Chapter 2 – The Age of Hunters (1)

The world was pouring all its efforts into uncovering the identity of the suddenly appeared floating island.

-It has been ten years since the Gates appeared. In that time, we have witnessed many things we could never have imagined.

-Citizens are growing anxious about the sudden appearance of the floating island.

The news anchor was interviewing a passing citizen.

-Of course, it’s scary. We don’t know when a monster might pop out of there.

She said it was scary, but just a moment ago, she was taking a selfie with the floating island in the background.

-Researchers are warning that the floating island could be a strategic weapon from another dimension and are urging the government to declare the surrounding area a red line.

-What is the true identity of the floating island, and what is its purpose?

Its identity is a fiefdom from another world.

Purpose? There’s no such thing.

Because the great liege of the floating island, Katrinne, is probably holed up in her room right now, completely absorbed in an online game.

‘And I can’t exactly throw her away.’

When you get down to it, it’s my fault Katrinne ended up in the modern world.

As a hero in that other world, I defeated the Demon King and brought about peace.

It sounds simple when I say it, but I doubt there are many who could actually endure that process.

No, I think I’m probably the only one.

In any case, Katrinne was the only one who could transport me between dimensions.

She opened a Gate to send me back to the modern world.

The result: me, Katrinne, and her entire domain were transported to the modern world.

‘Wow, this is insane. And I can’t even tell anyone that the thing floating up there is actually my fault.’

The surrounding buildings are probably itching to sue over the loss of their sunlight because of that floating island.

Muttering to myself, I walked my familiar route to work.

A massive billboard on a building was displaying an ad for a successful Hunter, boasting an annual salary in the billions.

‘I’m so jealous.’

That was the strongest emotion I felt upon returning to the modern world.

Gates opened, and monsters overran a once-peaceful world.

In the beginning, with no awakened individuals, humanity was helplessly trampled.

The military mobilized to save the nation in crisis, but they alone were not enough.

The first-generation awakened who appeared during this time became heroes.

‘They say a popular awakened is basically a walking one-man corporation.’

I writhed with envy as I watched the commercial.

Some people flaunt their massive salaries, enjoy immense popularity, and are hailed as heroes, all while having the same level of recognition as celebrities.

But what did I, the savior of another world, get?

‘I got a useless liege from another world.’

More of a demerit than a merit, though.

It’s the only trade I know, so I wanted to become a Hunter.

I was envious of the fame they possessed.

It’s not that I’m jealous because Hunters are popular. It’s not that it pains me to see a successful Hunter make more from a single commercial than I could earn in a lifetime of slaving away like an ant.

I’m an attention seeker.

Not the kind that stirs up trouble, but the type who’s conscious of how others perceive me.

I, who once possessed wealth and fame as an unparalleled hero in another world, was now living in a cheap rental apartment overnight.

Naturally, I sometimes miss my past glory.

If I’d known it would be like this, I shouldn’t have returned to the modern world.

“Hello.”

“Coach Lee. Coach Lee! Perfect timing!”

As soon as I arrived at work, a burly man in a pink tank top greeted me. The ‘Coach Lee’ he was referring to was me.

And the bald gay man—no, the gentleman with a fondness for pink—standing before me is my employer.

“Coach Lee, you don’t have any requested sessions today, right?”

I work as a trainer at a gym. Of course, it’s not an ordinary gym.

“This is a new recruit the Hwarang Guild just signed. I need you to train him, Coach Lee.”

“There are other coaches, you know.”

“The Hwarang Guild specifically requested you.”

A trainer. Literally, an instructor who trains athletes.

Even if you’ve awakened to a power, a complete rookie with no combat experience can enter a dungeon or a Gate and come out as a corpse in an instant.

That’s why new Hunters receive training at a gym and undergo dungeon apprenticeships.

High-ranking Hunters have no reason to enjoy babysitting their juniors for chump change.

They can earn a fortune from a single dungeon clear, so they wouldn’t be interested in the paltry fee the guild offers.

That’s why specialized gyms for training Hunters became popular.

“Come on, my schedule was empty this week.”

“But it’s a request from the Hwarang Guild. Help me out. I’ll even throw in a special bonus.”

I am the hero who dedicated himself to protecting the peace of the continent in another world. I have no interest in material greed.

“I need to train too. I’ve lost muscle mass from slacking off.”

“Coach Lee, you like ramen, don’t you? Huh? How about a box of instant ramen every day? Deal?”

Money and ramen.

Of course, I don’t care for money. Or ramen, for that matter. But Katrinne absolutely loves ramen.

“What about the pickled radish?”

At my words, the manager grinned.

“You got it.”

I may not be materialistic, but when I think of the person waiting for me, I have no choice.

I have to accept.

It’s definitely not because of the ramen. I couldn’t refuse because I was thinking of the person waiting for me.

“Go to Room 3. Oh, and Team Leader Jeon asked you to be pretty tough on him.”

“Team Leader Jeon always asks me to be tough.”

“No, this new kid seems to have a bit of an attitude.”

“Is there any Hunter who doesn’t?”

The manager just laughed and patted my shoulder.

I entered the training room I was assigned to.

“Hello, my name is Lee Hyunbin—”

*Thwack!*

The moment I entered the training room, a dull thud echoed. Along with it, a man went tumbling to the floor.

“What are you doing? Huh? Mister. Weren’t you supposed to be teaching me something? Huh?”

“Keuk!”

In the training area, a blond punk raised his chin, full of confidence.

The man on the floor tried to get up, but his legs gave out, and he staggered.

‘A brawl on the very first day…’

Among the rookies who have just become Hunters, there are some who are itching to show off their newly awakened powers.

I could tell at a glance what kind of kid I’d be dealing with.

