First impression: just a little kid.
No additional explanation needed — just a little kid, plain and simple.
"I'm not little."
"Ha-ha, my apologies."
That was how Association Director Kang Baek first saw Lee Ji-woo.
Aside from her head being completely white, she looked like an ordinary girl you'd find anywhere.
"The basic assessment… won't be necessary, I suppose. You've already cleared an S-rank Dungeon on your own."
"Heh. You've done your homework."
He'd heard she had awakened, and he'd already read through the various reports on Ji-woo.
But to the eyes of a seasoned veteran who had spent decades as a Hunter, she looked like nothing more than a young girl.
Part of it was that he couldn't sense any notable mana from a child who had supposedly solo-cleared an S-rank Dungeon.
If he were being generous, maybe F-rank.
Cute as she was, he couldn't give her high marks as a Hunter.
— That was Director Kang Baek's honest assessment before he brought Ji-woo to the rank testing room.
But then.
"— Assimilation!"
*Twitch.*
*Twitch, twitch.*
*Swish.*
Even Kang Baek, a man who only believed what he saw with his own eyes, couldn't help but be a little startled in that moment.
It wasn't just because fluffy ears had suddenly sprouted from the top of Ji-woo's head and a bushy tail had shot out behind her.
The mana that had barely registered at F-rank just moments ago —
that faint, negligible mana — had now surged to a level that made Director Kang Baek flinch.
*A chill ran down his spine.*
"…My."
He'd heard she was a transformation-type Hunter, but how could the difference between before and after be this extreme?
The gap wasn't just clear — it was stark.
Was this truly the same being who had looked like nothing more than a cute little girl mere seconds ago?
That was the exact moment Director Kang Baek began to trust the documents he'd read about Ji-woo.
The documents that had made no sense to him until just now — a young girl solo-clearing an S-rank Dungeon.
*Footstep.*
"Don't go asking me to pay for the measuring equipment later. Understood, Director?"
Whether she'd noticed his subtle shift in demeanor, Ji-woo walked forward with a triumphant look on her face.
Then she raised her right arm high above her head.
With the air of someone who was genuinely about to smash the rank measuring device.
"Hiyah!"
She let out a fierce battle cry that didn't suit a child at all.
And at the same moment, a very small signal tone reached Director Kang Baek's weathered ears.
*Beep.*
*Beep-beep, beep-beep-beep.*
The mana stones specially imported from the American Hunter Association, prepared for awakened rank assessments —
those expensive stones had already hit their maximum capacity.
On top of that, a notification popped up indicating that a few of the stones had developed small cracks and needed to be replaced.
*…They're going to lecture me about breaking them again.*
He could already hear the complaints from the Association staff.
Replacing the mana stones in the testing room alone was no small expense.
But at least for this moment, there was something far more important.
Standing before Director Kang Baek right now —
was Korea's newest S-rank Hunter.
"…This shouldn't be possible. Why is that thing still in one piece?"
"That's a hologram, Ji-woo."
"…!"
Ji-woo herself, the one in question, turned red and lunged at Kim A-rin for tricking her.
But Director Kang Baek felt his heart beating just a little faster.
Only the composure of a long-seasoned veteran kept it from showing on his face.
That was what an S-rank Hunter truly was.
An irreplaceable existence capable of protecting thousands upon thousands of lives on their own.
"You're not getting braised beef later!"
"S-still, the measurement worked properly. This entire testing room is made of mana stones, Ji-woo."
"…Is that true?"
How many lives would that young face go on to save?
Lives that wouldn't be senselessly cut down by rampaging monsters — lives that could be lived fully and completely, never to be forgotten under the hollow name of "victim."
How many of those precious, irreplaceable lives would there be?
"Ha-ha, I did say so myself. I told you to break it if you could."
"……I don't know anything about that."
"In any case, I was surprised. You truly have awakened at S-rank, Miss Ji-woo."
"Hmph."
Director Kang Baek gently soothed Ji-woo's puffed-up cheeks and turned toward his office.
Now that he'd confirmed Ji-woo was a genuine S-rank awakened, there was far too much to tell her, too much to explain.
There were things he needed to say seriously to Kim A-rin, Ji-woo's guardian, as well.
Things that Kim A-rin and the Haetae Guild absolutely had to keep in mind in order to properly protect this newly emerged S-rank Hunter.
In the end, however —
a few of those things turned out to be unnecessary.
"If I break it — that's what I'm supposed to do, correct?"
The woman who had been trailing after Ji-woo and no one else.
A non-awakened with no detectable mana whatsoever.
According to Kim A-rin, a Haetae Guild staff member assigned to support Ji-woo's Hunter activities going forward.
And at the same time —
*Crack.*
*BOOM — !!*
"……!!"
