthouse balcony.
Dismissed the field and carefully opened the balcony window.
The living room was dark, lights off.
I checked the time—well past 2 AM.
Thinking everyone was asleep, I walked toward the entrance.
Just as I bent down to take off my shoes, a familiar silhouette rushed out of the darkness.
"Hiyah!"
Something flashed with a battle cry.
My reaction speed was slow from the alcohol.
A solid flick landed on my forehead.
—Thwack!
"Ow!"
A crisp impact sound.
Ha-eun immediately turned and ran.
Darted into her room and locked the door.
—Click.
Only the sound of the lock echoed through the empty living room.
An ambush attack.
I stood there helplessly in the darkness, rubbing my bright red forehead.
A hollow laugh escaped.
"Haah... sigh..."
The throbbing pain in my forehead.
Another peaceful, exhausting day in the hero's life was drawing to a close.