“Hello, my name is Lee Hyunbin. I’ll be handling your course today.”

The tense atmosphere forced me to introduce myself again.

Only then did the blond rookie Hunter and the fallen man turn their gazes toward me.

Like a true professional in the service industry, I spoke with a smile on my face.

First impressions are important, after all.

“You son of a bitch, you think this is over?”

“If you’ve got a problem, we can settle it outside later.”

The man who’d been beaten one-sidedly, his pride clearly wounded, growled and stormed out.

At least he had the strength to walk out on his own. That’s a relief.

“Young, hot-blooded Hunters often like to show off their strength. It’s not that unusual, but I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from fighting during future training sessions.”

“You’re going to teach me, mister?”

The blond kid sized me up from head to toe.

Mister, he calls me.

Sure, I’m thirty.

But I can say with confidence that I have a baby face.

At a glance, you’d think I was in my early twenties. Seriously.

Even Katrinne admitted it.

She said it didn’t seem like there was much of an age gap between us.

Although, it’s a little suspicious that she only ever says that when I’m buying her something.

“So what are you going to teach me?”

The blond kid smiled provocatively.

Let’s see, what should I teach you? Manners, maybe?

“Lee Hyunbin? Never heard of any Hunter with that name.”

“Ah, I’m not a former Hunter. I’m just a regular trainer.”

“Regular?”

The blond’s gaze turned openly contemptuous.

It was understandable. What could he possibly learn from a trainer who wasn’t a former Hunter or a professional athlete?

I get it. But I don’t get why he’s acting like that toward *me*.

“Being a good fighter isn’t all it takes to be a Hunter. You also need to know the patterns of monsters that appear in dungeons, as well as tactical formations. And since the dimension can shift in certain Gates, basic survival skills are essential. Imagine how baffling it would be to enter what you thought was a mountain, only to suddenly find yourself underwater.”

“Aren’t all raids the same? You just fight well, and then fight some more, right? It’s only the weaklings who grovel and look for excuses.”

From the sound of it, the blond kid had no intention of listening to what anyone else had to say.

He believed there was no need to listen to someone he deemed inferior.

“Well, since it’s your first day, let’s start with a basic fitness assessment.”

“Instead of some basic fitness test, how about we spar? There are other rookie Hunters and aspirants like me here, right? Wouldn’t that be better training?”

“While that can be good training, it’s better for new Hunters to focus on survival training rather than practicing PvP.”

The blond looked disappointed at my words. He was clearly itching to use his strength.

It seemed he was displeased that his trainer was a regular person and not a former Hunter.

‘Well, kids his age can be like that.’

I, being a man of great magnanimity, understood.

‘So now, I’m going to have to tear him in two.’

Ah, but this is purely out of concern for the kid.

With an attitude like that, if he goes into a dungeon, he’s bound to get into a fight with other Hunters.

It’s not uncommon for Hunters, hyped up from battle, to get into knife fights over a simple argument.

“You’re still a rookie, so you probably haven’t been ranked yet. For training purposes, we need to measure what your Hunter rank would be. Or are you just scared you’ll get a lower rank than the others at the center?”

“What?”

The blond’s eyebrows shot up. I gave him a bright smile and waved my hands dismissively.

“Oh, don’t worry. We never release a new Hunter’s rank if they don’t want us to.”

“Hah. That’s ridiculous. You don’t know me, mister. Just hurry up and do whatever test you want. I’ll set the highest record here!”

Seeing him fall for such a cheap taunt, I could tell he was just a kid.

Now that he’s taken the bait, it’s time to begin.

“Alright, then. Shall we start with push-ups?”

“How many?”

“Let’s start with a light 200 reps.”

“…What?”

“Ah, if that’s… too difficult for you…”

I put on my most embarrassed expression, as if I felt sorry for asking something unreasonable of a weak person.

Seeing my blatant expression, the blond’s pride flared up. He rolled up his sleeves and started doing push-ups.

He panted heavily.

The blond was doing push-ups, sweat pouring down his face.

Even if you’ve awakened a power, your body doesn’t turn to steel.

Of course, some people have special abilities like that, but the vast majority of Hunters are no different from ordinary people.

That’s why they must constantly train their bodies. It’s the only way they can fight monsters.

It’s commonly known that monsters from Gates are immune to firearms.

But that’s not actually the case.

If you unload a gun on them, monsters turn into a bloody mess.

However, within a monster’s body lies a stone imbued with mana—a magic stone.

The closer this magic stone is to a dungeon, the stronger its regenerative power and its resistance to firearms.

To reliably subdue these creatures, you need bullets infused with magic stones. Naturally, the price of ammunition skyrockets.

Even in online games, you have to turn a profit when you hunt.

If all your hunts are at a loss, without even enough to cover the cost of potions, you’re running a losing business.

In other words, no fool spends twenty dollars to earn ten.

‘His basic physical stats are good, at least.’

I watched the blond panting after finishing his push-ups.

The blond shot me a smug look, as if to say, ‘How was that?’

“Your arms are well-trained.”

“That was a piece of cake. I worked out a bit even before I awakened.”

“At least you won’t be dropping your weapon from a lack of strength. Next up, let’s do a light 200 sit-ups.”

“What?”

The blond blinked at my words.

I explained with a grin.

“It would be a disaster if you took a blow to the stomach from a monster and went down, wouldn’t it? You have to at least train your abs.”

“No, that’s ridiculous—”

“Do you want to be the guy who has to run to the bathroom with a stomach ache right before a crucial battle in a dungeon? Of course not. Survival training is important.”

“What kind of survival—hey, what’s that? Why are you writing ‘Lowest Grade’ on the door!”

I put on my most sorrowful expression.

“Oh, was I supposed to keep it a secret?”

“Fuck you!”