A strange existence that had reduced the testing room to rubble simply by releasing her energy.
"W-who on earth are you——!"
"I am a servant of Ji-woo, who stands before you. There is nothing else I need to tell you."
Her manner of speaking was a little odd, but now was hardly the time to worry about something like that.
What mattered was that the testing room — built to American Hunter Association standards — had been completely obliterated.
"I— no, our Guild Master will explain everything, Director."
"…………"
The materials and mana stones that had held up even when America's top S-rank Hunters were used to test their limits.
The fact that they'd been reduced to dust like this made the implication unmistakable.
"…You said you weren't going to cause trouble."
"B-but you gave the order——!"
"I didn't say to break all of this."
"!! I— I'm so sorry——! Allow me to atone for this transgression right now by offering my head——!!"
"S-stop. I said I don't need your head!"
The beautiful woman flustering over Ji-woo's sulky expression — she was clearly an existence that surpassed multiple American S-rank Hunters combined.
That was the only conclusion he could reach for now.
And once that thought settled in —
Director Kang Baek understood why Kim A-rin had brought Ji-woo and that woman together.
"May I take this as confidence?"
"Hm? What kind of…?"
"Haetae's confidence that they can protect Miss Ji-woo."
Director Kang Baek continued, his expression showing full understanding, to a still-flustered Kim A-rin.
"Going forward, Miss Ji-woo will be targeted by many people. S-rank is a deeply coveted power."
His body had grown frail with age, his hair gone fully white —
but Director Kang Baek had something that couldn't be taken away.
The seasoned authority that came from experience.
"China and Japan right next door, and even our ally America — they're all desperate for S-rank. Miss Ji-woo will likely attract enormous attention."
"That's… true, but. Right now this is, I mean—"
"They'll try to take Miss Ji-woo by any means necessary. By any means at all. …Perhaps they'll even try to make her suffer in order to get their hands on that power."
"…That's also true, but. Director."
"It won't just be nations. Organizations, groups, and factions lurking in the shadows of the world will likely come after Miss Ji-woo as well. As they always have."
And yet the Haetae Guild could keep this new S-rank Hunter safe.
The Haetae Guild wouldn't let Ji-woo be taken so easily.
Bringing that woman of unparalleled strength before Director Kang Baek — wasn't that all meant to demonstrate exactly that confidence?
Wasn't the deliberate show of force meant to cleanly put his concerns to rest, to make him stop worrying about Ji-woo entirely?
"I knew it, but what a formidable place Haetae truly is."
"…………"
Director Kang Baek, having seen through every one of Kim A-rin's intentions, said as much with an expression of complete understanding.
By that point, Kim A-rin had given up trying to explain herself and simply nodded weakly.
In the end, it was partly because Ji-woo had asked a rather foolish question.
"Hey, A-rin."
"…Yeah, Ji-woo. What is it?"
"The reporters? Can I go do the interview now?"
"…………"
In place of a speechless Kim A-rin, Director Kang Baek opened his mouth to speak.
Why don't they head to his office first?
"This place seems a little unsuitable for a conversation with Miss Ji-woo. Dust is flying everywhere."
"Ah, that… I'm sorry."
"Nothing to apologize for. It was this old man who suggested breaking the equipment in the first place."
"Um, so… the repair costs…"
"That isn't Miss Ji-woo's responsibility either."
"Phew."
Ji-woo, finally looking relieved, walked alongside the woman who had just demolished the testing room.
Kim A-rin, looking like she'd set something down, and Director Kang Baek with his unhurried expression followed behind them.
***
"First of all, news of Miss Ji-woo's S-rank awakening will not be disclosed to the press."
"N-no reporters?"
"Correct. If you were looking forward to that, I apologize."
A-rin tricked me again.
She definitely said reporters would swarm in after the rank assessment and take a ton of photos of me.
That's why she dressed me up so nicely.
"But if I didn't…"
"Didn't what?"
"…You wouldn't have worn the outfit I picked."
Okay. Decision made.
No braised short ribs for you either.
Plain rice with seaweed and kimchi only.
"Ha-ha, please don't be so upset. It was all done with Miss Ji-woo's best interests in mind."
"That sounds like something an overbearing Daechi-dong parent would say."
"I-it's true, Ji-woo. If you get famous, it could make things more dangerous for you."
Director Kang Baek and Kim A-rin took turns explaining.
No matter how strong an S-rank Hunter I was, I was still a kid.
Apparently bad people could kidnap me, starve me, and work me to the bone or something like that.
"I know you're strong, Ji-woo, but… you don't really know how to protect yourself yet."
"I'm invincible, you know."
"…What if someone kidnaps you while you're asleep. Locks you in a cell and feeds you weird drugs. Being invincible doesn't cover all of that, does it?"
"Nonsense. As long as I'm watching, nothing like that will happen."
"Maybe so, but… it's still better than creating unnecessary risks, isn't it?"
Still, Kim A-rin's words weren't entirely without merit.
Neither I nor Arkiel could argue against it.
Just a few days ago, when A-rin held my computer hostage to threaten me, I'd been completely helpless.
Invincibility wasn't a cure-all.
Living quietly, as if I barely existed, was clearly less dangerous than being famous.
But even so.
"……You could have at least told me beforehand."
"…You're right, I'm sorry, Ji-woo."
I can't forgive being tricked twice.
Getting my hopes up and then crushing them is worse.
"Well, no need to be so downcast."
"…I'm not downcast."
"When Miss Ji-woo grows strong enough to protect herself, I'll call in as many reporters as you like. You'll be able to appear on the news."
"W-wait a moment."
*Ding.*
[ Recording in progress. ]
[ 00 : 01 ]
"Alright, please say that again."
"…Ha-ha, you're very thorough, Miss Ji-woo."
"You have to be certain about these things."
Fortunately, Director Kang Baek repeated the same words even with the phone's recording function running.
In other words, I now had solid evidence.
If the Director changed his story later, I could counter it with this recording.
If he said something different down the line, I'd blast this audio file all over the internet and call him out for talking out of both sides of his mouth.
"In any case, Miss Ji-woo."
"Yes?"
"Please protect people."
Though something a little different also got recorded.
"That is all I ask."
It wasn't the kind of thing I'd likely ever use as evidence.
Feeling a little embarrassed for some reason, I put my phone away and said goodbye to the Director.
The rank assessment was done, and there was no reason to stay in the Association building any longer.
Honestly, I was tired enough to drop and fall asleep right then and there.
"Can we go now? It's past six. You should be heading home too, Director."
"Ha-ha. You're even thinking about this old man's commute. I'm deeply moved."
"I-it's not like that. Anyway, we'll be heading out now, Director. Take care."
After that, Kim A-rin chatted with the Director about something or other, but it didn't seem to have anything to do with me, so I let it wash over me.
All I could think about was the braised beef sitting in the fridge.
Though —
*Fidget, fidget.*
*Fidget, fidget.*
Arkiel, who had been nervously watching my expression this whole time, was a little hard to ignore.
She seemed to be bothered by my grumbling from earlier.
Thinking about it now, Arkiel hadn't really done anything wrong.
She'd just broken everything because I told her to break it.
"Arkiel."
"Y-yes. Your command."
"…You did well."
"……!"
She'd broken the hologram measuring device and the sturdy testing room as a bonus, but either way she'd broken everything — so she'd done everything I asked, hadn't she?
I couldn't have her standing there with that guilty expression on her face. It was bothering me.
But for some reason, something else was still nagging at her.
Arkiel started explaining herself again.
"I am your servant now."
"Well… that's right, for now."
"The illusion from earlier was as good as broken by you. You have already accepted me as your servant — how can you say my power is not your power?"
"……Is that how it works?"
"That is how it works."
Hearing it put that way, it was actually quite logical.
Arkiel was essentially my summon.
It was common knowledge that a summon's strength was the summoner's strength.
Which meant that I, as the summoner commanding a summon like Arkiel, was equally as powerful?
Wait — I actually was a strong person all along.
"Heh. I'll give you braised short ribs later."
"……!"
Only then did Arkiel's face brighten, the shadow that had hung over it lifting away.
In a way, Arkiel was just as easy to read as Hwaran. Whatever she was feeling showed on her face immediately.
Well, not that it bothered me.
"Let's go, A-rin. I'm hungry."
"— What are you doing standing there?! Did she not say she is hungry?!"
Hearing the double scolding from both me and Arkiel, Kim A-rin finally dragged herself out of the Director's office.
She was wearing that complicated expression again for some reason, but there was something more important right now.
Something I absolutely had to ask.
"A-rin."
"…Yeah."
"When can I be on the news?"
"When you can protect yourself."
"What does that even mean. You need to set a clear standard."
"…Either way, not now."
Over dinner packed with side dishes from the store owner, I set myself a new goal.
Get strong enough to appear on the news.
The Director had said he couldn't announce me to the press because I was still too weak, so getting stronger would solve the problem.
*Trembling.*
*Trembling.*
"I-I can carry it. Don't come near me."
"…Ji-woo."
"If you take even one book out, I'll be mad!"
The next day, I brought Hwaran The Lord of the Rings and several other novels all by myself.
Kim A-rin and Arkiel both stood beside me with anxious expressions, but there was nothing to be done.
I had to get stronger bit by bit, even like this.
